Carli and I have spent the last two weekends making trips into the city to explore what it has to offer.Last weekend, we started off early and went to the Red Fort. The drive into Delhi was beautiful. The city is incredibly green, the roads are well-maintained, and there was definitely a plan for the city as a whole. A grid system would have been too easy so Delhi is laid out in a circular pattern of traffic circles, many of which have walking gardens in the middle. We couldn't exactly call it peaceful as there are nearly ten million people within the city limits but the morning was calmer than expected.
The Red Fort was the home to the Mughlai (MUG-lie) empire for the majority of their reign in India. After conquering Delhi, they moved to Agra and proclaimed that as the capital for a few hundred years before moving back to Delhi and building the fort. This was home to the Maharajah, his court, and any visiting foreign dignitary. The fort was situated with the Yamuna River at one side - the river has since altered course - and had canals built into the fortress to allow water to flow throughout. It was a beautiful trip and we only were stopped a few times for pictures with strangers.
After lunch, we went to Swaminarayan Akshardam. Akshardam is a Hindu temple whose name literally translates to "abode of God". After visiting, I understand why. The temple grounds are completely spotless and it felt almost dream-like inside. The perimeter walls are sandstone and there are carvings surrounding the main temple. Inside the temple, my jaw dropped and remained that way for the duration. The statues were covered in the brightest gold leaf I have ever seen and the walls, ceilings, and columns were a beautiful white marble. There is a water show at night which I'll attend on a later visit. I would include pictures of this beauty but they did not allow any photography inside the temple grounds. We even had to leave our phones in the car. I recommend going to their website and looking through a few pictures to get an idea of what we saw. They don't do the temple justice but it's better than me muttering on like a crazy person. http://akshardham.com/explore/Mandir/
Carli and I also went to Kingdom of Dreams, a theme park of sorts in Gurgaon that puts on theatrical performances and has food and crafts from all over India. It was a fun experience but we were both a little overwhelmed by the end of the day.
The Red Fort was the home to the Mughlai (MUG-lie) empire for the majority of their reign in India. After conquering Delhi, they moved to Agra and proclaimed that as the capital for a few hundred years before moving back to Delhi and building the fort. This was home to the Maharajah, his court, and any visiting foreign dignitary. The fort was situated with the Yamuna River at one side - the river has since altered course - and had canals built into the fortress to allow water to flow throughout. It was a beautiful trip and we only were stopped a few times for pictures with strangers.
After lunch, we went to Swaminarayan Akshardam. Akshardam is a Hindu temple whose name literally translates to "abode of God". After visiting, I understand why. The temple grounds are completely spotless and it felt almost dream-like inside. The perimeter walls are sandstone and there are carvings surrounding the main temple. Inside the temple, my jaw dropped and remained that way for the duration. The statues were covered in the brightest gold leaf I have ever seen and the walls, ceilings, and columns were a beautiful white marble. There is a water show at night which I'll attend on a later visit. I would include pictures of this beauty but they did not allow any photography inside the temple grounds. We even had to leave our phones in the car. I recommend going to their website and looking through a few pictures to get an idea of what we saw. They don't do the temple justice but it's better than me muttering on like a crazy person. http://akshardham.com/explore/Mandir/
Carli and I also went to Kingdom of Dreams, a theme park of sorts in Gurgaon that puts on theatrical performances and has food and crafts from all over India. It was a fun experience but we were both a little overwhelmed by the end of the day.
This weekend, we left early in the morning and went to a street market near the center of Delhi. It was closed. We found our way to the next site on our list, Jantar Mantar. This is an ancient sun dial and astrological observation site built by Maharajah Jai Singh II. It is one of five such sites constructed by Singh in India and was completed in 1724. It was interesting to see but it has deteriorated over the years and the owners have not kept up with maintenance.
We spent some time here before going to find lunch in Connaught Place. This is a main center of Delhi and there is a lot of vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The large circle is surrounded by a variety of shops, cafes, restaurants, and Western stores. As we walked around to find something that looked good, we were approached by several people who wanted to help us. At first we thought they wanted money but it turns out that they were actually just being helpful. We came to learn that if you asked them a question, they would give you directions and then tell you other things to see in the area and if you didn't ask them a question they would give you directions and then tell you other things to see in the area. They all had great intentions but they wouldn't let you leave and wanted to know your whole story. It got very old, very fast so lunch was more stressful than planned.
After lunch, we took a cab to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. This is one of the most prominent Sikh temples in Delhi and it was a sight to see. Walking in was a challenge as there seemed to always be a flurry of people pushing past us. Carli spotted an office for foreigners and we were happy to escape the crowd. Inside, a man greeted us and helped us store our shoes and don a head covering. He then gave us a personal tour of the entire facility. The complex was beautiful but the story behind the religion was the real treat. Almost all of the workers at the temple are volunteers,they can stay and help for five minutes or all day, whatever they want. The temple is a place for prayer but it also serves as a shelter and food pantry. They feed 50,000 meals a day on average to people of every denomination, gender, race, and caste. Their belief system is based on equality of all; no one is better or worse than the others around them. Carli and I had a wonderful time and learned a lot in our short visit.
Lastly, we went to a step well and relaxed with the crowd for a short time. It was a beautiful piece of architecture and we both found it amazing that this huge well was hidden in the middle of the city.
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