Two Days Touring Delhi; Sites, Markets and Temples

This summer, I spent three weeks in India and Nepal; and as a bonus, I convinced my good friend Danielle to join me. Here’s the experience… 

From Guadalajara to Delhi

First of all, flying to the other side of the world is kinda crazy. I left home on a Tuesday and arrived in India on a Thursday. 

The journey from Guadalajara to Delhi took over thirty hours; and fortunately everything went smoothly. I arrived early, had sufficient layovers, booked the whole itinerary on one ticket and traveled with just a carry on. 

Qatar Airlines was great. A fifteen hour flight could be awful, but for an economy ticket, I had a comfortable seat, full meals and a good pillow and facemask. The Doha airport was so easy with the airport transfer zone, so no need to pass through immigration or security again. 

I arrived in the morning at the Delhi airport. I had my printed “e-visa” in hand and cleared immigration quickly. My transport from the airport to the hotel was already included with G-adventures. They support a local all-women taxi group called “Women on Wheels,” so my driver, Beby, was waiting for me upon arrival. She brought me to an ATM and we conversed a bit using google translate.

Arriving in the City

I arrived before noon and I was so very appreciative that the room was ready before the official check-in time. The room was basic, slightly drab, but clean. I spent most of the afternoon fighting jet lag. In the late afternoon, I took a short walk to a restaurant down the block.

Exiting the airport, I first noticed the hectic traffic. The lanes blended in and out and, to the untrained eye, appeared chaotic, especially when the pouring rain started. Through the congested highways, we navigated to narrower streets lined with stores, apartments and ultimately to the Hotel Perfect, which would be the starting point for the G-adventures trip in two days.  Danielle and I booked a few extra days to explore the city.

Hotel Perfect and the Nearby Area

My first walk down the streets of Delhi put me on sensory overload. There were so many horns honking; not in an angry way, but every single motor bike and vehicle tapped its horn for a heads up with every merge. The streets are lined with four or five story buildings with pharmacies, electronic repair shops and fruit stands on the lower levels. Alleyways lead back to more homes. Electric cables swing above and puddles from today’s rain form piles of mud and trash in the drainage. 

I noticed that more men are walking around than women; but the women I saw were walking comfortably and confidently in their neighborhood, without a precible fear of walking alone. While filled with a sense of busyness and intensity, the streets felt safe.

While in India, my goal was to try a variety of different foods. But, on this first night, I tried their classic butter chicken with rice. I was most intrigued by the mukhwas, or palette cleanser and digestive aid, after the meal. The packet contained brightly colored sugar sprinkles and fennel seeds. 

Super Tourist Tour Day

Today, Danielle and I set out to be super tourists. We booked a full day tour that included most of the highlights in Old Delhi and New Delhi. 

Our day started with breakfast near the hotel. Danielle and I ordered coffees that came with tons of sugar and cream. To eat, we ordered dosas, a crispy crepe with masala, potato, curry, onion, and fried in ghee. We dipped them into the creamy coconut sauce, a spicy red tomato chutney and a green onion pickle. 

Leaving breakfast, we were asked for coins by a woman with small children; which is common in India where more than 60% of the population lives in poverty. I knew coming to India that I  would encounter poverty in a way perhaps different or more intense than my life in Mexico and the United States. When children and mothers are begging for food and coins in the street, there’s no great way to handle or feel in the moment, or ever. Our guides repeatedly recommended against giving. On one hand, understanding that giving a coin or a granola bar may perpetuate begging in the streets or continued dependance. On the other, when we have more, it’s awful not to share, even if the minute support is temporary. I don’t have the answer, especially not in the short term. Poverty sucks.

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Our guide for the day, Indu Gupta, and her driver, Rajit, picked us up at the hotel. She was a clean cut, modern lady with tons of knowledge and her own opinions about the places we would visit. 

Jama Masjid ~  “Friday Mosque”

We walked up the stone steps and through the deactivated metal detectors. Shoes are not allowed in mosques so we slipped our shoes off and left them on the racks outside the door. We put on long robes over our clothes, even though our knees and shoulders were thoroughly covered. 

We stepped into the interior patio of the Jama Masjid. Construction was completed in the year 1656 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. In the center was a water fountain for washing before entering the mosque. Around the outside there were three gates and two minarets, both four meters tall on the main prayer hall. Chharti, or domes, decorated the corners.

The large mosque can hold up to 25,000 people at a time. It is quite popular with people praying and young people visiting, which necessitated the sign “prohibited to make music videos” in the holy space. 

Old Spice Market – Chandni Chowk 

Next, we hopped into a small electric tuk tuk to navigate through the narrow and congested market streets to Chandni Chowk, which is a massive wholesale market that has been busy since the 17th century and the Mughal empire. 

The streets were organized with whole sections dedicated to specific items; wedding supplies, restaurant equipment, sweets, sarees and of course, spices. Stores sold bulk quantities of sweet cinnamon bark, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, cumin, white and black peppers, turmeric, lemon and black salt with a distinctive sulfur smell. The area also sold mixes of curries, masala and lots of teas.

Temple of Akshardham Swarmincerayan  

On route to the Temple, we drove past a few locations that we weren’t able to enter. First, the Red Fort, was used by the Mughal empire in the 1600s and is currently closed to tourists. Next, we drove past the Gandhi Smriti, a museum and memorial for Ghandi and the site of his assassination in 1948.

We snapped a photo outside the Temple of Akshardham Swarmincerayan because we weren’t allowed any items inside. The entire process to enter the temple was more intense than most airports. We left our bags and cell phones in the car and followed the twisting lines through metal detectors and security pat downs.  

The temple grounds were immaculately kept with green grass, tree lined rows and statues. The main temple building was huge and ornately decorated with a mixture of modern and traditional designs. The complex only recently opened in 2005. Volunteers donated their time, skills and money to build the temple. 

Inside the main temple, we saw the detailed carvings of Shiva, the destroyer; Vishnu, the preserver and Brahma, the creator. Outside, we marveled at the Mayur Dwars gate with 869 intricately carved peacocks. 

Lunch and the India Gate

Unfortunately, the India Gate was closed for renovation so we just drove by the outside. The 19th century monument is a memorial to the soldiers of India in the first World War.

For lunch, our guide recommended Pindi; clearly a safe and easy option for tourists as several small group tours had lunch around the same time. Danielle and I shared the chicken tikka masala, curry chicken and garlic naan. It was delicious and we really could have used a nap afterward, but we continued with our busy super tourist day.

Lotus Temple

In the afternoon, we visited the Lotus Temple, a house of worship from the Bahá’í faith. The exterior architecture creates a stunning image of unfolding lotus pedals. Long lines of people form to enter the garden grounds to admire the building; and many enter the silent meditation of the interior. 

While walking the long pathway, Indu points out the various bindis, the painted dots on the forehead of many Hindu women. She explained that it once indicated a woman’s marital status, however today they are popular as beauty marks and as blessings.

From there, we took an unofficial stop at an “art gallery” or rather, a textile shop that produces sarees, kurtas or kurtis, and loose pants. We assumed that Indu, our guide, would receive a commission for any purchases we made. For the better part of an hour, the pushy tailor prided himself on not being pushy. In the end, I picked out a gray tunic with white embroidery that I would later wear at the Taj Mahal. 

Qutb Minar

Our last stop was the Qutb complex which contains a victory tower, mosques and tombs marking the Islamic history in India. Built in the beginning of the 13th century, the architecture brings together generations of leaders, each leaving their legacy in their additions to the complex. While at the site, we were some of the very few blond haired foreigners. Danielle’s bright blond hair was extra popular and she received non-stop photo requests. 

Driving back to our hotel, we felt exhausted with our sightseeing for the day. We ended the evening with a neighborhood walk through busy streets with lots of vendors. For dinner we shared a paneer butter masala and a hot gulab jamun, which is like a donut hole soaked in a sweet syrup. Between the busy day and lingering jet lag, we went to bed early. 

Old Delhi Food and Temple Tour

We started the next morning outside the Red Fort and started our Old Delhi Food and Temple Tour with JD. This was one of my highlights from the whole summer trip. In our few hours together, JD showed us the diversity in Indian religions within a short one mile stretch of Old Delhi. 

While waiting, we took a short walk up the block. We passed the Central Baptism Church, one of the oldest Christian churches and missions in India. Many people experiencing homelessness were sleeping in the street outside and others, especially people with amputations lined up to seek wound care from kind volunteers. 

Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir – Jainism Temple

With JD, the first temple we entered was the Jainism temple Shri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir. Prior to this trip, I did not know much about Jainism. The religion focuses on principles of nonviolence, acceptance of multiple perspectives and non-attachment. In fact, JD did warn us that some monks intensely practicing these principles may be naked, demonstrating their non attachment to the physical world with clothing. In Jainism there is not one main leader or God, but rather 24 tirthankaras, supreme leaders. Not only are Jainsists vegetarian, many followers are also vegan and do not consume root vegetables. 

We removed our shoes and tucked away our phones before entering. Jainists do not wear shoes in public, out of concern they may hurt another creature, even squish an ant. The red painted temple, built in 1658 is the oldest in Delhi shares the grounds with the Charity Bird Hospital, which fulfills the Jainist principle of “live and let live.” The swastika symbol is painted in much of the decor, a symbol from ancient Sanskrit that continues to mean well-being to Hindus, Buddhists and Jainists today.

Inside, there is no specific service or ceremony. Jainists come to pray and meditate as they choose. A man in a loose garb, wrapped hands, and a kind smile, offered us a small handful of dried rice to share in the offerings and prayers. Each day, monks carefully polish each item in the sanctuary. We also noticed that all the statues of gods have the same appearance; JD explained that if you are pure, we’re all the same, just how newborn babies all look alike. 

Hindu Temple to the Back Alleyways

Next to the Jainist temple was a Hindu temple. A vendor sold marigold folders and palm leaf trays for those entering to leave their offerings. 

We turned left into a narrow alley. At this early moment, the shops were closed and there was a calmness compared to the main street. A motorbike came past and we stood flat against the wall, leaving me to wonder how one would navigate these tight paths once the shops open and the day really begins. 

Visiting the Sikh Gurudwara

The main temple we visited was the Sikh temple, Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib. Our guide for the morning, JD, is an expert in his faith and brought us into his place of worship. 

Sikhism started in 1469 in Pakistan. They believe in one god, in service to humanity, in love toward all. They believe that men and women are equals and they believe in optimism and home. In India, Sikhs represent less than 2% of the population, more than 20 million people. 

JD explained to us about the five Ks for practicing Sikhs, 

• the Kesha, or long hair usually wrapped in a turban, 
• the Kangha, or comb, 
• the Kara, the steel bracelet to symbolize connection to God, 
• the Kachha, or shorts to represent purity; and, 
• the Kirpan, or sword or dagger. 

We entered the Gurudwara with JD barefoot and went to wash our hands at the community sink. JD explained that the handwashing wasn’t just symbolic, but we were headed into the giant kitchen where they prepare meals for more than 15,000 people daily. 

We walked into the kitchen with massive kettles for rice and lentils. A dozen women sat at a low table covered in flour and rolled balls of dough to make roti. In the next room, one woman flung the circles onto the griddle while a man flipped and straightened them with a huge spatula. 

JD invited us to eat with everyone in the main hall of the soup kitchen. We sat with metal trays on the floor with the other diners. Men roamed the lines and offered more food to the guests; while women in the back cleaned the trays for composting. Typically I would feel uncomfortable in another person’s place of worship, especially dining on their food. With JD’s welcoming invitation and education, he allowed us a peek into the generosity and the religious beliefs and actions of the Sikh community. I really appreciated the experience of learning about a religion that I didn’t have much knowledge about before today.

The worship center was open and welcoming for all. There wasn’t a main service but rather worshippers entered, medicated and prayed at their own pace. A priest sang at the front, accompanied by three other singers and drummers. A screen displayed the lyrics and chants in three languages; Hindi, Punjabi and English.

The rest of the Guradwara also provides support to the residents community related to medical and dental care. They provide a guest house for families coming from rural areas. And, even during the peak of covid, they continued to provide meals to the neighborhood outside in the street each day. I couldn’t help imagining the totally different world we’d be living in if everyone served their community like this with generosity and peace in their actions.

More Food Stops

We stopped again for more food at the Jalebi Wala. This stand opened in 1884 and has been in the same family for four generations. We sampled jalebis, dough fried in sweet sugary syrups, and matar samosas, fried triangles filled with potatoes and peas served with a green mint chutney. 

Walking through more alleys, the streets are alive with people walking, vendors selling vegetables door to door on pushcarts, motor bikes zigzagging around. We arrive at the Pt. Gaya Prasad Shiv Charan shop, with seven generations serving parathas served at this location. Parathas are a northern Indian street food of fried thin pieces of bread with different fillings; we tried one with cottage cheese and one with cauliflower. We dipped pieces of bread into the different sauces which created unique flavor blends. The dips included a potato curry, a sweet and spicy chutney and a sweet banana tamarind syrup.  

Next, we visited the Mosque Fatehpuri, built in 1650. It is located at the opposite end of the Chandi Chowk street, a mile from our starting point at the Red Fort. 

Gadodia Spice Market

JD walked us to the spice market, down a tunnel alleyway to an interior courtyard. Here, the wholesalers moved around huge bundles of spices on old wooden carts. There were overflowing sacks of cloves, turmeric and cumin. We walked up three flights of stairs to see the market from above. As JD explained, the wealthy buyers run the market and the low wage laborers live, work, eat and sleep, hardly ever leaving the square.

Last stop, Mango Lassi

After the spice market, we stopped for one more sweet treat; a mango lassi. This refreshing dessert is made with yogurt, milk, mango with a bit of sugar and a sprinkle of cardamom. 

Together, we grabbed a bicycle rickshaw back to where we started. In the distance of one mile, we saw the diversity of India; the Hindu and Jainism temples, the Christian church, the Sikh gurudwaa, and a Muslim mosque. 

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Late that evening, we met our group for the G-adventures trip. We would be traveling with them for the next 15 days. They seemed like a solid group from the start; from Germany, Turkey, Ireland, and Australia, with our main guide, CP, from Rajasthan, India. The next morning, we piled into a comfortable coach van and set out for Jaipur.