New and Old Delhi

Wednesday  March 6

We spent today exploring some of the diversity of Delhi, although to really experience the city would require several more days. This morning began at the Lodi Gardens, a 90 acre park that contains architectural monuments (tombs and mosques) from the 15th century, when the Lodi dynasty from northern India also ruled in Delhi. The architecture shows a mix of Muslim and Mughal styles, and the buildings are wonderfully preserved. It was nice to be out in the (relatively) fresh air after the long travel day.  We also visited a consortium that represents 1800 families in the Kashmir who create traditional cashmere scarves and rugs. The embroidery on the scarves is breathtaking. We had a demonstration of the techniques used to make “hand-knotted” rugs in the single-knot Persian style. It can take from a year to three years (sometimes longer) for a team of workers to create a single area rug, depending on the complexity of the pattern — size is a lesser factor than complexity.

After lunch we headed to Old Delhi. This city was built by Shah Jahan (the builder of the Taj Mahal) who decided to move his capital from Agra to Delhi in 1638. From 1638-1648 he built an immense walled palace (The Red Fort, with a 1.5 mile perimeter wall) as well as a town for all his Agra citizens to live in. He also built the adjacent central mosque, which even today can hold 25,000 worshippers for daily prayers. We were able to enter and walk around the mosque, which is built mostly of red sandstone but with marble and onyx inlays. All mosques in India have the prayer direction facing west, toward Mecca, which while logical seems jarring to a western sensibility. After the mosque we climbed into pedal-rickshaws for an exciting ride through the alleyways of Old Delhi, teeming with pedestrians, motorcycles and all varieties of small wheeled vehicles, not to mention produce stands taking up precious road space! The rickshaw drivers are a marvel, weaving through it all without crushing toes or locking axles with another vehicle. 

Then we returned to New Delhi, which was constructed as the new colonial capital between 1911-1915. The previous colonial capital was Kolkata, but George V wanted a 

European style capital city in a more temperate climate. New Delhi has many trees and 

green areas and beautiful public buildings. The India Gate, an Arc-de-Triomphe-style monument to the 70,000 Indian troops killed fighting for the British Army in WWI was memorable. The contrast between the broad avenues and roundabouts of New Delhi and the narrow alleys of Old Delhi was dramatic. We finished the day with a trip to the Gandhi Memorial, located in the house where he was assassinated in 1948. We were particularly interested in letters written by Albert Einstein praising Gandhi’s accomplishments. 

Pictured: Rose-ringed Parakeet, rug making demonstration, Bada Gunbad in Lodi Gardens