Theres no second chance to make a first impression and for many travellers, the first experiences in Delhi set the tone for their judgement of the city, if not for the rest of the country. Some travellers are put on the first plane back again, screaming like a pig. Others never ever want to leave again (or at least not for the forthcoming year). Decide for yourself which side youre on in this inevitable love-hate relationship. Delhi, love it or hate it. (And when you dont love it, leave it for one of the other fascinating places.)
Located on the banks of river Yamuna, Delhi consists of New Delhi (the national capital) and Old Delhi. It is home to over 11 million of people and Indias third largest city after Kolkata and Mumbai . Pronounced Dilli in the vernacular, it is truly a city of contrasts. Its architecture ranges from 10th century Hindu-Rajputana through 17th century Mughal to 20th century British architecture. It is not uncommon to see cars, tongas (horse carriages) and rickshaws on the same road. And while it is one of the greenest cities of India, with vast parks, it is also one of the most polluted.
New Delhi was built by the British and that is reflected in its architecture. All roads in New Delhi lead to the India Gate which is a memorial to the unknown soldiers who lost their lives in World War I. Towards and along Janpath, youll see the international hotels, impressive buildings built to house the governmental departments, the foreign embassies and museums such as the famous National Museum and the Nehru Museum. New Delhi is also the place where the new big international businesses are concentrated and extended spacious residential areas are located as contrasted with the swarming life in Old Delhi.
These days, it still is an impressive melange of the old and the new world. Main Bazaar, near the Delhi railway station is the perfect example of this dualistic nature. On the one hand it is prepared for travellers and offering western life in a nutshell when it comes down to shops, accommodation and nightlife facilities. On the other hand, it still has its street vendors, beggars and pollution.
Old Delhi is over 2500 years old and was the captial city of the Mughal empire. It is dominated by the grand bazaar of Chandni Chowk and by the Jama Masjid which is the largest mosque in India. You will be impressed by the stillness of this place as soon as you leave the ant-hill of narrow streets, vendor stalls and rickshaws and carriages fighting for a place on the road behind. It offers some excellent views of the city as well. Another popular sight is the Old Red Fort that dominates the horizon with its minarets. Although it is in a rather neglected state, it still is an excellent place to wander around and breath in the atmosphere of the old emperors days.
South of Delhi, there is the Qutub Minar complex and Humayuns tomb. The wife of Humayun built the tomb for her husband and it is and it served as inspiration for the Taj Mahal in Agra that was built later. It can easily take up to four days when you want to see all the sights of Delhi.
Most people arrive at Delhi Airport that is still quite some distance away from Main Bazaar, the main budget accommodation area in New Delhi. Make sure you take the travel time in consideration when you have to catch a plane. It can be reached easily by taxi but roads can be very crowded during daytime. Delhi is connected perfectly to all other major cities in India and trains run pretty much on time. At the train station, there is a special office for foreigners upstairs to make reservations. The staff make is accurate, friendly and quick and this is certainly a smart idea when youre planning to make one of these at-least-taking-twenty-hours train trips.
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