{"id":178,"date":"2013-12-20T02:59:17","date_gmt":"2013-12-20T07:59:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/svetanyc.com\/?p=178"},"modified":"2015-01-26T22:06:55","modified_gmt":"2015-01-27T03:06:55","slug":"delhi-day-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/192.168.2.119:1984\/svetanyc\/2013\/12\/delhi-day-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Delhi, India. December 2013."},"content":{"rendered":"

Delhi, Dec 19, 2013
\nMy Aeroflot<\/a> flight to Moscow<\/a> was delayed by several hours and I completely lost all hope in catching a transfer to Delhi<\/a>, nevertheless, due to a large number of Indians traveling from the US to India on the same flight, the plane in Moscow waited for us, so we made it and arrived to Delhi not only with a minimum delay but also with all our luggage.
\nVarun K., my classmate from Oxford, met me at the Indira Gandhi international airport and we went straight to his house. He and his family were kind enough to offer me and Dimitris an accommodation in Delhi and his hospitality went beyond any gratitude I can express in words.<\/p>\n

In the morning, after having a traditional\/European breakfast with Indian pancakes (yet to get an original name for it), eggs and fruits, a family driver, Bholi, took me to town. My plan was to exchange the money and get a 3 G SIM card (keep in mind, as a foreigner, it is almost impossible to get a phone or a phone card in India); Bholi had to provide his documents and a passport-size picture for my application.<\/p>\n

Before leaving for India, I created a few itineraries for Delhi. After speaking with some people who have visited India, I found out that most of them liked Mumbai the best, however, after reading William Dalrymple’s “City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi”<\/a>, I developed a great admiration and respect for the capital of India, its rich Mughal history and multiple precious secrets hidden to a naked eye of a tourist, and likely of a local too.<\/p>\n

Not before I returned from my trip around India and Rajasthan<\/a> and had a chance to spend 5 days looking into every corner of Old and New Delhi, did I start to appreciate this city.
\nDelhi is considered to be one of the oldest cities in the world; it is also said that it was a site of ancient Indraprastha, home of the Pandavas from the India mythological epic Mahabharata<\/a> (recent excavations in Purana Qila area of Delhi showed evidence of human habitation dating back over 3,000 years).
\nThe name Delhi is associated with the Maurya king Dhilu<\/a> who ruled the area in 1st century B.C. But over the millennia, Delhi has been built and destroyed 11 times, each time renamed by its new conqueror.
\nReading and understanding the chronological history of the city, before browsing its sites, would make you really appreciate the beauty of this place. Don’t be surprised to accidentally walk into a tomb or ramparts of the ancient fort while in Delhi, likely, those are remains of one of the 7 old cities of Delhi.<\/p>\n

First city is Lal Kot<\/a> (or Qila Rai Pithora). Anangpal<\/a>, a Tomar ruler created the first regular fort in the area called “Lal Kot”, which was captured, in the 10th century A.D, by ancestors of Hindu king Prithvaraj Chouhan<\/a>. Prithvaraj was a local hero famous for defeating marauding invaders from Central Asia and extending the city, thus, according to the historical records, he is the official founder of Delhi. You can still find some fort ramparts around Qutub Minar and Mehrauli areas.<\/p>\n

Second city is Mehrauli<\/a>. In 1192 an Afghani king Muhammad Ghori <\/a>defeated Prithvaraj and for the next 600 years, Delhi was ruled by Muslim sultans. Ghori left his slave, Qutub-ud-din Aibak<\/a> as his viceroy and after Ghori’s death in 1206, Aibak proclaimed himself the ruler of Delhi and founded the Slave Dynasty<\/a> in Mehrauli. Aibak’s most important achievement was starting the construction of Qutub Minar<\/a>, a 72.5 m tall tower, built across 3 generations and completed in 1220. “Mamluk” (slave) dynasty ruled till 1290 and among its rules I should especially highlight Razia Sultana<\/a>, who despite ruling for just 3 years, was the first Indian empress. Modern Muhrauli area of Delhi is quite an archeological gem to explore.<\/p>\n

Third city is Siri<\/a>. Qutub-ud-din Aibak’s dynasty was replaced by Khilji<\/a> (or Khalji) rulers who constructed a new capital at Siri, northeast of Mehrauli, supplied with water from a royal baoli (water tank) of Hauz Khas. The most prominent of 6 Khilji rulers was Alla-ud-din<\/a> who extended the borders of the kingdom to the south of Narmada. Nowadays, Hauz Khas<\/a> is a pleasant artsy area of Delhi, full of chic boutiques and fancy restaurants, but look deeper and you will find the remains of Madrasa built in a signature West Asian style, and not only Madrasa.<\/p>\n

Fourth city is Tughlaqabad<\/a>. The last Khilji ruler was slain by a Hindu slave Khusro Khan<\/a> in 1320, which resulted, as it is usually happens during the fall of dynastic lineage, in an administrative chaos. Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq<\/a> (a Turk ruler) invaded Delhi in 1320s, started a new Tughlaq Dynasty<\/a> and built a new city of Tughlaqabad, remains of which are still standing in the middle of the city. His descendant, Muhammad Bin Tughlaq, built the fort walls and created another city called Jahapanah (which enclosed the areas between Siri and Lal Kot). Muhammad Bin Tughlaq<\/a> went into a history as a mad king who forced all citizens of Delhi to relocated to Daulatabad (modern Aurangabad) for 2 years, until shortage of water in a new capital forced them back to Delhi.<\/p>\n

Fifth city is Firozabad. Muhammad Bin Tughlaq’s son, Firoz<\/a> created a new city, Firozabad or Feroz Shah Kotla<\/a> (presently located near the cricket stadium in Old Delhi). The city was a large area with multiple palaces, mosques, pillared halls and multi-floored baolis (water tanks). Firoze Shah also brought a 1500 year old Ashoka Pillar<\/a> from Meerut and planted it on top of worthy pedestal. Firoz ordered the repairs of many old constructions, including Ghori’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, Saranj Kund and Hauz Khas (where his own tomb is located, next to Aibak’s Madrasa). After Firoz Shah death, the sultanate became weak and fell after Timur<\/a> (Tamerlane) stormed through town in 1398. Angered by double-faced Hindu nature of Delhiwallas, Timur ordered the city to be looted, plundered, its citizens to be raped and killed.
\nThus Tamerlane opened the door to the Sayyid<\/a> and Lodhi Dynasties<\/a>, the last of Delhi sultanates. The rulers of both dynasties paid more attention into re-establishing the military power and political stability in the kingdom than building a new city, thus the only relevant archeological remains are tombs at Lodhi Gardens<\/a>.
\nThe last Lodhi king was defeated by Babur<\/a> in 1526 in the first battle of Panipat.<\/p>\n

Sixth city is Shergarh or Purana Qila<\/a>. Babur started one of the greatest dynasties of the world – the Mughal dynasty<\/a>\u00a0(a word “Mughal” is a derivative of “Mongol’), which ruled India for over 300 years. Babur’s son, Humayun<\/a> ruled the kingdom for a few years only to be defeated by Sher Shah Suri in 1540, who established a new city Shergarh (on the ruins of Dinpanah, built by Humayun), present Purana Qila. After Humayun came back to power, he completed the construction and proceeded to rule from Shergarh.
\nAfter Humayun stumbled on his clothes, fell down the stairs at his Observation tower while hearing the bell for prayer and eventually died two days later, the capital was moved to Agra for a long time.<\/p>\n

Seventh city is Shahjahanabad<\/a>. Shah Jahan<\/a> (the mastermind behind Taj Mahal) returned to Delhi and re-established it as Mughal capital by building a new city- Shahjahanabad. He built the present Red Fort, Jama Masjid and all that is enclosed within the walls of Old Delhi. The wall with its three remaining gates is still very much visible and makes a fantastic site to visit. The Mughal city fell to a Persian king Nadir Shah<\/a> in 1739 and since then the dynasty went into a steep decline. The last emperor of India, Bahadur Shah Zafar<\/a> was exhiled to Burma by the British for his role in the Great Mutiny of 1857<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Eighth city is Lutyen’s New Delhi. After getting rid of the last king and experiencing continuous rebellious sentiments in Calcutta, it was time to move the East India Company<\/a> to a new place – Delhi. The British architect, Edwin Lutyens<\/a> drew up plans for a new city with wide boulevards and administrative buildings, thus, New Delhi was born.<\/p>\n

After refreshing a story of Old Delhi in my mind, I dove into the city’s magnificent sites to explore and live the history.<\/p>\n

I started at Nigambodh Ghat<\/a> – the oldest burning ghat in Delhi for performing Antyesti<\/a> (Hindu funeral rites) and one of the busiest too. It is believed that the Ghats were established by the oldest Pandava brother, Prince Yudhisthira<\/a>, the kind of Indraprastha. They say, about 50 funeral pyres burn there every day, and perhaps it is true, however, on the morning I got to the Ghat, there were no more than 15 fires, both – in the special niches on the ground and along the Yamuna river bank.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3959\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In Hindu<\/a> religion, women aren’t allow to attend a funeral, in order to avoid being carried away with their emotions and thus disrupting the solemness of the procession; and indeed, there were very few people at the Ghat, not crying but quietly sitting on the benches not far from the burning pyres.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3955\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I didn’t stay there for long enough to observe the entire funeral ceremony; after walking around and taking a few photos, Bholi picked me up to go to the Red Fort.<\/p>\n

The Red Fort<\/a> (also known as Lal Qila) is one of the Delhi’s top tourists sights. A huge red-sandstoned fort was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan from 1638 – 1648, his two other creations, Taj Mahal and Jama Masjid, are also world famous. If you drive around the dramatic 18m-high walls of the fort it seems enormous, however, the entire “inhabited” area is quite small.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_3962\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Built at the hight of the Mughal power, the fort’s buildings were flushed with gold and precious stones, however, the riches of the empire were long gone even before the last emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar<\/a> came to power. He, himself, was a “pensioner” according to the East India Company’s record which paid him a pension. After the last Mughal emperor was exiled to Burma, the fort was used as a stationary base for the British solders who cleared up all the buildings within the fort and built ugly barrack blocks instead.<\/p>\n

After paying an admission fee of Rs.250 and hiring a guide for Rs.400, I went in. Beautiful Lahore gates and Chhatta Chowk greats you to the fort as you enter.<\/p>\n

\"DSC_6589\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Chhatta Chowk<\/a> (a covered bazaar) used to be a place where females living in the fort (Shah’s wives and multiple concubines) could shop for silk and jewels. No men were allowed to that area, unlike today, when 80% of all tourists in the fort were males.<\/p>\n

\"DSC_6631\"<\/a>
\nOnly a few bare halls remain in Red Fort, some of them are<\/p>\n