Today we tour old and New Delhi, both are a hub of activity, one modern green and new the other old, historic, wafting smells of spices and humanity and green, both can overwhelm the senses – sensory overload is a common theme expressed by tourists. Despite the challenges locals face, people here never show or convey a cross word in public. They show abundant resilience and always provide a delightful smile when we engage them in our limited Hindi, which by the way we have a useful and growing vocabulary.
First stop is the “great mosque” in Delhi is the Jama Masjid (historically known as Masjid-i-Jahan Numa, or the “World-Reflecting Mosque”).
While often associated with New Delhi, it is technically located in the heart of Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad), standing directly across from the Red Fort. It is widely considered one of the largest and most impressive mosques in India.
It’s architectural Legacy: It was the final architectural masterpiece commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the same visionary behind the Taj Mahal.
The mosque’s massive courtyard can hold up to 25,000 worshippers at a single time.
Built primarily from red sandstone and white marble, it features three grand gates, four towers, and two 40-meter-high minarets.
The mosque houses several sacred relics, including a hair from the beard of the Prophet Muhammad and a Quran written on deer skin.
After the mosque, it is onto Ricshaws and a tour of the back streets of Old Delhi. Narrow streets, all manner of goods being sold and wiring that would leave any sparky scratching their head. That said the current configuration has not caused any fires to date.
Then we visit the India Gate, with thousands of school children who are also in attendance. We are greeted by the masses with smiles, waving and hellos in good English they clearly happy to meet us and chat and very proud of their India.
The India Gate was originally called the All India War Memorial, is one of New Delhi’s most iconic landmarks. Standing at the eastern end of the ceremonial axis of Kartavya Path (formerly Rajpath), it serves as a powerful symbol of sacrifice and national pride.
It is a Tribute to Soldiers and was built to honor the 70,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who died between 1914 and 1921 during the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War.
The walls of the gate are inscribed with the names of over 13,000 soldiers who perished during these conflicts.
It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the lead architect of New Delhi, and was inaugurated in 1931.
Its design is often compared to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the Gateway of India in Mumbai.
The structure stands 42 meters high and is built primarily of red and yellow sandstone.
Located under the arch, the “Flame of the Immortal Soldier” was added in 1972 to honor Indian soldiers killed in the 1971 Indo-Pak War. While the primary flame was merged with the National War Memorial flame in 2022, the site remains a focal point for remembrance.
A short distance behind the gate stands a 73-foot cupola that once housed a statue of King George V; it now features a 28-foot-tall black granite statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
To date we have travelled 3,460 km most of that in just one state, Rajasthan, to finish the first leg of our Indian adventure. We have time to wander the markets and buy gifts for family and goods for the next day, which involves a train ride and a stay in the foot hills of the Himalayas. Travelling to Shimla in the state of Himachal Pradesh, it is the capital and largest city of Himachal Pradesh. Historically, it was famous as the “Summer Capital” of British India.
Then on to, Amritsar in the state of Punjab, it is the spiritual and cultural center of the Sikh religion and home to the famous Harmandir Sahib (the Golden Temple).
