New Delhi is often the gateway to India with many visitors beginning their travels here. This is a place that has a wonderful blend of nearly everything that the country has to offer. Sikh, Hindu, Christian, Islamic, Jewish, and Buddhist temples are scattered across the winding streets of the city. Ancient towers and forts rise above crowded markets and insanely busy traffic. Outside of town, the Taj Mahal lies in Agra. Tigers prowl the jungles of Sariska National Park. The mountainous terrain of Kashmir is just waiting to explore. And, through it all, is the food. A wonderous collection of curries, sweets, tandoori baked meats and breads, lassis, pakoras, and more and more and more await discovery.
Humayun’s Tomb
Humayun’s Tomb is one of the best kept secrets of New Delhi’s historical buildings. Being several metro stops south of the old city, this site escapes the usual tourist itinerary. The grounds are a peaceful escape from one of India’s megacities. The structures are beautiful with colorful tile work and concentric geometric patterns crossing the windows, the roofs, and the pavers underfoot. The entrance line is daunting, but a benefit of being charged substantially more to visit as a foreigner is that you get to go to the foreigner desk. I don’t agree with the practice, but the Indian line to get in literally stretched blocks away from the entrance. And, as a foreigner, you are not allowed to use this line so you have to go to the front.
The Best View In Town At Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid is a 17th century mosque in the center of New Delhi’s old town. This is one of the best examples of Mughal style architecture in the region. It is a huge construction and takes over several city blocks. But the best part of the visit is the 40m high minarets. This is easily the best view in the city. The climb costs a few rupees, and you need to be garbed appropriately for entrance to a mosque, but once up top, take all the time you need to take in the whole city area. The best view is looking east, over the Red Fort and down the river banks.
Dinner With The Sikhs At Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
Gurudwara is the term for Sikh temples, and you will see more and more of them if you continue your trip north from New Delhi. I always loved visiting gurudwaras because of the nearly overwhelming sense of welcome and hospitality I received as a visitor. As a tenet of their faith, inclusion is essential. You will be invited to observe or participate in many of the customs and traditions, sometimes, you will even be allotted an interpreter at the door to help explain what you are seeing. This happened at Gurudwara Sri Bangla Sahib. Another characteristic of the visit is that you will be offered a full meal, as is anyone who calls at the door of a gurudwara. At Gurudwara Sri Bangla Sahib this practice is especially interesting as you get to tour the kitchen and are invited to join in the labors of preparing food for your fellow humans. Generally something basic, like flipping the roti bread or serving tea. But it is an amazing opportunity to join the community for an hour and be a part of something larger during your travels.
India Gate Bats
Giant fruit bats in the middle of the city. Yep, that’s what I thought. The India Gate, one of the central landmarks for New Delhi, is a site on its own. The landmark is certainly interesting. But the area around is filled with a great collection of street vendors. Everything from popcorn and hot dogs to Indian sweets and kebabs, henna artists, strange plastic toys for children, light up flying items, noise makers, and all the other city plaza stuff you might buy. Here, right before, during and after dusk, the bats start crossing over. Huge shadows with 2-3 ft wingspan cross overhead on their nightly trip out to hunt. As long as the weather is clear, these guys should be up there pretty much every evening. And as it is a regular occurrence, the weirdest part of the experience for me, was that no one else on the street even glanced in their direction. Meanwhile, I was enthralled.
Street Curries At Chelmsford Road
Dining suggestions are difficult in India because the best food you will have is usually from places that don’t have names, or addresses, or sometimes even doors. My first real meal in India was at a street stall curry and tandoori place directly across from the train station on Chelmsford Road. There are a series of “restaurants” all sharing walls down the roadside or sometimes separated by a tarp. My favorite Indian dish before arriving in country was saag aloo (or spinach potatoes) and, knowing very little, I ordered that with some garlic naan. A few minutes later, I knew I had made the right choice in visiting this country and was excited about 60 more days of similarly wonderful food. Sometimes the best suggestion is to not ask for suggestions. Wander the street and sit down somewhere with smiling faces and wonderful aromas and real people at the tables. But if you need a suggestion, check out the stalls on the west side of the Central Railway Station in New Delhi.
Kartavya Path Chowk
The Kartavya Path is kind of the National Mall of New Delhi. This area is a large green space that runs forever between the India Gate and the Presidential Palace. Several important or interesting buildings line the park, the highlight might be the Centre for the Arts. Check their website to see if any events are going on on the Kartavya Path. Both times I’ve been through the city I’ve been lucky enough to encounter cultural festivals being held on the green.
Old Famous Jalebi Wala
Jalebi is one of the most popular sweets in India and can be found almost anywhere. Every supermarket or corner shop in the country can sell you a bag of these for your next lengthy train ride or bus trip across the country. But nothing beats fresh. Night markets, train station shops, side of the road stalls, or (the best) festivals will surely have several folks turning these out hot and fresh and sticky sweet. There are a few different recipes, and it will change region to region. Essentially it is fried dough in a spiral shape, a bit like a funnel cake if you are familiar with those. But then the whole thing is dipped in sugar syrup. There is pretty much zero nutritional value, just good fried, sugary junk food with the value of being a little cultural. If you can’t find a festival or a quality stall, check out Old Famous Jalebi Wala in the old section of New Delhi to have some of the professionally done examples.
Everything Masala
Masala…oh masala. It took me a while to figure out that masala anything is not a set dish. It is kind of like saying “do you want a sandwich?” Of course I want a sandwich, but I am not exactly sure what you are offering. Chicken masala could be absolutely anything, it is not a defined recipe. “Masala” just means a mixture of ground spices. And as such, chicken masala may be in a tomato sauce, or in a cream sauce, or cooked in a dry spice rub, or marinated in yogurt, or so spicy that looking at it burns your lips. Masala is sort of like chef’s choice. It will probably be amazing, but don’t go in with any expectations. I learned this by trying out a “Sprite masala” from the 7-Eleven. Another suggestion, don’t do that. If there is one thing that does not enhance the refreshing quality of a nice, cold, bubbly, lemon-lime beverage, it is a mixture of Indian spices.
Day Trip to Agra
Agra is famous, but generally for one main reason. The Taj Mahal is the most well-known tourist site in this massive massive country and it is a short train ride from downtown New Delhi. While it can be a destination in its own, many people do Agra as a day trip from Delhi rather than moving again. If you are doing a long itinerary through the country, this could even be a stopover rather than traveling roundtrip and losing time. I took the train from New Delhi to Agra in the morning, had plenty of time at the Taj Mahal, visited a few of the river viewpoints looking back through the mist to the Taj Mahal, and had an extra couple of hours to visit the Agra fort and get a huge dinner at a street stall across the road before boarding an overnight train on to Jaipur to continue the journey. You need to take your bags for the day, but it saves retracing your steps.
