2011

Nisha Khan

Go Heriatge India Journeys

1/1/2011

Delhi Belly- 20 Things To Do In Capital of India

Delhi Belly- 20 must do’s in the capital……

After the recent Common Wealth Games circus left town, there should never be a better time to visit Delhi, with renovations of the capital’s old structures and an

immense expenditure on infrastructure making Delhi gleam, at least in parts. Here are 20 great things to do in India’s frenzied capital.

1. Try-the-Dilli-ki-chaat- Delhi’s tangy local chaat, such as chaat papdi or

golgappas in Old Delhi.

2. Visit the massive sandstone carcass of the Red Fort, and imagine the last days of the Mughal empire and the British era.

3. Humayun’s Tomb is a fusion of Persian style with local craftsmanship and is

surrounded by the fiercely symmetrical Mughal gardens: take a stroll here at dusk.

4. Hear qawwalis (devotional music) sung at dargah of Nizamuddin Auliya; religious songs reverberating at about sunset at one of Islam’s holiest tombs.

5. An evening walk through the doors of the Imperial Hotel is like a voyage back into the days of the British raj, with polished hallways hung with chandeliers and

works of art. Drink a G&T in its 1911 bar.

6. Lose yourself to shopping, in the temples to Indian Handicrafts that are Delhi’s

government emporiums on Janpath, close to the Connaught Place.

7. Get lost and bewildered in the narrow bazaars of Old Delhi, and feel like you’ve wandered somewhere medieval.

8. Take a ride on the air conditioned Delhi Metro; so cheap, so clean, so democratic, unlike the other world upstairs.

9. Get a suit stitched in Khan market- take one to copy and get made-to-measure at

a fraction of the cost of Savile Row.

10. Visit the erstwhile home of Indira Gandhi, Indira Gandhi Smriti, where she was shot dead by one of her bodyguards in 1984, and discover the most powerful

dynasty.

11. Wander around Lodhi Gardens on a Sunday afternoon, the perfect place for local watching.

12. Discover the district of Hauz Khas, with its crumpling Mughal tombs and charming art, antique and fashion boutiques.

13. Chow down on scrumptious masala dosas at the Janpath branch of Saravana Bhavan, and finish your meal with a pleasurably gritty Madras coffee.

14. Use the map from William Dalrymple’s City of Djinns for various ways to explore the city.

15. Eat a lovely Gujarati thali at pristine Rajdhani, just opposite Rivoli cinema,

just off Connaught Place street.

16. Shop middle-class Delhiite-style at laid-back Khan Market, browsing its bookshops and hanging out for a chat at Café Turtle, fuelled by coffee and gooey

muffins.

17. Take a trip out to serene Qutub Minar, with its soaring minaret resembling an ornate factory chimney.

18. Wind up at the Jama Masjid, climb the mosque’s minaret, then enjoy a classic

non-veg meal at nearby culinary delights Karim’s or Al-Jawahar, famed for their roasted meat kebabs.

19. Get flabbergasted by the wealth of magnificent Indian art exhibited at National

Museum.

20. Visit Gandhi’s simple tomb in its serene gardens, and drink in the atmosphere –

nowhere else in Delhi is as peaceful as this place.

Nisha Khan

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