My first day in Delhi started early, just like the approaches on the street, which ended up changing my plan and landing me in a shop that sold tours, more to get information than to buy anything. I found out that here too, on Mondays, museums and monuments are closed.
After leaving the shop and walking a bit further, I was approached by Ali, a shop owner, who to my surprise didn’t want to sell me anything but to warn me about some tourist scams, and told me that if I wanted to go from one city to another by train, I should buy the tickets in advance and that I could go to a state tourism agency that would help me sort that out.
So I stopped at India Travel Information to buy the 2 train tickets I was still missing and complete my travel plan. Now I have all the hotels and transport sorted and all that’s left is to enjoy the days here. Before leaving, and after chatting with the staff member for a while, I also ended up booking a car and private driver for €30 to take me to Delhi’s main monuments tomorrow, which are quite far apart from each other.
On the way out I took my first tuk tuk for 20 rupees (20 cents) to Gole Market, not without 2 stops at carpet and souvenir shops at the driver’s initiative, who must have been getting a commission for taking tourists there. But in my case, travelling with a backpack, the last thing I want is more weight, since I’m already carrying 9 kg and on Wednesday I have a flight where I can only take 7 kg.
After a walk around the market, where you see and can buy everything, I decided to have lunch there at the best-looking stall in the place, the one with the most people: some fried pastries stuffed with vegetables. Because after watching the man cut meat with the help of his feet, I lost all desire to eat meat.
Next I went to the Gurdwara Bangla Sahib temple, where right at the entrance I put my foot in it, literally. I was following a group that was barefoot and wearing headscarves and, without realising, they went through an area with water where they had to wet their feet before going up the steps to the temple and, as I wasn’t looking at the ground, I ended up stepping in with both feet. Luckily I jumped out quickly and I didn’t get too wet. Then a guard came straight over to show me the way to where I had to leave my trainers and put on the headscarf before visiting the temple in silence.
On the way out of the temple I found an exhibition at the All India Fine Art Centre by the artist Rajesh Kumar, holder of the Guinness record for 719 portraits of Ganesha, one of the most popular deities of Hinduism (the one with the elephant head), using different types of materials. I was welcomed straight away and shown around by the artist himself, who also introduced me to his niece, whom he had invited to exhibit 2 paintings, and I ended up asking her about the red dot on her forehead. She said it was the Bindi, the third eye (Ajna Chakra), worn by believers and that it symbolised the marital status of a married woman, love and prosperity for her partner.
After that I went for some fresh air at Lodhi Garden to see the Bara Gumbad Mosque and the park, which is also a place for meeting up, picnics and school trips. Then I went to watch a cricket training session and get a bit of an idea of the rules of this game that is hugely popular in India but practically unknown to me.
Next I went to Khan Market, where I stayed for dinner at the Green Mantis restaurant, where I chose the South Indian Menu, which came to 1156 rupees including 150 rupees of service and extra taxes, and it was really good and spicy, which is very normal here, and finished with a rice pudding with pineapple.
Then I passed by the illuminated India Gate and the Kartavya Path avenue, where on the 26th they’ll celebrate Republic Day, which happened in 1950, the year the Indian Constitution came into force.
My last stop was Lords of Drinks for live music and a beer that cost me 850 rupees with taxes, €8.50 (I hadn’t paid for a beer this expensive since I went to Dubai and Australia).
Now I’m at the hotel, writing to you from bed, already sprawled out, showered and ready to rest, because it’s going to be 1 am here and the day was long.