March 19: Delhi - Beginning of Rajasthan Experience

Namaste! Welcome to India.

Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 1pm on Day 1. India's capital is an exciting, busy, and often chaotic city but it's also one of the most interesting in the world with historical sites from different eras, museums and galleries, shops and endless bazaars! There are plenty of things to see and do in free time. Visit the World Heritage-listed Mughal masterpiece of Humayun's Tomb. This was the first garden tomb in India, built way back in 1570. Wonder at the tall brick minaret of Qutub Minar, which was started back in the 1100s. Explore the mighty Red Fort of Delhi. Part palace and part fort, it plays an integral part in the history of the city with former residents ranging from royal families to British soldiers.

Join your group leader on an excursion into the sights and sounds of Old Delhi! Set off on the city's modern metro system, then get a taste of India's famed public transport with a cycle rickshaw ride through chaotic streets, such as the famous Chandni Chowk. Make a visit to the Jama Masjid, Delhi's oldest mosque and one of its most impressive buildings, then visit the Sheeshganj Gurudwara (Sikh

Temple) to learn about the Sikh religion. (Brochure)

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My train arrived in Delhi at 7 AM...right on time. I took a tuk-tuk to our hotel "Sunstar Grand"...not bad..clean room with shower. Met our group at breakfast....let me introduce them to you:

• Kuldeep - India Guide From Rajasthan Area
• Jodie - Retirement Home Developer - Melbourne, Australia
• Ian - Market analyst for a Diary Association -  Melbourne, Australia
• Lea -Accountant - Sun Coast, Australia
• Karen -Health Insurance Manager - Sydney, Australia
• Julie - Manager for a magazine publisher -  Sydney, Australia
• May - Child Protection Lawyer - Nova Scotia (near Halifax)
• Rick - IBM Manager - Nova Scotia  (near Halifax)
• Tony - Police Officer - Adelia, Australia
• Pip - Change Manager, Law Firm -  Melbourne, Australia
• Tom - Retired - Annandale, Virginia USA (near Washington DC)



Kuldeep - Leader



Jodi &Ian (Married)



May &Rick (Married)



Pip





Karen





Tony



Tom



Julie



Lea

After breakfast we have our initial meeting...Kuldeep checks our travel documents..... passport, India Visa, travel insurance and emergency contact info....all in order. We head into the center of old Delhi...the temperature is close to 90 F and it is hot. We take our 1st ride on Delhi's metro system. It is efficient, like India's train system, but much more crowded. You literally have to push your way into the car...you become real chummy with your fellow passengers...you get my drift. We transfer from one metro train to another and surprise...surprise, we make it to our destination, the older part of Delhi. Below are pictures of Old City Delhi street scenes:

Crowds are Overwhelming

Notice Electrical Lines

Rickshaw Rides

Banana Vendor

Ride a Horse into Town

Local Pastry Shop

Our first stop in the old city is the Jama Masjid mosque. The mosque is the largest in India and has a capacity of 25,000 worshipers within the courtyard. The mosque was constructed  between 1644 -1658 and has three entrances... north, south, and east...the west points towards Mecca. For an extra charge you can climb one of the minarets...I opted not to...

Eastern Entrance

Worshipers exiting Mosque Area



Visitors Must Have Legs/Shoulders Covered



Looking Down Interior Mosque Hall

Our 2nd stop is at the Shish Ganj Sikh Temple. It is a much smaller version of Amritsar's Golden Temple. Visitors are able to photograph the religious rituals and prayer readings which I was not able to do at the Golden Temple. The three bearded turban Sikhs in the left hand corner of the 1st picture are playing string instruments and maintaining a continuous chant. We also visited the Sikh kitchen and shared in drinking a cup of chai. Below are Delhi's Sikh Temple pictures:

Chanters Maintain Continuous Song

Main Religious Reading Area

Our Group Participating in Meal Prep

 

Making Nan

Stoking the Fires

Feeding the People

Our group tour is over and we each go our own way. Tony and I get together to visit India Gate and Humayun's Tomb. We hire a tuk-tuk for 3 hours at 600 rupees and begin our short tour. Below is the India Gate which commemorates the sacrifice that 90,000 Indian soldiers made in fighting for the British Empire in WWI.

India Gate - Delhi

Soldier Standing Guard over Grave

Humayun's Tomb is one of the remarkable structures of the Mughal Empire in India. The Mughals were invaders from the north of India that brought the Islamic faith to India. The tomb was built in 1565 A.D by Hamida Banu Begum (Humayun's widow). Visiting Humayun's tomb is a wonderful experience where you get to see the Mughal architecture and the history of Mughal India.

Entrance Sign

Humayun's Tomb 



Entrance Gate



Mughal Grave Marker

We are exhausted...the temperatures are 90+ degrees in the late afternoon and we have seen quite a bit this morning and afternoon. Back to the hotel...clean-up and go out for our 1st group dinner...I slept well....