Delhi Is...

Delhi is...Day One

Delhi is a cow standing in the road in Chandni Chowk, and a dog lying beneath it licking a fresh pile of cow poop. Delhi is hot samosas soaked in red and green sauce, eaten standing up at a bustling food shop in Chandni Chowk. Delhi is dry heat and underground markets and men's stares on the metro. Delhi is "Excuse me! Miss!" just like in Serekunda Market and Banjul and Dakar. Delhi is bicycles and rickshaws and buses and cars and people and cows sharing the road. Delhi is Darwinian dogs, slightly bigger than the ones in The Gambia.

Delhi is...Day Two

Delhi is swerving through traffic in a tuktuk and feeling the hot fog of bus exhaust on my face. Delhi is a peaceful stroll under the green canopies of Deer Park and Lodi Garden, where lovers lean close to one another in shady corners. Delhi is the chipped remainders of blue and green tiles on 600-year-old tombs. Delhi is stone arches and intricate writing etched in sandstone. Delhi is green lawns and orange juicee popsicles at the park gate. Delhi is hot but not humid, big but not unfriendly. Delhi is women-only cars on the metro--hallelujah! Delhi is flea-infested dogs roaming and sleeping everywhere. Delhi is dust in the air. Delhi is the cool crisp cleanliness of our room in BnB Mi Casa in Sarvapriya Vihar. Delhi is a masala dosa that's a full hand longer than my forearm. Delhi is sweet and tart lassis with honey-laced beany goodness for dessert. Delhi is chic boutiques and urine-soaked alleys. Delhi is sleek metro meets rickety rickshaws (or Ricketshaws, when Doug's riding in them). Delhi is dazzling sarees and skin-tight jeans, always with dark eyeliner. Delhi is masala tea, chapatis, and kasoori methi paneer. Delhi is Sunita, Manu, and Mony taking extra-good care of us. Delhi is dirty feet and a clean shirt. Delhi is a sweat stripe across my blouse under my purse strap. Delhi is $1 scarves, $2 blouses, and $4 skirts (and maybe I overpaid). Delhi is sweet, tart, sour, and spicy. Delhi is incessant horns. Delhi is the policeman who paces our alleys at night, blowing his whistle and beating his stick against the pavement. Delhi is the men on bicycles who replace him the next morning, yelling rhythmically as they ride. Delhi is covered ankles and exposed stomachs. Delhi is orange, green, red, blue, pink, gold, and gobs of glitter. Delhi is ALIVE.

Qutb Minar (above & 4 below)

Vomiting penguin at the Deer Park in Delhi

Lodi's Tomb, Delhi

 

Entrance to Lodi's Tomb

We got around Delhi on tuktuks and the metro

 

My favorite painting at the national art museum -- collecting and boiling cow dung!

 

Humayun's Tomb, Delhi

 

The Taj Mahal, Agra

The Agra Fort -- definitely our favorite historical site!