Delhi is a city with the population of Australia but surprisingly it is the greenest capital city in the world. Yes there is noise and chaos in Old Delhi but also tranquility in the extensive parks and gardens of the British Raj (19th – 20th centuries), Mughal emperors (16th – 19th centuries), the Islamic sultans (12th – 16th centuries) and before them the Hindu kingdoms. Over its long history, Delhi has witnessed the rise and fall of dynasties and empires so there’s plenty to see here. Our guide Mukesh says “you need more than one lifetime to see everything in India”.
In a leafy suburb of Delhi there’s Haveli Hauz Khas a heritage house full of traditional carved wood, textiles and photographs by the owner. This is where we stayed (photo by owners).
World Heritage Qutub Minar, 72 meters high, built 1192 by Hindu craftsmen for the Moslem rulersIntricate stone carvings on the cloister columns at the Mosque of Qutb taken from an earlier Hindu temple Humayun’s Tomb was built in the 1560’s in the Mughal architectural style which reached its zenith 80 years later with the Taj Mahal.We met a Sikh couple at their wedding photoshoot. We gave them a small koala for giving us permission to take a photo. Then they had to redo their photos with the koala!A bullock cart enters the old cityNow in Delhi Old City, Mukesh introduces us to the delicious Delhi street foodOld Delhi, still as noisy and crowded as it was 400 years ago – some of the shop owners are 6th generationOn a rickshaw through the laneways of Chandni ChowkJama Masjid, constructed in 1656 from red sandstone, marble and black onyx It’s the largest Mosque in India and can hold 25,000 worshippers
