I drove into Delhi from Bengaluru City in the April of 2009 (you can reading my driving experience here). As some one who loves to drive around, view historical monuments, try local cuisine and meet people of different cultures, faiths and backgrounds, over the past year, I had the good fortune of seeing and experiencing quite a few things in Delhi. Through these posts दिल्ली की नज़र से (View from Delhi), I am telling my story of being a humble 'Dilli waala'
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Delhi has always had a heart and space big enough to encompass every one - from determined conquerors, invaders and their armies, to solitary adventurous travellers. It continues to do so... I find people here from all walks of life, all regions of India (indeed all countries in the world) living side by side with its generations' old residents. It has a food-lover wandering through the narrow lanes of 'purani Dilli' (old Delhi) in search of Paranthe-walan galli* or revisiting the infectiously tasty Karim's of Chandni chowk. A book 'worm' trying to get her book through piles of used ones in Paharganj. A newly arrived manual labourer from a less-developed region of our country returning to his family with his day's earnings. A software techie cum wildlife photographer from Bengaluru impatiently waiting to get on the connecting flight to far off Ladakh. A saffron clad barefoot sadhu walking along the banks of Yamuna. A dreamy-eyed Sufi shaking his head at the Qawwali performance at Hazrath Nizamuddin's tomb. A bollywood star waiting for her friend at a coffee shop in Khan Market. Or, even the Member of Parliament from your town passing by you along one of the many roads around Rajpath.The list is endless...
Why I like Delhi
There are many reasons why I (and many people I have spoken to) like Delhi:
1) Big, wide roads - at least the main arteries. I can drive to Lodi Estate from my home in the sub-city Dwarka (22km) within an hour on most days, through the rush hours' traffic .
2) Spread out city - though big, the city offers varied places to stay.
3) No strikes, bandhs - No linguistic, regional, communal or other peace hating fanatics to hold the citizens to ransom. No father - son politicians to hold rallies inside the city. Hardly any traffic jams.
4) Food - Amazing variety.
5) Food - Most people living only to eat the different food (which eggs you to shed your most basic of instincts : )
6) Food - Great food available where ever you go.
7) Warm people and 'chalta hai' attitude - Few swearing at you on the road. But when some one does, it will be more than just swearing. So you have a big reason not to start a fight : )
8) Style comes cheap here: Amazing shopping for your money. My wife too likes Delhi, particularly on weekends : )
9) Connectivity: All railway tracks of India seem to end in Delhi. Similar story with the flights.
10) Cheaper petrol: You can drive more with less money (as compared to Bengaluru).
11) Amazing wilderness around: The foothills of Himalayas are 4-5 hour drive if you start on an early morning. Some of the most amazing birding areas, just a half day's drive.
12) Feel of living amidst 1000-years of history: You can see the latest and swankiest machine revving against the back drop of a 800 year-old prayer pillar.
13) Realisation of your body being mortal: Every day you pass by graves of mortals who were once saluted by conquering armies and honoured by visiting ambassadors.
14) Realisation of your good being immortal: Hundreds throng the shrines of Sufis every day, hardly a few visit the ones of the kings.
*'Galli' or 'Gali' - in local Hindi/ Urdu - a street, Paranthe - a flat-bread usually made of wheat flour, baked on a flat pan.
