Delhi

  Delhi, India
Friday, July 11, 2008

Arrived in Delhi yesterday morning and found a hostel on the Main Bazaar. It's a perfect location but the room is a bit below my standards which you all know I have very low standards when I travel. Matula, it's definitely no St. Christophers! How's Dublin by the way? I think I'll move to a room with air-con tomorrow which seem quite a bit nicer. The bazaar is the size of a one way street but there are cars, motorcycles, rickshaws, and pedestrians going both ways and all trying to share the space along with the cows that roam freely through the streets.

Main Bazaar

Holy Cow!!

It's very dirty here and lots of interesting smells but it's also very lively. There's so much to look at I decided to find a restaurant and have my first Indian meal, which was heavenly, while watching Delhi life pass by.

A guy sat down with me and we started chatting. He's my age and owns a store but somehow has the money to travel. He kept bringing up the topic of drugs so I'm assuming he's a dealer and that's how he can afford to travel. He's been to Australia, Thailand, and Italy. His father owns house boats in Kashmir and suggested I go rent one for a week to relax. I just got here so there's no need to relax just yet, but it's something to think about for later.

I knew there were a bunch of sites I wanted to visit today so I hired a cycle-rickshaw driver, basically a motorcycle drawn rickshaw.

Cycle-Rickshaw

Really?????

I started at the Red Fort which was built by the Mughals. Inside the walls are various buildings used for prayer, bathing, and public speeches.

Red Fort

For prayer

For public speeking

I then went to the Bahai House of Worship (Lotus Temple). This is one of 7 Bahai temples in the world, one of which is in the Evanston/Winnetka area. People of all religions are welcome to pray and medidate there. Their philosphy revolves around universal peace and the elimination of prejudice.

Bahai House of Worship

Here are their main principles:

-the oneness of mankind
-independent investigation of truth
-the common foundation of all religions
-the essential harmony of science and religion
-equality of men and women
-elimination of prejudice of all kinds
-universal compulsory education
-universal peace

Sounds almost perfect to me.

Next I went to the largest mosque in India, Jama Masjid, but it was closed to tourists at that moment for prayers so I'll go back tomorrow.

Finally I went to Gandhi Smitri, where Gandhi spent the final 144 days of his life and was shot and killed here as well.

Ghandi's bed

Spot where Ghandi was shot and mudered

Hope all is well with everyone.

Namaste!
Jen