Delhi Revisited

Anindita Chattopadhyay rediscovers the magic of India’s capital while showing a friend around the metropolis

India Gate, 11 o’ clock at night. The deserted asphalt stretch, tinged orange by the rays from the mercury lamps lined on both sides, lay between the imposing 42 feet India Gate, a memorial to the unknown soldiers who lost their lives in World War I, and the majestic Raj Bhawan perched atop Raisina Hill - its towering tombs nudging the starlit sky. The wide and tree-lined roads converging to the India Gate from all directions looked like radii of a circle. The hum of humanity, which keeps the place throbbing on summer nights, is missing in this wintry chill. Leaning against my car I took a long drag, slowly emptied my lungs and watched the small white rings - perfect circles for a couple of seconds before the edges got smudged, blurred and finally faded into the cold air. May was clicking photographs - squatting, standing, bending backwards - trying to encase the view from all conceivable angles.

“It’s amazing - the view,” she said. “Mesmerising,” I smiled and signed off with, “You can’t experience Delhi in one visit.”

I realised this belatedly during the last two days that I took May Sheih, my friend from Hong Kong, around. I thanked her quietly. It’s she who has helped me rediscover Delhi - the city I always thought fell short of the desired standards when compared to any foreign city. Notwithstanding its chaotic jams, stray cows roaming the roads unruffled, it has its own charm. Today I stand a proud Delhiite marvelling at the enormity of changes that took place under my nose and which I missed by a blink.

When I received a letter from May stating that she is coming to India on a business trip to Bangalore and plans to spend the weekend with me before flying to India’s Silicon City, I started enquiring about the sightseeing tours that are on offer. All I got were touch-and-go city tours. None of them, I felt, could capture the city as a whole - a city that exudes an old-world charm through the historical monuments strewn around and reflects trendy modernity with a burgeoning tech-savvy, pan-American culture - courtesy MNCs and media boom. Discos, pubs, multiplexes, concept stores, bowling alleys, pool clubs are clear offshoots. Delhi has enough attractions worth a couple of days’ break, I thought and decided to give my guest a feel of Delhi that is fashionable, a shopper’s paradise, a foodie’s delight and of course, rich in historical legacy.

Monuments are a major attraction of Delhi. That the city’s strategic location has made it the natural choice for different dynasties over the centuries to make it their imperial base is evident from the scattered citadels of erstwhile dynasties that stand as mute witnesses of past glory fusing with high-rise buildings and crowded commercial complexes. What else, but a light and sound show, could bring out the history of a city that is a conglomeration of seven cities set up by successive rulers. When I saw May sitting captivated through the son et lumière at Purana Killa, an imposing 16th century structure, I knew I was right.

In the morning, however, we visited the Red Fort, Jantar Mantar and Qutub Minar. The Red Fort, Shahjahan’s baby that took more than nine years to build (from 1638-1648) at an astronomical cost of six million rupees, is sheer marvel in stone for its grandeur and style. Entrance to the fort is through the imposing Lahore Gate, which opens on to the Chatta Chowk, a covered street flanked by arched cells that housed shops of skillful jewellers, carpet makers, weavers and goldsmiths. This arcade still displays shops of Indian artifacts, carpets and mementos.

Just beyond the Chhata Chowk is the Naubat Khana where musicians used to play for the emperor. It is now a museum of armours and artilleries, which were used by the royals. The Diwan-i-Aam or the Hall of Public Audiences had the emperor’s alcove in the wall marble-paneled and set with precious stones, many of which were looted after the 1857 mutiny. The Diwan-i-Khas, or the Hall of Private Audiences, had the fabled Peacock Throne, made of gold and embellished with precious stones, as its centrepiece. Today, the Diwan-i-Khas is only a pale shadow of its glorious past, yet the famous Persian couplet inscribed on its wall reminds us of its former magnificence: “If on earth be a paradise, it is this, it is this, none but this.” We ambled around the hammams or the royal baths, the Shahi Burj, which used to be Shahjahan’s private working area, the Moti Masjid or the Pearl Mosque built by Aurangzeb and the Rang Mahal, residence of the emperor’s wives and mistresses, which was known to have been crowned with gilded turrets and had a ceiling overlaid with gold and silver. The fine craftsmanship of the arched screens, pietra dura inlay work, marble lattices and jharokhas (windows), stately domes - all magnificently carved in red stone left us awe-struck.

Across the road, from the Red Fort to the Fatehpuri Mosque stretches Chandni Chowk, the business centre of Old Delhi. The octagonal square got its name from a pool formed by a Yamuna canal flowing down the middle of the road, which reflected the moon. Its narrow alleys bursting with people and noise, old havelis, shops huddling together and jutting out on the roads, the place is still a reminiscence of the Moghul era. We waded through the traffic maze taking in the view, but soon hired a rickshaw to visit Dariba Kalan, the lane lined with silversmith and goldsmith shops. Dazzled by the variety and intricate craftsmanship, we picked up some silverware after much haggling.

Jantar Mantar, the astronomical observatory built by Sawai Jai Singh II in the 1730s, consists of solid geometric devices for measuring time by plotting the shadow carefully, predicting eclipses, tracking stars in their orbits, ascertaining the declinations of planets etc.

The Qutub Minar, a five-storeyed, red sandstone tower kissing the sky at a height of 250 feet is supposed to be the tallest freestanding stone tower in the world (others being a part of bridges or buildings). The foundation of the Minar, with a diameter of 14.32 metres at the base and about 2.75 metres on the top, was laid by the Afghan invader Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in 1199 AD as a mark of his conquest of northern India and was later completed by subsequent rulers. Although many hands and minds were responsible for its design, there remains a certain rhythm to the structure. Projected balconies encircle the Minar at regular intervals supported by stone brackets. The alternating semicircular and angular flutings, the honeycombed niches of the balconies and the intricate calligraphy in Arabic and Devnagari were impetus enough for the shutterbug to go click, click. Every year, in October, a three-day festival is organised by Delhi Tourism against the backdrop of this 12th century landmark. Mellifluous melody and sound of ghungroo fill the air as maestros of Indian music and dance congregate to create an exotic experience. What came as a pleasant surprise was the upkeep of the monuments. The lawns were landscaped and the structures cleaned and renovated. The shaggy, polythene covered stalls near the entrances were gone. Approach roads were clean and even had manicured boulevards. The battery cars took us inside the Purana Killa from the gate for the light and sound show.

While the monuments remain the main crowd puller, there are other attractions without which no visit to Delhi would be complete. The Garden of Five Senses, located at Said-ul-Azaib village, close to the Qutub Minar, is one such attraction. The spectacularly beautiful 20-acre park set amongst majestic rocks has been developed by Delhi Tourism to answer the city’s need for leisure space for the tourists and residents to socialise and unwind. The place is not just a park, but an amalgamation of colour and fragrance, texture and form designed to stimulate one’s sensory response to the environment. It has a wider range of areas, from the more intense activity zones like the food courts and shops, to contemplative zones like the fragrant gardens and the Neel Bagh.

A plaza at the entrance of the garden acts as buffer between the main road and the garden proper. The garden is visible from this plaza through a magnificent stone wall built by Rajasthani craftsmen, using stones from Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Dholpur. As one steps into the garden through a gateway of slate-clad pillars mounted with soaring stainless-steel bird sculptures (made by the Goan sculptor Subodh Kerkar), one enters an expansive plaza set on the natural slope opening into a spiral walkway.

On one side of the spiral walkway is Khaas Bagh, a formal garden patterned on the lines of Mughal gardens. On the other side is a food and shopping court, comprising five food outlets, six shops including one selling plants. The food stalls face a series of terraces laid out with elaborate seating arrangements. On the other side of these terraces is a widespread maze of hedge plants. On a rocky ridge to the north of the food court is the ‘Trail of Fragrance’. This has a large range of fragrant trees and shrubs. At the end of trail, elevated amongst the rocks, is another sculpture in stainless steel - inspired by a ‘pinwheel’ (one more Kerkar sculpture).

The lotus-shaped Bahai Temple, located in south Delhi, is a modern-day architectural marvel. Made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand, it is an epitome of perfection and precision. That evening we dropped in at the Kairali, an ayurvedic health centre tucked away inside a Mehrauli village, a stone’s throw away from the Qutub Minar. There’s no dearth of wellness centres in Delhi with almost all five-star properties offering the spa experience. Oberoi has tied up with Banyan Tree, while Imperial has Six Senses. But I decided to go for India’s signature brand. In 1989, when Gita Ramesh opened her first centre in New Delhi, it was the first of its kind. Since then, Gita has gone on to open more centres in Delhi, Khajuraho, Dubai and a 50-acre resort in Palakkad, Kerala. As two girls kneaded the flesh and knotted muscles in tandem, moving from the leg towards the body, arms and head, the grime and stress of the day melted away. After scouring off all that oil with a herbal powder and a Kairali shampoo, we were fit for another gruelling day of city hopping.

Next morning we went on a shopping spree. There was a time when Indians shopped in foreign lands for international labels and brands. Now Versace, Gucci, Valentino, Trussardi are in India for you to choose from if you have the money. The Sehgal Brothers in South Extension I has all the labels. The Louis Vuitton and Hugo Boss (its first in India) have their showrooms in the arcade of the Oberoi Hotel. For quality shopping South Extension is Delhi’s best bet - anything from jewellery, books, western wear, traditional Indian outfits, casuals, shoes, accessories are on display. Exploding consumerism in Delhi has seen its manifestation in glitzy shopping malls like Ansal Plaza. However, Gurgaon is perhaps the most dramatic reflection of that growth. Already three malls have opened here since January - Sahara, City Centre and Metropolitan, two just across the street from one another - while 16 more are expected to be operational in the next two years. These glass-walled air-conditioned fortresses are popular evening hangouts for singles, couples and families. You get almost everything under one roof. When through with shopping, grab some grub, watch a movie and go home.

In Metropolitan Mall, the playstation in the ground floor takes care of the kids as parents go shop hopping. We visited the Marks & Spencer showroom, the Carlton London shoe store before stopping at Old Street. The shop has an impressive collection of imported fabrics from Versace, Cerruti, Dormeuil Ermenegildo Zegna and Nina Ricci and stitches suits within five days. Their Indian readymade section has some good designs with Sherwanis ranging from Rs 14,000-59,000 and Kurtas from Rs 3,200 to 11,000. The Lifestyle store at City Centre has a good collection of glassware, crockery and designer candles, apart from the usual men’s, ladies’ and kids’ wear, accessories, et al. But I wanted to give May a different shopping experience - not the run-of-the-mill kinds. So, after mall hopping I took her to 1 MG Road - a concept mall that caters to good living. The celebs and glitteratis looking for excellence come here to take their pick in a cosy, classy, quiet environ. The high point is design and style with India’s leading apparel, jewellery, furniture and lifestyle designers having their outlets here. Indian designers have arrived at the international fashion scene with Hollywood stars, international royalty and high-profile women donning their couture. The bandhni, zardosi, chikankari and resham embroideries, mirror and sequin work and elegant, flamboyant style have dazzled the world. May sifted through some classy Indian labels like Rohit Bal, Aki Narula, Manish Malhotra, Suneet Verma, Ritu Kumar, Muzzaffar and Meera Ali. Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukherjee come here, I told her. Her interest trebled. She picked up a suit from Kotwara Studio for Rs 14,000 and a couple of trendy lampshades from Vis a Vis. Ogaan at Hauz Khas village is another high-end outlet that displays some breath-taking designer wear - both Indo-western and ethnic designs like sequinned saris, salwar kurtas, smart cuts, evening gowns and exclusive accessories from country’s well-known designers.

Our next stop was Dilli Haat. A great mix, like India itself, of cuisines, shopping and cultural activities. The sprawling market place on six acres of land offers a laid back ambience of a traditional village market and is the perfect place to get ethnic products at reasonable prices. One can choose, haggle and buy at leisure, unwind with a glass of fruit beer, taste a variety of cuisines. Practically every state of the country is represented and that is what makes it a mini Republic Day of food. The choice is awesome - momos and thukpa from Sikkim, wazwan from Kashmir, fabulous Bengali nosh at the Bijoli Grill with fish curry and mishti doi. The Lakshwadeep counter serves an inspired coconut fish curry and plump tuna sandwiches, while the Goa counter ladles out spicy prawn balchao and oodles of vindaloo. We wound up with the vada pao and brilliant shrikand at the Maharashtrian counter.

Delhiites love to eat out. From street food and junk food, casual dining to fine dining, pubs to cafes - it offers all kinds of choices. Delhiites are equally comfortable buying a plate of chaat from a roadside stall for Rs 15 or paying Rs 1,000 per head for white glove silver service at the five-star restaurants. If the Indian handi offers scoops of Mughlai, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Awadhi, Bengali, pan south Indian (Saravana Bhawan, Andhra Bhawan and Keralyam offer the authentic Tamil, Andhra, and Kerala cuisine), the international platter is an assortment of Continental, Mediterranean, Lebanese, Thai, Pan Asian, Sri Lankan, fusion dishes and the ubiquitous Chinese.

A visit to Delhi without having chaat is simply unpardonable. Every neighbourhood street has more than one chaat corner dishing out aloo tikki, pani puri, papri chaat served with curd and piquant sauce. Chandni Chowk is most famous for chaats. However, my guest was not so comfortable with the stalls and the crowd, so, we hopped in at Haldiram’s, a craze with the city’s chaat lovers, to romance our palate. After the spicy aloo tikki and papri chaat, we settled for dahi bhalla to soothe the taste buds and wound off the party with gajar halwa (a sweet dish made from grated carrot). Yu-mmm. May raved about the food between ush-h-h and ahh-hhs.

To extend her India experience further, I chose Chor Bizarre for a lunch stopover. Frequented by foreign tourists and food aficionados, it is known for its good food and innovative décor. A kitschy ode to all things collectible, it has four-poster beds and old swing machines doubling up as tables, a vintage car that stands as the salad buffet, twists and innuendoes and epigrams up on the walls and a wildly exotic collection of lamps that create a magic ambience. The food is stellar. We went for a Kashmiri fare - the yakhni, gosthabah, the tabak maas and the rishta are divine. Also, a fine selection of kebabs and biryanis that were simply mouthwatering. A constant programme of stand up comedy or poetry reading makes dining a pleasure.

Nirulas’ Potpourri, located in L-block, Connaught Circus is manna for all those who enjoy salads and heavy breakfasts. This is where I started my gourmet trip. Their salad buffet is renowned and noted - potatoes in creamy mayo, fresh crunchy greens, crisp baby corns and mushroom, a divine ham, pineapple and cheese concoction are just a few offerings. You can nosh on pancakes with maple syrup, omelets fluffy as cloud, or yummy chola bhathuras and stuffed parathas. They also have a really extensive Indian and continental menu for lunch/dinner that includes some fabulous desserts. Blue Elephant, the rooftop Thai restaurant at Grand Intercontinental is a pricey proposition, but a dinner invitation from the hotel took care of the treat. The atmosphere is dramatic and vivid with red lacquer walls, many plants and charming pagodas in teakwood. Jungle like in feel and warp and weave, it has small cute bridges over moats with fat catfishes swimming. The diners are also all of Delhi’s fat cats. The food is really good right from the seared pomfret in spicy Thai sauce, chicken in green curry to the crunchy stir-fried green vegetables and prawns. They also do excellent soups and starters.

I had booked May in The Oberoi for a reason, typically my own. It has Taipan, arguably the city’s best fine dining Chinese restaurant. Its Sunday lunches have Delhi’s powerful and beautiful crowd the little lobby outside. They all swear by chef Sam Wong Kwai Wah’s dim sums, Peking duck and prawn dishes.

The night owls who love to swish and sizzle after sundown, should head for the discos pocketed in five-star hotels, however bars are not scarce. The Rodeo bar in A-Block, Connaught Circus is a favourite with locals and tourists for its mock saddle seats, waiters dressed like cowboys and perfect enchiladas. The Maurya Sheraton has a lively bar behind the lobby of the hotel with a golfing theme and Henri’s at the rooftop of the Meridien hotel offers an excellent panoramic view as you sip your Sauvignon Blanc. While TGI Fridays at Vasant Vihar is very popular with yuppie GenX, Shalom, the hip lounge bar at Greater Kailash I, is the current talk of the town.

The all-white interiors, cream candles, muslin curtains air sophistication as the city’s party buffs swish around and feast on Lebanese food. I chose Djinns, the happening disco at Hyatt Regency for the night out. It draws from the aesthetics of numerous cultures to bring to life an inspiring range of design and entertainment concepts. On the one hand you have an ambience reminiscent of the ‘true blue English’ of the 1930s, whilst on the other, an eclectic mix of exotic cuisine and the latest in entertainment. The high point of Djinns is the Island Bar serving a wide selection of drinks and a host of innovative cocktails and mocktails complemented by the impressive show-kitchen that churns out good Mediterranean, Lebanese and fusion food.

When May left, I jotted down what all she missed. Fun n food village, art galleries, museums, bowling alleys. As I drove back from the airport, I couldn’t help appreciating the colourful traffic islands, neatly decorated roundabouts, landscaped gardens, manicured fountains, tree-lined boulevards and flyovers lined with potted plants. The result of Delhi government’s initiative to make the Capital green and clean with active co-operation from corporate houses lay before my eyes.

From Dhaula Kuan, taking the Inner Ring Road, I went up and down, up and down, crossing five flyovers till I reached Lajpat Nagar. I realised what Rajeev Talwar, MD of DTTDC meant when he once told me that travelling in Delhi was like a camel ride experience for visitors from smaller cities. How could I miss the changes? My friends should visit me more often.