#Delhi PT 11 India Nov 2015

I arrived in Delhi by train at almost midnight. Not a good time to be arriving in any city leave alone a one with such a gritty reputation as Delhi or is it New Delhi? When I got outside the station it is as busy as any daytime but it felt bit edgier and as a western tourist you stand out a mile. The Authorised Pre Pay seemed to be closed. Without being harsh all the taxis and tuk tuks on the ranks were there to make money. I knew my journey to the pre booked hostel/hotel was a short one. They were soon on me. Yes they knew where the place was - 850. No. How much you pay. It should be a 100 at normal times. They point out it is very late - we will get you there safe. I know it is right in the middle of their biggest holiday - Diwali. I say 250. No 500 cheapest. OK I say 400. It gets a bit edgy and I don’t like it. I back down. I know I am overpaying but at the end of the day it is £5. I am in the car and outside the hotel in 5 minutes - all nice and friendly. Not sure how I feel about that. Advice please - ha!

Relief after a longish journey I am at the hotel. I booked it back in England weeks ago. I remember weighing up the booking. It was in a good location - near the main bazzar, the metro and the station - ha! It was cheap. The reviews were mixed. My heart sank when I saw my single room with private on suite. I should have refused it but at nearly one in the morning I felt stuck. I had my silk liner and own pillow? The fan was on. I slept well. Next day nothing seemed so bad and the wi fi was OK and the shower hot.

I go out onto the street. I immediately like it and feel at ease. It is very busy. There are a lot of western tourists around. I am in the backpacker scene. Beards, piercings and Indian clothes for the cool travellers! But it all feels genuine and I am not pestered. I have a Masala ommlette and tea. This is good. I change some money - easy. Excellent. I have a rough plan for the day. I want to go to Raj Ghat to see the tribute garden to where Gandhi was cremated. I decide to miss the Red Fort having seen the Agra Fort. Both were built by Shah Jhan. I want to see the world’s biggest mosque - in terms of people it will hold - 20000. It is called Jama Masjid. This is all Old Delhi. I then want to go to New Delhi - Connaught Place and see the Gateway to India. I would also like to go to the Qutb Minar site because I was told it was worth visiting but it is quite a long way out of the city and time was a factor.

Apparently Delhi has a good metro system. Air conditioned and fine if you avoid the commuter rush hour. OK let's do it. I buy a tourist day pass for peanuts. Then my problem starts. I have not done my homework. Which station is the right one for the places I want to see? The maps are confusing me. I ask. I nod as if I understand but not sure I do. I work out I have to change lines but somewhere down the line. Anyway I get to Chandri Chouk? for Jama Masjid. Which exit to take. Confused. I eventually walk out into an incredible street scene. Markets. Food cooking. Beggars. Hawkers. Push and shove. It's OK. I move on a bit and get to a line of pedal rickshaws. I haven’t been on one. I am in the area. OK I negotiate. Jama Masjid and Raj Ghat. Yes yes we know it. We will take you. Where else you want to go. These two first. They advise best go to Raj Ghat first as the mosque is closed for morning prayers. This makes sense. I like them. OK how much. Very good rate 350. £3.50. I am OK with that even if I might have got it cheaper. A young guy takes me. He stands on the pedals. It is flat fortunately. He is only wearing flip flops. He gives me a bit of a commentary. He is amazingly assured in the traffic. He mixes it with all the traffic. For some crazy reason I felt I was in good hands. We pedal past the Fort. It is massive. You take picture - I did. The road to Raj Ghat is like the Champs Elysée. He peddles a bit then coasts. It was enjoyable.

Raj Ghat was quite busy. A sunken garden with a black marble plinth and an eternal flame to recognise the spot where Gandhi received a traditional Hindu cremation on a wood pyre. The story of Gandhi’s life is an incredible one as you probably know. A truly wonderful man. I really want to acknowledge him. He did seem to live by his words “ recall the face of the poorest most helpless man whom you may have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of any help to him”. He did demonstrate with incredible fortitude and conviction that peaceful protest can beat the might of the sword. It was a moving place to visit and to file bare foot around his epitaph. His presence did somehow reflect in that flame. Reminder - watch Attenborough/Kingsley Gandhi epic again.

Before you can enter the garden you have to remove your shoes. There was an absolute miserable guy taking the shoes. I didn’t quite catch on to the system initially. I handed him the shoes. He looked at me. He barked MONEY. I asked him how much. He said what you like. I give him a 10 rupee note. He chucks it in a drawer - gives me a scap of paper with a number on it. Not the slightest pleasantry or acknowledgement. Charming. So much for Gandhi's lessons in common humanity. A bit sad it was the gateway to Gandhi's memorial. As Gandhi I shall see the best in him and maybe a chuckle at the irony. He did a good job. My shoes were returned straight back to me and there were dozens of pairs there!

Back to the rickshaw. He was dosing in the back. He jumps up.We are off. First manouvre a U turn on a duel carriageway. Who cares about a few horn blasts. We are heading for the mosque. There is some up gradient this time. Once or twice he has to get off and push. I feel bad. I should get out. He won’t have it.

We are back in Old Delhi. The bazzar area. As we approach it is evident Jama Masjid is a big building. The narrow street that encircles it is full on activity. Street food, bike and car repair in the street - all manner of stuff. It is difficult to get a good view of the mosque. We encircle it and park up near the main entrance. Hectic again. The rickshaw wallah says you can go in. There is evident security at the entrance gate but they let me just walk in rucksack on my back. Is this racial profiling? Not allowed in the UK.

There are massive steps leading up to the Jama - but lines and lines of men in Muslim dress style are coming out. Prayers are over. There are others planning to enter but it is clear we cannot. It is explained enter at 2 - it is just after one. The congregation file out. Hundreds. Thousands. I am able to get a restricted view of the open and vast courtyard. Lines of red mats and the congregation chatting and drinking - presumably chai. I see someone walk in unhindered. I do so myself. Shoes off hat off. I get through the gate and into the square. I am followed and pointed out that entry at 2. I plead ignorance. My mistake. All is fine. I have to leave. Time is running out. I meet up with the rickshaw man. Where now? I say back to the start. He says Chinese Market. They get a commission I suppose. I am having none of it. Back to the start. I am thinking what I should pay. He has done a good job and it has been quite a long time. I give him the agreed 350 and 150 as a good tip I think. He is suddenly not happy. 350 per hour. I make it up to 650. He is happy. We shake hands and I take a photo of him. I am happy too.

Next back on the metro. But where is the entrance. Signs are terrible and the metro signs particularly do not have the prominence you would expect. It is so busy everything is shielded but I get on the right route. I plan to go to Connaught Place - apparently the hub if New Delhi. The metro map seems clearer. I go through bag security - like at an airport but then my tourist day ticket will not read properly on the automated ticket barrier. I have to go out again and find the customer enquiries counter. I am in the queue. I get to the teller. I put my hand through to show him my card but other hands come in too waving tokens or money. I laugh. This is mad. My card is reissued. I am on my way again. The train is good. Clean, cool and not crowded. My stop is about 5 down the line and they come rapidly - but then I spot if I stay on the metro it goes direct to Qutb Minar. It is a longish ride but I stay on. Lots of smiling Hindu’s looking at me. Exit after going up and then down the same escalator. Jump on a tuk tuk with 5 others in it for a fare of 50IR.I doubt the other young Indian passengers are paying that. It is a short hop to the site. I am enjoying myself. It is very busy but in semi countryside. The Minar site is outstanding and extensive. It is Islamic tower - a celebration of the Turkish conquest of Delhi. It is 240 feet tall. There is a ruined temple adjacent all set in extensive gardens. The history of India is highly complex. India has been invaded by peoples from all sides. Buildings are built - cities are built and then someone else invades and adds their three pennies worth. Much is a hotch pitch. Islam and Hindu intertwine. It was just an impressive and a nice place to be.

Back on the tuk tuk. This time only me but it is still 50IR. Metro back to Connaught Place but by now it is becoming early rush hour and people are piling in. Connaught Place is a massive roundabout with extensive pleasure gardens in the centre. It is still Diwali holiday so people are relaxing. I enjoy walking around the National Flag garden - see the photos. All around the hub are malls of all the western shops you would recognise anywhere. New Delhi is where the government buildings and embassies are located too. I want to see India Gate. It is a war memorial designed by the English architect Lutyens as a triumphal arch to recognise the 90000 Indian Army soldiers that died fighting in World War 1. It is an impressive site. My tuk tuk driver said he was 74 and moved to Delhi at Partition as a child. I couldn’t understand much. At one set of traffic lights he took off his bi vocals and told me he was having problems with his glasses. Very reassuring! Back to Connaught Place. All the western fast food places are there. I fancy something I now. I love Indian food but after 2 weeks I plump for Kentucky. I eat in. It tastes great. I have a minor altercation about price. The price you pay is not the menu price. They add tax.

Rush hour back to the bazzar. You queue in an orderly line but when the tube doors open the line breaks and it is every man or woman for themselves. People crash in before anyone has a chance to exit. It seems good natured enough. The biggest problem is getting off at your station if you are buried in the crowd. You really have to push to break through.

Back in the bazzar area there are bars that I have not normally seen as Hindu’s should be non drinking. OK a long exhausting, fun most of the time - full on day. I shall have a beer. Excellent wi fi. Sundry westerners comparing notes. Masala peanuts - wonderful - with chopped onion and tomato.

What a day. Memorable. No way to live though.

P's I mention air pollution. Northern India is apparently bad anyway. After the Diwali fireworks it is grim. There is a never leaving haze. Not good for the respitory system. The Delhi cough.