| 'Red Fort' Image Credits: Flickr Under Creative Common License |
With its approximately 15 million inhabitants and the chaotic traffic - so characteristic of the country - in its entire splendor, Delhi is without a doubt the place where you will live the greatest cultural shock.
What is essential to see in Delhi?
However, as the capital of India, Delhi is a very interesting city with many places worth knowing. You don't know where to start? In order to plan your trip to India, here are some essential hints of visits in Delhi.
Gurdwara Bangla Sahib Temple in Delhi
In this huge temple the floor is built in marble. The followers of Sikhism , a relatively minority religion but very influential in Indian society, find their meeting place here. And that translates into that there is always atmosphere.
More than a temple, the Gurdwara could be classified as a "small town", since it even has a hospital, school and dining room. Do not miss the songs in the temple at any time, but what is most surprising is, oddly enough, the dining room.
It is a spectacle to see hundreds of people spend every few minutes and be served a complete menu at the moment.
If you stay hungry, you repeat; the only rule is to leave nothing in the tray. Don't forget to visit the kitchen, where you probably see the largest pot of lentils you've ever imagined.
If you feel like collaborating, everyone is welcome to knead bread or scrub dishes.
Humayun's Tomb in Delhi
After having lunch at the Sikh temple, a perfect place to get away from the crowds and hustle and bustle is Humayun's Tomb. From this complex you could think of anything less than a cemetery, since it is a very pleasant place to walk, with large gardens dotted with Mughal architecture tombs.
Among them, the most prominent is obviously that of Emperor Humayun.
Declared a World Heritage Site in 1993, its greatness is only eclipsed in front of the Taj Mahal, so thank you for visiting it before heading to Agra.
It is said that, for the construction of the Taj Mahal , Shah Jahan was inspired by his grandfather's grave, and in view of both monuments, there is no doubt that this statement contains a great truth.
Lotus Temple in Delhi
If you have not heard of the Bahai religion, in Delhi you have a great opportunity to meet it.
There are only seven temples of this faith in the whole world and one is here, in the capital of India, a country where Baha'is has the largest number of followers.
In the Lotus Temple you will be impressed by its marble exterior and in the form of a lotus flower (from which it takes its name); its interior is simple, sober and almost austere, according to the Baha'i canons, and is intended as a meeting place for people of any belief.
The temple is managed by volunteers from all countries, so do not be surprised if someone addresses you in Spanish and takes the opportunity to ask all the questions you want.
Connaught Place in Delhi
In the very center of Delhi, this huge square of Victorian architecture has become a focus for the upper classes of the city. Cinemas, restaurants, discos and high-end bars alternate with boutiques, airline offices or distinguished companies.
Connaught Place is the ideal place to observe the Indian high class, and to sit down to make local friends in Central Park, a garden located in the center of the square, where a huge flag of the country is raised.
Old Delhi
Finally, if there is a place in the city where all the topics of the country come alive, it is Old Delhi: colors, flavors, noises, fumes, monkeys and a crowd of people together and scrambled in a maze of charming little streets.
At first this charm may cost you to perceive it as it is an area almost always collapsed by infernal traffic. Therefore, we recommend taking this walk when you have had a few days to get used to the delirious rhythm of the city.
Starting from the great Red Fort (which is also worth a visit) you can visit the great avenue Chandni Chowk, in whose surroundings you will find a thousand alleys where you can buy from jewelry to fabrics, not forgetting books, nuts, spices and tools.
Many of the restaurants in the area are famous among the great gourmets in the country, so be sure to give them a chance; If one has a tail, it is worth it!
