Delhi Belly!

A project at the client office landed me in Delhi for 8 days, in the month of November just at the onset of winter.

God bless the client, god bless my company for my first stay in Delhi, having traversed through the capital city in transit quite a few times.

And those transits were during the scorching summer, and I was only too glad to be in Delhi for only two hours. This visit churned my heart, to bring out new-found fondness for our capital city. I arrived on Monday the 7th, evening delayed by half-n-hour. And soon as we started by taxi, I was met by the most shocking sight.

No traffic! And big fat roads. One-way in Delhi is bigger than both ways in the widest of our roads. The night quiet post-dinner walk around Safdarjung enclave, where I stayed, was blessed by cool weather. There are row-houses there and every person made it a point to inscribe their profession on the name-plate. That's how I know where the ONGC chairman stays.

And to top it all, ice-cream in the cold weather night!

Our client would drive us back and forth from Noida. Would rather call it flying v/s Bombay speed. We shifted to Noida after the third day and stayed opposite The Great Indian Place- a mall so huge, I couldn't even capture it in one frame.

Noida is like Navi Mumbai. Got all the facilities and the quietness of the suburbs.

Here the roads are planned a notch better.

So on Sunday 13th November I had the day to myself. I decided I had to go to as many spots I could.

So i logged in to Google, the very brilliantly made Delhi tourism website and planned a trip centered around the Delhi Metro.

First stop - a brisk walk to Noida Sector 18 Metro station. A brilliantly planned Metro stands to amaze me. Took a 100 buck for the day pass. They have a simple swipe-in, swipe-out feature using a card.

First stop was Rajiv Chowk, which is like the Dadar of Delhi, from where I took another train to Chandni Chowk.

Getting off the station I walked instinctively towards my first destination, the Red Fort. By that I mean, I didnt have a map nor did I ask anyone. And slowly found my way to the destination, so elated to spot it from far!

Didn't have enough time to take an inside tour. So caught a rickshaw to Raj Ghat.

Just stood at the place and soaked in the quiet and vast silent place. Then paid a silent homage to Mahatma Gandhi, and a silent wow.

Then I moved further to Rajeev Chowk station, which is located at the center of the Connaught Circle.

From here I caught a train straight to Qutab station. And right from the Metro you catch the sight of the famed minaret.

It looked really beautiful specially in silhouette against the setting sun. Clicked a lot of pictures there.

Then took the train to Central Secretariat. Came out, took some directions from the local policeman, and walked along to the parliament. The sight out there is amazing. It was really dark, with low lighting. Not many vehicles or people in sight. It looked like a hill station!

The parliament looked quaint in appearance, in the dim night lights. Met some soldiers guarding the place, three of them.

I had a pleasant chat with the trio, one of them from Maharashtra(and chatting up with him in my faltering Marathi, as he seemed too delighted by it). They got into Mumbai v/s Delhi. Asked me which I liked better, I just said I love Delhi. And then they replied - 'Dilli hai Dilwalo ka' and I nodded in agreement.
So I was in all awe, walking up the dimly lit lane, with the north block to my right, south block to my left and Presidential palace straight ahead.

If you swivel 180 degrees, your met by the sight of India Gate in all its glory on the other end down the Rajpath.


Presidential palace is like a huge mansion, I only wished more people like Dr.Kalam get to stay there.

I found a rick down to India Gate, since I was short of time. And saw a few VIP houses and various ministry buildings.

India Gate is beautiful. It was built to commemorate the battalions from India who lost their lives in WW1. At least the Britishers know to honour their martyrs better. The iconic architecture has inscribed the name of each soldier who lost their life in the war.

Passed by a few more ministries on the way back to central secretariat station. The rickshaw chap, who earlier told me - "jo dil chahe de dena" now demanded 120 bucks. I felt 50 was gud enuf, plus a little premium for waiting for me. He didn't like my pay and said "saab ye theek nahi hain." I reminded him - jo dil chahe dialogue. He said - aap khud vichar kijiye, to which I said vichar karoonga to aur kum kar doonga! Then I said Thank You and we parted ways with a smile.

From secretariat starts a separate line to my next stop, Nehru Place.

From Nehru Place you can visit the Lotus temple or the Bahai temple. I saw it from far and rushed off to ISKCON Delhi. My final stop.

I sat ere, praying, singing for an hour n half. There was sweet n melodius kirtan being sung. I just sat at the Temple Hall, didn't venture to the other areas. Met my friends Murari Gupta and Manish from Mumbai there.


Had to then rush back to Nehru place station, as I had a long metro ride back to Noida and the metro shuts by 11.

And the last day we took a cab to the airport. In the process got another Delhi Darshan. Got to see the houses of all the Top Politicos, the embassies beautifully arranged. You could be forgiven to think that this city was made on Cityville!

Simple thinking, High living

In just 20 months since the formation of the ruling Maharashtra govt., 31 ministers went globe trotting on 78 occasions- so screamed DNA on my face Sunday morning.

Of course as usual I tossed it aside, "what's new?", and went along my busy Sunday.

Came home late night, and couldn't help divulging into the articles.

Won't bore you with the details, but all I am surprised to know, is that these people come from the same breed who say a person requires only Rs. 32 per day for survival.

And they claim to be servants of these guys. Sometimes I shake my head and wonder how do people vote for these guys? But then I remember from a recent report I read on the media setup in India. Its fragmented terribly. There are more than 66 thousand dailies. Most of them are into losses, but they don't allow acquisitions. Why? Bcos they don't care about financials, and it is not about professionalism either. They are run by vested interests, and shamelessly choose their agenda.

And these agendas influence the thoughts far and wide. And this kinda news doesn't go far. That's why awareness is so important, education is so important.

Back to the foreign trips issue, one of the politicians - formerly Dy. CM of Mah, now tourism minister lived up to the name of his post by being 'on tour' for a cumulative of 2 months out of 20 months.

A larger %age of these trips of his has been personal. Personal visits to Four developed nations. Now, that's expensive. Now, he reported a bank balance of Rs. 23 lakhs and income as per what vidhan sabha pays. How did he afford it??

There was a time when officials would go on foreign trips to beg money for India. And these guys don't go alone or just with staff. They take their extended family along. Right upto in-laws, cousins etc.

So when they would meet the officials in the said country, they would wonder 'have they come to give or take?'.

On a closing note, one more story.

Another such foreign minister was on a tour to understand the French economy and take lessons for India.

In the middle of one night, the ministers grand-daughter threw a racket because she was hungry. That's fine. But then she wanted to have a particular pastry from a shop. The shop was obviously shut. But she wouldn't relent.

So the shop owner had to wake up, whip up the pastry and it was delivered to the kid.

The said minister, on returning to India, mentioned in his address that simplicity is the key to successful life.

Amen!

---------------Thank You--------------------