Editor’s note: After an amazing review of Old Delhi, here Sam Spector provides us with a tremendous glimpse at the other part of the city: New Delhi. And don’t miss his recommendation for his favored meal in India! For more of Sam’s writing, click here to visit his index page.
In my last article, I wrote about Old Delhi. (Click here to read that article.) In this article, I am writing about New Delhi, the center of the capital of India. However, the title “New Delhi” is a bit of a misnomer, as there are parts of New Delhi that are significantly older than Old Delhi and are, like the Red Fort, UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
In beginning your exploration of New Delhi, start at the oldest part, the Qutb Minar, one of the UNESCO Sites. The 239 foot minaret was built between 1199 and 1220 as a victory tower celebrating the expansion of Islam and the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate. 800 years after its construction, it remains the tallest brick minaret in the world. The minaret has 399 steps leading to the top (though this is closed to the public since school children died in a tragic accident in 1981) and has a base that is over 14 meters in diameter. The minaret is made of red sandstone and white marble and has intricate carvings of Quranic verses around it. You can see in the complex the base of the massive Alai Minar, a second minaret that was going to be built a hundred years later and was to be twice the height of the Qutb Minar, but the project was abandoned after the death of the sultan who was constructing it. Initially, the site was the location of a prominent 4th century Hindu temple, which was converted into a mosque. You can still see the Hindu designs and architecture, though the faces of the Hindu deities were defaced when it became a mosque. There is though still standing the Iron Pillar, a 7 meter pillar that was erected in 402 CE to a Hindu deity that weighs over 14000 pounds that sits in the shadow of the Qutb Minar.
While the Qutb Minar may be the location of Delhi’s oldest religious monuments, one of the newest prominent Hindu temples of the world is also located in New Delhi. The Swaminarayan Akshardham was built in 2005 and at the time was the largest Hindu temple in the world (it has since been surpassed by the Akshardham in New Jersey). The temple complex has massive security, and no photography is allowed inside, with smart phones, watches, cameras, and bags requiring being checked. The main temple has nine domes, 234 carved pillars and a 3000 ton motif of 148 life-sized elephants, telling the significance of elephants in Hinduism. The inside of the temple tells the story of the founder of Swaminarayan Hinduism and the various teachers who followed. Outside the temple is a 108 foot golden statue of the Bhagwan Swaminarayan in a yoga pose. The complex also sells tickets for water shows from their numerous fountains. While this site was highly recommended by my Lonely Planet guidebook and by locals I talked to, it was not my favorite place I visited in Delhi. While as a rabbi I appreciate security, it was a whole process to enter, and the temple gave me cult vibes towards the builder of the temple and former teacher, Pramukh Swami Maharaj. The opulence made me feel less like I was at a place of religious significance and more like I was at a megachurch, but for Hinduism. Still, the sheer size and the detail in the sculptures is worth seeing, but I would not put it at the top of a Delhi itinerary.
However, a must-go in Delhi is the Humayun Tomb, yet another UNESCO Site. When you ask anyone to think of a building in India, they will most likely answer the Taj Mahal. However, Humayun’s Tomb was the inspiration for the building that would become a World Wonder. Humayun was the second Mughal emperor, following Babur, and ruled from 1530-1540. While Humayun died prematurely, he was temporarily buried in his palace, while his wife ordered the construction of his tomb, which was completed in 1572. Like the Qutb Minar, the tomb is built with Islamic architecture, red sandstone, and white marble, with a dome similar to that of the Taj Mahal and archways. There are over 100 individuals buried inside the tomb, with Humayun being in the center. The grave you see though for Humayun is a replica for visitors (still hundreds of years old), that was built on the orders of Humayun’s daughter, while his actual identical tomb is directly below the ground. Initially, the tomb was built on the grounds of a Persian garden, but after the British occupation, the grounds today appear more in a British garden style.
There are numerous other buildings and tombs in the complex. One that is worth checking out is that of Isa Khan Niyazi. Following Humayun’s death, the Mughal empire split for about 16 years between the Mughals, led by Akbar, and a second kingdom based in Delhi called the Sur, led by Afghans. Isa Khan Niyazi was a noble originally from a poor Afghan family, who fought the Mughals for the Sur, and became a hero and person of prominence. In 1547, he was rewarded with an octagonal tomb and mosque that was decorated with blue and green tiles, some of which are still present today. In Delhi, Humayun’s Tomb was my favorite building.
About a five minute walk from Humayun’s Tomb is the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah. The 14th century tomb and mosque of Nizamuddin, a Sufi Muslim saint, and his students is a major center of pilgrimage for India’s Sufi community. The tomb of Nizamuddin has a white dome and the mosque next door is made of red sandstone. At the lit-up tomb are worshippers who are praying, singing, and studying, giving the area a festive atmosphere. Next to the tomb is a step well full of water that is worth seeing as well. In walking to the mosque and shrine, you will go through a Muslim market. As meat is more prominent for Muslims than it is Hindus, this is the place to go for barbeque street food with plenty of spices and flavors. The market also has many wonderful smells and colors due to vendors selling colorful flowers for pilgrims to purchase as an offering at the tomb.
Down the street from Hazrat Nizamuddin, just a $2 tuk tuk ride away, is the best place to end your day in Delhi with a respite from the madness of the city, the Lodi Gardens. The 90 acre park is a place for Indians to go for peace, tranquility, a romantic date, exercise, and yoga. The park is named for the 15th century Lodi Dynasty, a family of Afghan rulers in Delhi. In the park, there are 15th century tombs of Lodi rulers that were the model for Isa Khan Niyazi’s tomb at Humayun’s complex. In the park are numerous macaque monkeys, green parrots, chipmunks, and other flora and fauna. A 16th century 8 arched stone bridge from the Mughals is a highlight to walk over in the loop around the park. The bridge goes over a goose-filled pond with fountains. Though the pond is beautiful, it has a sad history as it was built by a British officer to make his homesick wife feel happier in Delhi, and a neighborhood of homes was destroyed to do so.
Finally, while in Delhi, make a reservation at the Indian Accent restaurant, located at the posh Lodhi Hotel, located between the Lodi Gardens and the Hazrat Nizamuddin. Eating dinner at Indian Accent is going to be a highlight of your trip to Delhi, as the restaurant, with locations also in Mumbai and New York City, has been consistently listed as India’s best restaurant by Conde Nast Traveler (among others) and is regularly put in lists of the top restaurants in the world, including Time Magazine’s top 100. When making a reservation online, you have to put down an $11 per person deposit that goes towards your meal and you can select to do the 645pm or 9pm dinner seating. The restaurant does not allow children under the age of 10 and will ask to see verification of birthdate of any child who comes. The ambience, service, and most importantly, the food and cocktails, of Indian Accent are culinary strokes of genius. You can either order a la carte or choose from the chef’s 5 course set menu with a vegetarian and non-vegetarian option. For two cocktails, an appetizer, an entrée, and dessert, with tip, the dinner ran me around $100; an incredible amount in India, but a fraction of what the cost would be in the United States for such an experience.
While I was attracted to India for the allure of the Taj Mahal and the holy city of Varanasi (my next two articles!), and was not as excited initially about the megacity of Delhi, this city turned out to be one of the most fascinating places in the world I have been and should be added to the bucket list of any globetrotter.
Recommendation for guide: Lalit Yadav Website WhatsApp number: +91 99992 09171
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