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20 april 2011 Old Markets, Bold future getaways As India’s capital, Delhi, is a city steeped in an- tiquity, yet racing into the 21st century with a new Metro and mega projects. T he taxi driver handed me a deep- fried somosa as we harangued over rupees outside his tent. I wasn’t organizing a trip to the desert, but a 10 kilometer ride to Rajiv Chowk, a commercial hub of tailors once called during the ‘Britishers’ time as Con- naught Place. The frustration that besets many tourists when on unfamiliar turf soon subsides with Rahul’s snack and I was reminded that hospitality in India starts on the street. After two days flying halfway around the world, I found myself back in Delhi. Hemmed in by sprawling highways and the gleaming glass tow- ers of Nehru Place, it dawned on me, like a fiery sunrise, that I had no clue where I was, nor where I was heading. I was a journeyman once again, thrust into a city of 14 million and without a travel guide. Delhi is a city of quiet districts, dip- lomatic compounds, sprawling suburbs and vibrant chowks. It’s a masala of modernity and markets, which at times collide when the rush hour heaves near the city gates, which separate Old Delhi from New Delhi. Once you understand that the metropolis is designed like the spokes of a rickshaw wheel and is the seat of the Indian Government and its military, you can crisscross the city on any transport of choice. Inaugurated to move millions for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the new Metro is a gleaming mass transpor- tation system that shows how Delhi’s infrastructure rides into the 21st centu- ry. For the price of a 15 rupees one-way token (400 pesos), the clean air condi- tioned carriages are an example of ci- vility: passengers form orderly lines on platforms and special seats are reserved for women. I ditch the taxi to ride In- dia’s modern mass transit. To satisfy my craving for Indian woodcarvings, cashmere shawls and moghul prints, I disembark at Patel Chowk station and wander down Jan- path past the elegant Imperial Hotel and the old observatory Jantar Man- tar. Businessmen in silk suits shuffle past me, while street vendors ply their trade, serving up cups of hot chai and selling beedis (tobacco rolled in a leaf). I settle for coffee at the Indian Cof- fee House on the inner circle of Con- naught Place, before embarking on an afternoon of bargain hunting for ban- gala – the tailored round collar blazer, also known as a Nehru jacket. From the state emporiums with their fixed-price linens and quilts to the government-run Central Cottage Industries Emporium, I get a quick fix on fabrics. In Janpath’s outdoor flea market, the city bustles with tour- ists and hawkers, so I climb onboard a three-wheel Tuk Tuk to cross over to the other side: the 17th century Red Fort to catch the afternoon light fall- ing across its towers. Within the walled city of Emperor Shah Jahan, I am transported by rick- shaw to the India of old. On every corner there is music blaring from suspended speakers and the sight of men hauling everything from cotton bundles to spices on wooden carts. Best viewed at sunset, when a soft light glows through the arches and trees of the Red Fort’s inner gardens, I sit and observe the many couples, strolling the manicured lawns. What remains of the day are the family picnics and picture moments of smiling students in saris. There are many bazaars and mar- kets in Old Delhi, such as Kinari Ba- zaar, best known for its bead shops and Phool Mandi, the old spice and flower market. Looming over the merchants and crumbling mansions of Chandi Chowk is the Jama Masjid mosque. Get there early to capture this beautiful landmark against a Delhi sky and dress appropriately as it is a working mosque for 25,000 worshippers. Browse the Muslim quarter on foot, where antiq- uities rub shoulders next to roasted ca- shew ovens and idle rickshaws. Old Delhi can assault one’s sense of space and time, but it is as safe as any other part of this fascinating city. As you cross the “threshold” (Delhi’s name in Persian), between Old and New, the city is still one of contrasts. While many travelers pass through Delhi on their way to explore India’s backwaters, the city captures so much of this country’s magnificent archi- tecture. Stroll the Lodi Gardens or grounds near India Gate to escape the commotion of street life and appreci- ate the very nature of this green city. Riding the Metro back to the well- heeled hub of Nehru Place, I make a quick stop at the Lajpat Nagar market, where locals buy their fabric for cloth- ing and home interiors at bargain pric- es. The humidity soon gives way to rain and I take cover with a merchant family under a plastic awning. I am drawn to the serendipity of the Delhites, shop- ping for saris as smiles flash around me like lightening. While there are so many historical tombs, gates and graceful homes in Delhi, the1,500-year-old Qutb Minar column is another of the city’s “leg- endary” attractions. If you circle it with your hands clasped behind your back a wish will be granted. I chose the chaos of Chandi Chowk over this rustless col- umn. But I still make a wish everytime I leave Delhi: to return someday soon to this city of ancient markets and a bold future. TEXT AND PHOTOS: RICHARD EMBLIN
