Day three in Delhi and the discovery of secret surprises hidden behind the dangerous streets. Archeological gems set in rose covered gardens, tree clad ruins glinting in the sun illuminating traces of long ago eras.
Eschewing the tuktuk in favour of the metro once again I embarked on the 18 stop 18 rupee ride to Qutab Minar, a world heritage site complex in south Delhi with the magnificent 72 metre high tower at its heart. Built in 1193 during the Muslim dynasty the five distinct storeys have been painstakingly restored. The spire can be seen for miles around, a signature Delhi landmark and the city's emblem.
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| Selfie at Qutab Minar |
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| Qutab Minar ruins |
The first mosque to be built in India lies at the base, the marble inlay and delicate stone carvings genuinely breathtaking. There are over 70 other monuments dotted around the lawns, including a 4th century iron pillar, the incomplete remnants remembering a far off time when this hillock ruled the land. A time when one Sultan was a woman. The past is not always backward.
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| Qutab Minar spire and Mosque |
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| Could not resist this one! |
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| Artistic shot of the tower |
Most reach Qutab Minar by bus/tuktuk from the metro but I was determined to find the nearby Mehrauli archeological park, recommended by the trusty tourist office. It wasn't too hard, fending off the unwanted attentions of drivers was worse, and well worth tracking down. Acres of dusty fields behind the main highway with literally hundreds of more ruins where excavations have unearthed the villages/mosques/even the bazaar walls with their covered arches for stallholders from the 12th century as neighbourhoods sprung up to serve the Sultans.
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| A tomb in the park |
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| Inside one of the deserted ruins in the park - Stunning |
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| Hidden villages in the park |
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| Splendid restored interiors |
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| A bizarre mix of styles..apparantly the stonemasons were Hindi so there is much Hindu influence in the Muslim architecture |
Although this is free, unlike the QM complex, it seemed virtually deserted, bar the odd security guard. One was very keen to show me the inside of a crumbling turret until, antenna quivering, I mentioned my husband was coming...when he departed in a hurry.
(Oh I long to be able to relax, but letting my guard down here can be, literally, fatal).
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| a rather moving unfinished tower by a sultan who died before the first tier had been completed! |
But the park was absorbing and as the afternoon wore on I saw it was not deserted at all, courting couples, families, elderly groups, youngsters playing cricket, this was not just a memorial but a lively place where Delhi folk come to play.
The heat here is less oppressive than anywhere else I've been which is a boon. I no longer need to take shelter at noon. I do feel the need to don a precautionary (no doubt placebo) mask as the swine flu epidemic spreads across the country. It is not widespread yet in Delhi but cases rise by the day as does public paranoia.
Back in the city I joined the queue for a milkshake in a glass bottle at Keveners, a famous milk parlour tucked away in a back alley but a 'must do ' on food tours. Absolutely gorgeous!! I don’t normally like milkshakes but my coffee one was out of this world. This has to be a daily habit for as long as I’m here just as it is for locals, young and old.
The hostel and I have reached a pleasant equilibrium. I am now greeted with courtesy and respect, i.e. as if I was a man. My title helps but the main factor behind this about face was my use of Hindi when angry. This is a very popular place with Indian tourists and obviously I have now been accepted as one of the locals. The attitude to British people is complex, I have met with clear resentment, past injustices still linger close to the surface, but there is also a strong respect for our mutual history. And as a woman alone I am simply a mystery! ! I must be either unmarried or mad.
The gender bias is changing, powerful women here are outspoken and articulate, demanding men move from the ladies seats on the metro, holding their own in business and the media, but I sense it will take many more generations for true change. The debate over 'India's Daughter' by the BBC has shown just how deep rooted attitudes are and how carefully it is covered over. So if being treated as a man is what it takes then so be it, though I'd rather just be treated with respect as a woman.
Delhi is still a nightmare to function in but it is proving its worth, multidimensional multifaceted diamonds in the rough.
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