Day 3 - Central Delhi: Raj Path and Humayun's Tomb

It was dark and foggy throughout. The dome of the Rashtrapati Bhavan was not visible from India Gate. The dull and cold morning meant that there were hardly people to bother us. The walk along the Raj Path till the Rashtrapati Bhavan was shelved. Instead, we headed for breakfast - of all the places in New Delhi - to Saravana Bhavan at the Connaught Place. SS became a huge fan of the mini tiffin. I had my full of the snacks available, since we were not sure when the next meal would arrive.

Our destination was Vijay Chowk, where all the babus are found. We came out of the metro just next to the statue of Govind Ballabh Pant. Huge red walls rose up behind it. Glancing through the holes in the wall, one could see a battalion of soldiers with tents set up inside the compound. This could only be the Parliament House. The security cover was impressive. No doubt, they informed us that entry was not allowed.

The back side (or whatever side) of the Parliament was open for photography (from the outside of course). Ahead of us was Vijay Chowk. A Chinese couple were busy clicking photos in all possible poses in front of the parliament. Ahead, we we were stopped by shrill whistles. The policeman at the junction was indicating us to go back. We wondered whether entry to Vijay Chowk was forbidden.

"Just stay here", said one of the passers-by, "The President is passing by, that's all. Just a useless lady, doesn't do anything, and she's got all the security in the world. Who would even kill her? Whoever came to kill, have killed and gone away...Where are you guys from?"

"Bangalore", we said.

"Bangalore is a good place," he continued, "Nice weather, famous for pubs. Why would you come to this god-forsaken place?"

We smiled.

Up ahead, the North and South Blocks rose up the sides of Raisina Hill. At the end of it stood the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan. In the mist, it looked dull. The famous Mughal Gardens behind the place was open for visitors, but would be crowded, pointed out one of the passers-by. There were lots of people ogling at the building, and posing for pictures in front of the cannons.

"I want to go in, mummy," said a little girl. Mummy was not impressed.

"You can't, darling. This is the White House of India," she explained.

There was crowd aplenty at Humayun's Tomb - not only the foreigners, but also school kids - some of them well behaved, the others utterly uncouth. The school boys were ever after foreign ladies, some of them even boldly saying, "Hello, will you come with me?". A few children who were harassing two old ladies at the canteen were driven away by SS (I had been right about the 'next meal'. There was hardly anything available there). Add to these there were also a bunch of idiotic Americans, loud and boisterous, jumping up and down everywhere.

The place however was immensely beautiful. As you enter, on the right, a broken down arch leads to the tomb of Isa Khan built by Sher Shah Suri, predating the main tomb by 20 years. Sadly, the place is not well maintained and the tomb looks run-down. Humayun's tomb, by itself, is a beautiful structure. Set on a high pedestal, the red and white structure was the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. We spent a good four hours there, even sleeping on the grass for a good half hour, as trains hooted behind the tomb, at the Hazrat Nizamuddin station.

To the west lay Safdarjung's Tomb. The old rickshaw driver demanded 50 rupees. Feeling pity on him SS acceded to the demand. After a less-than-15-rupee ride, SS was incensed. Sometimes it doesn't pay to be pitiful.

Safdarjung's tomb is another hidden gem, as beautiful as Humayun's Tomb, but badly in need of renovation. The place is exclusively used by courting couples. Apart from the odd-firang clicking photos, we were the only tourists there. As we sat down reading the guide to plan for tomorrow, the guard approached us. He took up the opportunity to be our guide. "What do you know about the place?" he asked us, "Safdarjung, the governor of Oudh, was given a commission by the British. The hospital, airport and all the things on his name were built by the British." It was time to leave.

Pic of the Day: