Delhi | October 2015
Delhi is a place that most people either seem to love or hate. Me personally? Love. In many ways India's capital is a microcosm of the country as a whole: crowded, bustling, loud, colorful and vivid for all senses. The city belongs to a rare club where upon being there it feels as if a lifetime of exploring would only leave more things to see. It was unfortunate to realize this as my time there was limited to the tail-end of a two-day whirlwind trip that featured Agra on day one and a circuit of Delhi on day two. Despite being low on time we managed (with the help of the hotel front desk) to put together a pretty impressive highlight reel, beginning with Jama Masjid - The Grand Mosque.
Views of Delhi from Jama Masjid. The open spaces of the mosque felt like an island awash in the urban crush of Delhi that surrounds it.
Looking out over the mosque from atop one of the minarets.
After the mosque we made our way to the ludicrously beautiful Akshardham temple. Unfortunately no photos were allowed, but that place was a trip in and of itself. The campus (we're talking cafeteria, movie theater, water features and not to mention the most thorough security I went through in India) seemed to never end. Everywhere you looked it was precious metals, ornately carved stones and shiny things. Once we had our fill of Akshardham our driver took us to Humayun's Tomb - one of my favorite places in India.
The tomb itself is breathtaking but what makes this place special is the surrounding grounds which are just as gorgeous. Various buildings, fountains and stone walls dot the expansive area, leaving plenty to explore without feeling like the place is too crowded.
After the tomb we made it to one of Delhi's most well-known sites - The Lotus Temple.
Waiting in line to enter the Lotus Temple while the sun sets behind it.
Our final stop (not pictured here) was Qutb Minar which we explored in the dark after showing up right after it briefly closed for evening prayers. A 73-meter tall minaret, Qutb Minar is imposing and beautiful even in the cover of darkness. After that it was off to the airport and back to Bangalore, where work was waiting for us on Monday morning.