Dil.li

Another time and another place...

This time its Delhi. We land at this new Delhi airport to be greeted by giant bharat natyam mudras and many other motifs. Absolutely butter smooth roads all the way home. I was visiting close family, piyar-vaat version:3!!

First getting taste of metro. One of the most civilized metro I have travelled. No push-pull and very clean, convenient and runs non-stop on time. Every time I use public transport I tend to enjoy my journey for than the destination. According to some, public is full of themselves, proud, self assured, well dressed, and fairer. Even servant ladies come with bright red/ pink lipsticks. I did feel awkward first I felt half backed british when I arrived here! Next I felt less religious surrounded by all beautifully carved face featured public of bangalore with at least 3 bindi of sandalwood, turmur, kumkum etc. Now i am in north and still unfit amongst these thhassadaar panjabi ladies!!

Next stop is Akshardham: Wow what a creation. For me the best was first display of 'you are your own shilpi', rest all the shows were enjoyable (enjoyable is shallow word but cant think of better). Best was this indus valley civilization river ride. Displays of charak, sushrut, aryabhat, raman, chanalya, patanjali etc. We spent leisurely time reading each of the elephant tales that surrounds the temple platform. Never saw elephant like this before. Best about Shri swaminarayan is they make every one of us proud of our motherland and heritage. Lastly musical fountain to describe the circle of aatma.

Next stop: visits to 3 places, mall after mall after mall! They are also great to cater to demands of many! fun walking through market stalls on terrace of city select mall. both the ambience malls, DLP promenade, Dilli haat, Khan bajar with very chick veg market and small cafes, Cannaught place, palika bajar, janpath and greater kailash. I had pleasure of window shopping in most places, for little more satisfaction picking and changing mind at counter and leaving it all behind for next opportunist! Honestly choices in printed silk is much better here. fabric is much lighter and paper thin compare to south silk. Me and my kitten make good team, when she needs breather from museum we go to mall and when I need breather we visit monument!!

Next stop gallaries: Saw Modern art gallary: lot of good collection, when i was younger I felt modern art is for art losers but now I see with fresh perspective, its an emotional expression for anyone, derive your own interpretation. This gallery displays works of Rabindranath Tagore, his brotherm father, nandlal bose, amrita shergil and many more names from British India to current bollywood posters. Museum shop sells some popular prints from 30 to 80 ruppees each. Next to Indira Gandhi museum. They celebrated entire month as Mahabharat Utsav. they brought artists from all the places were Kaurava and pandav lived and did something like 'ram-lila' - a street fest inside this massive museum compound. Though we missed it, there was permanent exhibit in mitti ghar. displaying pictures of all places like laksha gruh, kurukshetra, hastinapur and where they are situated currently.

Jantar-mantar: After seeing astronomers in akshardham temple river ride it was app evidence to see jantar mantar. there was no jyotish in his arcade to tell me my future. India gate was nice walk too.

Mogul Garden at Rastrapatibhavan: Yes, for few days only they keep this garden fest open. Strictly nothing you can carry inside. lot of rest areas, free drinking water and very well organised. saw plenty of ayurvedic herbs, 6 types of mints. anyone with stammering? plese use gurmur from geernar! lots of variety of roses, wildflowers make me want to go to valley of flower once!, gigantic dahlias, read stone water and rock pools with fountains and its really well laid out garden. Akaber came from desert land so no wonder he was facinated by fertile land of India and took it has hobby to beautify it further. Some really rare trees such as kadamb, sandalwood, bodhi-bruksh etc. we saw. Pleasing to eyes! And ears too! they play patriotic songs with fountains. O Pratibha ji, zaraa ghumataa oothaa ke dekhaa ki nahi??!! your own backyard?

In between we took train outside Dilli to Khajuraho, Thanks to my sweet bubbles nephew and his fresh-bud wife.

'Train'ing continues....