Pahar Ganj

My last posting was a disaster. Since then some new images have been taken and are now combined with the first post, including a short video from a standpoint.

A housewife pointing out her choice

Scene outside my hostel door

Marigold garlands for Diwali

Earthenware bowls for sale

Rickshaws and stalls

Tasty paw paws

A man uses special earth to make a chapati oven from the inside the 

 oven, which will then be put back in situ inside the restaurant

Displays of belts, sunglasses, watches near to the railway station

Paan patta for making. Flavours and addititives are inserted, the leaf is  

folded and inserted into the mouth to drool with and spit

Display of various varieties of rice

View down the Bazaar at a quiet time

     

Some of the more famous Delhi buildings

The architecture of Delhi falls into two main periods, the Mogul Empire from 1526 to 1856. The British Empire 1856-1947. Both empires left different legacies, which are with us today.

India Gate was built in 1931, commissioned by the War Graves Commission, to 

celebrate 82,000 dead Indian soldiers in WW1. Designed by the doyen of British

colonial architecture, Sir Edward Lutyens. It is at one end of Raj Road.

Another view of India Gate. The large grass surrounding area is popular for 

family picnics at weekends. It is situated at one end of

Close up to show detail of the base of Qutab Minar

The tallest pillar in India. Made of red sandstone. Built in 1386.

Safdarjung Tomb, 1754. It resembles Humayan's Tomb

White marble interior of Safdarjung 's Tomb

Part of the Red Fort. Hard to photograph. It was the residence of the Mogul emperors.

Built 1628-58. Designed by Shah Jahan, who also built the Taj Mahal.

White marble interior, reserved for the harem and high status people.

The exterior walls, etc are of red sandstone, for ordinary people.

Part of the interior of the fort

Humayun's Tomb. Built 1576-70.He had been an emperor

Jantar Mantar. Built in 1724 as a place to make astronomical observations.

The Marahajah of Jaipur built a number of other observatories.

The Viceroy's Palace, which is now the presidential palace, and is the largest in the world. it is at the

other end of Rajpath to India Gate and is used for processions on a grand scale

Just one of the many blocks that stretch around the circular centre of Delhi. It takes 25 minutes to

complete the walk 

Aerial view.

Connaught Place, Delhi. It is the centre of the New Delhi development of the new city built by the British.

It was designed by Sir Robert Russell, no less !

Some religious buildings in Delhi

Delhi has so many religious places of worship, it is hard to select, so I have photographed some of the best known. They all require you to go barefooted within. 

One of the towers of Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid Mosque. Built by Shah Jahan in 1650

Jama Masjid

Bahai Lotus Temple. As distinctive as Sydney Opera House. Half opened lotus 

petals. Designed by Canadian Arthur Ericson. Built in 1986.  It is one of the new religions

of the world, with bits and pieces of existing religions stitched together.

The Sikh Temple Gurudwara Bangla Sahib. I had a wonderfully large

 and nourishing meal on my last visit here 

Interior of the temple

Birla Mandir, also known as Lakshmi Narayan Temple. Built in the 1930's by

a wealthy industrialist in the Orissa style.

Kalkajimandir. A very large Hindu temple

Diwali

I wondered why there were so many fireworks exploding. It was the Indian festival day of Diwali, a Hindu "Festival of Light". The biggest they have. Other religions have a festival on the same day. Jains celebrate someone attaining nirvana, Buddhists to celebrate the conversion of Ashoka to Buddhism in about 300 BC.
    People put up fairy flashing lights around pictures and pelmets, just like Christmas. A time to shop, set of fireworks, dress up in new clothes (see the women with their bags of shopping from the markets), give gifts and feast. It celebrates the victory of good over evil. More gods: Lakshmi, Vishnu and Ram. The sort of thing that Wagner wrote operas about.
     India for me is about colour, food, religions, history, chaos, grid iron traffic jams,

railways Bollywood music and much else.

      All the photographs were taken within 100 yards of my backpackers hostel.

 A view of the street outside

A steady hand and good eye is needed to do henna

The veg market just down the street

The vegetable market

Paw paws

 

A view from my hostel front door

                                                           Marigold garlands for Diwali

ABJECT APOLOGIES FOR THE FOUR IMAGES LYING ON THEIR SIDES. THE OLD PC HAD THREE ATTEMPTS TO GET IT RIGHT. WHEEZING and CONNECTION BREAKAGES