Delhi- From the heart of a traveller
It has been almost two years in Delhi for me.
Life here teaches us so many things. The outstation students of SRCC have been
entangled with the different flavours of life that exists in Delhi. For we too,
slowly, mould ourselves into a ‘delhi-ite’,
through and through. So, this is one journey, from the heart of a traveller,
dedicated to Delhi and its people.
Delhi is where the contrast between India’s different cultures, existing side by side, seems the strongest: ancient and modern, rich and poor, ugly and beautiful, perhaps best summed up by the little group of slum dwellings. Well, travelling through Delhi traffic is an experience in itself!
Delhi is where the contrast between India’s different cultures, existing side by side, seems the strongest: ancient and modern, rich and poor, ugly and beautiful, perhaps best summed up by the little group of slum dwellings. Well, travelling through Delhi traffic is an experience in itself!
Traffic!
Beware of the drivers. They have poor road
sense and often, do not respect the pedestrian’s rights. Zebra crossings are
just some decorative marks on the road, though they also provide employment to
those who paint them.
Sounds!
If you keep your ears open, you can hear tits
and bits of stories flowing in the air. I saw a foreigner couple bargaining
with the auto rickshaw driver for the fare. Out of curiosity I learnt that they
had arrived that morning itself. Quick learners, they were. In Delhi the noise,
dirt, stench, and crowds of people constantly surround you and slowly even
these become the part of your existence.
Bazaars!
Delhi has always been the shopping hub of
India. Though I am not a shopaholic, the true satisfaction of shopping and
bargaining on the streets is divine. Whether it is the roadside shops of Kamala Nagar or Sarojni Nagar, or the posh malls, Delhi has become the shopping hub
of India. Each bazaar is devoted to selling a particular type of product -
jewellery, wedding decorations, paper, shoes, car parts, saris and clothing,
pots and pans, etc. Hazardous electrical wiring looped overhead, hanging
precariously close to the head.
Sight!
Family members on a motorcycle; school kids
in a rickshaw; camel fodder on a cart; goods on a lorry; farmers in a trailer;
villagers in a land-rover taxi; 25kg cooking gas bottles on a bicycle, cramming
that you see all over India. There is definitely a "tourist at the top of
a minaret" sub-category.
Do we ever open our eyes and look around us.
Delhi is one city where you can travel to your heart’s content – a bus ride, auto
rickshaw, rickshaw, metro, taxis, cycles or you can just take a walk on the
roads of Delhi. Experience the difference. You would tell me – Look who’s
talking! But to tell you the truth, I have done each one of them, with no
purpose except to look at the changing sky, to savour the various smells, to
know the different stories around me, for the beauty and the grace of the city.
I went where my feet took me. I experienced the divinity that cannot be put
into words.
Oh well - you can only find out by trying it yourself!
Image courtesy: Google
KNOW YOUR FRIEND FROM DU
Kriti
Anand is a second year student pursuing Economics honours from Shri Ram
College of Commerce. She is passionate about writing and reading. You
will find a good collection of books with her. She loves exploring new
places, making new friends and loves chatting with them. She gets
inspiration from the group she is surrounded by.
