This article is an itinerary.

Footloose in Old Delhi is a half-day walking tour in the Walled City of Delhi, India.

Contents 1 Understand2 Prepare3 Get in4 Walk5 Stay safe6 Get out if (window.showTocToggle) { var tocShowText = “show”; var tocHideText = “hide”; showTocToggle(); } Understand Prepare

The trip is best done on any day except Sunday, as many shops are closed then. Saturdays, on the other hand, tend to be particularly busy.

Bring a bottle of water and your camera, but leave any othervaluables at home the Old City is crowded and there are pickpocketslurking about.

Get in

The starting point of the tour is Chawri Bazaar station on Delhi Metro Line 2 (Red), and the endpoint is Chandni Chowk, the next station on the line.

Walk

The Chawri Bazaar station has two unconnected exits, so take the north one to Chawri Bazaar, not the south one towards Ajmeri Gate.

As you clamber to the surface, you’ll find yourself in themiddle of a bustling bazaar this is Chawri Bazaar. Hail acyclerickshaw and ask him to take you to Jama Masjid, whichshouldn’t cost more than 20 rupees. It’s not far in terms of distance,but it’ll take a while, as the bazaar here is always packed to thehilt, but this just gives you a good chance to look around. Many shopson Chawri Bazaar and adjoining Nai Sarak are devoted to stationery, andin particular the colorful, handmade and exquisite invitations that are a prerequisite for any Indian wedding.

Soon you’ll see the great dome of Jama Masjid, India’slargest mosque, looming ahead. The cyclerickshaw will drop you off atone of the gates, so take off your shoes and head in. Entry is free,but a photo permit is Rs.200 and the gatekeeper will want a littlebaksheesh if he keeps your shoes for you. Don’t miss the climb to theminaret (an extra Rs.20) for great views of the city.

To add: Karim’s

Eastward from Jama Masjid, you’ll Meena Bazar, a popular flea market with antiques (and not-so-antiques) it’s also known as Chor Bazar or “Thieves’ Market”, so hold onto your wallet and don’t believe every claim you hear.

Head out from the mosque’s north gate and follow the curvingroad, then turn left. Many shops here specialize in fireworks, anotherIndian wedding staple, but right up the road is Cycle Market, which deals not just in bicycles, but in cameras.

You’ve now reached Chandni Chowk, the central street of thearea. It was built by Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal, as atree-lined, half-moon shaped promenade (hence the name, “Moon Market”),but little but the name remains. To the east is Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, a major Jain temple, and behind it is the Lahore Gate entrance to the Red Fort (Lal Qila), but that’s worth half a day in itself and best left for another day.

To add:

Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib Gali Paranthewali Jalebis Ghantewala (sohan halwa) Haldiram Stay safe Get outThis article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!Expensive rickshaw – cheap Metro

We are back in Delhi in July. Due to the start of the monsoon temperatures are a pleasant 30 degrees and below, not like the scorching 46 degrees of June when we left. So it’s cool enough to venture out of our air-conditioned room to try the air-conditioned Metro train. Obviously we get shafted by the rickshaw driver who takes us to Kashmir Gate station (see also – scams part 3, vultures on wheels, rickshaw wallahs). But we think what the hell, another two years in which they can stuff the tourists, but after that, once the Metro connects Connaught Place with Old Delhi, they’ll whinge and whine about the loss of revenue. Serves them right!

Posted from UK:

posted Tuesday April 2007