Tag Archives: india chronicles

india chronicles: delhi on an auto rickshaw

Posted by rob on

it was my second day in delhi when i decided to start a short tour around the city.  i did not have the interest to learn about the metro or the bus rides and just thought about hopping on and off the rickshaws that populate the city streets.  the hotel reception wasn’t that helpful on giving me clear instructions on how to get to one place that i ask using public transportation for all they could recommend was the taxi service that they offer which was obviously not cheap.

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i walked out from paharganj to the main road and as i stood on the roadside, an auto rickshaw driven by a sikh guy stopped infront of me. he asked me where i was going and told him that i need to go to india gate, i then asked him for how much and we both settled for 50 rupees.

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it took us a few minutes to reach india gate and while we were on our way, i made a deal with “shamu” and offered him 500 rupees to go with me with his rickshaw to go around nearby tourist places of the city and he did agreed on this.  there were a number of people who were mostly locals having a morning walk at the india gate as i took pictures of delhi’s famous landmark.

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rashtrapati bhavan is a mansion that is the offical home of the president of india.  i was only able to view the presidential house from its main gate.  i am not sure if tourists can go inside though.

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the jaipur column is erected infront of the building.

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one of the government ministry buildings near the palace.

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i spent almost an hour around humayun’s tomb.  i will blog a separate post about this place they call as “little taj mahal”.

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purana qila is the oldest fort found in new delhi.  pictured above is the sher mandal, an octagonal tower which was used as a private library of humayun.  i have read that humayun died due to injuries he received when fell on the steep stairs of this observatory.

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the humayun’s gate where his tomb can be seen from here.

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the fort is said to be more than 5000 years old.

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it was a good six-hour tour and going around delhi in an auto rickshaw is quite an experience to have.

india chronicles: india gate

Posted by rob on

“There will never be great architects or great architecture without great patrons”. – as quoted by Sir Edwin Lutyens, British Architect of India Gate

it was my second day in delhi when i visited india gate, india’s national monument.  i hailed an auto rickshaw near the hotel i was staying and told the sikh driver to drop me off in this monument and wait for me.  i took random pictures as i walked around.

a prominent landmark in delhi, i have read that it was built in the 1930’s.

it commemorates the soldiers of the british indian army who lost their lives in world war one and the anglo-afghan war.

engraved on its pale red sandstone are the names of the soldiers.

behind the gate is a canopy, also made of sandstone.

there were these soldiers wearing their traditional uniform.

i also took a picture of a sleeping stray dog which i noticed are common in the delhi streets and a classic car.

a soldier caught me taking his picture, but i did asked for permission after the shot, lol!

i went back to the auto rickshaw of shamu, the sikh driver whom i asked to wait for me then offered him 500 indian rupees to show me more of delhi.

india chronicles: ajanta hotel

Posted by rob on

a proof of hotel booking might be required by the immigration officer when visiting india on VOA.  it is actually a requirement if you check their immigration website and i did not took chances not to get one, anyway i have always made advance bookings for accommodations on all my travels.

the first budget hotel i stayed in new delhi was ajanta, which is located in paharganj, central delhi.  it was included in expedia’s insiders select, 2012.

it has also received some good reviews at tripadvisor site which was one reason i decided to stay at this hotel.

they offered free airport pickup when i booked through their website though i had to make a call at the hotel to follow up with the driver when i arrived from my flight from bahrain.  it was a 45 minute drive from indira gandhi international airport to hotel ajanta.

i was first given a room at the fourth floor of the building for i requested a room on the higher floor.  i encountered some issues in the room for the cable television wasn’t working and worse, there was no signal for wireless internet connection.  i called in the reception and was told that it will be checked but after an hour of waiting there was nothing so i decided to speak directly to the hotel personnel at the reception.  the lady receptionist again told me that the connections will be checked but i insisted for a new room.

i was then given a room at the second floor which honestly was way better than the first room they gave me.  everything was working fine.

the toilet and bath was old but clean and the tap with good water pressure.

the hallway looked newly renovated.

a buddha on display.

i had my lunch and dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, cafe vagabond.

the place has a nice, cozy interiors.

thali is a meal with portions of vegetable, chicken, and egg curry, rice, salad, raita, and sweet dish.

crispy papadum and plain naan.

chicken biryani.

a piece of naan, brushed with butter.

in india, most local restaurants will serve the guest dried anise seed and sugar crystals as an after meal mouth freshener.  it usually goes alongside with the check or bill.

cafe vagabond was awarded a certificate of excellence from tripadvisor.