Sightseeing
The first day in Delhi was spent looking around the city. This city has so much history that we simply could not do justice to it all. We drove past all the government buildings and ministries, had a look at the Parliament and Rajpati Bhavan (Presidential Palace) from outside, saw India Gate (a war memorial) and saw one of the most important Mosques for Muslims. We then drove to the Akshardham - the largest Hindu temple in the World! This was an absolutely beuatiful temple built very recently - and I think it was built completely by volunteers. There was very strict security (and I had the fun of being frisked, walking through the metal detector, setting it off, and having to be frisked a second time!) This was all repeated again when I had to got out to pick up my granny's wheelchair and enter again! Four friskings in 10 mins!!!
The temple was awesome and has a lot of exhibitions - even a boat ride which takes visitors through the history of India in 12 mins! Unfortunately we didn't go due to the queues and time constraints!
After lunch, we headed to the very sombre parts of Delhi - Birla house and Indira Gandhi Museum. Birla House is the very house that Mahatma Gandhi lived for the last 100 or so days of his life. Keeping with Gandhi's philophy, it was very simply furnished with his bed and spinning wheel. There were many displays, photos, quotes etc of his life. Behind the house was the most sombre / depressing area. It was the very garden where Gandhi was shot dead. The exact spot is marked with a pillar with the date and time of his assassination. No one can emerge from this museum without feeling extremely emotional. It was so sad to see how such a great man was killed - but as an Indian I was also so proud to see his achievements. Not only did he gain Independence for India - he also did a lot for India's social reformation with his philosophies (ahimsa) equality of men and women, the equality amongst castes, and kindness to all living things such as animals.
The Indira Gandhi museum was also sombre - it was the house which she (as Prime Minister of India) lived in when she was assassinated by her own bodyguards. The path which she walked up has been covered in crystal - with the spot where she died covered in plain glass with red flowers on it. Also on display were the very clothes she wore when shot dead.
Although she was a very controversial leader, it was still an emotional experience.
The temple was awesome and has a lot of exhibitions - even a boat ride which takes visitors through the history of India in 12 mins! Unfortunately we didn't go due to the queues and time constraints!
After lunch, we headed to the very sombre parts of Delhi - Birla house and Indira Gandhi Museum. Birla House is the very house that Mahatma Gandhi lived for the last 100 or so days of his life. Keeping with Gandhi's philophy, it was very simply furnished with his bed and spinning wheel. There were many displays, photos, quotes etc of his life. Behind the house was the most sombre / depressing area. It was the very garden where Gandhi was shot dead. The exact spot is marked with a pillar with the date and time of his assassination. No one can emerge from this museum without feeling extremely emotional. It was so sad to see how such a great man was killed - but as an Indian I was also so proud to see his achievements. Not only did he gain Independence for India - he also did a lot for India's social reformation with his philosophies (ahimsa) equality of men and women, the equality amongst castes, and kindness to all living things such as animals.
The Indira Gandhi museum was also sombre - it was the house which she (as Prime Minister of India) lived in when she was assassinated by her own bodyguards. The path which she walked up has been covered in crystal - with the spot where she died covered in plain glass with red flowers on it. Also on display were the very clothes she wore when shot dead.
Although she was a very controversial leader, it was still an emotional experience.
posted by Sandeep at 6:56 AM
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