Delhi Diary Day 5
Blue Tokai! Green Park Metro! Humayun’s Tomb. My tuctuc usage is improving. The trick is to ignore the cluster of drivers stood round the Metro exits and just go get in the cab at the front of the rank like you know what you’re doing. Prices are tumbling!
After the entrance to Humayun’s tomb, in a fairly unheralded site off to the left sits Isa Khan’s tomb and Mosque. It is a beautiful building in its own right with a fraction of the footfall of the main event. The security guard there demanded my phone which was a bit alarming and proceeded to show me exactly which photographs I should be taking from which angles. He threw in a bit of history as well and demoed the features of the building that face Mecca. He was particularly invested in where I stood for the shot of the ceiling and how exactly to position my phone for a good shot through the crossed grill so I have included them here. Thanks Security Guard. I hope no one did anything they shouldn’t have whilst you were showing me round.
Humayun’s Tomb itself is another building with a grand entrance way some distance off that is designed to present a vista that takes your breath away.
This was the first garden tomb in India and I think the fellas behind this one nailed it at the first attempt. They did go on to refine the concept a bit with their second swing and knocked out the Taj Majhal (if I’m reading this right). It’s the 75th time this week I’ve turned up at a thing and just been amazed at the scale of all the green space.
There’s only so many mind blowing Mughal Mausoleums a man can see in a week, so I headed to the nearby Sunder Nurseries, and in keeping with the recent theme of me pointlessly drawing parallels with North Yorkshire landmarks, this has a strong Valley Gardens vibe. There’s a lot of ornamental gardens, plants and trees, play parks, a cafe by a lake, some wildlife walks and so on.
If you’re really unlucky you’ll trip over a few Mausoleums as well. Lunch by the lake was great and just what I needed after last nights massive meal. Dal, bread and a lemon soda.
With a bit of rain in the air and more forecast I decided to head inside. I hot footed it to the National Gandhi museum. No entrance fee, and a nice garden with some sculpture. There are some curios from his life, and a moving Martyrdom Room with the clothes from when he was shot (On my Birthday) and one of the bullets. There was also a shitload of spinning wheels.
Take away and Strade Bianchi on the telly tonight!
