Urban Crayon

by Kim Barrington Narisetti

  >INTACH, 71 Lodhi Estate

  Tel: 011 2464 1304

  Timings: From 8:30 am

  Entry: Rs 50 per person

  City walk starting from the New Delhi Railway Staion

  Developed by the Salaam Baalak Trust, a charity working with children, the walk is conducted by young people who really know Delhi. Many, if not all, have grown up on the streets in and around the station and add authenticity to the talk. The walk meanders through the station and the neighbouring area to give the Nintendo-toting kids a realistic view of the kids who spend their lives on the street.

  >New Delhi Railway Station

  Tel: Brijesh at 99100 99348 to book

  Timings: Mon to Sat 10 am to 12:30 pm

  Entry: Rs 200 per person

  Web: www.salaambaalaktrust.com/street_walk_delhi.asp

  Nizamuddin

  Visit the shrine of the Sufi saint Nizamuddin Aulia and explore the busy lanes of Nizamuddin. Other attractions include several Mughal tombs and the tomb of the famous Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib.

  >Tel: 011 2464 1304; 011 2463 1818; 011 2463 2267

  Timings: From 7:45 am on Sundays

  Entry: Rs 50 per person Details: Register the previous Friday by sending an email to intachdelhi@rediffmail.com or call one of the telephone numbers listed above.

  IF YOU HAVE TO BE A TOURIST

  No. 1: India Gate. It marks the bravery of soldiers, it is free to visit, parking is convenient, the lawns are great for running or picnicking on and ice cream is sold from vendors.

  Discover the wonderment of all the sight-seeing mustsees New Delhi has to offer the family. It’s all about adventure and education, but more importantly, fun. Nowhere else in the world can one find a fort the size of the Red Fort, with such a rich history. India Gate, which commemorates the soldiers who have given their lives for India’s freedom is definitely worth a visit and the lawns are great for a picnic. If you can’t make it to Agra, soak up the magnificence of Mughal architecture at Humayun’s Tomb. The Jantar Mantar will amaze the kids with its layout and function. Who knew one could tell time without a Mickey Mouse watch? All of these places and more provide great opportunities to take fabulous family photos at some of the most photographed historic sites in Delhi. Get ready to point and shoot. And, to better understand the historical significance of the monuments, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has placed kiosks around the monuments for tourists to rent audio guides for Rs 100. Languages offered include English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese.

  Akshardham Temple

  Calling the Akshardham Temple a religious place would be a misnomer if you only consider the fantastic lawns, boat rides, musical fountains and the animatronics show. But all of this is built around prayer and reflection at the Mandir. The Akshardham experience traces India’s history, values, art and humanity. Akshardham means the eternal, divine abode of the supreme God, the abode of eternal values and virtues of Akshar as defined in the Vedas and Upanishads where divine bhakti, purity and peace forever pervades. Cameras, video cameras, mobile phones or any electronic items are not allowed inside the complex. Forget about the crackers and juice boxes too, as no outside food is allowed inside. Hot and cold vegetarian snacks are sold at the food court though, so the kids certainly won’t go hungry.

  >NH-24, near Noida Morh

  Tel: 011 2201 6688

  Timings: Tue to Sat 9 am to 6 pm

  Entry: Free; Exhibitions

  Entry: Rs 125 for adults; Rs 75 for children 4 to 12; free for children 4 and under

  Web: www.akshardham.com

  Begumpur Masjid

  The Begumpur Masjid is sure to appeal to children who like the majesty of big structures. Preceding Shah Jahan’s wondrous Jama Masjid (see pp.101–2), it is a massive 14th century stone mosque built during the Tughlaq era. Located in the middle of Begumpur and Kalu Sarai, the area was once the centre of the Tughlaq city of Jahanapanah. There’s a staircase that still leads to the roof. The huge mosque, built almost entirely of gray Delhi quartzite and mortar, is covered with lime plaster. The courtyard is surrounded on 3 sides by arched colonnades known as riwwaqs, each topped by low, hemispherical domes. The size of the mosque came in handy during the British rule of India. An entire village moved into the mosque for a period.

  >Take a left toward Sarvodaya Enclave from Aurobindo Marg. Proceed to Begumpur village. Park in front of the Sarvpriya Vihar Club, and then take the straight lane that leads past Bijai Mandal. The masjid takes 2 minutes on foot. Entry is free, and since the mosque isn’t in use any more, visitors do not have to remove their shoes. It is best to go before sunset.

  Birla Mandir

  No kids are probably keen to go to any religious place be it a church, mosque or temple. But if parents had to pick one place, this would be it because of the sheer size which is magnificent and the wall carvings. The Laxmi Narayan Temple, also known as Birla Mandir, is one of Delhi’s major temples and draws lots of devotees. The temple, built in 1938 by industrialist GD Birla, is located in the west of Connaught Place. Dedicated to Laxmi, the goddess of prosperity and Narayan, the preserver, the temple has the distinction of being inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. He had one condition: all castes should be allowed to enter the temple. The walls of the temple are decorated with various Hindu symbols including many swastikas. The original swastika, separate from the modernday association with Hitler, is an ancient Aryan symbol for perfection. That is explained on one of the walls. A Buddha temple in the complex has paintings that describe his life and work. It can get crowded, but the morning is best.

  >Mandir Marg (Central Delhi)

  Nearest Metro: Ramakrishna Ashram Marg

  Timings: Sunrise to sunset

  Entry: Free

  Nearby sights: Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, Jantar Mantar, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and Hanuman Mandir

  Nearby places to eat: Restaurants at Connaught Place

  Time required: 20 minutes

  Gates of Old Delhi

  The gates of the seventh city of Delhi, Shahjahanabad, played an integral part in its survival. The city, which was completed in 1649, was surrounded by 14 imposing gates used for people and the royal procession to exit and enter. During Emperor Shah Jahan’s reign, all these gates were well guarded and were closed at night. Five gates survive today. Visitors will most appreciate the magnificence of the high arches and the heavy structures. One cannot walk from gate to gate with kids given the distance and traffic. Have the driver of the car on speed dial. A look and photo at all of the gates will take about 45 minutes. Lots of food and bathroom break options at Kashmere and Ajmeri gates. What the family should take away from the visit is how many thousands of soldiers it took to guard the gates to keep the citizens within safe at a time when numerous people were angling for power. The fact that they are battled scarred from cannon balls, swords and other crude weapons and are still standing is an architectural feat.

  Kashmere Gate

  The royal processions of emperors and other royalty used to pass through this gate on their trips to Kashmir or northern India. The gate was the scene of intense fighting in the 1857 War of Independence against the British. It is located near the Inter State Bus Terminal. The damage caused by the battle is still visible.

  Ajmeri Gate

  The thoroughfare of Ajmeri Gate led to the city of Ajmer. It is located on the southwest of the walled city, near the New Delhi Railway Station. The gate has been restored and is surrounded by a nice park.

  Delhi Gate

  Delhi Gate is found opposite the Daryaganj Police Station and Ambedkar Ground. It was the southeast gate. This gate got its name because the road from this gate led to the previous cities of Delhi. Made of red sandstone, it used to be an imposing gateway and had a wooden locking system. The popular Sunday book market in Daryaganj starts at this point.

  Turkman Gate

  Built in the late 1650s, Turkman Gate was the southern gate of the old walled city. It is named after the Muslim sai
nt, Hazrat Shah Turkman Bayabani whose tomb predates Shahjahanabad. Turkman Gate, located near the Ramlila Ground can be reached by taking the Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, a densely populated area in the city.

  Nigambodh Gate

  Located on the northeastern edge of the city on the Ring Road near the Yamuna Bazaar, Nigambodh Gate gets its name from the Nigambodh Ghat. According to the legend, it was on this ghat that Lord Brahma is said to have bathed and recovered his lost memory and sacred books. The name Nigambodh Ghat means realization of knowledge.

  Gurudwara Sisganj

  We do not usually visit places of worship other than our own religions, but the Gurudwara Sisganj offers an opportunity for both parents and kids to do so. Given that India has dozens of sub-sects, it is wonderful to find places like this which also offer a tour. The gurudwara commemorates the site where Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru of the Sikhs was beheaded under a banyan tree on the orders of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, when he objected to the emperor’s use of force against the Hindus who refused to renounce their religion. It is located on the main Chandni Chowk road, just opposite the Baptist Church. Visitors must cover their heads and leave their shoes outside. There is an information office near the entrance for those who want a more formal tour. The main worship room has the Sikh Holy Book, the Guru Granth Sahib under a beautiful golden canopy. Part of the banyan tree under which the guru was killed is kept in a room at the gurdwara. Religious hymns are sung throughout the day and everyone receives karah (a sweet made of wheat and ghee that has been blessed) upon leaving. The food is made hygienically so don’t worry about sampling it. A few rupees can be given as offering but it is not required.

  >On the main Chandni Chowk road, just opposite the Baptist Church, before Sunheri Masjid (Old Delhi)

  Nearest Metro: Delhi main

  Entry: Free

  Time required: 1 hour

  Nearby sights: Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid, Kashmere Gate, St James Church and Rajghat

  Nearby places to eat: Karim’s, Ghante Wala Sweet Shop, food stalls near Jama Masjid, Paranthe Wali Gali, Chor Bizarre of Broadway Hotel, Moti Mahal

  Humayun’s Tomb

  When children see a picture of Humayun’s Tomb, they tend to confuse it with the Taj Mahal in Agra. The construction of the tomb began in 1572, more than 80 years before the Taj, by Hamida Banu Begum, the wife of Mughal Emperor Humayun. The beautiful arched entrances and domes are surrounded by expansive, well manicured formal gardens. The tomb was designed in a Persian ‘charbagh’ or square 4-garden style enclosed by high walls on 3 sides and the Yamuna river on the other. The gardens are 348 square metres and are divided into 36 squares by a network of water channels and fountains. The beautiful structure was built of red sandstone and red and white marble. In addition to Humayun, the graves of several rulers of the Mughal dynasty lie in the vaults below the platform in the mausoleum. These include the graves of Dara Shikoh, Shah Jahan’s favourite son and Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal emperor of Delhi, who took shelter in Humayun’s tomb and was later captured here by Lieutenant Hodson during the Revolt of 1857. The tomb is also called ‘The Dormitory of the House of Timur’ because of the known and unknown graves entombed. Humayun’s Tomb was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kids will enjoy the inlaid water channels that they can skip over, taking photos behind the inlaid panels and actually being able to go inside a crypt. Boo! Bus loads of tourists visit the tomb daily but the sheer size of it doesn’t ever make it feel too crowded. The gardens have many benches under shady trees so the family can take a break and have a snack. No food is sold inside.

  >On Mathura Road, near the crossing with Lodhi Road (South Delhi)

  Nearest Metro: Kendriya Terminal

  Timings: Open on all days from sunrise to sunset

  Entry: Rs 10 for Indians / Rs 250 for foreigners; free on Fridays

  Parking: Rs 10 for 4 hrs (Rates are subject to change)

  Time for sight-seeing: About 1.5 hours

  Nearby places to eat: Khan Market

  Nearby sights: Lodhi Gardens, Delhi Zoo, India Gate

  India Gate

  No other monument in Delhi would epitomize a memento of a visit to the city but India Gate. Built by Edwin Lutyens in 1931, India Gate commemorates the Indian soldiers who died during World War I and the Afghan Wars. Originally called the All India War Memorial, the names of the soldiers who died in these wars are inscribed on the walls. At 42 metres in height, it can easily be compared to the Arc de Triomphe of Paris. In 1971, an eternal flame or Amar Jawan Jyoti, was lit under the arch of India Gate to honour the ‘Unknown Soldier’. The flame is never put out and is guarded by soldiers. Near the flame, is a rifle with a helmet on it which is in tribute to the soldiers who died during battle. The best time to visit India Gate is after sunset when it is flooded with light and looks really beautiful. There is a domed kiosk with a red sandstone roof just a few metres from India Gate. A marble statue of George V once stood there. It was also designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and was built in 1936. The statue was removed post independence and is in the Coronation Memorial Park in North Delhi. Be sure to check out the nearby Children’s Park (see Playground Paradise, p.73) with an array of playground equipment, and pay Rs 30 for a 15-minutes paddle boat ride on the little lake next to India Gate. Republic Day is marked every January 26 with a grand parade along Rajpath replete with colourful floats, and the participation of folk dancers and children from across India. The president of India places a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti in honour of all the soldiers in the Indian armed forces. Ice cream cones, water and other snacks are sold on the grounds, and a bevy of toys and balloons that will probably break before the kids even reach the car.

  >Less than a mile from Connaught Place (Rajiv Chowk), at the eastern end of Rajpath (Central Delhi)

  Timings: Daily, 24 hours

  Entry: Free

  Time required: 1 hour

  Nearby sights: Children’s Park, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, the National Museum, National Gallery of Modern Art.

  Nearby places to eat: Ice cream vendors on the lawns; hotels Le Meridien, Imperial; Connaught Place restaurants (McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Parikrama, Ruby Tuesday, Barista and Café Coffee Day)

  Jama Masjid

  Yet another magnificent structure built by Emperor Shah Jahan, the Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in India and one of the last to be built by him. It is also called the Friday Mosque as the word Jama means Friday, a holy day for Muslims. However, the original name was Masjid-i-Jahanuma or ‘The Mosque Commanding a View of the World’. Completed in 1656, the mosque is built from red sandstone and white marble and is located 500 metres west of the Red Fort. The mosque was built on a high platform with 3 gateways, 4 towers and 2 minarets, and it is a replica of the Moti Masjid in Agra. One was exclusively reserved for the emperor and other royalty. Today, visitors can enter the mosque from the northern or southern gates. Non Muslims are allowed inside the mosque all day long except from 12:30 pm to 2 pm. Both men and women must remove their shoes and cover their heads. Moderate dress is mandatory. While there, visitors can see 2 very old copies of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, made of deerskin and one long hair said to be from the Prophet Mohammed’s beard, his sandals and a footprint of his in marble. Inscriptions throughout the structure detail the history of the mosque. Visitors can climb the southern minaret, but the space on the top is small. This is not advisable for small children. One can see the Red Fort and all Old Delhi from the top.Women are not allowed to go alone to the top of the minaret. During Muslim festivals of Id-ul-Fitr and Id-ul-Zoha, thousands of devotees at a time offer their prayers in the courtyard.

  >500 metres west of Red Fort, near Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi

  Timings: Daily sunrise to sunset

  Nearest Metro: Kashmere Gate

  Entry: Free and open to all except during prayer timings. Tourists should cover their knees as well their arms and remove their shoes before entering the mosque. Cloth to be draped around your
limbs or feet, is available at the entrance and is provided on request.

  Photography charges: Rs 20 for Indians / Rs 150 for foreigners

  Charges to climb the southern minaret: Rs 10

  Time required: 1 to 2 hours

  Nearby places to eat: Karim’s, McDonald’s, Paranthe Wali Gali, Ghantewala sweet shop, food stalls near Jama Masjid

  Nearby sights: Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, St James Church and Rajghat

  Jantar Mantar

  Located near Connaught Place, the Jantar Mantar, sometimes called Yantra Mandir (literally, the ‘temple of instruments’; also ‘yantra’ and mantra mean instruments and formula respectively), was built in the year 1724 by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur and was operational for 7 years. The primary purpose of the observatory was to compile astronomical tables, calculate the time and track the movements of celestial bodies. It comprises several salmon coloured structures, called the Samrat Yantra, the Ram Yantra, the Jai Prakash and the Mishra Yantra. The Samrat Yantra is a huge sundial that dominates the complex. It was used to measure the time of the day and is accurate to within half a second. In the age of digital this and that, children are likely to be in awe of the sundial alone. The Ram Yantra and the Jai Prakash were also used for the study of heavenly bodies. For calculating the shortest and the longest days of the year, the 2 pillars on the southwest portion of Mishra Yantra were used. In December of each year, one of these pillars covers the other with its shadow. The Ram Yantra helped determine the position of the sun, moon, planets, stars and other heavenly bodies. For measuring the zodiacal sign or the group of the stars on the meridian, the Jai Prakash was used. Kids take it for granted that time-keepers are these tiny, practical things that fit nicely on their wrists. It would be important to teach them that these instruments were important in helping to determine seasons and when and what to plant for sustenance as they chronicled the passage of time accurately. The instruments are spread over an open area, and a stroller is advisable for little kids who are likely to get tired. There are toilets and drinking water. Parking can be found about 200 metres away. Although the instruments were quite accurate, the tall buildings that have been built around the observatory have diminished their accuracy. The Jantar Mantar is among several astronomical observatories built by Maharaja Jai Singh II. The other observatories are in Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura, and have fallen into disrepair. The one in Mathura was demolished and the Ujjain and Varanasi observatories are decaying. The Jaipur observatory was refurbished and is the best of the lot.