Delhi Photo Diary

Delhi Roads

2009-07-16T04:12:41-07:00

This is the reason I love Delhi so much. The beautiful roads lined with lush green trees on both sides making a canopy, with the sky peeking a little. Did I forgot to tell you that I love Delhi!

Public Conveniences

2009-07-15T01:03:13-07:00

For someone, who wants to answer the natures' call while traveling from one place to other in New Delhi, the public conveniences are a gift of God. This is an example of newly built public conveniences across the city. Thankfully, they are clean enough. The caretakers just ask for a meager fee of Rupees 1 or 2 at the most. Its walls also make for good advertising space. In this particular facility, the government has used the space to ask citizens to refrain from dumping rubble on the streets.

So, next time you are in Delhi and desperately want to go... you know where to head. Hehehe. :-)

Rain Drops

2009-07-14T04:05:10-07:00

Living in a rain starved Delhi, I managed to capture some drops on the rear view mirror yesterday. The lights reflected by the drops are the headlights of numerous cars waiting behind me, stuck in a traffic jam.

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”

2009-07-13T01:02:09-07:00

The colour yesterday was grey bordering on pitch black. There was finally some rain... but I am hoping for more. Send the rains To Delhi, if its pouring at your place. Please. :-)

Dilapidated

2009-07-11T23:50:12-07:00

A dilapidated structure in the inner circle of Connaught Place. Renovation of the buildings has begun and hopefully they will be in their brand new avtaar by the end of this year. I will post the brand new look then.

Rhythm and Bowl, Ambience Mall

2009-07-11T21:18:18-07:00

This is the Rhythm and Bowl at the Ambience Mall, Gugaon. A 40 minute drive from Connaught Place, Ambiance Mall is a haven in this suffocating heat. Rhythm and Blues is a bowling alley cum tattoo parlour. Though I chickened out of getting a tattoo, I did enjoy a bowling match with my brother, Akshat.

# 2: Jamia Millia Islamia

2009-07-09T00:11:33-07:00

The Jamia Millia Islamia University, is an Islamic National University and is spread across a vast expanse. Unfortunately, because of time constraints I could not explore it too much and could click only two photos of the commerce department before the guard asked to put my camera phone down. The gate and the red building is all that I saw of the university, which boasts of a fabulous alumina including my favourite actor, Shahrukh Khan. However, I am not sure that as a SRK loyalist am I suppose to like or dislike the university, which ousted him citing lack of stipulated attendance. While I deal with this dilemma,you people have a fun time. :-)

Jamia Milia Islamia

2009-07-08T05:29:05-07:00

This is the signage that welcomes you to the Jamia Milia Islamia University. I went there for an entrance exam last week. Despite staying in Delhi all my life, this was my first visit to the University. Will post more photos tomorrow.

# 2 Agrasen Ki Baoli

2009-07-06T22:54:20-07:00

This is the Agrasen Ki Baoli in sepia. As Abe pointed out it is a 14th Century structure. The shape of the well is very interesting as it is quite different from the traditional round shape. You can read more about the baolis here.

Steps of the well.

Galleries and chambers surrounding the well. These chambers used to become cool, quiet retreats for travelers during summers.

I liked this shot a lot. :-)

Agrasen Ki Baoli

2009-07-05T23:05:51-07:00

As promised, I finally managed to go into the Agrasen Ki Baoli over this weekend. This is a historic well, nested between the multi-storey buildings of Connaught Place. This photo shows the contrast that had me completely mesmerized. It is so nice to know something new about a place, you have grown up in. Will post more photos from the Baoli in the days to come.

Theme Day: July: Empty Bank

2009-07-01T10:31:07-07:00

Now, this is a unique site --- An Empty Bank Counter. Generally the bank is always over crowded with atleast three fights taking places at any given time of the day. So here is the photo welcoming the month of July. Hope the lines fill up soon and the excitement of visitng a bank reaches the scale of the yonder.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Queer Pride Parade '09

2009-06-28T23:20:42-07:00

The turnout was not as large, colorful or exciting as one would have hoped. However, it is a start. This is the Queer Pride Parade at the Connaught Place. Nearly a hundred people had turned out for the event which had more photographers than participants. There was a significant number of foreigners and several college students among the parading crowd.

Horn Please

2009-06-26T00:05:03-07:00

The trucks across India are a decorated affair. I spotted this green one on the road recently. The bright colours are sure to make one smile even on a Monday. One thing common on all the trucks is the sign saying Horn Please.

Water Coolers

2009-06-24T23:47:24-07:00

This is a stack of empty water coolers that I spotted in one of the market areas recently. Supplying cool water to shopkeepers during summers is a thriving business across Delhi. These containers are filled with chilled water and dropped to the market every morning. The shopkeepers leave the empty containers to be collected each morning by the water supplier. The bills for the service are cleared at the end of the month.

Regal

2009-07-05T04:13:00-07:00

Once the favourite joint of writers, artists, journalists, Regal today has been reduced to a cinema that shows B-grade Hindi movies or raunchy English cinema (as the posters will testify). In its heyday, the cinema found mention in the stories of the greats like Ruskin Bond. But today, parents have started warning their children to keep away from even the periphery of the cinema hall. However, it still is a landmark and directions around the Connaught Place are given with Regal as reference point.

Weighty Issues

2009-06-23T00:27:22-07:00

This is certainly not one of my best friends. But the lights and the colors have always attracted me to the public weighing machines. As a child, I always pestered my mother to give me a one rupee coin to check my weight on the machine. The thrill of seeing that little cardboard card coming out of the machine's mouth continues to be unmatched.

Boundary Wall, Agrasen Ki Baoli

2009-06-22T00:00:17-07:00

I truly believe that Delhi is one of the very few cities across the world, where you can spot a part of history in the centre of the urban hub. This is the boundary wall of the Agrasen Ki Baoli (Baoli is well) in the heart of Connaught Place. I could not go inside since the caretaker had decided to call it a day and locked the gates and left for his home at just 3 in the afternoon, although his time to leave is at 5 30 in the evening. Anyhow, not one to give up easily, I will try to make it to the baoli some other day, soon. For now I bring to you the boundary wall.

Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot. - Charlie Chaplin

2009-06-20T23:35:03-07:00

A man, dressed as one of the greatest actors of all time - Charlie Chaplin, on the streets of Karol Bagh market, promoting a mall that was inaugurated just a few days ago. Accompanying him is a small boy, who earns his livelihood by polishing boots. The good thing about the man was that he was not just trying to cajole shoppers into the mall but was also entertaining poor children, who I am pretty sure have never had the chance to see any of Mr Chaplin's comedies about the Tramp.

Do Not Touch

2009-06-17T22:37:48-07:00

As is my wont, I was clicking this sign standing next to one of Delhi's monument. Just then over my shoulder, a cynical voice belonging to a teenager said, "What's the point? Delhi has so many illiterates, they will not be able to make sense of this sign. And the so called educated will use their literary skills to pen rubbish like, 'Tina Loves Suresh'". Before I could react, he vanished.

Hopefully, not to leave his signature for posterity on the walls of history.

Jaypee Siddharth, East Patel Nagar

2009-06-16T22:35:46-07:00

This is the Jaypee Siddharth Hotel in Patel Nagar. As a child I always thought that this was monstrously huge building but as I gre up, the hotel seemed to shrink. It continues to be one of the places where I have made fond memories of spending time with one of my childhood friend and her family. She even got married here.

North Block, Raisina Hill

2009-06-15T22:47:43-07:00

This is the North Block, which houses the Ministry of Finance and the Home Ministry. It sits pretty on the right of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the President's office, on the Raisina Hill. Infested by monkeys and I am not referring to politicians, this beautiful building built by the Britishers as the seat of power, continues to house the government after more than 60 years of India's independence.

When in doubt look upwards!

2009-06-11T23:33:15-07:00

"When in doubt look upwards!", My teacher in kindergarten used to say. Her words, I had then thought meant to look at her as she was seemed very tall to me then. Later, we realised she meant to look towards the heaven (traditionally it is supposed to be at a height, I am told). But I took the saying to another level, as I was trying to pick up a photo for today. This is the Delhi sky (in sepia tones) as of yesterday evening at 6. We had some rains yesterday. Thankfully they brought the temperatures down but today the resulting humidity is not getting us Delhiites in a better mood. Hope the rain comes again. Soon

Chandelier

2009-06-09T22:10:26-07:00

This is a chandelier I spotted in the main hall of the India Islamic Cultural Centre, on a recent trip to the venue to catch a play. The artistry in the place is spellbinding. Unfortunately, they are not too kind to photographers and I managed to get this photo on a sly after a lot of sneakiness. Despite all my efforts, I did win a snide from one of the social butterflies (dressed in an expensive designer garb), who was attending the play for the cause of poor children.

I Am Back

2009-06-08T22:52:00-07:00

Well, back to business of capturing Delhi, I thought the best photo would be of my favourite and often repeated on the blog - India Gate. However, this time the angle is a little different.

Shimla

2009-06-08T01:54:11-07:00

After my one day stop in Jabalpur, I along with my brother, Akshat, took to the opposite direction and headed north to the hill station called Shimla. Here is Akshat on board the Shimla Toy Train.

Akshat and I had a fabulous time, getting our photos clicked, talking to strangers, site seeing and sipping coffee at cafes. Of all these things we enjoyed getting our photos clicked the most.

We did a lot of touristy stuff like getting a photo with a Yak

and dressing up in the native attire.

It was a much needed break and now I am back with a bang... So keep coming for Delhi photos on the blog. :-)