DESTINATION : Jama Masjid

Masjid-i Jahān-Numā مسجد جھان نما

'World-reflecting mosque'

Another Saturday, new place - some pictures and loads of memories!!!

We left Gurgaon early in the morning & reached old Delhi at 6 with silence on both our sides– the luckiest part : this time in chadni chowk there was no blaring horns or rickshaw pullers and absolutely no people running here and there.

Inside the Jama Masjid, 

the sense of stillness followed us...............

Once inside, it is another world, people finding themselves quiet corners to pray and meditate and even sleep, all outside noises filtered by the thick red walls along with their worries and anxieties.

       

People are quietly doing their own thing -  at the pool in the preliminary cleansing ritual, under the arch staring out blankly into space, on the corridor offering prayer, near the pillars fast asleep…

For another day, another time, some more people and lot more … 

life at the mosque goes on as usual !!!!!

                                                                

DESTINATION : Nizzamudin Dargah

                                                                            حضرت شیخ خواجہ سیّد محمد نظام الدّین اولیا

After sada hak and rangrej mere, Maddy was totally inspired to visit Nizzamudin Dargah...                  

(andar chupa hua star jag rha tha uske...               

 Guitar aur star ..maddy humara yaar lolzz)

  Heavily crowded with visitors, beggars, small   restaurants, cows, dogs & infinite hawkers selling beaded chains & hats – nearly everything that you can expect in a bustling Delhi market.

It was a narrow way surrounded by shops on both the sides. 

As we entered the dargah, there are people from different religions, colours & masses; all hands folded, praying for their better future...

N

Suddenly there is huge cry from one corner “nahi bacha nahi mujhe mat maro”, apparently some sort of bhoot-bhagao-ing going on there.

uff that was really scary!!!

 After the namaaz, it was time for some Qawali--- everyone sat down on both sides of the ground keeping some space in the middle. And it started, it was so heavenly!!!

One can sense the passion coming across -  from the pit of their stomach to their vocal cords, along with their instruments; the music is not just heard but felt!!

The experience was awesome and is a must do for anyone who loves music!!!

DESTINATION : Purana Qila

Timeless feel of the old while it blends with the new.....

That’s Delhi my friend ! 

I think this thing of travelling and clicking pictures is getting on me....

Every Saturday I have my camega bags packed, engine ignited, friends along and a new place in mind...

Its not that, i have not seen these places before : earlier as a kid it used to be just a Picnic spot
and
now its more about "fixing a Frame"!!!

So this time we got our cameras on to Purana Qila .... massive walls and impressive gateways built by Afghan ruler Sher Shah during his reign (1538–45), before the emperor Humayun (whom he had previously defeated) regained control of India.

 Before we could actually enter the Qila, we thought of hitting the food first..... ordered like hungry dogs - we ordered sandwiches, dosa, noodles, bhelpuri, pav bhaji & not to forget chola bhatura
for just 4 people!

A piece of caution : Food that you get in the Qila Complex is extremely bad!!

On a marble slab within mosque an inscription thus read, 

"As long as there are people on the earth, may this edifice be frequented and people be happy and cheerful in it"

 Today it is the best preserved building the Purana Qila.

Ishq-E-Dilli' sound & light show.

The whole show is a history of Delhi projected onto the fort itself with accompanying music and narrations blasting for an hour

Living in this town from last so many years, zipping in and around the dusty streets & haggling with everyone we can, actually we kind of forget how much history our city has.

” The city of Indraprastha”

DESTINATION: Tughlaqabad Fort

a picture says a thousand words.............

My friends and I arrived at the fort by 

7:00 in the morning and we were the first ones to buy the tickets. 
The view of the magnificent façade of the fort from the road got me excited even before I could get inside.

Arriving at the fort, one cannot help but 
 feel impressed by the imposing walls of
the fort. Which was built to withstand attacks by Mongols, unlike the Red Fort or Purana Quila, which seem to be built for the comfortable and luxurious housing of Mughal Emperors.




There’s an interesting legend associated 
with the Tughlaqabad Fort. Some believe that Tughlakabad Fort was cursed by Delhi’s Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. Having a strained relationship with Ghiasuddin, he had said, “Ya rahey ujjar, ya basey gujjar” (“May [the fort] remain unoccupied, or else be occupied by herdsmen).”

The crumbling remains of the Tughlaqabad Fort are reminiscent of its lost grandeur...

Somebody said it right “No matter how mighty they are, they all end up the same way - Tughlaq was allegedly helped to his destiny by his son who orchestrated an assassination against him”

In the end.....
life moves on & the passion for more!!!!