Our first stop was in fact Main Bazar, where our lodgings were located as carefully chosen by my travelling companions, being the first listing in the Lonely Planet. It was a grotty hole up a fusty alley, the perfect way to desensitise ourselves. The density of signage and advertising is paralleled beyond India only by that of Kathmandu.

Main Bazar Road with all variety of traffic passing through. It was convenient to be lodged just off a market street, as with our missing luggage the first thing we had to do was buy some new underwear from the stalls.

The rumours are true, the cows wander the streets like they own the place. All varieties too, although some looked quite lumpy in strange places.

On to a less chaotic area, at India Gate in the centre of New Delhi. Presumably a take on the Arc de Triomphe, which is itself a take on Roman triumphal arches, the large inscription at the top simply says “India”, just in case you weren’t sure where you are. It is a war memorial arch which honours the dead of the First World War and various contemporary conflicts, and was completed in 1931.

Looking straight down Kartavya Path, an altogether grander abode looms on the horizon: Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India, the great domed structure in the distance. Originally built as the Viceroy’s House and opened in 1931, it was the obvious place for independent India’s leader to move in, once they’d kicked the British out. The president serves a five-year term, and at the time of our visit the incumbent was Pratibha Devisingh Patil, the first female president of India.

Connaught Place is the central business district of New Delhi, laid out in concentric rings surrounding an open green space. It was the closest thing to a public park that we found, although we still had to go through metal detectors to get inside. In the background is The Statesman Building.

Jama Masjid, the main mosque in old Delhi, dates from 1656 and takes its style from the Jama Masjids of Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. We were able to enter, but only after covering our offensive knees with towels. Although the predominant religion of India is Hindu, followers of Islam constitute a sizeable minority in the country.

Looking back towards Jama Masjid from the opposite direction, through the evening haze and sea of humanity.

The Red Fort is perhaps the most significant historical landmark in Delhi, occupying a prominent site on the edge of the Yamuna River. While much of the interior was destroyed by the British, the walls remain in good condition, their colour lending the fort its name. This is the Lahori Gate which faces Old Delhi to the west.

Right opposite the Red Fort is the most significant Jain temple in Delhi, Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir. It dates from 1656, the same period as the Red Fort, and is well known for the Jain Birds Hospital within. 

A golden shrine within the temple. Although crowded, it was quite peaceful with people slowly shuffling around. I especially like the royal blue colour of these guys’ turbans.

The outdoor part of the temple is dominated by the Sarovar, a large pool of holy water. Nearby, people were filing past a priest, so we did the same and found that everyone was being handed a small amount of hot nut paste, no charge. This is in line with the Sikh practice of langar, providing food for all people regardless of religion or race. It tasted pretty good.