India Day 6 - Jama Masjid & Safdarjung's Tomb

View the first post in this series here.
View the previous post in this series here.

22 Mar 08

I began to make my way from the Red Fort to Jama Masjid with my friends. Jama Masjid is one of the Mosques in India, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (yes he built the Taj Mahal, and the Red Fort) in 1656. Walking along Old Delhi was no simple affair. The entire place reeks of piss. Furthermore my friends and I were splashed with some water somehow from somewhere. Thank goodness it wasn't piss, or rather didn't smell like it. After about 20 minutes of walking we finally arrived. Entry is free but a camera costs 200 Rs (USD 5) and entry to a minaret costs 50 Rs (USD 1.25).

Entrance to Jama Masjid


Jama Masjid



Jama Masjid with a very dirty ablution pool in front. The water is greenish and I saw someone gargling with it.


One of the entrances. There are 3 entrances to Jama Masjid


A minaret

Inside the Jama Masjid. There is not much of an inside. In fact the building is like an open corridor instead of an interior room. A horizontal wall runs through the center of the building that obviously supports the domes on top. Unlike the Sultan Ahmed (Blue) Mosque in Istanbul, Jama Masjid seems like a much simpler construction for a building that is about 40 years younger.

First flight of stairs up the walls of Jama Masjid


Jama Masjid from the top of the wall


The sun made the floors scorching hot


The goal is to ascend this minaret


A little door leads us into the small winding stairway inside


The domes of Jama Masjid looks more impressive from below


Up the winding stairs in the minaret. It was a long climb. Imagine two way traffic here.


Finally at the top



Old Delhi below


Notice the L-shape walls of the Red Fort in a distance

After our long descend from the minaret, we were famished as it was almost 3pm. So we went outside and bargained with an auto rickshaw driver to take the four of us to Connaught Place. Since it was the Holi festival, most shops were closed. Thankfully, fast food like Mc'donalds and Subway were open. After lunch, we left for Safdarjung's Tomb that was built in 1753. Safdarjung was a powerful prime minister to a weak Mughal Emperor. His tomb resembles the famous Humayun's Tomb that I will be visiting the next day.

Subway!


A chicken tikka subway sandwich


The entrance to Safdarjung's Tomb. Entry costs 100 Rs (USD 2.50)


A small Masjid perhaps



Interior ceiling of the entrance archway


Safdarjung's Tomb, a pond in the middle now runs dry, Palm trees line the garden


A pretty flower. The gardens here are still well maintained


The tomb is symmetric


Front entrance


One of the minars.


Some inlaid semi-precious stones in marble can be found here. Though nowhere as intricate as the Taj Mahal.


A symbolic crypt. The real person is buried underground beneath the entire structure


Detailed patterns were carved onto the marble ceiling


The main chamber leads to smaller empty ones


While the outside is a mix of red sandstone and marble, the inside is almost completely marble


Another intricate ceiling decoration

We left the tomb and decided to try our luck at a nearby Dili Hart (market). Unfortunately after a long walk there due to a wrong turn, it was closed due to Holi. So we flagged an auto rickshaw to take the four of us back to Hotel Ajanta for a rooftop dinner.

My friend's "Lesser Panda". One wonders why is it not "Little Panda".


Probably a hawk. Many of them circle the skies above New Delhi


Ah, Kingfisher correctly poured


Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka, potatoes and lots of naan!

After dinner the time came to say goodbye to my friends as they were headed back tonight. After wishing them well, I walked through the backalley to my hotel for a good night's rest. Interestingly I encountered a cow. One wonders why are there cows all over in the city. It does not seem like there is much grass available. Perhaps the milk comes in handy. Upon reaching my hotel I realised many Indians have checked in. Probably domestic tourists taking advantage of the long weekend for a vacation. Well all the better, I was earlier dreading a solo eerie night in this rather deserted hotel. It feels much safer with a crowd present. After watching some television I called it a night -- Birla Mandir, India Gate, Humayun's Tomb, and Purana Qila awaited me before my flight home tomorrow.

Read the next related post here.

Return to the trip index here.