India Day 7 - Purana Qila (Old Fort)

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View the previous post in this series here.

23 Mar 08

Flagging an auto rickshaw for 20 Rs (USD 0.50) to Purana Qila (Old Fort) from Humayun's Tomb, I soon arrived at a very crowded road. Purana Qila was next to the New Delhi Zoo. Being Sunday, both the Old Fort and Zoo were full local people. The structures of Purana Qila was built by Sher Shah Suri, an Emperor of Turkic origin of a rival kingdom that defeated the Second Mughal Emperor Humayun. It is said that beneath the Old Fort lies an even older ancient city of Indraprastha. After Humayun finally defeated Sher Shah Suri, he lived here and fell to his death in one of the buildings here which he used as his library.

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Satellite view of Purana Qila compound. The label "Old Fort" actually marks the pavilion that Humayun used as his library.


The gateway to Purana Qila. Entry costs 100 Rs (USD 2.50).


The gate in a gate


The inner side of the walls of Purana Qila, within these walls house a local museum


A rough layout of the Fort

The Sher Mandal, a two storey octagon pavilion. It was thought to be Sher Shah Suri's pleasure resort. When Humayun took over, he turned it into his library. One evening while he was descending the steps from the second storey, he heard the call for prayer. Being a devout Muslim he turned to face Mecca, in doing so, he slipped and tumbled down the stairs to his death. Later his grieving widow built Humayun's Tomb.

Possibly another gateway into Purana Qila


There are many stray dogs in New Delhi and some puppies were playing here


Sher Shah Suri's Mosque. Notice how the design is the same as most other Mosques in Delhi. It is like a corridor inside with a center wall running horizontal from left to right. Muslims will pray facing the wall.


A well? Perhaps for ablution


There seems to be some rooms below the Mosque


What looks like a dried up pond. Probably for ablution as well.


The mosque is well decorated and is built from the familiar red sandstone and white marble


Entering


The underside of the dome


The wall that runs from left to right. The stars are quite misleading.


Decorations at the top corner of the inside


Back outside, two of these towers flank the back of the Mosque


What looks like some make-shift housing under the walls of the Old Fort. Probably for those that maintain the gardens here.


The walls form a long corridor around the compound


Close-up of the top of a gate now inaccessible


I went outside and took a picture of the walls of the Old Fort by the lake next to it. Notice some people are boating on the left.


Leaving to get an auto rickshaw back to my hotel. Some Indian transvestites it seems, disturbing a man.

I got back to my hotel to get my luggage, possibly over paying a little for my auto rickshaw fare. It was still rather early as it was 5:30pm and my flight was at 11:15pm. Thinking that it would be safer to take a proper cab to the airport, I asked the receptionist how much it would cost to book a cab. "400 Rupees (USD 10)", he said. That is a ridiculous price I thought. So with the help of some of the friendly and helpful (very rare sight) hotel staff, 2 porters and the security guard, I got an auto rickshaw to the airport for 150 Rs (USD 3.75).

Off I am to the International Airport.

After thinking about the speed he went on the highway, perhaps it was safer that I took a cab. Fortunately the highway is rather empty on Sunday. Upon reaching the International Airport, to my horror I am barred from entering the airport because I am too early for my flight. Looking around I saw many passengers and tourists sitting by the road. For a country that has money to invest in others, it was rather shocking that they do not even bother to invest in a better airport for their capital city. What was even more appalling is that they built a small air conditioned area with toilets and charge an entry fee -- that is even after you have paid the airport tax. One wonders why can't they include that fee in the airport tax and give visitors a better impression of Incredible !ndia.

Lots of people waiting by the road.


I am so disgusted with this


30 Rs to get inside to see flat plasma television with nothing playing on it.


Finally at about 7:45pm they allowed me to check in. Some interesting food I saw while waiting for my flight.


Kingfisher for USD 1 at duty free inside. Everyone is having one.


Dubious water dispensers. Perhaps that is why many were having Kingfisher.


My flight was delayed by half and hour. Hungry, I grabbed a hot dog.


Finally the flight crew were boarding.


Food on the flight, some kind of mutton stew. Sadly the Indian food I had on my way here was better than on the way back.

Thus ends my 7 day trip in Delhi and Agra to attend the DASFAA '08 Conference. While there are many beautiful sights, it is a pity that the government does nothing to improve its tourist industry and services before promoting itself as Incredible !ndia. Although handling touts and having to haggle is the norm in many developing countries, having hotels that do not honour their reservations (like Hotel Palace Heights for my first 3 nights) is the first for me. Personally I would not recommend going there to anyone till they improve themselves. After all, unlike Greece and Turkey, most of the monuments here are young and will definitely remain the same for the next 50 years at least. There are other tourist destinations in developing countries that offer a much better experience. Separately, one might want to get some immunisation before visiting India. I came down with suspected typhoid fever or cholera after I got back.

This is the last post in this series. View the first post and trip index here.

India Day 7 - Humayun's Tomb

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

23 Mar 08

Leaving Mc'donalds, I found some auto rickshaw drivers and tried to get them to take me to Humayun's Tomb for 20 Rs (USD 0.50) as it was really nearby (< 2km). To my dismay they said that it was Sunday and the tomb will not be opened -- something I found strange as it was not stated on the tourist map that the tomb was closed on Sunday. Then they asked if I would like to go shopping instead. This was when I realised the scum was lying through his teeth. Pissed, I walked off and immediately managed to flag an auto rickshaw to the tomb for 20 Rs.

In two blinks of both eyes, Here I was standing right in front of another UNESCO World Heritage site in New Delhi -- Humayun's Tomb. Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor that ruled most of modern Pakistan, Afghanistan, and parts of northern India. While the Taj Mahal was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan for his favourite wife, Humayun's tomb was built by his wife out of grief for him. In fact Humayun's Tomb's architectural style is so similar to Taj Mahal, that the latter's style was probably lifted from the former.

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Satellite view of Humayun's Tomb Complex. The surrounding gardens are huge and well maintained. Note Isa Khan's tomb.


Here I am at the main entrance. Entry costs 250 Rs (USD 6.25)


Before heading up towards Humayun's Tomb, a side gate opens into Isa Khan's Tomb compound


Isa Khan Niyazi was an Afgan noble man in the court of Sher Shah Suri, who was of Turkic origin and whose empire fought the Mughals


An archway into the tomb


Part of the inside


Some stairs lead to the second floor


One of the little pavilions on the second floor


The underside of one of these pavilions


It looks like this tomb used to be adorned with many colours


Arches surrounding the tomb chamber


A three door Mosque in the same compound


While walking towards Humayun's Tomb, I was again distracted by a side gate -- The Arab Serai gate


Small wooden door in the large gate


Beyond the Arab Serai Gate is this enclosure that housed the Persian craftsmen that worked on Humayun's Tomb


Main entrance to the massive Humayun's Tomb Compound -- The west gateway that is 16 metres high


It is said the Mughals liked to use this six sided star as an ornament as it is a symbol of the cosmos. I find it much like the Star of David.


Humayun's Tomb, the waterways and fountains have been restored


Humayun's Tomb is a square and each side is exactly the same. So I walked to the best side for a photo with least tourists.


Don't they look very similar? I personally find Humayun's Tomb more impressive from afar due to the red, yellow and white colours.


A 45 degree view from a corner of the tomb


Stairs leading up to the main chamber


Close panorama of the main chamber after ascending the stairs


Arches in arches


Six sided stars everywhere.


Closer look at the top corner


Patterned windows


A mix of red sandstone and white marble


Every arch has a patterned window


Ceiling of chamber


The symbolic tomb. The real body is below ground


According to a sign it is said that, "Folklore refers to this as the Barber's Tomb". I have no idea who it belongs to.


Looking up, I noticed the temple that I think is dedicated to the 10th Sikh Guru was just next door.



In this building, a water pump is housed that brings water to all the elaborate waterways and fountains of the gardens

I spent most of my time here finding the best angles to take photos. The entire complex is huge and it took me about almost 2 hours to fully appreciate it. Resting in the shade in the surrounding gardens, I decided to visit one last place before going back to my hotel to get my luggage and heading to the airport. This was Purana Qila (old fort) where Emperor Humayun ruled from and also, where it is said he fell to his death at a library within.

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