Seven Cities

Pictures from last week. They deserve to go up with a long post detailing how lucky I am to live in the seven cities that make up Delhi. But history is too long and historical puns are a bit...old (ha!) so I'll just try to stick with mostly pictures instead.

Still, a short introduction. You didn't think I was going to let you jump in to a (monumental) bunch of randoms, did you?

On either side of the Qutub complex (and most of the city, really), there are treasures to be found. The first of the two we discovered that day was Adam Khan's Tomb, also known as Bhoolbhulaiyaa (literally: a maze you can get lost in). It is rumoured that a wedding procession once got lost in its corridors, and you can easily imagine them losing their way in the dense forest that surrounds it, even in daylight.

Details on Adam Khan's tomb, Mehrauli

Planes roar overhead, and a city rushes past on three sides, but the seconds stand still when you look out at the Qutub Minar in the distance. Perhaps the only way to not get lost is to keep sight of it, marking its presence as the centerpiece in the crown of Mehrauli. Part of its charm lies in how it pops out of nowhere, suddenly visible in a sea of foliage in parts of South Delhi. It reminds you that you are in a city built generations ago, that you are very much a part of a history that you may have studied about. And it reminds you that rulers, too, were people, each wanting to build upon the successes of the last, each wanting to leave his mark in time.

Boys at Adam Khan's tomb, Mehrauli

The Qutub Minar, Mehrauli's crown gem

A little bit of the past, a little bit of the present. Adam Khan's tomb, Mehrauli

From Bhoolbhulaiyaa, we drove to the Mehrauli Archaeological Park. I've driven past this place too many times without really knowing that it existed. If you're in Delhi, or planning to come visit (!), it's worth the effort it takes to come out here. Seriously. And it's free! So you can enter multiple times for short visits, or come on a day when you have ample time - and a picnic hamper - on hand.

A time to rest, a time to reflect, Mehrauli Archaeological Park.

A tomb with a view?

Archway to the wild. This is where I heard about how King Humayun fell to his death down the steps. Though maybe that's not my favourite story to share in a place with no railings.

Or up here on this ledge.

The Mehrauli Archaeological Park; a place to come on your own...

...or with a friend.

...or just to watch the planes fly by.

You've seen the pictures, now go, discover it for yourself. There's tons (more) to see!