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Top 20 Things To Do In Delhi
Birds-eye view of New Delhi (IMG Source: http://www.destination360.com/asia/india/new-delhi)
Delhi is one of the most fascinating cities. It’s the eighth largest metropolis city in the world and is known for its food, cultural diversity and beautiful places to visit. Don’t worry, I won’t get into all the statistical mumbo-jumbo. You can read about all that stuff on Wikipedia. I just really want to take you through Delhi in my steps and point out my favorite spots and things I never miss seeing when there. So, let’s get going…
Before I begin, I will mention that there are the standard places that people should visit, as with any major city. But I’m going to exclude some of those “national attractions” and just list the things I love to see and do.
Okay now, let’s get going….
- Keventer’s
You cannot go to Delhi and not visit the Keventer’s milkshake shop in Connaught Place. The shop only opens in the evening. But it’s known for their coffee flavored milkshakes. One bottle of the shake and trust me you’ll be hooked. - Hear qawwalis (devotional music) at Hazrat Nizamuddin darga:
The music, the beats, even the tones in which the songs are sung is truly a spiritual experience. You may not understand the words but when you see everyone around you do into it and hear the beats, your body and mind can’t help but feel at one with singers. - Shopping at Janpath:
If you love bargaining and great deals, this is the place to go. Janpath has the best government emporiums and you can bargain with the vendors and get some great items at amazingly cheap prices. - Take a ride on the Delhi metro:
It’s cheap, clean and fast. Plus, it goes through Delhi so you get to see a lot of great sights from west to east! - Have kabobs at Khan Chacha’s restaurant:
These are the best kabobs you’ll ever try. Plus, the restaurant is mainly open in the evenings and late into the night. But trust me, get there early because there is always a line up. - Have Dosa at Saravana Bhavan in CP:
Dosa at Saravana Bhavan is the best in the world. They have franchises world-wide. So, after all the shopping in Janpath, make sure to stop over at SB for a delicious meal and don’t forget to have their South Indian filter coffee to finish your meal. - Shop at Chandni Chowk:
Chandni Chowk is known for its little streets and hundreds of thousands of stores. Everything from dried goods to wedding clothes and everything in between can be found here. It’s best to get here early in the morning as it’s not as busy as throughout the day. - Visit the Lotus Temple:
This temple is actually made in the form of a lotus. The architecture is absolutely stunning and its set in a beautiful environment full of greens. - Have a picnic at India Gate:
India Gate sits in the heart of Delhi near the Rashpati Bhavan (parliament buildings). There is a beautiful pond nearby and lots go greenery. Plus, if you go in the evening, you can have ice cream and sit down for a fun family picnic.
Akshardham (IMG Source: http://www.india-delhihotels.com/)
- Visit Akshardham:
This building is one of the most beautifully built-in India. It took five years and 10,000+ artisans to build. It is definitely an experience all in its owns. - Eat Jalebi and Ice Cream:
Jalebi is an Indian delicacy. It is sweet and melts in your mouth. Make sure to grab some fresh hot ones with ice cream. The experience will have your taste buds begging for more. - Walk the grounds of the Lal Qila (Red Fort):
The Lal Qila is India’s architecture at its best. It was the palace of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan; which later became World Heritage site for UNESCO. - Have lunch or dinner at Dilli Haat:
To try various authentic cuisines, you must visit Dilli Haat. Plus, there are various vendors from throughout India there. - Visit Jama Masjid:
The courtyard of this mosque alone can hold up to 25,000 people! There are many relics held at this mosque, including an antique version of the Qur’an written on deer skin. - Visit Hanuman Mandir (Temple):
This is one of my most favorite temples to visit in all of India. Saturday mornings are an absolute spiritual bliss. Sit and listen to prayers, then go next door to the Shani Mandir. Between the two is an awesome market selling hundreds of thousands of bangles in all colors and styles. If you’re not tired by then, you must have a henna tattoo applied by one of the local vendors that sit near the grounds of the temple. - Have Paan at Pandhara Road:
Paan is an after dinner mouth freshener. Mind you, it’s definitely an acquired taste. So, you may or may not like it. But if you do, the best Paans in all of Delhi are at Pandhara Road. - Eat Chaat-papri:
Enjoy this tangy street snack at various markets and parks. It includes; fried wafers, potatoes, yogurt, tamarind sauce and spices. yummy! - Visit the Qutab Minar:
This is one of the largest standing brick minarets in the world. Plus, the intricate design around is a must see. - Visit the National Museum:
You may not be the type of person to walk easily into a museum. But Delhi’s national museum is definitely one to see. It features artifacts and relics from around India. - Experience tranquility at Kaya Spa:
After you’ve done all the touring, indulge at Kaya by getting a hot oil massage, body wrap and having a mud bath. Then let them work their wonders by giving you a head massage.
That’s Delhi! Hope you enjoyed my walk-through Delhi, my hometown.
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SOPA blackouts: Wikipedia, Google and Reddit join protest
Wikipedia blacked out for the day
Expect the Internet to look a little darker on January 18.
Several of the web’s largest sites are shutting down for the day in protest of SOPA and ProtectIP, two proposed American bills that opponents say could fundamentally change the infrastructure of the web.
Sites participating in the blackout include Wikipedia, Boing Boing, WordPress, Reddit, Imgur, Mojang, and Tucows. Other web giants are planning partial blackouts or offering support in other ways. Mozilla will black out some of its websites for part of the day, while Google will link to information about SOPA on its homepage and inform users of its opposition to the bill.
The users of the aggregator site Reddit have largely led the march against these two bills, with Wikipedia’s support drawing attention to the protest. In reference to the blackout Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales tweeted, “This is going to be wow. I hope Wikipedia will melt phone systems in Washington on Wednesday. Tell everyone you know!”
A breakdown of the sites participating in the blackout:
Tucows: Tucows, a Canadian domain provider, plans to black out its software download site. Tucows’ Executive VP of product and marketing, Ken Schafer, explained to canada.com that SOPA is trying to give control to copyright owners on sites outside of the US.
“What we have is the US government saying they want to shut down sites in other countries,” Schafer said, adding that this could have major implications for the web in Canada. “That’s essentially creating a firewall between the US and the rest of the world.”
Mozilla: Tom Lowenthal, a member of Mozilla’s privacy team, confirmed Mozilla’s plans on Twitter. Lowenthal tweeted, “On Weds, @mozilla‘s sites are planning to ‘go dark’ for a while, replaced by content talking about how dangerous SOPA would be.”
Imgur: Popular image hosting site Imgur is also participating in the blackout. On its site Imgur stated, “It is important that our users understand the far-reaching and potentially
disastrous repercussions that this legislation could have on the vibrancy and freedom of the Internet.”
Mojang: Minecraft maker Mojang, will shut down its site as well as the sites for Minecraft and Cobalt. It also released one of the harshest statements of any condemning the bills. “No sane person can be for SOPA. I don’t know if we’re sane, but we are strongly, uncompromisingly against SOPA, and any similar laws,” the company wrote in a statement on its site. “Sacrificing freedom of speech for the benefit of corporate profit is abominable and disgusting.”
Related articles
- SOPA blackouts: Wikipedia, Google and Reddit join protest (calgaryherald.com)
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- Imgur Joins Reddit, Wikipedia, in Sopa Protest Blackout (inquisitr.com)
- This First Example Of A SOPA ‘Blackout’ Is Pretty Lame (businessinsider.com)
- Websites to protest against SOPA with a blackout (thebloggingtimes.com)
Karva Chauth 2011 – Fasting For His Life, Officially
Image taken from http://www.yousigma.com
Karva Chauth is on October 15th, this year. I’m super excited. Last year, I fasted for D on Karva Chauth. He wasn’t my husband. He wasn’t even my fiance. But I fell in love with him hard and I knew in my heart that he would be the one, sooner or later. But this year, he will be my fiance on Karva Chauth and I will fast for his long life, prosperity and happiness again and it will be different because he will be my husband very soon and the significance of the fast becomes so much more precious.
Last year, I wrote an article on Karva Chauth, the history behind it and my fast. You can read that article here. So, this year, I won’t talk about the history behind it. If you do want more information, Wikipedia (my favorite site) and this site, can provide you all the details you need.
On or the day after Karva Chauth, I will post pictures of my mehndi (henna), my engagement ring, the prayers, my outfit and the ceremony over all.
So, stay tuned! 
Related articles
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Neda Agha-Soltan
A recent news release announced that a famous Iranian writer’s books had been banned in Iran from being published due to the writer’s publishing house’s editor is none other than Dr. Arash Hejazi. I am not very concerned for the writer. But after thoroughly reading into the reasons why the book has been banned in Iran, and about Dr. Arash Hejazi, I cannot sit quietly and watch this injustice happen.
Maybe my voice won’t be heard by anyone. Maybe it won’t make a difference at all. None of that matters, does it? Especially, when the price being paid is to bring a little dignity to an innocent soul.
Neda Agha-Soltan was killed in Tehran on June 20th, 2009. She was sitting in traffic during the 2009 Iranian election protest with her music teacher and a couple of friends, when she was shot in the chest by the pro-government Basij militia. Her killer was caught and later released. However, not only did this girl lose her life, they stole her dignity as well.
Many publishers, writers and news channels have broadcast her story. Social media sites went crazy with the video that was posted to Facebook and YouTube. Many people talked about how and why she died. Many people talked about the famous Dr. Arash Hejazi after the terrifying event. But only Wikipedia covered what her family and she is going through and went through after her death.
Even after her death, she continues to suffer and her family pays the price. As if her dying for no reason at all was not enough, her family was not allowed to mourn her death. The death of their unmarried, 26-year-old daughter. Their daughter who had barely seen life. Who was just recently engaged and had the world yet to explore. Her family was threatened to be punished and charged if they held mourning services. But that was still not enough. Neda was denied a proper funeral service by government authorities.
On November 16, 2009, her grave was desecrated and her grave-stone was removed by supporters of the Iranian regime. Later that year, supporters of the Iranian government defaced her grave by shooting it multiple times.
Since then, there have been many stories published about her family, about Dr. Arash Hejazi and Neda’s fiance, Caspian Makan. Her parents were forced by government authorities out of their home in Tehran. Dr. Arash Hejazi is wanted by the Iranian government for raising questions about Neda’s death and protesting against the government. He has also been forced to flee Iran for his well-being. Caspian Makan continues to mourn the loss of his fiance. All four members continue to fight for justice for Neda. Yet, all are being penalized as if they were suspects and not the victims.
Dr. Arash Hejazi’s life has been flipped upside down. Why? Because he was trying to save an innocent fellow-civilian who was shot in broad day-light. Because after her death, he is trying to bring her justice? His life has been threatened. He is being portrayed around the world as a fugitive for fleeing from his country because he fears his own life?
Dr. Hejazi has built a blog and website to bring publicity to the way his life has changed by trying to rescue Neda. He is publishing/releasing a book in March about his life since the event took place.
Caspian Makan lost his fiance and has since had to leave his home country too to fight for his right to voice his opinions. Caspian Makan took a stand against a government whose agents have been accused of shooting innocent civilians in the streets in broad daylight. Many family members including the music teacher who stood by Neda’s side while she died were forced to deny what they saw with their own eyes. They were forced to say nothing against the government if they feared their own lives. But Caspian did not break. He continues to fight today and is criticized with hostility for his reaction to the unfortunate event that took place almost 2 years ago.
How do we sit quietly and just watch this injustice take place? Why are we unable to raise our voice about the happenings of this dreadful event?
My personal thoughts on the topic:
I am outraged. My heart is touched and hurts after reading through all the websites, blogs, documentaries and articles. I want to raise awareness to what is happening in third-world countries. I want to help the innocent people who are suffering due to government and political wars. I’ve decided to continue my research on Iran and join community and charity organizations to help with raising awareness to others around the world.
If even one of us raises our voice, someone will listen. Maybe we all need to take a closer look at the world around us and do what we can to help those that are unable to help themselves.
As my research continues, I will ask for your help in raising awareness. Rest assured, I will not ask for financial support. Maybe just a post on your blogs/websites. We are one world, why not start coming together now when we need it most?
“United we stand, divided we fall.” — Aesop (620 -560 B.C.)
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