India > By tuk-tuk through Delhi

Yawn! Already at four o’clock, I head to the Amritsar train station. I take the five o’clock train to Delhi. The streets are still quiet. Here and there, people are sleeping on the streets. I am still unsettled by this sight. On the station square, however, it is busy. People are lying around here too, but they are waiting for their train. When I reach the platform, the train is already ready. A nice, wide compartment with five comfortable seats next to each other.

India - By train from Amritsar to Delhi

As the train departs, I close my eyes again for a bit. Around eleven o’clock, the train approaches Delhi. The main station is very crowded. It takes a moment to find the contact person, who guides me to the bus. The bus is farther away than I expected. I walk about five hundred meters to the bus parking area. Only then do I fully notice how oppressively hot it is on the streets. In the afternoon, I want to visit the Humayun Tomb. On the way to the metro, a tuk-tuk driver approaches me. He can take me to the Tomb. We negotiate the price. We agree that he will drive me past several buildings, wait while I go inside, and finally take me back to the hotel. It’s undoubtedly not the cheapest option, but it’s the easiest. I only have a few hours to see Delhi. I hop in with Amin, the tuk-tuk driver. On the way to the Humayun Tomb, Amin shows me various buildings and tells me about their history. We pass a beautiful Hindu temple and the India Gate. The Humayun Tomb was built in 1562 by order of Hamida Banu Begum for her deceased husband, the Mughal Emperor Humayun. At the complex, sandstone was used on such a large scale for the first time, as also seen in the Red Fort and Jama Masjid. As I walk through the entrance gate and look at the tomb, I am momentarily speechless. I enjoy the view before taking a photo. I don’t have much time, as a heavy downpour begins within moments. The grounds flood. I take shelter at the gate and check out the small museum. After about fifteen minutes, when the worst of the rain has passed, I walk toward the tomb. From a distance, I actually find the monument more impressive than up close. Of course, the tomb has beautiful design, color usage, and intricate windows. A remarkable structure. I walk back through the gardens, where several other tombs from the same period are located.

India - Humayuns Tomb with the mausoleum of the Mughal leader Humayun from 1562

Amin has kept the tuk-tuk completely dry for my return. Large puddles cover the streets everywhere. I want to visit the Nizamuddin Dargah mausoleum. Amin warns me that I might not be allowed inside because I am wearing three-quarter pants. I decide to take the risk. He drives the tuk-tuk into the narrow streets. Shops line both sides. At a corner is the entrance to the mausoleum and mosque. Immediately, a struggle begins over who will watch my shoes. I point to one person. His neighbor presses two flower garlands into my hands. “To offer,” he says. I find fifty rupees far too much and return them, ignoring his offended expression. Further along, someone calls out that head covering is mandatory. Hard to tell if it’s truly out of respect or if they are just trying to sell me something. Before I know it, I already have a cap on my head. I give ten rupees. He wants twenty-five. I wave this off, then leave five extra and walk on. The narrow alley I pass through is filled with beggars. Strange that they all lie so close together. After a few turns, I reach the mausoleum. I cross the small courtyard. Here too, people approach me for everything imaginable. I politely decline. Still, I feel uncomfortable around the mausoleum. I decide to just peek through the entrance at the tomb of one of the most famous Sufi saints, Nizamuddin Auliya, who lived in the 11th century. I leave the mausoleum itself to the devotees but do view the simple mosque next door. Then I walk back through the narrow alley. The boy who gave me the head covering does not appreciate my joke when I hand the cap back and ask for my rupees. Amin drives me back to the hotel.

India - The mausoleum of Nizamuddin Dargah an important Sufi saint

Near the hotel, I ask him if he knows a good barber. There happens to be one very close. Amin helps negotiate, and soon I am seated in the barber’s chair. Afterward, there is some discussion about the price. The barber has used a face ointment. According to him, it costs three times as much as the haircut. This cannot be true. I pay the amount I consider fair and walk out. At the hotel, I am met with disappointment. The special Indian Tikka evening is canceled at the last moment. The family hosting us cannot accommodate a group of fourteen. Strange, as Sawadee includes this in the program and always travels with groups of this size. The evening is canceled. A pity. After the Tikka ceremony, we would have been dropped off at a restaurant to eat. With the ceremony canceled, there is also no transport. Everyone makes their own way to Connaught Place. Around the central square, several restaurants are located. In one, I have a final meal with the whole group. During dinner, we thank Maria for her guidance throughout the trip.