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Album: By Country | By Date India | May 2001 < Prev: Walking Around Old Delhi | Next: Visiting More of New Delhi >
Travelogue: By Country | By Date India | May 2001  

May 2001 - Touring New Delhi

Around Delhi and India Gate and Humayun's Tomb

A patent medicine salesman. We couldn't understand what he was saying, but we could see his demonstrative exhibits. To paraphrase, "It's better than viagra." New CNG autorickshaw. The CNG rickshaws are green or have a green stripe. Tote amidst autorickshaw luxury India Gate. In 1911 when the British decided to transfer the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi, they chose a site three miles south of the existing city of Delhi. Edwin Lutyens was selected to advise on the planning of the new capital. His plan, with a central mall and wide diagonal avenues with trees in double rows on either side, resulted in a center city that is very reminiscent of Washington, D.C. The mall, with reflecting pools, etc. is called the Rajpath and the All India War Memorial Arch, called the India Gate, is near the eastern end of it. (The President's house - once the Viceroy's residence -- is on a small hill at the western end.)
Although in pattern similar to a bazillion other arches, this one has a nice grace, despite its slightly unusual shape. The Gate is inscribed with the names of the 85,000 Indian soldiers who died in WWI and Afghanistan. Monica with a cobra wrapped around her next. Another one is popping out of the basket in front of her. Tote loved this little gazebo-like affair. It illustrates how Luytens incorporated Indian elements in his designs. Compare this dome by Luytens circa 1915 with the dome on the mughal tomb in the next picture or the domes that surround the Taj Mahal. This is a tomb in the Humayun tomb compound. Humayun's tomb is the first example of Mughal architecture. (The Mughal emperors, muslims, dominated India from the mid-16th to the late 17th century.)
Part of the tomb Tote and Duncan liked this tomb better than Humayun's which was the thing we came to see. Same crumbling tomb Inside
The markers Entering Humuyan's tomb
An arch in the outer garden The little dome looks like those used by Luytens up and down the mall By Maggie - Humayun's Tomb was built in the mid-16th Century by Haji Begnum, Humayun's senior wife. The Taj Mahal is essentially a refinement of this design. By Maggie
By Maggie By Maggie By Maggie By Maggie - the use of red sandstone and white marble anticipates the buildings at the Red Fort built by Shah Jahan
By Maggie - Closer to the tomb