Delhi for women and Paharganj

qwertyjjj · Mar 3rd, 2009, 15:24

Is Delhi safe for wmen to travel through alone?
I have read some dodgy reports on this site.
I have a friend coming beginning March, which is around Holi I believe, and they will need to get from the airport to the train station, possibly travelling after 11pm to Paharganj.

Nick-H · Mar 3rd, 2009, 15:58

It might not be sensible for a lone woman to be wandering around the streets of any city where they are a stranger at that time of night, but taking a taxi from one place to another is nothing like wandering the streets.

"around" holi is not going to make any difference at all. I suspect that it might be a good idea not to arrive on the day of a major festival that takes place on the street and includes, to say the least, boisterous behaviour and which can also be threatening to women. Best check the dates.

Indianworker · Mar 3rd, 2009, 18:00

qwertyjjj,

Have lived and worked in Delhi for the past four years.

Delhi is not a problem for a woman alone but one needs to be cautious when moving around after dark and especially late. If she/they are going from Airport to Railway Station late at night then best to book a radio cab do not take a rickshaw at this late time.

With regards to Holi best to stay off the streets that day but by evening all should have quietened down but as Nick states not a good time generally to be going around that day (11 March).

karuna · Mar 3rd, 2009, 18:14

Hello, I'm a woman who has been in Delhi as a traveller (not working). Probably for a total of about 3 and a bit months if you put all the different times together.

As you can see, I'm still alive.

As for Holi, it does start up a few days before the festival itself, with particularly young men chucking colour around in the week leading up to the day.

Having said that, your friend is not likely to have any problems with that while in a taxi or hired car direct from the airport to the hotel, particularly at that time of night. General advice- as IW says above, use Dial a Cab/Easycabs or pre-book a transfer from a reputable firm or the hotel itself.

Goodie2Shoes · Mar 9th, 2009, 19:36

Depends on how your friend feels about being in crowded places. Paharganj is not the nicest of places even and one that even Indian friends who've lived in Delhi forever avoid. Sort of drug infested inner city ambience you'd find in any big city...Nearby cannaught place is better...

solo_trekker · Mar 11th, 2009, 23:27

Puhleeeease...!

Paharganj is as good or as bad as the rest of the city...
In fact, a lot of people feel that Paharganj has its own charm...!
If not, why would it still have all the back-packer tourists and all the cheap hotels in town...?

Yes, its cheap...
And has narrow streets...
And pigeon holes which pass off as hotel rooms...
But thatz fine with most tourists...
So, who cares...??!!

Cheers...!!!

PeakXV · Mar 11th, 2009, 23:36

With normal precautions & good common sense, Delhi is as safe as any other major city in the world. Paharganj's appeal/acceptance really depends on your travel experience/history and your noise/crowd/personal-space comfort zone. In other words if you're the type that likes a little peace and quite and elbow room then it may not be the best place to initiate yourself into India.

solo_trekker · Mar 12th, 2009, 21:06

The debate about Paharganj is never-ending...

Ages back, there was a suggestion to have a Delhi Meet-up at Paharganj...
But that hasn't yet seen the light of day...!

Cheers...!

PeakXV · Mar 12th, 2009, 22:25

Paharganj is the backpacker's jhuggi.

solo_trekker · Mar 12th, 2009, 22:58

If you can find your way around all the narrow bylanes of Paharganj, and all its sundry peculiarities (beggars, touts, agents for everything, more touts, drug addicts, pimps, tiny hotel rooms v/s tinier hotel rooms, cops looking for easy money, hippies left-over from the seventies, and the list can carry on and on...!), you might get to like the place...!

It has this old worldly charm, you see...!!!

Cheers...!!!

PeakXV · Mar 12th, 2009, 23:03

I would go out on a sturdy limb and say that peeganj has 'odd world' charm.

solo_trekker · Mar 12th, 2009, 23:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeakXV

... peeganj has 'odd world' charm.

Pee Ganj...???

Mar 3rd, 2009, 15:24	#1
qwertyjjj Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: UK Posts: 133	Delhi for women and Paharganj Is Delhi safe for wmen to travel through alone? I have read some dodgy reports on this site. I have a friend coming beginning March, which is around Holi I believe, and they will need to get from the airport to the train station, possibly travelling after 11pm to Paharganj.

Mar 3rd, 2009, 18:00	#3
Indianworker Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Delhi (expat from London) Posts: 185	qwertyjjj, Have lived and worked in Delhi for the past four years. Delhi is not a problem for a woman alone but one needs to be cautious when moving around after dark and especially late. If she/they are going from Airport to Railway Station late at night then best to book a radio cab do not take a rickshaw at this late time. With regards to Holi best to stay off the streets that day but by evening all should have quietened down but as Nick states not a good time generally to be going around that day (11 March). __________________ Indianworker

Mar 3rd, 2009, 18:14	#4
karuna Just a big girl with a small dream Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: A little town you've probably never heard of Posts: 2,976	Hello, I'm a woman who has been in Delhi as a traveller (not working). Probably for a total of about 3 and a bit months if you put all the different times together. As you can see, I'm still alive. As for Holi, it does start up a few days before the festival itself, with particularly young men chucking colour around in the week leading up to the day. Having said that, your friend is not likely to have any problems with that while in a taxi or hired car direct from the airport to the hotel, particularly at that time of night. General advice- as IW says above, use Dial a Cab/Easycabs or pre-book a transfer from a reputable firm or the hotel itself. __________________ Mosquitos suck.

Mar 9th, 2009, 19:36	#5
Goodie2Shoes Account Closed Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 5	Paharganj Depends on how your friend feels about being in crowded places. Paharganj is not the nicest of places even and one that even Indian friends who've lived in Delhi forever avoid. Sort of drug infested inner city ambience you'd find in any big city...Nearby cannaught place is better...

Mar 11th, 2009, 23:27	#6
solo_trekker Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: around delhi Posts: 880	Puhleeeease...! Paharganj is as good or as bad as the rest of the city... In fact, a lot of people feel that Paharganj has its own charm...! If not, why would it still have all the back-packer tourists and all the cheap hotels in town...? Yes, its cheap... And has narrow streets... And pigeon holes which pass off as hotel rooms... But thatz fine with most tourists... So, who cares...??!! Cheers...!!! __________________ http://www.indiamike.com/india-artic...eodganj-india/

Mar 3rd, 2009, 15:58	#2
Nick-H This is just a cameo appearance Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 36,225	It might not be sensible for a lone woman to be wandering around the streets of any city where they are a stranger at that time of night, but taking a taxi from one place to another is nothing like wandering the streets. "around" holi is not going to make any difference at all. I suspect that it might be a good idea not to arrive on the day of a major festival that takes place on the street and includes, to say the least, boisterous behaviour and which can also be threatening to women. Best check the dates.

Mar 11th, 2009, 23:36	#7
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 5,881	With normal precautions & good common sense, Delhi is as safe as any other major city in the world. Paharganj's appeal/acceptance really depends on your travel experience/history and your noise/crowd/personal-space comfort zone. In other words if you're the type that likes a little peace and quite and elbow room then it may not be the best place to initiate yourself into India. __________________ What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

Mar 12th, 2009, 21:06	#8
solo_trekker Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: around delhi Posts: 880	The debate about Paharganj is never-ending... Ages back, there was a suggestion to have a Delhi Meet-up at Paharganj... But that hasn't yet seen the light of day...! Cheers...!

Mar 12th, 2009, 22:25	#9
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 5,881	Paharganj is the backpacker's jhuggi.

Mar 12th, 2009, 22:58	#10
solo_trekker Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: around delhi Posts: 880	If you can find your way around all the narrow bylanes of Paharganj, and all its sundry peculiarities (beggars, touts, agents for everything, more touts, drug addicts, pimps, tiny hotel rooms v/s tinier hotel rooms, cops looking for easy money, hippies left-over from the seventies, and the list can carry on and on...!), you might get to like the place...! It has this old worldly charm, you see...!!! Cheers...!!!

Mar 12th, 2009, 23:03	#11
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 5,881	I would go out on a sturdy limb and say that peeganj has 'odd world' charm.

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