Does anyone like Delhi?

Mikki

Does anyone have anything positive to say about Delhi? I like things like good bookstores, people-watching in parks, and I liked the zoo the last time I was there (more for people- than animal-watching). There must be some Delhi fans out there who could give me some tips about places they like in Delhi. I lived in Lima, Peru for 2 years which everyone else hates. but I love it because I found the right spots. Admittedly, it took all of the first year to reach that point. Can anyone help me find the "good" Delhi faster?

radz

Love cant say but can say i like,Delhi broad roads,greenery,foods,shopping, and Delhi winder.Ofcourse Delhi Zoo .

Radz

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Ludi

Actually spent four days in Delhi last month and liked it....actually less hassle than in places such as Haridwar and Agra!

Give it a chance and it grows on you!

brightspark

I am glad I am not having this conversation from someone from Mumbai.. Mumbai is nice, but I dont understand why everyone there hates Delhi.

Delhi is a place where some people may be aggressive.. yet you will find some of the most warm and hospitable people in Delhi.. It is quite normal for someone you have met on the train to leave his address.. and invite you for dinner.

A general complaint was that Delhi people have no substance.. well we have fun.. and there are some people, who are always jealous of people who can have fun.. will always conclude that people who can have fun are people who lack intelligence, sensitivity and other good qualities.. well the same people complained some years ago.. that Delhi is dull and has no night life.. no club scene..

Of course Delhi has the opposite extremes.. autorickshaws who try to cheat.. at the same time friendly autorickshaw or taxi drivers (yes it is true! -I always chat with the taxi drivers about anything and everything ). Amongst people you meet at bars, or restaurants.. you will find strangers who would have a pleasant chat with you, and others who may trouble single girls.. So you have to like anywhere else use your judgement when dealing with people..

The other good things about the city is.. varied climate.. while we do have a few months of extreme climate.. you would not be able to enjoy the pleasure of sitting in the winter sun and drinking beer or lazing in the sun.. in any other major city.. Delhi is perhaps the only large city to have all the seasons..

Delhi has more open spaces than any other city in the country.. with several parks, greenery.. most areas in south Delhi, have a small park with every block of houses.. for the children to play. The quality of education and the other infrastructure available in schools and colleges is much higher than other cities.

Several interesting museums, cultural centres, plays.. We have more Indian music concerts and dance performances, by major artistes.. very often free for the public, than any other major cities.

There is a fairly large intelligensia.. with several forums for active dialogues on many subjects.. You will find in the newspaper listings.. several conferences, lectures etc.. listed every day.

Wonder, if any of you have been to a Wedding in Delhi.. the level of festivity is unmatched.. there are usually parties, singing and dancing for several days...

Well I guess for a start that is enough.. I will try to think of preparing a list of my favourite places to go. and things to do in Delhi, and put that in another post.

Dino

I can highly reccomend you read 'City of Djinns' by William Dalrymple for a bit of an insight into the wealth of history that makes up Delhi plus a bit of an idea on what it's like to live in Delhi in the modern era.

Also,not sure if it's available in Germany but can reccommend a book called 'Holy Cow' by Sarah Macdonald,an Aussie girl who lived in Delhi for two years and wrote about her experiences and foray's into the more spiritual side of India.

As for myself,I just loved Delhi because it is India.To say you love India but hate Delhi is an oxy-moron.To have a meal at Gaylord's on Connaught Place is divine,but like many aspects of Delhi,the experience isn't bargain basement pricewise.

edwardseco

Like is not the issue..

Matty Gee

Delhi rocks....................

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beach

Mumbai is my GF. So can’t fall in love with Delhi. I’m not a Delhi fan.

Let me see what I like in Delhi. On the first place Delhi has been a royal center centuries. It’s majestic with historic buildings, monuments etc sprinkled all around. There is a touch of royalty and power can be seen in Delhi.

Also it’s the intelligentsia & art capital of India. So anyone with aptitude in these, Delhi has ample to offer.

Mumbai has the power to create great writes. Delhi has the power to attract them.

Delhi has a grandmother like chief minister, an image very difficult to sustain in Indian politics.

Delhi is a gold mine of history.

Look wise Delhi looks less claustrophobic than say Mumbai. It’s sprawling and lavish in terms of roads, parks, open spaces etc. Houses are big and luxurious in Delhi than the 10 storied pigeonholes of Mumbai’s 1BHKs.

You don’t sweat in Delhi. Mumbai is sticky.

Delhi’s journalists feel intellectually superior to their south counterparts.

Delhi is shrewd. Mumbai is wise.

Delhi is aggressive. Mumbai is professional.

In Delhi power buys money. In Mumbai money buys power.


Delhi & Mumbai…. Can we swap the population? I’ll rush to Delhi

pkalra

Love DELHI,

Mikki

Thanks everybody! So it IS possible to enjoy Delhi - I was pretty sure about that!
And thanks for the book suggestions. I can get anything ehre in Germany, thanks to Amazon but I told myself to go easy on the books this month and send the money to Unicef instead. But February is coming!
This site is terrific!

rohan5577

dilli dilwaalon ki i.e Delhi is a place for people with a large heart!

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aghori

I spent 2 months in Delhi. It is not my most favorite place in India, but I like its parks with Muslim architecture, on the South of Delhi it has a street with many temples (don't expect me to remember the name , I wasn't in India for over a year), in one of them with a big Hanuman statue, and the temples there have strong spiritual energy, like in one of pilgrimage places. I also like houses on the street with embassies, they look like the ones in Western Europe and States.
Also Delhi is always a gate to India for me - the place I see first.

phantom

Well, I love delhi. It always feels like home to be there.
People say delhites are aggressive. Well i don't think so.. Actually 80% of delhi's population is migratory. They hv all arrived from different places. Its a big mix of the whole of india. In fact its like a mini India in terms of ppl.
Like everybody says, its like a cultural hub. You get to see the biggest trade fair in the country here.
Then there is Delhi-Haat where u can find the different indian cuisines and material all in one place.
There is Science museum which is like biggest in india. Then there is chandni chowk, direct opposite Red Fort where u can hav a lot of pure indian delicacies, nowhere else to be found in india.
There is Qutub Minar and there is of course METRO now
It has got the best infrastructure in the country in terms of travelling.
And only chandigarh is better in terms of roads..
It has palika bazaar, don't know how many of u will like it
Then there are those lovely parks all over and those multiplexes ..oh god i already started missing delhi while writing this..
Mumbai, i don't know how ppl survive there ... i mean i was there for 2 days and i was really pitying my frnd who work there and has to travel every day for 2 hrs in the local train.. My god that was a torture... Bangalore well because of its non existent infrastructure is not comparable.. i don't think any other city will be comparable to delhi, if u come to hard reality.
But that's all IMHO of course
cheers

Jorge Reverter

Hi Janer,

I allways enjoy my time in Delhi. Normally I prefer to fly to India via Delhi ( as other says, is not my prefered town in India). Sometimes I must go via Bombay when I'm heading south, but then I normally try to spend only hours in Bombay. The book of W.D. is really good and afterwords you will be more interested in the town.

Jorge

soulfood

Very good suggestions by everyone. Just wanted to give you some idea about the geography of Delhi since you asked.

North Delhi is where you will find the real character of Delhi... although much of it has sadly disappeared. It is called old Delhi (also walled city) because it's where the Mugals lived and ruled from. When William Dalrymple writes about Delhi he's writing about this part of the city. Major landmarks are Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, Jama Musjid and Delhi University. It's a predominantly Muslim area. You'll find it very crowded and full of -- what might appear to be -- chaos everywhere! It'll be interesting to visit once in a while but I would not recommend living there. If you're okay with eating at the roadside, old Delhi promises fabulous delights but only do it only once you've settled down and gotten used to Delhi food.

East Delhi. I'm trying to think of something and my mind draws a blank. Maybe because I haven't visited this part much. Well, just remember that everything across the Yamuna river is East Delhi. It's not a very clean place and I can't think of anything historical or of cultural value there. Oh, NOIDA, the neighbouring suburb of Delhi is in the East.

Central Delhi is the most picturesque part of Delhi as much of it was built during the time of the British. It's famous as Lutyen's Delhi for its sprawling bungalows with big gardens, the India Gate, the Connaught Place, the parliament, the president's palace and the most ridiculously wide roads! You can drive around for hours. It's the least congested areas of Delhi.

South Delhi is the most happening part in a number of ways. It's where the intelligentsia belong -- the artists, intellectuals, journalists, theatre personalities and oh, how could I miss -- the fashion world lives here. The page-3 party culture that our Newspapers and magazines are so obsessed with limits itself to South and Central Delhi. All the embassies are here in Chanakyapuri area. It has historical relevance as well with the Qutub Minar in Mehrauli and the Nizammudin Dargah. You have the Bahai temple-- the most beautiful and serene place in the entire city. South Delhi also has the best places to eat and to enjoy a night out. The most multiplexes are here. The first malls came up in this part of the city and are further towards Gurgaon. Best place to live in South Delhi is the Jor Bagh area though its also prohibitively expensive.

West Delhi, like its Eastern counterpart, is not the most interesting place. It's less dirty and is not all that bad but I don't know of its any cultural or historical relevance.

That's about it for now. Welcome to Delhi.