Is Delhi really that bad????

kassidykat

Hi Everyone!

I've read countless suggestions (guide books, forums, etc) that Delhi is the type of place you want to escape as quickly as possible, but I can't figure out why exactly. Why is it so bad?

I'm taking my first trip to India in August and had planned 3 nights there. Is this crazy?

Any help would be MUCH appreciated!

Apprehensively,
K

Goldrush77

Well, I hope not, as I'm going to be taking classes there for six months starting next week! I've never been, but my impression is that Delhi managed to gain most of its reputation from the fact that it was the city most visitors got dropped at at midnight in their plane, added to which is the smog, and perhaps the weather also. I think there might also be a case of capital-city-itis and some lingering conservatism.

However, that's all I know and it is a damn good question that I'd like to see answered. Is there anyone who's actually been there that can report back on this reputation?

Also, by the time you show up in Delhi I'll have been there for a month, so if you want to email me at King_Goldrush@yahoo.com I should be able to give you much more concrete info.

wonderwomanusa

Delhi is a capital city with both good and bad. Old Delhi has some magnificent monuments: the Red Fort, Kutub Minar, the immense Jama Masjid (mosque), and it has Chandni Chowk -- one of the most fascinating shopping streets I've ever seen.

New Delhi also has its monuments, but it's also a poured concrete capital, full of insane traffic, bad air, touts who want to separate you from your money, and some of the best shopping in India.

Three days is a goodly amount of time to rest from your plane flight, take a city tour or two, make rezzies and get on the train to elsewhere!

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Lily

Delhi is not bad at all, but I am not speaking from the foreign point of view, and I do not have experience of the Paharganj hotels. Driving from Jaipur I am always impressed by the greening of Delhi and its wide roads - again, I cannot comment upon the traffic sense because I do not spend a lot of time there.

But do enjoy the city and the monuments, and the shopping at the Government emporia, where you are sure of fair price and good quality. And if you can find time, visit the Mahatma Gandhi Museum. Also do read the other posts on this forum about what to see in Delhi.

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Lily

rab

I am the prophet rab who can read the future and this is what will happen when you arrive in New Delhi: -

You will be finding your way to the foreign tourist train reservation office to book your onward trip to Shimla, Agra, Varanasi or wherever. The office is upstairs in New Delhi station.

A man will approach you and tell you that the ticket office is closed. He will try to lead you over the road to one of several tourist agencies who will try to get you the tickets. For this supreme service you will of course be charged extra!

Take my word for it this will happen. All the guide books warn about it, several people on here warn about it and it happened to me (until I got up and legged it out of the office!).

Check out the experiences other travellers have had and read the "how to handle touts" thread in the "Yak yak yak general stuff" pages. how to handle touts?

vistet

Trust the prophet. Afterwards I realised I had heard but forgotten him, and let myself stray from the righ path (up the stairs from platform , turn right) from the word of the false prophets.

I`ve only recently actually started to reflect on Delhi and not just scoot out as fast as possible.
Is Delhi a crazy place ? Well , the airport, railway station and Pahar Ganj certainly are., also in the eyes of most Indians. But there are havens in Delhi - like the plump greenery around Birla Mandir.
If you are willing to give Delhi half a chance read William Dalrymple`s City of Djinns.

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Alan D

It happens every time rab and they should know us by now!

We've spent quite a bit of time in Delhi over the last few years and gradually got to like the place. We are there for a few days after arriving, a few days before departing and generally pass through it a few times in a four month period. The pollution now seems to be less and the traffic a bit calmer. We meet up with Indian friends who know the best places to eat and have a beer.

We feel very comfortable in the Paharganj area - it's convenient for New Delhi railway station and it's only about a 20 minute walk to Connaught Place. I've found Delhi-ites a relaxed bunch. Stop at any chai stall and the chances are you'll be having a conversation within a few minutes and people always seem to have time to give directions if you are looking for a particular place.

I guess it's the same with any city. The more time you spend there, the more you discover. I think Delhi gets undeservedly bad write-ups in guide books which cause a lot of people to jump on the first train or bus out.

dharmasoul

I like Delhi and I don't think you're crazy for spending 3 nights there. But, by the time you get to day 4 you will be so, so happy to get out of the smog and humidity and onward with your plans. Take it easy, don't feel rushed give your mind time to adjust and make your plans. If one gets dropped there and has the head on of, "Right I'm getting outa here." It can create so much stress for you.

Granted, it does have a rather bad press, but I think that's mainly due to it being many people's first experience of India, the heat and smog can be oppressive, the mind finds it a bit much to compute at first, and one is usually dropped there at some unearthly hour of the morning. As a result, the chaos of such a place (from the point of view of a first experience of India) can be just a little uncomfortable because it's so, so different from one's previous experiences. One may start to think, "Oh my god, what the hell am I doing here?" etc, etc.

But saying that, after a few visits I found myself enjoying the place and feeling more and more relaxed with it. If you fly in and out of Delhi you may find your feelings about the place have completely changed by the time you get back to fly out. So, maybe my point is that there is nothing wrong with delhi .....it's just the way one's mind looks at it because of previous experiences.

Good luck.

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LuAnnandJawahar

You would be doing yourself an injustice if you skipped Delhi. It is an important cultural, historical and political hub. It is hard for a traveler to get a good sense of what the city is really like, but reading City of Djinns as suggested above will give an idea of the magic that is there when you know where to look. The pressure from touts is more intense there than anyplace in India--just take it all with a sense of humor.

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gweno' bribri

Well I guess I'll have to work on my sense of humor... But it's good, the messages haven't got me discouraged :-) and I'll soon be moving in Delhi for 3years. No, I 've never been there !! Yes, I know...maybe I should have before accepting the job !
Gwen

jjacquemain

I loved Delhi! Can't wait to go back.....So torn between going south next time though.

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kassidykat

Wow! Thanks for all the detailed reponses everyone! I suppose I still feel a bit weary, but maybe 3 nights in Delhi won't be so bad.

Thanks again---I've got more questions for a new thread!

k.

indiamike

Delhi has it's good and it's bad. The bad is being a tourist and wherever tourists seem to go the touts are always there hassling you.

A nice walk around Connaught Place can just be a hassle with all the touts bothering you and one incident of dog poop being thrown on your shoes may send you straight to the train station.

However most visitors to Delhi have a narrow view of the city and this is usually confined to the tourist areas. If you get away from the tourist sections it's an okay place. There are some fantastic restaurants and many things to do. South Delhi especially.

I spent a good solid month in Delhi (probably more like six weeks) during one trip in India and spent everyday exploring every nook and cranny of the city and after it was all said and done my views on the city changed. I also took great pride in showing other tourists who didn't like Delhi what it had to offer (some serious late night parties).

The things I learned. Pick up one of those city guide books that lists events around town, they usually can be found at any newsstand. Take advantage of free concerts, free gallery openings, or other events. You never know where they will take you. You may also find at times that being a foreigner has it's advantages and will open doors for you. In those few weeks I got to meet quite a few celebrities, was invited backstage at many concerts, and discovered when happy hour was at the good restaurants and took full advantage of it.

Looking back on it, it was an excellent adventure and a really good time. (late nights in Bangalore where slightly better though).

The secret I think is to break away from the typical tourist mold and immerse yourself in the city.

See also the thread
Things to do in Delhi

Best of luck
Mike

(ps..on a side note I went all those weeks without any problems and on the day before I headed home I got the old dog poop on the shoe----boy was I pissed off )

laureninTN

i like dehli - it's no0t that bad, and i didn't get touted once, even booking train tickets. compared to some places in india, dehli is pretty civilized if you ask me.

UltraViolet

Is it expensive in Delhi? What can you expect to pay for a entrance to historical monuments/ places of interest? how much is a beer, decent meal and a packet of cigarettes?