Friday 15 February 2019

All Izz Well - Delhi's Tombs, Trains and Treats



 The great thing about travelling light (apart from being able to carry my own luggage) is that I can shop when I'm away and it'll still fit in my bag and, with the quality of the clothes for sale in India, it's hard not to. This cotton long-line kurta came from FabIndia, an organically-certified, lifestyle brand established in 1960, with shops throughout the sub-continent. The products are sourced from villages across India where the company works closely with the artisans, some 55,000 individuals, offering an alternative to mass-production while creating sustainable livelihoods in the rural sector. You may remember our visit to Dr. Ismael Mohammed Khatri's block-printing factory when we went to Gujarat last year (HERE) where we filmed his workers producing fabric for FabIndia.


The print on my dress is known as Ajrakh, one of the most specialised and finest kind of block printing. A lengthy and detailed, highly skilled process Ajrakh involves resist printing and indigo dye and goes through thirteen individual stages to produce a depth of colour unattainable with standard surface printing. The dress has mirrored insets around the cuffs and on the attached waistcoat which is trimmed with silver bells. For any sewists out there, the dress is cut on the bias with French seams and pulls on over the head, the only fastening being the string tie.

I'm linking with Patti for Visible Monday.


Anyway, back to the travelogue. I got slightly ahead of myself posting about the Taj Mahal. We started our adventures in Delhi, staying at the All Izz Well, a hotel named after of the hit song and dance routine from the 2009 Bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots. Our hotel was bang in the centre of the main bazaar of Paharganj, a frenetic tangle of market stalls, roadside chai wallahs, bicycle rickshaws, food carts, tuk tuks, pariah dogs and itinerant cows. Pretty or posh it wasn't, but for a true slice of Indian big city life you couldn't ask for anything more authentic.


On our first night we spotted an arrow pointing to The Best Exotic Rooftop Restaurant and, having watched the similarly named film for the umpteenth time just before we left for India, took it as a sign. We climbed the four flights of stairs to the top of the building and spent all of our Delhi evenings there. The food was delicious, the staff welcoming and the beer was ice cold - as was the outside temperature. Thank goodness we packed thick jackets, wrist warmers and scarves!


So, how about some culture?

Bega Begum (1511 - 1582) and Humayun (1508 - 1556)
Situated in Nizamuddin, the old Muslim centre of the city, and constructed some sixty years before the Taj Mahal, Humayun's Tomb is Delhi's first Mughal mausoleum and the final resting place of the second Mughal emperor, Humayun, who died in 1556. Building commenced in 1569 under the watchful eye of his grieving widow, the Empress Bega Begum, who camped here for the duration of the build and is now buried alongside her husband. The cost of the build was said to exceed over 1.5 million rupees, paid for entirely by the Empress.


 Humayun's Tomb was the first garden tomb in all of India and the first monument to use red sandstone on such a large scale, built in the Persian-style with inlaid black and white marble on a platform overlooking the Yamuna River. 


An English merchant, William Finch, who visited the tomb in 1611, describes the rich interior furnishing of the central chamber (in comparison to the sparse look today). He mentioned the presence of rich carpets, and a shamiana, a small tent above the cenotaph, which was covered with a pure white sheet and with copies of the Quran in front along with his sword, turban and shoes.
  

The Charbagh (or quartered gardens) changed repeatedly over the years following their construction. The capital moved to Agra in 1556, and the decline of the Mughal empire quickened the decay of the monument and both the features and expensive upkeep of the garden proved impossible. By the early 18th century, the once lush gardens were replaced by vegetable plots tended by people who had settled within the walled area. However, the capture of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 together with the premises, and his subsequent sentencing to exile, along with execution of his three sons, meant that the monument’s worst days lay ahead, as the British took over Delhi completely. In 1860, the Mughal design of the garden was replanted to a more English style, with circular beds replacing the four central water pools and trees planted in flowerbeds. This was corrected in early 20th century, when on the orders of the then Viceroy, Lord Curzon, the original garden were restored in a major restoration project between 1903–1909. 


During Partition in 1947, Humayun's Tomb became a major refugee camp for Muslims migrating to Pakistan and was later managed by the government of India. The camp stayed open for about five years, and caused considerable damage not only to the extensive gardens, but also to the water channels and the structures. Eventually, to avoid vandalism, the cenotaphs within the mausoleum were encased in brick. In the coming years, the Archaeological Survey of India, took on responsibility for the preservation of heritage monuments in India, and gradually the building and its gardens were restored. 







Southeast of Humayun's Tomb, within the grounds, stands another mausoleum with a double dome and two graves bearing Koranic inscriptions which is that of Humayun's barber, a man considered to be important because he was trusted to hold a razor to the emperor's throat.





Standing outside the boundary of the complex is the tomb known as Nila Gumbad or 'Blue Dome', so called because it is topped with brilliant blue glazed tiles. It was built by Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana for his trusted servant who not only grew up with his son, but later also died alongside him, while fighting against the rebellion of Mughal general Mahabat Khan in 1625, during the reign of Jahangir. 


After a wander around the wonderfully tranquil Sunder Nursery, a 16th Century heritage park popular with courting couples and picnickers, we made our way to the Crafts Museum where we were inundated by schoolkids demanding selfies. To escape the madness we joined the queue to eat at Cafe Loda, said by many to be one of the best places to eat in all of Delhi and trust us, it was. All the hip and beautiful people eat here from elegant women clad in silk saris and dripping in diamonds to sharp suited businessmen and women, I'm amazed they let us scruffy tourists in.



The final stop for the day was the fabulously quirky National Rail Museum where we marveled at a spectacular array of vintage steam trains and with an admission fee of just 50p, money well spent.  Despite being the only foreigners there everyone was far too interested in the trains to ask for a single selfie - bliss!





Stay tuned for the next installment - coming soon!


WEARING: Cotton kurta (Approx. £25, FabIndia), Lamani tribal coin necklace (India, 15 years ago), 1960s Go-Go boots

For the full set of photos see HERE.

49 comments:

  1. Isn't Mughal architecture divine? So incredibly elegant and romantic. I'd love to see it in full original splendor with a white shamiana and rich carpets.
    We always stay at Hotel Shiv Dev in the Paharganj when visiting Delhi- the Paharganj usually has the best restaurants in town. Shall have to try Cafe Loda.
    That Ajrakh kurta is fabulous!
    xox

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    1. It's just perfect. The symmetry is incredible. I'd love to have seen that tomb adorned with silk carpets!
      Paharganj was a great location, really atmospheric and interesting. I'll definitely investigate Hotel Shiv Dev next time. Cafe Loda is well worth a trip. xxx

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  2. They are such amazing structures. I especially like Nila Gumbad, which looks like something out of a fairytale.xx

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    1. That stunning Mughal architecture reminds me of the Arabian Nights storybook I had as a child! xxx

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  3. You look gorgeous! I'm in love with the kurta dress!!!! Amazing photos & history!!!

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    1. Thank you so much! Those kurtas are so easy to wear, the shorter ones look great over jeans. xxx

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  4. Thanks for the history lesson!! Beautiful country.

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  5. Wonderful pictures and and history behind. Thank you for bringing me along on your adventure each year. Great print on the dress.

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    1. Thanks, Sam! Glad you're enjoying the travelogue. x

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  6. I've just read both of your India posts, you've both been a pair of culture vultures! It looks like you've had a fab time. It's nice to see you back.
    The photography is beautiful and I love your dress. xxx

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    1. Hi Sally! The first couple of weeks was total culture overload, we needed three weeks of Goan hedonism after all that exploring. xxx

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  7. I've just read both of your India posts, you've both been a pair of culture vultures! It looks like you've had a fab time. It's nice to see you back.
    The photography is beautiful and I love your dress. xxx

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  8. beautiful dress!!
    humayun´s tomb was still in renovation when we visited 2009 - and the gardens looked not half as good as now.
    the photo of bundled up jon remembers me vividly on the freezing cold nights back then....
    xxxx

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    1. Oh dear - I hate it when that happens! the first time we visited Mumbai the Gateway was covered in scaffolding, I was so disappointed.
      The Delhi nights certainly were cold but it was lovely and warm in the middle of the day - and dry! A couple of friends who are there now say that it's wet and freezing this week. We picked the right time to go! xxx

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  9. Lovely to have you back! I don't think your other post came up in my Bloglovin feed for some reason.

    That shot you took of the parrot is amazing.

    Looks like you had a great time. Must feel weird when you're back and no one is asking for your photo all the time. LOL

    Suzanne
    http://www.suzannecarillo.com

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    1. I feel quite anonymous now, I haven't been asked for a selfie in over a week!
      I've turned into a twitcher (bird watcher) this year, I captured quite a few exotic birds. We're always excited to see parrots and peacocks out and about,nobody else bats an eyelid! xx

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  10. I love your new dress, seriously a work of art. I so love The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, have watched it several times. What a beautiful country.

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    1. Thank you so much! I love The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, it's such a feel good film. xxx

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  11. What a stunning garment that kurta is! And how apt that you watched fabrics for FabIndia being produced last year. Humayun's Tomb looks amazing and so do the gardens. But I especially love Nila Gumbad, with its blue tiled domes. Can't wait for the next installment! xxx

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    1. Thanks, Ann! If you could buy clothes on our high street like the ones I find in India I could easily be converted to weraing modern clothes!
      Nila Gumbad really does look like a palace from a fairy story, doesn't it? I can't believe those blue tiles are so vibrant after being exposed to the elements for 450 years! xxx

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  12. Your dress is amazing, Vix! I have been watching in vintage stores and looking for items of good quality, following your detailed descriptions. No luck yet, but a nice side effect is that I've been chatting to my Indian coworkers and they've been wearing some of their beautiful dresses and tunics to work! They are incredibly beautiful.

    Amazing pictures -thank you!

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    1. Thanks, Sheila! Keep your eyes peeled for FabIndia stuff in the thrift/vintage shops. Like us, you also live somewhere with a large Indian population, and I come across the label fairly often, no doubt brought back when people travel to visit relatives. L would love their menswear, it's so flamboyant!
      xxx

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  13. Gosh, mausoleums galore! But what mausoleums; absolutely beautiful architecture and in their original states must have been incredible. I am enjoying this vicarious trip to India along with you.

    I love your block printed dress and accessories and you do look lovely in your holiday dress and warm jacket, too.

    Isn't our weather fab at the moment? I need to get out and use my National Trust pass...
    xxxx

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    1. I know, a bit of a mausoleum overload! We also visited an Indian Christian Cemetery - it's becoming a bit of a habit!
      It's exciting that the Indian middle-class women have started to get bored with the imported fast fashion they've been enamoured with for the last few years and have embraced tradition block prints and organic cotton - beautifully made clothes that won't go out of fashion or f*ck up the planet.
      The weather's been gorgeous - we went National Trusting on Thursday, too fine a day to stay in! xxx

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  14. I see youve bought the sunshine back with you

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  15. Such lovely photos as usual vix , Looking forward to seeing your future India blogs xxx

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  16. I'm so glad to vicariously come along on this Fabulous Journey via The Land of Blog! Thank You!

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    1. Thanks, Dawn! Lovely to see you here! x

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  17. Wow, lots of the places look so big and grand. Fancy calling yourselves 'scruffy', you're both pretty fab! X

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    1. I can't get my head round how beautiful Mughul architecture is, everything is so perfect!
      Compared to the well groomed Dilliwalas (people from Delhi) we felt very windswept and scruffy! xxx

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  18. You are making me feel as though I am there on holiday with you. It looks like an amazing experience.... do you ever feel unsafe?

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    1. Get that hip sorted and join us next year, Cherie!
      No, we never feel unsafe. Crime or attacks against foreigners in India is exceptionally rare, hence the reason it makes headline news when something happens. In the twenty years we've been visiting we've always been treated with kindness and generosity - we've been invited into strangers houses for tea and invited to sit with locals in restaurants. Indian people are amongst the most hospitable on the planet! xxx

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  19. One of the few things I look forward to this time of year is your recap of your India trip. The architecture is magnificent! The green of the parrot against the colour of the building is lovely as is that wonderful dress you brought back. The attached waistcoat is such a clever detail. Welcome back!

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoy the travelogues, I love extending my travels by writing about them when I get back!
      Isn't that parrot a beauty? It's crazy to think they're as common as pigeons in India. xxx

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  20. The rail museum sounds like a great place to spend a day.

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    1. It really was - and little visited by foreigners, too. It was mad travelling halfway around the world and seeing trains that had been built 6 miles away from our house! xxx

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  21. woww, so fabulous buildings and atmosphere and I love particularly the railway museum, so cute!. Thanks for sharing the link to the Fabindia site, it's pretty stunning!
    besos

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    1. Thanks, Monica! The railway museum was so much fun, we loved it.
      FabIndia is gorgeous, isn't it? I'd have no money left if we had one here! xxx

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  22. I didn't know Delhi got so cold, I always think of it as permanently on fire. I would probably enjoy it much more if it was cold in the daytime too, I am not a sun worshipper like you! Xx

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    1. Much as I adore the heat, Delhi's daytime temperature was ideal for sightseeing. xxx

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  23. Traaaains! Okay, the architecture's splendid but you can't beat a good steam train...

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    1. They were fab! There was a model railway as well, with reproductions of all the major Indian stations. I'm surprised it's not a major tourist attraction, it would be in the UK! xxx

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  24. It's beautiful, and very interesting.
    You can't beat staying somewhere that feels truly authentic. Who needs a pristine hotel?
    xx

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    1. Exactly! We love immersing ourselves in a country rather than being detached in a swanky hotel! xxx

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Thanks for reading and for leaving a message. Please don't be anonymous, I'd love it if you left a name (or a nom de plume).

Lots of love, Vix