New Delhi, Day 4

What a welcome I got on my day back in New Delhi! As I was heading out in the morning, the hotel clerk told me to watch out for people coming up to talk to me as I left the hotel. You would think I would have listened. As I stepped out the door, a well dressed gentlemen started chatting me up. He had a very professional demeanor, and I thought he was with the hotel. He wasn’t.

Agrasen ki Baoli

My plan for the morning was to walk around Connaught Place for a while and then to walk to Agrasen ki Baoli. (Connaught Place is New Delhi’s very British shopping circle.) My new companion was determined to walk around Connaught Place with me. He told me he worked for the tourist board, and eventually he got me to hop into a tuk-tuk with him to go to a large gift shop. (Why didn’t I just say no?) I got the impression that he knew the driver, but I wasn’t sure.

They were so happy to see me at the gift shop. They were less happy when I only bought one souvenir. I got out of there quick with limited damage. The same tuk-tuk driver was outside waiting. (Naturally the gift shop was in the opposite direction from where I had been planning to go, so it was now too far to walk to my Agrasen ki Baoli.) I didn’t trust him, so I walked up the block and hopped into a random tuk-tuk. I shouldn’t have trusted that driver either.

Looking back up the 108 step of Agrasen ki Baoli from the bottom of the stepwell. Delhi, India, Asia. — Looking back up the 108 step of Agrasen ki Baoli from the bottom of the stepwell.

Before setting off, I agreed on a price with the driver. The whole drive, he kept lying to me by telling me Agrasen ki Baoli was closed and that he would bring me to shopping places instead. I was getting pissed. I told him to take me where I wanted to go. Once we arrived, he tried to charge me double of what we had agreed to. Fortunately, I had small bills and only gave him what we had to agreed to. He tried to argue with me, to no avail. The good news is that that was the end of my challenges for the day.

Anyway, a stepwell is a traditional Indian well where you could walk down a series of steps to fill up your bucket of water. Makes sense, right? Agrasen ki Baoli was a lovely spot and I was able to decompress there after my morning annoyances.

India Gate

You might remember India Gate from when I visited it on my 1st night in India. That was 11 trip days ago, but it seems so long ago now, doesn’t it? I took a few more pictures on Day 12, this time in the daylight.

National Museum

It’s funny. I was disappointed in the National Museum of India. I felt it was shabby and run down, like much of what I had seen in India. Yet when I go through the pictures I took, it seems pretty spectacular! So enjoy the impressive artifacts. (If museum pictures bore you, don’t worry. I took more exterior pictures after I left the museum, so keep scrolling!

Outside the National Museum, the Edicts of Ashoka, inscribed in rock, 3rd century BC. Ashoka was one of India's greatest emperors. His edicts are like the 10 Commandments or the Code of Hammurabi. Delhi, India, Asia. — Outside the National Museum, the Edicts of Ashoka, inscribed in rock, 3rd century BC. Ashoka was one of India’s greatest emperors. His edicts are like the 10 Commandments or the Code of Hammurabi.

Detail of the Edicts of Ashoka. It's hard to believe these inscriptions are around 2,300 years old. Delhi, India, Asia. — Detail of the Edicts of Ashoka. It’s hard to believe these inscriptions are around 2,300 years old.

It's pretty impressive when you realize that this funny little guy is from the 3rd millennium BC. (That's well over 4,000 years ago!) Delhi, India, Asia. — It’s pretty impressive when you realize that this funny little guy is from the 3rd millennium BC. (That’s well over 4,000 years ago!)

King on an elephant, carved sandstone, from a stupa, 2nd century BC. Delhi, India, Asia. — King on an elephant, carved sandstone, from a stupa, 2nd century BC.

Depiction of a scene with Vasanatasena, a legendary courtesan, in red sandstone, 2nd century. Delhi, India, Asia. — Depiction of a scene with Vasanatasena, a legendary courtesan, in red sandstone, 2nd century.

A portion of a frieze in limestone depicting scenes from Buddha's life, 3rd century. I like this frieze because it reminds me of Roman friezes. Delhi, India, Asia. — A portion of a frieze in limestone depicting scenes from Buddha’s life, 3rd century. I like this frieze because it reminds me of Roman friezes.

Parvati--goddess of divine energy and wife of Shiva--with her son, Skanda, in stone, 6th century. Delhi, India, Asia. — Parvati–goddess of divine energy and wife of Shiva–with her son, Skanda, in stone, 6th century.

A bronze goddess, 12th century. Delhi, India, Asia. — A bronze goddess, 12th century.

Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, in bronze, 12th century. Delhi, India, Asia. — Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, in bronze, 12th century.

This isn't a great picture, but it's an important artifact. It's a golden relic containing what's believed by many devotees to be Holy Relics of the Lord Buddha. Delhi, India, Asia. — This isn’t a great picture, but it’s an important artifact. It’s a golden relic containing what’s believed by many devotees to be Holy Relics of the Lord Buddha.

Silver elephant, 19th century. Don't you wish you had one in your house! Delhi, India, Asia. — Silver elephant, 19th century. Don’t you wish you had one in your house!

Garuda--the winged vehicle for Vishnu--in adorned wood, 19th century. Delhi, India, Asia. — Garuda–the winged vehicle for Vishnu–in adorned wood, 19th century.

Carved ivory tusk depicting scenes from Buddha's life, 20th century. Delhi, India, Asia. — Carved ivory tusk depicting scenes from Buddha’s life, 20th century.

Just a couple scenes from Buddha's life on the carved ivory tusk. Delhi, India, Asia. — Just a couple scenes from Buddha’s life on the carved ivory tusk.

Gold, diamond, and emerald necklace, 19th century. Delhi, India, Asia. — Gold, diamond, and emerald necklace, 19th century.

A handful of instruments in an enormous display case of classical Indian instruments. Delhi, India, Asia. — A handful of instruments in an enormous display case of classical Indian instruments.

Armored velvet coat studded with brass nails, 18th century. Delhi, India, Asia. — Armored velvet coat studded with brass nails, 18th century.

Yikes, this 16th-century sword looks like it could do some serious damage. Delhi, India, Asia. — Yikes, this 16th-century sword looks like it could do some serious damage.

This serpentine sword from the 17th century looks fun. (But I bet it would hurt.) Delhi, India, Asia. — This serpentine sword from the 17th century looks fun. (But I bet it would hurt.)

Stitched and embroidered kurta (shirt-tunic), 20th century. Delhi, India, Asia. — Stitched and embroidered kurta (shirt-tunic), 20th century.

Upper left and lower right are 20th-century Bengali masks. Upper left is Kali, destroyer of evil. Lower right is Indrajit, a fierce Hindu warrior. Delhi, India, Asia. — Upper left and lower right are 20th-century Bengali masks. Upper left is Kali, destroyer of evil. Lower right is Indrajit, a fierce Hindu warrior.

Lutyens’ Delhi

Family grooming time in New Delhi. India, Asia. — Family grooming time in New Delhi.

The British selected architect Edwin Lutyens to design their new Indian capital city, New Delhi. He created wide boulevards, government buildings fit for British tastes, and bungalows for British officials. The bungalows are now residences for high-ranking Indian officials.

Military hardware outside the Ministry of Defence. Delhi, India, Asia. — Military hardware outside the Ministry of Defence.

I was glad to see this poor thing had a caretaker. Delhi, India, Asia. — I was glad to see this poor thing had a caretaker.

Spring is in the air in New Delhi in February! Delhi, India, Asia. — Spring is in the air in New Delhi in February!

Parliament House, known as Sansad Bhavan. It is a circular building, inspired by a round 11th-century Hindu temple. Delhi, India, Asia. — Parliament House, known as Sansad Bhavan. It is a circular building, inspired by a round 11th-century Hindu temple.

A floral border along a New Delhi walkway. Delhi, India, Asia. — A floral border along a New Delhi walkway.

Dome of the North Block building, one of 2 identical buildings comprising the Secretariat, wherein administration officials run the government. Delhi, India, Asia. — Dome of the North Block building, one of 2 identical buildings comprising the Secretariat, wherein administration officials run the government.

The North Block building. India's prime minister's offices are house across the street in the South Block. Delhi, India, Asia. — The North Block building. India’s prime minister’s offices are house across the street in the South Block.

Back where we started on Day 1. Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace. Do you remember? Delhi, India, Asia. — Back where we started on Day 1. Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace. Do you remember?

Looking down Rajpath from the Secretariat back to India Gate, also designed by Lutyens. He planned out Rajpath, as well, except it had been named King's Way under the British. It's India's answer to the Champs-Élysées. Delhi, India, Asia. — Looking down Rajpath from the Secretariat back to India Gate, also designed by Lutyens. He planned out Rajpath, as well, except it had been named King’s Way under the British. It’s India’s answer to the Champs-Élysées.

Connaught Place

Connaught Place is a large, very British traffic circle lined with shops and offices and with a park in the middle. It has some of the world’s most expensive commercial real estate.

Considering how cheap things are India, stores in Connaught Place can be shockingly expensive. Delhi, India, Asia. — Considering how cheap things are India, stores in Connaught Place can be shockingly expensive.

If Rajpath is New Delhi’s Champs-Élysées, then Connaught Place is its Place Charles de Gaulle–except than India Gate would have to be in the middle of it and Rajpath would have to lead to it. Never mind. Anyway, believe it or not, just 1 day left of my trip to India!

[Factual information is primarily gathered from Wikipedia, so you know it must be true.]