Saturday 15 February

Delhi

Our last full day in Delhi – I’m feeling much better this morning, although Matthew is still coughing quite a bit and looking a bit drawn. We stocked up on cold and flu medication first thing and then strolled over to Lodhi Garden – it’s only a few hundred metres from our hotel and just beyond Kahn Market, so a shame to not see it. Lodhi Gardens contains fifteenth century tombs and remains of other structures that combine Hindu and Islamic architectural styles in a parkland setting. 

We both needed a trim and my beard was getting quite shaggy and grey … so we stopped off at a barber’s – was funny being sat next to each other. My barber asked if I would like a face massage, too – being British, of course I said no … but being Indian, he did it anyway!

Then we took the metro to see the Red Fort (Lal Qila) a Mughal fort constructed from 1639 – it was plundered in 1739 and then most of the marble structures were demolished by the British after the 1857 Indian rebellion. The Lahore gate of the fort was where the first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, raised the flag of India on 15 August 1947 – India’s Independence Day. This ceremony that’s repeated every year by the prime minister on that day. 

Matthew was due back at the tailor’s for his jacket fitting.

I didn’t need to at the tailor for that, so I decided to stay on the metro to Kalkaji Madir to have a look at the Bahá’í Lotus House of Worship – a very notable. modern design built in 1986 that won lots of architectural awards. The Bahá’í faith is open to everyone, teaches unity of all people  and is based on the idea that all faith is a different interpretation of one god. The Lotus Temple is 72 metres / 240 ft wide and just over 34 metres / 115 ft high and is made of 27 free-standing marble-clad “petals” arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides, with nine doors opening onto a central hall that has a capacity of 2,500 people. The whole thing is reminiscent of the Sydney opera house with its white curving roof. I was glad that I was able to see it – and it was possible to go inside, too. 

I went back to the hotel and Matthew said Vaishakh had called to see how we were on our last day – what a sweetheart. 

We had a free evening meal with our Ambassador hotel booking and we considered taking advantage of that … but it was our last night in Delhi and Delhi has lots of vegan restaurants and cafes, so we didn’t want to miss out on that – so we headed to a nice/looking one called Greenr in Greater Kailash – full of young people and lovely food! 

Then back to hotel – that’s it – our trip to India is almost ended. We’re up at 07.00 (01.30 uk time) to head to the airport for our 10:50 flight home tomorrow morning (Sunday). The flight lasts 10 hours, but because of the time change we should be back in Bristol early Sunday evening.