A Tale Of Two Cities

You can love it, you can hate it, but you can never ignore it. Delhi is one city that has it all -  the good, the bad, the ugly and the awesome! You might have heard of Delhi for all kinds of reasons- politics, festivals, crime, and many others. However, there is always a lot more to it than whats meet the eye.

Delhi is haste, Delhi is lethargy, Delhi is serene, Delhi is bustling; a million words too would fall short, if we intend to complement the vastness of what this city is comprised of. The city is the seat of Indian Government, mainstream media channels, India’s topmost universities, sky-soaring industries, superabundant shopping scenario, pious shrines, deafening parties, toothsome foods and this list expands every millisecond here. Delhi is not only the capital of India rather it is a destination where you can enjoy the most sophisticated lifestyle as  well as survive an underprivileged routine. People visiting Delhi for the first time find the city awe-inspiring and people regularly visiting it slowly get spellbound with exclusivity. This is how Delhi is. It totally makes the visitors fall in love with its historic grace and modernity. With being home to many empires and cultures, Delhi turns into a world of its own.

Delhi has two faces. It’s like two faces of a gold coin; part of one thing, having equal glint and significance. You can experience splurging in the world’s most expensive brands in the New Delhi; or in the Old Delhi area you might walk or let the crowd walk you, as your shoulder gets pressed against hundreds of other folks.

This dichotomy of the two worlds carried in the palm of one city, makes Delhi fulfill all the needs or wants of its travelers and locals. All of the vastness Delhi is compiled with, has made it a totally livable place for all the classes of the society. Even if you are a budget traveler or a wealthy personality, just take a back seat and let this city offer you the best, without having to compromise.

The winding lanes of Old Delhi, former Shahjahanabad, bear testament to centuries of Mughal rule. Old Delhi has an old-world charm which lies untouched. The simplicity of the area has lured a million travelers and locals to its narrow streets and breathtaking aura. The area is renowned for its palatable and wide food options, its magnificent monuments like Red Fort and Jama Masjid, its superabundant markets, its captivating Islamic dazzle; and if I try to list out all of its assets, I might end up writing at least a tonne-weighed book.

The opposite world of Lutyen’s Delhi has an equally vigorous captivity; but different ingredients. You can walk parallel to some of the   hi-tech edifices, up-market shopping destinations (With flea shops around it too. Delhi is all about stealing the deals), some eminent political spots and scurried metal roads. New Delhi or The Lutyen’s Delhi is a well planned area of the city, which houses some world-class facilities and world-known buildings.
And this quote by Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan Ghalib sums it up

यह शहर नहीं महफिल है।
यह दिल्ली है मेरे यार।
बस इश्क़ मोहब्बत प्यार।
This is not a city, its an gathering.
This is Delhi, my friend.
Just love love love.