SIKANDARA & MATHURA

While traveling from Agra to Delhi you can make a stop at Sikandara. Its Akbars resting place. Hes the most respected Mogul Emperor because of his secular approach. This Tomb was built by his son Jahangir. The tickets are cheap at Rs.10.

Sikandara - Main Gate

Once inside the sprawling lawns will take your breath away as will the Deers and Monkeys that roam the place. A very scenic place indeed.

Akbar's Tomb

Further on the road to Delhi , you can make another stop at Mathura . Theres a temple every 10 minutes on the road. The Krishna Janm Bhoomi (birth place of Lord Krishna) temple is worth seeing. Once again the hectic traveling, security and crowd deterred us from going inside. Further inside are the temples of Vrindavan. Each one unique in its own way.

Krishna Janm Bhoomi Temple - Main Enterance

Its a must for those who are religious. Otherwise, you can skip it because the surroundings are over crowed and theres litter everywhere.

A temple at Vrindavan, crowded by Monkeys

DELHI

Delhi turned out to be the dark horse. I wasnt expecting much from this place thinking its just like Bombay . But the city surprised me. After a long travel throughout the day (Taj Mahal, Sikandara & Mathura) we finally reached Akshardham in the evening around 6Pm.

Akshardham Temple

Seeing the number of cars parked, I thought it might be some kind of a car mall. The structure is so large you can see as far as the sight goes. Security seems to be a common thing at the temples now. After frisking the guard left me in. The crowd was quite high and we were very tired so we just roamed the premises for few minutes and left.

Cannon with Rashtrapati Bhavan in the backdrop

Next day was Delhi day for us. The parliament buildings were a majestic sight. We joked with a family there that all goondas sit here. Dont know why the tax payer has to bear the money so that the politicians can live and work in luxury.

Rashtrapati Bhavan

Departing view

The Rashtrapati Bhavan is a lovely structure with a large area. The prime ministers office, finance ministry etc all were neat and clean and well maintained. The security was alert and there were barricades at important places. We chatted with a few guards who explained which building is what and when the politicians come and go etc.

Indira Gandhi Assassination spot, marked with a flower

Next was the Indira Gandhi museum. The place where she was shot has been marked. The museum also contains her last attire. Felt sorry to see that.

Qutab Minar

Next up was the Qutab Minar. It seemed tall as if connected to heaven. The structure had a classic Indo-Islamic design. It is also the largest stone tower in India .

The unfinished Alai-Minar

The Alai-Minar was started with the intention to be built at double the height of Qutab Minar. Alas it couldnt be finished.

Iron Pillar of Delhi

The corrosion resistant Iron Pillar within the complex stands testimony of the skills or olden India . Despite the technological developments the metal parts today gets rusted within a year. Made me wonder, do we have the past just to admire or to learn something out of it?

Lotus Temple

Id heard a lot about the Lotus temple. The minute I saw the structure I knew it was something. Though the queue was long and shoes had to be removed, the process went surprisingly fast. The Temple belongs to the Bah' faith. As we neared the structure, I noticed the foreign origin Ushers and their unique gesture of saying keep silence. Instead of putting one finger like we do normally, they use 4 fingers. Once inside, the structure looks even more magnificent. There are no idols here and the marble benches are cool to sit on.

India Gate

India gate is another popular monument. It was built as a memorial for the 80,000 Indian soldiers who were killed during World War I. The palm automatically goes to the forehead as you see the Amar Jawan Jyoti. Its time to salute.

Raj Ghat

Raj Ghat, the resting place of Mahatma Gandhi is a calm and peaceful area. The greenery around you and the fresh flowers on the Samadhi calms your mind. A flashback occurs of this great man as you stand and remember the things he did for our country.

Veer Bhoomi

A little ahead is Veer Bhumi, the Samadhi of Rajiv Gandhi. Its in the shape of a large lotus. Remembering the way he was killed brings tears to ones eyes. Shakti Sthal is the memorial of Indira Gandhi. Since it was being renovated we couldnt go there.

Red Fort

By the time we finished it was late in the evening. I knew wed missed one place but couldnt remember. Just then we passed by the Red Fort. Beautifully lit, it seemed to stretch for miles right besides the main road. The Prime Ministers speech that I watch on TV every Independence day will now have a new meaning.

Well that sums it up. Hope Ive been able to provide adequate information, so the next time you plan a trip, make sure its the Golden Triangle.

Travel Tips:

Try to find smaller restaurants as the larger ones just charge high rates and dont provide good food either.

Mangaloreans who are used to drinking coconut water will be disappointed in all places except Delhi . We had carried 10 coconuts. Since you wont be carrying your luggage everywhere, its not a bad idea to throw in a few coconuts.

Use only government approved guides.

Try to book from a tour operator near you. It may cost a little more but you can always catch hold of him incase anything goes wrong.

Don't shop at large places like RTDC (Rajasthan Textile Development Corporation). They over charge. In Delhi, Karol Bagh and Sarojini Naidu Markets are a good place. The area is posh and for the men who wait while their women shop...well...it's a treat for sore eyes.