Recreation in New Delhi
Art of Living
A visit to India would be incomplete without an encounter with a true blue guru. Head to New Delhi’s Art of Living Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to world peace that conducts basic 16 and 22-hour courses in stress management and breathing techniques in and around the city. The breathing and meditation courses are based on the teachings of the New Age guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a world-renowned teacher of compassion and healing whose counsel is sought after by countless heads of state. Unlike other cults, the emphasis isn’t on conversion, and the ever-smiling guru has a reputation for being honest and genuine. A single hug-your-fellow-human beings-and-reflect session can cost upwards of $250 in the US; here you can wallow in spiritual enlightenment for a fraction of the cost.
Lodhi Gardens
Situated between the noisy Khan Market and Safdarjung’s Tomb, these are the greenest and most serene spaces you’ll find in crowded New Delhi. Spread out around the tombs of the pre-Mughal Lodi kings, the architecture of the monuments at Lodi Gardens is strikingly similar to the Taj. Its popularity with the locals makes it the perfect spot for people watching, packed as it is with joggers, picnicking families, and couples making out.
Exploring Old Delhi
Built by Emperor Shahjehan who christened it Shahjehanabad, the crumbling dilapidated Old Town is almost a city by itself. Predominantly Moslem, Old Delhi is a maze of narrow lanes lined with shops and 17th century mansions. In many ways, exploring this area is the quintessential Indian experience – you’ll walk along winding lanes packed with ethnically dressed men and women, bombarded all the while by the cries of hawkers, the whispers of the touts, and the smells emanating from the dozens of eateries that line the alleys. You could hire a cycle rickshaw to make your way through this slice of period India, but if the roads are too crowded (which is more often not), get off and walk around instead. Here, you’ll see all that you imagined in your Indian fantasy. Witness the oldest Jain temple in the country and the splendid Gauri Shankar Temple with its 800-year old lingam (phallic symbol). Visit a Sikh gurudwara where you’ll be offered a delicious, if excessively oily meal (no offence will be taken if you decline) and the mammoth Jama Masjid. Make time to turn into Khaori Baoli, reputed to be the largest spice market in Asia. And make sure to include the crowded locality of Chandni Chowk, with its clusters of separate shopping areas for brass, cheap baubles, and bridal fabric.
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