India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [345]
1 Delhi
200km (124 miles) NW of Agra; 261km (162 miles) NE of Jaipur; 604km (375 miles) NE of Jodhpur
The Heart of India: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh
Delhi
The capital of the world’s largest democracy has a fascinating history, but with a population of 14 million sprawling over some 1,500 sq. km (585 sq. miles), and plagued by the subcontinent’s highest levels of pollution, growth, and poverty, Delhi’s delights are not immediately apparent. Even Delhiites, many of whom were born elsewhere, seldom show pride in the city they now call home, bemoaning its drab mix of civil servants, aspiring politicians, and avaricious business folk; the ever-expanding slums and “unauthorized” colonies; the relatively high levels of crime; and the general demise of traditional ways. Yet Delhi is in many ways the essence of modern India, with its vivid paradox of old and new, rich and poor, foreign and familiar.
Today, to the return visitor, what is startlingly noticeable is the unprecedented growth; to some extent, this is a natural, organic expansion, but it’s also part of a mapped-out initiative to prepare the city for its highly anticipated role as host of the 2010 Commonwealth Games and as a leading Asian capital. Beyond the “Games City” moniker, there’s the somewhat draconian-sounding “Master Plan for Delhi 2021,” which aims to thrust the capital—kicking and screaming if need be—into a better, brighter (and, perhaps sadly, thoroughly Westernized) future. It’s clearly a role that local government is taking seriously, because the change is palpable. As the city spreads, giving rise to entire new cities like Gurgaon and Noida—devoted almost entirely to economic growth—high rises and malls and residential colonies are mushrooming everywhere. Some residents are left with their jaws hanging in disbelief, but most work furiously at the altar of capitalist expansion. The expanding megalopolis of Delhi really is more “National Capital Region” than mere city.
Some believe the mobilization of capital and resources is responsible for quite positive transformation. Pollution levels are supposedly dropping, and government officials seem to introduce new modernization schemes every week. You’re unlikely to see cows roaming the streets of the capital any more; those that dare are rounded up and taken to stray cow facilities, and in May 2007, the traffic department vowed to crack down on all forms of dangerous driving. But there are ill-considered political choices, too. In 2007, street food was officially banned in the capital (although you still find it practically everywhere), and there was fervent talk of outlawing cycle-rickshaws in Old Delhi. Sadly, such decisions often come from wealthy politicos who have never been into the heart of the old city and have little idea how much a part of daily Delhi life roadside food stalls and rickshaws are. Regardless, Delhi is on the move, indifferent to the loss of tradition as it plays an impressive game of catch-up with the West.
The Plight of the Delhi Beggars
Some 50,000 people live on Delhi’s pavements or squalid open lots. These squatters are predominantly from rural areas, following the illusionary notion that once in the city, their lives will change for the better. Tragically, for many, it is just the opposite and by the time the truth dawns on them, it is too late, caught in a web of debt that restricts them from turning back. Those who can secure jobs are saved, but for the rest, the situation is bleak. An entire Beggar Mafia operates in Delhi (as it does perhaps