Delhi day to day life
The rush hour is endless, everybody’s competing to get first to the metro line and the continuous fumes from the old rotten scooters shoot the busy marketplace. I was out in the soothing winter sun looking for some new finds to mark my footprints but I got distracted by the fresh scent of ‘Pakoras’ and ‘Garam Chai’, for a moment this brought dark memories when I got food poisoning from ‘Pani Puri’ a few years back, but the irresistible smell of India’s speciality could perhaps be my ultimate toothy fare from my local finds – I knew I had it coming, I ordered a plate full of Pakoras with red sweet and spicy chutney and heaven sends…luckily no food sickness but another plate of Pakoras.
Where the old world city on the fringes of the modern platform meets ‘Darya Ganj’ I gave a nod to being a part of the clouds of dust. Similar to ‘Kumbh Mela‘, the crowd had me going Sha la la la la… {clap clap clap} in the morning but you got to know, not for the crowd my heart jingled but to find a mini chor bazaar {as the locals call it}. I had my wallet slip in my front pocket, thanks to my tight jeans – accidental slippage or robbery was out of the question. I did find some cheap souvenirs ‘I loathe cold, a warm pair of bedroom slippers just fit my budget’
One thing you will find common in all the Delhiites is their love for food. Delhi’s food culture is a mix of different traditions and cultures from the past. As people from different places came and settled in, the city acquired identity of all the types of people living in it.
All the rulers and emperors have left the taste of their food behind. The most famous being the Mughlai cuisines from the Mughal era.
Mughlai cuisines were preferred by the royal Mughal Emperors. The Mughalai cuisines are cooked in all parts of the country but the best cuisines are prepared in Delhi. The Delhiites will always be thankful to the Mughals for leaving behind their food recipes.
The Kebabs, one of the most famous Mughlai cuisines are preferred by a majority of people today. Originally, an Iranian dish, the kebabs found place in Middle East, South Asian and Turkish kitchens. Interestingly, according to Arabic traditions the medieval Persian soldiers invented the kebabs by grilling meat over open field fires, using their swords. Famous traveler, Marco Polo recalls that kebabs were served during the Delhi Sultanate and was enjoyed by the royalty and commoners alike. Some of the famous Kebabs are Boti Kebab, Shami Kebab, Kathi Kebab etc.
Another Mughlai cuisine, Nihari, which was prepared in the royal kitchens of the Mughals for breakfast is now a popular dish among the people of all the classes.
Biryani, a meat based dish was a favorite of the Mughal emperors and is enjoyed all over India today.
The well-known Kulfi also originated in the Mughal kitchens.
Along with the dishes, even the hotels have their past linked to the Mughals.
Karim’s, one of the famous hotels in Delhi has a past with the Mughals.
Mohammed Aziz was a cook in the royal court of Mughal Emperor. One of his sons, Hajji Karimuddin is known to have moved to Delhi with an idea to open a dhaba which led to the establishment of Karim’s Hotel in 1913. Today, the Karim’s is run by its fourth generation and is known for its kebabs and mutton niharis.
Ghantewala in Chandni Chowk was founded in 1790 and have served many of the Mughal Emperors. It is run by its fifth generation today and is famous for its sohan halwa and Karachi halwa.
Other than the Mughlai cuisines, there are other finger licking foods which make the Delhiites fall in love with the city again and again.
Butter Chicken is one of the most delightful dishes of the country. It originated in the 1950s in Moti Mahal Restaurant in Delhi. The restaurant was originally known for its tandoori chicken. The cooks there accidentally tossed the sauce consisting of butter, tomato and chicken juices with tandoori chicken pieces which led to the creation of this amazing dish.
Today, butter chicken is found in almost all the restaurants and dhabas.
Paranthas, an important part of the traditional Indian breakfast varies from plain paranthas to stuffed paranthas with potatoes, cauliflower, eggs, radish etc. The paranthe wali gali in Chandni Chowk is lined up with shops which sells the best paranthas of the city.
Chaat is the term used to describe the street foods. Delhi serves us with a variety of street foods and Chandni Chowk is known as the Street Food Capital of Delhi.
The narrow streets of Old Delhi is very famous for its chaats. The shops in these areas have been there since ages. Nothing can beat the kind of chaat they serves us. Some of the famous shops are:
Natraj Dahi Bhalla, started in 1940 serves mouth watering dahi bhalla which are deep fried vadas put in water and later transferred to thick beaten yoghurts.
Shri Balaji Chaat Bhandar serves us with gol gappas and Bara Batashewala serves us with Batasha’s which are similar to the gol gappas. We can also find the Mumbai version known as Pani Puri in the malls.
Jung Bahadur Kachori Wala was started in 1971 and today it serves with a variety of kachoris such as dry fruit kachori, dal kachori, matar kachori etc.
Old Famous Jalebi Wala has been around since 1884. The founder of this shop is known to have experimented with many recipes before deciding on the final one.
The jalebis served here is different and special.
Delhi’s food culture is a mixture of its past, different cultures and traditions. Also, Delhi today has come to embrace the best of the international cuisines. So there is no trouble in finding Italian, Chinese, Thai and American restaurants.
The climate of Delhi is an overlap between monsoon-influenced humid subtropical (Köppen climate classification Cwa) and semi-arid (Köppen climate classification BSh), with high variation between summer and winter temperatures and precipitation. Delhi’s version of a humid subtropical climate is markedly different from many other humid subtropical cities such as Sao Paulo, New Orleansand Brisbane in that the city features dust storms(something more commonly seen in a desert climate) and wildfire haze (something seen in a tropical climate during the dry season) due to its semi-aridclimate.
Summer is certainly not the best time to visit Delhi. It starts in early April and peaks in late May or early June, with average temperatures near 32 °C although occasional heat waves can result in highs close to 45 °C (114 °F) on some days and therefore higher apparent temperature. The monsoon starts in late June and lasts until mid-September, with about 797.3 mm (31.5 inches) of rain. The average temperatures are around 29 °C (85 °F), although they can vary from around 25 °C (78 °F) on rainy days to 32 °C (90 °F) during dry spells. The monsoons recede in late September, and the post-monsoon season continues till late October, with average temperatures sliding from 29 °C (85 °F) to 21 °C (71 °F).
Winter starts in November and peaks in January, with average temperatures around 6–7 °C .Although winters are cold, Delhi’s proximity to the Himalayas results in cold waves leading to lower apparent temperature due to wind chill. Delhi is notorious for its heavy fogs and haze during the winter season. In December, reduced visibility leads to disruption of road, air and rail traffic. Winter ends by the first week of March.
Delhi People and Culture
Moulded With The Changing Faces Of History
Delhi is an ancient city that has witnessed various ups and downs, politically and culturally. But every time, its culture, heritage, religion and the tradition regained itself for the generations to come. The culture of Delhi seems to be a blend of the modern lifestyles as well as the old traditions and values. On one hand you can see the Old Delhi still living with the old traditions and upholding the values of the past while on the other hand is New Delhi, influenced by the strong forces of modernisation. You can hear the Qawwalis of Nizamuddin Shrine, Gurbanisof Bangla Sahib and Aartis of Chattarpur Mandir, while in stark opposition to this is the loud and blaring music of pubs and discotheques. This diversity proves to be a great attraction to tourists.
The fusion of various traditions and religions has painted Delhi in different colours brought from all over India. Delhi, being the capital, reflects the cultural diversity and religious unity of India. It shares its borders with Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab, which strongly influences the lifestyle and language of the people. But socially, Delhi welcomes every religion with warmth. From Durga Puja of the Bengalis to Guru Purab of the Sikhs, from Easter & Christmas of the Christians to Buddha Purnima of the Buddhists- every occasion is celebrated here with zeal and enthusiasm like other national festivals including Holi, Diwali or Eid.
When it comes to the historical monuments and religious shrines, Delhi boasts of having a huge and wonderful collection of structures showcasing different architectural patterns. For example, the Jama Masjid is a beautiful example of Indo-Persian art, whereas the Birla and the Chattarpur Temples are considered as an amalgamation of the north and south Indian styles. From Gurdwara Sheesh Ganj to Bangla Sahib and from St. Thomas Church to the Lotus Temple or the monastery near the interstate bus terminal, every structure is a marvellous piece of artwork.
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Everything you need to know about Delhi 