India Day Four: A Mosque, A Temple And A Ricksaw Ride In Old Delhi And A Driving Tour Of Imperial Deli

I was up early again Monday morning in Delhi, India. There was no time for my usual morning walk. I was on a tour on this adventure in India with Royal Q Travels. It was the first official day of our tour with our experienced guide Aparna Rajawat  and she  had a busy day in store for us. After another delicious breakfast,  with so many Indian options as well as American food at the hotel we were off to explore Delhi.

There were 13 seasoned travels on this trip. We boarded a modern bus and were soon driving through the upscale streets of the Neru Place neighborhood around our hotel.

Aparna gave us a concise and informative presentation of the long history of India and Delhi. I watched the passing scenery as I listened to the interesting  history of the different areas of Delhi.  Aparna , who’s travel agency is located in the United States , is  native to India and also provided insights to the culture of India throughout our tour. I  already learned so much  about this large and ancient country and  it’s many different cultures.

Our first stop was Humayun’s Tomb, where  the  Mughal Emperor Humayun is buried   It is a   United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site .

It is significant since   it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It inspired several major  similar structures  culminating in the construction of the Taj Mahal.  The wife of Humayun  commissioned the building of the structure after his death in 1556, We learned much more about the history from our guide.

We left out bus and walked to the massive gates to the Tomb,

stopping to learn about the Queen who commissioned the  Tomb and how it influenced  the architecture of India and the building of the magnificent Taj Mahal which we will visit later on our tour.

We also learned about the Shatkona, a Hindu symbol on the gate which represents the male and female form and creation. She explained how and why  it was found on this Mughal structure.

After entering the gate we came to the four quarter garden with a small moat. This was the first garden tomb built in India. We had some time to explore the garden and the tomb on our own.

I walked up the stairs to the tomb,

and walked to one of the chambers. We learned there was actually no royal family member is buried here,  it was  built only for display.The royal family were buried in other parts of the tomb.

I admired  the  massive structure and the intricate designs on the windows,

before walking down to the gardens were I admired the Tomb from a distance. I spent most of my time roaming the gardens hoping to see some birds or other wildlife.  I admired the crape jasmine flowers blooming in the gardens,

but the only wildlife I saw was this  rose-ringed parakeet and,

a few centipedes on the sidewalks.

We left the impressive Tomb and  drove through the now busy streets of Delhi to the Raj Ghat the  humble tomb of Mahatma Ghandi.   Our guide again provided us with information on  the life of this great leader of India. I had always admired this man of peace.

I was greatly disappointed on learning the area was closed because of the visit from a dignitary. Hopefully I will return someday. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos from  our visit to Delhi and   Humayun’s Tomb.  India Day Four  Delhi tour part one October 13 2025 

We continued our tour by  driving through the busy traffic  and   entering Old Delhi. The streets here weren’t designed for modern motor vehicle traffic and were very congested. 

Our bus parked  near the  Jama Masjid Mosque,  the next stop on our tour. We climbed  the steps to the mosque, removed our shoes, the woman were required to wear robes,

and we entered the largest Mosques in India.

Aperna once again provided us with information about the mosque and  the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan who built it between 1644 and 1656.

We were told how this mosque had curtain so that woman could watch the ceremonies since they were not allowed to attend with the men,We were given some time to explore the mosque. I walked under  the beautiful silver and crystal  chandelier,

and inspected the structure were the chief imam would sit.

We left the mosque and walked back to our bus were we had one of my favorite experience on  visit to India, a rickshaw ride through the markets of  Old Delhi. I was a little worried because of my shoulder injuries when I climbed on the rickshaw with my friend Trisha. It was a lot  longer than the 20 minutes we were told but we really got to see Old Delhi . Here is a link to my YouTube  channel with a video from the ride. https://youtube.com/shorts/kYIZ0E50i-w?si=8AV3rmT_jyyywIax

After our exhilarating rickshaw ride we drove through the busy streets of Old  Delhi, driving past the many street vendors selling everything,

weaving through the tuk tuks, motorcycles, cars, buses and trucks,

and admiring the electrical work above.

We stopped and  had lunch at a very nice restaurant ,  the Cannaught Clubhouse I enjoyed the mushroom truffle soup and garlic naan.

We then made our way through the traffic to visit the  beautiful Gurdwara Sis  Ganj Sahib Temple. First we had to remove our shoes and socks and  cover our head  according to Sikh tradition.  Aparna again  provided us with a thorough history of the religion and it’s customs.

The temple is located on the site were Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, was beheaded in the 1675. It was built in 1783.

We had to walk through streams of water as we entered the temple grounds and were greeted with the beautiful prayers being sung in the temple, we explored the temple grounds before entering inside. Photos were not allowed but it was a beautiful sight to see, a simple tribute with flowers and music.

After visiting the temple we toured the communal kitchen. The Sikhs believe that the greatest prayer is to serve their fellow men and women.  The members of the temple spend hours each day,

preparing food for thousands of people. It is available to anyone.

Observing the men and woman making the naan for bread reminded me of the women making pierogi  in my parish church for the summer picnic.  

After leaving the temple we left Old Delhi and drove though the busy streets, it was interesting to see cows in the middle of the traffic.

We drove past the President of India’s House. 

and the famous India Gate, a war memorial to Indians who died in the World War I and built in 1931.

We returned to the hotel and had a delicious buffet meal featuring many Indian foods. I know I usually describe my meals on my travels and provide photos but it is hard touring in a group. I will tell you I tried everything and it was all spicy and delicious. It was a long but exciting and informative day. I already loved India. We hd an early flight to the City Of Lakes Udaipur the next morning and I was looking forward to seeing and learning about more of this  beautiful country. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos from  our visit to  the   Jama Masjid Mosque and Imperial Delhi.  India Day Four  Delhi tour part one October

“A JEWELRY STORE NAMED INDIA

If you hold this
Dazzling emerald
Up to the sky,
It will shine a billion
Beautiful miracles
Painted from the tears
Of the Most High.
Plucked from the lush gardens
Of a yellowish-green paradise,
Look inside this hypnotic gem
And a kaleidoscope of
Titillating,
Soul-raising
Sights and colors
Will tease and seduce
Your eyes and mind.

Tell me, sir.
Have you ever heard
A peacock sing?
Hold your ear
To this mystical stone
And you will hear
Sacred hymns flowing
To the vibrations
Of the perfumed
Wind.”
― Suzy Kassem