Lal Quila (Red Fort) in Old Delhi and baoli number four.

finally we got it together and did Lal Quila, Red Fort

we where really touristy...

took a bike rickshaw to the entrance

(on the wrong side of the street against the traffic !!)

Mr M tried to get earphones in english but they where locked in !!

only in India...and they said wait 20 minutes...only...

we know by now that those 20 minutes can turn into forever so

in we went without the earphones
by the way...a warning...lots of pictures...

it's got it's name because of the red sandstone walls...

listed as a Unesco World Heritage site in 2007

it is the most impressive Mughal monument in the city...

Sha Jahan, the Moghul emperor began the building  in 1639 and it was completed nine years later

the entry point is Lahore gate..

Diwan-i-Am...the Hall of Public where Shah Jahan met the general people...

huge marbel throne inside...but under construction...

I so like the architecture...they where good way back then...and that the workers then where able to get it done..once in a while I think that time travelling would have been fun...

it is a enormous garden with the different houses spread out...

as always I need some people in here so..

these Sikhs bought their tickets at the same time as us but at that time they had all

their gear on...sables....that they had to hand in before entering....

this was my favourite.... Diwan-i Khas...Shah Mahal...the Hall of private audience...

all in marble...all these decorations...inside , outside, walls...all over

once the famous Peacock Throne stood inside..

reminds me of Taj Mahal...

guards with guns mostly everywhere...

but they kind of add something to the picture...don't you agree...

we ended the visit by walking all the way to the baoli which is at the end of a long street...

and yes it was hot hot hot...38 degrees...

even though we where there at 9 in the morning 

I just had to see the Baoli....but we couldn't get inside...no one can actually...

a suicide and then they closed it off for the public..

this baoli..step well is 14 m deep and has an adjoining tank measuring 6.1x6.1 m

on he north and west there are flights of steps with arched apartments on either side

it is believed to date back to the Tuqlaq-era (1300 ??)

 cool tree...

on the way out the Lahore gate from an other angle...

the walls are impressive...long...and goes almost all the way around...

not really though...haven't found out how long the walls are actually...

we spent about 1 hour and a half inside (without water...forgot)

but with a guide it can take up to 4 hours !

I would have melted if we'd used a guide I tell you !

Just one of those things that made me smile

and shake my head..

or nowadays it's more of an Indian wobble

haha...

I think he had room for some more in front...don't you agree ?

amazing what I see in traffic... every day !

We explored two more waterholes in Delhi

this morning my friend and I explored two more waterholes - step wells - baolis in Delhi
more precisely the Gandhak ki Baoli and the Rajon ki Baoli, both really close to the Qutub Minar in Merhauli   

Gandhak ki Baoli is situated in Merhauli Village complex in south Delhi..

gandhak means sulphur as the water of the well smelt like it and

baoli means Well with steps ...

I think this baoli was built in 1230 !!

they say this is the biggest one in Delhi...meaning the deepest one I guess...it has

5 levels but as you can see they are all but one under water....

and yes it is used daily by the people living there as you can see...

it is not well maintained.....

but once used for swimming and diving !

in ancient times that is....

from the baoli we walked...

into Merhauli Archaeological park and to the next step well...

which was about 150 meters in

very jungle book like environment

 the Rajon ki Baoli was bigger but not as deep I guess...

this three storyed step well is believed to have been built by Daulat Kahn during the reign of

Sikander Lodi in 1516...

yes, it is deep when you stand at the top of it...

I think they are kind of cool constructions...

and only 10-15 have survived urbanisation...

there used to be a 100 of them in Delhi....

so far I have seen three.. 

 I guess we need to find the other ones too Kathy !

Sheetla Mata Mandir in the morning

this morning I felt like going back to the Sheetla and see how the boys where doing

 I went pretty early since I wanted to see them in action...

studying...chanting...

on the way over I bought bananas because that's what I've brought every time I have visited
and today was my fourth, no fifth visit
lots of pictures today so hang on...

I still have problems reconciling with the colours on the temple...

I liked it better the old way....not so bright orange....

some of the students that I have met before where outside chanting....

and they do recognise me now...

they study the Vedas....they stay at the school for 3-5 years....

they are all from the cast of Pandit I was told...

met some new boys....this young boy welcomed me inside.....

and of course I almost forgot to take off my shoes....

spent some time sitting with the younger boys inside..

they chant quite loud I tell you....

this little guy had chore day....

it was so nice and peaceful, as always, out in the courtyard 

and I must say that they are truly devoted to studying...

when I was about to leave these two women walked in 

 they really matched the temple walls...

wow

Washing machines are rare in most parts

A while ago I visited Mewat together with my friend Kathy...

(Mewat is one out of 21 districts in the state of Haryana, the state in which we live)

our first stop of the day was at this little lake...or maybe more of a water hole....

we saw these women washing clothes on a platform...

while walking closer a herd of cows came along too...

the lake is important in many aspects...

actually everything living depends on it

this is life for so many of the women in India...

water is scarce and they have to walk to lakes or the village water pump or wait for the water truck to come along...

they seemed to have fun while doing the chores though...we could hear them laugh...

 maybe it was our presence that made them laugh....

many of them had these beautiful ankle silver rings...see the woman to the left.....

 the ring - the bindi..that's the one they put on their head to carry things...

ready...let's go...

reflections....

over how privileged I am...

I have running water, a toilet and a washing machine

I can have a shower whenever I want to and if I'm thirsty I get cold water 

I live a very different life than some of the women I meet