Delhi Day 3

Namaste and welcome to day 3 in Delhi.

I slept in a bit today as I was up late working on this silly blog.

Today it rained.  ALOT!!!  All day.  Thunder.  Lightening.  The Works.  Kinda cool for me to see but I am ready for it to stop (as is everyone here).  It made for muddy going today.

The first stop for the day today was the Qutb Complex.  This was the sight of the first Islamic settlement in India.  It is home to several monuments including:

Alai Darwaza - the gateway to the complex

Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque

The Iron Pillar - A 1600 year old rust free flagpole from previous Hindu Temple

AND the star attraction!!!

Qutb Minar - A 5 story tower erected to celebrate the victory of the Muslims over Delhi.

Next we go to the Baha'i House of Worship also known as the Lotus Temple.

Built in the mid-1980s this is an amazing structure.  It's facade is marble from Greece that was sent to Italy to be cut and smoothed before being shipped to India for the temple.

The Baha'i sect believes that humanity is one single race and all religions and belief systems are welcome to meditate and pray in silence inside.

After the Lotus Temple I take a break and do some shopping.  I find some beautiful scarves and silk painting for gifts.  I purchase a sari for a client.  For myself I splurge and buy a pashmina/silk quilt.

With my shopping for the day complete we move on to Humayun's Tomb, built for the second Mughal emperor by his wife.  This is a family tomb with over 100 people buried here.

Two gateways proceed the tomb.

There are several tombs, including one for Humayun's favorite barber.

Restoration is in progress and the workmen use traditional methods to make the lime mortar.

Our final stop of the day is Lodi Gardens.  It is raining like crazy.

                                                                   

There are many tombs from the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties.  Including Bara Gumbad, aka Big Dome.

 

From here the view of the gardens is spectacular.

Even the parrots like the view.

Well, that is all I have time for tonight.  I leave early in the morning for Dharmsala.  I do not anticipate having Wi Fi access there so I will be out of touch until September 15th. 

Namaste