When I said I’d visit Hauz Khas again, I knew I would keep my word. And rightly so, Saturday morning in Delhi, my 6th day here, I found myself in this charming place again. We headed straight to the Hauz Khas fort, which had been shut down the last time we were here. I was absolutely in awe at how well the government had cared for these heritage sights, and I’m not just talking about Hauz Khas fort in this matter. All over Delhi, every tourist place I’d visited was so well maintained, apart from rare sightings of vandalism on the monument walls which really no one can have control over.
Beautiful Mughal Architectures in Delhi
The fort area offers some beautiful spots for portrait photography, and we saw at least three different groups planning detailed photoshoots with creative poses. There is a placid lake in front of the fort, and the little wind that I could feel on that hot afternoon was undoubtedly from this water body. Look out for the majestic peacock here, we saw one perched upon a tall tree, occasionally cooing from above.
I would strongly suggest a visit to Kunzum Travel Cafe when in HKV. A peaceful place to catch up with your friends, this cafe has a huge number of books and atlases for travelers. The beverages they offer, mainly tea and coffee don’t have a price tag – one can pay whatever they feel like. Honestly, I haven’t come across such a unique concept in my lifetime, and I have traveled quite a bit. There were these beautiful photographs hung up on the wall that were for sale, and only added to the ambiance. Most people grab hold of a bean bag and spend multiple hours here. There was a poster which invited everyone to their workshop on writing beautiful travelogues, and it was a shame I’d be back in Bombay then.
5 Amazing Places to Visit With Kids In Delhi
We made a quick journey to Dwarka again in the afternoon, because Kaavash wanted me to ride on the Airport Express, a very posh metro service with superior amenities, mainly in the form of speed. It was a real joy to ride on the train and feel it powerfully accelerate through the city. We got off at Connaught Place again to catch up with a few of our friends for the night.
A relaxed Sunday morning was lazily spent in the house itself. Around brunch time, we set out for the beautiful Lodi Gardens. This area seemed to be quite expensive to live in, because we saw loads of fancy houses and bungalows along the many pretty lanes in this area. Lodi The Garden Restaurant, situated two minutes away from the gardens, offered us one of the most delicious continental lunches. If you’re an avid Instagrammer, this restaurant is the place for you! They have an al fresco seating as well, although we chose to dine in the AC room to escape the heat.
Vast expanses of various species of trees and shrubs grew in all places in these gardens. There were ancient domes and tombs too, built by the Lodi dynasty. We found a nice cozy bench under a massive tree, the boughs of which protected us from the scorching sun, for a relaxed sketching siesta. Kaavash sketched a vibrant hibiscus flower, while I drew a lousy sketch of the monument that stood before me. Nevertheless, it was quite a different experience for me.
We spent the evening at the Big Chill Cafe in Greater Kailash, before leaving for the Airport. Even though I was a little sad to leave this beautiful city of Delhi behind, the extravagant airport road leading to Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal 3 made my departure much prettier. We were made to halt in between by a group of policemen. “We judge the driver and passengers solely by their character, and we have the power to question them”, one of the police officials told us. Funny way to execute security, I thought.
After a nostalgic goodbye to my friend, along with a hearty thanks for showing me a good time, I left the national capital with a huge load of memories, a heavy heart and a new found respect for Delhi.
