26.02.2019
My flight was uneventful. It was relatively clear taking off in Nagpur, but got more and more hazy and smoggy arriving in Delhi.
We landed on time at 10:15 in Delhi. And it was cold! 15°C! After the 35°C in Maharashtra I was freezing! What the heck?! Why is it always so cold when I am in Delhi? … Might be, because it is still winter in Northern India … My suitcase arrived quickly and I walked to the metro station which was right outside the Terminal.
I had a reservation at Red Fox Hotel Aerocity. It was one station on the Airport Express line, the ticket was just Rs 20 and it was a quick ride. From the metro station it was only a few minutes’ walk to Red Fox Hotel. I got there by 11:15, but was lucky – since they had charged my credit card already, they let me check in early for free.
I had booked a Business Single Room and it was bigger than expected – small but comfortable. Could have been a Business SIngel Room in any other chain hotel in Europe as well … My reservation included 2 pieces of laundry for free – I send my uniform trousers straight away.
Once I settled in I went to explore. Back in the big city! There was much to see and do. I walked back to the metro station and from there took the Feeder Bus for Airport Terminal 1D . It was Rs 30 and I asked the driver to drop me at the metro station of the Magenta Line near the Airport. Quite a few other people got off there as well. I wanted to visit the Lotus Temple. It was a maybe 30 min metro ride to Okhla NSIC station and from there a 10 min walk to the entrance.
The Lotus Temple is a Bahá’í House of Worship that was dedicated in 1986. Notable for its flowerlike shape inspired by a lotus, it has become a prominent attraction in the city. Like all Bahá’í Houses of Worship, the Lotus Temple is open to all and is composed of 27 free-standing marble-clad petals arranged in clusters of 3 to form 9 sides, with 9 doors opening onto a central hall with a height of slightly over 34 m and a capacity of 2500 people.
The Lotus Temple has won numerous architectural awards and has been featured in many newspaper and magazine articles. I walked around for a bit – the garden was beautiful as well – and then went inside.
Everybody had to take their shoes off – carrying bags were provided for them. So there were no big messy shoe piles – everybody carried their shoes inside – carrying them in a large bag. The Bahá’í Faith teaches that a Bahá’í House of Worship should be a space for people of all religions to gather, reflect and worship. Anyone may enter the Lotus Temple irrespective of religious background, sex or other distinctions as is the case with all Bahá’í houses of worship.
The sacred writings of not only the Bahá’í Faith but also other religions can be read and/or chanted, regardless of language. On the other hand, reading texts is forbidden as are delivering sermons or lectures or fund-raising. Musical renditions of readings and prayers can be sung by choirs, but no musical instruments can be played inside. There is no set pattern for worship services and ritualistic ceremonies are not permitted. No photos were allowed inside and visitors were let in in groups. It was a calm atmosphere inside, peaceful and quiet. There did not seem to be anything resembling an altar, though. The ceiling was beautiful, however.
I walked around the garden for a while before making my way to the Kalkaji Mandir metro station. I was not in the mood hanging a round here longer … The weather might have been a factor in that equation … I was cold!
There was a big supermarket – Big Baazar – there. I love supermarkets and did some browsing before catching the Violet Line to Janpath in the city center near Connaught Place. I had figured out how to use the ticket machine by now and the ticket was Rs 30.
At the Janpath Market I looked for the same shop where I bought last time the Kurta blouse together with Komal. And I found it. I knew exactly what I was looking for and bought the same one in black and blue. This time they were only Rs 300 a piece … Funny …
I had to do some more shopping for birthday presents for the guests. On the upcoming tour I had 4 birthdays in a group of 27 guests, believe it. I bought cheap scarves to wrap the gifts for the 3 women. Near the Ganesh Mandir by the other metro station I found 4 small and inexpensive Ganesha figures as well. That would do as birthday gifts. All in all a very successful shopping expedition.
Now it was time for some food – purposefully I walked around Connaught Circle towards Odeon Social. On the way I found another street stall with mobile phone accessories and bought yet another tempered glass for my mobile phone. The other one had acquired the spider app as well – mainly because it did not fit properly and broke in half … I bargained hard this time, got one for Rs 200 and carried it carefully to Odeon Social. On the way I came past the funniest shop again – well, for Germans. “Gute Reise” means Bon Voyage and they sell indeed travel accessories of all kinds. I kept wondering why they gave the shop a German name, though … but well … it sticks out of the crowd …
At Odeon Social I took a table inside today, since it was rather fresh outside. I was here for cocktails and papaya salad. My table was in the center of the large room and had the coolest decoration on the table. I wagely remember having a similar typewriter when I was a teenager and wrote numerous letters everyday to penpals all over the world.
Who’s Papaya Salad with tenderloin was ordered quickly and I opted for South Pacific Rim as cocktail. While waiting for the food I fiddled with the tempered glass – this time it fit – but it was somewhat too thick or so, because it was a very hard touch screen now … Nothing was moving with a touch – I literally had to press … like on that old typewriter … Oh well, it had to do until I got home … I think I said that the last time I put one on … But this time I was sure.
Since I had nothing better to do, I ordered another cocktail – Old Smoke. It came in a carafe with an upsidedown glass full of smoke. I usually do not like whiskey, but I had ordered it because of the smoke. It was Ok, though and tasted very smoky.
Later I made my way back to the Shivaji Stadium metro station. On the way I stopped at the gas station and wanted to buy some tonic, but they had run out – they had only one can left – believe it. I was so looking forward to a Gin & Tonic … At the metro station I was on a mission and found the Wine Shop quickly. They must remember me by now – everytime I come there they look at me dumbfounded. They do not get many female foreigners frequenting a wine shop, I guess. I bought some wine for later and also found a miniature bottle single malt to bring to Assam – my peeps did not only want a Tiger Cub, but also single malt. Believe it – the miniature bottle of whiskey was twice as expensive as the big bottle of domestic Vodka I bought, becuase it was imported …
I took the metro back to Aerocity and walked to the hotel. Red Fox Hotel is in the same building as Lemon Tree Premier Hotel, but it is slightly cheaper. On the Brahmaputra Tour we always stop at Lemon Tree on the last evening for wash & change and dinner before the guests fly back home in the night. Funnily enough a tour bus of the company we use was parked outside when I passed. I just caught a glimpse of the driver and heart already his assistant calling out – Chaachee, eh Chaachee! Namaste! – I have not quite figured out what Chaachee means, but I get called that by many people when they see my uniform and that I am the tour leader – Anyway, they were happy to see me and I had a quick chat with them both – they were waiting for another group to bring them to the airport and where not sure if they would be assigned to my next tour. We will see! I sure hoped so – they were a friendly, helpful team and the best bus drivers I could wish for. I waved them good-bye and went to my room.
Back in my room I treated myself to a well deserved Gin & Tonic – I had been carrying a small bottle of Gin for a while now and had only been missing the proper Tonic to go with it – and I had a Bounty for dinner while watching TV, posting photos, trying to write something about the Tiger encounters and chatting with friends online in between. That new mobile glass cover is surely fucked – typing messages took forever! I soon gave up and just watched TV … and finished up the Gin …
27.02.2019
I as usual got up early in the morning and did some writing and also some work – preparing for the next tour. There is always a considerable amount of paperwork involved. Skipping breakfast I got much done until around 10:30 the power in my room went out. I think I plugged my charger in the socket the wrong way and the fuse went … I took it as a sign to get going!
Reporting the power cut to housekeeping and reception when leaving I walked to the metro station. I took the Airport Express Line for 1 station to Dhaula Kuan. There I took the very extensive travelator to the station of the Pink Line which I had to take for approx 20 min and then change to the Yellow Line for 1 station to reach Lodhi Colony.
Instagram is a great invention – I had been following some destination relevant accounts and had come across some cool photos of street art in Lodhi Colony Art District. I wanted to see them myself. So, here I was. From the metro station it was a maybe 10 min walk until I found the first murals. Lodhi Colony was easy to navigate since all streets are parallel. It was the last housing estate build by the British, which bears a rich history in Delhi’s timeline for its iconic architecture.
Lodhi Art District was the first-ever Public Art District in India, where over 25 street artists from India and around the world came together to paint the walls of the iconic Lodhi Colony. The St+Art India foundation – a non-profit organization working on art projects in public spaces to make art accessible to a wider audience – was hosting this amazing St+Art Festival in Delhi for the first time in 2016 and Lodhi Colony area was successfully transformed into India’s very first open public art district. Most of the murals are still there and more have been added since.
The brilliant work of these artists is visible on several walls between Khanna Market and Meherchand Market. I walked almost 2 hours up and down the many parallel streets finding more and more cool paintings. I was totally blown away – they were all absolutely stunning. Some were brand new, others obviously older – all were magnificent.
Yip Yew Chong – a Singaporean artist known for replicating everyday scenes onto the street relating to wide-ranging people and contexts – gave an ode to the life of the common man and the people who made Lodhi Colony what it is today through a soulful representation of the landscape and people.
Colours of the soul by Senkoe was especially colourful – Inspired by the beauty of nature, Senkoe painted these birds to represent the colourful diversity of the people who live there and also to encourage them to communicate with each other and share stories, just like the birds would.
Vishvaroopa by Inkbrushnme not as colourful, but still stunning – Vishvaroopa is an all-encompassing omniform of Vishnu and marks the beginning of 18-day-battle of Mahabharata. Vishnu manifests in his cosmic grandeur hypnotizing Arjuna, the supreme warrior, and shows him that all universal matter, animate and inanimate is him.
There were some new murals just in the making. I saw at least 3 walls being painted by either a single artist or a group of people. It was very interesting to watch them work. On one of those murals a group of apparently college students did the coloring in from a scaffolding.
On another one serious artists were using templates to finish borderlines and patterns. They used a hydraulic ramp to do the work.
One of the first murals I encountered was Rock Pigeons Chose the Trees by Adele Renault. Through her work in Lodhi Colony, Adele celebrated one of the most common sight in cities which are often considered ordinary, which for her are magnificent creatures full of beauty and grace. The pigeons by Adele are already something notable at a distance, but the real impact of her work comes through the artist’s sheer talent in detailing the hues of the birds once seen up close.
See Through / See Beyond by Nevercrew was somewhat faded already, still interesting. Nevercrew painted the astronaut, a recurring character in their paintings symbolizing the greatness of mankind’s achievements, at the top of the wall as a metaphor for someone who can see things from a different perspective, a silent viewer of a larger picture. In this case, he was a witness to the daily activities of Lodhi Colony. A white light can be seen entering the meteor, and after passing through it gets refracted, a commentary about how everyday occurrences when viewed with artistic or creative vision become something more.
Niels Shoe Meulman did something he has never done before – he paint a poem written by him. Being a writer for over 35 years, Shoe decided to mix up all the influences he has had over the years to create this piece. He combined his love for lettering mixed with calligraffiti, along with his love for plants to create this piece. He used traditional Indian brooms made of dry grass available at every corner shop to show how nature is the original creator and the artist is a catalyst of its messages.
Dead Dahlias by Amitabh Kumar was not one mural I noticed straight aways. This mural links to the historical roots of Delhi, dating back to the Pandava’s, who after losing a game of dice were exiled to Khandavaprastha – The City of Ruins. Krishna’s magic turned Khandavaprastha into Indraprastha – The City of Gods. The dead dahlias represent Delhi as a city of magic which is now crumbling apart, going back into a state of ruins.
How is Global Warming by Gaia explores the impact of green house gasses and global warming on our society. Using the arch of the wall, he made the Shish Gumbad, known as the glass dome in the Lodhi colony area, right in the center of the composition. Behind it, a Victorian botanical garden plays with the concept of greenhouse gases. On either sides of the wall, the artist has painted one inflated globe and one deflated globe, to show the effects that globalization has on our planet.
We Love Delhi by French artists LEK + Sowat and Hanif Kureshi showed painted characters resembling Sanskrit letters to form a base, which would then be half erased with water to create an effect described as colour rain, drawing inspiration from the festival of Holi. It was one of my favourite murlas around here. Apparently after speaking with children of the community, Hanif Kureshi decided to write the text – We love Delhi – in Devanagari to create an artwork which everyone in the neighbourhood could relate to and enjoy.
Yok & Sheryo created Letters for Lodhi – This artwork is all about vibrancy, freshness, and character. They took inspiration from Indian matchboxes and playful encrypted a few hidden messages in their mural. They imagined Lodhi to be a land of hidden wonders, rich in culture and diversity of people and hence wrote “Gupt Dwar” – hidden door – on the central arch as a way to spread positivity through the neighbourhood.
I could not decided which one of the murals really was my favourite – they were all awesome – but Nature’s Arch and Visions of Altered Landscapes by Aaron Li Hill was sticking out a little. Maybe because of the Tiger …
Here the artist used local narratives from India and Canada to depict the challenges of climate change by incorporating the architecture of the building to create a wonderful symmetry in his artwork. While on the left side of the mural there is an Indian boy and a tiger representing the eastern part of the world …
… on the right there is a polar bear and a woman representing the west. The artist apparently used movement, speed and powerful poses to indicate optimism and the power we all have to bring about a change.
In the Balance in Mind and Spirit by Saner the artist used elements he observed in Old Delhi to create a balanced canvas that puts together a crossover between Indian and Mexican imageries. On either side, a man and a woman represent the order and balance in the universe, their clothes and adornments identify Mexican and Hindu traditions that create a bridge between the two cultures.
Then there were the Crazy Katha Twins by Harsh Raman in which the artist attempted to merge Kathakali, a storytelling dance form from the south of India that uses gestures and no words, with today’s medium of no words — street art. Using blackboard paint in the lower part of the composition, the piece created an open canvas for the neighbourhood children to draw and explore their creativity.
Also very cool I found Facing Walls by Bicicleta Sem Freio where the 2 artists used nature as a gateway to express their love for colors. One explored the city’s parks and gardens, portrayed various forms of leaves and flowers that he had observed and was fascinated by the element of the hands which he saw painted in several shapes and contexts all around Delhi.
On the opposite wall the work of the 2nd artist is centred around the Oriental Pied Hornbill. A dense flow of various shapes seemed to emerge from the ground, embracing the bird and creating an engaging scenario for the viewer.
Sajid Wajid Sheikh’s work is an ode to femininity – They say the mural shows natural elements and women portraits in a holistic amalgamation. This celebration of women and also femininity responds to the need of men to contribute to women empowerment as well.
Bodo TruLuv, a German Street Artist, developed into one of the best artists in the scene since the 2000. He combines fine arts with graphic design – geometric, calligraphic and detailed letters are staged with a wide colour selection and show a very fresh and unique style. This one was very different in style from most of the other murals I visited, nevertheless appealing.
When I almost had enough I remembered that I had seen photos of painted elephants and also Gandhi on instagram. Therefore I did another round through Khanna Market. And instinctively found those paintings. Fusion Art by Rakesh was created in the Gond style of painting and the mural emphasises the importance of maintaining a balance within the ecosystem. It supposed to shed light on the issue of the receding natural habitat that causes an adverse impact on the animals that occupy this space. Rakesh ingeniously optimised the wideness of the wall by centring the composition around an elephant whose tusks grow into branches that scale the length of the wall while playing with the shadows of the real trees in a complete integration between the mural and the surrounding.
Not far from the elephant I spotted Gandhi. Swaach Bharat by Painter Kafeel was painted in the signature style of the artists using bold typefaces. By involving these local street painters, who have been rapidly going out of business with the advent of local Desktop Publishers, St+art India Foundation aimed to support this art form and restore its presence in the contemporary practice while spreading positive messages.
I could hardly tear myself away from the murals. I think I have walked the entire district twice .. But eventually I had to. I was getting hungry and had walked many kilometers already …
