Trip to Delhi: Fascinating Chaos and Unexpected Freedom
"When there’s a will, there’s a way" – My mantra in Delhi A city that, despite its contradictions and apparent chaos, taught me one thing: everything is possible. In India, you adapt, you improvise, you move forward. Despite cultural, religious, and social constraints... you feel free. Paradoxically free. And perhaps, that’s where the magic of this country lies.
The Eyes of Delhi
Before the Departure: Between Clichés and Fascination
When I boarded the plane to India, I thought I knew what to expect. After years of studying India and the Himalayan world, reading articles, watching documentaries, and listening to travelers' stories, I thought I was ready. But very quickly, I realized that knowing India doesn't mean understanding it. And even less, feeling it.
Western media has often reduced this country to clichés: poverty, violence, patriarchy, spirituality, sacred cows… Repeated images, sometimes true, often oversimplified, always incomplete. So, I wanted to see the real India, the one that escapes conventional narratives.
First Impressions: India Begins in the Airplane
From the very flight, I got a taste of the journey ahead: the flight attendants in colorful saris, a Bollywood movie (“Rocky & Rani”), meal trays with dal and chapati... No doubt, I was already heading to another world.
My first image of Delhi? A thick gray fog. It wasn’t fog; it was pollution. A visual shock. Yet, I quickly understood that you can’t judge based on appearances. In India, what seems disorienting at first can become fascinating if you accept to dive in without filters.
A sudden arrival, but not surprising. India does not reveal itself at first glance. It is earned, tamed.
In the taxi with Subash, my driver, I was immediately immersed in the fascinating chaos of Indian traffic: rickshaws, taxis, brightly colored trucks, overloaded motorcycles, daring pedestrians, and of course... cows right in the middle of the road, unfazed. Everything honks. Everything seems disorganized. And yet, everything moves forward.
Crossed Glances and Strong Impressions
Through the window, I caught the unblinking gaze of a stranger. In France, we quickly look away. Not here. His fixed gaze never wavered. It was disorienting, almost intimidating. A silent but profound cultural shock. Here, I realized that in India, gazes are direct, almost raw. They say: “I see you. And you, do you see me?”
Further ahead, a swarm of pigeons spirals around the same spot. Subash explains that people feed them to attract luck. In Paris, we chase them away; in Delhi, we bless them. Two worlds. Two perceptions.
Jama Masjid, Mughal Architecture Between Dream and Reality
With my guide Yuvraj, we explored Old Delhi. First stop: Jama Masjid Mosque. Barefoot on the hot stone slabs, I felt a strange intimacy, as if I were entering a sacred space, yet also familiar. Here, everything is sensory, everything is intense. This place, built under Emperor Shah Jahan, embodies the grandeur of Mughal architecture.
The sky, wrapped in an orange cloud covering the city, adds a touch of mystery. It’s as if Delhi itself is suspended between dream and reality. This orange veil, which softens the outlines of buildings and streets, imbues a particular magic at every corner of the city, especially at this mosque.
Mughal architecture is a perfect fusion of Islamic, Persian, Turkish, and Indian art. It is distinguished by its grand arches, imposing minarets, and elegant domes. Every detail, every stone seems to tell a story of magnificence and devotion. At the entrance, we are asked to remove our shoes, and I find myself walking on the polished marble, almost as if time had stopped.
The clean lines, intricate floral designs, and deep colors of the building create an almost sacred atmosphere. It’s not just a monument, it’s an invitation to feel history. India has this unique ability: it immerses us in spirituality through its architectural beauty, and that is the charm of Mughal architecture.
First Steps in Old Delhi: A Joyful Disorder
Delhi is not explained; it is experienced. One must accept its disorder, its contrasts, its roughness, and its unpredictable beauty.
In the bustling streets of Chandni Chowk, nothing is logical, and yet everything works. I saw motorcycles passing through alleyways meant for pedestrians, vendors stacked on top of each other, colorful spices, wedding objects, shoes, fried foods...
The most striking image? Two vendors sharing a tiny space. One, on a plank above, prepared chai; the other, below, sold sweets. Ingenuity, cooperation, adaptation. India is also about making do with what you have, and turning it into something alive.
Delhi: A Challenge to Overcome, a City to Feel
Delhi tests. Delhi provokes. But Delhi gives. It forces humility, adaptation. It does not apologize for being what it is. It tells us: “Want to understand India? Then live it, without barriers, without prejudice, without judgment.”
And it’s by doing as its inhabitants do – by taking ownership of the space, living in the present moment, making do with what we have – that we begin to understand a little bit of this fascinating country.
My mantra “When there’s a will, there’s a way” makes sense. This phrase best sums up Delhi. India is an organized chaos, an emotional enigma. It does not seek to be understood, but to be felt. For that, you must trust it, let it carry you, and above all... let go.
If you want to learn about more adventures in India, you can read this article Visiting Delhi, the Unloved
