Friday, May 8, 2009

Ten things that define Delhi (5)

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.Dilli ki shaan - The Metro!.

The Metro is more than just a Mass Rapid Transit System. It is proof that change can happen, that things can work, that a few good bureaucrats can make a giant difference. Take a Metro ride today!

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Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Ten things that define Delhi (4)

The Qutb Complex - a place where history comes alive.

The Qutb Complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site that marks the arrival of Islamic rule in India. Built by the Slave Dynasty who ruled India for nearly a century, the complex is a grand cultural statement marking the beginning of a new religion that transformed the country.

In the initial phases, the new rulers demolished Hindu and Jain temples, but reused the pillars and stones, creating structures unique in the Islamic world. Later, Hindu craftsmen and artisans learnt how to work within the Islamic artistic framework. In the Qutb Complex, the lucidity and economy of Islamic architecture meets with the richness and exuberance of Hindu art, to form beautiful and arresting structures.

Go see the pillars of Quwwat-ul-Islam (Might of Islam), the first mosque in North India, and you'll feel like you're in the middle of a dramatic story.


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