Old Delhi, Monkeys, and Pickpockets

Housekeeping note: I apologize for not posting sooner, I was hampered by the lack of public wifi which I had intended to use to upload posts and pics. Although everyone I meet assures me that there is free/paid wifi in Delhi, I have yet to find it. I invested in a USB stick and will be uploading through the computers at the ubiquitous netcafes.

Jama Masjid Mosque in Old Delhi

I love Old Delhi - the streets are narrow and crooked and the houses crowd overhead. Street sellers hawk everything from haircuts and ear cleaning to fruits, vegetables, and tasty street food. My favorites are the chai wallahs or tea sellers. You can find them all over the city, sitting on the curb surrounded by pots, or in a proper stall. Each chai wallah has his own recipe (they’re always men for some reason) which is comprised of some combination of tea, milk, sugar, and spices. They serve it in clay mugs (I don’t want to know how they’re washed) or disposable cups.

Cows and monkeys wander the streets at will. I bought a pear and lured several monkeys down for pictures. I fed the rest to a cow lingering hopefully INDIA 140 by the fruit cart. Street dogs curl up and sleep wherever they can they filch food from garbage piles and trail behind workmen eating their lunches, hoping for a bite. They are the friendliest dogs I’ve ever seen and come running for a scratch, tails wagging. I guess it’s a survival trait, since their continued wellbeing depends on scraps. A lot of the street dogs are cared for by people in their neighborhood. I see many of them wearing dog sweaters and merchants often keep food bowls outside their shops.

The minute I step off the metro, I’m surrounded by a crowd of rickshaw drivers asking me where I’m going. The tourist maps of Delhi are not designed for walking and leave out all but the main streets. I don’t know if this is to purposely encourage use of taxis and rickshaws or because there are so many alleys and sidestreets that listing them would overwhelm a simple map. Whatever the case, the first time I came to Old Delhi I got a rickshaw to take me around to the main sites: Jama Masjid, the Red Fort, the Chandni Chowk bazaars. Now that I sort of know my way around, I walk. The minute I settled on a price with a driver, three other rickshaw wallahs told me it was too much and that they would take me for less (this happens often). I usually cut in half whatever price a seller (or driver) offers and negotiate from there. I’m probably still paying more than the going rate, but it’s not worth stressing over on a daily basis. Rickshaw wallahs, street sellers, laundrymen, and delivery boys are among the poorest in India, so it’s not considered good form to haggle over the last rupee.

I survived my first pickpocketing attempt in the metro a few days ago. A guy ran into me while I was waiting to change trains at Rajiv Chowk and groped at my pocket. I smirked and waved when he looked back at me since I’d put my wallet in my backpack already. Ha. Since there are so few tourists around, I figure I’m probably a target for whatever thieves or pickpockets are in the area. I feel comfortable alone as long as I stick to well-traveled areas and don’t stay out much past dark. I was told by Pari’s friends not to take taxis at night because of the risk of robbery; autorickshaws are safer because they’re open on one side. If something looks suspicious, you could just jump out. Whatever advice I’m given, I try to keep my eyes open and be aware of my surroundings. My rickshaw driver, Rohi, wanted to show me the interior of the Chandni Chowk spice market, where the wholesalers do their business, which would have been really cool to see. The problem was that getting to it required going through a pitch-black alley populated by groups of ragged men huddled in corners. I politely thanked him and backed out in a hurry. I didn’t feel threatened, but it looked like the sort of situation that could turn ugly quickly. I suspect I’ll have to turn down lots of interesting opportunities like that in the interests of safety. The hazards of traveling alone, I guess.

Pari’s friend Shweta’s wedding is tonight and I’m anxious to wear my super-awesome tunic-and-harem-pants ensemble. I’ll be sure to report back with pictures. I’m off to Jaipur tomorrow for the literature festival and some touristy activities.

In front of a house in a Jain neighborhood

Sacks of spices in Chandni Chowk

Chai wallah on the streets of the Chandni Chowk spice bazaar

Tags: delhi, India, travel