Raj Ghat
An early morning stroll in this park along the Yamuna River as the mist begins to dissipate is one of Delhi’s least known but perhaps most enjoyable pleasures. Come too late, on national holidays or over
the weekend, and you may find yourself sharing your walk with coach loads of Indian tourists and devotees of Mahatma Gandhi, who come to lay flowers at the black marble platform (above) that marks
the site where he was cremated. Memorials to other Indian political notables can also be seen here – Indira Gandhi’s is a greyred monolith and her son Rajiv’s is a large stone lotus blossom surrounded by 46 small blooms, one for each year of his life. Nehru’s cremation site, Shantivan (The Forest of Peace), is particularly beautiful, set in lovingly landscaped surroundings. Mahatma Gandhi Marg
Red Fort
Of all Old Delhi’s marvels, the Red Fort, or Lal Qila, is easily the most magnificent. Built by Shah Jahan in tile 17th century,
it was designed as a city-within-a-city rather than a mere defensive structure. Once home to more than 3,000 people, the fort contained an army barracks
and the royal palace, and everything associated with it, from kitchens and stables to hammams (left), a harem, reception halls, audience chambers and
a mosque. Though the fort was altered by the British after they put down the 1857 uprising, there is still a sense of its original glory. Inside the 33m-high walls, the lavishly decorated Mumtaz Mahal (now an archaeological museum) and the Diwan-i-Khas, or Hall of Private Audience, are guaranteed to entrance, while the emperor’s legendary pleasure gardens are a perfect respite from the hectic city. Neraji Subhash Marg
Veda
Among Connaught Place’s booksellers, kitchen appliance shops and showrooms still bearing imperial seals of approval, Veda’s interior is a bold collision between Marbella 1976 and Moghul mirror palace. Veda began life as a ‘fusion’ restaurant, combining classic Indian and other
Asian flavours, but it was a step too far for Delhi’s foodies. A reversion to much simpler, northern Indian fare served with a contemporary twist, such as pyramids of rice and cone-shaped poppadoms, for example, resurrected its appeal. Expect tandoori, kebabs, plenty of paneer and more unusual treats, such as lotus- root crisps. With its leather banquettes, orange walls and red glass chandeliers, Veda comes into its own after dark, but
is nevertheless a pleasant place to escape the searing early afternoon heat.
H·27 Outer Circle, TOll 41513535
16.00 Nature !.forte
Walk into this space in a 1960s villa set
on a leafy street and you could be forgiven for thinking you were in New York. Peter Nagy’s itinerant gallery, which has had a variety of homes since it opened in 1997, is a reincarnation of the space of the same name that he and Alan Belcher ran in the East Village in the 1980s. Focused primarily on photography, installation and conceptual art. Nature Morte has gained
a reputation for showcasing some of India’s most challenging and experimental works by emerging and mid-level artists, such as Arun Kumar, Bharti Kher, Mithu Sen and Ranbir Kaleka. With its vigorous schedule of exhibitions, this innovative gallery can be counted on to have something worth going to see almost every day of the year. A-1 Neeti Bagh, TOll 4174 0215, www.naturemorte.com
The Oberoi hotel’s restaurant is, hands down. Delhi’s most visually impressive dining experience. Famous for its sushi, Threesixty’ also serves an eclectic menu of international offerings. At lunchtime, there is a buffet feast favoured by hotel guests, but come evening the atmosphere changes completely, with low lighting and intimate seating attracting a good-looking crowd of sophisticated DelhHtes. Though
altogether less formal than Tile Oberoi’s other restaurant, Travertino (see p042), it’s best to make an effort if you’d rather not spend the evening being subjected to mildly disapproving stares.
The Oberoi. Or Zakir Hussain Marg.
TOll 2436 3030. www.oberoidelhi.com
URBAN LIFE
CAFES, RESTAURANTS, BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS
Roadside dhabas and cafeteria-style eateries aside, until recently there was no real dining culture in Delhi. When people wanted ‘something special’, they went to a hotel. Over the last five years, stand-alone restaurants have proliferated, but the sky-high land prices and rigid zoning regulations have forced most to open in odd locations. Fickle customers and even more fickle municipal authorities mean design is not a priority. Nearly all the best places to eat – if you want Indian, anyway – are the least attractive.
The fabulous south Indian thalis at Andhra Bhavan(r Ashoka Marg, on 2338 7499), the Bengali delights at Oh! Calcutta (HS-r International Trade Tower, Nehru Place, on 26464180) and street treats like the bedmi aloo at Mohan Ram (off Gali Parethwali) are mouthwatering but the eateries are visually unappealing. This creates a dilemma. Go for good food or a good-looking restaurant? Delhi’s elite opts for the latter, showing an increasing preference for European, Asian fusion or Leb-iterranean rather than Indian.
Think of this list as representing the first wave. Contemporary design has arrived with a vengeance, although the tendency is still to copy. The food is more inventive but consistency varies, even at the better restaurants. The background music? Well, that’s always the same lounge tracks. Still, Delhi has come a long way and, as diners become more demanding, things can only improve. For full addresses, see Resources.
Agni
If the chic uniforms, the geometric white tiles and the clean lines of the furnishings are emphatically international, courtesy of Conran & Partners, the menu at Agni leaves you in absolutely no doubt where you are. Perhaps Delhi’s most successful experiment with contemporary Indian cuisine, the kitchen at Agni serves classic dishes from all over the subcontinent, but the emphasis on organic produce and
a light touch with both butter and spices gives even the most familiar dishes new life. Desserts are a particular speciality; whatever else you order from the menu, do not miss out on the chocolatejamun or the paan ki rasmalai, a light creamy dessert flavoured with pistachio, saffron and a sprinkling of chopped paan leaves. Park Hote/,lS Parliament Street,
TOll 23473000