AKSHARDHAM TEMPLE

Akshardham Temple is a magnificent Hindu shrine, situated in the east region of New Delhi. Located on the banks of River Yamuna, it was inaugurated in November 2005, by the former President of India - APJ Abdul Kalam, the Prime Minister - Manmohan Singh and Pramukh Swami Maharaj - the spiritual leader of BAPS. Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the current spiritual leader of Swaminarayan Sanstha, BAPS. Swaminarayan Akshardham was constructed under his guidance, after his guru, Yogiji Maharaj, expressed a wish for the same.As a spiritual leader, Swamiji constantly travels and meets people across the world, to help them lead better lives. There are various cultural and educational activities conducted by the Swaminarayan Sanstha. Akshardham is also a part of BAPS's initiative to promote Indian art, culture and values. BAPS also has a charitable arm, known as BAPS Care, working for the betterment of the people. The main shrine in the complex is dedicated to Bhawgwan Swaminarayan. The temple enshrines 11 ft tall gilded statue of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. The building is constructed entirely from Pink Sandstone and Italian Marble, without any concrete or steel. The intricate carvings, magnanimous structure and the backdrop of River Yamuna, render the temple a masterpiece of art. Other than the main temple, there are a number of buildings in the complex where you can enjoy cultural and spiritual activities. The Halls'Sahajanand Pradarshan' is the first Hall in the complex. It features life size robots, dioramas, and incidents from Bhagwan Swaminarayan's life. It also houses world's smallest animatronic robot, in the form of Ghanshyam Maharaj, the child form of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.'Nilkanth Kalyan Yatra', Hall 2, houses a large format screen. Here, a movie, specially commissioned for the complex, shows the journey of Bhagwan Swaminarayan throughout India.'Sanskruti Vihar', Hall 3, takes visitors on a journey through 10,000 years of Indian history in 10 minutes. Visitors are seated in specially designed peacock boats that make their way around an artificial river.The Yagnapurush KundThe Yagnapurush Kund is India's largest step well. It descends down, via a series of steps, to a traditional 'yagna kund'. At night, a musical fountain show, representing the circle of life, is played for an audience, seated on the same steps. The Bharat UpavanThe Bharat Upavan, or 'Garden of India', has sprawling lawns, varied trees and shrubs, dotted with bronze sculptures of the contributors to India's culture. The Yogi Hraday KamalIt is a lotus shaped garden, containing stones engraved with quotes from world luminaries, ranging from Shakespeare and Martin Luther King, to Swami Vivekananda and Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Other Features
Nilkanth Abishek Mandapam
Narayan Sarovar
AARSH Centre
Premvati Ahargruh

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NATIONAL MUSEUM

The largest museum of New Delhi, the National museum at Janpath, offers a unique insight into the history and culture of India. It has a wide array of exhibits, depicting the 5000 years of Indian history. The three floors of the museum offer splendid and priceless pieces of Indian art and sculpture that have been arranged in galleries, according to the period to which they belong. The famous sculpture of Dancing Girl from Mohenjodaro belonging to 2,500 BC, the Moghul period paintings & Arabian manuscripts are some of the prized possessions here. The silk banners, sculpture and wall paintings that were a part of Sir Aurel Stein's collection in the Central Asian gallery are worth seeing here. A collection of Indian miniature paintings, from Mughal, Rajasthani and Pahari schools, and simple stone Neolithic Tools, dating back to 3,000 -1,500 BC, are simply outstanding. Then, there is shell and bone jewelry belonging to Indus Valley Civilization of Mohenjodaro and Harappa and also the carved pillars and statues of the Mauryan dynasty. The fine bronze idols, stone sculpture, textiles, coins and tribal art are all exhibited at the National Museum of Delhi. The men love the display of weapons and historical costumes on the third floor, while the display of over 300 musical instruments in the museum awes the music lovers. The more inquisitive ones can also attend the film shows on the art heritage of India on weekdays at 2:30 pm and on weekends at 11:30 am, 2:30 pm and 4:00 pm. The museum remains closed on Mondays.

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SAROJINI NAGAR

Sarojini Nagar is located in the posh South locality of Delhi. Also known as SN, Sarojini Nagar is one of the most sought after places in New Delhi, from where one can buy clothes and fabrics. The biggest attraction of the place is that, you can buy the most stylish outfits in India here, at unbeatable prices. If you have a nose for shopping and you can bargain, then this is the place for you. Apart from a large number of international and local brand showrooms, the crux of the market is formed by street side shops, selling garments of all designs and colors.There are some other small markets near Sarojini, namely Babu Market, Subzi Market and Central Market. Babu Market is located at the north-west corner of Sarojini Nagar Market. It mainly houses garment shops. You can savor hot Indian snacks, like Samosas and Jalebi, here in the evening or on a rainy day. Then, there is the Subzi Market, located at the far south end of SN. 'Subzi' is the name given to vegetables in North India. This market is famous for its fresh fruits and vegetables available at reasonable price. Last but not the least, there is Central Market facing Subzi Mandi. Here you can buy spices. There are also a number of furniture houses and general stores here. The most famous Export Bazaar/Market for clothes is also located in the back-streets here, near Subzi market. Shopping can be fun in Sarojini, but keep certain things in mind while planning to shop here. One, during summers, shopping becomes a challenge due to the scorching heat of the sun. Secondly, to avoid chaos and crowd, it is better to visit the place on weekdays.

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HUMAYUN TOMB

Humayun's tomb is known as the first example of the monumental scale that would characterize subsequent Mughal imperial architecture. Commissioned, it is believed, by Humayun's senior widow, Haji Begam, or by her son Akbar, the tomb is the first to mark the grave of a Mughal emperor; Humayun's father Babur, who founded the dynasty, had requested out of piety that he be buried in a garden. Humayun's Tomb is now one of the best-preserved Mughal monuments in Delhi.
The tomb design is attributed to Sayyid Muhammad and his father, Mirak Sayyid Ghiyath (Mirak Mirza Ghiyas), Persian architects and poets active in the Timurid and later the Mughal courts. The tomb is situated south of the Purana Qila, on the eastern edge of Delhi. It is set in the center of a garden in the classical Mughal char bagh pattern. A high wall surrounds the garden on three sides, the fourth side being bounded by what was once the bank of the river Jamna, which has since been diverted. The garden is divided into four parts by two bisecting water channels with paved walkways (khiyabans), which terminate at two gates: a main one in the southern wall, and a smaller one in the western wall.
The tomb sits at the center of a plinth, about 21feet (7m) high. The top of its central dome reaches 140 feet from the ground. The dome is double-layered; the outer layer supports the white marble exterior facing, while the inner one defines the cavernous interior volume. The rest of the tomb is clad in red sandstone, with white marble ornamentation.

Humayun's tomb is known as the first example of the monumental scale that would characterize subsequent Mughal imperial architecture. Commissioned, it is believed, by Humayun's senior widow, Haji Begam, or by her son Akbar, the tomb is the first to mark the grave of a Mughal emperor; Humayun's father Babur, who founded the dynasty, had requested out of piety that he be buried in a garden. Humayun's Tomb is now one of the best-preserved Mughal monuments in Delhi.
The tomb design is attributed to Sayyid Muhammad and his father, Mirak Sayyid Ghiyath (Mirak Mirza Ghiyas), Persian architects and poets active in the Timurid and later the Mughal courts. The tomb is situated south of the Purana Qila, on the eastern edge of Delhi. It is set in the center of a garden in the classical Mughal char bagh pattern. A high wall surrounds the garden on three sides, the fourth side being bounded by what was once the bank of the river Jamna, which has since been diverted. The garden is divided into four parts by two bisecting water channels with paved walkways (khiyabans), which terminate at two gates: a main one in the southern wall, and a smaller one in the western wall.
The tomb sits at the center of a plinth, about 21feet (7m) high. The top of its central dome reaches 140 feet from the ground. The dome is double-layered; the outer layer supports the white marble exterior facing, while the inner one defines the cavernous interior volume. The rest of the tomb is clad in red sandstone, with white marble ornamentation.

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Chandni Chowk

The antiquity of the main market area of Chandni Chowk has rendered it a venerated place in the markets of Delhi. It is said that it was once lined with beautiful fountains. However, with time, it grew as crowded as it is today. Situated opposite the Red Fort, Chandani Chowk houses the Digambar Jain Temple, Fatehpuri Mosque - built by the wives of Shah Jahan - and Sunheri Masjid. It was from here that the troops of Nadir Shah started their mission of plundering and massacring the 'infidels' at Delhi. One of the most prominent wholesale and retail markets of India, Chandni Chowk is more than 300 years old. It was established in 1650, when Mughal Emperor Shahjahan shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi, as an accompaniment to the fort. Jahanara, the Emperor's favorite daughter, is credited with designing this market, where an arcade of shops was built in a half-moon shape around a pool.It soon budded into a prosperous trading center and branched into a number of by-lanes and soon stretched from the Fort to Fatehpuri Mosque. A canal known as Faiz Nahar, renovated by Ali Mardan Khan, is said to have run through the entire length of Chandni Chowk, providing water for both drinking and irrigation, but it went into disuse later. Besides the Red Fort situated nearby, one can also visit the famous Chawri Bazaar.

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Snake Charmer

Wonderful lunch at Pindhi. This small restaurant is housed in a rather rundown mall which can be reached by a bumpy dirt road. The dilapidated exterior belies what lies within, a well furnished, sanitary (important), restaurant serving perhaps the best chicken tikka masala I've ever eaten. After eating, I sat down beside a snake charmer, and had my picture taken. Very touristic but I had to take the opportunity. The charmer is no fool as he ask around 100 rupees from this foreigner Not certain what he would have done had he has refused. Perhaps have his cobra attack?

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DELHI LIFE IN SLUMS

The present population of Delhi is about 14.9 million*. Of this nearly 45% population lives in unauthorised colonies, rural villages and slums and JJ clusters. The current number of slum dwelling units is estimated at about 0.6 million and the population living in slums and Yamuna clusters is projected at about 3 million. Out of the 0.6 million JJ units, nearly 62,000 units are estimated to be located in the river bed of Yamuna on both sides of its stretch along Delhi and on the embankments of a few major storm water drains such as Najafgarh drain, Barapulla drain etc. During dry weather these slum dwellers use open areas around their units for defaecation. In this way, the entire human waste generated from these 62,000 units along with the additional wastewater generated from their household is dischaged untreated into the river Yamuna.

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I N T E R N A T I O N A L C A M P A I G N

I could see that most of the policewomen were touched. Some had tears. There was one particularly tough one and we kept at it, until even she too was moved.
Rachna the radio star
Starting several days before the padyatras arrival in Delhi, Radio Mirchi began covering the marchers' progress daily. Radio Mirchi is one of the most popular radio stations in Delhi, with 40 lakh (4 million) listeners daily. Rachna was speaking on air everyday from her cell phone.
They originally told us that they wanted to cover the padyatra up until its arrival on the 27th, but once we got here they called to say they wanted to continue indefinitely because their listeners were so charmed by Rachna.
"We got 16 calls right after we hung up with you, yesterday," they told her. "Our listeners can hardly believe your energy and charm for someone who has just walked 800 kilometers."
The ever-charming Rachna lamenting her blisters. She has forbidden us to show this picture, so here it is

The doctor accused Bano Bee who is 55 years old, of malingering and threatened to explore her abdomen surgically to reveal the truth. "Then you'll really have pain," the doctor told her, "You can hold your stomach and walk around in pain instead of pretending."
The hospital refused to let them see their own chest x-rays, giving them instead only a written report that they were fine.
They have been released and are back at the camp near Humayun's tomb. We have decided they need independent medical examination because we suspect that the hospital is in collusion with the police to minimise and falsify their injuries. Right now they are waiting for some other doctors to arrive at the camp.
JAIL UPDATE, 22:43 IST, 18:13 BST
We don't have an exact number of people originally arrested in frontof the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, but we estimate it to bebetween 200 and 300. We do know that among those arrested were 35children (age 12 and under), including many infants.
Within just a few hours, the police offered to drop everybody off atJantar Mantar, where they could be cordoned off and comfortablycontrolled by the police. But these Bhopalis were absolutely livid athow they had been treated after walking 800 km. They refused theoffer, realizing the cops desperately wanted them out of theircustody. The police had neither the time nor the resources to do thepaperwork as well as feed and shelter so many people all at once. TheBhopalis did not want to let these these thugs off so easily -- howdare they yank and drag them across the pavement from where they weresitting peacefully, stuff them in buses, cart them to the jail, andthen hope for it all to end conveniently for themselves. Peoplestarted shouting spontaneously, "We are not afraid! We will spend thenight in jail!"
The police were slowly beginning to realize they had underestimatedhow tough and determined the padyatris and other Bhopalis are. Aftera bold stand by 38 people who were then arrested and jailed, thepolice decided that even a few Bhopalis were far more than they wantedto deal with, and all the remaining arrestees were separated andcompelled to leave.
The day had started off peacefully in the spirit of the long march, which had been marked by songs and dancing, and the walkers nurturing a naive trust that the Prime Minister of India would listen to their problems.

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