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Gurdwara Bangla Sahib- a great way to start off the day Gurdwara Bangla Sahib located at the nerve-centre of city, very close to Cannaught Place, was our first stop. Bangla Sahib had once been the bungalow of Raja Jai Singh Amber (Jaipur) who lived during the times of Aurangazeb. The Eighth Sikh Guru, Guru Sri Harikrishan, is said to have resided here. Even before we entered, we spotted the lovely golden dome of the Sikh temple, visible from the road. As we entered the hallowed grounds, the early morning recitals or gurbani soothed our senses. Before going up the steps, we had to wash our feet, this action in the cold morning was enough to bolt those of us who were on the verge of sleep into activity. We bought some halwa parshad as our offering. All of us had covered our heads with scarves or duppatta, as was mandatory in the gurdwara. There were scarves available at the entrance if one did not have anything to cover one?s head with. We went in. We spent a little time inside- made our offerings, said our prayers and listened to gurbani. We then made our way to the holy pond or Sarovar, believed to posses healing powers. We couldn?t resist reaching into the holy waters and sprinkling some on our head. As we traced the path around the sarovar, a strange calm engulfed us. The morning hour, the gurbani, the cold water, made everything seem so ethereal. We were ravenous by the time we came out. Unfortunately we could find no time for the langar (feast prepared for the devotees, by the devotees). But the tasty sweet halwa we had suited us just fine. Within the Pristine glory of Sacred Heart Cathedral Our next stop was the Sacred Heart Cathedral, located just across the street, very close to the Gol Daak Khana. The huge building is very European in its architecture; the Italian influence speaks of the great aesthetic sense of the creator. Henry Medd is said to be its designer while the idea of the church itself was conceived by Father Luke, from the order of St. Francis of Assisi. When we entered the building, it was practically deserted. We prayed at Mother Mary?s statue to our left, outside the main building and made our way inside. The hall echoed with our footsteps. Inside was the typical seating arrangement of the church. We chose one of the many wooden seats. On the wall facing us was a huge statue of Christ. On either side were some very important Catholic statues. The walls rising into a dome reminded one of the grandeur of the Creator. Untouched and quite, the church was a haven for those seeking peace of mind. Once outside, we just had pay attention to our grumbling stomach. We made our way to Cannaught place. The shops were just opening, and not much was available as choice. We ran into a thela(pushcart) which was selling hot litti-chokha, a delicacy from Bihar. Totally oblivious to any health precautions, we indulged our appetites. After which we were ready to face the rest of the day. Birla Mandir- the breathtaking creation by God?s creatures We were now heading for Birla Mandir also called as Lakshmi Narayan Temple. The temple is situated in Mandir Marg and is easily accessible from most of Delhi. We reached there after the morning pooja. Getting into the temple was a high-security affair and we had to leave our shoes and mobile phones with the guards. But once inside, the minor hiccups were soon forgotten. We were greeted by a fusion of North Indian artwork. The Birlas, one of India?s most famous industrial families, built the temple. The main deities here are Narayan and His consort Lakshmi, thus giving the temple its name. As we marvelled at the beautiful paintings that adorned the walls, we were attracted by artificial landscape visible just outside. Apart from the presiding deities, the temple also has shrines of Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Lord Krishna( an incarnation of Lord Narayan) and Goddess Durga. There was way too much to see in the temple than we could cramp into the half an hour we had allotted it. With a promise to be back, we left. We had not decided on our next stop, should we go to Lotus Temple near Kalkaji or Jama Masjid in Chandni chowk? Somehow the idea of crowded roads of chandni chowk in the afternoon heat did not appeal to any of us. So we decided to go to Lotus Temple. Lotus temple- the best flower in the garden All we knew about the temple was that it was shaped like a Lotus, which we guessed must have been inspired by the Opera Hall of Sydney and was built by people belonging to Bah?'? community. Nothing could prepare us for the breathtaking splendour we were about to encounter. The entire area was like a garden that housed a single, large lotus. Acres of neat lawn greeted us, interspersed with beautiful March flowers. Located on Bahapur Hills, it is the seventh and the newest of Baha'i houses of worship. This temple had been opened to public in 1987 and ever since has attracted hordes of tourists from around the globe. There was a huge queue before us. It was rather surprising, therefore, that the entire place was conspicuously silent. As we entered we were warned not to speak or make noise, as it would distract those meditating. We were curious as to what we?d find inside. Inside as we quietly made our way, we were surprised once again to find that there were no statues! On all sides we could read preachings from the Bah?'? faith. The tranquillity of the lotus temple was what touched the heart the most. I had to literally drag myself from the place. Out again in the hubbub of city, we wondered what to do for lunch. My friend had to leave his car at Janpath, so we decided to go there. This time we went to Saravana Bhavan for some hot South Indian food, seeming atrociously priced to us South Indians, but tasty, nevertheless. After lunch and a little roaming around, we took the Metro to Chandni Chowk. Jama Masjid- magnificence experienced from a distance It was evening by the time we reached- the whole place was mayhem. One person in the group suggested we try the paranthewale gali, or the street famous for its paranthas before we headed for Jama Masjid, and the rest of us agreed. Here we tried every kind of parantha and soon the glutton in us took over. From here we headed for the famous Jalebi street, then it was time for some lassi, then to wash it all down, we went to the ?Haldiram?s? for some spicy pakodas. By now it had really become late. We were told we would not be able to see Jama Masjid, but having come this far we wanted to see it, if only from outside. We took a rikshaw to Jama Masjid. All around the area, we could see the huge domes of the building, towering over the smaller shops. Amidst the din, the noise, the sheer human mass- one just had to look up to feel a sense of harmony. We could see the vast stretches of the monument. It was as if it had spread its arms to engulf everything in sight. The red-sandstone and white marble structure was well-lit. Jama Masjid was created by Shah Jahan- the mughal monarch. It was his last great architectural work. This mosque was originally called Masjid-I-Jahanuma or ?the mosque commanding the view of the world?. The huge mosque can accommodate around 25000 worshippers. But sadly, it closes after sunset and we had come two hours too late! We did see a few people on the steps, but being a majority of girls, we decided not to push our luck and to return home. But we could not help standing in front of the building, drinking in the architecture, imagining the great mughals walking down the steps?.yet again we promised, another day? .
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