Cal and VA | Adventures | Delhi, India

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delhi2018 — After 3 hours of sleep we headed out into the 102 degree 70% humidity day. Boy was it hot.

First stop was a neighborhood where the people do laundry. Using cement tubs of water the men beat the cloths against the cement after washing in the water.

delhi2018 — An old washing machine being used for storage

delhi2018 — Stacks of laundry

delhi2018 — A short walk led us to the stepwell Agrasen ki Baoli in the middle of the city

delhi2018 — The Agrasen ki Baoli is a popular place for locals as several Bollywood movies have been shot there.

delhi2018 — Beautiful arches along the levels - and there are several levels. We did not see any water at the bottom.

delhi2018 — Baoli Mosque at the top of the stepwell

delhi2018 — The walls on the street outside the stepwell were decorated with colorful graffiti

delhi2018 — Then a drive to Purana Qila or the Old Fort - and it is old - one of the oldest in Delhi. Excavations of the area show habitation back to 1200 BC. The fort was active in 1533. There are the walls and two buildings still standing today.

This is Sher Mandal is a double-storey octagonal tower of red sandstone with steep stairs leading up to the roof. Its original builder was Babur who ordered the construction and was used as a personal observatory and library for his son Humayun.

delhi2018 — The second floor of the observatory is closed for visitors - and is where Humayun (second Mugal emperor) fell from the second floor to his death

delhi2018 — Beautiful plaster work on the ceilings

delhi2018 — Just outside the astrology building was a standalone structure which was a bath house. This is the waterfall into the bathing/steam room.

delhi2018 — The only other building on the Old Fort grounds is a very large mosque - the Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque.

delhi2018 — The single-domed Qila-i-Kuna Mosque, built by Sher Shah in 1541 is an excellent example of a pre-Mughal design, and an early example of the extensive use of the pointed arch in the region as seen in its five doorways with the 'true' horseshoe-shaped arches. It was designed as a Jami Mosque, or Friday mosque for the Sultan and his courtiers.

delhi2018 — The detail in the mosque is very pretty

delhi2018 — Little niche with a detailed arch

delhi2018 — White marble sculpted panels

delhi2018 — The mosque ceiling over the main room

delhi2018 — Sandstone carving - the wall is showing some wear.

delhi2018 — Arches in the mosque

delhi2018 — We then walked part of the Old Fort wall

delhi2018 — The southern gate in the Old Fort wall

delhi2018 — Then to the very pretty Lodi Gardens where among walking paths and a small lake are two very old buildings.

This is Shisha Gumbad ("Glass dome") which is an octagonal tomb built during the Lodi Period (1451-1526), which contains the remains of an unknown family, this was built during the reign of Sikander Lodi.

delhi2018 — Across from the tomb is the Bada Gumbad Mosque dated to 1494. This is detail of the decorations.

delhi2018 — Detail fo the blue tile used during the Lodi period as decoration

delhi2018 — Standing on the Bada Gumbad Mosque courtyard looking at the Shisha Gumbad Tomb

delhi2018 — Standing in the Bada Gumbad Mosque courtyard looking at the Shisha Gumbad Tomb

delhi2018 — Detail of the decoration in the Shisha Gumbad Tomb

delhi2018 — The Shisha Gumbad Tomb was so picturesque in the garden setting

After the gardens we headed to lunch and were exhausted so after lunch we called it quits. We were both so hot.

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Cal and VA | Adventures | Delhi, India

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Modified last on Aug 17, 2025, 11:14:45?AM