A Guide to Indian Street Food: Vadodara Edition

Wally, George, Manvi and Duke stuffing themselves silly on all-you-can-eat thali

We have thali with the prettiest transsexual in Gujarat and sample paan, gulab jamun, pani puri and jelabi.

George took us to the offices of two NGOs, Lakshya Trust and Project Pehchān. The staff had just sat down to lunch to share some tiffin that had been delivered. They were so sweet, offering some to us. 

But we had other plans. We invited two hijra to join us for lunch, but Angeli had just had a sex change operation (she had her testicles removed; the penis would be a later surgery) and was on a strict diet of food she had to prepare at home to prevent infection. So the gorgeous Manvi joined us. 

“I’ve never been very good at spitting. The reddish-brown fluid left my mouth in sloppy, staccato bursts.”

thali

We walked down the street to experience the Gujarati version of thali, which George called "Indian tapas." 

We were seated at a table, where four round stainless steel trays were placed in front of us, each holding four small ramekins.

We had barely been there for 30 seconds before the servers, each bearing one item, began to fill our ramekins with food — which they will do continuously until you ask them to stop. We stuffed ourselves silly.

The meal included: 

• Roti
• Moong dal
• Curries
• Chana masala
• Sabzi

It was all washed down with chaas, a buttermilk drink.

gulab jamun

For dessert we tried gulab jamun, which are balls of deep-fried ricotta-like cheese soaked in a sugary syrup and flavored with green cardamom and rose water.

paan

After lunch, George took us to a stall where we tried a traditional digestive known as paan.

It was quite the production and fun to watch. The paan vendor spread a seemingly absurd amount of ingredients onto a moist betel leaf, including:

• Rosewater jam
• Mint
• Camphor
• Tobacco
• Rajsi gulab (cardamom seed pieces coated with silver — yes, actual silver!)

He folded these into compact triangular pouches that you pop into your mouth, gently chew and suck the insides out. The sensation was odd — like chewing a waxy tree leaf with an astringent, menthol wood-mulch filling.

The act produces an ample amount of saliva, which you're meant to expectorate. I’ve never been very good at spitting. The reddish-brown fluid left my mouth in sloppy, staccato bursts.

pani puri, or golgappas

The sidewalk that surrounds Sursugar Lake in the middle of Baroda is truncated. It would suddenly disappear, forcing us to walk amidst the chaotic traffic of auto rickshaws, cars and mopeds.

A 120-foot-tall statue of Lord Shiva stands at the center of the lake.

As we started our circumambulation, we saw a small billboard atop the Art Deco façade of the Pratap Cinema that displayed the peculiarly titled action movie Baby.

When we had almost gone all the way around the lake, we stopped at a street vendor selling a popular street sweet called pani puri, or golgappas.

This is one of George's favorite snacks and he treated us to the tiny, spherical fried puffs, which are briefly submerged in flavored coconut water, popped in the mouth and eaten whole.

jalebi

To complete our Gujarati culinary tour, George also took us to a sweet shop where we purchased jalebi, a traditional Indian sweet similar to a funnel cake. It's made with whole-wheat flour and is soaked in sugar syrup. Saffron in color, they're compact, coil-shaped, glossy and sweet. –Duke

The Pishtaco of Peru

A publication on the Peruvian monster, the pishtaco

Why one of the world’s creepiest vampire legends lingers to this day.

While hiking the Inca Trail in Peru, we heard stories about the monster that haunts the Andes: the pishtaco.

Despite its goofy moniker, there’s nothing funny about this vampiric creature. Its name comes from the local Quechua word pishtay, which means to behead, slit the throat or cut into slices.

“Pishtacos lure their victims into the depths of the jungle, where they…wait for it…suck out and feast upon their body fat.”

That should give you an idea what this monster does to its victims. But that’s not all.

It’s described as looking suspiciously like a white man who’s sometimes seen wearing a broad-rimmed hat.

Our guides would tell us to be wary and not to follow any strangers down a mountain path at night, for pishtacos lure their victims into the depths of the jungle, where they…wait for it…suck out and feast upon their body fat.

The legend probably derives from the arrival of the conquistadors — lighter-skinned invaders rumored to kill locals for their prized body fat.

“The first written account of pishtacos — or at least of a belief in pishtaco-like behavior — comes from the 16th century,” Daniel Engber writes on Slate. “The priest Cristóbal de Molina, a scholar of native languages and Incan culture, described a certain squeamishness among the natives living around Cuzco. They wouldn’t even deliver firewood to a Spanish home, he wrote in 1571, for fear of being killed and having their fat used as a remedy for some foreign disease.”

A retablo depicting the horrific work of the pishtaco

Modern-Day Pishtacos

Belief in the pishtaco lingers to this day. In fact, it’s been reported that the Andean people have rejected food aid, thinking it’s a ruse to plump them up to steal their fat. Honestly, from what I saw of them, their diet, which mainly consists of various varieties of potatoes, is doing a fine job of that all by itself.

A good deal of the blame lies with a gang of villains caught in 2009. The tale that arose was later considered a hoax or governmental cover-up — but it sure makes for a good ghost story.

The gang members hunted in the jungles of Huánuco, luring or kidnapping up to 60 victims, who were bludgeoned and beheaded.

Then came the grisly part: They’d hang the corpses upside-down and use candles below to melt off the bodies’ fat, which was collected in empty Inca Kola bottles. The human fat they collected was supposedly sold to supply the European beauty market.

Gathered around a campfire along the Inca Trail, far from civilization, it was easy to imagine figures lurking at the edges of the trees. We didn’t even consider investigating. –Wally

Laxmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara

Laxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara, India, as seen from the back gardens

One of the must-see places to visit in Vadodara, India.

 

When we awoke early the following morning, the nearby ashram was playing devotional music, which George says is the same every day. Somehow there is something soothing in these sounds, paired with the way the light filtered through the window, a pink lemonade sun rising beside a lone radio tower.

Our first stop of the day was the Laxmi Vilas Palace. Home to the Gaekwad dynasty, the surname supposedly roughly translates to “cow door.” Or maybe “protector of cows.”

“Mant committed suicide for fear that he had got his calculations wrong and that the place would fall down.”

We stopped at the reception desk to pick up audio guides and met Avanish Pawal. He asked where we were from, as a relative of his is working in Milwaukee as an interior designer. He informed us that a few of the rooms were closed to the public because there was a photography shoot in progress.

We began our tour by viewing the palace from the garden, with its European-style statues, including a beautifully carved peacock urn.

Commissioned by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the palace’s original design was by architect Major Charles Mant, but was finished by Robert Fellowes Chisholm in 1890 after Mant committed suicide for fear that he had got his calculations wrong and that the place would fall down.

Duke and Wally in front of Laxmi Vilas Palace, a highlight of Vadodara, India

The palace was erected in Indo-Saracenic style — a fusing of traditional Indian design elements, Mughal Empire Saracenic style and Gothic Revival, which were favored by both Mant and Chisholm.

Local tradition holds that it was the most expensive private building constructed anywhere in the world during the 19th century.

At the time of construction, its interiors were considered quite modern, resembling a European estate with such amenities as elevators.

Part of the ground floor is open to the public. However, photography of the interior is prohibited.

One of the highlights for me was the armory, which displayed an impressive collection of swords, maces and claw-like weapons designed to fit over the knuckles called bagh naka, which means “tiger’s claw” in Hindi.

We didn’t get to see Durbar Hall, as it was closed for an elaborate photography shoot. But we did get to enjoy the Italianate courtyard with its marble statuary and water fountains just outside of it.

Gorgeous interior courtyard at Laxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara, India

If there’s one attraction to see in Vadodara (commonly known as Baroda), this is it. –Duke

American Expats Tell What It’s Really Like to Live in Paris

Kent and Michael, our Parisian expat correspondents

What do Parisians really think about Americans? What are the secret spots in Paris? Have things changed since the terror attacks?

Kent and Michael are a couple from the United States who have been living in Paris for years. They’ve been together for over a decade, despite being total opposites. Kent thrives on different cultures and loves travel. Michael has a caustic wit and enjoys the comfort and convenience of American society.

I decided to pose some questions to them both about what it’s like being an expat in gay Paree.

“Fat, middle-aged couples who dress like they are going on a hike talking loudly. You can spot them a mile away.”

“Kent’s answers are long and heartfelt,” Michael says. “I’m sure they will totally work in this snap-snap, in-your-face world we live in. She loves your questions.”

Then: “Let me drink my wine first. Je suis près [I’m ready].” –Wally

The lovely couple celebrating Halloween on the Paris Métro

What’s your favorite thing about Paris? 

Kent: My favorite thing about Paris is that no matter how often you visit or how long you lived here, there is always something new to discover, whether a neighborhood, restaurant, venue, etc. Like our most recent find last summer was a watering hole called Ground Control: a deserted train junction converted into an open-air beer and wine garden on the north side of Paris.

Michael: It’s like being stuck in the 1970s but you can have a smartphone. 

What’s the dumbest thing Parisians do? 

Kent: Restaurants often make you share menus. Waiting in line is really pushing and shoving in a crowd.

Michael: It’s a tie. They complain about air conditioning being environmentally bad, but then in winter they use electric heaters to heat the outside. Also they think AC causes diseases. 

Have things changed since the terror attacks? 

Kent: The only thing you really notice since the attacks are more armed military guards on post at certain locations. Otherwise, life seems to continue as it was. The week after the Bataclan attack, we ate at a fantastic Italian restaurant owned by Italians that was mobbed like any other weekend. It was literally steps from one of the restaurants that was attacked.

Michael: Have things changed since the terror attacks? Not like in the U.S. Days after, everyone was out. They defy, unlike Americans, who watch media that spins them into an uneducated hate frenzy. There are men with machine guns all over…like Tel Aviv.

How do American tourists act in Paris? 

Kent: American tourists indeed live up to their stereotypes, often not adapting to the local culture. Most stereotypes apply: Americans tend not to make efforts to speak French and expect everyone to speak English. Parisians may or may not find this a bit arrogant. If a Parisian is a little younger and travelled, he or she will tend to be open to speaking English and even showing off their language skills.

Americans also tend to be loud. The normal indoor or even outdoor voice used by the French tends to be several levels lower than a standard American range. So what seems like normal talking levels is actually quite a bit louder to the locals.

You see this a lot in restaurants where a table of Americans draws some disparaging looks from neighboring French who obviously consider the voice volumes a bit obnoxious. The Americans tend to be oblivious.

Also, Parisians can call out the American tourists by the way they dress. Middle-class families tend to wear comfortable, non-fashionable jeans with braided belts, docksiders or sneakers with sports backpacks and/or huge purses.

Michael: Fat, middle-aged couples who dress like they are going on a hike talking loudly. You can spot them a mile away. Khakis or casual shorts or jeans with Nike running shoes or those lesbian-looking shoes from The Walking Company.

Most useful French phrase? 

Kent: Key phrase: At a restaurant, to get a waiter’s attention, one should say “S’il vous plaît!” Not so much “Excusez-moi.”

Michael: Sucez-moi? [a polite way to say, “Suck me”]

What do Parisians really think about Americans? 

Kent: Overall, Parisians have a love/hate relationship with Americans. Some idealize the U.S.: 24-hour stores, more conveniences, friendlier people (especially in customer service), better opportunities, better income…

Other Parisians see the negative side: lack of culture and history, and a more soulless, capitalistic way of life.

Michael: They bitch how fat and uncultured we are but take pics of a Reese’s end cap at a store like it was the Empire State Building and watch all our TV shows and movies. We are the popular kid they hate but want to know.

Best secret spot in Paris?

Kent: The longstanding Andy Wahloo restaurant that is like eating at your crazy uncle’s mansion, complete with secret smoking rooms you can only access through a secret door of a hallway wardrobe.

Michael: Chez moi. Je blague [I joke]. Um…Rosa Bonheur [a bar in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont]. It always pleases tourists, straight or gay, when we bring them.

How Europe Recovers From Terrorist Attacks

Life returns to normal astonishingly quickly for Europe — and Brussels was no exception

AN UPDATE FROM A TRAVELER IN BELGIUM THE DAY AFTER THREE BOMBINGS KILLED OVER 30 PEOPLE.

Here’s a special report from Belgium the day after the terrorist bombings at the airport and train station killed more than three dozen people and wounded hundreds more.

I'm in Brussels right now at the train station. As a train passenger, I can tell that it is amazing how quickly the Europeans get back to their normal schedules after such deplorable events.

“Even some jokes have been exchanged about the event.
It’s never “too soon.””

Apart from the military personnel on the quais, today is a travel day like any other. The train from Amsterdam was relatively full — no noticeable security enhancements either. We just boarded as always with our luggage.

People were calm, smiling and doing what they do on any other day. Even some jokes have been exchanged with colleagues, train and hotel personnel and fellow passengers about the event. It's never “too soon,” as the attitude is to move forward and carry on as before without letting anything disrupt normal behavior. Humor is never irreverent but a simple act of defiance to the recent attacks.

In short, life goes on…immediately. –Kent

MORE FROM KENT: American Expats Tell What’s It’s Really Like to Live in Paris

Our First Night in Baroda, India

Wally visiting his friend George, an American expat now living in India

Wherein we travel to Vadodara, meet Prakash and learn a secret gay greeting.

 

Maps will tell you the city is now known as Vadodara (pronounced "Va-doh-dra")  — but most everyone we mentioned the name to just stared at us, blinking uncomprehendingly, until we followed up with, "Baroda." 

"Ah, yes, Baroda." 

“It translates to something like “I touch (or kiss) your feet.””

Flying High With IndiGo Airlines

We took the no-frills airline IndiGo for our flight to Baroda.

They have two ramps — one in the front and one in the back — which made boarding a smooth, pleasant experience.

Their cheeky in-flight magazine is called Hello 6E (which we imagine is a play upon "hello, sexy").

Not only was the flight on time, a testament to IndiGo's commitment to punctuality, the plane interior was clean and comfortable.

How to Greet Gays in India

Our host George met us at the airport and we headed for his apartment, located in the Ellora Park district, via a green and yellow auto rickshaw. He lives in what he described as a middle-class apartment complex and pays $160 a month for rent.

As we caught up, George told us that his friend Prakash was stopping by to meet us and taught us a phrase adopted by the Gujarati gay community. It's borrowed from the hijra (India's transsexuals) and is pronounced, "Pah-ga lah-goo." It translates to something like "I touch (or kiss) your feet." To really impress the person you meet, you drag out the last syllable so it's something like, "Pah-ga lah-goooooooooo!"

Prakash is employed by an NGO and distributes condoms and safe-sex literature. He has a soft, round, feminine face, with a touch of gloss on his full lips and perfectly plucked eyebrows, framed by dark, slightly wavy hair. This may explain why some men perceive him as hijra. He belongs to Dalit, the lowest caste, considered untouchable.

He's a total sweetheart and helps George out as a sort of assistant. We learned that the name Prakash means "light" in Hindi.

Our bringer of "light" was also quite a character. 

"Justin Bieber" — which he pronounced "Bay-burr" — "is my boyfriend," he said, smiling naughtily, "and Obama is my husband." –Duke

How to Enjoy Feria

The fairgrounds in Sevilla, Spain during Feria are filled with women in flamenco dresses

The annual spring festival is one of the most fun things to do in Seville, Spain. Follow these seven tips.

Our first clue was the flamenco dresses. They were everywhere.

Duke and I happened to be in Sevilla, Spain for its spring festival, Feria. The six-day celebration takes place two weeks after Semana Santa, Easter Holy Week. Instead of creepy parades of men in colored robes with pointy hats, Feria is a nonstop party.

“You can drink all night, maintaining a steady but slight buzz, without getting so drunk you pass out.”

Here’s how best to take part in the festivities of Feria:

Couples all dolled up for Feria walk the streets of Sevilla

Treat yourself to a flamenco dress.

As I mentioned, anywhere you go in Sevilla during this time, you’ll see women and girls of all ages wearing flamenco dresses. The traditional flamenco is black, white and/or red with polka dots (traje de lunares), finished with dramatic ruffles that start above the knees and cascade down to the hem. While there are modern versions in all sorts of colors, the basic silhouette doesn’t change.

The dress originated in the Gypsy, or Roma, community in Andalusia in the south of Spain.

To complete the outfit, some women put their hair into a bun, drape a fringed shawl over their shoulders, and place a flower behind their ear or atop their head. And don’t forget the fans that can be opened with a dramatic snap!

I thought it was great to see all sorts of people respecting their local heritage and donning a flamenco dress. You can imagine kids in the United States being too cool for school and not wanting to play along. But it seemed as if in Sevilla, everyone joined in the fun.

Women in flamenco dresses are common sights in Sevilla during Feria

Befriend some locals.

Easier said than done, I know. But it’s your only ticket into the most exclusive parties during Feria, the casetas.

We lucked out. Our friend Dan was living in Sevilla and hooked us up with a caseta party.

This is what happens inside those Feria casetas. All night long

Lined up along the extensive fairgrounds, beneath strands of colored lights are more than 1,000 tent-like structures known as casetas, literally, “little houses.”

Prominent families, groups of friends, businesses and other groups own these coveted temporary structures.

People pay a great deal for a caseta, so they want to make sure they get their money’s worth, Dan told us.

The Feria fairgrounds, with a line of casetas, where the real parties take place

Be ready to stay up late.

Dan and his friends partied every night during Feria, dancing until the wee hours — and then going to work with very little to no sleep.

Try the official drink.

At the back of the tents are a small bar and kitchenette.

We drank a refreshing concoction call rebujito — a mixture of a lemon-lime soft drink and the sherry the region is famous for. (“This isn’t your grandmother’s cooking sherry,” our friend Jo assured us.)

Where does rebujito get its name? When I asked at the party, someone twirled his finger in the air and said it meant “round and round.”

It actually comes from the diminutive of the verb rebujar. So technically I suppose it means something like “little messes”?

No matter its origin, the 50/50 ratio means you can drink all night, maintaining a steady but slight buzz, without getting so drunk you pass out. After all, participants need to dance till dawn — and then put in a day’s work.

Be sure to eat the tapas — even if it's pig cheeks.

The only food that was passed around was a tapa in a brown sauce covering a mystery meat. When we asked what it was, someone said, “pig” and grabbed their cheek.

We might not necessarily be inclined to try pig cheek, but hunger can work wonders to lower one’s culinary inhibitions. Duke and I grabbed a toothpick each and plopped the app into our mouths.

We gave each other the raised-eyebrow, not-bad nod and grabbed some more.

It wasn't until we had returned to the States and I stopped into Publican Quality Meats one lunch break that I discovered what exactly pig cheek looks like when it’s not drowning in sauce.

The butcher pointed at a thick strip of fat.

“That’s pig cheek?” I asked.

He nodded, adding that the restaurant often uses it instead of bacon.

I honestly couldn't see even a thin vein of meat within all that fat.

“Well, no wonder we liked it so much,” I sighed.

Cristina and Duke dance the Sevillana

Learn the local dance.

Even though we hardly spoke any Spanish, and hardly any of them spoke English, we found most people in our caseta friendly. Cristina, a gorgeous woman who was there with her girlfriend, taught Duke how to dance the Sevillana, the city’s local dance.

She somehow led Duke while also giving him directional hints with a simple nod of her head. Watching them twirl around the dance floor, you’d never know it was Duke’s first go at a Sevillana. He and Cristina seemed to have a psychic link.

Wander the carnival.

After too many pig cheeks and not enough rebujitos, Duke and I decided to take our leave. We left the caseta to wander the fairgrounds. One whole section houses amusement park rides and a midway with games. This area, for some reason, is called Calle de Infierno, or Hell Street.

If you find yourself in Sevilla in early spring, try to time your visit to coincide with Feria. It’s a spectacle worth being a part of — if only for the flamenco dresses. –Wally 

Mehrauli Archeological Park: Delhi's Hidden Gem

Wally overcame his fear of heights to shimmy along narrow ledges at the Rajon Ki Baoli stepwell in Mehrauli Archeological Park

An ancient stepwell in the jungle is one of Delhi's lesser-known attractions.

Talk about off the beaten path — even our driver had to ask directions to find Mehrauli Archeological Park. But it's a fun adventure, especially the stepwell.

The park lies beyond the Qutb Minar complex and was the site of the first urban settlement in Delhi.

“One false step, and you could plummet to almost certain demise.”

We drove through a slum, taking a dirt road and arriving at Rajon Ki Baoli, a stepwell built by Dalat Khan during the reign of Sikander Lodi in 1516.

Duke at the Rajon Ki Baoli stepwell in Mehrauli Archeological Park

Rajon Ki Baoli

The remains of ancient hydraulic systems, stepwells were of special importance as a source of water, a place to socialize and provide relief during extreme summer heat.

Wally in the mosque atop the stepwell

We stepped into the cool recess of one of the porticoes located near the perimeter ledge and made our ascent up a pitch-black, narrow flight of stairs, the walls smoothened from the passing of a thousand hands. We arrived at a landing, which included a small, elevated tomb and mosque. Its inner walls contained marks of vandalism etched into the walls.

Warning: If you suffer from vertigo, like Wally, you could be at risk here. There aren't any guardrails, and some of the paths are narrow. One false step, and you could plummet to almost certain demise.

Jamali-Kamali Mosque

After we visited the stepwell, our driver took us to the Jamali-Kamali Mosque. Local lore holds that banished djinn haunt the mosque and converse with passersby in animal voices.

There's not a lot to see here. But two security guards unlocked an iron gate and led us to a rooftop courtyard, which included a mausoleum ornamented with the remains of cobalt blue-colored tile and some unmarked cenotaphs.

After we had a good look around, they led us back out, and we realized they were expecting baksheesh (a tip) as a reward.

Metcalf's Canopy

Built in 1850 by Charles Metcalf as an architectural folly — an ornamental structure intended to look old — Metcalf's Canopy sits atop a small grassy hill and overlooks the Jamali-Kamali Mosque.

While here we saw a couple being filmed. We didn't know if it was a scene from a Bollywood movie or an elaborate engagement video. 

Another highlight: We saw three puppies pile together to bask in the sunlight and take an afternoon nap. –Duke

“Local lore holds that banished djinn haunt the mosque and converse with passersby in animal voices.”

Haint Blue Porch Paint

My parents painted the ceiling of their front porch haint blue, a tradition in the Lowcountry

Tired of evil spirits raiding your home? Victim of vengeful ghosts? Try haint blue! 

No one wants to share their home with angry, vengeful spirits. And that's exactly what haints are.

These ghosts are trapped somewhere between the worlds of the living and the dead. Needless to say, that makes them grumpy.

“Gullahs paint the ceilings of their porches a pale blue to keep away pesky poltergeists.”

Gullahs, the descendants of African slaves who worked the plantations of Georgia and South Carolina, found a clever way to exploit the spirits' one weakness: They cannot cross water.

Rather than digging a moat around every one of their homes, they decided to trick the haints. 

By taking lime, milk and some odd pigments, and mixing them up in a pit, the Gullahs ended up with a pale blue color. They used to this to paint the ceilings of their porches to keep away the pesky poltergeists.

Sure enough, it fooled the haints, who believed they couldn't cross the threshold and found another home to haunt. 

As a bonus, wasps, too, get tricked, local superstition has it. They supposedly mistake haint blue for the sky and build their nests elsewhere.

The tradition lives on today in the South. My mother has painted the ceiling of her front porch and sunroom a lovely haint blue.

As for sinister spirits of the dead? Haint no spirits here! –Wally

Exploring the Qutb Minar Complex

The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque in the Qutb Minar complex features columns from pillaged Hindu and Jain temples.

A must-see attraction in Delhi, these towers and mosques feature aspects of Hindu, Jain and Islamic architecture.

We had a great time wandering the Qutb Minar complex one afternoon. Here we break down the various parts.

Alai Minar

We ate lunch on the low stone wall that faced the Alai Minar, an enormous grooved stump of lime mortar and rubble masonry that reminded me of smaller version of the Devils Tower National Monument.

“Anyone who can stand with his or her back to the pillar and link their hands behind it will be blessed with good fortune. ”

The unfinished monument, looming 80 feet above the landscape, was the Muslim ruler Ala-ud-din Khilj's failed grand attempt to build a tower twice the height of the Qutb Minar. Through an opening in the rubble, you can see the inner core, around which the staircase would have been built.

Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque

We passed through a pillared colonnade built from the inventive reuse of pillaged temples that had previously existed on the site and entered the Indo-Islamic Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque. An inscription on the eastern portal states that the structure was built with material from 27 demolished Hindu and Jain temples.

Elaborate pillars stolen from other religions' temples now decorate the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque.

Fragments of friezes depicting humans, animals and deities can be seen incorporated into the structure. Many of these motifs appear out of place, what with the Islamic tendency to find human depictions blasphemous, relying instead on geometric pattern. Perhaps these were used as a political statement of the people they conquered.

Standing within the courtyard of the mosque is a curious, virtually corrosion-free 35-foot iron pillar that dates back to the 4th century CE. It bears an inscription stating that it was erected as a flagstaff in honor of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Popular tradition holds that anyone who can stand with his or her back to the pillar and link their hands behind it will be blessed with good fortune. However, a fence erected in 1997 now keeps fortune-seekers away, likely put in place to prevent damage to the column from sweat — which contains a high amount of salt that acts as a corrosive agent.

Qutb-Minar

Next to the mosque is the Qutb-Minar in red and buff sandstone. We thought perhaps that we would not be able to get a decent picture of the tower due to the amount of haze. However, moving to the opposite side, the foggy gloom miraculously disappeared, and we were able to take some beautiful shots.

The Qutb Minar tower

Qutb-ud-din Aibak erected the tallest brick minaret in the world in 1193 after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom. It was constructed to celebrate the victory of Mughal armies over the Hindu rulers. It has five distinct levels, each decorated differently, with a small balcony separating them.

Having recently read William Dalrymple's City Of Djinns, I could not find a more suitable description than his “like a fully extended telescope placed lens-down on a plateau in the Aravalli hills.”

Wally wanted to know why the tower was closed. I had read that there was some sort of stampede, where a bunch of people got trampled trying to exit en masse.

Alai Darwaza

Originally conceived as one of four grand gates to the mosque, the Alai Darwaza was the only structure to be completed. The domed gateway is decorated with red sandstone and contrasting white marble bands carved with calligraphic inscriptions.

The red sandstone and white marble façade of the Alai Darwaza Mosque in the Qutb Minar complex

Visitors leave the Alai Darwaza Mosque in the shadow of the Qutb Minar.

We entered the vaulted space, which is punctuated by intricately carved stone jali screens. Dust motes floated in the bright, pervasive sunlight as it passed through, casting star-shaped patterns onto the gate interior. It's an impressive sight.

If we had to choose between the Red Fort and Qutb Minar, we’d take this complex any day. –Duke