Delhi Day two

We drove past the parliament which has over 500 representatives - there are seven from Delhi and that is who they are voting for today.

There is heightened security and we cannot go and have a close look.

Next we head for a Sikh temple, and we have a chai marsala in a cute little clay pot. We pass the "Turban Training School" and the "Turban-Borrowing Bank" We enter the temple suitably garbed, but photography is not allowed, which is a shame as there is so much colour, and also loud chanting.

Grounds to the Sikh temple look lovely

Waru has a few pieces to eat as well

Duncan was not a fan of Chai Marsala - I quite liked it.

Our turban substitute

Gosh that look takes me back to chemo days.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is at the side of the temple and they feed 10,000 people a day, with three sittings, morning, afternoon and night. The food and the labour is all voluntary. Anyone can volunteer, and anyone can eat here as the Sikhs believe that to serve another human being is to serve God.

Not sure if this guy was blind, but he seemed to be chopping up a whole bag of onions by himself without looking

These ladies were chopping eggplant

The mats are laid out over the marble floor

Lunch is nearly ready

Huge pots! a slightly smaller one for the rice.

In the distance of this next photo you can see some volunteers helping to roll the roti. This required you to sit cross-legged, so I think I could have possibly managed to roll one before getting cramp.

The man in the purple turban cooks side one 

The next lady flips them over

The lady in blue flicks them into a basket when they are cooked.

Waru is a bit frustrated that all the shops and some of the attractions are closed due to the elections - so the only thing to do was to alter the tour to include the elections. each person has an identity card, and a residential card to say which district they can vote in. Schools are closed for the day, and schoolteachers are required to man the booths and check the cards. Voting is electronic and as you leave the booth they draw an indelible purple mark on your thumbnail so that you cannot vote twice.

These ladies are teachers

Security is very high

Waru tricks me into asking the guard who he voted for - of course he is not allowed to say. There is much laughter!! (??) Next we head off to the markets.  We got on board our rickshaw and he pedalled off to the street which specialises in firecrackers - needless to say they are not allowed to sell fire crackers during the election.

Fire cracker street - also went down the bridal street (shut, but some pretty window displays

Still selling vegetables though

Think this was Nehru - but the pigeon on his head made a full identification impossible

Waru organised for us to drive down the Optical Market Strret. Variety Optics was closed for the day.

We have a terrifying ride through the lanes and alleys of Chandi Chowk as the rickshaw does not have a horn, so he just shouts Halloo, Halloo as he weaves amongst motorbikes, pedestrians, tuk tuks and cars

Once back at the hotel, we eye up Jantar Mantar across the road. Because it is a quiet day we think we might attempt to cross the road. Yes!! we make it across. There is some hold-up at the ticket office as it cannot accept Duncan's card. We must pay cash - but the cash price is more expensive than the card price. Duncan's got this though and insists we just pay the cheaper price. A "wobble" of the head, and we get our tickets. This is an astronomical observatory built in 1723 and there are 5 more spread throughout India.

The gnomon of the sundial 

This is the other side of the gnomen.

Loved this! It is a Yantra It has 30 sectors and the stars could be recorded in each sector throughout the year

Eclipses, planets and comets could also be tracked

The Misra Yanta told the shortest and longest day of the year, and the time of noon. Not quite sure how this works.

That night we go to a restaurant not far from the hotel. It purports to be the home of Butter Chicken. I know we have only been here a few days, but already I am very sceptical about the Indian tendency to stretch the truth. Thank goodness for Google. Yes Butter Chicken was invented in Dehli - just not at this restaurant. Yes we can get a glass of wine after 6pm - just not at this restaurant.

We were surprised that the green stuff, while minty, was also incredibly hot. Limited the picked onion intake!