Discovering Delhi - The Muddy highway and the Forgotten mines - The wrong Turn

It started with a Quest to find the “Hell” lake with the help of Maps and GPS locaters but nothing worked out as planned, though what we found was not bad either, rather exciting. After deciding on where to go we finally made up our minds for the Lakes Hidden somewhere in the Aravali Ridge Area near Haryana-Delhi border. They are called Hell lakes for some reason, may be cos of rumors that it claims 100 deaths. But anyways we never made it.

So loaded with our “Directional Sources” we finally found this turn opposite to this famous institute. And we took this turn and came across this Police Check Post right in the beginning. We thought it ll be nice to Inquire about the lakes so we got down. Suddenly looking at the cop and the dog with a deep Scar on its face…flashes of ‘Texas Chainsaw massacre came onto my mind’. The cop was alone and was preparing to cook something. He was least expecting that someone would just enter the Post. He surely got startled and irritated. Initially he said it’s not allowed to go there. But it was clear he didn’t know where the Hell was the lake. So after telling him we are professional Photographers he said “Go find yourself”.

So we carried on our ride through this Forest…a muddy highway under construction. Trucks loading and unloading, after regular lapses workers on the road could be seen under hot sun and on hot tar roads. No one knew about any Lake. Even if they knew it turned out to be something else. After coming across dump-yards and graveyards for animals we thought of giving it up and go for Asola Wildlife Sanctuary. But somehow we kept on going with little bit of Hope left and came across a roadside Dhaba probably for the truck drivers. We had tea and cigarettes there. The dhaba owner seemed to be a nice guy so naturally we made our last inquiry. It turned out even he didn’t know of any lakes but he knew about the old mines just behind the dhaba.

Now that was exciting, suddenly it was a new spark and filled us with curiosity again.

We finished our tea and straightway followed the small paths into the forest behind the dhaba. Wow and there it was, a Big, vast pit in front of us. A glimpse of monitor lizard hiding behind the bushes, skull of a monkey, almost like a human skull. The place gave me an impression of some Horror flick on the lines of “The hills have eyes”.

We learned that the mines were abandoned way back and were left like this after the mining was banned. So now its just huge rocks, Hills and Jungles and you can feel the animals peeping from behind the rocks and shrubs and hiding away before you can see them. You can imagine any kind of animal there and it won’t be a surprise. Miles and miles of rocks and jungles spread in that area. It was a treat. I was wondering if that area was ever explored for its Mysterious animals. May be or may be not.

I wonder if we will find the Lake…but this place was worth discovering. But would love to explore this place more next time and set the base camp at the Dhaba. What say?

Paule'

Discovering Delhi - The Locals - The Red Colony.

When you stumble Upon a Place you always wanted to go.

You can call it a Haunted Colony, a strange place, or a Graveyard of Red Buildings.

But for me it was an unforgettable experience in a local area. I remember crossing this place a lot of times. While coming back from college around 4 o clock the sunlight would reflect on the windows of these abandoned red flats. And it would look like an Afternoon ghost staring right into your eyes standing still as death. I promised myself when I have a camera I’ll surely click and explore this place.

Abandoned, stuff written on walls, I could see a framed scenery through the window in one of the rooms, The contrast of red outsides and light blue insides and again the blue sky. The “Red” sandwiched between the blue and blue. People say it’s a den for illegal activities and junkies.

There is certainly life around it. Buildings opposite to it with normal houses and normal lives. But this small area…it seems life has been snatched out it…some 200-300 flats and the most surprising part is there are still some families living, Probably 20 of them. I was taken by surprise as I saw a women staring at me from one out the windows. My heart skipped a beat…Other than that there are rotting walls and streets. Pigs. Dogs. Cows.

Would surely like to go there again some other day…or may be at night.

Paule'

Discovering Delhi - Tughlaqabad Fort

If you want to know...you can surely find the factual description about this place in Wikipedia...but this one is mine...

But for now it was totally a new Discovery and yes worth paying a visit. Not very far from the Hustle-Bustle of Delhi, This place looks like a fossil of some giant creature once lived and moved. Scattered bones in some barren Desert. Its Old…rather Ancient. Older than the Old Fort.

I don’t know any History about this place, but its fascinating how big it is and how it must have been…lively with thousands of people some 700 yrs back. Standing in the middle of that place, even for a while if you try to imagine...its very difficult to imagine. There is hardly anything left…other than stones, walls and the over growth.

Well there are other animals who rule the place now. All you can feel is the presence of bats inside the underground corridors and the very obvious presence of Monkeys (rhesus macaque) controlling and guarding their territory within the fort. They are the real rulers there now. And off course there are other hidden animals. You see marks and signs of their existence and imagine them coming out at night waiting silently for their prey.

When you reach the rooftop or some old damaged Minar, on one side you ll see a monkey sitting on the highest Minar Patrolling and on the other side you ll see the guards with their sticks sitting and keeping a watch, and when you overlook you ll see new colonies merging into the fort. And on the opposite site you ll see the last remaining Jungles of Asola Wildlife Sanctuary.

It’s a nice place to go. Its worth spending a day there. Even if you go there without any expectations, you will surely come back with some questions. At least I felt it.

Paule'

Discovering Delhi - Old Delhi (under construction)

Jama Masjid , Old Delhi.