Delhi is the national capital and is blessed with numerous monuments and has a beautiful amalgamation of all the cultures of the country. Delhiites, people who live in Delhi, are known for their carefree and fun-loving nature. They know how to enjoy the bits and pieces of life and having fun in Delhi is all about cheap thrills. Here is a guide on how to live like a local in Delhi.
8 Essential Steps on How To Be A Delhiite
1. Haggling at Sarojini Market
Shopping at malls and swiping your cards is convenient but have you ever been to Sarojini Nagar Market? You are surrounded by the noise of haggling, the smell of momos, vendors shouting their lungs out and too much crowd. This is the essence of Sarojini Nagar. I can safely say that there is not a single person in Delhi who has never been to Sarojini. The market is so full of life. The best part about making the purchases here is that you can haggle as much as you like and you can make huge savings.
2. Picnic at India Gate
India Gate is a war memorial extending across the Rajpath. It has many lawns in front of it. If you haven’t spend a sunny Sunday winter afternoon with your family on a picnic at India Gate, you are missing out on a lot. You could also plan it on a summer evening. There you can play, eat, sing, laugh and make memories for a lifetime. Also, a rain dance at India Gate is a must.
3. Love for Theatre
Every Sunday Delhiites are hooked over a play or a musical performance at Kamani or Siri Fort auditorium. Delhiites have a heart for theatre and art. This is the reason for the popularity of Kingdom of Dreams, the place is all about art and culture and a must-visit.
4. Rahagiri at Connaught Place
Rahagiri is a group initiative for people to come together on Sunday mornings, enjoy the fresh air and the traffic-free roads that are specially blocked for some hours and everyone cycles. People do yoga, dance, jamming, etc. It is something unusual to imagine sitting, sleeping, dancing on roads without any cars passing by.
5. Pocket Friendly Fashion
Delhiites love to flaunt their fashion but not everyone can afford the price of looking gorgeous. This leads to the popularity of markets like Janpath, Kamla Nagar Market, Dilli Haat, Shankar Market, Lajpat Nagar, Khan Market, Majnu ka Tila and many more.
6. The Culinary Capital
Delhiites are big foodies. ‘Chhole Bhature’, ‘Rajma Chawal’, ‘Momos’, ‘Chowmein’, ‘Biryani’ and ‘Parahthas’ are the weakness of every Delhiite. The ‘Paranthe wali Gali of Chandni Chowk’ is famous throughout the country. ‘Dolma Aunty’s Momos’, ‘Baba Nagpal’s ‘Chhole Bhature’, ‘Jain Chawal Wale’s ‘Rajma Chawal’ are the places you should not miss. These are the blissful blessings for your mouth and it’s your loss to miss it.
7. Passion For Photography
Humayun’s tomb, Lodhi art district, Jama Masjid and Qutub Minar are not just tourist destinations. For you, these are the places to showcase your passion for photography.
8. National Zoological Park
There is no Delhiite out there who does not have a fond memory of spending a chilly Sunday morning roaming inside the zoological park and eating strawberry flavored softy. Also, this memory brings the nostalgia of throwing tantrums at your parents and telling them how tired you are of walking and want to take the electric bus which takes visitors from one spot to the other.
Other special traits of Delhiites include using cuss words in at least 10-15 conversations in a day, even the thought of taking the metro from Rajiv Chowk metro station scares us and our lungs are comfortable with pollution. Also, we have inexplicable cravings for ‘Gol Gappas.’ Yes, that is right, it is not pani puri or pani ke batashe or puchka or gup chup. It is called ‘GOL GAPPE.’ Period.
Which state do you belong to and what do you love about it? Let us know in the comments below.