Today we explored Old Delhi. A tour that included the Jama Masjid mosque, a wholesale spice market, and a beautiful Sikh temple.
The adventure started at the Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in the city. More than 25,000 people come to this mosque to pray every Friday and their places are marked by sequential squares on the mosque floor. All women must wear a gown, which we were given just before entering, and no one is allowed to wear shoes. Had we been there for prayer, the women in our group would have been directed towards to wings, under the covered "walkways" you see in some of the pictures below. The open center is reserved for men, and inside is reserved for important political and religious leaders.
This particular mosque was commissioned by Shah Jahan, the same Mughal leader who built the Taj Mahal. He would pray in the balcony of the building, at the back of the plaza, seen in the picture below.
After leaving the Jama Masjid, we jumped on rickshaws and headed out into Old Delhi, toward a 400 year old wholesale spice market. I've included a video to give you a general idea of what it's like to ride through the streets here. Absolutely nuts!
The last stop of the day was at a Sikh temple, where we had to remove our socks and shoes and cover our heads with a small yellow scarf. As you enter the temple, you wash your feet in a small pool of water. There is music, chanting, and all kinds of color, gold in particular. Inside the temple, there are no signs of a God or religious figure, Sikhs believe the focus should be on the faith of the people you are praying with. The only "idol" of importance for them is their holy book, which rests on pillows beneath a solid gold awning.
What I found most impressive about the Sikhs is that they will feed anyone who walks in their door, for free. This particular temple serves over 800 kilos of food a day! (All vegetarian) Everyone working to prepare this food is volunteer. They come together, across all aspects of life, and contribute to the wellbeing of society around them. I was moved by how well Sikh followers seem to live their faith. The experience was both beautiful and humbling.
