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Dates: January 8-12, 2000
A little background: For many, the name "Delhi" is synonymous with "India." This capital city, the transportation hub of the country, has been settled for around 2500 years, though a Hindu myth places it as the fabled city of Indraprastha over 3000 years ago. Never lacking for visitors, Delhi has seen seven major powers ruling its boundaries. The British got there in 1803 but didn't make it capital until 1911, and "New Delhi," the pride of the colonizers, was born. Now, with a population of over 10 million, its reputation as just one more polluted, overcrowded, developing country capital is verified by travelers passing through India's "gateway to the north." Imagine this: in only a decade Delhi's population has increased by over 50 percent. Least obvious are the economic benefits of this growth. Most obvious of is the increase in Delhi traffic. Old Delhi, once the capital of Muslim India, is filled with narrow streets, bazaars, forts, and mosques. New Delhi, as you might imagine, is all British order with tree-lined streets and showy government buildings. The Red Fort, New Delhi, the spice market, and the ancient Moghul garden, Shalimar Bagh, are some of the sights that will be reported on here, but the most popular excursion from Delhi is to nearby Agra and the famed Taj Mahal. Also explored will be several Internet projects. NIIT has its "hole in the wall" project going in a neighboring Delhi slum, where they've provided touch-screen Internet access literally via a hole in a brick wall. Global Tech Corps, a "hi-tech Peace Corps" type non-governmental organization, is putting the Internet in a local school. Also, a Delhi filmmaker who I met via the Journeywoman site's HERmail service is connecting me with NGOs that have projects in the country's interior. So expect a whirlwind of activity in Delhi! GO BACK TO DESTINATION |
