After going to bed way too early again, I was wide awake at 4am. Getting off to an early start is kind of nice is Delhi as it can be rather hectic during peak times. I arrived at Qutub Minar well before the crowds.

Minar is the same as minaret (the towers of a mosque) and this complex was built in the 1100’s by a Persian conqueror. Materials from a demolished Hindu temple were used but in accordance with Muslim law, the faces were scratched off before incorporating them into the structure.

The front ticket office tried to hustle me a little – saying the audio tour wasn’t available and that I should hire a tour guide. Using some Hindi and patience, I was given an audio kit shortly after. I meandered around for a couple hours listening to the great audio guide and by the time I left, the crowds were piling in.

Foreigners, including myself of course, are always amused at the abundance of cows on India’s streets. They roam around freely and are revered by Hindus, thus ensuring their safety and care.

I walked over to Mehrauli archaeological park which was pleasantly deserted. Mughal tombs from the 1400’s dot the park and wild peacocks wander around.

After lunch and a quick recharge at my hotel, I went on a mission to find the grave of John Nicholson, a British General who had a major role in suppressing the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857.

William Dalrympyl wrote a fantastic book about the mutiny called “The Last Mughal“. Indian soldiers under the British reign of India revolted against the British and drove them out of Delhi after killing many of them. John Nicholson led a vengeful and vicious mission to retake the city for the British and pushed out the last Mughal ruler of Delhi.

After another busy day of sightseeing I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. The next day I had a great breakfast and took the metro to the Red Fort लाल कीला.

This was the residence of the Mughal emperors who ruled a huge swath of Central and South Asia at the height of their power. The grounds inside are sprawling and contain museums with artifacts of Mughal rule.

After visiting here for a couple hours, I head back to my hotel to check out and catch a bus to Jaipur. I’m very excited to return to the pink city!