With a long weekend coming due to Durga Puja and Dussehra, many of us living in Delhi-NCR are busy figuring out our travel plans. However, gone are the days when people used to travel hundreds of kilometres in their cars to grandiloquent places to stay in luxury hotels, leaving behind a gigantic carbon footprint. Instead, it's time to rethink how and where we travel. Keeping this in mind, we have curated this exclusive list of five slow travel experiences you need to try in Delhi.
Spend A Day With The Puppet Makers Of Kathputli Colony, Shadipur
Tucked away in west Delhi's Shadipur neighbourhood, Kathputli Colony is home to around three thousand families comprising a community of puppeteers, singers, magicians, musicians, and dancers. You can meet puppeteer Vinay Bhat, whose grandfather, Naurang Lal Bhat, received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Even an hour with Vinay will make you understand the process of making puppets from mango wood and how his community struggles to make ends meet.
Cycle Around Sanjay Van Early Morning
Spread over 443 acres, Sanjay Van is a sprawling city forest area near Vasant Kunj and Mehrauli. One of Delhi's few recluses for bird watchers and nature enthusiasts, Sanjay Van serves as the perfect spot to cycle early morning amid nature. If you are lucky, you can also spot many resident and visiting birds like Indian peafowl, grey heron, Eurasian golden oriole, purple sunbird, Asian koel, Brahminy starling, and Indian silverbill, among many others.
Explore The Culinary Delights of Chandni Chowk
One of the oldest and busiest markets of Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk is a food lover's haven. Famous for its street food stalls serving all kinds of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, the historical market needs to be explored on foot. Whether it's Nand Di Hatti (one of the oldest shops serving Chhole Bhature in Delhi), Khemchand Daulat Ki Chaat, or the Paranthe Wali Gali, you will be amused to see the plethora of foods in Chandni Chowk.
Witness The Art Of Pottery In Kumhar Gram, Uttam Nagar
For the unacquainted, the potter community in India are known as "Kumhar" or "Kumbhar." Kumhar Gram is home to hundreds of potter families, most hailing from Rajasthan. The families here are welcoming toward visitors, and chatting with them will help you gain some insights into the livelihood and method of working of the Kumhar community.
Participate In A History Walk Around Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Spread over 200 acres in Mehrauli, adjacent to Qutab Minar World Heritage Site and the Qutab complex, the Mehrauli Archaeological Park consists of over 100 historically significant monuments. Participating in a walk shall give you a holistic understanding of the lesser-known historical spaces of Delhi. The park consists of different tombs, mosques and step wells, making it a heritage hub.
