The Rickshaw Ride Through Old Delhi

Tuesday began our first day of touring with Uniworld. There were two large buses for only 38 of us. We were asked to split into two groups. With only 19 or 20 on a bus, there was plenty of seating. The front seat was open so we took it. As we started out, our guide, Yogi (name is much longer but he shortened it for us) said “this brave couple is in the OMG seat” because we had such a good view of the traffic and the maneuvers drivers and motorcyclists were making. He said those who sat there often exclaimed "Oh My God! It was fascinating. We were quiet.

One short beep of a horn means one thing, two beeps another and if someone lays on the horn you’d better move over or be aware of another vehicle making a delicate but very fast maneuver. While there were lots of horns I didn’t see a lot of road rage like we see at home. 

It is a bit overwhelming to try to absorb everything you are seeing as you ride past so many buildings. Many of them were government buildings as we drove through the New Delhi portion of the city. We passed by the Red Fort which was the main residence of the Mughal emperors. Its construction dates back to the mid 17th century.  

The city, while called New Delhi is actually made up of the new and old. Once in Old Delhi, you can truly see the difference. Narrow streets and more motorcycles than cars. Soon we were stopping by a bus that was parked to create a sort of stand for rickshaws. They were all lined up and ready to receive us.

We were first off the bus and walked down the line a bit until one of the drivers motioned us to his bicycle powered rickshaw. We were settled in and told to put a foot on a metal support in front of us. “That is seat belt,” Hassan, our driver said with a grin. We had already been warned to be sure to keep our hands and heads inside by our guide and to hold tight to our phones or cameras. You didn’t want to drop them and have them run over.

We had a bit of heavy traffic to get through first on the main road before we turned off onto a narrow street. Let me tell you, there were a few breathtaking moments. If I can get the video uploaded either now or later, you might see what I mean. I am amazed at how close vehicles of all sorts come to each other and don’t collide. It obvious in the fact that most cars have no dents or scrapes on them.

Wires hung like spaghetti tossed in the air and draped where they fell. Interspersed among the thinner black lines were thick yellow cables. I asked if they were all electrical or some telephone and I think, if I understood him, they were all electrical. I cannot imagine trying to trace a problem through all that. Maybe they just string another line.

We were in a market area that was just getting ready to open shops. Lots of motorcycles, handcarts and some bicycles loaded, and I do mean loaded, with huge bundles of goods headed for the various shops. Some of the fresh vegetable and fruit stands were already open. I love the way these stands display their produce so neatly.

The market area was organized by type of product. We passed by the wedding stores that were displaying bright colored decorations for ceremonies. Wedding season was coming soon and happens this time of year after the Diwali festival of lights celebration in October.

Another section was full of little shops selling beautiful saris or sarees as the signs said. We even passed one that Hassan said was a discount store. It had a line out into the street with people waiting to get in for the best choice and price.

Still further on was a used car parts area. There were displays of tires and hubcaps and other such mechanical needs.

It was a very bumpy ride. Hassan kept us moving for the most part, stopping on occasion to be sure the other drivers were behind us. I assumed he was married since at one point he mentioned, “happy wife, happy life.” Sometimes it was difficult to understand what he was trying to tell us. For the most part the people we had engaged in conversation spoke English well enough to be understood but we were in a moving rickshaw, dodging other small vehicles and bumps and rocky pavement and the cacophony of noise didn't help.

The ride was about an hour. At least it seemed that way. Finally back at the rickshaw stand again. We tipped Hassan and thanked him. It had been quite an experience. When we boarded the bus again, the lady who was in rickshaw next to us as we started was helped up. We discovered she was 87 and I believe traveling on her own. When we were first seated in the rickshaws, she had scraped her knee badly. The driver took a dirty greasy rag and was going to dab the wound with it. I quickly interceded and offered one of the wet wipes I had with me along with a tissue. (The wet wipes are actually Water Wipes I had bought for the trip. They came in handy throughout the day.) We offered her our seat so she didn’t have to walk back through the bus and they could tend to her knee with the first aid kit. Sweet lady.

On the bus, everyone settled in for our ride amidst the traffic and beeping horns to the next stop, the Ghandi Memorial.