Delhi: A City That Happens to You.
Whether you have ever wanted to witness history, chaos, spirituality and traffic all in one spot, Delhi could just be the city of your dreams. It’s not the type of city you travel to, it’s one that pulls you by the collar, plates you a plate of butter chicken and tells you, “Good luck.”

Landing in Delhi is an experience to itself. As soon as you step off the airport, the air takes you in and the air carries a hug of dust and spice and ambition to you. The streets bustle with honking cars, brave cows and the occasional camel truck simply heading back home. It’s a ballet of madness, bizarrely dance-choreographed by invisible powers. For the first few hours, tourists often spend trying to decipher the traffic system before settling on it and even viewing it more of an art object with a higher art form. Then Old Delhi emerges, where history isn’t just preserved, but energetically alive. Chandni Chowk is a sensory overload, the careful way. You will find tiny stores that look to have existed since the days of the Mughals, selling anything from silver trinkets to samosas capable of sparking religious debates. The lanes are so narrow that you will doubt your choices if you spend minutes trying to cross them, as when a rickshaw skips over your elbow while you’re attempting to take the perfect photo for a jalebi. The Red Fort towering above, appearing like it has witnessed it all and decided not to comment anymore. Across from it, Jama Masjid rises with a quiet dignity, a moment of calm, and then you find out you’ve climbed 121 steps to be there in 40-degree heat. But the view from up there has the effect of erasing the sweat, almost. South Delhi, meanwhile, is the younger, more well-dressed cousin of the city. There, cafes serve coffee that costs more than a full meal in Old Delhi, and everyone appears to own a dog with a surname. Hauz Khas Village features a medley of both history and hipster vibes, a nexus of ruins with rooftop bars. You can sip on that expensive latte while pondering how it got you lost in this madrasa when you were out in the 14th century. No trip is complete without a pilgrimage to the India Gate. At night, it glows beautifully while vendors try to sell you balloons that you didn’t even know you needed. Connaught Place, a giant circle a mere drive away, might be the beating heart of the city or the city’s greatest confusion. Food in Delhi is a religion. Butter chicken in Daryaganj, the chaat on the street in Lajpat Nagar: everything has some spice in it along with some subtle existential crisis. You’ll swear it’s too spicy, then return for seconds — because Delhi food is a test of your taste buds and your pride. Delhi doesn’t attempt to be liked; it expects you to accommodate. It’s noisy, dense, often vexing and always fascinating. By the time you leave, you’ll find something odd: you don’t go to Delhi to see it, you survive it, and in the process you fall in love.