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Boarding our flight to New Delhi in Paris.
Arrival in New Delhi! On our way to immigration.
July 6-7, 2025
After approximately 30 hours of travel from my home in Longmont, CO (DEN-->MSP-->CDG-->DEL), I arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi late in the evening on Sunday, July 6.
After immigration and baggage collection, we stepped out of the airport into a sleepy New Delhi in the early hours of the morning. We arrived at our hotel, the stately Imperial, around 1am. Built in 1936, the hotel has been "a silent witness to the birth and shaping of India as we know it today," including a meeting between Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah, and Lord Mountbatten to discuss the Partition of India.
We had a slow start on Monday before some lectures on Indian history through language and religion and Indian education. We concluded formal programming for the day with a visit to UNESCO Heritage Site Humayun's Tomb - built in the 16th Century and home to the graves of several Mughal rulers, including Emperor Humayun. Dr. Navina Jafa, a cultural historian and classical dancer, was our guide throughout our visit, and a passionate advocate for social-emotional learning and education in the humanities. While I have much more to share from the day, I'm writing this post late in the evening (and in haste) before an early day tomorrow. More to come!
Loading on the bus to the Imperial.
Monday morning ride around town - my goal was to get Jantar Mantar, a collection of observatories, but I never made it (my driver had other ideas).
Post office.
Rug weaving demo at a handicraft market.
Dr. Bharati Jagannathan, who spoke to us about language and religion, and Mr. Sudarsan Dash, USIEF Senior Program Officer.
One of the gates at Humayun's Tomb.
Dr. Navina Jafa at Humayun's Tomb.
"An amalgamation of cultures" throughout Humayun's Tomb.
There's a black ibis!
Cypress trees symbolize eternity, water symbolizes life.
Can you tell its architectural innovations were inspiration for the Taj Mahal?
The architecture "opens like a book and unfolds" before its visitors.
This one is actually Humayun's tomb!
A serene place to experience sunset.
Humayun's actual burial is in the ground in the crypt below, in accordance with Islamic belief.
Dr. Jafa performs a dance.
Many Delhiites enjoying cooling temperatures (down into the 90s) across the street from the India Gate.
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