| People & Society |
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While the newer sections of the city
are like any other modern metropolis, the older areas still follow a conservative
lifestyle. Even today, in the older Muslim settlements women can be seen wearing the dark burqa,
while traditional Hindu areas have women covering their heads with the dupatta.
Except for these traditional pockets, women can move around freely without any strict
dress code. It’s a dynamic and aggressive society, hospitable and ostentatious,
charismatic in a loud sort of way. Many stratum co-exist – the power brokers in the
government corridors, the glitterati and the literati, the traditional business families
and the new,fast multiplying business yuppies.
Religion
Delhi has a mixed population with
several religious and ethnic groups residing in the city. The majority religion is
Hinduism, while a large section of Muslims and Sikhs have a strong presence here.
Christians and other minor religious groups also co-exist.
Food
Delhi is a food-lover’s delight.
Local north-Indian food, some of the best of Mughlai tandoors (grilled items),
tangy south Indian thalis (assortment of dishes), authentic Chinese and Thai dishes
and a variety of continental fare are all available in the restaurants. For quick meals,
roadside stalls or the ever-increasing string of pizza-burger outlets can be tried. More
elaborate meals at the up-market restaurants and ones attached to the hotels are a treat,
though sometimes steep. Buffet spreads at the five-star hotels are popular for their
extensive choice of dishes. Most restaurants in the city don’t have bars, except the
expensive ones and those attached to the hotels. The different areas of Delhi specialise
in their own particular kind of cuisines, with enough variety to tantalise the taste buds.
Culture and Crafts
Over the millennia Delhi has absorbed
several ethnic groups and influences, evolving into a heterogeneous mix of people from
different communities. The Jat inhabitants of the villages of Delhi and the older
residents of north Delhi still continue to live in a timeless world of their own. On the
other extreme, modern city life, with its cable television, expensive cars and the
omnipresent mobile phone has captured the imagination of all its residents. Delhi
celebrates almost all the major festivals of different ethnic groups, besides national
holidays like Republic Day, Independence Day and Martyr’s Day when Mahatma Gandhi was
assassinated.
In January, Punjabis celebrate Lohri by singing
and dancing around large bonfires. Lohri marks the end of winter and special candies made
of nuts, sesame seeds and jaggery are thrown into the fire as well as distributed for
eating. On 26th January, the nation watches the main Republic Day
celebrations, with colourful tableaux and armed forces marching down Rajpath.
Martyr’s Day marks the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation.
With the onset of spring in February, the Mughal Gardens in Rashtrapati
Bhavan are thrown open to the public and Delhi tourism organises the garden festivals. The
joyful festival of Holi, with people smearing coloured powder and water on each
other, takes place in March. Buddha Jayanti on the full moon day in May marks the
birth celebrations of Lord Buddha. With the onset of monsoons, Janamashtami
celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. Flag hoisting ceremonies commemorates India’s
Independence Day on 15th August. The Prime Minister leads with his speech to the nation
from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival of the Elephant
God Ganesha has special significance for Marathis. The community participates in joint
celebrations as well as private prayers lasting ten days.
In September, a unique festival of flowers, called Phoolwalon
ki Sair takes place near Mehrauli in south Delhi. Dating back from the Mughal
era, the festival is jointly held by Hindus and Muslims to foster communal harmony. In
October, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi is marked by singing of devotional songs
and prayer meetings at the memorial in Raj Ghat. Towards the end of October is the major
Hindu festival of Navratri and Dussehra. While the ten-day Navratri festival
is devoted to the mother goddess, Dussehra celebrates the victory of Lord Rama (Prince of
Ayodhya and incarnation of Lord Vishnu) over the demon king Ravana. Troupes perform the Ramlila
or story of Rama’s life, and on the tenth day huge papier-mâché effigies of Ravana
filled with firecrackers are burnt throughout the city. The Bengali community celebrates
by worshipping Durga, the mother goddess who killed the buffalo demon Mahishasura. Diwali,
the festival of lights, is celebrated by lighting candles and earthen diyas (lamps)
and bursting of crackers.
Besides these festivals, cultural centres have lectures, workshops,
exhibitions and film shows round the year. The India International Centre and India
Habitat Centre are the two most popular centres of intellectual activity where performing
arts, discussions and film shows are hosted. Other centres are the Max Mueller Bhavan,
Alliance Francaise, British Council, the American Centre, the House of Soviet Culture,
Italian Cultural Centre and Japan Cultural Centre. Each of these centres promotes cultural
exchange between India and their respective countries through exhibitions, workshops,
cultural tours and good libraries. The Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi’s premier fine arts
institution, has a collection of contemporary paintings and sculptures. The Akademi also
hosts exhibitions, film shows and seminars from time to time. The Sahitya Akademi and the
Sangeet Natak Akademi promote Indian literature and performing arts, while the National
School of Drama runs courses and organises theatre performances.
The old city area of
Shahjahanabad is a repository of Mughal arts and crafts. Artisans, whose forefathers
settled in the city from the time of Emperor Shah Jahan, continue to practice skills that
have been passed down from one generation to the next. Among the major crafts in Delhi are
Zardozi (fine embroidery in gold thread), Mughal miniature paintings, ivory carving
(now done on camel bone and sandalwood), handcrafted jewellery with the special art of Meenakari
(enamelling) and few remaining makers of Delhi blue pottery. Migrants from Rajasthan have
introduced terracotta pottery and puppetry.
Education
Delhi has a wide cross section of
primary and secondary level schools, ranging from government schools to up-market public
schools. The city also has two premier universities, the Delhi University to the north and
Jawaharlal Nehru University in the south. The Indira Gandhi National Open University was
opened in the '80s to provide distance learning for the entire country. Besides three
medical colleges and an engineering college attached to Delhi University, the All India
Institute of Medical Sciences has a medical college and one of the Indian Institutes of
Technology is located here. |
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