Mughal Tombs & Qutb Minar

The theme of this weekend is definitely turning out to be tombs of the Mughals (the Persian word meaning Mongols - see Comments!).

My first trip today was a revisit of Jantar Mantar. As it's just across the road it would be rude to ignore it. So I braved the traffic (the road was practically empty so I didn't even have to break into a jog to get across) and went for a look around. I spurned the advances of two guides and just wandered, climbed things and read the info plates (I think they're new since last time), then sat under a palm tree for a while, composing my thoughts.
The far two tell you when objects rise in the sky (measure their angle of ascension etc.) The front two pinpoint where the sun is I think.
The tall one on the right is a giant sundial for Delhi. The curved one in the background tells the time in 4 places around the world and the white block at the back is the hotel I'm staying in. My room is the 3rd floor from the top, the corner windows at this end on the concave side looking out over Jantar Mantar. Give me a wave!

The driver arrived as planned at 11.30 and I headed off (I not We alas as Hanna ended up on the other side of Delhi last night - I don't know the story yet but I think alcohol and friends were involved. Which is jolly. Anyway, I'm on my own today).

First stop, the Qutb Complex, A World Heritage site and home of the tallest brick minaret in the world, Qutb Minar. And a wide variety of spellings. I'm going with the version on the signs outside. Wikipedia appears to have plumped for other options.
This is the tall tower (above). Below is the iron pillar, which has never rusted, giving metallurgists lots to talk about.
I liked the peaceful colonnades and other bits of masonry dotted around the complex.
This one's the base of an even bigger (sadly unfinished) minaret: Then lunchtime. I had intended to try to find a new and different and trendy restaurant, but felt a little cautious because I was on my own, so I went to Park Balucci, a place we had eaten last year. This time I sat outside, and it was a lot busier than last time too (unfortunately perhaps because tourist buses have found it). (calm before storm)
As the restaurant is in Hauz Khas Deer Park, I was quite happy to find out that there are actually deer - in an enclosure behind the restaurant.
(My view over lunch! There were peacocks too.)

Finally, my last sight of the day was also the last Mughal Tomb: that of Safdarjung.
I felt quite wonderfully independent going around on my own, just like in Mumbai on my final weekend. There were quite a few Western tourists around (mostly middle-aged Americans hunting in packs), but I only spotted one other single woman doing the sights. We had a quick chat in the centre of this tomb - she warned me that there was a pushy guide inside so we shared our tips for avoidance of same. Fingers in ears singing lalala seems to be the best solution. Even if you say "I vant to be alone" they still lurk at your elbow pointing things out. And expecting money at the end of course, so I'm trying to be brutal and not engage them. I did have a nice chat with a postcard seller outside Jantar Mantar this morning, though. I like talking to locals but as soon as they develop an Agenda I find myself trying to edge away. I did buy some postcards though, Katie.

My final stop was to Janpath (shopping cubicles) for a very quick visit. I knew what I wanted, and alas the shops were closing down so I couldn't go browsing. I'd forgotten what a hard-sell you get from all the traders and hawkers though, not to mention the small children doing backflips (or in one girl's case, really bad cartwheels - you'd never pay money for that) so I was quite glad to be on a mission with a deadline (sending the car to pick up Hanna).

Then back to hotel, watched the sun set and wrote this up.

Summary of Mughal tombs so far: Humayan's, Safdarjung's, several at Qutb complex, random ones in the Lodhi Gardens. Still to come: Akbar's tomb at Sikandra, Taj Mahal. Plus whatever we find in Jaipur and Fatehpur Sikri.