Short-lived weekends after a stressful week, look heavenly. It has been 5 months since I have shifted to Delhi, yet did not explore the most wanted tourist destinations of the Indian capital. Owing to mom’s perennial pressure to push my lazy self off home and give her company on a temple tour and shopping expedition, we embarked on a memorable voyage.

Nehru place is barely 20minutes drive from CR Park, the Bengali bastion in South Delhi. Our first stopover was Lotus temple, east of Nehru Place. I had seen Taj Mahal glowing in sunlight. Without comparing the two, the white marble petals of the temple glittered during the day. Vast crafted landscaped gardens and paved pathway guided us to the building. To aid smooth flow of visitors, there were volunteers. They seemed to be well-versed in Hindi and English, demonstrating the history of Lotus temple.

Also known as Bahai temple, the structure was a brainchild of followers of Bahai faith. With an aim to promote religious harmony, the temple was constructed in 1986. Due to religious sanction we had to open our shoes while entering the prayer hall, with a seating capacity of 1300. The ambiance was ethereal, perfect for meditation or a personal chat with the Almighty. Soon holy scriptures from Bhagwat Gita, Quran, Bible and Buddhist manuscripts were read aloud. This 10-minute prayer meet featured hymns too.

We observed the architectural detailing, 27 white petals surrounded by 9 pools. A classic combination of turquoise blue water and white marbles complimented each other to beautify the temple. It was good to learn till 2002, the Bahá’í House of Worship was one of the main tourist magnets of the world. At one point of time Lotus Temple visitors outnumbered Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal’s fan following. Hats off to Furiburz Sabha, the chief architect of this wonder! With Bahai hangover, we headed to a shopping hub.

Women are often mocked at for being shopaholics. Without caring about generic testimonials, we landed up at Dilli Haat. Thankfully, traffic blues don’t haunt on Sundays! It took me 30 minutes to reach the spot. This shoppers’ stop seemed to teleport us to an ethnic Indian Village, featuring shops with thatched roof, set amid urban backdrop. Dilli Haat is a sophisticated cocktail of Indian art and crafts, culture and cuisine.

Handloom and handicraft items from different Indian states with respective food stalls thronged the 6 acre land. Momos are my favorite when it comes to quick-bites, hence we chose the Sikkim kiosk. Shoplifting was mainly from Kashmir stalls selling pashmina shawls, embroidered dress materials. Shops from Rajasthan sold lovely flowing skirts and footwear. Mom, like all Indian middle-aged women, loosened her purse strings at kiosks selling saris, oven proof utensils. Open-air Rajasthani and Punjabi folk dances were gripping. Astrologers, pickle sellers, painters, puppeteers tried their luck at wooing people.

Unplanned outings always weave magic. Sunlight was all we needed to counter winter chill. I’d like to thank Sun God for shinning in glory and mom for a wonderful Sunday.