Attractions in India: Delhi, Mumbai & Goa

June 6, 2006 (Press Release) -- Delhi
Your first impression of Delhi is unlikely to be a good one, particularly

if it's also your first impression of India. You'll most likely notice the

pollution, the crowds, the smell, the noise and the ceaseless hassles long

before you notice the city's charms. But it's worth persevering as the

history of this city is fascinating, and it's all around you: the bazaars

of Paharganj are a wonderful introduction to India's backpacker trail; the

city's monuments are among the most architectuarally striking in the

country; and the food here is great.

Delhi is the capital of India, and it's also the travel hub of northern

India. It's an excellent base for visiting Agra and the Taj Mahal, and the

Rajasthani colour of Jaipur is less than five hours away. If you're

heading north to the Himalaya or east to the ghats of Varanasi, you'll

probably pass through Delhi. So you might as well grit your teeth, hold

your breath and dive on in.


Mumbai
Mumbai is the glamour of Bollywood cinema, cricket on the maidans on

weekends, bhelpuri on the beach at Chowpatty and red double-decker buses.

It is also the infamous cages of the red-light district, Asia's largest

slums, communalist politics and powerful mafia dons. This tug of war for

the city's soul is played out against a Victorian townscape more

reminiscent of a prosperous 19th century English industrial city than

anything you'd expect to find on the edge of the Arabian Sea.


Goa
It's a shame Goa comes burdened with a history of louche living, because

there's so much more to it than sun, sand and psychedelia. The allure of

Goa is that it remains quite distinct from the rest of India and is small

enough to be grasped and explored in a way that other Indian states are

not. It's not just the familiar remnants of European colonialism or the

picture-book exoticism that make it seem so accessible, it's the

prevalence of Roman Catholicism and a form of social and political

progressiveness that Westerners feel they can relate to. Although Hindus

make up two-thirds of the population, the people of Goa are more liberal-

minded than imperviously devout, in a way that is unmatched elsewhere in

India.


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