Robin's Adventures

Jama Masjid Mosque, which was built between 1644 and 1656 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (the same emperor who had the Taj Mahal built), is one of the largest mosques in India.

The mosque, which is built of red sandstone and marble, has two minarets, four towers, and three gates. More than 25, 000 worshipers can be accommodated in this large mosque.

Steve was not worried that his shoes would walk off with someone else when he left them outside the mosque because his foot size was significantly larger than the size of most Indians' feet.

Our rickshaw ride through the streets of Delhi provided a more up close look at the day-to-day lives of some people in the city.

We wound through narrow streets that were lined with small businesses and bustling entrepreneurs and the sights, sounds, and smells were unique, vibrant, and interesting as they painted a picture of life in Delhi.

Most of the small shops seemed to have metal doors that slid up and remained open all day, so it was easy to see inside the shops from the seat of the rickshaw as we went past.

When we looked up, there was an interesting tangled web of electrical wires running to the businesses as well as the homes above the shops.

We never noticed a FedEx or UPS delivery truck while we were in India, but during our rickshaw ride we did see a great deal of deliveries coming and going.

A few of the moments that we captured in photos provide an interesting glimpse of life in Delhi.

Delhi's Red Fort was built by the emperor Shah Jahan when he moved his capital from Agra to Delhi in 1639. The fort, and palace buildings within, remained the residence of Mughal emperors for the next 200 years.

The Hall of Public Audience, with its beautiful columns and arches, contains a raised platform with a marble balcony that was used by the king when he met with the public. Beyond this building is a courtyard that leads to the royal apartments.

The Red Fort in Delhi is also the site of the Prime Minister's annual Independence Day celebration. The Prime Minister raises the flag at the fort's main gate and then gives a speech.

Humayun's tomb is a mosoleum that was built, between 1565 and 1572, for the Mughal emperor Humayun. It was the first structure in India to use red sandstone on a large scale and also the first to utilize a charbagh, or paradise garden.

The garden, which is divided into quarters by walkways and small water filled channels, is designed to model the Qur'an's description of paradise.

Over the years, the remains of Humayun's descendants and other Mughal emperors were also burried inside the masoleum or in separate buildings added around the gardens.

Humayun's tomb is said to have influenced the building style of the Taj Mahal by Humayun's grandson, Shah Jahan.

The Qutb Complex has many monuments and buildings, including a mosque, ruins from Jain temples, and the world's tallest brick minaret.

Construction on the Qutb Mosque, the first mosque built in Delhi after the Islamic conquest of India, began in 1193. Some of the pillars and arches used in the mosque were taken from ruins of a Jain temple that was previously at the same site.

The 239 foot tall minaret built as a victory tower at the Qutb complex, has five stories made of red sandstone.

The first ruler was only able to complete the bottom story before his death. The next three stories were built by his successor. When lightening struck the tower is 1368, however, the fourth story was knocked down. A subsequent ruler finally added the last two stories.

The minaret is about 47 feet in diameter at the base and about 9 feet in diameter at the top. There are elaborate carvings in the sandstone which include verses from the Qur'an.