Cycling in Delhi On A Cold Misty Morning

Posted by Mahua Kapoor on September 19th, 2019

Every city has an interesting past and stories that make it what it is today. As a kid, I lived in Delhi for some time when my Dad was posted there, but I never got to explore it much. Last year, I had to go there for a work trip, and I knew this was my chance.

When I was a child, I loved cycling in the busy lanes near my home, cycling to school and enjoying the trees and the breeze along the way. I missed it way too much and hence I decided that I would cycle in Delhi and breathe in its history.

One thing I really love about Delhi are its winters. Yes, they are extreme but that's the whole fun. I love the hot cup of teas and a hot plate of some Indian snacks to go with it. Luckily my work trip was in February, at the end of the winter, so I was very excited. I even managed to convince two of my colleagues to accompany me. We booked online and prepared our cycling gear the night before the trek.

Itinerary for my cycling trip

My colleagues took some time to get ready in the morning but we managed to arrive at the meeting point by 06:30 a.m. It was freezing cold, but we had layered our warm clothes, so only my nose was feeling cold. After a short briefing, our cycles and other equipment were handed over to us.  

The cycles were neon-green – pretty funky – and we also got a safety helmet and a bottle of mineral water. We started from the Delhi Gate to Mari Gate. The guides told us about the history of these two gates, and they were really good.

Some of the lanes were quite empty, and the shutters of the shops were still down, so it felt like we had travelled back in time. We saw Jama Masjid, which is one of the largest mosques in the city and proceeded further to the Red Fort, where the Mughals lived for so long. We then cycled through the spice markets that had started opening. There were some foreigners in the group who wanted to stop and take pictures with the sellers, so we took a break and drank some chai.

After our trip was over, I was so hungry. cycling in Delhi really gives you a good appetite. I was happy to think that we were going to end the trip in ‘Parathe wali galli’ and was already planning my breakfast order. So I hogged on some delicious parathas and aloo, and gulped down 2-3 cups of chai. I wanted to order the sweet lassi, but I felt it was still too cold.

At the end, we returned our cycles (after taking some pictures) and headed back to our hotel. It felt like a history class, where all my textbook knowledge came to life.