Arc de Triomphe of India

Next stop the India Gate, or maybe the Arc de Triumph of India? Although the India Gate is not too distant from PVR Priya, we walked a large portion of the distance. As an aside, If you have never walked towards a monument that you can see in the distance, it always seems closer than it actually its’ due to its size. The rikshaw ride was short, about 20 minutes, and then the walking started, and continued, and kept going a bit further, until we were almost there, and then we walked some more..

Even though it was about 9p when we arrived at the gate, it was still packed with people and vendors who do not commonly clear out until 11p from what I am told. The gate is a large four column structure with an enclosed top, similar to the Arc de Triomphe in France. Three flags sit in front of the gate symbolizing the three parts of the military in India; the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. Sheltered under the gate is an eternal flame that burns to memorialize all of those who have given their lives in the defense of the country. Sitting next to this flame is a gun with a helmet balanced on the hilt. Visiting the memorial at night made it shine in the darkness, a beacon of hope in the surrounding darkness of the park.

We rested for a little bit in the grassy area around the Gate, Rahul bought a small toy for his nephews and niece, and we all discussed the amount of litter that existed in the near vicinity. Even after nearly 20 minutes of talking about how the litter problem is created, propagated and possible solutions, two of the party members who will remain unnamed added to the problem. You know who you are Rahul and Monu, so I will spare you the shame of public flaming. :P

After some more walking, we parted ways, jumped in separate rikshaws and headed to our respective homes for the evening. We called it an earlier night, as Rahul’s family was arriving in the morning. We had another good day in India, minus the heavy smog starting to take a toll on my breathing.