Festival time in Delhi with friends

Last Updated on June 7, 2023 by Christine Kaaloa

sand reg1034 Regina & Sandeep in front of giant Ramlila dolls that will be burnt as part of the festivities

I’ve hired a driver for a day to see Delhi.

Table of Contents: Festival time in Delhi with friends

1 I’ve hired a driver for a day to see Delhi.
2 I’m in India during Dusshera festival or is it Durga Puja?

For 700Rs (a little over $10 and equal to a OW cab trip from Soho to my apt in Hell’s Kitchen ) this is a bargain! Both Sandeep and Regina are joining me for the day. Sandeep offered his car for this, but I declined. Also, it’s Regina’s last day to sightsee Delhi. We need to see this city!

Tourist sights: Lotus Temple, Hanumayun’s Tomb & Quatab Minar (both to drop R off), the government sector full of government building & the port of India & the Red Fort.

Shiva Temple Delhi — Ringing the bell at the Shiva Temple

Makana dealers — Sweets for the worship: Makana candy dealers

For me, the BEST attraction of the day was where Sandeep took me for lunch, a favored diner & bakery in the posh area of Greater Kailash where
he shared his favorite Indian foods- puri, Thali (a plate meal with many little portions), pakoora and kulfi (a frozen milk dessert). I love having a friend here and its been great getting to know Sandeep- he’s a totally fun guy!

good snack shops in delhi — Sandep shares his favorite snack shop in Greater Kailash, Sweets Corner!

Sandeep 1020

I’m in India during Dusshera festival or is it Durga Puja?

It’s the holiday of Dusshera (“Victory Day”) and the apex of festivals and an overlap of celebrations. Durga Puja floats will be set into the river to kick off Dusshera while giant tower-sized of dolls Ravana (a character from the Ramayana) are set on fire in effigy for Dusshera, in memorial of good triumphing over evil. The festival excitement like a football tailgate party!

At the Red Fort, we found a festival carnival that was underway. Even moreso, you can witness it on the freeways as truckloads of people are shouting and jeering, faces painted with the red paint of Holi, as they take the floats to their releasing in the Yamuna River! Slideshow of the celebration below.

Dussehra & Durga Puja festival celebrations in Delhi (& Varanasi)

A pleasant surprise is that my hotel was accidentally located next to a marketplace and although I missed the launching of the Durga Puja floats… a block away, a huge crowd is gathering in celebration of Dussehrawhere giant Ravana dolls are about to be burnt ablaze!

Quick Solo Trip Packing Tips:

International Multi-plug Travel Adapter/Converter
Convertible Rolling Backpack Carry-on (incl packing cube set)
Large Pashmina Scarf – multipurpose
Air Tags or Tile Tracker– track your valuables
The Everything Merino Wool Travel Dress
My fave Merino Shirt – lightweight, 3 weeks, no washing
Kokua Sun Care Hawaiian SPF 50 Natural Zinc Sunscreen– reef safe sunscreen
Female Safety Devices List
Visit my Amazon In-Flight Picks for more

My Travel Survival Resources

Internet: eSim stay connected abroad. Activate it before or on your trip! Skyroam Solis 5G– Global wifi hotspot (take 10% off with referral code GRRRLTRAVELER)
Trip Insurance Finder Tool to find plans that match your budget. I get trip insurance that covers adventures and travel theft!
Vacation Package Deals: Find all-inclusive trip packages
Yoga Vacations: Book a relaxing yoga reatreat!
Book hotels without a cancellation fee. Use this Hotel Comparison Tool to find lowest prices! For hostels, check out Hostelworld
Lounge Access: Priority Pass
Store your luggage at local businesses for under $10/day
Discover Cars finds best car rental price quotes.
GRRRLTRAVELER Adventures : Travel with me beyond YouTube.
Be eco-friendly: Check out my Reef-Safe Sunscreen guide
Track all your international trip expenses in one place with my trip budget expense tracker

free basic solo travel survival toolkit grrrltraveler

Christine Kaaloa https://grrrltraveler.com/

Christine Kaaloa is a head honcho traveler and travel YouTuber at GRRRLTRAVELER. Traveling solo for over 8 years, I'm an island girl from Hawaii. I love films, art and making travel videos to show you that travel dreams can happen at any age!