I took a rickshaw ride I'll never forget in India

The best way to experience one of Delhi’s oldest and busiest market areas is from the backseat of a rickshaw.

There are so many moving pieces in the tiny alleyway I can’t begin to take them all in. And yet somehow my rickshaw driver anticipates their every move. We’re weaving through an endless stream of rickshaws, pedestrians, bikes, food carts, dogs and more and he’s still dodging potholes for a smooth ride. If he told me he could see through time I’d believe him. All I know for sure is this is one ride I’ll never forget.

While I usually like to explore shop-lined streets on my own two feet, walking along the alleyways around Chandni Chowk, one of Delhi’s oldest and busiest market areas, requires a certain level of high alert that isn’t particularly flâneur friendly. Rather than having to watch out for your own safety or worrying about causing any accidents if you make a wrong move, a cycle-rickshaw ride lets your attention bounce from one sight to the next from the safety of your seat.

Our rickshaw experience is part of our Abercrombie & Kent tour and begins at the base of Jama Masjid, Delhi’s 17th-century Mughal-style mosque, with a ride down a wide street as my driver points out monuments on either side. Then we turn into a crowded alleyway where the sensory overload kicks in.

As he pedals us down alleys topped with tangled powerlines we pass carts piled high with fruit and vegetables, bikes loaded with boxes, men carrying wool-bale-sized bags on their shoulders and shopkeepers selling jewellery, sunglasses, electronics, spices and stunning saris that I’m immediately dreaming of wearing some day.

I exchange smiles with people eating their lunch on shop steps and try to absorb all the smells and sounds as well as the sights that we’re passing by.

A cycle-rickshaw ride lets your attention bounce from one sight to the next from the safety of your seat.

Some rickshaw tours include stops at street food vendors, but our A&K guide has arranged lunch at the Haveli Dharampura hotel where we try street food from the area that has been safely prepared for our non-local tummies.

The Haveli Dharampura has a UNESCO award for Cultural Heritage Conservation and feels like a beautiful time capsule. In the Lakhori restaurant we share a mix of Old Delhi delicacies and Mughlai dishes including palak patta chaat with crispy spinach leaves laced with chutneys, aloo mint kebabs, and a murgh tikka masala followed by kulfi, a homemade Indian ice cream they’ve been eating in Delhi since the 16th century. And as I realise the smile that started on my face the moment I took my rickshaw seat has continued to the last bite I’m grateful for such an incredible introduction to Old Delhi.

The writer travelled as a guest of Abercrombie & Kent.

There are so many moving pieces in the tiny alleyway I can’t begin to take them all in. And yet somehow my rickshaw driver anticipates their every move.

What is best way to do a rickshaw tour in Delhi?

Some group tours include rickshaws in Old Delhi. If you’re planning your own trip you can find a rickshaw driver on the day and agree on a price beforehand, or book online through international and local tour companies.

What is the best way to avoid getting lost in Delhi?

Take photos, for your memories and so you can find your way back to any shops that caught your eye along the way.

What should I take with me on a Rickshaw Tour in Delhi?

Carry water. Yes, your driver is doing all the hard work but it’s still hot and can be dusty at times too. Staying hydrated in India is always a good idea.

Originally published as I took a rickshaw ride I'll never forget in India