By Azera Rahman, IANS
New Delhi : The elderly stroll lazily, kids frolic on the lush lawns and couples snatch a private moment or two. Framed between the Rashtrapati Bhavan at one end and the India Gate at the other, the vast expanse of green space in the heart of Lutyen's Delhi is where people flock to when the weather is good. Or bad.
And in these days when rains have graced the capital bringing the mercury down dramatically, the area around the colonial gate looks like a mini carnival with large crowds congregating in the evenings.
Standing tall in the heart of Delhi, the India Gate landmark is a must-see for tourists. Saluting the 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in the Afghan wars and World War I, it is a majestic piece of architecture built in 1931 that people can't stop marvelling at.
The complex and its vast lawns almost always draws people, young and old, rich and poor – to bask in the warm winter sun, for a breath of fresh air on a hot summer day, or when the weather turns cool like now.
Delhi received nearly 104.7 mm of rainfall over the weekend, much more than the 55 mm expected in the month of June and a welcome relief from the 45 degrees Celsius people had been sweating under.
Hopping off a screeching bus near India Gate, Manohar Joshi was one of the many who decided to spend an evening outdoors. Holding his wife's hand and carrying their son in his arms, he walked towards the stately memorial bustling with people.
"We generally come here on weekends. It is like a fair with hundreds of people talking, laughing and basically having a good time. Then there are vendors selling ice cream and other food items, balloons… it's like a picnic," said Joshi.
On most holiday evenings, the stretch of Rajpath leading from Rashtrapati Bhavan, the imposing presidential palace, to India Gate is choc-a-bloc with cars and motorbikes. Families come by hordes to avoid the maddening rush at shopping malls and multiplexes.
It was so this weekend too.
Lots of people spread sheets on the lawns and sat there till late evening, chatting and munching on the goodies they had carried in their picnic baskets or bought from hawkers.
Some also got photographs clicked by the professional photographers who roamed around.
Several enthusiastic women got their hands and feet decorated with 'henna' by the 'professionals' who look out for prospective customers with their henna tubes and a book full of designs.
As the evening set in, people hovered around India Gate, soaking in its grandeur and the soft lighting.
"I come for a drive around India Gate every now and then. Although it's flocked by people, it is still such a breather from the overcrowded coffee shops or shopping malls," said Asmita Jain, who works in a public relations firm.
"We come here, sit inside the car and put on some soft music. Then we drive down to Mandi House and eat 'paranthas'. That's the idea of a perfect evening for us," added her friend Mukesh.
Among the colourful crowds were many who were on a visit to Delhi.
"I have come here for my daughter's admission to Delhi University. After those terrible days when the temperatures were touching the sky, the rains have cooled the city down.
"Since we wanted to come and see the India Gate, it couldn't have been timed better thanks to the change in the weather," said Poonam Jha from Patna.