Delhi 101

Delhi 101 is an "incomplete" illustrated must-do guide to Delhi.

For one, it does not list everything for a traveller as other guide books promise to. Delhi has too much for even the weightiest tome to cover it all.

Second, it comes with a flashlight thrown it. No, don’t look around the packaging for it – it is in the written word. Rather than just list places, and rattling off a brief history and essential facts, Ajay has adopted an anecdotal and opinionated style to the writing. Popular attractions are shown in a new light, and lamps have been lit on the path to other gems. He is not just telling you about, say, Mehrauli, he is giving you reasons to go there and what to do when there. Travelling with this book makes the passive into active.

And thirdly, it comes peppered with imagery. Seeing is being tempted! 

Why 101? So the book could be wrapped up. You can go on writing about Delhi till the cows come home, visit the neighbours, party, get drunk, make babies, step out again and repeat the cycle many times over – and the task would still be unfinished. A line had to be drawn, leaving the rest for another day.

Importantly, it is an attempt to bring fun into travel. This trade often takes itself too seriously, droning on about facts and figures without caring to see who has dozed off. A touch of the whacky, humorous, eccentric, silly and daring has been thrown in for good measure. 

The book has been roughly divided into sections, starting with the historical in chronological order. The rest has been divided into zones for easier navigation on the ground, but there are no formal boundaries.

About the Author

Ajay Jain is a full time writer, journalist and photographer based in New Delhi in India. He is not limited in his medium of expression, equally comfortable writing for newspapers and magazines, as well as his own books and blogs. He pursues his passion for travel writing by being on the road as much as he can.

Some of his other travel books include Postcards from Ladakh (a pictorial travelogue on Ladakh), Peep Peep Don’t Sleep (a travelogue of funny road signs and advertisements) and Kunzum Travel List (a series of the best holiday ideas). His non-travel books include Let’s Connect: Using LinkedIn to Get Ahead at Work (a management guide to using the world’s foremost professional networking site, LinkedIn.com) and Don’t Feel Stupid at 60 (on how to lead one’s life so there are no regrets in one’s later years). 

He has worked for and written columns for national publications in India including The Hindustan Times, Mint, Financial, Indian Management (Business Standard), Outlook Business, Deccan Herald, Mumbai Mirror (Times of India), Discover India, Swagat, Asian Age and Rediff.com. He has also edited a youth newspaper, The Campus Paper.

Prior to taking up writing, he has worked in the Information Technology and Sports Management sectors. He holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering (Delhi College of Engineering, 1992), Management (Fore School of Management, 1994) and Journalism (Cardiff University, UK, 2002). His schooling was at St. Columba's School in New Delhi. 

He can be contacted at ajay@ajayjain.com.