Defence Colony

My neighborhood in New Delhi is called Defence Colony.  It was created after India gained independence from the British in 1947 to allocate land to Indian soldiers whose former homes were across the border in the new state of Pakistan.  It was carefully planned with a commercial market area, parks, and measured plots of land based on military rank.  Although the neighborhood has changed significantly in 70 years, and new construction continues to change it, the outlines of this original plan are still evident today.

My favorite aspect of Defence Colony is all the parks.  It seems I can't walk more than five minutes without coming across a small park.  My favorite, and the one closest to my house, is called Sukun Park.  It has a walking path around the outside, a playground, a basketball court, lots of park benches...and at this time of year, colorful flowers!  I often detour to walk through it, just to enjoy a bit of beauty and green in the midst of a busy day! 

Enjoying the blooming flowers of Sukun Park

Another fabulous feature of my neighborhood is the Defence Colony market.  The market is more like what we would call a strip mall in the U.S.  But it has basic grocery stores, fresh fruit and veggie sellers, small home appliance/electronics stores, drug stores, book stores with basic office supplies, florists, bakeries with great fresh bread and fancy cakes, coffee shops, cell phone service provider kiosks, dry cleaners, restaurants, bars, and more!  And it's less than a five minute walk from my house, so it's perfect for running quick errands!

Defence Colony Market

Of course, this is still India, so Defence Colony is not all idyllic.  Most streets don't have sidewalks, so I have to walk in the narrow streets and mind the cars, rickshaws, and motorbikes flying past.  This is especially important around the market area where vehicles are moving through, parking, and dropping off passengers, all while I'm trying to look at the store fronts to find the right store without getting run over!  And reminders like the ones below are required to keep the neighborhood moderately orderly and clean.  But I love my apartment, I love my neighborhood, and I wouldn't want to live anywhere other than Defence Colony!