Let’s be clear about this. Wandering about leafy Prithviraj Road is like leaving the country altogether.
But, of course you don’t need a visa to move about in this wooded enclave in central Delhi — inhabited by the very wealthy along with a million or so birds and squirrels, or so it seems.
Major bank balances are suggested before even considering a bungalow in this lovely enclave whose walking-friendly pavements are so dense with foliage that sunlight sometimes has trouble breaking through.
Here are the massive homes of the filthy rich, each looming like a self-contained continent, with long driveways, shaded porches and sprawling gardens carefully tended by hired hands. One particular bungalow even has the owner’s grand portrait hanging beside his name plate.
Smoggy Delhi does indeed seem distant, although Prithviraj Road residents can’t escape air pollution altogether. What they can do is post security guards who might make a move if you pause far too long admiring someone’s Banyan.
The main lane is rather long, but you can logically conclude your stroll at house No. 13 which once served as the official residence of the Mexican ambassador. The envoy has since moved along, living graciously somewhere else. But you’re free to admire the lush Amaltas in the garden — of course from outside on the pavement.
