Cory Lee, born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, has always found traveling to be fun and exciting. He chronicles his experiences on his blog, Curb Free With Cory Lee. Cory wishes to whet the appetite of other individuals with disabilities to "roll out of their comfort zone and see all of the beauty that the world has to offer."
Cory recently traveled to India and says his journey was "priceless." Delhi was one of Cory's favorite places to visit. Here are five of Cory’s favorite places in Delhi to visit as a wheelchair user.
Qutub Minar Tower
Cory first attraction was Qutub Minar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Upon arriving at Qutub Minar, Cory states he was pleasantly surprised at the accessibility of Delhi. He was amazed at the Qutub Minar Tower built in the 1100s, without modern technology.
There was a mosque in the city, which Cory was not able to enter because it was not accessible. According to Cory, it was worth it just to see the Qutub Minar Tower. "It was extremely impressive and the perfect place to start our tour of the best places to visit in Delhi," he writes.
Humayun's Tomb
Cory says to understand and appreciate the Taj Mahal, you have to be familiar with Humayun's Tomb in Delhi first. Humayun's Tomb was the inspiration for the Taj Mahal. Although the grounds were accessible, it was impossible to tour the inside of the tomb in a wheelchair. "The grounds were quite large though and I enjoyed rolling around and admiring the tomb for about an hour," he writes.
Old Delhi
According to Cory, visiting old Delhi "is definitely worth exploring if you want to get a true sense of Indian culture and the differences between Delhi and almost any other city in the world." Even though it was possible to roll down the streets of Old Delhi, because of the hectic traffic Cory opted for a driving tour of Old Delhi. He says that driving in Old Delhi is crazy, but exciting at the same time.
Raj Ghat
Cory had the opportunity to visit Raj Ghat, a memorial to the late Mahatma Gandi. This was a reflective time for Cory as he watched the eternal flame. "Sometimes life can be pretty surreal and I’m glad that Raj Ghat gave me a chance to reflect on that," he wrote.
Raj Ghat was not the most accessible, but Cory and his companions made it work. In a few areas, there was a small, two-inch step. Cory says that it is worth it, though. He treasures another special moment when a group of Indian women wanted their picture taken with him, his mom and companion. "... I’m not sure why they wanted a photo with us (probably because they had never seen an electric wheelchair before if I had to guess), but I was happy to oblige in exchange for a photo of my own in return."
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
Cory says his favorite place while visiting Delhi was Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, the most prominent temple in India. The temple was wheelchair accessible. Again, Cory was awed by its grandeur. "It was white with a gold onion dome and one of the most remarkable temples I’ve ever seen," he writes.
After the visit, Cory and his companions had a meal at the on-site food hall in the temple that feeds approximately 10,000 people per day. "It was special to see everyone together, and it was also nice to see how dedicated the cooks in the kitchen are." Seeing people of all different walks of life come together is one of Cory's favorite memories of India.
Cory says that he had a fabulous time in Delhi, despite the accessibility issues that he faced. He recommends visiting Delhi and visitors will have an unforgettable experience!
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