For newly appointed German Ambassador, Dr Jasper Wieck, India is more than just a new posting. He is emotionally attached to the country and calls himself an “old friend of India”. It is a place tied to memories that began nearly 35 years ago, when he first travelled to the country as a young student. The ambassador shared a video on social media, Wieck looks back at those early journeys through a collection of personal photographs, recalling a very different India.“For me coming to India is like coming home. I’m an old friend of India,” he says.The photographs shared in the video offer a personal travel story, one that moves from Mughal monuments and crowded Old Delhi streets to the India of roadside cinemas, local transport and local encounters.Old days in IndiaAgra Fort: Among the most striking images, the one shows a young Wieck standing in front of what appears to be Agra Fort, with a monkey sitting on his shoulder. A very casual yet striking picture. The red sandstone architecture and domed pavilions in the background are characteristic of the Mughal-era fortress.Built largely under Emperor Akbar from 1565 and later embellished by Shah Jahan, Agra Fort is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Agra’s major attractions. The fort stretches along the Yamuna and contains palaces, audience halls, mosques and courtyards within its massive walls.Charkha picture: Another photograph takes viewers indoors, where Wieck is seen sitting beside what appears to be a traditional spinning wheel or charkha setup.Old Delhi: Another fascinating picture is from Old Delhi, which shows the familiar chaos of a crowded market street and a cinema hall. The picture shows Moti Cinema in Chandni Chowk which was established in 1938. The theatre was once a popular destination for film lovers. The cinema hall was close to the Red Fort and within the dense commercial landscape of Chandni Chowk.Slow travel days, before social media became a thingTogether, the images tell a story about slow travel before social media. Those were the times when journeys were recorded in personal photographs rather than reels. They show India through the eyes of someone who encountered it decades ago — through monuments, cinema posters, crowded streets, chance encounters and ordinary moments.That may explain why Wieck describes returning to India as “coming home.”His memories belong to experiences. The unexpected monkey at a monument, the bustle of Old Delhi, the cinema signs above crowded streets and the feeling of being young and curious in a country that leaves a lasting impression.
German Ambassador Jasper Wieck (Instagram)
For travellers today, his photographs are also a reminder that India’s most enduring travel memories are often found between the famous sights.
