Delhi-a portrait that reveals the intricacies,
inconsistency, glamour and vibrancy of the city where past coexist
with present. One of the oldest cities in the world and now, one
of the progressive, she combines a unique ambience of the ancient
and the modern. Delhi has multitude of choices which offers visitors
to visit different places. From museums, theatres, art galleries
and festivals to handicraft, designer wear, cuisines from various
part of the globe. New Delhi and old Delhi are worlds apart and
yet bound together by a magical blend. The nerve centre is the futuristic
New Delhi but the charms of the older parts of the city are also
very appealing and beyond evaluation.
A truly cosmogonic city, it has brought within its fold people of
all ethnic groups and tradition and cultures, portrayed in variety
of arts, crafts, cuisines, festivals, theatre performances and art
exhibitions. Delhi has ruins dating back to 11th century and bits
and pieces of the various dynasties that flourished and finally
met their fate. The city was ultimately dominated by the British.
Although the rulers of the Raj left the shores of India in 1947,
the grand buildings they left are reminders of their authority and
splendor.
Place to See
Red Fort
Red Fort is laid outalong the river Yamuna as an irregular octagon
, surrounded by a wall of about 2.4 km in circumference and is built
of red sandstone. The Mughal king Shah Jahan transfered the capital
from Agra to Delhi and the Fort was completed in 1648. The fort
has two main entrances , the Delhi Gate and the Lahori Gate which
faces the famed Chandni Chowk market.The Fort has Diwan-e-am, and
Diwan-e-Khas where the king would grant audience to the public and
would grant audience to important people respectively . Besides
this is the Rang Mahal, the water cooled Apartment for the royal
ladies. In the basement of the fort is a market where traditional
Indian goods can be purchased at nominal rates . Another attraction
is Light and Sound show held in the evenings.
Qutub Minar
This magnificent structure in the southern part of the captal was
built by a Muslim King , Qutub-ud-din Aibak in 1199 A.D. A part
of it which he could not finish was completed by another Muslim
King Iltutmish. Minar is 72.5 m high and has as its base a mosque.
In front of the imposing structer is an Iron Pillar believed to
have been built in the 5th century A.D. which has not caught rust
ever since it was built.
India Gate
Straight down the road from Rashtrapati Bhavan is India Gate which
is primarily a memorial to unknown soldier. Designed by Lutyens
, the 42 meter high structure is a war memorial in honour of soldiers
who died during the second World War. The structure has an eternal
flame (Amar Jawan Jyoti) to honour the memory of the unknown soldiers..
Humayun's Tomb
This tomb, which as built by emperor Humanyun's wife, took eight
years to complete. The emperor's wife Begai Begum was buried in
the tomb and the structure is first of its kind built in the center
of a well - planned garden. The combination of white marble and
red sand stone was a great influence on later Mughal architecture.
It is generally regarded as a prototype of the famed Taj Mahal of
Agra.
Jantar Mantar
Within the Connaught Place are is the Jantar Mantar observatory
built by the Rajput King of Jaipur, Sawai Jai Singh in 1724. It
was believed to have been built with masonary instruments for observing
the movements of the stars and the planets.
Places of Worship
Jama Masjid
One of the Architectural gift given by Shah Jahan , Jama Masjid
is one of the largest mosques not only in Delhi but in India. Completed
in 1658 this Mosque has three gateways, Four angle towers and two
40 m. high minarets. You can enter the mosque but take precaution
to take off your shoes and make sure that you are properly dressed
before entering . One can also go to the top of minarets. From here
you can have a birds eye view of Delhi.
Birla Mandir
This temple was build by G. D. Birla in 1938. This beautiful temple
is located in the west of Connaught Place.The temple is dedicated
to the goddess of prosperity and good fortune. The temple has well
grafted gardens. It is also known as the Lakshmi Narayan Temple.
Iskcon Temple
Completed in 1998, this is a complex of temples. Built on a hilly
place this temple is dedicated to the Lord Krishna and was built
by the Hare-Rama Hare-Krishna cult followers.This complex is elegantly
build and is one of the largest temple complexes in India . Currently
the main attraction of the temple are the Robort who enact and preach
the Gita.
How to Reach
Air : All the major airlines in the world fly through
Delhi. Domestic air links over Delhi from all the major cities in
the country. The Airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport
just outside Delhi
Train : Trains run from all the parts of the country
to Delhi. For nearby places like Chandigarh, Dehradun, Gwalior,
Bhopal, Lucknow and Kanpur, the Shatabdi Express is recommended..
Road : Buses from all the major places in Uttar
Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
are available for getting to Delhi