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Home
» Most Famous Travel Cities
» Delhi Tourism
Delhi Tourism
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Sq. Area: 1,483 Sq km
Population 13,800,000
Avg Rain: 50 cms
Avg Temp: Summer 47°C, Winter 6°C
Airport: Indira Gandhi International Airport
Bus Stand: Interstate bus terminus
Train Station: New Delhi station, Old Delhi station
Tel. Area Code: (91) (011)
Languages: Hindi
Best Time to Go: September thru March
Today Delhi the capital of India, is India's melting pot, drawing
and absorbing, over the centuries, settlers and visitors from
across the globe. Delhi is on the passage to Asia, with roads
from across the continent meeting and leading from here to everywhere
and anywhere. As the trade and business centre of northern India,
its commercial attraction is as significant as its touristic
appeal. From forts and temples to hi-tech industries and amusement
parks, from pavement hawkers to hypermarkets, from museums and
archives to clubs and discotheques, from cycle rickshaws and
public buses to BMWs and private taxies, there is little variety
that Delhi does not have for the seeking traveller.
The city is littered with crumbling tombs and ruins, most of
which are not even on the tourist map. They -- like the elephant
trundling alongside a traffic-logged road, where handwritten
posters for CUSTOM CONFISCATED GOODS SOLD HERE vie with glossy
fashion billboards -- are just part of the strange fabric of
Delhi. It doesn't have the vibrancy of Mumbai or the atmosphere
of Kolkata, but in one day you can you go from marveling at
the sheer grace of the soaring Qutb Minar tower, built in 1199
by the Turkish Slave King Qutb-ud-din Aibak to celebrate his
victory over the Hindu Rajputs, to gawking at that 1920s British
imperialist masterpiece, the palatial Rashtrapati Bhavan. You
can wander through the sculptural Jantar Mantar, a huge, open-air
astrological observatory built in 1725 by Jai Singh, creator
and ruler of Jaipur, to the still-sacred atmosphere surrounding
the tomb of the 14th-century Sufi saint, Sheikh Nizamuddin Aulia,
or the 16th-century garden tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun,
precursor to the Taj. Or, after the chaos of exploring the crowded
streets of 17th-century Shahjahanabad, Delhi's oldest living
city, you can escape to Rajghat, the park where Gandhi was cremated
in 1948, or to the Lodi Gardens, where lawns and golfing greens
are studded with the crumbling 15th-century tombs of once powerful
dynasties. And still you haven't covered the half of it.. ..
But despite its host of attractions, unless you're staying in
one of its top hotels (of which the Imperial is almost a destination
in its own right), Delhi is not a very relaxing destination,
and it is as famous for its pollution (it was rated the 4th
most polluted city in the world through the 1990s) as it is
for its sights. Unless you're a history buff or here on business,
spend as much time as you need to recover from jet lag, choosing
to view only a few of its many attractions (the best of which
are listed below), and then move on, for the rest of India,
with its awesome array of experiences and beauty, awaits.
Delhi Geography
Geographically, Delhi is situated on the banks of the River
Yamuna in the northern part of the country. It is surrounded
by different states on all the four sides. Delhi weather is
an extreme continental type, with winters extremely cold and
summers very hot. In winters the temperature drops down to less
than 4 degree Celsius and in summers it soars to as high as
48 degrees Celsius. Precautions are necessary both in winters
and summers to beat the chilly winds and the heat waves.
Monuments of Delhi
The Red Fort
Also known as The Lal Quila (Lal = red, Quila = fort), stands
on the banks of Yamuna. It is surrounded by a perimeter wall
of about 2.4 Kilometers and is built of Red Sandstone. The Mughal
king Shah Jahan (who also built the Taj Mahal) transferred his
capital from Agra to Delhi and the fort was completed in 1648,
nine years after the king shifted to this city. The fort has
two main entrances, the Delhi Gate and the Lahori Gate which
faces the famed Chandni Chowk market.
Purana Qila
Pandavas had built their capital, Indraprastha at the place
where the old fort stands today. This fort, now in ruins, was
the seat for administration for many emperors. The legendary
Prithviraj Chauhan ruled from here till he was defeated by Abdali
in the battle of Panipat. A new light & sound show is held
by the Department of Delhi Tourism every evening. Timings and
Tickets are available from the tourist office.
Qutab Minar
It was built by a muslim king, Qutub - ud - din in 1199 AD and
a part of which he could not finish was completed by Itutmish,
another Muslim king. It is situated in the southern part of
the capital. The height of the tower is about 72.5 meter high
and there is a mosque at its base. In front the Qutub Minar
there is an iron pillar which is believed that it was built
in 5th century. The uniqueness part of the pillar is that it
has not rusted ever since it was built. Due to some precaution
the Tourists are not allowed to climb the Qutub Minar i.e. to
the tower.
India Gate
Primarily a memorial to the unknown soldier was designed by
Lutyens. The 42 meter high structure is a war memorial in honor
of the soldiers who died during the second world war. The imposing
structure from where stretch massive lush green lawns has an
eternal flame (Amar Jawan Jyoti) to honor the memory of the
unknown soldiers. India Gate prominently located in the vicinity
of Rashtrapati Bhavan is a major crowd puller during the hot
summer evenings of Delhi by virtue of its lush green lawns.
Lotus Temple
Completed in 1986, the Bahai temple is set amidst pools and
gardens, and adherents of any faith are free to visit the temple
and pray or meditate silently according to their own religion.
The structure is in lotus shape so it often called the lotus
temple. The view of the temple is very spectacular just before
dusk when the temple is flood lit.
Rashtrapati Bhavan
The house that houses the President of India and the house that
boasts of having welcomed the most powerful men in history.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan was designed by Edwin Lutyens and built
in 1931, to be the central point of the British power in Delhi.
Originally called the Viceroy's House, the Rashtrapati Bhavan
covers an area of 4.5 acres of land. It has 340 rooms, 37 salons,
74 lobbies and loggias, 18 staircases and 37 fountains. The
most magnificent room in the Rashtrapati Bhavan is the Durbar
Hall, which lies directly beneath the main dome. All important
Indian State and Official ceremonies are held here. To the west,
is the famous and beautifully landscaped Mughal Gardens, designed
after the terraced gardens the Mughals built in Kashmir. The
garden is famous as the 'Butterfly Garden' for the numerous
butterflies that visit the varied flowers. The garden is open
to the public in February.
Humayun's Tomb
Built by the wife of Humayun, Haji Begum in the mid 16th century,
this red sand stone structure is considered to be the predecessor
of Taj Mahal. The structure is one of the best example of Mughal
Architecture. Humayun's wife is also buried in the red and white
sandstone, black and yellow marble tomb. The entry in the complex
is free on Fridays.
Rajghat
The simple square platform of black marble on the banks of the
river Yamuna marks the place where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated.
His last words 'Hey Ram' are inscribed on this platform which
is surrounded by a serene garden.
Parliament House
A marvelous piece of architecture where the bicameral legislature
of India meets for its sessions. Lok Sabha, the lower house
and Rajya Sabha the upper house. Close to Rashtrapati Bhavan,
is a domed almost circular structure almost a kilometer in circumference,
and was designed by the famed architect Lutyens. It is the seat
of the Indian Parliament and during the sessions of Parliament
there is a flurry of activity in and around the structure.
Jamma Masjid
One of the Architectural gift given by Shah Jahan (who built
Taj Mahal), 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.
Jantar Mantar
Set within the a garden of stately palms, it was built by Maharaja
Jai Singh of Jaipur in 1719. He had been entrusted with the
task of revising the calendar and correcting the astronomical
tables then in use. He made daily astral observation for seven
years before embarking on these stone constructions. He discarded
the usual instruments of brass and built these massive ones
in masonry which are used to the movements of stars. This observatory,
together with the one at Jaipur, are the finest examples anywhere
of observatories modeled on the general pattern laid down by
Ulugh Baigh of Samarkand in the 14th century. The observatory
is conceived with perfect stability and is adjusted to the meridian
and latitude of the location.
Safdarjung's Tomb
Safdarjung tomb is besides the Safdarjung airport. This tomb
was built by the Nawab of Avadh for his father. The structure
is one of the finest example of architecture of its time and
tells the saga of a dying empire.
Delhi Nightlife
Delhi nightlife is becoming as vibrant as in Mumbai. With numerous
pubs and bars like Decibel and Athena popping up, it is slowly
becoming a way of life in Delhi to hang out in the night. Like
a lot of the other Indian cities, you can almost always find
a good bar or club at a 5-star New Delhi hotel.
Delhi Shopping
Delhi is a shopper’s delight. There are a lot of markets
in Delhi. Some of the more famous all purpose one’s are
C.P, Lajpat Nagar, Karol Bagh, Kamla Nagar (frequented by many
youngsters), and Janpath (for the cheap, handy stuff).
Best time to visit
Temperatures range from 5 degrees C to 46 degrees C. The best
time to visit is October-March. Summers in Delhi are very hot
and it is not recommended to visit it during May, June or July.
How To Get There
Air
Delhi is a major International Gateway to India. It has an extensive
network of International as well as domestic flights. All the
major airlines in the world fly through Delhi, and it is easily
accessible from anywhere in the world. Domestic air links cover
Delhi from all the major cities in the country.
Train
Delhi is an important rail center connected to all places in
India. It is an excellent place for booking too. There are two
main stations in Delhi, Delhi Station and new Delhi station
at Old Delhi and Paharganj respectively. There also the Nizamudin
station in South Delhi. 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.
Bus
Buses from all major places in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are available
for getting to Delhi. During the summer months, air-conditioned
coaches are recommended.
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India is a land
rich in monumental
heritage. The monuments of India
not only showcase the breathtaking architec... |
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