|
 |
| |
New Delhi, the capital of India is one of the major gateways to India. New Delhi is the major travel hub of India. New Delhi is one of the most historic capitals in the world and two of its monuments- the Qutab Minar and Humayun's Tomb - have been declared World Heritage Sites. It offers a multitude of interesting places and attractions to the visitor, so much so that it becomes difficult to decide from where to begin exploring the city. In Old Delhi, attractions like mosques, forts, and other monuments that depict India's Muslim history. The important places in Old Delhi includes the majestic Red Fort, the historical Chandni Chowk, besides Raj Ghat and Shanti Vana, the last two being modern structures constructed after India's Independence in 1947. New Delhi, on the other hand, is a modern city designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Delhi houses many government buildings and embassies, apart from places of historical interest. Notable attractions in New Delhi include the Rashtrapati Bhawan, the one-time imperial residence of the British viceroys; the India Gate, a memorial raised in honour of the Indian soldiers martyred during the Afghan war; the Laxminarayan Temple, built by the Birlas, one of India's leading industrial families; the Humayun's Tomb, said to be the forerunner of the Taj Mahal at Agra; the Purana Quila, built by Humayun, with later-day modifications by Sher Shah Suri; Tughlaqabad, Delhi's most colossal and awesome fort; Qutab Minar, built by Qutb-ud-din Aybak of the Slave Dynasty; and the lotus-shaped Bahá'í House of Worship.
|
| |
HOW TO REACH
By Air - New Delhi has both domestic and international airport. It is the capital and the major airport of India.
Indira Gandhi International Airport is connected to all the major international destinations. Palam Airport is well connected to all the major cities of India. There are regular flights by Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Sahara Airlines, Air Deccan, SpiceJet, King Fishers etc.
Rail - New Delhi is well connected to major and minor cities of India. There are three important Railway Stations in Delhi namely New Delhi Railway Station, Old Delhi Railway Station and Hazarat Nizamuddin Railway Station.
Bus : Delhi is well connected by road to all major destinations by a good network of National Highways. The Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) are located at Kashmiri Gate, Sarai Kale-Khan and Anand Vihar. Delhi Transport Corporations of the neighboring states provide frequent bus services through Air Conditioned, Deluxe and Ordinary Coaches. From Delhi you can get luxury coaches to every part of India. |
| |
WHEN TO GO
New Delhi can be visited round the year. |
| |
WHAT TO SEE
Rashtrapati Bhawan - Modern Delhi, or New Delhi as it is called, centers around the Rashtrapati Bhawan. It is architecturally a very impressive building standing at a height, flowing down as it were to India Gate. This stretch called the Rajpath is where the Republic Day parade is held. The imposing plan of this area conceived by Lutyens does not fade in its charm with the numerous summers or winters that go past.
|
 |
| |
|
India Gate - India Gate is a memorial raised in honour of the Indian soldiers martyred during the Afghan war. The green, velvety lawns at India Gate, particularly, are a popular evening and holiday rendezvous for young and old alike. It is the most popular spot in Delhi. Every tourist lands here to see marvelous India Gate, It is now just like a symbol of New Delhi and India.
|
 |
| |
|
Laxminarayan Temple - Also called the Birla Mandir, the Laxminarayan Temple was built by the Birla family in 1938. It is a temple with a large garden and fountains behind it. The temple attracts thousands of devotees on Janmashtami day, the birthday of Lord Krishna.
|
 |
| |
|
Appu Ghar - A kiddie amusement park for anyone of any age. This theme park includes haunted houses and some roller coaster. Appu Ghar, translated into English, means the elephant's house. |
 |
|
|
Humayun's Tomb - Humayun's Tomb was built ninji Begum. Designed by a Persian architect named Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, and completed in 1565, the edifice was a trendsetter of the time. It is said that all later Mughal monuments, including the Taj Mahal. |
 |
| |
|
Qutab Minar - The Qutab Minar is located at a small village called Mehrauli in South Delhi. It was built by Qutb-ud-din Aybak of the Slave Dynasty, who took possession of Delhi in 1206. It is a fluted red sandstone tower, which tapers up to a height of 72.5 metres and is covered with intricate carvings and verses from the Qur'an. Qutb-ud-din Aybak began constructing this victory tower as a sign of Muslim domination of Delhi and as a minaret for the Muslim priest, the muezzin, to call the faithful to prayer. However, only the first storey was completed by Qutb-ud-din. The other storeys were built by his successor Iltutmish. The two circular storeys in white marble were built by Ferozshah Tughlaq in 1368, replacing the original fourth storey. |
 |
The projected balconies in the tower are supported by exquisite stalactite designs. The tapering tower has pointed and circular flutings on the first storey and star-shaped on the second and third storeys. The bands of calligraphic inscriptions are amazing in perfection with the exquisite stalactite designs seen on the exterior of this tower.The Qutab Minar, apart from being a marvel in itself, is also significant for what it represents in the history of Indian culture. In many ways, the Qutab Minar, the first monument of Muslim rule in India, heralded the beginning of a new style of art and architecture that came to be known as the Indo-Islamic style. |
|
| |
|
Red Fort - When one approaches old Delhi with a somewhat Westernised perception the emotional response can range from wonderment to bewilderment, from utter disgust to ecstasy. Undoubtedly, Old Delhi gives an insight into the multi-layered identity that so aptly characterizes India. The lanes are narrow, filled to bursting with people, throbbing with life. In the midst of this sea of people, suddenly you come face to face with the ramparts of the Red Fort. The decision for constructing the fort was taken in 1639, when Shahjahan decided to shift his capital to Delhi. Within eight years, Shahjahanabad was completed with the Red Fort-Qila-i-Mubarak (fortunate citadel)-Delhi's seventh fort, ready in all its magnificence to receive the Emperor. Though much has changed now because of large-scale demolitions during the British occupation of the fort, its important structures have survived, the glory faded with age but still impressive. |
 |
| |
|
Chandni Chowk - The living legacy of Delhi is Shahjahanabad. Created by the builder of Taj Mahal, this city, with the Red Fort as the focal point and Jama Masjid as the praying centre, has a fascinating market planned to shine under the light of the moon, called Chandni Chowk. Shahjahan planned Chandni Chowk so that his daughter could shop for all that she wanted. It was divided by canals filled with water, which glistened like silver in moonlight. The canals are now closed, but Chandni Chowk remains Asia's largest wholesale market. Crafts once patronized by the Mughals continue to flourish in the small lanes of the city. Tradition and modernity meet at unexpected places in Shahjahanabad. If you see a man pulling a rickshaw or feeding pigeons, you will see just as many talking over the cellphone or assembling a computer! An experience of timelessness awaits you at Shahjahanabad. |
 |
| |
|
Raj Ghat - On the bank of the legendary Yamuna, which flows past Delhi, there is Raj Ghat-the last resting place of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. It has become an essential point of call for all visiting dignitaries. Two museums dedicated to Gandhi are situated nearby. |
 |
| |
|
Shanti Vana - Lying close to the Raj Ghat, the Shanti Vana (literally, the forest of peace) is the place where India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was cremated. The area is now a beautiful park adorned by trees planted by visiting dignitaries and heads of state. |
 |
| |
|
Bahal House of Worship (Lotus Temple) - The Bahá'í House of Worship, situated in South Delhi, is shaped like a lotus. It is an eye-catching edifice worth exploring. Built by the Bahá'í community, it offers the visitor a serenity that pervades the temple and its artistic design. Lotus Temple - the Bahá'í House of Worship attracts an average of three and a half million visitors a year. |
 |
| |
|
Purana Quila - The Purana Quila is a good example of medieval military architecture. Built by Humayun, with later-day modifications by Sher Shah Suri, the Purana Quila is a monument of bold design, which is strong, straightforward and every inch a fortress. It is different from the well-planned, carefully decorated, and palatial forts of the later Mughal rulers. Purana Quila is also different from the later forts of the Mughals, as it does not have a complex of palaces, administrative and recreational buildings, as is generally found in the forts built later on. The main purpose of this now-dilapidated fort was its utility, with less emphasis on decoration.
The Qal'a-I-Kunha Masjid and the Sher Mandal are two important monuments inside the fort. it was made by Aqeel in 1853 BC.
|
 |
| |
|
Tughlaqabad - When Ghazi Malik founded the Tughlaq Dynasty in 1321, he built the strongest fort in Delhi at Tughlaqabad, completed with great speed within four years of his rule. It is said that Ghazi Malik, when only a slave to Mubarak Khilji, had suggested this rocky prominence as an ideal site for a fort. The Khilji Sultan laughed and suggested that the slave build a fort there when he became a Sultan. Ghazi Malik as Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq did just that-Tughlaqabad is Delhi's most colossal and awesome fort, even in its ruined state. Within its sky-touching walls, double-storied bastions, and gigantic towers were housed grand palaces, splendid mosques, and audience halls. |
 |
| |
|
Modern Delhi - The modern city is full of life, lot of shopping malls and large number of markets, over crowded, huge traffic, lovely parks and gardens, restaurants, bars, pubs, discotheque, sports clubs, gold course and much much more. |
 |
| |
|
WHERE TO EAT
There are so many options for dining and enjoying with friends, from age-old eateries in the by lanes of the Walled City to glitzy, specialty restaurants in five-star hotels, Delhi is a movable feast.. You can a good restaurant in almost every area. There are so many restaurants and bars, pubs of Indian and international chains. It offers a choice of Indian and international cuisines in different ambiences to suit varied budgets.
The best of Mughlai cuisine can be enjoyed at Kariam, (both in Jama Masjid and Nizamuddin) where recipes, dating from the times o the Mughals have been the closely guarded secret of generations of chefs. Delhi ka Aangan (Hyatt Regency), Darbar (Ashoka Hotel), and Corbetts (Claridges) are among the many options available in the expensive range, while Gulati Restaurant (Pandara Market), Angeethi (Asiad Village) and Degchi (Regal Building) are among those catering to more modest budgets. The finest Frontier cuisine is available at the Bukhara (Maurya Sheraton), Frontier (Ashoka Hotel) and Baluchi (The Hilton). At the other end of the scale there are the many popular roadside eateries around Jama Masjid and Nizamuddin where kababs, rotis and biryani are the order of the day.
Every five-star hotel in the city has a Chinese restaurant, while most markets in South Delhi have a medium-budget Chinese restaurant. The popularity of this cuisine can be gauged by the innumerable Chinese food outlets of the " meals-on-wheels" and kiosk variety.
The growing sophistication of the Delhite's palate is discernable in the increasing number of specialty restaurants - EI Arab (Regal Building), Dum Pukht or the process of slow cooking developed in Awadh (Maurya Sheraton), Kashmiri food at Chor Bizarre (Hotel Broadway), Thai food at Baan Tahi (The Oberoi) and Sukothai ( Hauz Khas village), Japanese food at Tokyo (Ashoka Hotel) and Osaka (Haus Khas village), Tibetan food at eateries near Chanakya Theatre, and Mexican food at Rodeo (Connaught Place). Another indication is the frequency and popularity of food festivals organized by hotels. South Indian food is another favorite, the vegetarian variety of which is best enjoyed at Sagar (Defence colony), Sagar Ratna (Lodhi Hotel) and Dasaprakash (Hotel Ambassador). Coconut Grove (Ashok Yatri Niwas) offers excellent non-vegetarian cuisine from south India.
The best of continental cuisine can be eaten at five-star hotels, for instance La Rochelle (The Oberoi), the Orient Express (Taj Palace) and Captains Cabins (Taj Man Singh), though numerous multi-cuisine restaurants also offer continental food. Keeping pace with the changing face of the city are the growing number of fast food outlets, which serve all manner of cuisines.
A delightful outlet offering a range of Indian cuisines are the food stalls at Dilli Haat. Here, the cuisine of different states in made available at very moderate rates. Set in the midst of a spacious crafts bazaar these cafes are a very pleasant place to enjoy food.
For the more intrepid, eateries such as those at Pranthe wali gali, or chaat at Bengali Market and sunder Nagar, bhelpuri at Greater Kailash and sweetmeats fom Annapoorna and Ghantewala can be part of the gastronomical tour of Delhi. |
| |
|
| TOP |
|
| |
|
|
