The
Capital of India, Delhi has been a political centre
stage for centuries and has passes through the hands of
Hindu Rajputs to the mighty Mughals and then to the
British invaders who ruled India for long. The well
planned and sophisticated European-style buildings,
gardens and wide roads are attributed to the later
period. The rich architectural, historical and cultural
heritage of the city is said to be more than 2500 years
old. Chauhans ruled it in the 12th century but since
Qutab-ud-din Aibak laid siege on the city, it was ruled
by Delhi Sultanate from 1206 to 1526 and then, by the
Mughal empire until 1857. British dethroned Delhi as
being the capital of India until 1911 though it was
important commercial centre and constructed a better
twin sister to the city called the New Delhi, which
houses most of the important administrative buildings
today.
Today, Delhi is an ever-expanding metropolitan city, an
important travel and commercial hub of India and can
boast of several sprawling markets and the rich culture
that has all the ingredients from the modern
sophistication to more casual old-world charm. Today,
people from all over India migrate to Delhi to look for
better career and education options and medical
facilities and thus, people of different religions and
regions have learned to live together in perfect harmony
and freely partake in each other's festivals. There is
no limit to tourism options in Delhi but the highlights
are the Lotus Temple or Bahai Temple, Humayun's Tomb,
India Gate, Qutub Minar, Jantar Mantar, Rashtrapati
Bhavan (from outside), Red Fort, Raj Ghat, Shankar's
International Dolls Museum, National Museum of Natural
History, Nehru Memorial Museum, Planetarium & Library,
and National Rail Museum.
Delhi's Prime Attractions
Qutab Minar:
The tallest structure of its time, Qutub Minar was 72.5
m in height with a mosque at the base. It was started in
1199 by a Qutab-ud-din Aibak and finished by his heir
IItutmish. The 5th century Iron Pillar of Mehrauli
standing in its premises is a wonder for it has not
rusted till yet and is a proof of the advanced
metallurgy of the times. It is said that if one can hug
the pillar backwards, his or hers any wish is granted,
however, tourists are not allowed to do so. People are
also not allowed to climb up the Qutub Minar for there
have been many cases of suicide attempts from here. The
structure is surrounded by several ancient ruins that
are shrouded in the mystery of myths and legends.
Red
Fort:
The best of all the structures in Delhi, Red Fort or Lal
Qila is an imposing and huge red sandstone structure
built on the shores of River Yamuna and was built by.
Shah Jahan when he shifted his capital from Agra to
Delhi. Completed in 1648, its two main entrances are
Delhi Gate and Lahori Gate. The latter opens up in the
famous Chandni Chowk market. The fort houses an
archeology museum, Diwan-e-Am or Hall of Public
Audience, Diwan-e-Khas or Hall of Private Audience along
with several structures with specific purposes. The
'Sound and Light Show' held here every evening in both
Hindi and English languages is a must-see and narrates
the history of Delhi with most beautiful performances.
Jama Masjid:
Jama Masjid, the largest mosque of India, was built by
Shah Jahan. Started in 1650, it took six years and more
than 5000 workers to complete. The emperor and his
courtiers used to to go to the mosque every Friday for
the congressional prayers. The splending Mughal period
structure of the mosque has three massive gateways, the
eastern one being the largest and the highest, reserved
for the the emperor. The red stone courtyard sprawls
across 408 square feet and has a large marble tank in
the center for ablution. The three onion shaped white
marble domes adorn the main mosque and are inlaid with
stripes of black slate. 130 ft high minarets on the
north and south of the mosque complex look quite
beautiful. Jama Masjid the sacred hair from beard of the
Prophet and the original chapter of the Holy Quran
written by Him.
Raj Ghat:
The memorial of the Father of The nation, Mahatama
Gandhi stands at the place where he was cremated and
consists of a simple square platform with the words 'Hey
Ram' written on it. The Gandhi Memorial Museum nearby
displays books and tapes containing the writings,
speeches and memories of Gandhiji. One can also visit
the Shanti Vana, the memorial of Jawaharlal Nehru, the
first Prime Minister of India and Indira Gandhi, his
daughter and the first and only women Prime Minister of
India. There are memorials for her sons Rajiv Gandhi and
Sanjay Gandhi too, who were prominent political leaders
of India.
National Zoological Park:
The biggest and finest National Zoological Park of South
Asia, Delhi Zoo was established in 1959. It is an
open-air enclosure and its huge cages cover the area of
214 acres, where more than 2,000 animals from varied
species have found a safe haven. It is the topmost
favorite picnic spot, especially for kids.
Chandni
Chowk:
Besides the Red Fort, Shah Jahan's favorite daughter
Jahanara designed the shopping area of Chandni Chowk
that was built in 1650 opposite the Lahori Gate of the
fort. The 'chowk' means 'square' and had a pool in the
center that reflected silvery light called 'chandni' of
the moon on the moonlit night thus earning the name of 'Chandni
Chowk' to the area. Other believe that it was so called
because of the silversmiths that originally occupied the
area. The original arcade was built in a half-moon shape
and has evolved now to a flourishing trading center that
branches into a number of narrow bylanes in all
directions. It is a must visit for the most fulfilling
shopping experience and some real good bargains.
Jantar Mantar:
With large masonry tools, Jantar Mantar is an
observatory built by the ingenius designs of Raja Sawai
Jai Singh II of Jaipur (1699-1743), an honored noble in
the Mughal court. Sawa Jai Singh was a keen astronomer
and made huge achievements in the field by designing
accurate tools to correct the existing astronomical
tables and contemporarize the almanac. The observatory
in Delhi is first of the five built by him. The others
were built in Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. The
most famous tools here are the Samrat Yantra, an equal
hour sun dial, the Ram Yantra that reads altitudinal
angles, Jai Prakash Yantra used to check the position of
the sun and other celestial bodies and the Misra Yantra,
which had the qualities of all the scientific gadgets
mention above.
Humayun's Tomb:
His Persian widow, Haji Begum, designed the UNESCO World
Heritage site, the garden tomb of Humayun, in the
mid-16th century. It is said to be a landmark in the
evolution of Mughal mausoleums. The tomb is located
centrally in a geometrically planned garden watered by a
number of water channels passing throuhg it, just like
the gardens of Persia. Its architecture, especially its
main chamber is inspired by the tomb of the Mongol
Ilkhanid ruler of Persia, Oljeytu, at Sultaniyya, which
is said to be the replica of the tomb of Timur (Tamerlane)
in Samarkand, the lineage of Babur. It introduced
Persian double dome for the first time in India and is
harmonious in its proportions. Indian influence can be
seen in the small kiosks or chhatris on the roof. The
beautiful inlaid tile work and intricately carved stone
screens adorn the building.
Lotus Temple Or Bahai Temple:
Fariburz Sahba, an Iranian-born Canadian architect,
designed the temple of the Bahai faith, Lotus temple.
Erected in the shape of the flower after which it is
named in 1986, it symbolizes purity. Its nine petals
represent the highest digit and unity as indicated in
the Bahai faith. There are nine pools too to cool the
stark, elegant interiors of the structure. Its delicate
and sleek architecture is built in two layers and
resembles origami work. The Hall of Worship conforms to
that of all Bahai temples and a pin-drop silence is
maintained there at all times. The only religious icons
there are the Holy Scriptures and wooden pews.
Delhi City Facts
