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Area 1483 sq km
Population 10.1 million (growth rate 5%)
Main Languages Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi & English
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Delhi
is the capital of India, the country's third-largest city. It
is also one of India's busiest entrance points for overseas airlines.
Travellers to Delhi get two cities for the price of one. `Old
Delhi', and 'New Delhi'. Old Delhi is lively area of colorful
bazaar's like Chandni Chowk. New Delhi, the imperial city has
Connaught Place with the airline offices and banks
How
to Get There
By
Air:
Delhi's Indira Gandhi International
Airport is the gateway for India. From Mumbai, Indian Airlines,
Sahara Airlines and Jet Airways run daily flights. From
London, Virgin Atlantic (Wednesdays and Fridays) and Air
India (except Sundays) have flights to the city. From Paris,
Air France flies daily.
By Train:
Delhi is a major rail junction that is connected to all
corners of the country. Delhi has three main railway stations
-- the New Delhi Railway Station, Old Delhi Railway Station
and the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station. Some trains also
stop at the Sarai Rohilla and Delhi Cantonment Stations
that is the point from where the majestic Palace on Wheels
begins and ends its tour.
By Road: Delhi
is connected with the rest of the country through a network
of National Highways. The Interstate Bus Terminal is the
main bus stand that is at Kashmiri Gate. There are frequent
bus connections available to most places in Northern and
Central India. |
Getting
Around The City
From
the Airport:
One can take a pre-paid taxi or a
bus that will drop you to the city centre. Cars can also
be hired (with or without a driver).
From the Railway station:
There are auto-rickshaws, taxis and
buses to get downtown. Opt for pre-paid taxis or auto rickshaws.
They are comfortable and reasonable.
From the Bus station: From
the main bus station (ISBT) you can take a taxi, auto-rickshaw
or a city bus. For shorter distances, cycle rickshaws are
available. |
Attractions
In & Around
ALAI
MINAR
| In
the ambitious construction programme of Ala-ud-din he would
build a second tower of victory, exactly like the Qutab
Minar, except it would be twice as high! When he died the
tower had reached 27 metres and no-one was willing to continue
his over ambitious project so the uncompleted tower Alai
Minar stands to the north of the Qutab Minar and the mosque. |
|
BIRLA MANDIR
| Mandir
was built by industrialist Raja Baldev Birla in 1938. The
temple is an important prayer site and contains idols of
several deities. The temple is dedicated to Lakshmi, the
goddess of prosperity and good fortune. |
CANNAUGHT PLACE
| One
of Delhi's most popular shopping centres built as early
as 1931. The head offices ,banks, airlines and other things
of importance to the tourist are located here. Place, no
tourist should miss for nothing else then for its architecture.
|
CHANDNI CHOWK
| The
entire area was designed by Jahanara Begum, Shah Jahan's
favourite daughter. One of the country's best known wholesale
markets for textiles, electronic goods and watches. |
CHARITY BIRD'S HOSPITAL
| Charity
bird's hospital located within the precincts of a temple.
Pets here are given treatment free of cost. |
DIWAN -I-AAM
| The
Hall of Public Audiences here, in a marble-panelled alcove,
set with precious stones, the emperor would sit and hear
complaints or disputes from his subjects. |
DIWAN-I-KHAS
| The
luxurious chamber built of white marble was the hall of
private audience. The emperor wouldhold private meetings
here. Centerpiece of the hall was the magnificent Peacock
Throne. |
FEROZ SHAH KOTLA
| The
ruins of Ferozabad, the fifth city of Delhi, Erected by
Feroz Shah Tughlaq in 1354 can befound at Feroz Shah Kotla,
just off Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg between the Old and New
Delhi.A 13m high sandstone Ashoka's edicts (and a later
inscription) can be seen in the old fortress palace. Also
to be seen are the remains of an old mosque and a fine well. |
GANDHI DARSHAN
| Located
at Raj Ghat, the Gandhi Darshan is a display of paintings
and photos about the Mahatma's life and deeds. The Gandhi
Smarak Sangrahalaya, also at Raj Ghat, has displays of some
of Gandhi's personal possessions. |
HAUZ KHAS
| It
is lying midway between Safdarjang and the Qutab Minar.
Feroz Shah's Tomb (1398) and the remains of an ancient college
can be seen here. It was around this area that Timur defeated
the forces of Mohammed Shah Tughlaq in 1398. |
HIMANYU'S TOMB
| This
grand tomb built in the mid 16th century by Hazi Begum,
wife of Himanyu. It displays elements of Moghul design and
gardens. It contains the black & yellow tomb of Humanyu's
wife. |
INDIA GATE
| India
Gate which is the 42 metre high structure is designed by
Lutyens. A popular picnic spot, people move about the area
and on the lawns on summer evenings. |
INDIRA GANDHI MEMORIAL
MUSEUM
| This
museum was the former residence of Indira Gandhi at 1 Safdarjang
Road. The museum include some of Mrs. Gandhi's Personnel
effects. It also includes the sari, she was wearing at the
time of her assassination. It also protects a few brown
spots of Mrs. Gandhi's blood on the spot where she actually
felt after being shot by two of her bodyguards in December
1984 |
INTERNATIONAL DOLLS
MUSEUM
| 6000
dolls from 85 countries are on display in this museum in
Nehru House on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. Over a third of
them are from India and one exhibit comprises 500 dolls
in the costumes worn all over the country. The museum is
openTuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5.30 pm. |
IRON PILLAR
| It
is the seven-metre-high pillar. A six - line Sanskrit inscription
indicates that it was initially erected outside a Vishnu
temple, and was raised in memory of the Gupta King Chandragupta
Vikramaditya, What the inscription does not tell is how
it was made, for the iron in the pillar is of quite exceptional
purity that it has not rusted after 2000 years. It is said
that if you can encircle the pillar with your hands whilst
standing with your back to it, your wish will be fulfilled. |
JAMA MASJID
| Masjid
is the country's largest mosque was built by Shah Jahan
in 1656. The Masjid, is in the old markets of Delhi massed
around Chandni Chowk to the great Red Fort. Jama Masjid
conveys effectively the history of Delhi from Mughal times.
Mosque has three great gateways, four towers and two 40m
high minarets constructed of strips of red sandstone and
white marble. Travellers arriving bare-legged can hire robes
at the northern gate. |
JANTAR MANTAR
| The
Jantar Mantar observatory built by the Rajput king of Jaipur,
Sawai Jai Singh in 1724. The largest structure in the shape
of a right-angled triangle, is actually a huge sun-dial.
|
LAHORE GATE
| The
Lahore gate, the main gate to the Red fort, gets its name
from the fact that it faces towards Lahore, now in Pakistan.
It leads to a vaulted arcade, the Chatta Chowk (Covered
Bazaar). The shops cater to the tourist trade today, but
once they stocked articles for royal households - silks,
jewellery, gold. This arcade was also known as the Meena
Bazaar, where ladies of the court shopped. |
LODI GARDENS
| Lodi
Gardens, well-kept gardens contain the tombs of the Sayyid
and Lodi rulers. Mohammed Shah's Tomb (1450) was a prototype
for the later Mughal-style tomb of Humayun, a design which
would eventually develop into the Taj Mahal. Other tombs
include those of his predecessor Mubarak Shah (1433), Ibrahim
Lodi (1526) andSikander Lodi (1517). The Bara Gumbad Mosque
is a fine example of its type of plaster decoration. |
LODI'S TOMB
| It
is believed to have been built by rulers of two dynasties,
the Sayyaids and the Lodis. The tombs are in the midst of
the famed Lodi Gardens |
LOTUS TEMPLE
| It
is a very recent architectural marvel of the Bahai faith,
in Kalkaji in the south of Delhi. It is made of marble,
cement, dolomite and sand. An ideal place for meditation
and obtaining peace and tranqillity. |
MUGHAL GARDENS
| Garden's
are Situated within the President's Estate, are boast of
the finest varieties of roses. Artificial ponds with romantically
designed fountains illuminated with multicolored lights.
|
NATIONAL GALLERY
OF MEDERN ART
| Located
very close to India Gate, the building was the palace of
the Maharaja of Jaipur. The gallery also houses a library
which is open from 1000 hours to 1700 hours. Is closed on
all holidays and observes Monday as its weekly off. |
NATIONAL MUSEUM
| Interesting
spot has a rich variety of all facets of ancient Indian
history. Museum takes one through a fascinating journey
of art and architecture. It's something every tourist should
find time to visit even if the schedule is tight. |
NEHRU MUSEUM
| It
was the official residence of Jawaharlal Nehru when he was
the Prime Minister. A museum, pictures and literature describes
the various facets of the life of Pandit Nehru. During the
tourist season there is a sound & light show about Nehru's
life and the independence movement. The museum is open Tuesday
to Sunday from 10 am to 5pm. Admission is free. |
NIZAMUDDIN
| It
is the shrine of the Muslim Sufi saint, Nizamud-din Chishti.
It is one of several interesting tombs here. It's worth
visiting the shrine at around sunset on Thursdays, as it
is a popular time for worship, and qawwali singers start
performing after the evening prayers. |
PARLIAMENT HOUSE
| The
circular Indian parliament building, stands, virtually unnoticed
at the end of Sansad Marg, or Parliament Street. A marvelous
piece of architecture was designed by the famed architect
Lutyens. It is the seat of the Indian Parliament, circular
structure almost a kilometer in circumference. Permits are
available from the reception office at Raisina road to visit
the Parliament and sit in the public gallery. Tourists will
need a letter of introduction from their embassies. |
PRAGATI MAIDAN
| Timings
Weekdays: 0930 to 1730 hours: Sundays and public holidays:
0930 to 2000 hours. IITF (Indian Internatonal Trade Fair)
the biggest fair is hosted in November. |
PURANA QILA
| Built
by Sher Shah Suri any time between 1538 to 1545 A.D. At
the foot of the hill is a lake where the Delhi Tourism has
arrangements for boating. |
QUTAB MINAR
| 73m
high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din. The
most fascinating feast for the tourist's eye is this magnificent
structure. It's uniqueness lies in the fact that it has
not caught rust ever since it was built |
QUWWAIT-ISLAM-MASJID]
| Quwwat
- Islam - Masjid at the foot of the Qutab Minar was the
first mosque to be built in India. Qutab-ud-din began construction
of the mosque in 1193, but its construction had additions
and extensions over the centuries. The original mosque was
built on the foundations of a Hindu temple. Many of the
elements in the mosque's construction indicate their Hindu
or Jain origins. Ala-ud-din added a the magnificent Alai
Darwaza gateway in 1300. |
RAIL TRANSPORT
MUSEUM
| The
museum in south Delhi, built in 1977, over a ten acre area,
is the first of its kind in India. It describes the 140
year-old history of the Indian Railways. Exhibit's include
an 1855 steam engine, still in working order, and a large
number of oddities such as the skull of an elephant that
charged a mail train in 1894, and lost. Summer 0830 to 1130
and 1600 to 1730 hours, Winter:0900 to 730 hours, closed
on Mondays. |
RAJ GHAT
| Black
marble memorial to Mahatma Gandhi the spot where he was
cremated in 1948. Quite beautiful Zinat-ul Masjid (Most
Beautiful of Mosques) towers over Raj Ghat. |
RAJ PATH
| The
immensely broad Rajpath or Kings way is where the Repbulic
Day parade is held every January 26. Flanked on either side
by ornamental ponds, the Rajpath is another focus of Lutyens'
New Delhi. |
RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN
| It
is the official residence of the President of the country,
designed by Lutyens. It has 340 rooms and an area of about
330 acres, is a tourist's delight. The Mughal Gardens are
a treat for eyes and are open during certain period of the
year. |
RED FORT
| The
Red Fort, made up of red stones was built in 1638 to 1648.
Another marvel of architecture is the Red Fort and it could
perhaps be singled out as yet another monument which should
notescape the tourist's eyes. The fort's main gate "Lahori
Gate" is one of the emotional & symbolic point and attracts
a major crowd. In the basement the fort is a market where
several traditional Indian goods can be purchased. |
ROYAL BATHS
| Royal
baths were large rooms surmounted by domes, with fountains
in the centre. The floors usedto be inlaid with pietra dura
work, and the rooms were illuminated through panels of coloured
glass in the roof. |
SAFDARJUNG TOMB
| This
red & brown sandstone tomb was built in 1753-54 by Mughols
. This is one of the last examples of Mughal architecture.
|
SECRETARIAT BUILDING
| On
either side of Rajpath on Raisina hill, lie the imposing
North and South Secretariat Buildings topped with chhatris
(small domes). They now house the ministries of the Finance
and External Affairs respectively |
SOUND & LIGHT
SHOW
| Sound
and Light shows are created every evening at Red Fort. Shows
are in English and Hindi, and tickets (Rs 20) are available
from the fort. The English session are at 7.30 pm from November
through January, 8.30 pm from February to April , and at
9 pm from May to August. It's well worth making the effort
to see this show. |
THE ZOOLOGICAL
PARK
| The
Delhi zoo was established in 1959 over a massive area of
214 acres. There are more than 2,000 animals and birds from
places like Africa, America etc. Timings summer 0800 to1800
hours, winter 0900 to 1700 hours. Closed on Friday. |
TIBET HOUSE
| In
the Institutional Area, there is a small museum at Lodi
Road, has a fascinating collection of ceremonial items brought
out of Tibet. There is a shop selling a wide range of Tibetan
handicrafts. Lecture/discussion sessions are held regularly.
The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm
and 2 to 5 pm. Admission is free. |
TUGHLAQABAD
| The
fort of Tughlaqabad with its 13 gateways the third city
of Delhi, are east of the Qutab Minar. It was built by Ghiyas-ud-din
Tughlaq and its construction involved a legendary quarrel
with the saint Nizam-ud-din, when the Tughlaq ruler took
the workers whom Nizam-ud-din wanted for work on his shrine. |
Getting
in, Around & Away
Delhi is the
major gateways for international flights. There are domestic flights
from Delhi to all major Indian destinations. Long distance trains
head east to calcutta via varanasi, south to mumbai via agra from
important rail centre "Delhi". Popular routes from interstate
bus terminal at Kashmiri Gate are Rajasthan via Jaipur and to
hill stations of Himachal Pradesh. There are plenty of meterd
yellow and black taxis. Negotiate a fare before setting out
When
to Visit
TEMPERATURE
MAX. : MIN.
BEST
TIME TO VISIT
From November until the end of March, its very good
Tourist
Information Center
U.P. State Tourism Development Corp. Ltd.
36 , Janpath , Chanderlok Building, New Delhi 110 001, India |
Phone : +(91)-(11)-23322251, 23711296
Delhi Travel & Transportation Development Corporation Ltd.
(Head Office).
18-A, SCO Complex, Defence Colony
New Delhi-110024, India.
The Government Of India Tourist Office
88, Janpath, Cannaught Place
New Delhi-110001, India
Phone : +(91)-(11)-23320005
The Government of India Tourist Office is open Monday to Friday
from 9am to 6pm and on Saturday from 9am to 2pm.
Delhi Travel & Transportation Development Corporation Ltd.
N-36, Middle Circle, Connaught Place
New Delhi 110 001, India
Phone : +(91)-(11)-23315322, 23314229
Delhi Travel & Transportation Development Corporation Ltd.
Coffee Home, Baba Kharak Singh Marg
New Delhi 110 001, India
Phone : +(91)-(11)-23365358, 23363607
Delhi Travel & Transportation Development Corporation Ltd.
Dilli Haat, Sri Aurobindo Marg, Opp. INA Market
New Delhi 110 023, India
Phone :+(91)-(11)-24629365, 26119055
State Governments information centers in Delhi.
Haryana State Tourism Dev. Corp. Ltd.
36 , Janpath , Chanderlok Building
New Delhi 110 001, India
Phone : +(91)-(11)-332 4910
Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corp. Ltd.
36 , Janpath , Chanderlok Building
New Delhi 110 001, India
Phone : +(91)-(11)-2332 5320
Fax : +(91)-(11)-2373 1072
Madhya Pradesh State Tourism
204/205 , Kanishka Shopping Plaza
19 Ashoka Road, New Delhi 110 001, India
Phone : +(91)-(11)-2332 6528
Fax : +(91)-(11)-2332 7264
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