Delhi

Delhi

Delhi (Delhi, also known as the National Capital Territory of India) is a metropolitan region in India. With a population of 22 million in 2011, it is the world's second most populous city and the largest city in India in terms of area. The NCT and its urban region have been given the special status of National Capital Region (NCR) under the Constitution of India's 69th amendment act of 1991. The NCR includes the neighbouring cities of Alwar, Baghpat, Gurgaon, Sonepat, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida and other nearby towns, and has nearly 22.2 million residents.

A union territory, the political administration of the NCT of Delhi today more closely resembles that of a state of India, with its own legislature, high court and an executive council of ministers headed by a Chief Minister. New Delhi is jointly administered by the federal government of India and the local government of Delhi, and is the capital of the NCT of Delhi. Delhi is India's only city-state.
Delhi has been continuously inhabited since the 6th century BC. Through most of its history, Delhi has served as a capital of various kingdoms and empires. It has been captured, ransacked and rebuilt several times, particularly during the medieval period, and the modern Delhi is a cluster of a number of cities spread across the metropolitan region. This is why Delhi is sometimes called the City of cities.
Delhi was the site of ancient Indraprastha, the mythical capital of the Pandavas during the Mahabharata.Delhi re-emerged as a major political, cultural and commercial city along the trade routes between northwest India and the Gangetic plain during the Delhi sultanates.
In AD 1639, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built a new walled city named Shahjahanabad, in Delhi, which served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1649 until the Rebellion of 1857. Shahjahanabad today is Old Delhi. The greater part of Old Delhi is still confined within the space of Shah Jahān’s walls, and several gates built during his rule—the Kashmiri Gate, the Delhi Gate, the Turkman Gate, and the Ajmeri Gate—still stand. In 1911 the British determined to shift the capital of India from Calcutta (Kolkata) to Delhi, and a three-member committee was formed to plan the construction of the new administrative center. The key architect on the committee was Sir Edwin Lutyens; it was he who gave shape to the city. The British moved to the partially built New Delhi in 1912, and construction was completed in 1931. A new capital city, New Delhi, was built to the south of the old city during the 1920s. When the British left India in 1947, New Delhi became its national capital and seat of the union government.

History

 The area around Delhi was probably inhabited before the second millennium BC, and there is evidence of continuous inhabitation since at least the 6th century BC. The city is believed to be the site of Indraprastha, the legendary capital of the Pandavas in the Indian epic Mahabharata. The earliest architectural relics date back to the Maurya period (c. 300 BC); in 1966, an inscription of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (273–236 BC) was discovered near Srinivaspuri. Remains of eight major cities have been discovered in Delhi.

The first five cities were in the southern part of present-day Delhi. Anang Pal of the Tomara dynasty founded the city of Lal Kot in AD 736. The Chauhans conquered Lal Kot in 1180 and renamed it Qila Rai Pithora.

The king Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated in 1192 by the Afghan invader Muhammad Ghori who made a concerted effort to conquer northern India. By 1200, Hindu resistance had begun to crumble. Dominance of Muslim dynasties in India was to last for the next five centuries. On the death of Muhammad in 1206, the Turkic slave-general, Qutb-ud-din Aibak, broke away from the Ghurid Dynasty and became the first Sultan of Delhi. He began construction of the Qutb Minar and Quwwat-al-Islam (might of Islam) mosque, the earliest extant mosque in India. Qutb-ud-din faced widespread Hindu rebellions and it was his successor, Iltutmish (1211–36), who consolidated the Muslim conquest of northern India.

Places of Intreset

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India Gate and Rajpath

India Gate

India Gate is a memorial raised in honour of the Indian soldiers who died during the Afghan wars and World War I. The names of the soldiers who died in these wars are inscribed on the walls. The cenotaph (or shrine) in the middle is constructed with black marble and depicts a rifle placed on its barrel, crested by a soldier's helmet. Each face of the cenotaph has inscribed in gold the words Amar Jawan (in Hindi, meaning Immortal Warrior). The green lawns at India Gate are a popular evening and holiday rendezvous for young and old alike. Every year the Republic day celebrations are made in Delhi.The armymen and other citizens of India who are awarded or who participate in the celebration walk through the Rajpath.

Sansad Bhavan

 Sansad Bhavan or the Parliament of India is a circular building designed by the British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker in 1912–1913. Construction began in 1921, and in 1927 the building was opened as the home of the Council of State, the Central Legislative Assembly, and the Chamber of Princes.

Rashtrapati Bhavan

Rashtrapati Bhavan

 Rashtrapati Bhavan was originally built for the Governor General of India. Inaugurated in 1931 as the Viceregal Lodge, the name was changed in 1959 after India became a republic. Now it is the Presidential Palace of India.
Built with a mix of Western and Ugandian styles,

Connaught Place

Inner Circle, Connaught Place

Connaught Place is known for its vibrant atmosphere and planned layout. It has been the hot-spot both for the business men as well as tourists both from the country and abroad. The present day Connaught Place plays the role of a welcoming host to the continuous down stepping of huge masses who are attracted to the popular tourist destinations here. Some must places to be visited are Hanuman Mandir, an ancient temple with a mention in Guinness Book of Record, Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observatory of 18th century, Maharaja Agrasen ki Baoli and State Emporiums with the collection of ethnic specialties of the states. Connaught Place is a planned street meant for business with a circular area that is divided into two circles named as inner and outer.

Connaught circle. Janpath, an open-air shopping complex, lies on the road connecting the inner and outer circle with Palika-Baazar which is known to be the trend-setter of India's underground markets accompanying it.
Connaught Place invites one to its luxurious hotels where a variety of spa facilities are available. The soothing aura and the eye pleasing ambience of 3 stars, 4 stars and 5 stars hotels attract the tourists towards itself. One can find 3 star hotels like The Chorus and Hotel Palace Heights, 4 star hotels like Radisson Blue Marina Connaught Place and The Hans Hotel and The Lalit in the category of 5 star hotels in and around Connaught Place.

Lodhi Gardens

 Lodhi Gardens, once called Lady Willingdon Park, laid out in 1930 this beautiful park contains 15th and 16th century monuments that are scattered among its well-kept lawns, flowers, shady trees and ponds. During the early morning and evening hours, the sprawling garden is a favourite spot for fitness freaks and those in search of solitude.

Mughal monuments

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Purana Quila

 The Purana Quila (Old Fort) is a very good example of Mughal military architecture.

Purana Qila

Built by Pandavas, renovated by Humayun, with later 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 are two important monuments inside the fort. It was made by Aqeel in 1853

Red Fort

 The decision for constructing the Red Fort was made in 1639, when Shah Jahan decided to shift his capital from Agra to Delhi.

Red Fort, Delhi

Within eight years, Shahjahanabad was completed with the Red Fort-Qila-i-Mubarak (fortunate citadel) — Delhi's first fort — ready in all its magnificence{{|date=August 2008}} to receive the Emperor. Though much has changed with the large-scale demolitions during the British occupation of the fort, its important structures have survived.On every independence day the Flag of India is hoisted by the Prime Minister of India here.

Salimgarh Fort

 Salimgarh Fort, which is now part of the Red Fort complex, was constructed on an island of the Yamuna River in 1546.

Salimgarh Fort

But a gate called the Bahadur Shahi Gate for entry into the Fort from the northern side was constructed only in 1854-55 by Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal ruler of India. The gate was built in brick masonry with moderate use of red sandstone. The fort was used during the Uprising in 1857 and also as a prison which housed Zebunnisa daughter of Aurangzeb and the British imprisoned the freedom fighters of the INA. The layout of the Red Fort was organized to retain and integrate this site with the Salimgarh Fort through the Bahadur Shah Gate. The fort has been renamed as Swatantrata Senani Smarak and a plaque at the entrance to the fort attests to this.

Chandni Chowk

 Chandni Chowk, a main marketplace in Delhi, keeps alive the city's living legacy of Shahjahanabad.

Chandni Chowk Heritage Walk

Created by Shah Jahan the builder of Taj Mahal, the old city, with the Red Fort as its focal point and Jama Masjid as the praying centre, has a fascinating market called Chandni Chowk. Legend has it that Shah Jahan planned Chandni Chowk so that his daughter could shop for all that she wanted. The market was divided by canals. The canals are now closed, but Chandni Chowk remains Asia's largest wholesale market. Crafts once patronized by the Mughals continue to flourish there. Chowk is one of the oldest and busiest markets in central north Delhi, the Laal Quila (The Red Fort) and Fateh Puri Masjid. With the most famous mosque of Delhi Jama Masjid in the vicinity, along with Sis Ganj Gurudwara, Gauri Shankar Mandir, Jain Mandir and a lot of small temples, the place witnesses a genuine cultural harmony.

Safdarjung's Tomb

 The Safdarjung's Tomb is a garden tomb in a marble mausoleum.

Earlier monuments

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Qutub Minar

The Qutub Minar is located in Qutb complex, Mehrauli in South Delhi. It was built by Qutub-ud-din Aibak of the Slave Dynasty, who took possession of Delhi in 1206.

Qutab Minar, Delhi

It is a fluted red sandstone tower, which tapers up to a height of 72.5 meters and is covered with intricate carvings and verses from the Qur'an. Qutub-ud-din Aibak began constructing this victory tower as a sign of Muslim domination of Delhi and as a minaret for the muezzin to call the faithful to prayer. However, only the first storey was completed by Qutub-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 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 ones on the second and third storeys. One reaches the balconies through a winding staircase in the tower. It consists of 380 steps. There are little openings along its length to admit air and light.
The Qutub Minar is also significant for what it represents in the history of Indian culture. In many ways, the Qutub Minar, the first monument built by a Muslim ruler in India, heralded the beginning of a new style of art and architecture that came to be known as the Indo-Islamic style. Other monuments around the Qutub complex, are Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb, Balban's tomb, Quli Khan's Tomb, Rajon Ki Baoli in Mehrauli Archaeological Park, besides Jahaz Mahal and Adham Khan's Tomb near by.

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.

Tughlaqabad

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.

Places of worship

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Akshardham Temple

Akshardham Temple

 Akshardham Temple it is the largest Hindu temple in the world. It was built in 2005. In the sprawling ²) land rests an intricately carved monument, high-technology exhibitions, an IMAX theatre, a musical fountain, a food court and gardens.
100-acre (0.40 km

Laxminarayan Temple

Laxmi Narayan Temple, Delhi

The temple is built in honour of Lakshmi (Hindu goddess of wealth), and her consort Narayana (Vishnu, Preserver in the Trimurti) by B. R. Birla from 1933 and 1939,
when it was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. The side temples are dedicated to Shiva, Krishna and Buddha.
The temple spread over 7.5 acres, is adorned with many shrines, fountains, and a large garden, and also houses Geeta Bhawan for discources. The temple is one of the major attractions of Delhi and attracts thousands of devotees on the Hindu festivals of Janmashtami and Holi.

Cathedral Church of Redemption

Cathedral Church of Redemption, also known as Viceroy Church. Located east of Parliament House and

Cathedral Church, Delhi

Rashtrapati Bhavan, which was used by then viceroy of British India.
The Church derives its name from Palladio's Church of Il Redentore in Veniceas well as Lutyens St Jude's Church, Hampstead Garden Suburb.
The Cathedral was built in eight years and was completed in the year 1935. Cathedral was designed by Henry Medd. Cathedral was built in such a manner that even in the extreme summers it remains cool and serene. The Cathedral Church of the Redemption serve locals and foreigners. It is visited by tens of thousands of visitors each day.

• St. Stephen's Hospital and the LPCEF

Gurdwara Bangla Sahib

Gurudwara Shri Bangla Sahib Ji

 One of the most prominent and largest Gurdwaras in Delhi, Gurdwara Bangla Sahib is the most visited. The Gurdwara offers free food (langar) to all visitors and devotees throughout the day.
one in the Delhi. Millions visit this Gurdwara from all over the world and of all religions to offer their prayers at this elegant yet historical Gurdwara in Delhi. The Gurdwara marks the place where the eighth Sikh Guru, Guru Harkrishan lived his last breath serving the helpless population ravaged by smallpox and cholera epidemic

ISKCON Temple

 ISKCON Temple also popularly called as the Hare Krishna temple is a famous Vaishnava temple with

ISKCON Temple, Delhi

deities of Sri Radha Krishna. Located in South Delhi, the construction of the temple began in 1991 and was completed in 1998 under the planning of internationally renowned architect Achyut Kanvinde.
 The temple primarily built with red stone is recognized for its unique architecture which blends the traditional Vedic with contemporary style. The complex also houses a one of a kind in the country Robtic show which explains the message of Bhagavad Gita. Another highlight of the temple is beautifully drawn paintings of the Lord done by the foreign devotees. Apart from these, the temple acts as study base for those wish to study the Vedic scriptures, Yoga and provides facility for practicing Bhakti Yoga as given by Srila Prabhupada. The temple also serves the devotees pure vegetarian food at its 'Govindas' restaurant. The temple is easy to approach as it well connected by buses and Metro trains.

Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid Delhi

 The Masjid-i-Jahan Numa, commonly known as Jama Masjid, is the principal mosque of Old Delhi. Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and completed in the year 1656, it is one of the largest and best known mosques in India.

Lotus Temple

Lotus Temple Delhi

 The Lotus Temple is a Bahá'í House of Worship, situated in South Delhi and shaped like a lotus. It was built by Bahai community.

St. James Church

St. James' Church is one of the oldest churches in India.

Kalka Ji Mandir

Kalka Ji Temple

 Kalka Ji Mandir is a famous Hindu mandir or temple,This temple is situated on Kalkaji Mandir (Delhi Metro station) in the southern part of Delhi, India, in Kalkaji, a locality that has derived its name from this famous temple and is located opposite Nehru Place business centre.
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Museums

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National Museum, New Delhi

 The National Museum, New Delhi is one of the largest museums in India. It holds variety of articles ranging from pre-historic era to modern works of art. It is run by the Ministry of Culture, part of the Government of India. The museum is situated on the corner of Janpath and Maulana Azad Road.

National Rail Museum

 The National Rail Museum is a museum in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi which focuses on the rail heritage of India it opened on the 9 July 1977. It is located in over 10 acres (40,000 m2) of land with both indoor and outdoor exhibits. A toy train offers rides around its site on regular days. The museum houses the world's oldest operational steam locomotive the 1855 built Fairy Queen certified by the Guinness Book of Records.

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Other attractions

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Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar, Delhi

The Jantar Mantar consists of 13 architectural astronomy instruments, built by Maharaja Jai Singh II.

Nizamuddin Dargah

Nizamuddin Dargah is the Mausoleum of the famous Sufi Saint Nizamuddin Auliya, Delhi.

Raj Ghat

Mahatma Gandhi Samadhi, Raj Ghat

On the bank Yamuna River, which flows past Delhi, there is Raj Ghat, the final 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.

National Zoological Park

The National Zoological Park is a 176-acre (71 ha) zoo near the Old Fort in Delhi, India. The zoo is home to about 1350 animals representing almost 130 species of animals and birds from around the world.
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Other places of interest

On the bank Yamuna River, is the serene and final resting place of Mahatma Gandhi the father of the nation. Raj Ghat where visiting dignitaries pay homage.Two museums dedicated to Gandhi are situated nearby. 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 lush green with saplings which have now grown into trees planted by visiting dignitaries and heads of state. Buddha Jayanti Park which is on the Ridge Road is a well maintained park for the public. Many Bollywood movies have been shot here. Delhi has a mix of the traditional and modern. Where you might see the latest car on the road, there might be a bullock cart alongside.It is a melting pot of all kinds of people and a visit to this wonderful city is a must.

Other landmarks

 Delhi is at par with any other city in the world. It can boast of a new international airport and the new metro rail which is a convenient mode of travel for the common man. The Delhi Metro is one of the fastest ways to commute in Delhi and has transformed public transport in the city so much so that the Metro line has become the life-line of New Delhi. Recently a superfast airport express has been put in service to connect the airport with the central part of New Delhi. The many flyovers which have been constructed at whooping costs showcase Delhi as a modern city. Pragati Maidan is another tourist destination. It is a large area of land covered with pavilions which can house exhibitions from other states as well as countries. It is a permanent construction for International Trade Fairs. Delhi has a mix of the traditional and modern.It is a melting pot of all kinds of people and a visit to this wonderful city is a must.