Area 1483 Sq.kms.
Altitude 239 sq.mts.above sea level
Language Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, English
Delhi is the capital of India. It is a sort of
twin cities Old Delhi and New Delhi. Delhi has the distinction of being the capital
city of India. It is the third largest city of India. Old Delhi was
the capital city of India during the Muslim rule in the 12th
and 19th centuries. Hence there are many Mosques
monuments and forts relating to India’s Muslim history. Successive
dynasties have left their imprint in the form or relics, forts,
palaces and other monuments in old Delhi.
The other Delhi, New Delhi has been a
newly-created imperial city of the British rule. Naturally New Delhi
is spacious with a large lung space and gardens wide roads and bears
an imperial majesty with many embassies and government buildings.
New Delhi is the gateway of entry into the Indian sub-continent with
very good rail and air connections to all parts of India. Thus New
Delhi is the hub of all activity in India whether political social
or historical. It is also the busiest entrance point to overseas
airlines. There are hotels in Delhi to suit every pocket and every
taste.
The city of Indraprasta of Mahabharatha fame is
said to be located at the very place where Delhi stands today.
However the history of Delhi is available to historians only after
11th century. Delhi was ruled mostly by Afghans and
Muslims except for one Hindu King, Prithvi Raj in the 12th
century. Then came many dynasties who ruled Delhi, like Tughluks,
Mughuls, and Afghans until the extinction of the Moghul empire with
the advent of the British rule in India.
British Power which was centred at Calcutta in
the beginning came to be transferred to New Delhi around the year
1911. The new city of New Delhi was formally inaugurated in the year
1931. The embassies and High Commissions are spread over large lawns
of New Delhi. New Delhi also has great hotels of international
repute like the Ashoka, Taj Conti-nental, Maurya-Sheraton etc.
Other great hotels of national and
international repute are: Oberoi Inter-continental; Hyatt Regency;
Meridian; the two Siddharths, Qutub; Samrat; Kaniskha; Imperial;
Claridges and Maidenis.
In a way, cities in and around Delhi, like
Hastinapura, Agra and Indraprasta, have been the nucleus of power
for many rulers for more than 2,000 years. However at no point of
time in Indians history the whole of Indian’s territory was being
ruled by one government as in the British period more specifically
since Independence. Even at the height of their power the Moghuls
did not have control over the south India.
For the discerning tourist Delhi is too wide
and sprawling a place with many monuments forts and remnants of the
bygone era to cover in a day. A minimum of four to five days will be
necessary to see the whole of Delhi.
Roughly there were at least eight cities in and
around Delhi of the present day. Half of them were near the Qutab
Minar area. The earliest known Delhi area was located near the
present-day Purana Qila area. At the beginning of the 12th
century the last Hindu Kingdom of Delhi was ruled by Tomar and
Chauthan dynasties and were located near the Qutab Minar and Suraj
Khund now in Haryana.
The other cities of yore are: Siri, Tughlaqabad,
Jahanpanah, Ferozabad, Shajahanabad, and the present New Delhi.
The story of Delhi is mainly a story of
invasions and plunder suffered by it. The worst of the plunders was
when in 1739 the Persian emperor Nadir Shah carted off the Kohinoor
diamond and the peacock throne to Iran.
Orientation: Delhi is a well spread out city. New Delhi is a
spaciously planned area while old Delhi is densely populated with
tightly packed streets. Connaught place is the hub of New Delhi.
Places of attraction : Important landmarks to visit at New Delhi are:
The Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Secretariat, the Parliament House, and
Cathedral Church. The Roman Catholic Church, Teen Murti House (Nehru
Museum). The Rail Transport Museum, Indira Gandhi Museum, Birla
House, National Archives. National museum, Baroda House and the
National Gallery of Modern Art.
Some of the important places to visit in Old
Delhi are: The Jama Masjid, Sisgang Gurdwara, Sonehri Masjid, Town
Hall, Fatehpur mosque, Spices market, Digambar Jain temple and the
Charity Bird Hospital.
The Gandhi memorial museum is located in
Eastern part of New Delhi. Other places of tourist interest in the
area are: Feroz Shah Kotla city ruins, The National Rose Garden,
International Dolls Museum, Crafts Museum, Purana Qila City ruins,
Humayuni’s tomb, and many other mosques and tombs of Muslim rulers.
In South Delhi, are located the tombs of
Sikandar Lodi, Safdar Jang, Majaf Khan, Darya Khan, Mubarak Khan,
among others.
Among the places of tourist attraction in North
Delhi are: British Magazine and Telegraph building, Ashoka Pillar,
Mutiny Memorial, etc.
Qutb Minar
The Qutb Minar, in a way is the epitome
of the entry of Islamic culture into India. The area around Qutb
Minar marks the place where the many dynasties of Muslim rule in
India centred from the 12th century till the end of
Moghul dynasty is rule. The Qutb Minar also represents the rich
heritage of Delhi of the bygone era. They also contain the rich and
most impressive ruins of the old city of Delhi. It is about 238 feet
tall and has five stories. Its construction began in the year 1199.
Symbolially it unites the earth and the heavens.
The story of Old Delhi is the story of the
seven cities built around it at the end of the 12th
century. In the year 1192 an Afghan invader Mohammud Ghori led his
troops into India defeated and Killed the last of the Hindu ruler’s
then Prithviraj of Tomar dynasty and returned to Afghanistan. He
left his slave behind-Qutubuddin Aibak-as his Viceroy in India.
Qutubuddin Captured Delhi the next year and celebrated his victory
by raising the first Muslim city in Indian empire. This was called
the Qila Rai Pithorai-now known as Qutb Minar complex. This was
built on the ruins of Lal Kot a fort that had been built by the
Tomar Rajputs in the 10th century.
When Mohammad Ghori died in the year 1206
Qutubuddin declared himself as the Sultan of Delhi and inaugurated
the first five Delhi sultanates that were to rule most part of
northern India until the advent of Moghuls, three centuries later.
The Siri fort was built by Allauddin
Khilji in the early 14th century. He also founded the
Khiliji dynasty which ruled between 1290-1321.
Tughluqabad was built by Ghiyathbuddin Tughlaq
who rose to power under Alauddin Khilji, Ghiyathbuddin had led
Khilji’s forces in 29 victorious campaigns against the would be
Mongolian invaders. His dynasty lasted from 1321 to 1414. The thick
walls of his citadel, like his tomb, still exist. For some time he
was also the Governor or Punjab.
Ghiyathbuddin Tughluki’s son,
Muhammud-bin-Tughluk is otherwise called the mad Tughluki for his
mad acts of shifting the whole populace from his own capital of
Jahanpanah down to south a distance of 800 miles because he wanted
to establish his power in the south, where he could plunder a rich
harvest of money to win the Hindu war class of Rajputs and Marathas.
He had a grandiose plan to rule the entire world. He called himself
the shadow of Godi and literally marched the whole populace
southwards to Daulathbad near Ellora. In the process thousands died
on way to their forced new home. However Daulathabad had enough
infrastructures for the large population and after a few years ran
out of water. He then ordered the whole population back to his
earlier capital then also forcing many thousands to die on way. No
wonder the shadow of God gained reputation as a mad king.
However after the death of the shadow of Godi
in the year 1351 who left no heir his cousin ruled and there was a
period of golden rule when people were most happy and contented. He
built the Ferozabad.
A little later factions arose in his dynasty
and there was a power struggle. This led to the entry of the Mongol
invader, Timur, the Lame, in the year 1398, who plundered the
capital of Delhi in a devastating way and political instability
continued for quite a few years later.
Then came the Afghan invasions. In 1526,
Sultan Ibrahim Lodi who was a treacherous and unpopular ruler, sent
an invitation to Babar, King of Kabul in Afghanistan, to invade
India and take over the throne of Delhi. Babar who marched his army
into India promptly defeated Ibrahim Lodi and killed him at the
historic battle at Panipat and usurped the Delhi throne. Thus
started the Moghul dynasty in India who ruled in the north for about
300 years. However the Moghuls gave India such treasures like the
Taj Mahal and ushered in a renaissance of Indian art and
architecture. The greatest of the Moghul Emperors was Akbar the
Great and his grandson. Shah Jahan who created not only Shajahanabad
but also the Taj Mahal.
One of the pieces of great historical and
archaeological importance near the Qutb Minar is an iron pillar
which dates back to the 4th century AD and bears a
Sanskrit inscription in the contemporary Gupta Script. The pillar
must have been erected as a flagstaff ( dwaja sthamba) for Lord
Vishnu, in memory of Chandra Gupta II who ruled between 375-413 AD.
It was brought here by Anang Pal, the Tomar king, who built Lal Kot,
the nucleus of the first city of Delhi in the 10th
century.
What is of great scientific interest is that
the pillar made of wrought iron is98 percent pure and contains no
manganese and was evidently char-coal fired. It has withstood 1600
years of life without rusting or decomposing a bit which speak of
the metallurgical skill of the ancient Indians.
The Purana Quila
(meaning old fort), was
built in the 15th century and is the remnant of the first
Moghul capital to be built in Delhi. Although it is merely 460 years
old, belonging to the second Moghul Emperor, Humayun, the site
itself goes back to the venue of the great epic, Mahabharatha, and
then called Indraprastha.
The Red Fort
The Red Fort represents the might of the
Moghuls, Particulary, when it reached the zenith during the reign of
Shah Jahan who ruled between 1627-1658.
The Red Fort has 14 gates in all but the most
important one are: The Ajemer gate, the Turkman gate, the Kashmiri
gate and the Delhi gate. The construction of the Red Fort
(Lal Quila) was started by Shah Jahan in the
year 1639 and completed in 1648. Yudhisthira of Mahabharatha fame is
said tohave performed the Aswamedha (Royal horse sacrifice) near
here to celebrate the victory of Pandavas over the Kauravas.
Just to the south of Chandni Chowk which is one
of the busiest business centres in Delhi, is the Jama Masjid,
another monumental creation of Shah Jahan, built between 1650 and
1656. It is grand in its architectural conception.
As the most important and popular entry point
to the Indian sub-continent Delhi has much to offer to the visitors.
Successive dynasties have left their imprint in monuments all over
the city. New Delhi is a modery city with wide roads, sprawling
gardens, large hotels, and well-planned buildings depicting their
architectural splendour. However the roads are sparsely used , but
neatly maintained. New Delhi area makes a pleasant walk during the
day. After dark, the lawns are a favourite picnic spot for local
families especially in the summer months when finding a parking
space becomes difficult. The Raj Path and the Jan Path of New Delhi
are the cynosures of all eyes. The Royal splendour, whether of the
Raj days or the present days, is evident in everywhere in New Delhi.
Other important places of tourist important in
the New Delhi area are: Pragati Maidan: Appu Garh: Connaught Place:
Lotus Mahal: Laxminarayan Temple: Ten Murti Bhavan: Jantar Mantar:
the Zoo: Raj Ghat: Birla House: Gandhi Memorial Museum: Fort
Archaeological Museum: Chandni Chowk: India Gate: Indira Gandhi
Memorial: Rail Museum: National Stadium: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium:
Chanakyapuri (Diplomatic Enclave) and Buddha Jayanthi Park among
others.
A trip on the Palace on Wheels (for Foreign
Tourists only) and another on the Ring Railway will be of great
benefit from the tourist is point of view.
Pragati Maidan
This is a sprawling exhibition ground on
Mathura Road and draws very big gatherings of people during trade
fairs, book fairs, etc., both national and international. Even
otherwise during normal days also it is a great place with many
entertainments, with cinema halls, parks, hotels, shopping centres
etc.,
Major Permanent Exhibitions at Pragati Maidan
include: the Nehru Pavilion, Son of Indian Pavilion, Atomic Energy
Pavilion and Defence Pavilion.
There is a seven-acre Village Complex which is
a model village with ten different kinds of rural dwellings. Here is
also a Crafts Museum depicting a magnificent collection of Indian
crafts dating back to the 18th and 19th
centuries comprising more than 20,000 pieces of works of art. There
are also States pavilions, each displaying the arts, crafts and
achievements of the particular state it represents.
The latest addition to Pragati Maidan is the
Appu Garh, which can be called a mini-Disneyland. It is a children’s
playground with some of the most sophisticated equipment for
children at play.
Chanakyapuri
Chanakyapuri is the Diplomatic Enclave which is
one of the most architecturally fascinating places in Delhi. The
largest of the ITDC hotels, Ashoka Hotel, is in this area. It offers
everything from restaurants, coffee shops, bars, discos, conference
rooms and swimming pools to full air-conditioning.
The area of post-Independent India, has been
named after the great Emperor, Chandra Gupta Maurya’s great
diplomat. Chanakya, who also wrote the world’s first guide to
statecraft, ‘Artha sastrai.’
Each Embassy building here is in a different
architectural style.Visitors are not allowed to enter this area,
unless they are on business.
New Delhi area abounds in great hotels of
world-renown. They are a class by themselves in architecture, style
and splendour.
Connaught Place
Connaught Place is the business and commercial
centre of New Delhi. It is also a big tourist centre. It is a vast
traffic circle with an architecturally uniform series of buildings
around the edge-mainly devoted to shops, airline offices and banks.
There are several shops exclusively dealing in jewellery, clothing
and domestic appliances etc., The Janpath market is a crowded,
colourful bazaar which is not an expensive market. There is also an
underground market here-the Palika Bazaar which has over 300
shops. The other markets here are the Shankar market and a co-op.
Venture, the Super Bazaar.
Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar is an Observatory. Located on the
Parliament Street. It is a small distance away form Connaught Place.
This strange collection of salmon-coloured structures is another of
Maharajah Jai Singh II’s observatories constructed in 1725. Jai
Singh was a keen astronomer who built five observatories in the
country. Jantar Mantar is dominated by a huge sun-dial called the
‘Prince of Dials’. Other instruments here plot the course of
heavenly bodies and the paths of stars and predict eclipses.
There are six huge masonary instruments here:
The Samrat Yantra, Jai Prakash; Ram Yantra; Misra Yantra; Niyata
Chakra; Dakshinottara Bhitti Yantra and the Karka Rasi Valaya.
Raj Ghat
Raj Ghat , north-east of Feroz Shah Kotla on
the banks of the Yamuna, is where the mortal remains of the Father
of the Nation ,Mahatma Gandhi, were cremated. It is a simple and
serene place with a square platform of black marble with lush
greenery all round. Just two words are engraved on the marble. “Hey
Ram” which were the words uttered by the Mahatma when an assassin
shot him while going to a prayer meeting on January 30, 1948.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of
Independent India, was also cremated here in 1964. The Samadhi is
called Shanti Van. Vijaya Ghat is the place where Lal Bahadur
Shastri was cremated while Shakti Sthal is the Samadhi where Indira
Gandhi, was cremated.
Directly opposite the Raj Ghat is the Gandhi
Memorial Museum where the personal belongings of Gandhiji are kept.
There is also a library where books on Gandhian thought and also
books he him-self wrote, are exhibited.
Birla House
Birla House was the home of well-known
industrialist G.D. Birla, which he placed at the disposal of
Gandhiji whenever he visited Delhi. Gandhiji used this house for his
daily evening prayers and it was while proceeding to this place that
he fell to an assassin’s bullet. Birla House is now called Gandhi
Sadan and converted into a museum. There is a 9-metre high stone
memorial in the backyard of the house marking the exact place where
Gandhiji breathed his last.
Laxmi Narayan Temple
Laxmi Narayan Temple is another place of
pilgrimage to devout Hindus. It was built in the year 1938 by Raja
Baldev Birla a prominent Indian industrialist of the Birla family.
Built in Orissan style the presiding deities there are Narayana (The
Preserver) and Lakshmi ( the Goddess of Wealth). Gita Bhavan and a
Buddhist temple are situated on either side of the main temple.
India Gate
India Gate, is a 42-metre high stone arch of
triumph that stands at the eastern end of the Raj Path. The
foundation for this structure was laid in the year 1921 by the Duke
of Connaught as the All India War Memorial now Known as the India
Gate. It bears the names of 90,000 Indian Army soldiers, who died in
many wars. Atop the arch is a stone bowl, where burns the eternal
flame to honour the unknown soldier.
Teen Murti Bhavan
Teen Murti Bhavan, which was built earlier by
the Britishers as the official residence of the British
commander-in-chief, became the official residence of the first Prime
Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
Nehru lived here for 14 long years as Prime
Minister, and after his death , it was decided to convert it into a
memorial to him. It has a museum and a library providing glimpses of
Nehru’s life and personality. Some of his personal living rooms have
been preserved as they were at the time of his death. Audio-visual
shows in Hindi and English titled ‘Tryst with Destiny’ recount the
events in India’s struggle for freedom.
Indira Gandhi Memorial
This is at No.1, Safdarjung Road the house in
which Indira Gandhi as Prime Minister lived for 17 years from 1964
to 1977 and then again from 1980 to 1984 until she fell to the
bullets of one of her own security guards.
Indira Gandhi’s office her study and all that
she so much loved and preserved have been kept just as they were.
The whole complex here is a fascinating view of the private life of
Indira Gandhi as well as a poignant reminder of the perils her
public life entailed. A solemn relic here is the blood that oozed
out of her body after a volley of bullets were fired at her in the
assassination that occurred on 31.10.1984.
Museums
National Museum: This museum is at the
junction of Raj Path and Jan Path. The foundation for this museum
was laid by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru the first Prime Minister of
independent India, on May, 12, 1955. It has an excellent collection
of paintings, sculptures and manuscripts relating to India and its
culture. Films on Indian culture and history are shown everyday
here.
Dolls’ Museum: World famous cartoonist,
Shankar, who had been collecting dolls from the various parts of the
world, found that in 1954, he had a collection of over 2,000 dolls.
He founded the Shankar’s International Dolls’ Museum in Nehru House
which now has a collection of over 6,000 dolls from all over the
world. There is also a dolls designing centre in the campus in
addition to a children’s library. Membership is open to children
only.
Rail Transport Museum: This is situated
on a 10-acre plot near the Diplomatic Enclave and is the first of
its kind in India. It was opened in the year 1977, to commemorate
125 years of the Indian Railways. It contains railway carriages of
vintage used by the Maharajas, Princes and British VIPs in Indian.
It throws light on the luxury splendour and life style of the
Maharajas and Maharanis of yore during their journeys on rails.
Chandni Chowk
Chandini Chowk, meaning “SilverStreet”
was once supposed to have been the richest street in the world. Now,
this is the most fashionable business and shopping centre in Delhi,
thronging with people and traffic. It was made wide enough to
accommodate Shah Jahan’s great processions. It is also the most
historically important thoroughfare in the world.
It has in its chequered history witnessed the
Pomp and splendour of the Moghuls the Plunder and massacre of Nadir
Shaw’s soldiers, the grandeur of the 1911 Durbar the attempt on the
life of Lord Hardinge in the year 1912 and the joyous and surging
crowds celebrating their independence on August, 15 1847. Still,
however even today the vestiges of its vibrant personality are
evident in its flourishing silver jewellery shops the bustle of
business that seems to go on round the clock and in the many
monuments ranged down the central avenue.
Among historically most important places in
this are the Sikh Shrine, Gurdwara Sisganj, in which is a banyan
tree under which Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded by Emperor
Aurangazeb’s soldiers for refusing to convert himself into Islam.
Another very poignant place situated here is
the Kotwali Police station area around which occurred the grim
events that followed the rebellion of 1857. From gallows erected in
this area, sympathisers of those who rebelled against the British
rule in India were hanged daily. The bodies of three Moghul princes
shot by Captain Hudson, were also exhibited here.
