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Delhi
is one of the most historic capitals
in the world and three of its monuments,
the Qutub Minar, Red Fort and Humayun's
Tomb have been declared World Heritage
Sites.
In Old
Delhi, there are attractions like
mosques, forts and other monuments
that depict India's Muslim history.
The important places in Old Delhi
include the majestic Red Fort. New
Delhi, on the other hand, is a modern
city designed by Edwin Lutyens and
Herbert Baker. New Delhi houses many
government buildings and embassies,
apart from places of historical interest.
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| Lotus Temple |
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| Rashtrapati
Bhawan |
| Built with
a mix of Western and Indian styles, Rashtrapati
Bhavan was originally built for the Governor
General of India, aka Viceroy of India. Inaugurated
in 1931 as the Viceregal Lodge, the name was
changed in 1950 after India became a republic. |
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India
Gate
Situated
along the ceremonial Rajpath avenue
(meaning King's Way) in New Delhi,
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.
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| India Gate |
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| 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. |
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| Akshardham
Temple(Delhi) |
| Inaugurated
in November 2005, Akshardham has become the
most visited tourist place of delhi. In the
sprawling 100 acre land rests a intricately
carved monument, high tech exhibitions, IMAX
theatre, musical fountain, food court and
gardens. Built by BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
( |
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| Appu Ghar |
| Appu Ghar is
a children's amusement park and suitable for
anyone of any age. This theme park includes
haunted houses and some roller coasters. Appu,
was both the cartoon mascot, and a live elephant
mascot that became the star of the 1982 Asian
Games in New Delhi, India. This amusement
park got the name from that Mascot's name;
"Appu" is the name of the elephant
and Ghar means "house". |
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| Gurudwara
Bangla Sahib |
| One of the
many Gurdwaras in Delhi, this the most visited
one in the Delhi area. 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. This is
not just a sacred Sikh shrine, but also very
important to many Hindus. |
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Humayun's
Tomb
Humayun's
Tomb was built by Humayun's widow,
Hamida Banu Begum. Designed by a Persian
architect named Mirak Mirza Ghiyas,
the structure was begun in 1562 and
completed in 1565. The tomb established
a standard for all later Mughal monuments,
which followed its design, most notably
the Taj Mahal.
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| Humayun's
Tomb |
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Qutub
Minar
The
Qutub Minar is located in a small
village called Mehrauli in South Delhi.
It was built by Qutub-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. Qutub-ud-din Aybak
began constructing this victory tower
as a sign of Muslim domination of
Delhi and as a minaretfor the Muslim
priest, the muezzin, to call the faithful
to prayer. However, only the first
story was completed by Qutub-ud-din.
The other storys were built by his
successor Iltutmish. The two circular
storys in white marble were built
by Ferozshah Tughlaq in 1368, replacing
the original fourth story.
The
balconies in the tower are supported
by exquisite stalactite designs. The
tapering tower has pointed and circular
flutings on the first story and star-shaped
ones on the second and third stories.
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.
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| Qutub Minar |
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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. 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 with the large-scale demolitions
during the British occupation of the
fort, its important structures have
survived.
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| Red Fort |
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| Chandni Chowk |
| Chandni Chowk,
a main marketplace in Delhi, keeps alive the
city's living legacy of Shahjahanabad. 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. |
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Jama
Masjid
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.
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| Jama Masjid |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| Bahá'í
House of Worship (Lotus Temple) |
| The Bahá'í
House of Worship, situated in South Delhi,
is shaped like a lotus. It was built by the
Bahá'í community. |
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| Purana Quila |
| The Purana
Quila (Old Fort) 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. |
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| 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. |
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