DELHI: FACTS & FIGURES
Area
:
1,483 sq km
Languages
:
Hindi, English, Punjabi, & Urdu
STD Code
:
011
Altitude
:
216 m above sea level
Best time to visit
:
February-April and August-November
DELHI: THE CITY OF DESTINYHow does one describe Delhi? The capital city of India? The capital of the world's largest democracy? Actually, Delhi is India in miniature. Delhi is India's fantastic variety compressed into 1483 sq km. Over the millennia, it has wooed rulers, attracted plunderers, and tried historians with so many details. Today, even as it preserves an enviable heritage, Delhi is a true cosmopolitan city always on the move.
DELHI: LOCATIONSituated in the northern part of the country, Delhi extends latitude 28.38°N and longitude 77.12°E. It is encircled by the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in the east and by Haryana in the other three sides. Delhi is an ideal gateway to visit the north Indian states of Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana. Delhi is connected to all the major cities in the world by regular flights.
DELHI: VISITING TIMEThe best season to visit Delhi is during the spring seasons of February to April and August to November. It wears a festive look between February and April, the blooming season.
DELHI: THE PASTTo go right back into an era where mythology and history are too closely intertwined, it is believed that Delhi, then known as Indraprashtha, was the scene of action of India's great epic, the Mahabharata. Periodic archaeological excavations bring in more and more evidence to support this contention. Thereafter, historians say there have been seven cities of Delhi. If you count the smaller settlements and forts, the number may touch fifteen. Each city has left behind so much story and material for rumination that it requires many a lifetime to know them all completely. Recorded history exists from the 11th century when Dillika, as this little town was known, found its focal point south of where it is now. This kingdom was known as Lal Kot. The famous ruler of this line of Tomars was called Prithvi Raj Chauhan. He is said to have built many temples and a huge fort called Qila Rai Pithora. However, their 200-year-old rule culminated with the arrival of the first set of invaders-the Slave Dynasty. One of the rulers of this dynasty, Qutub-ud-din Aibak, built the tall Qutab Minar. The Qutab Minar has five floors. It is 72.55-m high with a base diameter of 14.40 tapering to 2.4 m at the top. Time moved on and by the end of the 13th century, the Khilji Dynasty was looking around for the best piece of land on which to build their seat of empire. Today where Delhi's best auditorium stands, the Siri Fort as it is called, was the site the Khiljis had chosen; it is closer to central Delhi than Aibak's kingdom. The living legacy of Delhi is Shahjahanabad. Created by the builder of Taj Mahal, this city, with the Red Fort as the focal point and Jama Masjid as the praying center, has a fascinating market planned to shine under the light of the moon, called Chandni Chowk. An experience of timelessness awaits you at Shahjahanabad. Modern Delhi, or New Delhi as it is called, centers around Rashtrapati Bhawan. It is architecturally a very impressive building standing at a height, flowing down as it were to India Gate. This stretch called the Rajpath is where the Republic Day parade is held. The imposing plan of this area conceived by Lutyens does not fade in its charm with the numerous summers or winters that go past.
DELHI: TOURISM ATTRACTIONS
The best way to know about the glorious heritage of Delhi is to know its monuments, to travel through time back into centuries of history filled with the rise and fall of dynasties that ruled the land. These monuments stretch from Wazirabad in the north to the Qutab and beyond in the south of Delhi. Between these two points, lies scattered the history of this ancient city. The National Museum will let you in on these secrets. The museum houses one of the largest collections of Vedic and pre-Vedic relics, exotic paintings, old manuscripts, and mural paintings from Buddhist shrines in Central Asia. On the bank of the legendary Yamuna, which flows past Delhi, there is Raj Ghat-the last resting place of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. It has become an essential point of call for all visiting dignitaries. Perhaps the most poignant, the most nostalgic feelings that still bring a tear to many an eye are stirred when one visits 1 Safdarjung Road. Once the permanent residence of the prime ministers of India, it now houses the Indira Gandhi Museum. The cool, sylvan environs of the Lodi Gardens, where Lodi kings ambled with their consorts, today witness a new brand of VIP activity along with a daily convergence of people from several walks of life. At the center of the city is India Gate, a memorial raised in honor of the Indian soldiers who were martyred during the Afghan war. The green, velvety lawns at India Gate, particularly, are a popular evening and holiday rendezvous for young and old alike. For lovers of flowers ad beauty, the annual spring opening of the glorious, meticulously tended Mughal Gardens at the stately Rashtrapati Bhawan is a bonanza topped by an amazing assembly of roses in perfect bloom-perhaps the best in the whole of India. Rashtrapati Bhawan was once the imperial residence of the British viceroys. Built on the Raisina hills of Delhi ridge, this 340-roomed structure has an imposing character overlooking India Gate and Rajpath. It is now the official residence of the president of India. Down on earth, there is the sight of Vigyan Bhawan that has hosted some of the most important international events and summits. There is the sense of history, intermingled with pride as you go past Parliament House, the curiosity as you glance at North and South Blocks-the decision-making, bureaucratic heart of India. Birla Mandir, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu situated in the central Delhi, and Lotus Temple, a beautiful white marble building and a place of worship for Bahai's, are two temples worth visiting for those in search of spiritual rejuvenation. The Jantar Mantar, one of the many astronomical observatories constructed by Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur, is situated in the center of the city near Connaught Place.
DELHI: SITES NEARBYMany wildlife sanctuaries, heritage sites, hill stations, and quaint little towns surround Delhi. Take your pick and you can be sure of being far from the madding crowd-if only for a weekend. Agra, 203 km from Delhi is one of India's most visited cities for the simple reason that it houses one of the wonders of the world-the magnificent Taj Mahal. One can spend hours just gazing at the perfection of the Taj Mahal. There are many other sights to see in and around the city-the Agra Fort, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's tomb, the Jama Masjid, the old city bazaars, and Akbar's tomb at Sikandra. Thirty-seven km from Agra is the town of Fatehpur Sikri, supposedly built on the site where the saint Salim Chisti foretold the birth of Emperor Akbar's son. If you are in the mood for a shorter trip, then visit Mathura, 145 km away from Delhi on the banks of the Yamuna. Since ancient times, Mathura has been a pilgrimage site for Buddhists, Hindus, and Jain. A few kilometers from Mathura is the temple town of Brindavan-spend a weekend getting to know the spiritual side of India in these two places. Haryana encloses Delhi on three sides and its many tourist complexes are ideal for quick getaways as most of them are quite close. Damdama, just 64 km from Delhi, makes for a nice break from the rigors of city life. Drive past lush fields and quaint villages to arrive at the lakefront Saras Tourist Complex where you can relax and rest to your hearts content. If you can get away for a little longer, escape to the Morni Hills and let the cool air and scenic beauty revive your spirit. If you are an avid wildlife fan, there are many interesting wildlife sanctuaries where you can escape for a few days without going too far from Delhi. Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, just 46 km away on National Highway 8, is a birdwatcher's paradise with a sizable population of resident and migratory birds. The Sariska National Park covers an area of 498 square km and is just a four-hour drive from Delhi. Although a great variety of wild animals are present in the sanctuary, the main attraction here is the magnificent tiger. There are many machans or viewing platforms, where one can wait quietly after sunset, for the beast to make an appearance. Bharatpur is interesting both for the Bird Marsh Sanctuary it houses as well as its many ancient monuments. The Keoladeo Ghana National Park, once a great marsh famous for duck shoots held by the raja of Bharatpur is one of India's famous bird sanctuaries-it is the site where the Siberian cranes come every winter. If you want to escape to the hills, especially during the enervating Delhi summer, you do not have to look too far. Mussoorie, 325 km from Delhi and at an altitude of 6,000-7,000 feet, is the favourite haunt of people from Delhi. It's not unusual to find half of Delhi on the Mall on some weekends. Mussoorie, with its cool clime, has a lot to offer-it is, in fact, known as the 'Queen of Hill Stations'. Twenty-five kilometers away from Mussoorie is another enchanting destination, Dhanaulti, at an altitude of 2,400 m, which offers some of the best views of the Himalayas and plenty of trekking opportunities.
DELHI: FAIRS & FESTIVALSDifferent communities who have settled in Delhi celebrate their own festivals with great gusto and add color and variety to the cultural fabric of the megapolis. One cannot imagine Delhi without Durga Puja in Chittaranjan Park or Muharram, Id-ul-Zuha and Id-Ul-Fitr in Old Delhi. As the capital of India, Delhi is centerstage for many national celebrations, the two most prominent ones being Republic Day on January 26, and Independence Day on August 15. Delhi also boasts of festivals unique to it-Phoolwalon-ki-Sair (procession of flower-sellers) is one such celebration. In August, flower vendors from different religions gather at Mehrauli with flowers woven into beautiful sheets called pankhas or fans which are offered at the shrine of Hazrat Bakhtiyar Kaki, a famous Muslim saint and at a nearby temple. This is a centuries old tradition practiced in the hope of bountiful harvest of flowers in the coming season and is aimed at promoting communal harmony. The Urs of Hazrat Nizammuddin Aulia is another festival special to Delhi. His tomb in Nizammuddin is crowded with devotees from all over India and special poems composed in his honor are sung. The streets in the area are transformed into one giant fair with stalls selling special foods, religious artifacts, holy books, and clothes.
DELHI: SHOPPINGDelhi has a great variety of products on offer for a prospective buyer. A favorite haunt of shoppers in Delhi is Chandni Chowk. It started out as a walk for the royal families and had the river Yamuna flowing beside it. The reflection of the moon in these waters gave it its ethereal name-'Moonbeam Square'. Move to the south and you come across Hauz Khas Village. This is one of the many villages subsumed by the growth of Delhi and still maintains much of the village ambience. In the early 1980s, it began its transformation to a chic shopping area when socialite and garment exporter, Bina Ramani, opened her boutique here. Soon, other exclusive stores moved in. The most popular stop is Dastkar that markets goods made by women in villages all across India. The Santushti Shopping Complex, on the edge of Chanakyapuri diplomatic Enclave, opposite the Samrat Hotel, provides an entirely different experience in shopping. A brainchild of the Air Force Officers' Wives' Welfare Association, it is the haunt of Delhi's beau monde-beautifully landscaped. Of course, if it's trinkets and such stuff that interests you, then go to Janpath. Along the pavements, you will find an unending line of shops selling all kinds of trinkets and curios and export-surplus clothes at bargain rates that you can bargain even further! Another place for export-surplus garments is Sarojini Nagar. For clothes, the whole world goes to Lajpat Nagar and Shankar Market. But a trip around Connaught Circus has its own quaint appeal. While you are there, Palika Bazaar, the underground shopping complex, is a place where you can, again, find almost everything under the sun-from antiques to the latest electronic contraptions-but bargaining is essential. For handicrafts, one can visit Dilli Haat and state emporia situated on Baba Kharak Singh Marg near Connaught Place. Bookshops are available all over the city, but for a good bargain visit Darya Ganj and Nai Sarak in Old Delhi. Most of the multinational brands are available in Delhi through their franchises or at shopping complexes.
DELHI: HOW TO REACHBy AirDelhi is conveniently connected to all the major cities of the world with almost all the major airlines operating out of here. Delhi has two airports catering to domestic and international flights, located 4½ km apart in Palam. The international airport (known as Indira Gandhi International Airport) is situated 20 km from the city center. Taxis and coaches are available. The booking offices are mostly situated at Connaught Place and around. By RailDelhi is connected to almost all the cities in the country by super-fast and express trains. The city has three major railway stations at New Delhi, Old Delhi, and Nizamuddin. Luxury trains like the Palace-on-Wheels, Fairy Queen, and Royal Orient Express can be taken from Delhi Cantonment railway station. Rajdhani Express trains connect Delhi from the state capitals. Shatabdi Express trains connect Delhi to the neighboring cities. By RoadNew Delhi is connected to all the major cities of the northern India through road. Buses can be taken from the inter-state bus terminals at Kashmere Gate, Anand Vihar, and Sarai Kale Khan.