An
Overview of Delhi :
Delhi, the capital of the Indian Republic, is a fusion of ancient and
modern India. The city was a major political center in the ancient and
medieval India and now serves as the administrative centre for Modern India.
It is one of the major starting points for tour to North India. Its glorious
historic past and vibrant present can be experienced by visiting numerous
historic monuments, shopping complex and lively bazaars. The city is broadly
divided into two parts : the Old and New Delhi. The New Delhi region was
designed by the British architect Lutyens and displays architecture of
British Raj. The city also known for its various festivals, cultural events
and art performances.
Climate of Delhi :
The city has a extreme climate with hot summer and cold winters. The
summers are hot with a temperature rising up to 45 degrees C and winter are
quite cold with a temperature dropping as low as 4 degrees C. The city
receives a very little amount of rain during July and September. The finest
weather to travel to this capital city is from October to March.
Tourist Attractions of Delhi :
Delhi offers countless tourist attractions including historic monuments
like forts, mosques, temples and several museums which are worth visiting.
Some of the major ones are :
» Red Fort - Built of red sandstone, this
magnificent fort was built by the fifth Mughal emperor Shahjahan. Its
foundation stone was laid in the year 1618 and was completed in 1647. The
fort can be approached through its gates named the Lahore Gate and Delhi
Gate. The fort complex houses several beautiful palaces with highly
ornamented walls and decorated pillars.
» Qutub Minar - Built in 1193, by the first ruler
of Delhi Sultanat Qutab-ud-din Aibak is probably the highest stone tower of
India with a hight of 73 m. It has five storeys with a diameter of 15 m at
the base and 2.5 m at the top. The first three storeys are made of red
sandstone and the fourth and fifth are of marble and sandstone. The tower is
ornamented with bands of inscriptions and four projected balconies.
Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid, the Iron Pillar, Alai Minar, Tomb of Iltutmish and
Alai Darwaza are some of the major monuments near the tower.
»
Jama Masjid - Located near the Red Fort, this beautiful mosque was built
by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan and is the largest mosque in India. Its an
excellent example of Mughal architecture with a 408 sq. ft. courtyard and
three gateways. There are two 130 feet high minarets which offer spectacular
views of the city. Its also the major Muslim pilgrimage centre for Hindus.
» India Gate - This 160 feet high beautiful
building was built to commemorate the death of 70,000 Indian soldiers killed
in World War I. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and has a arch of 138
feet. There is also an Eternal Flame standing in the middle of the gate and
is a gesture to the Indian soldiers who laid their lives in the 1971 wars
with Pakistan.
» Akshar Dham Temple - Also known as the Swamy
Narayan Temple, this temple was constructed under the patronage of the
Bochasanvasi Aksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha(BAPS). With several
monuments and exhibitions inside, it provides a glimpse to the rich Indian
past and architecture.
Some other must visited places in Delhi are the Purana Quila, Bahai
Temple(Lotus Temple), Humayun's Tomb, Birla Temple, Safdarjang's Tomb and
many other.
Getting to Delhi :
Delhi is well connected to all the major cities of India through air, rail
and road. As the capital of India, it is also linked to some of the renowned
international destinations.
»
By Air - The Indira Gandhi International Airport and a Domestic Airport
at Palam connect it with all the state capitals, important cities and
important tourist destinations by regular flights.
» By Rail - There are three main railway stations
in Delhi : Old Delhi Railway Station, New Delhi Railway Station and the
Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, which are easily accessible from all
parts of the city. Some of the best trains include the Rajdhani Express and
Shatabdi Express link to all the metros and some state capitals.
» BY Road - Delhi is served by NH2 from Kolkata,
NH8 from Mumbai, NH1 from Amritsar and NH24 from Lucknow. The Delhi
Transport Corporation(DTC) provides bus services to some of the major cities
of North India.
» By Local Transport - DTC buses connect all points
in the city via 300 different routes. Metered taxis and auto-rickshaws are
also available for moving inside the city. The recently lunched Metro Train
also covers some parts of the city.
