Overview
The most well-known sights are the 2 buildings that dominate
Old Delhi, the Red Fort and Jama Masjid. A
walk through the chaotic, smelly alleys of the Old City –
better known as Shahjahanabad, after the 17th-century Mughal
emperor who constructed it – is a fascinating experience.
The bazaars of Chandni Chowk are colourful and full of frenetic
activity. The Old City is rapidly decaying but it is still possible
to see a mosque here or the courtyard of an old townhouse there,
hidden behind a shop front.
South of Old Delhi and in complete
contrast to it, are Rajpath and the buildings on Raisina
Hill – Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Secretariat –
the focus of British New Delhi. After the commotion of the Old City,
the serene elegance and baroque vistas of this most magnificently
laid-out scheme is a welcome relief. Connaught Place,
between Old Delhi and Rajpath is the arcaded bull’s eye
of New Delhi, where bars, restaurants, shops, banks, and hotels
tout loudly for business.
Going south once more, through the leafy enclaves of New Delhi
– which have an attraction of their own, as they are lusciously
green, spacious and , shady– this is where the bulk of the
ancient monuments of medieval Delhi can be found. . Lodhi
Gardens and humayun’s Tomb are easily accessible from
the city centre. The Qutb Minar complex, the vast and remarkableTughluqabad
and the remains at Haus Khaz are situated further into the
southern suburbs.
As a result of protests from the tourist industry, the increases
in admission charges to monuments in the care of the Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI), imposed in October 2000, have now been
regulated. The new rates only apply, somewhat notoriously, to foreigners.
The easiest way for one to travel between sites is by taxi or auto-rickshaw.
Sightseeing in Delhi can be tiring– negotiating the urban
sprawl and traffic is long-drawn-out and exhausting, especially
in the heat. Although tiring, sightseeing in Dehli is an experience
that no traveller will regret.
Tourist
Information
Government of India Tourist Office
88 Janpath
Tel: (011) 332-0005. Fax: (011) 332-0109.
E-mail: newdelhi@tourisminindia.com
Opening hours: Monday-Friday 09:00-18:00, Sat 09:00-14:00.
Passes
Tourist
passes are currently not available in Delhi.
Key Attractions in Delhi
Lal Quila
(Red Fort)
The Red Fort’s huge curtain wall and battlements dominate
the skyline of Old Delhi. Inside, the bastions – constructed,
like the nearby Jama Masjid, by Shah Jahan – are a range of
exquisite 17th-century Mughal buildings. They provided the living
quarters for the Emperor, his family, and courtiers. The precise
proportion and balance of these buildings, along with the intricate
decoration, is delightful to behold and in complete contrast to
the military might of the fort itself.
Unfortunately, the water conduits that once cooled the dwellings
and gardens are now dry. The Lahore Gate, on the west side of the
fort, was a strong symbol in the battle for Independence and is
still regarded as a shrine of the Republic.
Entrance from Lahori Gate or Chatta Chowk
Opening hours:
Tuesday-Sunday dawn-dusk.
Admission: Rs100 (foreigners).
Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque is 1 of
the masterpieces of the Mughal’s greatest builder, Shah Jahan.
A large courtyard, bounded by an arcade and pierced with 3 gates,
sits in front of the prayer hall, which permeates tranquility from
the harmony of its arches, domes and spaces.
Able to accommodate 25,000 worshippers, the courtyard is dominated
by two red-and-white-striped sandstone minarets, 70 metres (230
feet) tall. The active visitors who ascend the 122 narrow steps
to the top will be find a spectacular view of Delhi, smog and all.
Short-sleeved shirts and shorts are not allowed– wraps can
be borrowed.
Matya Mahal, Bho Jala
Opening
hours: Daily dawn-dusk; closed during prayer times.
Admission:
Free (mosque); Rs10 to shoe wallah; Rs10 (minaret) and Rs100 (for
cameras).
Qutb Minar
The Qutb Minar is a very big tower, started near the end
of the 12th century, to commemorate the Muslim conquest of Delhi.
At 72.5 metres (238 feet) tall, it is constructed of fluted red
sandstone and decorated with calligraphy representing verses from
the Koran. The 2 top levels are faced in white marble.
The Minar stands above a site that is home to the oldest
extant Islamic monuments in India. There is the Ala-i-Darwaza,
complete with lotus leaf squinches, horseshoe-shaped arches, and
intricate geometric patterns. Next to that, stands the Quwwat-ul-Islam,
the 1st mosque to be built in India.
The new rulers of Delhi were so focussed in building a mosque that
they shamelessly pilfered 27 Hindu and Jain temples for building
materials. Several of the pillars around the courtyard are carved
with Hindu iconography, which is strangely at odds with the Islamic
calligraphy of the Muslim prayer screens.
In the center of the mosque, somewhat out of place, stands the 4th-century
Iron Pillar, bearing inscriptions from the Gupta period.
Beyond the mosque is the elaborately carved Iltutmish's Tomb.
Qutb Minar complex
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Admission: Rs250 (foreigners).
Rashtrapati
Bhavan
Rajpath runs between the Secretariat Buildings and
India Arch, the war memorial constructed by Lutyens, in 1921.
Rajpath is a formal conception, lined with fountains, trees, and
pools, intended by its architects, Lutyens and Baker, to be the
epicenter of British India. The Secretariat Buildings mix monumental
classical and oriental detail and, while not stunning, are definitely
a striking statement of colonial power.
Rashtrapati Bhavan is a sprawling palace, supposedly
bigger than Versailles, which was constructed as the residence of
the Viceroy and is now the official home of the President of
India. Every Saturday morning (09:35-10:15), guards parade in
front of the iron grille gates. While the apartments are private,
the gardens are open to the public every year in Feb/Mar.
Rajpath
Opening hours: By appointment; gardens open daily
09:00-16:00 (Feb-Mar).
Admission: Free.
National
Museum
At least a few hours are needed to get a decent overview of Indian
culture at the National Museum, which is full of exhibits
covering over 5000 years of history. Features include excavations
from Indus Valley civilization sites, and statues from the Mauryan
empire (250BC), Carved pillars, sandstone figures from Pallava temples,
Gupta terracottas dating from AD400, Tibetan manuscripts, stone
and bronze Buddhist statues, Naga models and masks, Tibetan manuscripts,
silk paintings from Central Asia, a gallery of 300 musical instruments,
and Mughal clothing,ornaments tapestries, and weapons.
Janpath
Tel: (011) 301-9538.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 10:00-17:00.
Admission: Rs150 (foreigners).
Chandni Chowk
The bazaars around Chandni Chowk, in Old Delhi, display a
colorful, heaving and pungent slice of Delhi life, with shops and
stalls offering a fabulous array of goods, from fish and poultry
to ‘second-hand’ goods, gold and gemstones, turbans,
garlands, tinsel and spare car parts. They are a "must see"
part of any visit to the city.
Naya Bazaar is the
spice market on Khari Baoli, where porters lift sacks of spices
onto ox carts to be peddled to other parts of the city, while the
covered Gadodial Market, near Khari Baoli, is the wholesale
spice market with an awesome display of turmeric, aniseed, dried
mangoes, pomegranate, saffron, ginger, lotus seeds, reetha nuts,
sugars, pickles, and chutneys.
Chawris Bazaar became
notorious in the 19th century, for its dancing girls who beckoned
to men below from the arched balconies and windows of the mansions
that once lined the street. Today, the mansions have been replaced
by shops specializing in copper and brass Buddhas, Krishnas and
Vishnus.
Chandni Chowk
Opening
hours: Daily, approximately 10:00-18:00; most shops closed on
Sunday.
Admission: Free.
Humayun’s Tomb
Often known as a forerunner of the Taj Mahal. Humayun's Tomb
is in its own right, a spectacular example of the Mughal architectural
style, combining dome, mausoleum and plinth in proportional perfection.
The Tomb sits in a square garden designed along Persian lines, geometric
and shaded, crisscrossed with paths and waterways. In the grounds,
there are additional monuments, including the Tomb of Isa Khan.
Lodhi Road and Mathura Road
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Admission: Rs250 (foreigners).
Baha’i
Temple
Also known as the Lotus Temple, the modern Baha’i
Temple has often been compared with the Sydney Opera House.
Huget white petals of Rajasthani Macrana marble extend out
from nine pools and walkways in the shape of an unfolding lotus,
signifying the 9 spiritual paths of the Baha’i faith.
Inside, the central hall reaches to a height of over 30 metres (98
feet), without the visible support of any columns.
Shoes should be removed before entering.
Kalkaji
Hill
Opening hours: Daily 09:00-19:00 (summer); daily 09:30-17:30
(winter); closed during prayers (10:00-11:00 and 16:00-17:00).
Admission: Free.
Purana Qila
At the center of Humayun’s 16th-century Delhi was the fortress
of Purana Qila, which allegedly stands on the site of Indraprastha,
the city of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata.
Of the buildings still standing today, the Qila-i-Kuhna Masjid
was constructed in 1541, by Sher Shah, and represents a successful
mix of the Islamic and Hindu styles. The Sher Mandal is an
octagonal observatory and library.
The north gate, Talaqi-Darwaza, has been partly reconstructed
and gives an impression of how intimidating the fortifications would
have been in their heyday. The chattri surmounting the west
(entrance) gate commands a spectacular view of New Delhi.
Purana Qila is currently being rebuilt and restored. There
is a small museum just inside the south gate.
Mathura
Road
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk (fortress);
daily 08:00-18:30 (museum).
Admission: Rs110 (foreigners).
National Gallery of Modern
Art
The National Gallery of Modern Art has a big collection of
20th-century Indian art. There are examples of the art of
the painters of the Bengali Renaissance and of the artist and poet,
Tagore.
The focal point is the room devoted to the art of female
Indian artist Amrita Sher-Gil (1913-1941), whose portraits
– more victorious than her genre scenes – are painted
with the bravura of the youthful Augustus John.
The galleries recently have been rearranged to accommodate a program
of biannual exhibitions planned to bring a larger proportion of
the 15,000-piece collection to the public. The museum is in Jaipur
House – by any yardstick, a grandee’s townhouse –
formerly the Delhi residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur.
Jaipur House, India Gate
Tel: (011) 338-2835.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 10:00-17:00.
Admission: Rs150 (foreigners).
Tughluqabad
The sprawling and atrocious defenses of Tughluqabad are a
spectacular monument to the militarism of the Tughluqs, an antidote
to any idea that the Delhi Sultans were simply effete builders of
palaces and mosques.
Presently, the only living things to be seen at the vast, barren,
sun-scorched site are donkeys, goats, and the occasional archaeologist.
However, in the 14th century, the citadel, the third city of Delhi,
was the Sultan’s capital.
Below the walls is the daunting tomb of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq,
the architect of Tughluqabad. It is approached from a causeway that
crosses a dry lake. From the top of the citadel there is a sweeping
panorama of southern Delhi.
Tughluqabad
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Admission:
Rs110 (foreigners).
Further Distractions
Raj
Ghat
The ghats – steps leading down to the water –
signify the cremation sites of the freedom fighters and leaders
of India. Presently, they are located in a landscaped park, complete
with an ornamental lake.
The most popular, Raj Ghat, is a simple square platform of
black marble, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated, after
his assassination in 1948. Pilgrims visit to touch the petal-strewn
platform (samadhi) with respect and emotion. Prayers are
held in remembrance Every Friday night and on the anniversaries
of his birth and death (2 October and 30 January).
Close by are memorials to Indira Gandhi and to her son, Rajiv, both
of whom were assassinated.
Ring Road
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Admission: Free.
Gandhi Memorial Museum
Adjacent to Raj Ghat is the Gandhi Memorial Musuem, with
a spectacular display of photographs illustrating the Mahatma’s
life and death. There's also a large collection of Gandhi memorabilia,
from toothpicks to spinning wheels, via the clothes he was reportedly
wearing when he was assassinated. Among the bons mots about
Gandhi, which are inscribed on the walls, is G.B. Shaw’s reflection
that the Mahatma’s murder ‘shows how dangerous it is
to be too good.’
Ring Road, opposite Raj
Ghat.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 09:30-17:30.
Admission: Free.
Lodhi
Gardens
An oasis of shaded serenity; the Lodhi Gardens are a popular and
calming place to escape the heat and clamor of Delhi. The gardens
are sprawling and boast a beautiful collection of tropical tree
and shrubs. There is even a formal rose garden.
There are also many monuments of the Lodhi Sultanate (1451-1526),
including the Bara Gumbad, the Shish Gumbad, and the
Tomb of Mohammed Shah, all fine examples of the Lodhi style.
South-central New Delhi
Opening
hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Admission: Free.
Delhi Ridge and the Civil Lines
Delhi Ridge, overlooking Old Delhi, was the
British position for the siege of the city, during the Mutiny of
1857. On its southern scarp, is the Mutiny Memorial, an unsightly
neo-Gothic tower honoring those who took part in the fighting.
Higher up the Ridge is one of Ashoka's Pillars (third century
BC), which was delivered to Delhi by Feroz Shah and restored and
re-erected here by the British, in 1867. The Civil Lines,
below the Ridge, are where the British lived prior to the construction
of New Delhi in the 1920s.
Delhi Ridge
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free.
Haus Khaz
Haus Khaz contains a fascinating collection of ruins,
the most important of which are the Tomb of Feroz Shah (died
1388) and the neighboring – and contemporary – madrasa
(college). originally the site of the 50-hectare (125-acre) reservoir
built by Aladdin (died 1316) to supply his citadel. Haus Khaz
Village houses many trendy galleries, boutiques, and restaurants.
Haus Khaz
Opening hours: Daily
dawn-dusk.
Admission: Free.
National Railway Museum
This is a small museum of railway memorabilia, including
the skull of an elephant killed when it was hit by a mail train
in Bengal, in 1894. But the main glory of the National Railway
Museum is the open-air display of old steam locomotives and
rolling stock. Most interesting are the ‘special’ carriages
of the British and Indian grandees, such as the Viceregal dining
car, the Maharaja of Mysore's personal train, which comprised both
sleeping and day compartments, and the Gaekwar of Baroda’s
Saloon, containing its ornate gold and enamel ceiling.
Also on display is the last steam engine in service on the Indian
railways – as recently as 1995 – and the first electric-powered
engine to do so – as far back as the 1930s.
Chanakyapuri
Tel: (011) 688-0939.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 09:30-17:00
(Oct-Mar); Tues-Sun 09:30-19:00 (Apr-Sep).
Admission:
Rs10. |
