Delhi

Sometimes referred to as “Dilli”, is the second-largest metropolis in India after Mumbai with a population of 13 million and counting. It is located in northern India on the banks of the River Yamuna. New Delhi , the capital of the country, and its third largest city is a blend of old and modern charm. It provides an environment, which is rich in culture, architecture, monuments, museums, galleries, gardens and some exotic shows. It is a combination of two contrasting parts - the Old Delhi and the New Delhi . The city is a major travel hub. If you want to spend some memorable time of your vacation then this is the right place.

Delhi has a very rich history, which encompasses all the various kings, and emperors who fixed their royal empires here - Indraprastha, Lal Kot, Quila Rai Pithora, Siri, Tughlakabad, Ferozabad, Delhi Sher Shahi and then Shahjahanabad. But combined, these cities have been always called " Delhi " no matter how many names it might have acquired in the past. There have been eight cities around what is now known as the 'modern Delhi '. The Yamuna river, which flows through, proclaims proudly the 5000 year old history of this city. A history, right from the creation of Indraprashtha by the Pandavas to the very recent 'British Empire' in the 19th and 20th century.

Climate

Summers: Max: 46 degrees C; Min: 25 degrees C
Winters: Max: 10 degrees C; Min: 3 degrees C

How to reach Delhi

Air: Delhi has two airports, one international named Indira Gandhi International Airport, and the other domestic, named Palam Airport. All the major airlines in the world fly through Delhi and it is easily accessible from anywhere in the world. Domestic flights cover Delhi from all the major cities in the country.

Rail: Well connected to different places of the country by rail, the city has two main stations – the Old Delhi railway station and the New Delhi railway station.

Road: Delhi is well connected through a network of national highways. State roadways buses regularly play from Delhi to various towns and cities. Buses from different states of India pull into the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) in Old Delhi , Anand-Vihar and Sarai Kale Khan Bus Terminus. Delhi is also linked by air-conditioned, deluxe and ordinary bus services to all major destinations in north India. Five National Highways pass through Delhi and the most important of these are the Grand Trunk Road (GT Road, National Highway-1) from Amritsar in the north, Mathura Road from Agra in the south, National Highway 2 from Calcutta in the east, and Gurgaon Road (National Highway 8) from Jaipur in the west.

PLACES TO SEE

Qutab Minar
It is a tall, 73 metre or 238 feet high tower. It was built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak, after the defeat of Delhi 's last kingdom. The tower has 5 storeys, which tapers from 15 metres diameter at the base to 2.5 meters at the top. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone while the fourth and fifth are of marble. “Quwwat-ul-Islam” Mosque, the first one to be built in India, stands at the foot of the tower.

Akshardham Temple
The Akshardham temple was constructed under BAPS or 'Bochasanvasi Aksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha ' and was inaugrated on November 5, 2005. The temple is spread over 100 acres of land, and is built on the banks of River Yamuna. A total of Rs.200 crore rupees were spent on the construction of the Akshardham Temple and it took about 2 years to complete it. The main monument at the temple is about 141 foot high and it houses a beautiful statue of Lord Swaminarayan. At the center of the complex is a palace like monument built of atleast 12,000 tons of pink sandstone and white marble brought from Rajasthan. The Akshardham complex also boasts of an Imax cinema, and a huge canteen, which can accommodate 5000 people at one sitting.

Bahai (Lotus) Temple
The Bahai or ‘Lotus Temple’ as it is locally known is built in the shape of a lotus flower and is the last of seven major Bahai temples built around the world. The construction of the temple was completed in the year 1986. The temple is made of pure white marble, the architect Furiburz Sabha chose lotus as the symbol common to Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam. People of any faith are free to visit the temple and pray or meditate.

India Gate
At the centre of New Delhi stands India Gate, a 42 m high ‘archway’ that commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British Army during the World War I. The memorial bears the names of more than 13,500 British and Indian soldiers killed in the Northwestern Frontier in the Afghan war of 1919.
The foundation stone was laid down by the Viceroy of India, Duke of Connaught in 1921 while Edwin Lutyens designed it. The eternal flame which burns day and night under the arch (Amar Jawan Jyoti) reminds the nation of the soldiers who laid down their lives in the India-Pakistan war of 1971.

Jama Masjid
The Friday Mosque or Jama Masjid was built from 1644 to 1658 in the reign of Shahjahan. The mosque is the greatest religious construction of Islam in India. Standing across the road from the Red Fort, the mosque built in 1656 by Shahjahan is the largest mosque in India. About 20,000 people can pray here at a time.

Red Fort
The symbol of power, the Red fort or "Lal Quila" as it is locally known, was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The Red Fort is one of the most magnificient structures in the world. Also, worthy of mention here is the fact that the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, after ruling Agra for eleven long years, decided to shift to Delhi and laid the foundation in Red Fort in the year 1618. Built entirely of sandstone, the Red Fort is 3 kms in perimeter with the wall's height varies from 18 to 30 meters at places. Entrance to the Red Fort or the Lal Quila is through the "Lahore Gate". It is named so, because of the fact that this gate faces Lahore, now in Pakistan. Spending vacations in Delhi will prove to be great experience.

HOTELS

Deluxe Hotels

• Ashok Hotel.
  
• Centaur Hotel.
  
• Hyatt Regency.
  
• Le Meridian.
  
• Maurya Sheraton Hotel.
  
• Vasant Continental.

First Class Hotels:

• The Imperial.
  
• Hotel Samrat.
  
• Siddharth.
  
• Hotel Qutab.
  
• The Claridges.
  
• Metropolitan.
  
• Hotel Ambassador.
  
• The Legend Inn.

Budget Hotels:

• Hotel Vikram.
  
• Hotel Oasis.
  
• Hotel Regal.
  
• Hotel Tourist.
  
• Hotel Gold Regency.

 

 

 

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