Population
: 9,420,644 ( 1991 )
Area : 1,483 sq km
Languages
Spoken : Hindi , English , Punjabi , & Urdu
Delhi
is no fairytale city but a city where dreams come to reality. Its strategic
location was one of the prime reasons why successive dynasties chose it as
their seat of power. Delhi is truly a symbol of the old and the new; a blend
of ancient well preserved monuments and temples along with jam-packed burger
joints and up market shopping malls. The city is lushed with a plethora of
temples, forts, mosques as well as parks, gardens and beautiful colonial
mansions. Delhi may seem daunting to a first time visitor but as a national
capital and the gateway to the North, it is a must visit city on any
travelers itinerary. Impressive museums and interesting nightlife, Delhi has
a lot to offer for everyone.
Delhi is a palimpsest, bearing the
complexities, the contradictions, the beauty and the dynamism of a city
where the past coexists with the present. many dynasties ruled from here and
the city is rich in the architecture of its monuments. Diverse cultural
elements absorbed into the daily life of the city have enriched its
character. exploring the city can be a fascinating and rewarding
experience.... India a land of snake charmers and magicians and the capital
of this land of mysteries is Delhi. Delhi is just not a city but it is a
book-- a book which narrates the history of India. The city was built and
destroyed seven times and has been witness to the various events which has
brought India through the history books. Seven times this city went through
the pain of being built and rebuilt. Today as the capital of India Delhi is
the seat of administration and the monuments which tell the saga of a bygone
era stand there. These icons are testimony to the grandeur of past and also
an attraction for the tourists. With an area of 1483 sq. Kms, Delhi is all
set to acquire full statehood. The charm of Delhi has attracted Emperors,
Conquerors and poor in equally. It is correctly said that Delhi is a land of
'Dilwalas' or for people with heart. This phrase acquires a true colour when
one goes around the lanes of Delhi. Delhi-- a window to the kaleidoscope
that is India.
QUTUB MINAR Its a red
sandstone tower covered with beautiful and striking carvings and is
inscribed with verses from the holy Quran. Qutub Minar is still the highest
stone tower in India as well as one of the finest Islamic structures ever
raised and Delhi's recognised landmark. The sultan's successor and
son-in-law, Iltutmish, completed it.
In 1303, Ala-ud-Din
established the second city of Delhi, called Siri, of which nothing remains
but the embattlements. He also had dug a vast reservoir, Hauz Khas, to
supply water to his city. Contemporary historians describe the Delhi of that
time as being the "envy of Baghdad, the rival of Cairo and equal to
Constantinople".
Originally the minar had only four storeys,
faced with red and buff sandstone. The uppermost storey, which was damaged
in 1368 during Feroze Tughluq's reign, was replaced by him by two storeys,
making free use of marble but leaving the lower portion of the fourth storey
built with sandstone in its original condition.
The original three
storeys are each laid on a different plan, the lowest with alternate angular
and circular flutings, the second with round ones and the third with angular
ones only, with the same alignment of flutings, however, being carried
through them all.
JANTAR MANTAR The Jantar
Mantar of Delhi is only one of the five observatories built by Sawai Jai
Singh II, the other four being located at Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and
Mathura. All of these were built as far back as AD 1724-1730 during the
period generally known as the dark age of Indian history, when the last
great Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had died and the Mughal Empire was rapidly
declining.
A unique structure raised in 1724, now lies in the
heart of Delhi's commercial centre near Connaught place. This is the Jantar
Mantar, one of several astronomical observatories raised by Maharaja Jai
Singh II of Jaipur
INDIA GATE At the center of New
Delhi stands the 42m high India Gate, an "Arc-de-Triomphe" like
Archway in the middle of a crossroad. Almost similar to its French
counterpart war memorial. It commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who
lost their lives fighting for the British Army during the First World War
and bears the names of more than 13,516 British and Indian soldiers killed
in the Northwestern Frontier in the Afghan war of 1919.
The foundation stone was laid by His Royal Highness, the Duke of
Connaught in 1921 and was designed by Edwin Lutyens. The monument was
dedicated to the nation 10 years later by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin.
Another memorial, Amar Jawan Jyoti was added much later, after India got its
independence. It is in the form of a flame that burns day and night under
the arch to remind the nation of soldiers who laid down their lives in the
Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971.
The entire arch stands on a
low base of red Bharatpur stone and rises in stages to a huge molding,
beneath, which are inscribed Imperial sons. Above on both sides is inscribed
INDIA, flanked by MCM and to the right, XIX. The shallow domed bowl at the
top was intended to be filled with burning oil on anniversaries but this is
rarely done.
Best Time To Visit From October to the
end of March . Reasons why : These months enjoy cool temprature .
