Delhi - Tourist Attractions

The Qutab Minar is his legacy to the city. This tower of victory is remarkable for its planning and construction, built to its great height at a time when stones were lifted manually all the way of it height of 72.5 m. A staircase inside was being used by the muezzin to climb into the minaret to call the faithful to prayer. Muslim and Hindu architecture is mixed in this complex as the remnants of all these kingdoms combine to give us brief glimpses of that time. On one side of the great mosque stand the remnants of 27 Hindu and Jain temples. And in the center of the courtyard is the Ashoka Pillar inscribed with a Sanskrit text. This is made of a special metal, which has been impervious to rust over the centuries.

Bahai Temple
Modern wonders have been added to the wealth of the past like the Bahai temple near Kalkaji. Made in white marble, this temple is shaped like a lotus flower. A huge hall inside offers a place for quiet thought and meditation. Its gardens provide a contrasting splash of color where groups of dahlias and roses and a variety of flowers stand like a symbol of unity of religions, just like the temple.

Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar was one of the five observatories built by great astrologer and king of Jaipur, Sawai Jai Singh. Now dysfunctional, this structure situated in the center of Delhi, creates a lot of interest in the tourists coming to Delhi.

Tughlaqabad Fort
Ten kilometers south of the Qutab stands the mammoth fort of Tughlaqabad built between 1320-1324 by Ghiyas-ud-din. Piles of gigantic boulders rise in stark, savage splendor. The fort was never attacked but was plundered for its building material by Mohammed Tughlaq.

Purana Qila
The Purana qila (fort) stands on the site of the legendary Indraprastha. Work was started in 1539 by Humayun who completed the lofty ramparts and gateways, at the center of Dinapanah, the new city. Soon Sher Shah replaced Humayun and destroyed much of his predecessor's work. He built the magnificent Qala-i-Kuhna mosque and Sher Mandal, the octagonal tower. On his return to power in 1556, Humayun used Sher Mandal as his observatory and library.

Humayun's Tomb
Humayun's tomb is a grand affair, built by his widow who brought 300 craftsmen from Persia for this job. This magnificent tomb in red sandstone, crowned by a glorious double-dome in marble stands on a terrace, Char Bagh-the authentic Islamic lay out for a paradise on earth. Four canals divide the garden into four sections. In the central domed chamber is Humayun's grave lying in isolated grandeur. Some less fortunate later Mughal princes are also buried here. In 1857, Bahadur shah II sought refuge in the tomb but was captured, tried and exiled.

Red Fort
Shahjahan added glittering monuments to Delhi.His city, called Shahjahanabad, is built in front of the Red Fort. Though destroyed a fair deal by the British, the fort still contains some magnificent palaces. The Diwan-i-Khas is grand in its marble columns and stone platform on which stood the Peacock Throne with its solid gold frame studded with the empire's costliest diamonds, emeralds, rubies and pearls valued at 12,037,500 pounds sterling as per Travernier's contemporary account. Diwan-i-Khas witnessed the apex of Mughal glory and its fall. Here the Persian invader Nadir Shah sat on the Mughal throne and Muhammad Shah stood in attendance. Here Shah Alam II was blinded by an Afghan chief Ghulam Qadir. 'Seat of the Shadow God' in the Diwan-i-Aam is a marvelously sculpted throne ornamented with exquisite pietra dura Italian panels depicting gorgeous birds, flowers and Orpheus playing flute to animals. These panels were removed and sold to a London Museum; retrieved and rest on the orders of Lord Curzon. The marble lotus in the Rang Mahal, crafted out of a single block of marble is a marvel. Also ingeniously crafted is the lattice screen in the royal chambers. The gardens and palaces were fed by channels of Nihir-i-bihisht (stream of Paradise) running through the royal area.

Modern Tourist Attractions

The National Museum is the most apt place if you are inquisitive about history, culture and heritage of Delhi. The biggest museum in India, it possesses 2,00,000 antiquities from worldwide spanning over 5000 years of history displayed at both permanent and temporary galleries. The antiquities of the museum includes art objects, costumes, fallen or broken pieces of historical monuments, gems and jewelry, manuscripts, paintings of different schools of art, pottery, rare coins, religious scriptures and sculptures. One of the most popular and well-presented permanent galleries is the Harappan Gallery.

The Rail Transport Museum is among popular tourist attractions in Delhi particularly for children. Visit the place to trace the history of 150 years of railways in India. The museum is spread over 10 acres of land and displays a large collection of locomotives and carriages in open. You will enjoy watching the vintage trains such as the Viceregal Dining Car (1889 AD), Prince of Wales Saloon (1875 AD), Maharaja of Mysore's Saloon (1899 AD) and Maharaja of Baroda's Saloon (1886 AD) as much as the kids. The replica of the first steam engine in India that covered the distance from Mumbai to Thane in 1853 AD is also on display.

The Garden of Five Senses is among the latest tourist attractions in Delhi inaugurated only in 2003. Located at Said-ul-Azaib near Mehrauli, the garden is spread over an area of 20 acres of changing scenery. As is suggestive from the name, the garden is designed to awaken each of the five human senses of vision, hearing, smell, touch and taste. The sight of the flowers in myriad hues, the sound of gentle music, the sweet and pleasant fragrance, the feel of the beautiful objects and test of your taste buds at exclusively allocated spaces in the garden to arouse a particular sense.

Jama Masjid
Outside the Red Fort the Jami Masjid dominates the landscape with its bulbous domes and twin slender minarets piercing the sky. The Chandni Chowk, cultural center of Shahjahanabad has a few mosques, notably the Sunehri Masjid from where Nadir Shah had supervised the plunder and carnage of the city. The Fatehpuri Masjid without minarets is unique in its architectural style.

Colonial Structures
Delhi's medieval phase ended with the British occupation of the city after 1857 at the fall of the Mughal Empire. On December 12, 1911 King George V Declared Delhi the capital of British India. Lutyens and Baker-the architects started work on New Delhi, the Imperial capital. Lutyen's magnum opus, the Viceroy's House (now the Rashtrapati Bhawan) is the showpiece of the new imperial style with countless columns, endless corridors, grand reception halls, fountains and courts.

The majestic copper dome recalls the great stupa at Sanchi. The twin Secretariat Blocks, a work of Baker dominate the Raisina Hill. The Parliament House is yet another great architectural achievement of New Delhi. The India Gate and the stone canopy under which stood the statue of George V (now removed to the Coronation Park, near Kingsway Camp) form the axial terminal of the grand vista now called the Rajpath and used for the Republic Day parade.