Places of Worship In Delhi

Delhi is a cosmopolitan city and reflects the secularism of India. People of all the religions live here in harmony. Here, we are covering the religious places of four major religions co-existing harmoniously in the lap of Delhi, namely, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity. The imposing Jama Masjid is one of the largest and the most elegant mosques in India. Besides the mosques mentioned here, some of the other notable mosques in Delhi are Quwwatu'l-Islam Masjid situated in the Qutub Complex, the first mosque of India, the double-storyed mosque of Khirki Masjid and Jamali Kamali Masjid.


Churches of Delhi
There are several churches in Delhi but the two most famous one are the colonial churches of Cathedral Church of Redemption and Church of the Sacred Heart, both designed by Henry Medd. One can evidently see the colonial style of architecture in these buildings and Christians from all over Delhi visit the Church every Sunday for their prayers. One should see the crowds in these churches during Christmas and other religious and festive occasions.

Church Of The Sacred Heart
Situated at the south end of Bhai Vir Singh Marg, the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart was designed by Henry Medd. One can clearly see the Italian influence in its structure as the façade of white pillars look beautiful and attractive supporting the canopy.

Cathedral Church Of The Redemption
Situated to the east of Parliament House, the Church of the Redemption was built in eight years and was completed in 1935. Henry Medd designed it too. Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy, was so impressed by its high curved arches and subtle domes that it came to be known as 'Viceroy's Church'.

Gurdwaras of Delhi
Delhi has five important gurudwaras that are important points of Sikh pilgrimage and were built to commemorate the visits of the five Gurus, who visited the capital at different times. Gurdwara Sis Ganj was built in honor of Guru Tegh Bahadur while Gurdwara Bangla Sahib was dedicated to the eighth Guru Harkrishen. Then there are Gurudwara Rakab Ganj, Gurudwara Majnu ka Tila and Gurdwara Nanak Piao.


Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is an important historical and religious place in India. Dedicated to the eighth Sikh Guru Sri Harkishen Sahib, it is situated near Connaught Place. The large main hall is kept simple except for the open central shrine covered by a small golden dome sporting a sculpted bronze cupola. Devotional music is relayed throughout the complex continuously. There is a higher secondary school, Baba Baghel Singh Museum, a library and a hospital in the Gurdwara complex. Holy water of Gurdwara known as 'Amrit, is said to have miraculous powers of curing the sick.

Gurudwara Majnu Ka Tila
This shrine is also dedicated to Guru Nanak who hallowed this place during his visit to Delhi in the 15th century. The small structure was expanded in the 1980s to a larger white marble structure with a cusped dome, which is planned to be covered with gold leaf work later. The interesting story of this Gurdwara talks about a Muslim hermit, who lived on this hillock during the reign of Sikander Lodhi and used to row people across River Yamuna free of charge. He so yearned for the glimpse of God that the local people called him 'Majnu'. It is said that he finally attained enlightenment by the blessings of Guru Nanak and became his devout disciple. Since then, his hermitage came to be known as Majnu ka Tila. The devout love of Majnu towards God and his radiant spirit attracted prople, who built this shrine to commemorate him and Guru Nanak. On Baisakhi every year, a 'langar' is arranged here for all to celebrate the birth of Khalsa.

Gurudwara Nanak Piao
Dedicated to the first Sikh Guru Sri Nanak Dev, Gurdwara Nanak Piao was built at the site, in the garden where he camped when he visited Delhi in 1505 during the reign of Sultan Sikander Shah Lodhi. It is situated on Rana Pratap Road. It is said that people flocked to the revered prophet and offered him and his bard Mardana with precious gifts and offerings. Guru Nanak used to distribute all these offerings to the poor and needy. Besides these, he used to offer food and water to the hungry and thirsty, hence the name of the shrine. One can still see the well from which Guru Nanak served water in the shrine.

Gurudwara Rakab Ganj
Built in 1732 by Lakhi Banjara, the devotee who performed the last rites of the martyred Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur, an interesting legend is attached to Gurdwara Rakab Ganj. It is said that Lakhi Singh escaped with the body of Guru ji to his home at this place and cremated the body on a pile of sandalwood. He later set fire to the house to remove any evidences. When the fire extinguished, he put the holy ashes in an urn and buried it on that site itself. Gurudwara Rakab Ganj was built there to commemorate the event. It is said that at that time the area was a market for stirrups - the 'stirrup' is known as 'Rakab', 'market' is known as 'Ganj', thus the name of the shrine. The Gurudwara with a white building and the prominent domes holds an important place in the Sikh community.

Gurudwara Sis Ganj
Built on the site where the Mughals beheaded Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1675, Gurdwara Sis Ganj was built to commemorate the martyrdom of this great religious leader. According to the legend, when Guru Tegh Bahadur died, no one dared to pick up his body. However, suddenly, sky became clouded followed by a heavy downpour. Then, two of the brave disciples of Guruji fled with his head and body. The head of the Guru was taken to Chakk Nanaki in Anandpur Sahib while the body was transported to Gurdwara Rakab Ganj.

Mosques in Delhi
A number of Muslims reside in the country since centuries and Delhi has quite a few impressive mosques that have interesting history attached to them. Some of these mosques are a visual delight. There is Hazrat Nizamudding Auliyaa Dargah, known as Nizamuddin for short along with the surrounding area. While Jama Maszid is the largest mosque in India, it is Moth-ki-Maszid, which has the most amusing and unusual legend that goes with its construction.


Jama Masjid
Shah Jahan as his final architectural extravagance built one of the largest mosques in India, Jama Masjid. Also known as Masjid-i-Jahan Numa, it was the principal mosque of the Emperor. It took six years to complete this mosque and was completed in 1644. Situated on a high platform, the austere yet beautiful building was built in red sandstone with extensive use of white marble. The pulpit of the mosque has been carved out of a single block of marble. It has three gateways, four towers and two minarets. 130-ft high slender minarets grace the impressive façade of the mosque.

Moth ki Masjid
An interesting legend is attached to the origin of the Masjid Moth or the Lentil Mosque. About 500 years old, it was built by Sikander Lodi. According to the legend, one day Sikandar Lodi gave a grain of moth (a type of lentil) to his loyal minister Miyan Bhuwa as a reward for fun. The witty minister planted the seed carefully years after years until it multiplied so many times that it could finally finance the construction of the mosque.

Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliyaa Dargah
Across the road from Humayun's tomb, the 'dargah' or shrine of revered Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliyaa has its devotees all over the Islamic world. A settlement has sprung up here known as 'Nizamuddin' for short. This shrine also houses the tomb of Amir Khusrau, a famous poet and the saint's beloved disciple. Encroachments plaque the shrine and the area itself seem to belong to another century. The shrine was built by Muhammad Tughluq and is one of the sacred places of pilgrimage. Other tombs situated in the complex of the shrine belong to Begum Jahan Ara, Shah Jahan's favorite daughter and Mirza Ghalib. Every Thursday, one can hear qawwalis here around sunset.

Temples in Delhi
A number of beautiful temples adorn Delhi. Some of the most famous ones are the Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Lotus Temple or Bahai Temple, ISCKON Temple and Chhatarpur Mandir. Each of these temples has its own charm and has a special and revered place in the hearts of Delhiites. Besides these, there are several other shrines that are worth mentioning such as Kalaji Mandir and Digambar Mandir in Chandni Chowk.


Lakshmi Narayan Mandir (Birla Mandir)
Situated near Connaught Place, Raja Baldev Das built this temple in 1938. Also known as Birla Mandir, it is dedicated to Goodess Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth and her spouse Lord Vishnu. Built in Orissan style, its walls are adorned with various Hindu symbols and insciptions from the holy books of the Gita and the Upanishads. Completed in six years, the temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. According to the conditions placed by him, people of all castes including the untouchables were allowed to visit the temple. The famous Birla family, the renowned industrialists, maintains the temple.

Chattarpur Mandir
The spectacular temple complex of Chattarpur Mandir is an architectural gem in itself. Comparatively recent in its construction, it rivals the splendor of the Moghul architecture of the city. Situated just 4 km from Qutub Minar, the elaborate and lavish shrines in the Chattarpur complex are built from white marble. The main shrine is dedicated to Goddess Durga and exhibits South Indian temple architectural traits.

ISKCON Temple
Built as recently as 1998, the ISKCON temple complex at Hari Krishna Hill in East of Kailash is one of the most lavish and grand temples of Delhi. A fine example of architecture, it sports 'Shikharas' rising to a height of 90-ft above ground level and centrally air-conditioned hall that can hold as many as 1,500 people at once. The fine art paintings by Russian artists here depict lives and events related to Hindu mythological characters such as Radha-Krishna, Sita-Ram, Laxman, Hanuman and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Special sermons and prayer meeting are held in the temple, every Sunday afternoon. Dedicated mainly to Lord Krishna, the elegant temple was built by the followers of 'Hare-Rama Hare-Krishna' cult. One of the largest temple complexes in India, it also boasts of a Robot, which was built especially to enact and preach 'Gita'. The temple remains opened every day from 4.30 am to noontime and from 4.00 pm to 9.00 pm.

Lotus Temple
One of the most beautiful temples in India, the 40 m high Bahai Temple is also known as Lotus Temple as it is built in the shape of a half-opened Lotus flower. Completed in 1986, this pure white marble temple is also known as Taj of Modern India. Surrounded by carefully manicured lawns, it has been constructed using marble, cement, sand and dolomite. The temple structure has 27 giant white marble petals and nine pools indicative of the nine unifying spiritual paths of the Baha'i faith, which believes in oneness of all religions and mankind. The faith emphasizes on prayer, described as 'Conversation with God' and meditation, described as 'Key for opening the doors of mysteries'.