Besides the majestic forts and monuments of Delhi,
India's capital houses several other attractions that lure the tourists.
Here, we are presenting the hotspots of Delhi, where one must visit to
have the feel and first-hand experience of the co-existing cultures,
lifestyles and magnanimity of Delhi.
Chandni Chowk
The antiquity of the main market area of Chandni Chowk itself has
rendered it a venerated place in the markets of Delhi. It is said that
it was once lined with beautiful fountains. However, with time it grew
as crowded as it is today. One of the India's most prominent wholesale
and retail markets, Chandni Chowk is more than 300 years old and was
established in 1650. Jahanara, the Emperor's favorite daughter, is
credited with designing this market. Besides the Red Fort nearby, one
can visit Chawri Bazaar, seven major Hindu and Jain temples, two
Churches, three Mosques and two Gurudwaras in the area. These places of
worship include Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, Jama Masjid, Gurudwara
Shish Ganj, Gauri Shankar temple and Sunahari Masjid or Golden Mosque.
Old Delhi
Old Delhi was once known as the city of Shahjahanabad. Shah Jahan
established it and made it his capital. This fortified city has a long
and interesting history and even today the remains of its glorious past
can be seen in the form of Kashmiri Gate, Ajmeri Gate, Turkman Gate,
Delhi gate and Feroz Shah Kotla built by Feroz Shah Tughlaq with the
Ashokan Pillar that was brought from Meerut. Chandni Chowk is just a
part of Old Delhi and consequently the Red Fort and Jama Masjid are
actually a part of Old Delhi. Yet other attractions of Old Delhi are a
ride in rickshaw, Zinat-ul Masjid in Daryaganj, which is also known as
Cloud Mosque and was built in 1710 by one of Aurangzeb's daughters, the
Gandhi Memorial Museum and the St. James Church, the oldest church of
Delhi built by Col. James Skinner, who was the son of a Scotsman and his
Rajput wife.
Rajpath and
India Gate
Rajpath (meaning the Royal Road) is the ceremonial boulevard of the
Indian republic that boasts of ornamental parks, pools and gardens
alongside. It is here that the much-awaited event of Republic Day Parade
takes place on 26th of January every year. Rajpath runs through India
Gate and Vijay Chowk and has Rashtrapati Bhavan at one end and National
Stadium at another. Vijay Chowk (meaning the Victory Square) is the site
of 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony held annually on 29th of January. The
war memorial arch, India Gate, was built by the British in the honor of
the unknown martyrs who lost their lives in the First World War and
Second Afghan War.
The Ghats
Alongside the banks of River Yamuna, there are cremation sites of some
of the most prominent leaders of India such as Raj Ghat, Shanti Van,
Shakti Sthal, Veer Bhumi and Vijay Ghat. However, Raj Ghat, the
cremation site of Mahatama Gandhi is one of the most visited one. It
consists of a simple square black-marble platform that stands on the
spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated after Nathuram Godse assassinated
him in 1948. Nearby, there are cremation sites of Jawaharlal Nehru, the
first Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv
Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri.
The
Parliament House & Rashtrapati Bhawan
Sansad Bhawan or the Parliament House is the center of political power
in India while Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the
President of India. Also known as the Presiden's House, it was formerly
known as 'Viceroy's House' and was occupied by the Governor-General of
India until independence. A blend of Mughal and European architectural
styles, it has 340 decorated rooms and a floor area of 200,000 square
feet! The Parliament House is one of the most magnificent buildings in
New Delhi. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker, it took
six years to be constructed and was inaugurated on 18th January, 1927 by
the then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin. The massive circular
edifice has a circumference of about one-third of a mile and stretches
across six acres.
