Delhi
Introduction to Delhi
Delhi, one
of India's fastest growing cities, has spread far beyond
the "seven cities" created between the 13th and the 17th
centuries. It has sprawled over the west bank of the
Yamuna and now straddles the river. Remnants of the
past survive cheek -by-jowl with skyscrapers,
residential colonies and bustling commercial complexes.
Delhi has some of the finest museums in the country. Its
boutiques and shopping arcades offer access to a wealth
of traditional and contemporary crafts from all over the
country. It has speciality restaurants to please the
gourmet, open parks and gardens ablaze with flowers, and
in the winter months particularly, a variety of cultural
events. Its many-layered existence is tantalizing and
can entice the curious traveller into a fascinating
journey of discovery.
History Of Delhi :
The history of this centre of power dates to the first
millennium BC. In 1955 excavations within the Purana
Qila revealed that the area was inhabited morethan
3000 years ago. This was Indraprastha, a site associated
with the epic Mahabharata.A clearer picture emerges at
the end of the 10th century. The TomarRajputs built Lal
Kot, the core of the first of Delhi's seven cities.
Later, another Rajput king, Prithviraj Chauhan — hero of
ballads and legends —extended it to create the Qila Rai
Pithora. In 1206, Qutb ud din Aibak, aslave of Mohammad
of Ghor crowned himself the Sultan of Delhi and occupied
the Rajput fort. He commemorated his victory by building
the Quwwat ul Islam mosque. It is the earliest extant
mosque in India and within its courtyard stands the
4th-century standard of Lord Vishnu, the famous,
uncorroded Iron Pillar. Nearby, he raised the towering
minaret, the QutbMinar, one of Delhi's landmarks.
Other architectural gems within this complex include the
tomb of Illtutmish and the Alai Darwaza.
Around
1311, Allaudin Khilji established Siri, the second city
and dug a vast reservoir at Hauz Khas. Very little
remains of Siri, but Hauz Khas was extensively renovated
a few decades later. Now, ethnic boutiques and cafes dot
the Hauz Khas village and the location is as attractive
as the exclusive goods on sale.
The great fort of Tughlaqabad wasraised in 1321 as a
protection against Mongol raids and became Delhi's third
city. The fort and tomb are characteristic of robust
Tughlaq architecture. Delhi's fourth city,Jahanpanah has
practically disappeared but its fifth, Firoz Shah Kotla
rises off Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg and is well known for
its Ashokan pillar which the Sultan brought from Mathura.
Timur devastated Delhi in 1398 and as a result the 15th
century saw little growth. The tombs of the Lodi kings
date to this era and are within the landscaped Lodi
Gardens, one of Delhi's most beautiful gardens.
In 1526,
Babur founded the Mughal empire in India. The impressive
PuranaQila, Delhi's sixth city, is a combined effort of
his son Humayun and the Afghan Sher Shah Suri who
temporarily deposed him. The fort contains a fine mosque
and what was possibly a library. Nearby are the Zoo, the
Crafts Museum, where craftsmen work in a simulated rural
setting, andPragati Maidan, the exhibition grounds. The
magnificent tomb of Humayun, which is a precursor to the
Taj Mahal is 2 km from here.
In Apiil
1639 the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan laid the foundation
of Shahjahanabad, Delhi's seventh city, and it
epitomised the grandeur of his empire. This walled city
has since been continuously inhabited. It is one of the
most densely populated localities in the world and it
retains a unique vitality and charm. The Red Fort, Shah
Jahan's sandstone citadel encompasses grand audience
halls — where the legendary Peacock Throne once stood —
and marble palaces ornamented with exquisite pietra dura.
Opposite the Red Fort is the Jama Masjid, India's
largest mosque.
For the
intrepid traveller there is rnore... Chandni Chowk, the
moonlit square, is adjacent to the mosque, and leads to
the heart of the walled city. This was once a tree-lined
bazaar with a canal flowing through its centre. Today,
it is one of the largest trading centres in northern
India - thriving, congested and chaotic. Chandni Chowk
is replete with historical landmarks and each of its
bylanes leads into a world of spices or silver or
perfumes or textiles.....
New Delhi
was built in 1911. It was tobe "conceived with
spaciousness and care so that the new creation would be
in every way worthy of this ancient and beautiful city".
Lutyens and Baker planned a city with wide, tree-lined
avenues. The 340-roomed Viceregal Lodge, now the
Rashtrapati Bhawan, was raised on Raisina Hill.
Nearby are India Gate, a World War I memorial.
Parliament House, the prestigious National Museum and
the National Gallery of Modern Art. On Republic Day,
Rajpath witnesses a display of pageantry.
The classy
commercial centre of Connaught Place was planned
as part of New Delhi. Alongwith stalls on Janpath, and
emporia on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, it is a shopper's
paradise. Rather characteristically, an 18th century
masonry observatory, the Jantar Mantar, lies in
the midst of this commercial area.
But there
is still more to Delhi Art galleries and theatres and a
variety of museums... memorials to leaders... Hindu,
Sikh, Buddhist, Jain and Bahai temples-
folk dancers, discotheques, urban villages- even
birdwatching along the ridge. Come discover a country
through a city,
Tourist
Attraction:
Travel
Information :
As a major
entry point for India many major international flights
go through New Delhi. It is also extensively connected
by air, road and rail with the rest of the country.
Best Season:
October to March
What to Wear :
Cottons in summer, wollens in winter.
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