Chandni Chowk - One of the main markets of Delhi, Chandni Chowk was
once lined with beautiful fountains.
But today the place is very crowded and congested. Chandni Chowk is located
opposite the Red Fort. The Area has got the Digamber Jain Temple which
houses the Birds hospital. On one end of Chandni Chowk is the Fatehpuri
Mosque which was erected by the wives of Shah Jahan. Opposite the old police
station or the Kotwali is the Sunheri Masjid from where Nadir Shah ordered
his troops to plunder and massacre Delhi.
Old Delhi - The City of Shahjahanabad was the capital of Shah Jahan
but little remains of that old city. The Old Delhi or the walled city served
as the capital for many emperors. Today, remains of the historical city are
the gates like - Kashmiri Gate, Ajmeri Gate, Turkman Gate, Delhi gate. Near
Delhi Gate is Feroz Shah Kotla, close to this is kept the Ashokan Pillar
which was brought from Meerut by Feroz Shah Tughlaq
Humayun's Tomb - Built by the
wife of Humayun, Haji Begum in the mid 16th century,
this red sand stone structure is considered to be the predecessor of Taj
Mahal. The structure is one of the best example of Mughal Architecture.
Humayun's wife is also buried in the red and white sandstone, black and
yellow marble tomb. The entry in the complex is free on Fridays otherwise a
nominal fees of .50 ps is charged
Jantar Mantar - Few minutes walk from Connaught Place is is a
strange collection of solomon coloured structures. These were built by
Maharaja Jai Singh and is actually an observatory. Though not as large as
its compatriot in Jaipur Jantar Mantar at Delhi also an attraction for the
tourists. The astonishing part of these observatories is that they can
calculate many astronomical movements very accurately.
Red Fort - Built in Red Sand
stone this imposing fort is 3 kms in perimeter with the height of the wall
varying from 18 to 30 meters at places. When the Red fort was being built
Yamuna used to flow on its one sides and there were deep moats on the other.
Today Yamuna flows almost a kilometer away from the fort and the moats have
dried up. In the evening the Delhi Tourism organises a light and sound show
which narrates the
history of Delhi
Qutab Minar - In 1199, Qutbuddin raised the Qutab Minar either as a
victory tower or as a minaret to the adjacent mosque. From a base of 14.32
mtrs. it tapers to 2.75 mtrs. at a height of 72.5 mtrs. It is still the
highest stone tower in India, one of the finest stone tower in India, one of
the finest Islamic structures ever raised and Delhi's recognised landmark.
It was completed by the Sultan's successor and son-in-law, Iltutmish. The
tomb of Iltutmish, which he himself built in 1235, is nearby, Its interiors
are profusely decorated with calligraphy, though the dome has collapsed.
Moghul Gardens - The Mughal Garden
is located in the premises of the President house. This garden is not opened
to public viewing. During the spring seasons of February and March, when the
garden is in full bloom people are allowed inside. This garden have some
exotic and rare flower plants. The dwarf orange trees and numerous Rose
plants are special attraction in the garden. The fountains add to the beauty
of the place.
Rose Garden -
National Rose Garden is situated in the Chanakya Puri area of the capital.
This garden has some of the rare and imported rose variety. The best season
to visit this garden is during December / January when the flowers are in
full bloom.
National Rail Museum - National Rail Museum is located In Chanakya
Puri. It is unique in its collection of rail engines and locomotives. India
was among the countries which had railway lines since 19th century. The
locomotives in the museums are displayed in open. But they also have a small
in house museum which gives the details of the progress and development in
the history of railway in India.
National Museum - Located on Janpath, National museum is one of the
treasure houses of the our glorious past. The museum has a large collection
of excavated items many of which date back to 2nd and 3rd century B.C. The
museum has separate section for the Harrapa (Indus valley civilisation)
collection.
Nehru Museum & Planetorium - The Teen Murti house was the
residence of India's first Prime minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru. After his
death the house was converted into a memorial. The Nehru memorial has a
collection of gifts and many other items which he possessed. Nehru
Planetorium is within the compound of Teen Murti. This planetorium gives a
overview of the Indian Space program. There are daily film shows which are
screened in a specially designed auditorium. These films are meant to give
information about the Universe or any other topic related to that. The
Capsule in which Rakesh Sharma went into space is also kept here.
Dolls Museum - A unique museum of Dolls is located near the ITO
crossing on the Bahadur Shah Jafar Marg . These dolls are collected from
different parts of India as well as from other countries of the world. These
dolls reflect the tradition and culture of the region from where they come.
