Delhi Attractions/ Tours & Day Trips
Delhi has always been an attraction for travelers and tourists. It caters to various needs of tourists. From shopping to sight seeing, forts and monuments to beautiful gardens, Delhi has it all.
The Red Fort
The Red Fort, with a circumference of over 2.2 kilometers, was laid out on the banks of the Yamuna River in the 17th century. The Mughal emperor Shajahan built it with the ambition of concentrating the Mughal power in one monument.
The fort is a delight to one's imagination. A room called Naubat Khana (Welcome Room) once had drums, which loudly announced the arrival of the emperor. The Diwan-e-Aam (Hall of Public Audience), Mumtaz Mahal, Rang Mahal (Palace of Colours), Khas Mahal (Emperor's Palace), Diwan-e Khas (Hall of Private Audience), the Hammam Bara (bathing area) and Shah Burj are some more things to see in The Red Fort. The fort also has some museums where the artifacts from various eras are kept. The fort has two main entrances - Delhi Gate and Lahore Gate.
There is a Light and Sound Show every evening.
Summer Timing: Hindi - 7 pm to 8 pm, English - 8 pm to 9 pm
Winter Timing: Hindi - 6 pm to 7 pm, English - 7 pm to 8 pm
Purana Quila
The Purana Quila was built in 1538. Excavations near the eastern wall of the fort reveal that the site had been occupied since 1000 B.C. The Purana Qila has three gates - Humayun Darwaza, Talaqi Darwaza and Bara Darwaza. The present entry is the Bara Darwaza, an imposing red sandstone gate on the western wall. Inside the Purana Qila is the Sher Mandal, a two-storied octagonal pavilion in red sandstone, built by Sher Shah.
Timing: 6 am to 6 pm
Qutab Minar
Qutub Minar, built by Qutbuddin Aibak, the viceroy of Mohammed Ghori in 1192, is the highest stone tower in India. It was built to celebrate Ghori's victory over the Rajputs. The Minar is a five-storey building with a height of 72.5 meters. The first storey of the Qutb Minar was completed in the lifetime of Qutbuddin. Within the complex, is the famous Iron Pillar, which has stood for millennia without rusting. Quwwat-ul-Islam, the first mosque built in India, and the Alai Darwaza, the gateway to the complex erected by Alauddin Khilji are also here.
Timing: 6 am to 6 pm
India Gate
This sober monument was built in memory of the 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in World War I. It was designed by Lutyens, and was built in 1931. It was originally called the All India War Memorial. The names of the soldiers are inscribed on the walls of the arc of the gate. Later in 1971, an eternal flame was lit here in memory of the unknown soldiers who died in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. India Gate stands at the end of Rajpath. At night, the Gate is brightly lit and the fountains near the Gate are lit with colored lights.
Rashtrapati Bhawan
Rastrapati bhawan houses the President of India. It was designed by Edwin Lutyens and was built in 1931, to be the central point of the British power in Delhi. The Rashtrapati Bhavan covers an area of 4.5 acres of land. It has 340 rooms, 37 salons, 74 lobbies and loggias, 18 staircases and 37 fountains.
The most magnificent room in the Rashtrapati Bhavan is the Durbar Hall, which lies directly beneath the main dome. All important Indian State and Official ceremonies are held here. To the west, are the famous landscaped Mughal Gardens, designed after the terraced gardens in Kashmir built by Mughals. The garden is famous as the 'Butterfly Garden' for the numerous butterflies that visit the varied flowers. The garden is open to the public in February.
Jama Masjid
Shah Jahan built this masjid in 1658. It is one of the largest mosques in India with a seating capacity of more than 20,000. The spherical domes and narrowing minarets built with marble look beautiful even to this day. This mosque has three gateways, four angle towers and two 40m high minarets. You can even go to the top of minarets and have a look at Delhi.
Birla Mandir
This temple is dedicated to the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi and Lord Narayana, and is also called Lakshmi Narayan Temple. It was built in 1938 by the prominent Indian industrialist Raja Baldev Das Birla and was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. The temple is built in Orissan style and has a large number of idols representing various Indian gods.
Last Updated on : 30 June 2011
