Things To Do In Delhi

New Delhi is the capital of India, It is often said to be “Dilwaalon ki Dilli”, a place wherein people have contented hearts and lively nature. The city of Delhi actually consists of two components: Old Delhi, in the north, the historic city; and New Delhi, in the south, since 1947 the capital of India, built in the first part of the 20th century as the capital of British India. With its long history of empire successions from the Delhi Sultanate to Mughals and then the British, the city at present stands as one of the fastest developing cities in the world. Delhi is loved by the tourists as well as its inhabitants for it is a city of the wise and the spice.

The Red Fort

The beautiful Red Fort was built in the Year 1648 by Shah Jahan and served as the seat of Mughal power until 1857. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan moved the capital of his empire from Agra to a newly constructed city in Delhi that he called Shahjahanabad. This massive walled citadel with red sandstone walls took nearly a decade to complete. It is considered to be better planned than the Agra Fort, as Shah Jahan learned from his experience of living there. The impressive main entrance, the Lahore Gate, is so named as it faces Lahore in Pakistan, while the even grander Delhi Gate was used by the emperor for ceremonial processions.
The Red Fort use to be white in color, You heard it right, the magnificent Red Fort which defines the almightiness of Delhi used to be white initially. According to a survey conducted for archaeology, related research unraveled that the Fort was made up of limestone and when the stone started to wither away, the British painted it Red to preserve it.

Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar is the highest tower in India in the 13th century, the magnificent tower stands in the capital, Delhi. It has a diameter of 14.32m at the base and about 2.75m on the top with a height of 72.5m. It is an architectural marvel of ancient India. Qutub Minar was built in the 13th century, the magnificent tower stands in the capital, Delhi. It has a diameter of 14.32m at the base and about 2.75m on the top with a height of 72.5m. It is an architectural marvel of ancient India.
Qutub-Ud-Din Aibak of Slave Dynasty laid the foundation of Minar in A.D. 1199 for the use of muezzin (crier) to give calls for prayer and raised the first story, to which were added three more stories by his successor and son-in-law, Shams-Ud-Din Itutmish (A.D. 1211-36).
The tower is made of sandstone, with marble facings and inlays. The decorations consist of geometric patterns and inscriptions from the Koran. Like all minarets, the Qutub Minar provided high platforms for calls to prayer. This tower also celebrated victory and represented the power of the new dynasty.

The Lotus Temple

The magnificent Bahá’í House of Worship, also known as the Lotus Temple due to its nine sides and stunning central dome, is an architectural masterpiece. Constructed of white concrete and marble, the entire structure looks as delicate as the flower it resembles. The Temple located on a 9.7-hectare site near Nehru Place in South Delhi is a place of worship open to all races, religions, and castes.
The white marble structure is also called the Taj Mahal of the 20th century but it is so much more than just a splendid piece of architecture. It is a place where several visitors from all across the globe come for peace, meditation, prayers, and study. The temple is visited by more than four million people every year with an average of more than 10,000 visitors daily.

Jama Masjid

This great mosque of Old Delhi is the largest in India, with a courtyard capable of holding 25,000 devotees. It was begun in 1644 and ended up being the final architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort. This beautiful structure features three gateways, four-angled towers, and two 40-meter-high minarets built using red sandstone and white marble and attractively alternated in vertical stripes. Visitors can climb to the top of the southern minaret for spectacular views of Old Delhi.
Visiting the mosque, visitors come across the view of the courtyard standing on more than 30 steps higher than the street, giving the mosque a commanding view of the surrounding area that fills the atmosphere with sanctity. Not just this, but the visitors are sure to get impressed at the first glimpse of the mosque as it is the austere grandeur that makes it a must-visit place in Delhi.

Akshardham

The word Akshardham, as per Swaminarayan Hinduism, means the abode of the Lord. It represents the serenity and the holiness of the place where devotees worship the divine and seek their blessings. It is considered to be the divine home of the God on Earth. Swaminarayan Akshardham Delhi is not only a temple; Swaminarayan Akshardham complex is also a cultural and spiritual campus where varied kinds of activities and exhibitions related to Hindu religion and harmony are organized.

Also read: Kedarnath Travel Guide

India Gate

India gate situated on the eastern side of Rajpath salutes the soldiers who sacrificed their lives during World War I. The India Gate permits the tourists to retrace the bravado of the Indian soldiers. The monument is now a major tourist spot in Delhi and a common picnic site for tourists and residents. An eternal flame burns beneath the massive structure, and its walls are inscribed with the names of more than 90,000 soldiers who died in the conflict.
The India gate was structured and designed by Edwin Lutyens in 1921. The foundation stone was laid by His Royal Highness. It is boasted that the India Gate is similar in structural elegance to its counterpart in Paris.

Gandhi Smriti and the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial

Gandhi Smriti is where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last 144 days of his life before he was killed. The house is located in New Delhi. Consisting of 12 bedrooms, the house was built by Ghanshyamdas Birla in 1928.
Highlights include displays and memorabilia relating to both his life and death, including the room in which he stayed, left exactly as it was at the time, as well as the new Eternal Gandhi Multimedia Museum with historical records detailing his many achievements.

Laxminarayan Temple

The Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Delhi situated in Connaught place is one of the famous Birla Temples in India. It was built in 1938 and dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. The Lakshmi Narayan Temple was built by Raja Baldev Das in 1938 and is familiarly known as the Birla Mandir.
The Lakshmi Narayan Temple houses the idols of the goddess Lakshmi who symbolizes wealth and the deity of Lord Vishnu who represents power. The highest tower in the temple reaches a height of 165ft. A distinct hallway known as the Geeta Bhawan paints Indian mythology in the artwork on the walls. Inside the temple grounds, there are many other idols of different Indian gods and goddesses that inform tourists of the varied Indian culture and religious practices.

National Zoological Park

Delhi National Zoological Park lies near the famous Old Fort. One of the best zoos in the entire Asian continent, and provides a habitat to some 1,500 animals and bird species. The abundant wildlife on display is representative of all continents, including numerous examples from Africa, Australia, and Asia.
Of particular note are the zoo’s numerous chimpanzees, along with hippopotamuses, spider monkeys, zebras, hyenas, deer, jaguars, and tigers. A particular highlight for kids is the underground Reptile Complex, which houses a variety of snakes, including the deadly king cobra.

Popular Food To Try In Delhi

Chole Bhature: Trust me, only Delhi can provide you with the best Chole Bhature. The extra care and less soda put to make fluffy Bhature make it the best street food in Delhi. Chole Bhature in Delhi is a must-try food combination. A piece of Delhi resides in these fried baseball-shaped bread enjoyed with onions and spicy chickpeas. A staple in many places as a breakfast option, this lip-smacking choice is one of the most popular dishes in Delhi.

Chaat: Try this street food in Delhi and you will forget Mumbai’s Pani-poori and Kolkata’s Puchka. Be it Delhi or any other place, Gol Gapes is the king of any street food and it is the must include food item in the Delhi famous street food list.

Dahi Bhalle: You just can’t miss this delight of the street food in Delhi that we call Dahi Bhalla. The sweet curd and mix of sweet red and tangy green chutney on top of soaked dal vada.

Momos: Who is not familiar with momos? This is super spicy and amazing street food in Delhi. And today, they have become the most easily and tasty available street food in Delhi, especially if you are walking the streets of North Campus, Delhi.

Parathe: The most preferred breakfast of Delhi can be eaten at any time, nowadays. A healthy splash of butter and extravagant stuffing in the paratha makes it the best street food in Delhi. The popular Delhi dish comes in various vegetarian and non-vegetarian options such as keema parantha, chicken parantha, aloo (potatoes stuffed) parantha, onion parantha, and more.
Moving beyond the Paranthe Wali Gali in Chandni Chowk, there are various stops in the capital serving this popular dish with sides like pickles, curd, and curries.

Here are some interesting facts about Delhi

• The British shifted the capital from Kolkata to Delhi way back in 1911 – 12!
• As the largest commercial center in the country, it sees 1,440,000 people go to work every single day!
• After Eden Garden in Kolkata, Feroze Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi is the oldest stadium in our country.
• With 11 political zones, Delhi has 95 police stations to take care of the law and order situation.
• Delhi has over 50 fire brigade stations with over 3000 firefighters on call every day.
• In all of India, Delhi has the largest number of automobile registrations.
• The Delhi Metro, which covers a distance of nearly 277 km, is one of the largest networks in the entire world.
• According to Delhi Metro’s official website, it has helped in removing around seven lakh vehicles from the streets of Delhi.
• The Indira Gandhi International Airport is one of the busiest airports in all of South Asia. It sees hundreds of flights taking off and landing in a single day.
• Delhi has seen civilization, politics, and commerce since the 6th century BC, which also explains why it has been destroyed and ransacked so many times in the past!
• Delhi’s entire public transport system uses CNG or compressed natural gas as its fuel.
• Sanitation is clearly on everyone’s mind here as Delhi has the only International Toilet Museum in India.
• Khari Baoli in Delhi is one of the largest spice market yards in all of Asia. Delhi has a number of niche markets like this.
• Out of the 14 original gates of the walled city of old Delhi, 5 can still be seen in their original beauty.
• 20% of the city’s landmass still accommodates forests and parks which makes it one of the greenest cities in the country.
• New Delhi is called Lutyen’s Delhi after the British architect Edwin Lutyen who planned this part of the city.
• The Qutub Minar in Delhi is the tallest brick minaret in the world and also one of the most visited tourist spots.
• You can find the largest number of bird species here, after Nairobi.
• Delhi offers the world the fifth most expensive office space. One will really have to search and bargain to get even the smallest office space here.
• Completed in 1986, Lotus Temple in Delhi is the only place of worship of the Baha’i community in South Asia.
• The Lotus Temple is open to people of all faiths.
• The high court is arranging for a comparative study of plying of trams and electric buses to explore the viability of reintroduction of trams in Delhi.

Also read: Taj Mahal Story