Tourist Attractions in New Delhi

There are several places to see, visit, and explore in New Delhi. New Delhi is an international metropolis with excellent tourist spots, recreational facilities, and a history that goes back to antiquity. A remarkable feature of New Delhi is the extent of greenery all over. New Delhi is also a dream city for visitors looking for items of handicrafts, not only the rich artistic crafts of its own craftsmen but also of craftsmen from all over the country. New Delhi offers a multitude of interesting places and attractions to the visitor, so much so that it becomes difficult to decide from where to begin exploring the city.

India Gate
A memorial inscribed with the names of the valiant Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in World War I. The green, velvety lawns at India Gate, particularly, are a popular evening and holiday rendezvous for young and old alike. A must visit place in New Delhi.

Red Fort
In Old Delhi, you may visit the ramparts of the Red Fort. The decision for constructing the fort was taken in 1639, when Shahjahan decided to shift his capital to New Delhi from Agra. Within eight years, Shahjahanabad was completed with the Red Fort-Qila-i-Mubarak (fortunate citadel)-New Delhi's seventh fort, ready in all its magnificence to receive the Emperor. The Red Fort still retains some of its lost glory. The Red Fort was the last fort built in New Delhi and it witnessed the vicissitudes of fortune, the splendour and the fall of the Mughals, British rule, and finally the dawn of Indian Independence. A place must see by all tourists visiting Delhi.

Rashtrapati Bhawan
Modern New Delhi, or New Delhi as it is called, centers around the Rashtrapati Bhawan. It is architecturally a very impressive building standing at a height, flowing down as it were to India Gate. This stretch called the Rajpath is where the Republic Day parade is held. The imposing plan of this area conceived by Lutyens does not fade in its charm with the numerous summers or winters that go past.

For lovers of flowers and beauty, the annual spring opening of the glorious, meticulously tended Mughal Gardens at the stately Rashtrapati Bhawan is a bonanza topped by an amazing assembly of roses in perfect bloom-perhaps the best in the whole of India. Mughal Gardens is indeed a place to see.

Raj Ghat
Raj Ghat On the bank of the legendary Yamuna, which flows past New Delhi, there is Raj Ghat-the last resting place of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. It has become an essential point of call for all visiting dignitaries. Besides Raj Ghat the other near by places must see in New Delhi are the two museums dedicated to Gandhi.

Qutab Minar
The Qutab Minar is located at a small village called Mehrauli in South New Delhi. Qutub-ud-din Aibek of the Slave Dynasty, who took possession of New Delhi in 1206, built it. It is a fluted red sandstone tower, which tapers up to a height of 72.5 metres and is covered with intricate carvings and verses from the holy Qur'an. The landmark of New Delhi is a place to see.

Laxminarayan Temple
Also called the Birla Mandir, the Laxminarayan Temple was built by the Birla family in 1938. It is a temple with a large garden and fountains behind it. The temple attracts thousands of devotees on Janmashtami day, the birthday of Lord Krishna. The temple is a place to visit by most of the tourist coming to New Delhi.

Humayun's Tomb
Humayun's wife Haji Begum built his Tomb nine years after his death. Designed by a Persian architect named Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, and completed in 1565, the edifice was a trendsetter of the time by remains a must visit place in New Delhi till date.

Chandni Chowk
The living legacy of New Delhi is Shahjahanabad. Created by the builder of Taj Mahal, this city, with the Red Fort as the focal point and Jama Masjid as the praying centre, has a fascinating market planned to shine under the light of the moon, called Chandni Chowk. Shahjahan planned Chandni Chowk so that his daughter could shop for all that she wanted. It was divided by canals filled with water, which glistened like silver in moonlight. The canals are now closed, but Chandni Chowk remains Asia's largest wholesale market. A must visit place in New Delhi

Shanti Vana
Lying close to the Raj Ghat, the Shanti Vana (literally, the forest of peace) is the place where India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was cremated. The area is now a beautiful park adorned by trees planted by visiting dignitaries and heads of state.

Bahai Temple/Lotus Temple
The Bahai Temple, situated in South New Delhi, is shaped like a lotus. It is an eye-catching edifice worth exploring. Built by the Baha'i community, it offers the visitor a serenity that pervades the temple and its artistic design.

Purana Quila
The Purana Quila is a good example of medieval military architecture. Built by Humayun, with later-day modifications by Sher Shah Suri, the Purana Quila is a monument of bold design, which is strong, straightforward and every inch a fortress. It is different from the well planned, carefully decorated, and palatial forts of the later Mughal rulers. Purana Quila is also different from the later forts of the Mughals, as it does not have a complex of palaces, administrative and recreational buildings, as is generally found in the forts built later on. The main purpose of this now-dilapidated fort was its utility, with less emphasis on decoration. The Qal'a-I-Kunha Masjid and the Sher Mandal are two important monuments inside the fort.

Weekend Trips/Excursions
Many wildlife sanctuaries, heritage sites, hill stations, and quaint little places to visit and see around New Delhi. Haryana, which encloses New Delhi on three sides, is ideal for quick getaways as most of its tourist spots are quite close. The Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary and Tilayar, Surajkund, and Badhkal lakes are only a few of the plethora of attractions that Haryana has to offer. Move over to the nearby places of Rajasthan like Neemrana and Kesroli and you are sure to have a wonderful time amidst nature-if only for a weekend. Escape to the Mud Fort at Kuchesar in Uttar Pradesh and let the cool air and scenic beauty revive your spirit.

Neemrana
Situated 122 km from New Delhi, on a rocky outcrop just above an unspoilt village, lays Neemrana, the site of a majestic fort built in 1464 by Prithviraj Chauhan III. The Neemrana Fort, now heritage resort.

Kesroli
A three-hour drive from New Delhi, Kesroli in Rajasthan is the site of a seven-turreted fort built in the 16th century. The splendid views of the surroundings from the fort's ramparts make it a place to visit.

Mud Fort
Barely 80 km from the din and bustle of New Delhi stands the Mud Fort of Kuchesar, which was built in the mid-18th century by the Jat rulers. The fort has bravely withstood the onslaught of the Marathas, Sikhs, Rohillas, and Rajputs, as well as the French and East India Company. The fort was built with seven turrets so as to withstand the cannons of the British.

Sultanpur
Located 46 km from New Delhi, just beyond Gurgaon, Sultanpur is a small bird sanctuary. The jheel (shallow lake) with reeds and other waterside plants growing around it becomes a hub of activity in November-December every year when northern migratory birds arrive here. The jheel is home to the only indigenous Indian crane, sarus. It is a place worth visiting from Delhi.

Tilyar Lake
Situated 70 km from New Delhi in Rohtak district, the Tilayar Lake is a favorite getaway for tourists. The lake offers facilities for boating, accommodation, restaurants, bar, children's park and a mini zoo.

Surajkund
Situated 11 km from the Qutab Minar on the Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, Surajkund is the site of a perennial lake surrounded by rock-cut steps. The Sun temple built by a Tomar chieftain named Surajpal stood here during AD 1000, the remains of which can still be seen. It was around this temple and pool that a tourist resort came up in Surajkund. It is a must visit place during the annual Surajkund Crafts Mela held during the first fortnight of February when craftsmen from all over the country assemble.

Badhkal Lake
Situated in the Faridabad district of Haryana, the panoramic Badhkal Lake is a natural pool surrounded by vast lawns and lush greenery. Just over 30 km from New Delhi, the lake is a popular picnic spot. It also offers boating facilities to tourists.

Events And Festivals

Different communities who have settled in New Delhi celebrate their own festivals with great gusto and add color and variety to the cultural fabric of the mega polis. One cannot imagine New Delhi without Durga Puja in Chittaranjan Park or Muharram, Id-ul-Zuha and Id-Ul-Fitr in Old Delhi.

As the capital of India, New Delhi is center stage for many national celebrations, the two most prominent ones being Republic Day on January 26, and Independence Day on August 15. Preparations for these two occasions begin months in advance, especially for Republic Day, which is celebrated with great pomp and pageantry.

Independence Day is celebrated in New Delhi in commemoration of the day India threw off the colonial yoke. The highlights of this occasion are the Prime Minister's address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, flag hoisting in educational institutions, public sector enterprises, army cantonments, and private homes.

New Delhi also boasts of festivals unique to it-Phoolwalon-ki-Sair (procession of flower-sellers) is one such celebration. In August, flower vendors from different religions gather at Mehrauli with flowers woven into beautiful sheets called pankhas or fans which are offered at the shrine of Hazrat Bakhtiyar Kaki, a famous Muslim saint and at a nearby temple. This is a centuries old tradition practiced in the hope of bountiful harvest of flowers in the coming season and is aimed at promoting communal harmony.

The Urs of Hazrat Nizammuddin Aulia is another festival special to New Delhi. His tomb in Nizammuddin is crowded with devotees from all over India and special poems composed in his honor are sung. The streets in the area are transformed into one giant fair with stalls selling special foods, religious artifacts, holy books, and clothes.