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Delhi
has always been a seat of power and a witness to the reign of
different dynasties, both Hindus and Muslims and the terrible wars
and revolts that have resulted in overturning of thrones and passing
of the city from one hand to other. It has also been under the
British rule for long and the well planned and sophisticated and
aristocratic structures of the later period can be attributed to
that period. These diverse rulers have left an indelible impression
on the rich architectural and cultural heritage of the city.
The history of Delhi is believed to be 2500 years old. In the 12th
centre, Delhi emerged as the most important centre of Hinduism is
north India during the reign of Chauhans but since 1193, when
Qutab-ud-din Aibak occupied the city, it had been almost constantly
under Muslim rule as Delhi Sultanate that possessed the city from
1206 to 1526 was followed by the Mughal empire that lasted till
1857. Then, British got hold of the city and they deprived Delhi of
being the political capital of India despite its being the important
commercial centre until 1911, when they could no longer restrain the
spirit of Delhi to once again achieve the status of being the city
of rulers. However, they did give a new face to the city in the form
of the well-planned and imperial New Delhi. Today, most of the Delhi
population consists of those who migrated here from various places
during 'Partition' or afterwards due to the immense opportunities
that the city had to offer.
Prime Attractions
Qutab Minar:
To the south of Delhi, the tallest structure of its time, Qutub
Minar is 72.5 m in height and has a mosque at the base. It is a
magnificent structure whose construction started in 1199 by a Muslim
King Qutab-ud-din Aibak (after whom it was named) and was finished
by his heir IItutmish. There is an iron pillar standing proudly in
front of it since 5th century and has not rusted till yet! It is
said that if one hugs this Iron Pillar of Mehrauli and wish for
something, it is granted. Unfortunately, the authorities had to
disallow tourists from climbing to its top because of several
suicide attempts that came into light here. However, there are so
many ruins of the ancient times surrounding the area complete with
the myths and legends to them that it is quite enjoyable to take a
walk around in its premises.
Red Fort:
A must visit for all the visitors to Delhi, Red Fort or Lal Qila is
a massive red sandstone structure built on the shores of River
Yamuna. Shah Jahan built it with a vision of shifting his capital
from Agra to Delhi. It was completed in 1648 and has two main
entrances - Delhi Gate and Lahori Gate. Lahori Gate of the Red Fort
opens up to the so-famous Chandni Chowk market. Besides its rich
archeology museum, the places worth seeing in this vast fort are
Diwan-e-Am, the court where the king heard public grievances and
Diwan-e-Khas ('khas' means 'special'), which was meant for important
visitors of the king. There is not-worth-a-miss 'Sound and Light
Show' held here every evening in both Hindi and English languages,
which retells the history of Delhi and mesmerize the guests with the
beautiful performances.
Jama Masjid:
Built by Shah Jahan, Jama Masjid was begun in 1650 and it took hard
work of six years of more than 5000 workers to build the largest
mosque in India. It was customary for the emperor and his courtiers
to go to the mosque every Friday for attending 'Jumme ki namaaz',
the congressional prayers. The magnificent example of Mughal
architecture, Jama Masjid has three massive gateways - the largest
and highest being on the east. This gateway was reserved exclusively
for the stately appearance of the emperor. The red stone of the main
courtyard sprawls across 408 square feet with a large marble tank in
the center, which serves the purpose of making the water available
for the devotees to wash themselves before offering prayers in the
mosque. The three onion shaped domes made of white marble adorn the
main mosque. They are inlaid with stripes of black slate. There are
130 ft. high minarets on the north and south of the mosque complex
ready to offer its guests a fabulous bird's eye-view of the city.
Besides the exemplary architecture, Jama Masjid has great religious
significance as it houses the sacred hair believed to have come from
the beard of the Prophet and a chapter of the Holy Quran, said to be
written by Him.
Raj Ghat:
A pilgrimage to all the patriotic Indians, this place was where the
Father of The nation, Mahatama Gandhi, was cremated after his
assassination in 1948. It consists of a simple square platform with
the words 'Hey Ram' written on it. People come here and offer
flowers at the place as a tribute to the great apostle of peace
buried here. There is a Gandhi Memorial Museum nearby, where once
can see and buy books and tapes containing the writings, speeches
and memories of Gandhiji. A short distance to the north of Raj Ghat
is Shanti Vana where Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of
India, his daughter Indira Gandhi, who herself was a prominent figure
in Indian politics and is till now the first and only women Prime
Minister of India and her two sons, Rajiv (also the beloved Prime
Minister) and Sanjay, were cremated.
Purana Qila:
From the recent excavations near this fort, archaeological evidences
such as pottery have been found which throws a new light on the
existence of the city of Indraprastha at this place, as mentioned in
the great epic of Mahabharata. Sher Shah Suri built the fort and
completed it in 1545. However, he soon lost it to the Mughal emperor
Humayun, who made good use of the octagonal red sandstone tower
known as 'Sher Mandal' as his library and observatory. It is rumored
that Humayun slipped from the second storey steps and met his death
here. There is a dainty small lake in its premises, where one can
enjoy boat rides during summers.
Chandni Chowk:
Just as Mughal Emperor Shahjahan built Red Fort as he shifted his
capital from Agra to Delhi, Jahanara, her favorite daughter designed
Chandni Chowk that was built in 1650 as an addition to the fort,
which could be approached through the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort. A
large chowk (meaning 'square') with a pool in the center was built
at some distance from the fort and was occupied the wealthy people
of the times. According to the common belief, it got its name from
the silvery pool in the center shimmering on a moonlit night, while
some other attribute it to the silversmiths that occupied the area.
From the original arcade of shops built in a half-moon shape, it
soon grew into a flourishing trading center that branched into a
number of narrow bylanes in all directions. It is still the biggest
market of Delhi and caters to all types of shopping needs of all the
classes.
Jantar Mantar:
If the large masonry structures in Jantar Mantar appear abstract and
do not appeal to the first sight of the fine art lovers, be not
deceived. Jantar Mantar is far way from being a modern art gallery.
It is an observatory built on the blueprints of Raja Sawai Jai Singh
II of Jaipur (1699-1743) who was an honored noble in the Mughal
court during the times of Aurangazeb. It was said that the
erroreneous brass and metal astronomical instruments of those times
dissatisfied Sawai Jai Singh who was a keen astronomer. After
ensuring the safety of his kingdom by shaking hands with the mighty
Mughals, he turned his attention to correcting the existing
astronomical tables and contemporarize the almanac with more
reliable instruments.
Delhi's Jantar Mantar is the first of the five observatories, the
others being in Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. The Samrat
Yantra is actually a simple equal hour sun dial, the Ram Yantra was
used for reading altitudinal angles, Jai Prakash Yantra ascertained
the position of the sun and other celestial bodies in the skies,
while the Misra Yantra was a combination of four scientific gadgets.
Humayun's Tomb:
Privileged to be assigned as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, this
tomb was believed to be designed by Haji Begum, Humayun's Persian
widow in the mid 16th century, shortly after his death in 1556. The
tomb was an important predecessor of Mughal mausoleums. The 'Garden
Tomb' as it is popularly called, is set amidst a geometrically
planned garden with a number of water channels crisscrossing it.
Typically, a Persian garden that would later be seen in the Red Fort
of Delhi and Taj Mahal of Agra, its architectural form and
especially its main chamber bears familiarity with the tomb of the
Mongol Ilkhanid ruler of Persia, Oljeytu, at Sultaniyya, which in
turn was influenced by Timurid architecture of the tomb of Timur (Tamerlane)
in Samarkand, the lineage of Babur.
The first Indian building to use the Persian double dome, Humayun's
tomb is harmonious in its proportions and has some impressions of
Indian architecture that are clearly visible in the small kiosks or
chhatris on the roof. The building has beautiful inlaid tile work
and intricately carved stone screens.
Lotus Temple:
Bahai faith represents the equality of mankind and oneness of its
soul. The same feeling has been successfully transcended into the
beautifully and scientifically designed Bahai Temple, designed by
Fariburz Sahba, an Iranian-born Canadian architect, in shape of the
lotus flower, symbol of purity throughout India and predominantly
celebrates the number nine, which not only represents the highest
digit but also unity in the Bahai faith. There are nine pools that
have been constructed on the elevated platform signifying the green
leaves of the lotus and also serves to cool the stark, elegant
interiors of the structure. The delicate and sleek architecture is
built in two layers. The first layer consists of nine white
marble-covered petals pointing towards heaven, while the second
layer of nine petals serves to conceal the portals. When seen from a
short distance, it looks like a fabulous example of origami work.
The interior, especially, the Hall of Worship, conforms to that of
all Bahai temples and is so silent that even a low whisper echoes
loudly in the structure. No religious icons are housed here except
the copies of the Holy Scriptures and wooden pews. The construction
of the temple was completed in 1986.
Rashtrapati Bhavan:
Situated near the circular building of the Parliament House,
Rashtrapati Bhavan is the place where the first man of the Nation
lives. The official residence of the President of India was once
used as the official residence of the Viceroys stationed in India
during the British Raj. Edward Lutyens designed this palatial
complex. Cream and red-colored sandstones and diverse varieties of
marble have been used in its construction. This extensive mansion
has 340 rooms, 35 lobbies, vast expanses of well-maintained gardens
and 37 fountains to boast of, and is certainly, the pride of India.
Though the entry to this massive structure is naturally restricted,
the famous Mughal Gardens (which is perhaps the best botanical
garden of India and houses thousands of rare varieties of trees,
shrubs yielding some of the most captivating flowers and fruits) are
opened for public viewing for sometime from the end of February to
the middle of March.
India Gate:
Every Indian heart swells with pride and patriotism as it beholds
this beloved gateway, which witnesses the Republic Day parade every
year on 26th January, where the latest advancements in military
artillery is shown to the public as soldiers and school children
march in groups with beaming and bright faces illumined by the love
for their motherland. The parade also has decorated vehicles that
glimpses from all the states and union territories of the country,
called 'Jhankis'. Straight down the road from Rashtrapati Bhavan,
India Gate is a famous war memorial at the east end of Rajpath.
Edward Lutyens designed this 42 m high gate structure in memory of
the thousands of Indians who sacrificed their lives in World War I.
Today, an eternal flame is lit under the gate known as Amar Jawan
Jyoti, to honor the unknown soldiers and the martyrs who lost their
lives in the Pakistan war of 1971.
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