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There are many places of attraction worth visiting when in Delhi . A famous place of attraction is Chandni Chowk, which is a place that was once lined with beautiful fountains but today is a crowded and congested place.
It is located opposite the Red Fort, and has the Digamber Jain Temple that houses the Birds hospital. Fatehpuri Mosque, which was erected by the wives of Shah Jahan, is located at one end of Chandni Chowk. The Kotwali, or old police station is found opposite the Sunheri Masjid. This is the place from where Nadir Shah had ordered his troops to massacre Delhi .
Another famous destination of Delhi is the city of Shahjahanbad , or old Delhi . This walled city was the capital for many emperors where you find remains of gates like Turkman Gate, Delhi gate and New Delhi Gate. The banks of Jamuna are famous for the many places where leaders and freedom fighters of India were cremated.
Republic Day Parade
The most visited ghats is Raj Ghat where you find a square, black marble platform that marks the cremation spot of Mahatma Gandhi. Shanti Van is the cremation ground of Jawaharlal Nehru, and is found to the north of Raj Ghat. You also find the cremation grounds of Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri in the close vicinities.
Being the capital of India , this is where Rajpath is located, where the Republic Day Parade is held every year. There are two secretariat buildings and Rashtrapati Bhawan found on the two sides of this broad road while India Gate is located on the eastern end of Rajpath.
The India Gate is 42m high, and is where you find the names of the 85,000 Indian Army Soldiers who had died here during the World War 1, 1919 Afghan Fiasco and the North-West Frontiers operations. There is a memorial to Unknown Soldier below the arch of the gate, which is surrounded by green grass lawns and trees.
The Parliament House of India
The Parliament House is the supreme law making body of the country where the fate of the Indian Democracy is decided. Visitors cannot enter the house, but may acquire permission to go inside and watch the proceedings when the house is in session. There are three halls in the parliament; the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and central hall. However if foreign visitors want to visit the Parliament, it is possible only on obtaining introductory letters from their embassies.
There are numerous museums worth visiting while in Delhi . Gandhi Darshan and Gandhi National Museum is located across Rajghat. You can have a look at the unique collection of dolls in the Dolls museum of Delhi .
This Dolls Museum is located near the ITO crossing on Bahadur Shah Jafar Marg and is a collection of dolls from different parts of India and different countries across the world. Each doll has a different story to tell, with each of them reflecting its individual tradition and culture.
The Children Book Trust of India is located in the same building. This organization commits itself in providing quality books for little ones. If science is a fascination for you, you have to visit the National Science Center which is located near Pragati Maidan. There are models here you can operate yourself, to unravel the mysteries of science.
Forts and museums
Delhi is famous for its many forts and museums that were built in a bygone era when emperors and kings fought against each other over monopoly over Delhi . It is thought that the Pandavas had built their capital Indraprastha in the present Old Fort. This fort is today in ruins, and was once the seat of administration for many emperors including Prithvi Raj Chauhan. Today, the Department of Delhi Tourism has introduced a new light and sound show here that is held every evening.
It was Maharaja Jai Singh who had built the Jantar Mantar, which is located at a few minutes' from Connaught Place . You find a strange collection of Solomon colored structures here which was originally part of an observatory. This structure is not as large as its compatriot located in Jaipur, but is effective in calculating numerous astronomical movements accurately.
The Red Fort is a massive structure that was built in Red Sand stone and is 3km in perimeter and has a varying height of 18 to 30 meters in its different parts. During its construction the river Yamuna flowed on one side, while there were deep moats on the other side. Today, the river Yamuna is about a kilometer from the fort, and the moats, all dried up. There is a light and sound show held here every evening to narrate the history of Delhi in context of the Red Fort.
The main entrance of the Red Fort is the Lahore gate where the Indian tricolor flutters on Independence Day. The Prime Minister of India also addresses the nation from here every year on Independence Day. On entering the Red Fort from this gate, you find a small bazaar that sells all kinds of items. This bazaar was known as Mina Bazaar in the Mughal era, and was open only to women on Thursdays.
This arcade leads to the Naubat Khana where musicians used to play drums with the arrival of Emperors and Princes. You find the Indian war memorial museum just above the Naubat Khana where you find a rich collection of guns, swords, armors and other war related items.
Famous Tombs of Delhi
Humayan's tomb is another famous structure of Delhi . This tomb was built by the wife of Humayun, Haji Begum in the middle of the 16 th Century. This structure is built from red sand stones and is called the predecessor of the Taj Mahal. Humayun's wife had also built the red and white sandstone and yellow and black marble tomb.
Another famous tomb of Delhi is the Safdarjang tomb that is located near the Safdarjang airport. It was Nawab of Avadh who had built this tomb in admiration of his father and is one of the finest examples of architecture and remnants of a dying empire.
The Qutab Minar was built by Qutbuddin in 1199 either as a victory tower or as a minaret to the mosque found near it. It has a base of 14.32 meters circumference, and tapers to a diameter of 2.75m at a height of 72.5 m. till date, it is the highest stone tower in India and one of the finest Islamic structures ever built.
It was Qutbuddin's son-in-law, Itutmish who had completed the structure. He had also built the tomb of Iltutmish in 1235, which has interiors that are decorated with calligraphy. However, the dome of the tomb has collapsed and does not exist now.
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