Delhi is the capital of India. It is in North India and actually
consists of two parts. Old Delhi was the capital of India between the 17th and 19th centuries. In old Delhi, you can see many mosques and monuments,relating to India's earlier history ruled by Muslim leaders. The other part is New Delhi, created as the capital of India by the British. It is a big city and has many Embassies and Government buildings. I have had the opportunity to see some of them during my visits to New Delhi though I was born and brought up in South India.
Delhi is a place of historic interest. It is also a major travel
gateway.It is one of the busiest points for overseas airlines in India. Like how Washington DC is to people of U.S, Delhi is to people of India.
In the main street in Old Delhi, you can see the colorful shopping area,
known as Chandni Chowk. It is quite a busy place throughout day and
night!
There are lots of mosques in Old Delhi. One of them is called Jama
Masjid, which is supposed to be the largest mosque in India.
On the banks of the river Yamuna is Raj Ghat where you can see a black
marble platform which marks the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated
after his assassination in the year 1948. A commemorative ceremony takes place there every Friday, the day he was killed. The Raj Ghat area has been transformed into a beautiful park now and the Gandhi Memorial Museum
there is well worth a visit. You can see there even the pistol with which
Gandhi was assassinated.
At the northern end of New Delhi is the Connaught Place which is a
business as well as tourist center. This area has a lot of shops, banks,
restaurants and airline offices. Connaught Place is a very busy area!
A short distance from Connaught Place is situated an observatory called
Jantar Mantar. This was constructed by a ruler from Jaipur in 1725. It
has a huge sundial known as the 'Prince of Dials'.
In the west of Connaught Place, you will find a modern Hindu temple,
commonly known as Birla Mandir. This temple was built by the industrialist B.D.Birla in 1938 and so it carries his name. This temple is believed to be dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and good fortune.
Rajpath is the venue, where the Republic day Parade is held every year.
It is also known as the 'Kingsway'. It is surrounded on both sides by
ornamental ponds and lush green lawns which is lit at night and is truly
a breathtaking sight with its gardens and fountains.
At the far east end of the Rajpath is the impressive India Gate.
Actually it is a stone arch of triumph, which bears the names of 85,000 Indian Army soldiers who died in the campaigns of North West Frontier operations.The entire arch stands on a red Bharatpur stone. The shallow domed bowl at the top was intended to be filled with burning oil on anniversaries.
Another memorial, Amar Jawan Jyoti was added much later after India got
its independence. It is in the form of a flame that burns day and night
under the arch to remind the nation of soldiers who laid down their lives in the Indo-Pakistan War during December 1971.
Surrounding the India Gate you will find nicely maintained green lawns,
which is a popular picnic spot. You can see lots of people moving around
the area in the evenings.
The official residence of the President of India is called Rashtrapati
Bhavan. It is situated at the opposite end of the Rajpath from India
Gate. This building was completed in 1926. Actually it looks like a palace. It is an interesting blend of Mughal and Western architectural styles.
There is a National Museum located in the Rajpath area. It has a good
collection of Indian wooden sculptures, mural paintings and costumes of
tribal people of India. This is definitely worth visiting and there are
also film shows each afternoon.
You can see a Crafts Museum at the Pragati Maidan exhibition grounds.
This museum has a collection of traditional Indian crafts made of textiles, metals, wood and ceramics. This museum will give you an idea about rural India.
There are lots of four star and five star hotels in Delhi which include
a swimming pool. The cost of food is very expensive in these hotels. Now
slowly, the western fast food chains are moving in. For example
McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut etc. I saw even a Domino's Pizza.
There are lots of good things to buy here. -Silk products, precious
stones, leather and wood work articles. I am looking forward to my next trip to India, so that hopefully I can include Delhi also during my visit. |
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