TRAVELOGUE

ABOUT DELHI

 Delhi is a city and the national capital territory in north-

central India. It is the capital of India since 1947.

 The city of Delhi actually consists of two components: Old

Delhi, in the north, the historic city; and New Delhi, in the
south

 The national capital territory embraces Old and New Delhi

and the surrounding metropolitan region, as well
as adjacent rural areas.

 Delhi is of great historical significance as an important

commercial, transport, and cultural hub, as well as the
political centre of India.

 Delhi is famous for it’s tourist attractions, street food and

market places.
FAMOUS STREET FOOD
 Pani Puri
 Tikki
 Dahi Papdi Chaat
 Spring Roll
 Momos

FAMOUS MARKETPLACES
 Sarojini Market
 Janpath Market
 Khan Market
 Central Market
 Chandini Chowk Market
 Connaught Place
 Delhi Hatt
GEOGRAPHY OF DELHI

Delhi is located at 23.38 degree north and 77.13 degree east in the
Northern part of India and bounded by Haryana State on the
Northwest and South, Rajasthan state on the Southwest and Uttar
Pradesh state on the east.
Delhi covers an area of 1484 Sq. Km. out of which 783 Sq. Km. is
under the rural and 700 Sq. Km. is under the urban section. The
land stretches about 51.9 km long and 48.48 km wide.
CULTURE OF DELHI
Delhi is one of the high-power ancient regions, which has
regained and improved cultural beauty throughout history with
different empires controlling it. Delhi has a chaotic asymmetric
beauty. One side of Delhi is still with the ancient style
architecture, old winding lanes, age-old markets, and
traditional communities. This Old Delhi is still holding its
traditional values whereas New Delhi is getting flourished with
modernization. This diversity in culture makes Delhi, a most
prominent tourist attraction.

LANGUAGE
More than 80% of the Delhi population speaks Hindi. The
remaining population prefers Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu, and
others. Just like any other region of India, English is the most
common foreign language preferred. Contrary to common
belief, Hindi is not the national language of the land, but it is
one of the official languages.
Hindi is not just one language. It is a colloquial amalgamation
of numerous other languages of northern India. Hindi is a
combination of Sanskrit, Urdu and other local languages. The
vernacular Hindu took a stance during the reign of Mughals.
However, the Hindi of Mughal reign is much different than the
modern language as it got more vocabulary terms from Persian
and other Hindustani regions. You can also find many words
from Arabic vocabulary in Hindi.
Fairs and Festivals
As mentioned before, Delhi has communities from different
regions of the country, who introduced many festivals and fairs
into Delhi’s culture. Today, these festivals have become the
basis of Delhi’s culture. Guru Purab was brought in by Sikhs,
Bengalis introduced Durga Puja to Delhi and so on. Top
festivals celebrated in Delhi are:
 Independence Day – 15th August

 Republic Day – 26th January

 Phoolkwalon –ki-Sair (festival of flowers) – Early October or

late September
 Qutub Festival – November or December
 International Mango festival – July
 Diwali – October or November
 Holi – March
 Navaratri or Dusshera – September/ October
There are numerous other festivals and fairs celebrated in
Delhi. Festivals are the best time to visit the region as it is the
prime time to enjoy artworks, cultural programs, locals wearing
traditional attire, souvenir shopping, traditional rituals and
trying exotic seasonal delicacies. It is hard to pinpoint a month
with numerous festivals. However, early winter is considered to
be the best time to visit Delhi, if you are looking for local
celebrations.
HISTORICAL PLACES

Red Fort

The Red Fort was the official seat of Mughal rule and authority
from 1648 onwards, when the 5th Mughal emperor, Shah
Jahan, decided to move the capital of the empire from Agra to
Delhi. Constructed using red sandstone, it remains one of the
architectural marvels of the Mughal era. In 2007, it became a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, this monument is home
to a number of museums that have an assortment of precious
artifacts on display. Every year, the Indian Prime Minister
unfurls the national flag here on the Independence Day.
Open Time: 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM, Except on Mondays
Time Required: 2-3 hours
Cost: Indian Citizens, citizens of SAARC and BIMSTEC
nations: INR 10, Other foreigners: INR 250, No fees for children
below the age of 15
Humayun’s Tomb

Apart from being known for its stunning architecture, this is

the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent. It is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site declared in 1993, and has
undergone widespread restoration work since then. The tomb
was custom-built by Humayun's son Akbar during 1569-70 and
is also the first structure to have made the use of red sandstone
at a massive scale.
Open Time: 10:00 AM - 06:00 PM
Cost: Indians - INR 10, Foreigners - INR 250. Video filming -
INR 25, Photography - Free
Siri Fort

Siri Fort is among many renowned monuments of heritage and

culture, situated in New Delhi. Located between Hauz Khas on
the east and Mehrauli in the north, the construction of the fort
is believed to have begun in 1303, during the reign of Alauddin
Khilji.
Qutub Minar

The soaring and brave tower that allures tourists despite being
destroyed by ravages of natural apocalypses several times,
Qutub Minar is the tallest individual tower in the world and
second tallest monument of Delhi. A UNESCO World Heritage
Site, it is located in Mehrauli and its construction was started
in 1192 by Qutb Ud-Din-Aibak, founder of Delhi Sultanate.
Later, the tower was built by various rulers over the centuries.
The sight of this glorious monument takes you back to the rich
history of India.
Open Time: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Cost: Indians: INR 10, Foreign tourists: INR 250
Time Required: 2 to 3 hours
RASHTRAPATI BHAWAN

Rashtrapati Bhawan is a famous monument of the British

Empire which was said to be the palace of the Viceroy of India
and is now the home of the President of India. It is considered
to be the best-known monument in India next to Taj Mahal and
Qutub Minar.
INDIA GATE

The All India War Memorial, popularly known as the India

Gate, is a war memorial located in New Delhi. It is dedicated to
the 82,000 soldiers, both Indian and British, who died during
the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. The
Amar Jawan Jyoti is the burning structure, right underneath
the archway, which symbolizes the eternal, immortal soldiers of
India.
PURANA QILA

Stoically standing in the placid vicinity of Indraprastha, Purana

Qila or the Old Fort is a masterpiece of the ancient glory and
sterling architecture of the bygone Mughal Empire, and is one
of the oldest forts in Delhi. Built on the banks of river Yamuna
and spread over a vast 1.5 kms of area, the monument has tons
of myths and legends of the medieval era attached to it.
JANTAR MANTAR

Located in New Delhi, the Jantar Mantar was one of the five
sites built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. The site consists
of 13 architectural astronomy instruments. The main purpose
of the observatory was to compile the astronomical tables and
to predict the movement and timings of the sun, moon and
planets.
IRON PILLAR

Iron Pillar is one of the many mysterious monuments of

wonder present in Delhi- the capital of India. Located within
the Qutub Minar complex in Mehrauli area of New Delhi, the
Iron Pillar has been posing as one of the foremost metallurgical
curiosities of the world due to its prowess to not exhibit a speck
of rust despite being thousands of years old
RELIGIOUS PLACES

FATEHPURI MASJID

Situated at the western end of Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk road,

Fatehpuri Masjid provides both an insight into modern day
Islamic life in the city and a tranquil refuge from the busy streets.
CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH

The Central Baptist Church in Chandni Chowk is a serene and

calm oasis in the middle of the din of traffic and teeming
population of this historical area. The church is one of the oldest
in North India, going back to 1814 when it was set up by the
Baptist Missionary Society.
GAURI SHANKAR TEMPLE

The best time to visit this 800 year old temple in Chandni Chowk
is Shivratri or Diwali when the exotic flower decorations that take
the place in the form of fancy garlands outside the temple, find
their way in. Both the entrance as well as the sanctum sanctorum
of the temple are decorated with exquisite flowers and it is a riot
of colour, a display of unique craftsmanship and human
imagination. The Gauri Shankar Temple is one of the most
important temples for Shaivites and houses an 800-year-old
lingam .
St. Stephen’s Church

The St. Stephen’s Church of the structures of Delhi that despite

their greater than 100 years of existence, are still alive and in use.
The St Stephen's Church sits on Church Mission Road and was
built by the Anglican Mission Society, later supported by the
Cambridge Mission that was instrumental in setting up the St.
Stephen's College in the north campus as well as the St Stephen's
Hospital
GURUDWARA SIS GANJ

Even if you somehow miraculously fail to notice the imposing

Gurudwara Sis Ganj building as you walk down from the main
Red Fort area right into Chandni Chowk (and you just might in
case you are too distracted by the many sights), the intensely
overpowering fragrance of the Halwa prasad will invade your
nostrils and possess you, pulling you right towards the
Gurudwara, goading you to enter and pay your respects, even if it
is for the greedy objective of getting a spoonful of the divine
prasad. Ignore at your own peril. The Gurudwara Sis Ganj is the
place of martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Sikh guru and
hence is a place of great reverence for the Sikh community. It is
one of the nine gurudwaras in Delhi bearing historical
significance.
AKSHARDHAM TEMPLE

Swaminarayan Akshardham (New Delhi) is a Hindu temple,

and a spiritual-cultural campus in New Delhi, India. Also referred
to as Akshardham Temple or Delhi Akshardham, the
complex displays millennia of traditional Hindu and Indian
culture, spirituality, and architecture. Inspired by Yogiji
Maharaj and created by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, it was
constructed by BAPS.
LOTUS TEMPLE

Located near Delhi’s iconic tourist attraction, ISKCON temple,

Lotus Temple is a Baha’i house of worship that welcomes people
from all religions. Shaped like a lotus flower with 27 intricately-
carved marble petals, this architectural marvel has won several
awards for its design and continues to get acclamations all around
the world. It rests on a sprawling green patch and has luxuriant
interiors, which is a rare phenomenon in the bustling city like
Delhi. The nine ponds, surrounding the temple, light up
beautifully in natural light and add to the beauty of the temple.
JAMA MASJID

The largest mosque in India, Jama Masjid rivals the grandeur of

the neighbouring Red Fort in its scale and beauty.
DIGAMBAR JAIN LAL MANDIR

The Digambar Jain Lal Mandir is the most prominent landmark

of Chandni Chowk, its imposing red structure greeting one and all
at the main road that forms the entrance of Chandni Chowk from
the side of the Red Fort