dELHI

Delhi (Urdu: دہلی dehlī),

• known locally as Dilli (Urdu: دلّی, dillī),
• and also by the official name National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT),
• is the second-largest metropolis in India.
• With over 17.3 million residents, it is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population.
• The name Delhi is often also used to include some urban areas near the NCT, as well as to refer to New Delhi, the capital of India, which lies within the NCT. The NCT is a federally administered union territory.
• The etymology of “Delhi” is uncertain but many possibilities exist.
• The most common view is that its eponym is Dhillu or Dilu, a king of the Mauryan dynasty, who built the city in 50 BC and named it after himself.
• The Hindi/Prakrit word dhili (“loose”) was used by the Tuar Rajputs to refer to the city because the Iron Pillar built by Raja Dhava had a weak foundation and was replaced. The coins in circulation in the region under the Rajputs were called dehliwal.
• Some other historians believe that the name is derived from Dilli, a corruption of dehleez or dehali—Hindi for ‘threshold’—and symbolic of city as a gateway to the Indo-Gangetic Plains.
• Another theory suggests that the city’s original name was Dhillika.

MUST DO’s in Delhi

• Take the Footloose in Old Delhi half day walking tour around Old Delhi.
• Take a walk at Connaught Place, the heart of New Delhi. The British-designed colonial equivalent of a shopping mall, it’s laid out in two concentric rings divided into blocks, all bursting with shops and lots of pampered pigeons waddling about. Long neglected, the area received a major shot in the arm after the opening of the major Metro junction of Rajiv Chowk under it, and it’s going more upmarket by the day. At the centre is a small but pleasant park, while on one edge is the notorious Palika Bazaar, an underground den of cheap wares, many pirated or smuggled from overseas. The area is surrounded by tall office buildings on nearly all sides. Train fans will want to check out the Metro Museum inside the station, open 10 AM-4 PM Tue-Sun (free with valid Metro ticket). Quite simply the best place to hang out!
• Visit the International trade fair exhibition centre at Pragati Maidan.
• Walk from Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s house) to India Gate on the Rajpath (a walk of close to 3-4 kms).
• Walk from Jama Masjid to Red Fort in the Chandni Chowk area.

GETTING AROUND

• SOUTH DELHI
  
  Indeed, on a broad scale Delhi is not difficult to navigate. The Outer Ring Road, and Ring Road, offer simple connections between districts. In South Delhi, most of the major districts lie on either the inner or outer ring roads.
  Traveling west on the Ring Road from Nizammudin, the following colonies lie in the following order:
  Friends Colony » Lajpat Nagar » Defence Colony » South Extension » INA » Safdarjung » Bikhaji Kama Place » RK Puram » Chanakyapuri » Dhaula Kuan.
  And on the outer Ring Road, traveling west from Okhla, the following colonies lie in the following order: Nehru Place » Kalkaji » GK2 » GK1 » CR Park » Panchsheel Park » Hauz Khas Enclave » Safdarjung Enclave » Munirka » Vasant Vihar.
  The only major areas that lie in between the Ring Roads as opposed to adjacent to them are are Anand Niketan, Hauz Khas Village, and Green Park. However, these areas are easily accessible from Shanti Path, Aurobindo Marg, and Khel Gaon Marg respectively.

• Delhi Metro
  • Three lines of the new Delhi Metro [http://www.delhimetrorail.com/] are now open and provide a cheap, quick, hassle-free and air-conditioned way of zipping around the city. Unfortunately, the network is still limited and does not cover southern Delhi or neighboring areas like Gurgaon or Noida, but expansion plans are under way. As of 2008, the following lines are open:
  • Line 1 (Red Line): Dilshad Garden-Kashmere Gate-Rithala
  • Line 2 (Yellow Line): Vishwa Vidyalaya (Delhi University)-Kashmere Gate-Connaught Place-Central Secretariat
  • Line 3 (Blue Line): Indraprastha-Connaught Place-Dwarka Sector 9
  • Line 2, in particular, is useful for getting to the Old Delhi (Chandni Chowk, Jama Masjid) and New Delhi railway stations, the ISBT bus terminal and the backpacker ghetto of Paharganj. Fares range from Rs. 6 to 22. Take the token until the final destination and change lines if required. If you’re planning on sticking around for a while, you can buy a “Smart Card” for 100 Rupees, which is worth 50 Rupees and includes a 50 rupee deposit. You can add more amount to the card as and when you require. There is also a “Tourist Card” allowing unlimited use for Rupees 70/day, but it’s highly unlikely that you’ll travel enough to make this pay off.
  • Line 3 is useful for reaching Karol Bagh, a large shopping area. The Karol Bagh metro station is located in the crossing of Pusa Road and Ajmal Khan Road. The RK Ashram Marg station is very useful for reaching the western parts of Paharganj (and the station is located on the same side of the railroad tracks, which is not the case with the New Delhi station on line 2). Unfortunately the line 3 stations are not marked on most tourist maps as the line has only recently been opened.
  • Note that Metro stations all use the new Indianized names, so Connaught Place is “Rajiv Chowk”, Old Delhi Railway Station is “Chandni Chowk” and ISBT is “Kashmere Gate”.

Site Seeing

Delhi tourist office: The Government of India Tourist Office, 88 Janpath, Connaught Place. Tel:2332 0005, 23320008, 23320109, 23320266. The Government of India Tourist Office offers daily tours, covering all of the major Delhi sites. If you should choose to go with the government sanctioned day tour, be aware that due to the heavy agenda, you will need to have a quick foot, only twenty to forty minutes are given for each sight. Consider this day tour as a sampler. If there is a sight of particular interest, bookmark it and return at a later date.

• HISTORICAL PLACES
  1. Red Fort (Lal Qila) is one of Delhi’s top tourist sights. A brilliant red sandstone fort built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (who also built Agra’s Taj Mahal) as his ruling palace. Completed in 1648, the years since have not treated the buildings kindly: the rooms have long since been stripped of all objects, the marble inlays are long gone and quite a few buildings are off limits. Still, the scale remains imposing and the gardens are kept lush and green even in midwinter. Major buildings within include:
  2. Chatta Chowk (Covered Bazaar) – True to the name, this is a covered bazaar between the gate and the fort itself, now filled with souvenir hawkers.
  3. Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience)– This building separates the outer court from the inner court, and has a marble platform for the emperor’s throne.
  4. Hayat Baksh Bagh (Life-Bestowing Gardens) – Once a grand garden of full of fountains and streams, now sadly all dry — only dry channels and acres of green grass remain.
  5. Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) – Built completely of marble, this is where the emperor received special visitors.
  6. Khas Mahal (Private Palace) – The Emperor’s main residence. The octagonal Mussaman Burj tower looks out toward the Yamuna River, and is where the Emperor used to appear before the public for each morning.
  7. Rang Mahal (Colour Palace) – The residence of the Sultan’s main wife.
  8. Mumtaz Mahal (Jewel Palace) – Contained six apartments for the Sultan’s harem. Now used as a museum of court textiles, carpets, weapons, etc (free).
  9. Daawat Khana. A minor palace at the northmost end of the Fort, this was originally the residence of a prince, but it was converted into a tea house by the British, a function it continues today. Basic meals go for around 60 rupees, drinks 10-20 rupees, and it also has the cleanest toilets around.
  10. Swatantra Sangrama Sangrahalaya (Museum of the Independence Movement) – To the left after the Chatta Chowk, this is a reasonably well-presented museum on the history of independence activism in India, starting from the Mutiny of 1857 all the way to Gandhi.The only open entrance is Lahore Gate, on the west side. Security in and around the Fort is very heavy, as it was the scene of a terrorist attack in 2000 that killed three people. Bags are allowed, but they’ll be X-rayed and you’ll be patted down. Tickets cost 10/250 rupees for Indians/foreigners, photography free, video cameras 25 rupees extra. Open sunrise to sunset daily except Monday. Allow for three to four hours in your schedule in case of long weekends and national holidays as lot of tourists flock around then. The most scenic way of reaching the fort is to take the Metro to Chawri Bazaar and then a cycle-rickshaw through the incredibly packed bazaar to the Fort (price negotiable, aim for 20 rupees).The fort has a light and sound show (50 rupees) in the evenings from 7:30PM-9PM, depending on the season.Be careful buying tickets at the booth, as the ticket sellers will attempt to shortchange you. Try to have a small bill. Due to enhanced security the parking can be a bit tricky as the walk from the now distanced away parking at nearby alternative slots is quite a bit. The congested traffic makes crossing the road even trickier.
  11. Humayun’s Tomb in south Delhi, near Hazrat Nizamuddin station, is one of Delhi’s three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Open daily from sunrise to sunset, entry is 10/250 rupees Indians/foreigners.The tomb is located in large, immaculately maintained gardens in the Persian Char Bagh (four corners) style that were thoroughly renovated in 2003 with the Aga Khan’s help and are consequently probably the best in Delhi. As you enter the complex, the first major structure on your right is the bulbous, octagonal tomb of Iza Khan, a court noble who built it in his own lifetime, some 20 years before Humayun’s tomb. As you pass through the first gate, you will glimpse the dome of the tomb and enter a floral path leading to the second (West) gate, which now acts as the entrance to the giant central garden.The centerpiece is the eponymous tomb of Humayun, the second Mughal emperor. Built starting in 1562, it was the first major Mughal structure in the city and has been described as a predecessor or prototype of Agra’s Taj Mahal. The structures are, indeed, stylistically similar, although Humayun’s Tomb is built from red sandstone, not white marble, and was built by a wife grieving for her husband, not the other way around. You can climb up to the second level (the stairs on the west side are very steep, those on the south side less so), and on the south side you will find the entrance into the main crypt where Humayun is buried.Before you leave, be sure to visit the South Gate, the original royal entrance, from where you can get picture-postcard views without too many tourists in the way. In the southeast corner is the Barber’s Tomb, also built in the same style. Historians believe that the emperor’s favorite barber is buried in this picturesque tomb made of red and grey sandstone.
  12. Qutub Complex. This complex in Mehrauli, south Delhi, houses structures dating from the Slave Dynasty (1206-1290) and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The gardens are kept in excellent shape, making this a popular relaxation and picnic spot. Open daily from sunrise to sunset, entry is 20/250 rupees Indians/foreigners. Light-and-sound show held most nights after sunset.
  13. Qutub Minar. The most famous structure on grounds, this 72.5m minaret was the tallest “skyscraper” in the world when built (1193-1368) on the orders of Qutb-ud-din Aybak. Delicately carved, it has been astonishingly well preserved and is still an awe-inspiring sight today. It’s often visible from air when flying into IGI airport! (Sticklers for archaeological truth will, however, note that the top of the tower has twice been rebuilt after an earthquake, and the base has been restored more recently.) While entry into the tower itself is no longer permitted, for 10 rupees per five min you can view the scenery via a little webcam on top.
  14. Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque. Delhi’s first and grandest mosque, now mostly in ruins, but many parts of the complex are still standing and the sandstone decorations are still impressive. Check out the extraordinarily ornate carvings near the tomb of Iltutmish on the west side of the complex.Iron Pillar is in the center of the mosque. True to its name, this is a seven-meter iron pillar erected c. 400 AD by Chandragupta II Vikramaditya, also known as “he, by the breezes of whose prowess the southern ocean is even still perfumed” according to the inscription carved on the base. Alas, Chandragupta II’s perfume has long since faded, but to the amazement of metallurgists everywhere his pillar is still going strong after 1600 years.
  15. Ala-i-Minar – Ala-ud-din-Khilji set out to build a tower twice as high as the Qutub Minar, but died after a mere 24.5 m was complete. The first story stands to this day.
  16. Ala-i-Darwaza – This square, domed building once acted as the entrance to the mosque, but is now tucked away behind the minar. Inlaid marble decorations and latticed stone screens.
  17. Tomb of Imam Zamin – Outside the main complex, next to the Ala-i-Darwaza, this octagonal tomb commemorates a Turkestani iman who was based in the mosque during the reign of Sikandar Lodi.

• Monuments
  • Rajpath – This is a main parade route that leads to the President’s residence (Rashtrapati Bhavan). Don’t miss the splendid India Gate, and the many grassy lawns. Especially nice in the evenings and at night when the buildings are lit and the vendors come out to supply the many picnicking families.
  • Rajghat Memorial of Mahatma Gandhi – check for closure dates/security checks around national holidays/gandhiji’s death anniversary (30th Jan).
  • Birla House or Birla Bhavan is the location where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last 144 days of his life and was assassinated on January 30, 1948. It was originally the house of the Indian business tycoons, the Birlas.It was acquired by the Government of India in 1971 and opened for the public on August 15, 1973, renamed the Gandhi Smriti (or Gandhi Remembrance). The museum in the building houses a number of articles associated with Gandhi’s life and death. Visitors can tour the building and grounds, viewing the preserved room where Gandhi lived and the place on the grounds where he was shot while holding his nightly public walk.The Martyr’s Column now marks the place where Gandhi, the “Father of the Nation” was assassinated. The Gandhi Smriti or Birla House is located at 5 Tees January Marg, a couple of kilometres from the Connaught Place, one of the CBDs of New Delhi.
  • Lodhi Estate
  • Nehru House ‘Teen Murti Bhavan’. This is the house of the first Prime Minister of India. Remarkably well preserved with most of paraphernalia intact. Was used by the Commander-in-chief of the Indian Army before Indian Independence. Free entrance.
  • India Gate. This monument has been built as a memorial for the Indian soldiers who died in World War I. There is also a fire (“eternal flame”) burning for all fallen Indian soldiers.
  • Parliament House

• Parks and Gardens
  • Lodhi Garden is a peaceful park in the heart of New Delhi. Lodhi garden is ideal for morning walks in the hot season and for afternoon strolls and picnics during the cooler months
  • Nehru Park is a large park in the South Delhi neighborhood of Chankayapuri

• Museums
  • India Habitat Center, Lodhi Road, +91 (0) 11 2468 2001 (thru 2009), [http://www.indiahabitat.org/main.htm]. This center is most noted for its ever-changing art exhibits, plays and films, as well as an international selection of food items in its food court.
  • International Doll’s Museum, Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. +91 (0) 11 2331 6970 (thru 6974), [http://www.childrensbooktrust.com/]. T-S 10AM-6PM. A museum of dolls from all over the country. You get to see the costumes and art from all over India, as well as some nice crafts. 10 rupees.
  • National Museum, Janpath, [http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/]. The here layout is a labyrinthine and the presentation won’t win any awards, but the collection is unparalleled and contains some true masterpieces. The section on the Indus Valley Culture and the one on Buddhist Heritage is most informative. The museum also showcases the arts and handicrafts from different regions of India. Keep an eye out for the 4600-year-old Harappan temple dancer, the Gandhara-era standing Buddha with Greek hair and a Roman toga, the stunning miniature painting gallery, and the giant temple chariot parked outside. An informative place for all interested in knowing more about Indian culture and history. Entry 300 rupees for foreigners (includes useful audioguide), 10 rupees Indians (optional audioguide Rs.150 extra), 1 rupees for Indian Students, plus 300 rupees if you want to use a camera. Decent restaurant on the second floor (lunch buffet 100 rupee). Open Tu-Su 10AM-5PM.
  • National Science Centre – Gate No. 1, Pragati Maidan. Although the name is too grand, the museum is definitely a must see for science enthusiasts, especially those who are young. A good place to refresh your basics, particularly in Physics. Has a recently built section on DNA Science and also a section on Dinosaurs. A section on ancient Indian Science and Technology, including Vedic Mathematics & Ayurveda. The “Energy Ball” display near the entrance is interesting and perhaps the most captivating of all. A section on Electronic Technologies sponsored by Samsung is also a must see.
  • National Railway Museum, Chanakyapuri, [http://www.nationalrailmuseum.org/] +91 11 2688 1816 houses a collection of Indian trains from the past to the present – a worthwhile look into India’s proud railway heritage. The collection includes carriages belonging to Indian potentates and British viceroys. Children can ride the small train that circumnavigates the museum. There is a small cafe on the premises. Open 9:30AM-7:30PM (Apr – Sept) and 9:30AM-5:30PM (Oct-Mar). Closed Mondays and national holidays.
  • Teen Murti Bhavan former residence of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, now a museum of his life. Includes a Planetarium.
  • Tibet House, 1 Institutional Area, Lodhi Road, +91 (0) 11 4611 515. thouse@nde.vsnl.net.in. Established by HH Dalai Lama with the aim of preserving the cultural heritage of Tibet. There is a museum, exhibition space and library.

• OTHER  PLACES TO VISIT
  • Jawaharlal Nehru University, (JNU) Campus – Not usually considered a “place of interest” for tourists, this one-of-a-kind campus of the premier National University remains a hidden gem of the city. The campus is hilly and rocky and some areas look more like a jungle with peacocks. The hostels represent the geographical vastness of India as they are named after Indian Rivers. For instance Godavari and Ganga. Specific areas of the campus are named after a particular geographical region in India. For instance Uttarakhand and Dakshinapuram. Some of the non-scholarly attractions of India’s best University include 24×7, an eating joint which is open, as its name suggests, is open round the clock. Mamu Ka Dhaba, an eating joint owned and operated by a Phd. alumnus of the University! The uniqueness of this dhaba doesn’t end here. It serves traditional food originating from the state of Bihar, including Chokhas, jhalmuri, and Ghugni (practically impossible to find anywhere else). For a visit to the campus, board bus # 615 from Connaught Place.
  • Majnu ka Tilla, Tibetan Colony – This is one of the more accessible Tibetan resettlement areas in India, and certainly a nice piece of variety for Delhi. To get there head north along Ring Road just past Majnu ka Tilla Gurudwara, or take the Metro to Vidhan Sabha station, and a cycle-rickshaw is 15 rupees from there.

• Delhi is a major international transit hub for trains, planes and buses as well as a great connection point for domestic destinations within India. It’s also a great base for exploration of the famous Hill Stations.
  • Agra and the Taj Mahal is a 3-4 hour drive or train ride.
  • Dharamsala – the seat of the Dalai Lama’s government in exile, is 10-12 hours to the north. Tickets can be purchased from Main Bazaar Tourist offices, Majnu ka Tilla Tibetan Settlement or the I.S.B.T.
  • Shimla – the summer capital of British India and the queen of all hill stations in India. It has many scenic and historic locations and is about an 8 hr drive or 10 hrs in a bus. A direct flight from Delhi takes just 1 hr to reach Shimla.
  • Jaipur and Rajasthan are reachable by plane or overnight train.
  • Kathmandu in neighboring Nepal is a roughly 36+ hrs by coach, or longer (but more comfortably) on a combination of train and coach.
  • The holy cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh, in the foothills of the Himalayas, are a 5-6 hour bus or 3 hr train ride away.
  • Mussoorie – one of the original British hill stations in India; also known as The Queen of the Hills.
  • Nainital – another beautiful hill station in the Kumaon hills with the magnificent Naini Lake.

SHOPPING

Delhi is a shopper’s haven, but only if you’re not afraid to haggle and bump elbows in bazaars. Western-style malls and shopping emporiums are creeping in on the outskirts (esp. Gurgaon, Noida), but there’s little Indian about these sanitized shopping experiences, or the goods in them. Until a few years ago, all shops closed on Sunday. While rules have been relaxed, many districts (eg. Connaught Place) are still mostly shuttered. Saturday is the the main shopping day and hence also the most crowded.

Start your shopping tour of Delhi with a visit to Connaught Place [http://www.connaughtplacemall.com/], a rather unique cross between a European shopping arcade, an Indian bazaar and an upmarket shopping mall. At the intersection of the Yellow and Blue Lines of the Delhi Metro[http://www.delhimetrorail.com/commuters/index.html], it’s easy to get to. With all shops laid out in two circles, it’s easy to get around and explore.

• Shopping Malls
  Delhi and capital region (Noida, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Faridabad) has recently witnessed the opening of lot of shopping malls, which can be compared to any good malls in the world. Most of these Malls have food court and Multiplexes. You can find Multiplexes at every 5 square meters. Some of these malls include:
  TDI Mall (Lajpat Nagar) | Pacific Mall with IMAX theatre (Anand Vihar bus terminus, Ghaziabad) | Shipra Mall (Ghaziabad) | Centerstage Mall (Noida) | Great India Place (Noida) | Galaxy (Ghaziabad) | Fun Republic (Motinagar) | V3S Mall (Vikas Marg) | Carnival Country Mall (Ghaziabad) | Sahara Mall (Gurgaon) | City Centre (Gurgaon) | MGF Metropolitan (Gurgaon) | Ansal Plaza (Khelgaon Marg) | Ansal Plaza (Ghaziabad) | Ansal Plaza (South Extension Part 2) (August Kranti Marg) | East Delhi Mall (Ghaziabad) | East End Mall (Ghaziabad) | TDI mall (Rajouri Garden) | City Walk (Saket)

• BAZAARS
  • Connaught Place – Many Western-style shops are here that have nice products for Indian prices. Check out “The Bookworm” and “Will’s clothing”.
  • Paharganj market – Oriented toward backpackers, this strip of shops sells items such as shawls, tablas, rugs, jewelry, etc. This is right opposite New Delhi Railway Station.
  • Central Market, Lajpat Nagar – Middle-class Indians do their shopping here. Great deals for apparel, whether ethnic Indian or otherwise.
  • Sarojini Nagar market is great for export surplus garments, and green grocery.
  • Khan Market is where the foreign diplomats and Tibetan lama’s go for lunch and to shop for dog supplies, groceries (great choice of vegetables), clothes (upper class Indian style, not expensive) and books (many bookshops).
  • Janpath is a bargain-hunter’s dream and just a two minute walk from Connaught place. Think of it as a vast flea market, where you can get all kinds of knick-knacks and clothes. Janpath is not a place for those unwilling or unable to bargain ruthlessly. Also, as in any flea market, quality will vary greatly. »all types of fashionable clothes & accessories:trousers,belts,pyjamas,jeans,t-shirts,junk jewellery,etc. Look for Famous Book Shop.
  • Palika Bazaar, Connaught Place – This is a large underground market in the center of Connaught Place. The air here is bad and the quality of products low. One can hunt for DVDs, VCDs and Audio CDs of Hindi, English and a few regional and foreign language films and PC-based games.
  • Chandni Chowk, Metro Yellow Line. The heart of Old Delhi, this is the place to go for the full-on Indian experience of crowded, twisting alleys and tiny shops. The Fountain serves as a useful orientation point, and there are great Delhi-style snacks to be found in the vicinity too (see Eat).
  • Gole Market. One of Delhi’s oldest surviving colonial markets, Gole Market is a circular structure that marks the critical crossing of an important axis on Lutyens’ plan and is in proximity to the historic Bangla Sahib Gurdwara on one side and Lakshmi Narayan Temple on the other. It also serves as a subsidiary market to the prime business centre of Connaught Place.

• HANDICRAFTS
  • Cottage Emporium, located near Connaught Place, is the main government-run location for selling handicrafts from all over the country. The prices are a little more than what you’d find if you went bargain hunting, but you can shop in air-conditioned comfort and all of the sales people speak English. The quality of items is quite good. You can pay with credit cards.
  • The State Emporium is the state’s equivalent of a Cottage. They are all located on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, one of the radial streets coming off of Connaught Place, and each state specializes in certain kinds of crafts. Some are better priced than others, and you can bargain a little. Many of them will take cr cards.
  • Dilli Haat, located in South Delhi near the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), is a place where crafts fairs happen every few weeks. It is a wonderful place to get crafts from all over the country. What is distinctive here is that the artists themselves come to sell their goods, so your money goes directly to them, rather than to middlemen. Some bargaining may be necessary if you want the best price. Prices are higher than elsewhere, but the modest entry fee keeps out beggars. Ripoff artists, and most touts, and many visitors find the mellow atmosphere worth the extra cost of shopping here. It also has a section called Foods of India. This has a huge number of restaurants, each showcasing the food of a particular state of India. (Most of them give a mix of Chinese and Indian food, but state delicacies are also included). This section is a must-go for the foodie cum tourist.

• CLOTHING
  • Ansal Plaza is a mall and a favorite shopping haunt for the local middle/upper class and it is located in South Delhi. This is a great place to get bargains on international brand clothing and jeans (as these tend to be 30-50% cheaper than in the West depending on the brand and time of year). The mall also houses many Indian and Western eateries (including McDonald’s). International brands like Guess, Marks & Spencer, United Colors of Benetton, Lacoste and Apple have retail outlets here.
  • South Extension is another shopping mecca in South Delhi but it is not a single mall. It is spread out over a large area and many international brands have stores here. International brands include the likes of Mango, Nautica, United Colors of Benetton, Levis, etc.
  • Karol Bagh reputed to be the largest shopping area in Asia with 20,000 shops and traders. There are many tailors experienced in western styles (suits etc). There is also a growing number of hotels here.
  • Sarojini Nagar Market reputed to be the largest outdoor, pedestrianized shopping area in Delhi. Huge bargains on all sorts of western and Indian wear. It is known by expatriate teens as THE shopping area for affordable current hip fashion trends. If you are lucky you can also get many reputed western brands here (export surplus) Also a great market for fresh fruits, vegetables and household goods!
  • Select City Walk is the largest mall in New Delhi. Located in Saket (South Delhi), it houses many top-end international retailers. While expensive, you can still find better bargains for higher end retail products here than in the west, as prices tend to be slightly cheaper.

• buy BOOKS
  The Indian book industry is huge, producing annually about 15,000 books in English, and obviously far more in Hindi and other native languages. Delhi is hub of this industry, so small, specialist bookstores abound. Locally produced books can be very inexpensive and many popular Western titles are published and available here for a fraction of their original cost.

   

  • Khan Market – This is a shopping area for local diplomats. There are many book shops here that have a wide selection at reasonable prices.
  • Oxford Bookstore, First floor, Statesman House, Barakhamba Road (near Connaught Place), [http://www.oxfordbookstore.com/oxfordonline/Services/about_oxford/stores/oxford_del.asp?sid=PQDJT5R]. One of Delhi’s largest and most modern bookstores. It has an emphasis on art and culture. The great Cha Bar allows you to read any book from the shelves and relax with a cup of tea. Available in several dozen varieties from 30 rupees up. Priced at regular prices. Open daily.
  • Mid Land Bookshop, South Extension and Aurbindo Place. Very similar to bookshops in Khan Market, but at better prices.
  • Galgotia and Sons, Connaught Place. A more disorganized bookstore, but with an excellent variety of books available at excellent prices.
  • The Bookworm, Connaught Place – If you are more adventurous and want a ‘localized’ experience with the best books published in India you can go to.
  • The Famous Book Shop – Connaught Place
  • Nai Sarak (near Chawari Bazaar) (use Chawari Bazaar or Chandani Chowk metro stations on yellow line) has narrow gullies where most publishers are based. This is very popular with students, particularly college students as course books are available here. They carry books in nearly all major languages spoken in India. Don’t expect bargaining to work here as shopkeepers are too busy to argue. (The shopkeepers do more business than any proper branded shop, selling at least 5,000 books daily.) There are also many whole sellers. Very few books will be on display and you need to ask for a particular type of book as the variety of books sold is huge. Most books are original and the shopkeepers get very irritated if you question the book’s genuineness. You can either take a rickshaw or walk. One of Delhi’s oldest shopping complexes, you can find any book there after a day of searching. Also good areas for sightseeing.
  • Daryaganj and Asaf Ali Road – A little better organized, but otherwise very similar to Nai Sarak. Hindi Book Centre on Asaf Ali road is very famous and one can find practically every Hindi book there and they also have a very good website : [http://www.hindibook.com/]

• COMPUTERS/IT HARDWARE
  
  Nehru Place, [http://www.npithub.com/]. An IT hardware market complex and a perfect place for finding gadgets at very cheap rates. It is also a huge marketplace for both pirated and original software. Any computer-related accessory can be found here, but parking is a monumental problem. Beware of congestion and pickpockets. Open Mon-Sat.

NIGHTLIFE

Bars/Nightclubs

• Aqua – This poolside bar at the Park Hotel (close to Connaught Place) has a lounge atmosphere and has an extensive drinks list.
• Aura - At the Claridges
• Decibel – One of two clubs in the Samrath Hotel next to the Ashok Hotel, Chanakyapuri. 500 INR cover charges.
• IndoChine’s Forbidden City – Singapore chain that opened in Delhi in 2007. Restaurant (Madame Butterfly) upstairs serves very good Chinese food. The lounge/bar (BarSaVanh) is downstairs, very cool ambience outside. Located in South Delhi (Lado Sarai, adjacent to Qutab Golf Course. Meal for two arond Rs 3,000.
• Ministry of Sound, Vasant Kunj. India’s first branch of the international supper club. Closes by midnight and security is dodgy. Entry 2500 rupees per couple.
• Orange – This is a nightclub at the Ashoka Hotel.
• Elevate – Located in Noida, Sector-18 adjoining south delhi. Voted number 35 worldwide by top international Dj’s
• F Bar & Lounge (by Fashion TV) – This trendy bar and night club is located in the Hotel Ashok in Chanakyapuri. Claimed to be the largest bar in Delhi (per Time Out article October 2008). Cover charge (redeemable against drinks) Wed, Fri, Sat is Rs. 2000, other days Rs. 1000.
• The Other Side, 81/3 Adhchini (basement of Turquoise Cottage), Sri Aurobindo Marg, tel. 011-2685-396. This smoky brick-walled basement is covered with Western memorabilia. Eclectic music with an emphasis on rock (expect anything from Beatles to AC/DC). It’s a good crowd, particularly on Wednesday’s media nights. 500 rupees minimum for drinks and food. Couples only.
• Shalom Cool Merranean-themed lounge bar/restaurant with chill-out music. In N-block market, GK-1.
• Urban Pind/Bar/Cafe Bar/lounge on three floors. Regular events like Salsa, open bar for 720 INR, electro night, great expat nights. Greater Kailash I (GK-1), block N, number 4.
• Manre Bar/lounge, at Saket Market, City Mall, open bar on Thursday for 800 INR.
• Hookah/Sheesha – Indian bar food, hookah and an amazing lounge experience.
• Hookah, Basant Lok (in Priya Cinema complex), Vasant Vihar, tel. +91-11-41663522. Three-level bar-restaurant offering surprisingly good (if pricy) Middle Eastern fare. They offer a wide range of drinks and an even wider range of flavored water pipes. 
• Mocha, Defense Colony.
• Ziya- The Morockin Cafe – This is a chain of neuvo Middle Eastern cafes that offers a wide range of drinks and food (not to mention the flavored tobacco).

Delhi in BOOKS

• The City of Djinns by William Dalrymple
• Delhi: A Novel by Khushwant Singh
  

Delhi in MOVIES

• Rang De Basanti
• Khosla Ka Ghosla
• Dev.D
• Delhi-6

HISTORY

Located on the banks of the River Yamuna, Delhi has been continuously inhabited since at least the 6th century BC, according to archaeological evidence. After the rise of the Delhi Sultanate, Delhi emerged as a major political, cultural and commercial city along the trade routes between northwest India and the Indo-Gangetic plains. It is the site of many ancient and medieval monuments, archaeological sites and remains. In 1639, Mughal emperor Shahjahan built a new walled city in Delhi which served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1649 to 1857.

After the British East India Company gained control of much of India during the 18th and 19th centuries, Calcutta became the capital both under Company rule and under the British Raj, until George V announced in 1911 that it was to move back to Delhi. A new capital city, New Delhi, was built to the south of the old city during the 1920s. When India gained independence from British rule in 1947, New Delhi was declared its capital and seat of government. As such, New Delhi houses important offices of the federal government, including the Parliament of India.

Owing to the migration of people from across the country, Delhi has grown to be a cosmopolitan metropolis. Its rapid development and urbanization, coupled with the relatively high average income of its population, has transformed Delhi. Today Delhi is a major cultural, political, and commercial center of India.

Delhi is said to be one of the oldest existing cities in the world, along with Damascus and Varanasi. Legend estimates it to be over 5,000 years old. Over the millennia, Delhi is said to have been built and destroyed 11 times. The oldest alleged incarnation of the city shows up in the Indian mythological epic Mahabharata as Indraprastha.

THE CITY THAT WAS…

1. QILA RAI PITHORA

• Also known as Rai Pithora, dating back to 10^th century A.D., this city was the capital during the reign of Prithviraj Chauhan, the local hero famous for his resistance, before finally losing to the marauding invaders from central Asia (Muhammad Ghori in particular).
• Chauhan’s ancestors are said to have captured the city from the Tomar Rajputs who were credited with founding Delhi.
• Anangpal, a Tomar ruler possibly created the first known regular fort here called ‘Lal Kot’, which was taken over by Prithviraj and the city was extended.
• Some of the ruins of the fort ramparts are still visible around Qutab Minar and Mehrauli.

2. MEHRAULI

• Muhammad Ghori managed to defeat Prithviraj Chauhan in battle in 1192.
• Ghori left his slave Qutub-ud-din Aibak as his viceroy, who in turn captured Delhi the subsequent year.
• After Ghori’s death in 1206, Aibak proclaimed himself the ruler of Delhi and founded the ‘Slave’ dynasty.
• Qutb-ud-din contributed significantly in terms of architecture by getting Mehrauli built.
• His most prominent contribution is the starting of Qutab Minar. This 72.5 m tall tower was built across three generations and finally completed in 1220AD by Iltutmish, his successor.
• A visitor to the Qutab Minar could also see the mausoleum of Kaki, Shamsi Talao and some other mosques.
• Iltutmish was followed by Balban. The Slave dynasty ruled until 1290, among them was Razia Sultana, daughter of Iltutmish, was a gifted administrator and became the first female ruler from the Muslim world. Owing to discontent of the Turkish nobility, she had to step down after just three years but became a historic figure for being the first empress in India.

3. SIRI

• Khilji or Khalji dynasty, who had established themselves as rulers of Bengal in the time of Muhammad Ghori took control of the empire in a coup which eliminated the last of the Mamluks.
• The most prominent among the six rulers was Allauddin who extended the kingdom to the south of Narmada, as far south as Tamil Nadu and also established the city of ‘Siri’.
• The Delhi Sultanate rule continued to extend into southern India, first by the Delhi Sultans, then by the breakaway Bahmani Sultanate of Gulbarga, and, after the breakup of the Bahmani state in 1518, by the five independent Deccan Sultanates. The kingdom of Vijayanagar united southern India and arrested the Delhi Sultanate’s expansion for a time, until its eventual fall to the Deccan Sultanates in 1565.
• Among some of the remaining ruins, is part of the Siri Fort in the greater Hauz Khas area. The madrasa at Hauz Khas was constructed during Allauddin’s reign and bears the stamp of West Asian architecture. Hauz Khas is more often visited today for the chic botiques and restaurants.

4. TUGHLAKABAD

• Exactly as it happens during the fall of a lineage of kings, after the Khilji’s there was administrative chaos for sometime as the last Khilji ruler was slain by Nasruddin Mohammed.
• Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq also known as “Ghazi Malik” (a Turk governor) who was a military commander under the Khaljis invaded Delhi in the 1320s, established the Tughlaq dynasty, and founded the city of Tughlakabad (The ruins of the large fort still remain).
• The Tughlaqs were descendants of Turks from Afghanistan, but they had lived in Indian for long and had maried with Rajputs and Jats of the Punjab.
• His successor, Muhammad Bin Tughlaq raised the fort walls, created another city called Jahapanah (which enclosed the area between Siri and Qila Rai Pithora). Tughlakabad continued, however, to be the main capital city.
• Muhammad bin Tughlaq was an ambitious ruler who was the brain behind many development projects, most of which failed due to bad luck and poor planning. He is seen as a liberal in the religious sphere, and favoured the non-orthodox and non-Turkish factions of society. His rule saw the rise of native-born Indian Muslims to positions of power.
• His successor Firuz Shah reversed his policies. He was an orthodox Sunni and religious bigot, and he clamped down on the Hindus and Shias. He was also biased against the native born Muslims, and made government service hereditary, therefore ruling out the possibilty of Muslims from socially disadvantaged groups rising to positions of eminence. His mother was a Jat. The empire considerably weakened after his death.
• Muhammad Bin Tughlaq is also known as the mad king for wanting to move the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (now near Aurangabad in Maharashtra) and making the entire population travel, only to return in a few years because of water shortage in the new town.

5. FIROZABAD

• Muhammad Bin Tughlaq’s son, Firoze created the next city which was called Firozabad or Firoze Shah Kotla.
• There still are some ruins which are visible around the cricket stadium by the same name. The city was a enclosed a large area, and contained many palaces, mosques, pillared halls, and multi-floored water tank. Firoze Shah also planted a 1500 year old Ashokan Pillar on top of the palace.
• Feroze Shah, also repaired many of the older construction in Delhi including Ghori’s tomb, Qutub Minar,Suraj Kund and Hauz Khas. He, himself, was buried inside a lofty tomb in Hauz Khas.
• The Sultans of Delhi enjoyed cordial, if superficial, relations with other Muslim rulers in the Near East but owed them no allegiance. The Sultans based their laws on the Qur’an and the sharia and permitted non-Muslim subjects to practice their religion only if they paid jizya or head tax. The Sultans ruled from urban centers — while military camps and trading posts provided the nuclei for towns that sprang up in the countryside.  The Sultanate ushered in a period of Indian cultural renaissance. The resulting “Indo-Muslim” fusion left lasting monuments in architecture, music, literature, and religion. Perhaps the greatest contribution of the Sultanate was its temporary success in insulating the subcontinent from the potential devastation of the Mongol invasion from Central Asia in the thirteenth century. However, the invasion of Timur in 1398 broke the back of the Delhi Sultanate.

FALL OF SULTANATE

• Quite like earlier, after Feroze Shah’s death, the sultnate became unstable and weak, and was invaded by Taimur the Lame (from Samarkhand) who created havoc in the city by looting, killing and plundering.  Soon other independent Sultanates were established in Awadh, Bengal, Jaunpur, Gujarat and Malwa.  The Sayyids and Lodhis who ruled Delhi after the Tughlaq’s paid more attention to re-establishing miltiary and political stability to the kingdom. The only relevant architectures visible from this period are the tombs at Lodhi Gardens.
• The last Lodhi ruler, Ibrahim Lodhi was greatly disliked in his court and subjects alike. He was overly ambitious. Thus, governor of Punjab- Daulat Khan and his uncle, Alam Khan sent an invitation to Zahir-ud-din Mohammed Babur, the ruler of Kabul, to conquer Delhi.
• The first Battle of Panipat (April 1526) was fought between the forces of Babar and Delhi Sultanate. Ibrahim Lodhi was killed in the battleground. By way of superior generalship, vast experience in warfare, effective strategy and appropriate use of artillery, Babar won the First battle of Panipat and occupied Agra and Delhi. He set the foundation of the Mughal dynasty which was to rule India for another 300 years.

6. SHERGARH

• Babur’s son Humayun ruled the kingdom for a few years only to be defeated by Sher Shah Suri (1540), who established the new city Shergarh (on the ruins of Dinpanah, built by Humayun) towards the north and near the river. Shergarh is what you see at Purana Qila today, near the Delhi zoo. After Humayun came back to power, he completed the construction and proceeded to rule from Shergarh.

7. SHAHJEHANABAD

• The next of the Mughal emperors chose to move away from Delhi and established Agra as the capital of their kingdom. Shahjehan (Humayun’s great-grandson) returned to Delhi and established Shahjehanabad. This included the Jama Masjid, the Red Fort and all that in enclosed within the walls of Old Delhi. This wall is still around in many parts and three of the six gates (Delhi gate, Lahori Gate, Turkman Gate, Ajmeri Gate, Kashmiri Gate, Mori Gate) to Delhi still exist still exist. Kashmiri Gate was reconstructed and widened by the British after the 1857 revolt.

BRITISH RAJ

• Company rule in India (sometimes, Company Raj, “raj,” lit. “rule” in Hindi) refer to the rule or dominion of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent. This is variously taken to have commenced in 1757, after the Battle of Plassey, when the Nawab of Bengal surrendered his dominions to the Company, in 1765, when the Company was granted the diwani, or the right to collect revenue, in Bengal and Bihar, or in 1772, when the Company established a capital in Calcutta, appointed its first Governor-General, Warren Hastings, and became directly involved in governance. The rule lasted until 1858, when, consequent to the Government of India Act 1858, the British government assumed the task of directly administering India.

• The system of governance was instituted in 1858, when the rule of the British East India Company was transferred to the Crown in the person of Queen Victoria (and who, in 1876, was proclaimed Empress of India), and lasted until 1947, when the British Indian Empire was partitioned into two sovereign dominion states, the Union of India (later the Republic of India) and the Dominion of Pakistan (later the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the eastern half of which, still later, became the People’s Republic of Bangladesh). The eastern part of the Indian Empire became the separate colony of Burma in 1937, and this gained independence in 1948.

8. Lutyen’s New Delhi

• The final city as you see today expanded from what Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker had planned.

• Inspite of its rich historical heritage represented by the numerous monuments, Delhi’s population is hardly aware of it and has little pride or feeling for the city’s history. This is due to the simple reason that few Delhi residents actually belong to Delhi. The population of Delhi is a heterogeneous mix of people originally belonging to different parts of North India and beyond. Among the prominent North Indian communities are the Punjabis, who are the descendants of the refugees of the Indian Partition. They are easily the most affluent community. However, their dominance in recent years has been challenged by the increasing affluence of other North Indian communities. Delhi has a prominent South Indian Community, primarily in areas like RK Puram and Munirka. A Bengali Settlement, the Chittaranjan Park in south east Delhi is the Mini Calcutta of Delhi.

• And the biggest irony is the fact that the descendants of the builders of Delhi’s many Muslim monuments no longer stay in Delhi. Most of them migrated to Pakistan during the Partition, with only a small, ever-diminishing community in Old Delhi keeping old courtly traditions alive.

ORIENTATION

• Delhi is located at 28°37′N 77°14′E / 28.61°N 77.23°E / 28.61; 77.23, and lies in northern India. It borders the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh on East and Haryana on West, North and South. Delhi lies almost entirely in the Gangetic plains.
• Like the rest of the Gangetic Plains, Delhi is as flat as a pancake. The only geographical features of any significance are the river Yamuna, which flows down the eastern side of the city, and the Aravalli Hills, which form a wide but low arc across the west. On the west bank is the crowded and congested Old (Central) Delhi and, to the south, the broad, tree-lined avenues of New Delhi, built by the British to rule their empire. The rest is an endless low-rise sprawl of suburbia and slums, with southern Delhi (nearer to New Delhi) generally somewhat wealthier and the western reaches rather poorer.
• The National Capital Territory of Delhi is spread over an area of 1,484 km2 (573 sq mi), of which 783 km2 (302 sq mi) is designated rural and 700 km2 (270 sq mi) urban. Delhi has a maximum length of 51.9 km (32 mi) and the maximum width of 48.48 km (30 mi). There are three local bodies (statutory towns) namely, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (area is 1,397.3 km2 or 540 sq mi), New Delhi Municipal Committee (42.7 km2 or 16 sq mi) and Delhi Cantonment Board (43 km2 or 17 sq mi).
• Delhi is an expansive area, in its extremity it spans from Sarup Nagar in the north to Rajorki in the south. Najafghar is the furthest point west, and the river Yamuna is its (relatively conservative eastern extremity). The NCR encompasses points south and east of the said border, namely Noida and DLF. Oddly, the main expanse of Delhi does not follow a specific geographical features (for example, converse to London, which centered around the Thames, has its northern limit at its first Hill, Hampstead Heath, and its southern limit at the river, similarly it’s western limit is the bottom of a basin – Paddington) The main city area of Delhi does not end until Saket in the South, whilst the northern limit is easily the Connaught Place, and the western limit is easily the NH8 The terrain of Delhi is widely erratic. It changes from plain agricultural fields in the north, to dry, arid hills (an offshoot of the Aravalli Hills of Rajasthan) in the south. Their used to be large natural lakes in the southern part of the city, but most of them have dried up due to mining. The city is bordered by river Yamuna, that separates the, although there is a good connectivity between them, with a number of bridges and the Metro subway, areas east of the river are not in the City of Delhi. The entirety of the city, including New Delhi, lies west of the river. East of the river still continues the NCR, but is not Delhi.
• Two prominent features of the geography of Delhi are the Yamuna flood plain and the Delhi ridge. The low-lying Yamuna flood plains provide fertile alluvial soil suitable for agriculture. However, these plains are prone to recurrent floods. Reaching up to a height of 318 m (1,043 ft), the ridge forms the most dominating feature in this region. It originates from the Aravalli Range in the south and encircles the west, northeast and northwest parts of the city. Yamuna, a sacred river in Hinduism, is the only major river flowing through Delhi. Another river called the Hindon River separates Ghaziabad from the eastern part of Delhi. Delhi falls under seismic zone-IV, making it vulnerable to major earthquakes.

CLIMATE

• Delhi has a continental climate with high variation between summer and winter temperatures (combining scorching aridity of Rajasthan’s deserts with the frigid cold of the Himalayas). Summers are long, extremely hot (over 40°C is common), from early April to mid-October, with the monsoon season in between. They are dangerous, and have, in the recent past, taken a huge toll. Beginning of March sees a reversal in the direction of wind, from the north-western direction, to the south-western. These bring the hot waves from Rajasthan, carrying sand and are a characteristic of the Delhi summer. These are called loo. The months of February to May see a time of hot, prickling heat, with highly oxidizing conditions. With every air-conditioner running at full blast, the city’s creaky infrastructure is often stretched beyond the breaking point, with power and water outages common. At the end of June, humidity increases, bringing some respite in fluctuating rains in the months of July to September. Winter starts in late October and peaks in January with temperatures dipping to near zero. The city gets blanketed in thick fog during this time, causing numerous flight cancellations. The shoulder seasons (Feb-Apr and Sep-Nov) are comparatively pleasant, with temperatures in the 20-30°C range, but short.
• Extreme temperatures range from −0.6 °C (30.9 °F) to 48 °C (118 °F). The annual mean temperature is 25 °C (77 °F); monthly mean temperatures range from 13 °C to 32 °C (56 °F to 90 °F). The average annual rainfall is approximately 714 mm (28.1 inches), most of which is during the monsoons in July and August. The average date of the advent of monsoon winds in Delhi is 29 June.

Source: Wikitravel