Imagine, you have squeezed a slice of lemon directly onto your mouth. Does it tickle you or makes you to wink? Delhi will give you the same experience when you will visit Delhi the first time. Delhi, the ‘heart of India’, also known as ‘Dilli’ locally, is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest metropolis by population in India. Located on the banks of river Yamuna, Delhi is a commercial and business hub of India. Center for all political activities, Delhi is also transport hub for states, including Rajasthan, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Central North India.
An inside view of Delhi
The capital, Delhi is an excellent fusion of the ancient and the modern India. Delhi is known for its monuments, museums, galleries, gardens, and exotic shows. Pandavas, heroes of the epic, Mahabharata, founded Indraprastha around 1200 B.C. ago. Delhi comprises two contrast but harmonious parts, the Old Delhi and the New Delhi. Old Delhi will remind you of ancient and medieval ages, when you pass through mosques, monuments and forts. In Old Delhi, the fragrance of fresh food will deeply go into your breath and you will start licking your mo uth; the colorful and delightful shops will attract you to purchase goods and items at reasonable prices. Colonial designed New Delhi is the finest example of the British architecture. Modern buildings, skyscrapers, diplomatic enclaves and well-planned townships are part of New Delhi.
Climate
Delhi shows a typical version of sub-tropical climate, when weather shows its extreme level. From early April to early July, summer is in its extreme position. Monsoon season starts from early July and ends at early September. Winter starts in November and peaks at December and shows it’s notorious and heavy fog in January. So, if you are planning to visit Delhi, then the best season to visit Delhi is between October to March. Summers in Delhi are very hot, so it’s not recommendable to visit it during May, June or July.
Summer: 25ºC-36ºC
Winter: 7ºC-21ºC
Places to Visit
If you are planning to visit Delhi for two days, then here are some quick sightseeing points:
India Gate
Center of the city, India Gate is almost similar to its French counterpart that honors around 70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives while fighting for British Army during the World War I. The Duke of Connaught put the foundation stone of India Gate in 1921. Designed by Edwin Lutyens, the monument is 42 m high that is like an “Arc-de-Triomphe” in the middle of the crossroad. After independence, Amar Jawan Jyoti was added to remind the nation of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971.
India Gate looks spectacular during nightfall and nearby fountains make this monument more lovely and stunning. Standing at one end of the Rajpath, India Gate is surrounded by lush of green lawns, where you can have your dinner under the open sky. Since India Gate is centrally located, you can reach India Gate through metro train, bus or auto-rickshaw.
Red Fort
The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built the Red Fort as his ruling palace. Also known as, ‘Lal Qila’, it is one of the most magnificent monuments in Delhi. Red Fort has two main gateways; Lahori Gate and Delhi Gate, situated on the center of the Western and Southern sides, respectively. Lahori Gate is the main entrance of the Red Fort. Shops inside the Red Fort will attract you to purchase some traditional stuff of Delhi. The cost of ticket is available in two types; Rs. 10 for Indian tourists and Rs. 250 for foreigners. Photography is free here, but for shooting, you need to pay 25 rupees extra for your video camera. The easy way to reach Red Fort is to take Metro to Chawri Bazar and then cycle rickshaw. < /SPAN>
Qutab Minar
As a victory tower, Qutubuddin Aibak laid the foundation of Qutab Minar in 1199 AD and it was completed by his successor Iltutmish in 1368. Qutub Minar is 72.5 meters tall. Built in red sandstones, the inscriptions of verses of holy Quran and some elaborated carvings have been displayed on the tower. Besides this, you can also see the tomb of Adham Khan and Zafar Mahal within Qutub complex and the tomb of Jamali-Kamali behind it. The monument is located in Mehrauli, so anybody can reach here through auto-rickshaw or bus.
Apart from these places, if you have sufficient time and you are here for more than two days, you can also visit other places such as Akshardham Temple, Chandni Chowk, Rajghat, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Humayun’s Tomb, Isa Khan’s Tomb, Jantar Mantar, Old Fort, Safdarjung Tomb and many more.
Delhi is also known for its amusement park and gardens, so if you want to make your kids happy, then the National Zoological Park is the best place to visit. Other than these, Lodhi Garden, Mughal Gardens and Fun ‘N’ Food Village are the places where you can have the fun with your kids.
Shopping Destinations in Delhi
Delhi will not disappoint them who love shopping and having different kind of cuisines. Delhi is a unique place where you can do shopping as well as have lip-smacking food. Dilli Haat is the best example for this, where you can buy amazing handicraft and handloom items and have traditional state cuisines. Here are some destinations where you can go for shopping:
South Extension
As its name sounds, South Ex market is located in South Delhi. South Ex is an up-coming market, where you can get all kind of trendy clothes, the best footwears and matching accessories also. Home of all major brands, South ex is most often visited by hip-hop youth and those who love designer wear. If you are here to shop and you are planning to enjoy your eve with music and drinks, then there are resto-bars where you can enjoy good music with cocktails and mocktails and have a great time with your partner.
Ansal Plaza is another market that is located near to South Extension market. A part of HUDCO Place, Ansal Plaza is one of the best International Shopping complexes in the world, which is known for its architectural magnificent, artistic view and great shopping experience.
Khan Market
Khan Market is named in honor of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Here you will find India’s most expensive and classy shops. Khan Market has been ranked as the world’s 16th most expensive retail high street by real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield. The market has wide variety of showrooms from clothing to home-town objects of well-known brands like Nike, Reebok, Goodearth and so on. Since it is centrally located and very close to India Gate, Lodhi Garden, so after enjoying your day at India Gate, you can go for shopping and buy some classy stuff for your sweet home. If you are hungry, you can visi t eating joints such as Market Cafe, Cafe Turtle, Albake, Big Chill, Cafe Zaffiro, Subway, Kriti Creations, and so on. If you love watching plays, then you can spend your eve watching plays at the India International Centre, the India Habitat Centre, the offices of the World Wide Fund for Nature, and other organizations.
Connaught Place (CP)
Designed by Robert Tor Russell and W H Nicholls, Connaught Place is the horseshoe-shaped market, which is the prime shopping destination of food joints, emporium, cinema halls, and street shopping market. Excellent combination of commercial and business hubs of the city, it can be categorized in two main areas; Inner Circle and Outer Circle. Inner Circle is full of International Brands, finest restaurants bars, and excellent bookshops. Here also you can buy some chunk jewelleries according to your dress. If you are interested in Indian handicrafts, then you can also explore the Central Cottage Industries Emporium at Janpath and Jawahar Vyapar Bhavan, across the road. Underground market, Palika Bazar is a place where you can purchase from electronic goods to clothes at reasonable price. CP is centrally located market, so you reach here through bus, autorickshaw or by metro.
Sarojini Nagar (SN) Market
Sarojini Nagar (SN) market is one of the most wanted markets who wants the most stylish fabrics at the lowest price. The market is known for its street shops, where you can do window shopping of chunk jewelleries and readymade garments as well as fabrics. Shopping in SN market is fun, but do the certain planning before going for shopping. It is better that you avoid shopping on weekends.
Chandni Chowk
If you are interested in antique designs, then Chandni Chowk market is the best place for shopping. Situated opposite to the Red Fort, Chandni Chowk is not only known for its traditional fabrics but also famous for its hardware, brass, copper and steel market. Besides the Red Fort situated nearby, one can also visit the famous Chawri Bazaar. If you are book lover, then I must recommend that you visit Chandni Chowk on Sunday.
Apart from these markets, Nehru Place market known for its IT products, Greater Kailash (GK) market known for its designer clothes, accessories and cosmetics, Karol Bagh known for its flourishing commercial and business center and Lajpat Nagar market is known for its traditional and modern clothes and accessories.
Where to Stay in Delhi
If you are visiting Delhi to spend your holidays lavishly, then there are high-range hotels for you, for example, the Ashok, the Claridges, the hotel Grand, the hotel Oberoi, the Imperial, the Taj Palace, the Maurya Sheraton, the Hyatt Regency, Shangri La, Le Meridian, and Hotel Samrat. But if you are here just for sight-seeing ad your budget is limited, then mid-range hotel and guest houses are also available for you where you can stay comfortably in your limited budget.
There are certain points, which you keep in mind while visiting Delhi. Here are some Dos and Don’ts guidelines:
Dos
- Book your hotel, travel agency, etc. in advance before coming to Delhi.
- Carry limited money in cash-form. Carry your ATM cards and other plastic cards safely while moving around in crowded place.
- If you are visiting Delhi in summer, drink lot of water to avoid dehydration. Also carry hats, sun-glasses and sun-screen lotion to save yourself from the hot and harmful rays of sun.
- In contrast, if you are visiting Delhi in winters, then carry woolen clothes. Also cover yourself to protect yourself from breeze air.
- It is advisable to consult with traffic policeman whenever you need any road instructions. You can also take advice from PCR vans parked nearby roads.
What Not to Do
- Try to avoid walking around alone or hiring cabs alone. Always go for travel agent. Or dial 100 in case of emergencies.
- Do not go out alone at nights.
- Female travelers should dress according to the area, if you are going South Delhi, then you can easily wear anything, but if you are going Old Delhi, then avoid short clothes.
- Keep your credit card customer service phone number in a separate location in a case you lost your card and need to cancel it.