The Red Fort Complex
Red Fort
The Red Fort with red sandstone walls, popularly known as the Lal Qila extends for two kms and varies in height from 18 metres on the river side to 33 metres on the city side. Shah Jahan started construction of the massive fort in 1638 and it was completed in 1648. He was deposed and imprisoned in Agra Fort by his son Aurangzeb, before he could move his capital from Agra to Shahjahanabad in Delhi. Entry to the fort is Rs 0.50; free on FridayLahore Gate
The main gate to the fort gets its name from the fact that it faces towards Lahore, now in Pakistan. It leads to a vaulted arcade, the Chatta Chowk (Covered Bazaar). The shops once stocked articles for royal households like silks, jewelry and gold but now cater to the tourist trade. This arcade was also known as the Meena Bazaar, were ladies of the court shopped. On Thursdays, men were barred from entering the fort and only women were allowed inside the citadel.Sound & Light Show
Events of Indian history, particularly those connected with the Red Fort are re-created each evening through the interesting sound & light show. Shows are in English and Hindi, and tickets are for Rs 20. Tickets are available at the fort. The English sessions are at 7.30 pm from November to January, 8.30 pm from February to April and September to October, and at 9 pm from May to August.Coronation Durbar Site
This is a place worth visiting for Raja, Maharaja fans to relive through those glorious moments. It's north of Old Delhi and is best approached by an auto-rickshaw. The durbars were enacted between 1877 and 1903. It was also here in 1911 that King George V was declared emperor of India.Feroz Shah Kotla
The fifth city of Delhi, built by Feroz Shah Tughlaq in 1354 is to be seen at Feroz Shah Kotla, just off Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg between Old and New Delhi. A 13-metre-high Ashoka's edict (and a later inscription) made out of sandstone can be seen in the old fortress palace. Although most of the ruins has been used for construction of later cities yet one can locate the remains of an old mosque and a fine well in the vicinity.Purana Qila
Indraprastha, the original city of Delhi was supposed to be constructed where now exists the Purana Qila. The Afghan ruler, Sher Shah, who briefly interrupted the Mughal Empire by defeating Humayun, completed the fort during his reign from 1538-45. The fort is located south-east of the India Gate and north of Humayun's Tomb and the Nizamuddin railway station. It has massive walls and three large gateways. There is a small octagonal red sandstone tower, the Sher Mandal, in side the fort near the South gate. It was later used by Humayun as a library. While descending the stairs of this tower one day in 1556, Humayun slipped, fell and received injuries from which he later died. The Qila-i-Kuhran Mosque, or Mosque of Sher Shah, lies just beyond it and is in a fairly reasonable condition. There is a small archaeological museum just inside the main gate.Humayun's Tomb
The tomb was built in mid-16th centur by Humayun’s wife Haji Begum. It is an early example of Mughal architecture. This tomb is of great interest for its relation to the Taj. The squat building, lighted by high arched entrances, topped by a bulbous dome and surrounded by formal gardens - was refined over the years to the magnificence of the Taj Mahal in Agra. Haji Begum is buried in the tomb. The garden has other tombs including that of Humayun's barber and the Tomb of Isa Khan. The latter is a good example of Lodi architecture. Entry is free on Friday.Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia
Across the road from Humayun’s tomb lies the shrine of the Muslim Sufi saint, Nizam-ud-din Chishti, who died in 1325 at the age of 92. Other tombs in the vicinity include the grave of Jahanara, the daughter of Shan Jahan, who stayed with her father when he was imprisoned by Aurangzeb in Agra's Red Fort. Amir Khusru, a renowned Urdu poet, also has his tomb here as does Atgah Khan, a favourite of Humayun and his son Akbar. It's worth visiting the shrine at around sunset on Thursdays as it is a popular time for worship, and qawwali singers perform after the evening prayers are over.Safdarjung Tomb
The Nawab of Avadh built this tomb for his father in 1753-54. Safdarjang is one of the last creations of Mughal architecture before the final remnants of the great empire collapsed. The tomb stands on a high terrace in a huge garden. Entry is free on Friday. This Tomb is adjacent to the Safdarjung airport.Tughlaqabad
The fort of Tughlaqabad with its 13 gateways, known as the third city of Delhi, is situated east of the Qutab Minar. It was built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq and its construction involved a legendary quarrel with the saint Nizam-ud-din. The Tughlaq ruler took the workers whom Nizam-ud-din wanted for work on his shrine.Baha'i Temple
This temple beloning to the Baha'i sect has become an important landmark of Delhi. Many term it as the Taj of modern India. This structure is made of pure white marble in the shape of a half opened lotus. It is surrounded by beatifully manicured lawns.National Museum This is another interesting spot located very close to India Gate. The museum has a rich variety of all facets of ancient Indian history and also of Central Asia. In fact the museum takes one through a fascinating journey of what ancient India was all about. Rare coins, pottery and numerous such things including art and architecture, costumes are for all to see. This really is something that every tourist should find time to visit even if the schedule is tight.
Appu Ghar
It is the children's amusement park. The entry to the park is from Gate No. 4 at Pragati Maidan. It is open on all days of the week. You can visit the park on Mondays to Saturdays from 1.30 to 9.30 pm and on Sundays from 12 to 9.30 p.m. Tickets are for Rs. 10 per adult and Rs. 5 per child. Package tickets for rides are also available at the ticket booth. Mathura Road, Tel: 3371838.Jantar Mantar
The massive salmon colored Jantar Mantar, was built in the year 1725 by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. He was a keen astronomer and this observatory is dominated by a huge sundial better known as the Prince of Dials. The other instruments define the course of heavenly bodies and predict eclipses.Raj Ghat
On the banks of the river Yamuna, a simple square platform of black marble north-east of Feroz Shah Kotla, marks the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated following his assassination in 1948. Just to the north of Raj Ghat, is the Shanti Van. Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Indian Prime minister, was cremated here in1964. His daughter, Indira Gandhi, who was killed in 1984, and grandsons Sanjay (1980) and Rajiv (1991) were also cremated in the vicinity.Lodi Gardens
Adjoining the India International Centre is the Lodi Gardens. This garden is called the Lodi gardens because it contains the tombs of the Sayyid and Lodi rulers. Of the many tombs that exist in the gardens, are the tombs of Mubarak Shah (1433), Ibrahim Lodi (1526) and Sikander Lodi (1517). The Bara Gumbad Mosque is a fine example of its type of plaster decoration.theteam@delhigate.com
New Delhi, India