Tourists spots in Delhi

By Sadhna D

Delhi Forts are the sheer reminders of the glorious era of city's successive dynasties. Visit the colossal Red Fort and Old Fort two major attractions of the city capital.

1. Delhi Red Fort

¤ The Construction

Built during the reign of Shah Jahan, the Lal Qila (or Red Fort) has been a mute witness to innumerable conspiracies, scandals, battles..... Completed in a span of nine years, it cost about ten million rupees , with about half the sum going towards the building of palaces.

The fort is octagonal in shape, like most Islamic buildings in India. The north of the fort is connected to the smaller Salimgarh fort. The Red Fort is an intimidating structure. It measures 900m by 550m, with its rampart walls covering a perimeter of 2.41km. It towers at a height of 33.5m. On the outside, you can still see the moat that was originally connected with the Yamuna River.

¤ The Major Gateways

Besides the Lahori Gate, the entry point is the Hathipol (elephant gate), where the king and his visitors would dismount from their elephants. The other major attractions of the Red Fort are the Mumtaz Mahal, the Rang Mahal, the Khas Mahal, the Diwan-i-Am, the Diwan-i-Khas, the Hamam and the Shah Burj.

Every year, on the 15th of August, the National Flag of India is hoisted at the Red Fort by the Prime Minister , celebrating India's independence..

Purana Qila (Old Fort)

¤ Humayun- The Mughal Emperor Costructed The Fort

When the second Mughal emperor Humayun decided to make a city of his own he decided on the site of the ancient city of Indraprastha. Humayun was quite a scholar with a fine grasp on such matters and so it is certain that the site was chosen deliberately. When his Sher Shah Suri overthrew him, he destroyed most of Dinpanah (refuge of the faithful) as the city of Humayun was called to make way for his own Dilli Sher Shahi or Shergarh. Incidentally, Humayun was probably the only emperor in history who built a city in Delhi and did not give it his own name – this was typical of Humayun's rather sophisticated and dreamy character. The Layout of The Massive Colossal

2. Purana Qila

In plan the Old fort, now simply called Purana Qila by Delhites, is irregularly orbital. The walls of the immense Qila tower down on the road that takes one to Pragati Maidan from the height of 18m, and run on for about 2km. It has three main gates – the Humayun darwaza, Talaqi darwaza and Bara darwaza (which one uses to enter the fort today). The double-storeyed gates are quite huge and are built with red sandstone. of all the gates entry was forbidden from Talaqi (forbidden) darwaza, the northern gate. It is not clear why this was so. Other Attractions of The Fort

Sher Shah Suri and his successor could not complete the city, and when Humayun defeated Sher Shah's son to take back his city, he did not deal with Dilli Sher shahi as the latter had done with Dinpanah. In fact the Mughal emperor very handsomely completed the city and even used several of the buildings like the Sher Mandal, a rather pretty two-storeyed octagonal building. Humayun used this as his library and, then tripped to his death from its steps.

¤ Excavation of Grey Ware Pottery

Several excavations have taken place in the Purana Qila in an attempt to prove, or disprove as the case may be, whether it is indeed the site of Indraprastha or not. Diggings have yielded Painted Grey Ware pottery which has been dated to 1000BC. Similar stuff has been noticed in other sites associated with the epic Mahabharata as well, which seem to conclusively prove that this indeed was the place where Indraprastha once flourished. These excavation have also thrown up material, like coins, associated with the Gupta (about 4-5th century AD) and post-Gupta ages (700-800AD) of Indian history as well.

¤ Qila-i-kuhna Masjid

One of the most fascinating buildings, and also one of the few that still survive, in the Purana Qila is the Qila-i-kuhna masjid. Sher Shah Suri built it in 1541 (also see History) and he was obviously out to make a definite style statement. The mosque is quite a place; its prayer hall measures 51.20m by 14.90m and has five doorways with the 'true' horseshoe-shaped arches. Apparently the idea was the build the whole mosque in marble, but the supply ran out and red sandstone had to be used instead. But the builder used the material at hand very skillfully and the result is quite spectacular – the red sandstone and the marble contrast beautifully with each other to give the mosque a very distinctive air. The mihrabs (prayer niches) inside the mosque are richly decorated with concentric arches. From the prayer hall, staircases lead you to the second storey where a narrow passage runs along the rectangular hall. The central alcove is topped by a beautifully worked dome. In the courtyard at one time there was a shallow tank, which had a fountain. The mosque has an inscription which says 'As long as there are people on this earth, may this edifice be frequented, and people be happy in it.' A noble thought – amen to it.

3. Tughlaqabad Fort

¤ Fort Stands In Isolation

Tughlaqabad Fort'Ya base gujjar, ya rahe ujjar.' (May [this city] be the abode of nomads or remain in wilderness.)

These words, with which the great Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya cursed Ghiyas-ud-din's city, seem to still echo all over the ghostly ruins of Tughlaqabad. The citadel frowns down ominously like some Gothic palace all over the Qutub-Badarpur road and seems to prefer its splendid isolation. Which is of course not exactly what Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq had in mind when he started out building it. It would have broken the old sultan's heart if he had seen just how swiftly the saint's curse went into action; soon after his death in fact.

¤ Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq Raised The City

It seems that even when he was far from being a king Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq had dreamed of raising his city, Tughlaqabad. Earlier, Ghiyas-ud-din had been a general (he rose to being the governor of an important province like Punjab, but that's another story) in Ala-ud-din Khalji's army. Once while on the road with Ala-ud-din, Ghiyas-ud-din, on spotting this area, mentioned to the sultan what an ideal setting it seemed to provide for a new city. Upon this the king indulgently (and, knowing Ala-ud-din, also perhaps patronizingly) replied, 'When you become king, build it.' Knowing full well, as every boss, that while he was around there was not a shadow of a chance of anyone else taking his place. After the death of Ala-ud-din various events conspired to put the general on the throne at last. Then he fulfilled his long-cherished dream.

¤ A Stratigical Layout of The Fort

Romanticism apart, Tughlaqabad also made perfect strategic sense. Those were the times the Mongols were a real menace to society and generally a pain in the neck for all the sultans of the Delhi Sultanate. Almost everything that the sultans built was aimed baffling the Mongols with sheer structural magnificence (read somewhere to duck in and hope for the best).

Tughlaqabad fort, situated as it was on high rocky ground, was ideally located to withstand sieges. Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq helped matters along by putting up formidable walls which, though short on aesthetic value, are excellent examples of solid unimaginative masonry and not the type that any invading army could hope to scale in a hurry. Tughlaq put ramparts towering at heights of anywhere between 9m (30ft) to 15.2m (50ft), and rising up to 29.8m (98ft) around the citadel, between himself and the Mongols.

The fort is half-hexagonal in shape and Ghiyas-ud-din seems to have built defenses around and in it till he was blue in the face. The outer walls are built around the silhouette of the surrounding land and, what with their height and width, add formidably to the natural barriers. They were also well defended. On the north, east and west sides it is protected by trenches that go far down, and in the south a lake acts sentinel.

¤ To Reach The Inner Complex of The Fort

The parapets have small loopholes all over them from where Ghiyas-ud-din's soldiers to spot invaders quickly and start saying it with arrows. The fort has or at least had thirteen portals and the inner citadel has three more. If you could reach them that is, because it was defended in depth by three layers of battlements.

For all the defense, the city of Tughlaqabad hardly saw any warfare. Perhaps that is why it bears such an air of dejection – it could never fulfill the task it was built for. You enter the fortress by a highway, which was set one 27 arches, almost all of them have vanished now. Water being prized commodity (and allegedly one of the reasons why Tughlaqabad was finally abandoned) there was a huge reservoir to store rainwater in the fortress; you can still see it.

When one enters the fort, the first impression is of emptiness; the ruins begin registering later. It is difficult to imagine that if one was somehow transported a few centuries back, these very walls would come alive, with people brushing past you and if things got really lively one could even find oneself in the midst of a full-scale Mongol invasion.

As you enter, to the left, used to be the palaces and to the right still stand the ruins of the a tower (Bijai Mandal, not to be confused with the one in Jahanpanah; also see Bijai Mandal), several halls and a subterraneous passage that led to the Bijai Mandal in Jahanpanah. Just beyond was the city, with its streets (all laid out in a grid), houses, mosques, peoples and bazaars.

¤ An Excellent View

A walk up the walls is well worth the while and, well, one of the main reasons why people come here at all. The vista is glorious; the ruins inside the fort, Ghiyas-ud-din's tomb next door and remains of the Adilabad fort (built by Ghiyas-ud-din's son Muhammad) lay scattered in front of you like petty detail.

Walking along the southern side of the fortress next to the outer wall is a way out of the impregnable fortress which one supposes was reserved for dire emergencies in case of prolonged sieges. This was a standard practise all over India; a secret escape route was part of the building plan in any fortress. Don't feel tempted to try it, if you value your neck. Further towards the west there is an abysmal tank which you don't want to go falling into – it is called the road to hell (Jahannum ka raasta) and for obvious reasons.

For a place of its size, Tughlaqabad was built with surprising speed, just four years. and of course abandoned with equal speed in 1327. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq, probably being one of those modern free thinking guys who didn't want to be known by his father's laurels, chose to make a city of his own called Jahanpanah. One of his first achievement being to do away with Ghiyasuddin by arranging one of those accidents that were so frequent in medieval ages; a pavillion built to welcome Ghiyas-ud-din fell on him, of all things.

Anyway, with the sultan's death, the city's short-lived glory to an abrupt end.

4. Nai ki Kot--The Fortresses of Adilabad

South of Tughlaqabad and once connected to it by a causeay is the fortress of Adilabad, which was built by Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq. In plan it is a smaller version of Tughlaqabad, with the trademark sloping walls of huge stone. Inside Adilabad was the legendary Qasr-i-hazaar satun or the Palace of a thousand pillars, which seems to have been a really popular idea back then (see Bijai Mandal). The palace had a huge audience hall, which was built on columns of varnished wood. Towards the southern gateway you can still see a vaulted corridor which used to be flanked by guardrooms. Adilabad has all the marks of a fine Tughlaq building with that style's typically austere walls, bare surfaces, corbeled arches and crenellation.

Outside the fortress towards the east is the Barber's fort. It is not known whether a barber actually ever lived in the tiny fortress of Nai ka kot (barber's fort), but it seems Ghiyas-ud-din certianly did. He used this place as a temporary residence when Tughlaqabad was coming up. It is built in the same style as Adilabad.

Hope you enjoyed this tourists spots and famous places in Delhi. Have a great vacation.

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Today I would like to post pictures from Akshardham. A tourists spots in Delhi. Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi epitomises 10,000 years of Indian culture in all its breathtaking grandeur, beauty, wisdom and bliss. It brilliantly showcases the essence of India’s ancient architecture, traditions and timeless spiritual messages. The Akshardham experience is an enlightening journey through India’s glorious art, values and contributions for the progress, happiness and harmony of mankind.

The grand, ancient-styled Swaminarayan Akshardham complex was built in only five years through the blessings of HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) and the colossal devotional efforts of 11,000 artisans and BAPS volunteers. The complex was inaugurated on 6 November, 2005.

Akshardham means the eternal, divine abode of the supreme God, the abode of eternal values and virtues of Akshar as defined in the Vedas and Upanishads where divine bhakti, purity and peace forever pervades.
For the first time ever in the world witness the heritage of India in all its facets, insights and beauty at the Swaminarayan Akshardham through its mandir, exhibitions, verdant gardens and other attractions. Without further do. Here they are.
















Hope you enjoyed the pictures in Akshardham. A great tourists spots in Delhi.

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Commonwealth Games or popularly known as Friendly Games is a quadrennial sporting event participated by Commonwealth Countries who were erstwhile British colonies. The objective behind the game is general welfare of the people of the Commonwealth through encouragement of education via sports development and physical recreation.

Started in 1930 in Hamilton (Canada) as British Empire Games, it took its new incarnation in 1974 as Commonwealth Games. Since its inception Commonwealth Games has seen spectacular increase in the number of athletes, number of participating countries and sporting events and at present it is the second biggest sporting event in the world after Olympic Games.

From Hamilton (1930) to Melbourne (2006) Commonwealth Games has traveled across the length and breadth of the globe showcasing extraordinary enthusiasm among the hosts and participating countries for last Eighteen times. For the Nineteenth times it is going to be held in New Delhi (the Capital City of India) in 2010 from 3rd October to 14th October. Commonwealth Games is going to set its foot for the first time in the sub-continent and for the second time in Asia after Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

New Delhi got this opportunity by defeating Canadian city of Hamilton by 46 to 22 votes in 2003 in Jamaica. New Delhi was chosen because of its dazzling charms, cosmopolitan culture, rich history along with warm people and liberal government.

Besides this New Delhi's fantastic geographical location and climate, architectural and monumental marvels, modern and vibrant industries and hospitality sector, sophisticated means of transportation and communication, richness of arts, crafts, dance and music and above all highly rich sporting culture are going to make this city the finest destination The Commonwealth Games has ever seen.

The New Delhi Commonwealth Games is to witness 8500 athletes of 85 Commonwealth teams participating in 17 sports. The motto of this game is "COME OUT AND PLAY". An upward spiraling wheel inspired by Ashok Chakra showcasing India's rise as a global power and its transition from tradition to modernity is chosen the Official Logo of 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The colour combination of the Official Logo symbolizes India's rich and vibrant diversity in culture and people. "Shera" the Royal Bengal Tiger, the national animal of India is the Official Mascot of New Delhi's Commonwealth Games which is claded with white sporting jersey and blue track paints.

Delhi is going to witness spectacular opening and closing ceremonies of 2010 Commonwealth Games with lot of fire works, dance, music, technological and computerized application and above all presence of many celebrities form almost all walks of life.

Games Village
The 2010 Commonwealth Games is going to be held in New Delhi. New Delhi is going to provide best ever accommodation facility to all athletes and officials attending the game. For this a completely new state-of -the-art Games Village is to be developed by Delhi Development Authority with an estimated cost of about $ 230 million.

The Village is to be developed along the bank of river Yamuna off National Highway No. 24 near Akshardham Temple at the Noida Mor. This is going to be a perfect location considering its surrounding filled with green scenic beauties, proximity to excellent visiting sites and having connected with excellent means of road and rail networks. According to the plan the completely new Games Village is to spread over 63.5 hectares of land. The ambitious project is going to accommodate about 8500 participating athletes and attending officials.

Atithi Devo Bhava is the trademark of Indian ways of hospitality and service to guest where guest is treated as God. This is to be the cornerstone of hospitality and services provides to athletes and officials at the Games Village. The Games Village is all set to translate traditional Indian hospitality into the best standard of comfort ever seen by the participating teams.

One cannot but must appreciate its lush green environment studded with lofty trees, green pastures and crop fields. This complex is surely going to give a soothing and relaxing avenue to the athletes to recover from tiredness and exhaustion. The most important advantage of the Commonwealth Games Village is the presence of some world famous site like Akshardham Temple, Red Fort, India Gate, Qutab Minar and Humayun's Tomb.

Besides natural and locational advantage government is going to make arrangements to make traveling of athletes an easy and comfortable affair. Therefore all the sporting venues are within the range of 10 km to 15 km distance from the Games Village. They can be easily reached within 10-15 munites from the Games Village. Delhi government is all set to connect the Games village with other venues of the Commonwealth Games by high quality roads and metro rail networks for smooth commuting of athlete, official and spectators.


Commonwealth Games
The 19TH edition of the Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held in New Delhi. Being a multi-sports event Commonwealth Game 2010 is to feature seventeen different sports. Commonwealth Games was just started in 1930 with only six sports on its programme: Athletics, Aquatics (Swimming & Diving) Boxing, Lawn Bowls, Rowing, and Wrestling. With the passage of time the Games have witnessed spectacular growth in terms of athletes, participating countries and sports.

The seventeen sports in the 2010 Commonwealth Games programme include some previously listed as well as some one. After hard bargaining of the Indian Olympic Association the organiser included archery and table tennis into the list. However due to lack of proper location for swimming stage triathlon was excluded from the programme. The 17 sports of the 2010 Commonwealth Games include Aquatics, Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Boxing, Cycling, Gymnastics, Hockey, Lawn Bowls, Netball, Rugby 7s, Shooting, Squash, Table Tennis, Tennis, Weightlifting and Wrestling.

As per the guide lines given by the Commonwealth Games Federation Delhi the host city has included all the core sports like athletics, aquatics, lawn bowls, netball and rugby sevens which are mandatory in nature. In addition to this Delhi also included some approved sports like archery, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, shooting, squash, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting, and wrestling.

The sport list has some men and women only events. The men-only events are boxing, rugby 7's and wrestling while women specific sports are netball and rhythmic gymnastics. There are some team sports like Hockey,

Rugby 7's and Netball. There is also a requirement to include some events for Elite Athletes with a Disability (EAD). This was introduced in the 2002 Games. At present there are 4 sports for EAD which include Athletics, Swimming, Table tennis and Powerlifting.

The detailed lists of 17 sports of the Commonwealth Games 2010 are given below.

* Aquatics
* Archery
* Athletics
* Badminton
* Boxing
* Cycling
* Gymnastics
* Hockey
* Lawn Bowls
* Netball
* Rugby 7s
* Shooting
* Squash
* Table Tennis
* Tennis
* Weightlifting
* Wrestling


Venues
The second biggest sports extravaganza of the world The Commonwealth Games is all set to take place in New Delhi in 2010. Eleven main venues of the city are to host the Games. Some of them are existing stadiums while others are newly built. Even the existing stadiums are renovated and upgraded to meet the international standard. Besides these main venues, which are to experience fierce competition of athletes in various events there are certain training venues. These training venues are there to provide adequate facility to athletes to prepare themselves before the actual competition. The host city is to witness five newly built stadiums including one indoor stadium at each in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium for weightlifting, Indira Gandhi Stadium for wrestling, Siri Fort Sport Complex for badminton and squash and Yamuna Sports Complex for table tennis. All these venues are to be located near the Games Village at an average distance of 10-15 km. which can be traveled easily within 15 to 20 munites. All these venues along with the Games Village are to be inter-connected with each other by high quality roads and metro rail network.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
The massive stadium located in C.G.O. complex was built in 1982. The third largest stadium in India is spread across 100 acres of land having a sitting capacity 78000 spectators. It is one of the best ground in India having synthetic tracks and floodlights facility. Besides Opening and Closing ceremony the stadium is going to host athletics, lawn bowls and weightlifting events in the coming Commonwealth Games.

Indira Gandhi Stadium
The largest indoor stadium in India located in Indraprasta Estate was built in 1982. Spreading across 102 acres of land it has a sitting capacity of 25000. The fully air conditioned indoor stadium has sophisticated audio and lightening system. This stadium is to be used for Cycling, Gymnastics and Wrestling events of the Commonwealth Games.

Dhyan Chand National Stadium
Located near India Gate the Field Hockey stadium has a holding capacity of 25000 spectators. Men's and Women's Field Hockey events of the Commonwealth Games are to be played here. It is adorned with modern facility like synthetic surface and electronics score board.

Siri Fort Sports Complex
A complete fully air-conditioned new stadium is to be built with four courts at Siri Fort complex. It is to be the main venue for squash and badminton for 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Talkatora Indoor Stadium
It is located on Willington Cresent Road. This stadium is to serve as Boxing venues for the coming Commonwealth Games. Besides boxing ring it has separate warm-up areas with total holding capacity of 3500 in persons.

Tyagraja Sports Complex
The multi-purpose air-conditioned indoor stadium is to be constructed to host netball event for 2010 Commonwealth Games. Two main courts, separate warm-up areas, electronics scoreboard and proper lightening facility are to be built here.

Yamuna Sports Complex
The fully air-conditioned indoor stadium is to be built to host Table Tennis for 2010 Commonwealth Games. There are two main courts with electronics scoreboards with 5000 in person holding capacity.

Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range
This facility is to host shooting competition for 2010 Commonwealth Games. There are different shooting ranges and ammunition storage facility in this stadium.

Delhi University Sports Complex
This outdoor sport complex is to be renovated to host Rugby 7's in the upcoming Commonwealth Games. When fully completed it is to hold 10000 spectators.

R.K. Khanna Tennis complex
This complex is to be used for Tennis event in the upcoming Commonwealth Games. It is to be so made to hold 6000 people with tennis courts.

Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukharjee Swimming Complex
This complex is to be used for Aquatics swimming and diving events in Delhi Commonwealth Games. There are 3 temperature controlled main pools. The stadium holds 5000 spectators.

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Since people truly seemed to find my 8 tourists spots in Delhi you want to visit useful for tourists places of attractions in Delhi, I thought I’d share a few more.

So here are 6 more tourists spots in Delhi you want to visit that you will not want to miss in Delhi:

India Gate and Rajpath

Situated along the ceremonial Rajpath avenue (meaning King's Way) in New Delhi, India Gate is a memorial raised in honour of the Indian soldiers who died during the Afghan wars and World War I. The names of the soldiers who died in these wars are in scribed on the walls. The cenotaph (or shrine) in the middle is constructed with black marble and depicts a rifle placed on its barrel, crested by a soldier's helmet. Each face of the cenotaph has inscribed in gold the words Amar Jawan (in Hindi, meaning Immortal Warrior). The green lawns at India Gate are a popular evening and holiday rendezvous for young and old alike

The war memorial arch, India Gate, was built by the British in the honor of the unknown martyrs, who lost their lives in the First World War and Second Afghan War. Vijay Chowk (the Victory Square) is the site of 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony held annually in New Delhi, on 29th January. Originally known as All India War Memorial, it has the names of the soldiers who died in the wars inscribed on its walls. Since 1971, there is the eternal soldier's flame burning under it, known as 'Amar Jawan Jyoti'.

It is said that Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker designed India Gate and its surrounding area. India Gate is situated on Rajpath (the Royal Road). It is the ceremonial boulevard of the Indian republic that boasts of ornamental parks, pools and gardens alongside. It is here that the much-awaited event of Republic Day Parade takes place on 26th January every year. Rajpath runs through India Gate and Vijay Chowk and has Rashtrapati Bhavan at one end and National Stadium at another.

As we go along Rajpath, across Raisina Hill - the administrative center of India, we find the two secretarial buildings - North Block and South Block on its either side. One can also see Sansad Marg and the Parliament House along the stretch of this wide road. North Block houses the offices of Finance and Home Ministries, while South Block is home to External Affairs and Defense Ministries. Other than this, Rajpath is surrounded by many official buildings and museums. There is Indira Gandhi National Center for Arts as well as National Museum, famous for its archaeological collections.

Akshardham Temple

Akshardham Temple is a magnificent Hindu shrine, situated in the east region of New Delhi. Located on the banks of River Yamuna, it was inaugurated in November 2005, by the former President of India - APJ Abdul Kalam, the Prime Minister - Manmohan Singh and Pramukh Swami Maharaj - the spiritual leader of BAPS. Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the current spiritual leader of Swaminarayan Sanstha, BAPS. Swaminarayan Akshardham was constructed under his guidance, after his guru, Yogiji Maharaj, expressed a wish for the same.

As a spiritual leader, Swamiji constantly travels and meets people across the world, to help them lead better lives. There are various cultural and educational activities conducted by the Swaminarayan Sanstha. Akshardham is also a part of BAPS's initiative to promote Indian art, culture and values. BAPS also has a charitable arm, known as BAPS Care, working for the betterment of the people. The main shrine in the complex is dedicated to Bhawgwan Swaminarayan.

The temple enshrines 11 ft tall gilded statue of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. The building is constructed entirely from Pink Sandstone and Italian Marble, without any concrete or steel. The intricate carvings, magnanimous structure and the backdrop of River Yamuna, render the temple a masterpiece of art. Other than the main temple, there are a number of buildings in the complex where you can enjoy cultural and spiritual activities.

The Halls

'Sahajanand Pradarshan' is the first Hall in the complex. It features life size robots, dioramas, and incidents from Bhagwan Swaminarayan's life. It also houses world's smallest animatronic robot, in the form of Ghanshyam Maharaj, the child form of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

'Nilkanth Kalyan Yatra', Hall 2, houses a large format screen. Here, a movie, specially commissioned for the complex, shows the journey of Bhagwan Swaminarayan throughout India.

'Sanskruti Vihar', Hall 3, takes visitors on a journey through 10,000 years of Indian history in 10 minutes. Visitors are seated in specially designed peacock boats that make their way around an artificial river.

The Yagnapurush Kund
The Yagnapurush Kund is India's largest step well. It descends down, via a series of steps, to a traditional 'yagna kund'. At night, a musical fountain show, representing the circle of life, is played for an audience, seated on the same steps.

The Bharat Upavan
The Bharat Upavan, or 'Garden of India', has sprawling lawns, varied trees and shrubs, dotted with bronze sculptures of the contributors to India's culture.

The Yogi Hraday Kamal
It is a lotus shaped garden, containing stones engraved with quotes from world luminaries, ranging from Shakespeare and Martin Luther King, to Swami Vivekananda and Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

Other Features
Nilkanth Abishek Mandapam
Narayan Sarovar
AARSH Centre
Premvati Ahargruh


Chandni Chowk

The antiquity of the main market area of Chandni Chowk has rendered it a venerated place in the markets of Delhi. It is said that it was once lined with beautiful fountains. However, with time, it grew as crowded as it is today. Situated opposite the Red Fort, Chandani Chowk houses the Digambar Jain Temple, Fatehpuri Mosque - built by the wives of Shah Jahan - and Sunheri Masjid.

It was from here that the troops of Nadir Shah started their mission of plundering and massacring the 'infidels' at Delhi. One of the most prominent wholesale and retail markets of India, Chandni Chowk is more than 300 years old. It was established in 1650, when Mughal Emperor Shahjahan shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi, as an accompaniment to the fort. Jahanara, the Emperor's favorite daughter, is credited with designing this market, where an arcade of shops was built in a half-moon shape around a pool.

It soon budded into a prosperous trading center and branched into a number of by-lanes and soon stretched from the Fort to Fatehpuri Mosque. A canal known as Faiz Nahar, renovated by Ali Mardan Khan, is said to have run through the entire length of Chandni Chowk, providing water for both drinking and irrigation, but it went into disuse later. Besides the Red Fort situated nearby, one can also visit the famous Chawri Bazaar.

It is one of the narrowest, busiest and most prosperous trading centers of Delhi, dealing in iron and hardware, paper, utensils of brass, copper and stainless steel. You can see traditional framework of Chandni Chowk consisting of 'Havelis', 'Kuchas' & 'Katras'. Visit the seven major Hindu and Jain temples, two Churches, three Mosques and two Gurudwaras in the area. These places of worship include Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, Jama Masjid, Gurudwara Shish Ganj, Gauri Shankar temple and Sunahari Masjid.


Old Delhi

Old Delhi was once known as the city of Shahjahanabad. Shah Jahan established it and made it his capital. This fortified city has a long and interesting history and even today, the remains of its glorious past can be seen in the form of Kashmiri Gate, Ajmeri Gate, Turkman Gate, Delhi Gate and Feroz Shah Kotla. The ever-increasing population in this area has resulted in extremely dense housing overlapping the small industries and commercial activities in the region. Purani Dilli, the capital of Muslim India, from 17th to 19th century houses a number of forts, monuments and mosques.

Chandni Chowk, Red Fort and Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India, are also a part of Old Delhi. The prime attractions of Old Delhi include Kashmiri Gate, which was witness to the desperate fighting where mutineers of 1857 were crushed by the British with an iron hand. Then, there is the British-erected Mutiny Memorial, the Ashoka pillar brought here by Feroz Shah Tughlaq, Digambar Jain Mandir, Sunehri and Fatehpur Masjid, the ruins of the city of Feroz Shah Kotla, erected by Feroz Shah Tughlaq in 1354, and Raj Ghat.

Today, Purani Dilli is a labyrinth of tiny lanes lined, with the remnants of 17th century havelis (mansions), inhabited by a predominantly Muslim population. Yet other attractions of Old Delhi include Zinat-ul Masjid in Daryaganj, which is also known as Cloud Mosque and was built in 1710 by one of Aurangzeb's daughters. Then, there is the Gandhi Memorial Museum and the St. James Church, the oldest church of Delhi built by Col. James Skinner, who was the son of a Scotsman and his Rajput wife.

Rajghat

Raj Ghat, the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most visited sites in Delhi. It consists of a simple square black-marble platform that stands on the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. Nearby, there are cremation sites of Jawaharlal Nehru - the first Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri.

Raj Ghat is situated to the south of Red Fort and is very peaceful. The black marble tomb is inscribed by the words 'Hey Ram!', the last words that were spoken by Mahatma Gandhi, as he fell down after being shot by Nathuram Godse. The whole edifice of the Samadhi reflects the simple and nature-loving personality of the great leader. The cenotaph stands surrounded by earthworks that protect it from the flooding of the Yamuna. These walls have resulted in the open space of the memorial being converted into an enclosed garden.

It is customary to circumambulate the tomb three times. The powerful spiritual aura of the place touches one's heart. This national shrine has an eternal flame and the sandstone walls enclosing it are inscribed with various passages written by Gandhi. The entire area of Rajghat stands surrounded by trees and here, one can see some of the most exotic shrubs of the country. This greenery is what lends such a serene aura to the Samadhi. The affairs of the Rajghat are being managed by an autonomous statutory body.

It is known by the name of Rajghat Samadhi Committee and was created by an Act of Parliament in 1951. One can also visit the National Gandhi Museum in the vicinity, which houses a collection of rare photographs and trivia related to Gandhiji. Vijay Ghat is the memorial of Prime Minister Lal Bhadur Shastri, while Indira Gandhi was cremated in Shakti Sthal. Rajeev Gandhi followed his mother's footsteps and was the most beloved Prime Minister of India, when he was slaughtered in a terrorist attack. He was cremated at the Veer Bhoomi.

Rashtrapati Bhawan

Rashtrapati Bhawan was formerly known as 'Viceroy's House' and was occupied by the Governor-General of India, until independence. Also known as President's House, the building holds a prominent position in New Delhi. Designed by the British architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, this classical building uses colors and details peculiar to Indian architecture. It was completed by 1929 and was officially inaugurated in 1931. It was in 1950 that President started living in this ceremonial building and the 'Viceroy's House' was renamed as 'Rashtrapati Bhavan.' It has 340 decorated rooms and a floor area of 200,000 square feet.

It presents a blend of Mughal and European architectural styles. While Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of India, Sansad Bhawan or the Parliament House is the center of political power in India Parliament House is one of the most magnificent buildings in New Delhi. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker, it took six years to be constructed. It was inaugurated on 18th January, 1927 by the then Governor-General of India, Lord Irwin. The massive circular edifice has a circumference of about one-third of a mile and stretches across six acres.

The beautiful works that make the architecture of the Parliament House so special include the layout of fountains both inside and outside the building, statues, murals and marble 'jali' (mesh) that adorn its windows. It houses Lok Sabha (House of the People), Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the erstwhile Library Hall (formerly the Princes Chamber). Along with this, there are well-planned garden courts, accommodation for Ministers and Chairmen, Parliamentary Committees, Party Offices, important offices of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha here. Secretariats and the offices of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs are also located here.

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Today I would like to show you a video about Delhi and see for yourself in the video all about delhi. In the video it mentions also the tourists spots in Delhi. Enjoy and leave your thoughts in the comments.



Here is the summary of the video.

Delhi, the national capital of India, is a unique place where one would find shades of both the old and the new. On one hand, for a tourist coming to Delhi, this place has to offer some of the most marvelous monuments that tell the tales of its rich glorious past. On the other hand, one can also find glimpses of modern architecture that is beyond comparison.

Delhi, a place where traditional beliefs coexist with modern values, persuades the tourists from all across the world to come and visit it. People flock to this place to witness the brilliant and breathtaking blend of traditionality and modernity. Delhi is a city of limitless wonders both belonging to ancient and modern times.

Red Fort, a brilliant structure built in red sandstone is a monument that bespeaks of the mighty Mughal rule in the country and is one of the outstanding creations by Emperor Shah Jahan. Another architectural masterpiece is the Qutab Minar- the highest stone tower in India. A Muslim Emperor named, Qutub-ud-din built this 72.5-meter high tower in 1199 A.D. Delhi also embraces people with different religions and is home to some of the finest religious places. Birla Mandir or the Laxmi Narayan Mandir is a huge temple complex for Hindus. Bangla Sahib -The famous Sikh Shrine too attracts numerous devotees. The Sacred Heart Cathedral is one of the oldest churches in Delhi where people flock to find solace and peace. Delhi is a place where Muslim spirituality is also expressed with elegance. Jama Masjid, the biggest and largest mosque in India is a wonderful example of magnificent Mughal architecture. India is known primarily for its wonderful handicrafts, and Delhi being the capital city is a hub for handicrafts. Dilli Haat is a place where one can find handicraft items belonging to different regions of the country.

The 21st Century Delhi is a bustling metropolis; in its territory lie not only the premier political offices but also some of the top corporate offices of the country. Its Ultra Modern , Swanky Malls, huge department stores, chic boutiques, are all here to satisfy the unending appetite of shopping buffs. The National Capital's gigantic multiplexes, massive amusement parks, colossal golf courses are a great source of fun to both young and the old. For the connoisseur of food there are both Indian and foreign delicacies available in its food joints and restaurants. Delhi also has a magnificent nightlife with its famous discos and pubs spread across the city. For the upkeep of the health, Delhi's Super Specialty Hospitals take care of almost all types of ailments. Delhi is also a great home to gain wisdom. Students from world over flock to its famous temples of learning to get educated on plethora of subjects like humanities, engineering, medicine and management.

In Delhi, The Wonder called India is colorfully depicted in the hues of both traditionality and modernity. It has been rightly denoted as "Mini India"- where the ancient as well as the new happily coexist. Delhi is a robust bastion for the synthesis of past with the present.