5 Reasons to Visit Delhi the Capital of India
Delhi’s have some of the most popular heritage areas like - Humayun’s Tomb and the Jama Masjid. The stunning architecture of these sites will make you lost in the bygone era.
1. Humayun’s Tomb
2. Hauz Khas Village
The Hauz Khas Village is one of the best places to explore in Delhi. In fact, it’s the happening place filled with great restaurants offering something which is enough to tickle the taste buds and satisfy the plate.
An affluent neighbourhood in South Delhi, Hauz Khas has been well known since medieval times. A reservoir is circumferenced with beautiful buildings and a well-maintained park around. View of the fort during sunset and sunrise is beyond words. There are remnants of Islamic architecture roughly coloured by splotches of urban culture. The existing status of the village retains the old charm of the place along with an enhanced aesthetic appeal through the well-maintained green parks all around with walkways, and the urbane refurbished upmarket and quirky places of interest that have spruced up the old Mughal surviving structures. Hauz Khas Village is also known for its electric nightlife with countless cafes, bars and pubs. No matter whether you are a Delhiite of not, you eventually find yourself at the most happening place in the city.
The Hauz Khas complex is replete with a water tank, an Islamic educational institution, a mosque, a tomb and the semi-urbanized village of Hauz Khas. The compound is dotted with domed structures which are tombs of royalties during 14th to 16th century. The tomb of Feroz Shah Tughlak, a renowned ruler of the Tughlak dynasty is at the end of the road.
Hauz Khas has an extensive and excellent range of cuisines from Himalayan to Continental dishes. The first floor is filled with restaurants and cafes. Yeti on the is a small and cosy place with exquisite Himalayan and Tibetan food on the menu. Matchbox, Ali Baba Caves, Lord of the Drinks Meadow, CAPSULE by Hinglish, Beer Cafe, Turquoise Cottage, Summer House Cafe, Kylin Sky Bar, Chemistry and Theobroma are other famous options in the area.
Here you get to do the best of street shopping. You will mostly find small kiosks selling all kinds of cotton clothes and curios. The clothes are generally export-surplus garments and are sold dirt-cheap. There's lots of silver and artificial jewellery studded with semi-precious stones available here. Refugees who came after the Partition and Tibetans who came when China invaded Tibet settled here as traders. Shopping here requires a couple of skills. One, you must have the ability to distinguish the fake from the genuine. Two, you must know and practice the art of bargaining patiently.
The Tibetan Market, near Hotel Imperial, is a storehouse of curios and Tibetan artefacts. You can shop for some silver jewellery, thangkhas and brassware.
Delhi’s have some of the most popular heritage areas like - Humayun’s Tomb and the Jama Masjid. The stunning architecture of these sites will make you lost in the bygone era.
1. Humayun’s Tomb
Type : Royal Mausoleum
Construction Started : 1565 AD
Construction Completed : 1572 AD
Cost of Construction : 15 lakh rupees
Maintained By : Archeological Survey of India (ASI)
Where is it Located : Delhi, India
Why was it Built : Tomb to house the mortal remains of Humayun, the second Mughal Emperor of India
Dimensions : 47 m in height; 91 m in width
Materials Used : Red Sand Stone
Architectural Style : Mughal
Architect : Mirak Mirza Ghiyath from Persia
Other Tombs in the Complex : Isa Khan Niyazi’s tomb, Afsarwala tomb, Barber’s tomb
Visit Timing : Sunrise to sunset, all days of the week (best time to visit is between 8:00 am to 6:00 pm).
Entry Fee : Rs. 30 per head for citizens of India, visitors of SAARC and BIMSTEC Countries. Rs. 550 per head for foreign nationals. Children up to 15 years do not require entry fee.
How to Reach : Easily accessible by road as well as by Delhi Metro. The nearest railway station is Nizammudin. Nearest Metro stations are, Jorbagh and Race Course stations (both on the Yellow line) are the nearest. AC/non AC buses can be availed from Rajiv Chowk/ISBT/Nizamuddin to reach Humayun’s Tomb Complex. Autos plying all over the city can also be availed.
The splendid mausoleum built in the memory of Emperor Humayun, the second Mughal ruler to ascend the throne, stands as a magnificent testament to the style of Mughal royal mausoleums. It is the first of the grand dynastic garden-tombs commissioned in. The tomb was commissioned by Bega Begum, Humayun’s Persian wife and chief consort in 1565 AD, nine years after the Emperor’s death. It was completed in 1572 AD under the patronage of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, the third Mughal ruler and Humayun’s son. Located in Nizamuddin, East Dehli, Humayun’s tomb or Makbara-e -Humayun is one of the best preserved Mughal monuments and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993.
2. Hauz Khas Village
The Hauz Khas Village is one of the best places to explore in Delhi. In fact, it’s the happening place filled with great restaurants offering something which is enough to tickle the taste buds and satisfy the plate.
An affluent neighbourhood in South Delhi, Hauz Khas has been well known since medieval times. A reservoir is circumferenced with beautiful buildings and a well-maintained park around. View of the fort during sunset and sunrise is beyond words. There are remnants of Islamic architecture roughly coloured by splotches of urban culture. The existing status of the village retains the old charm of the place along with an enhanced aesthetic appeal through the well-maintained green parks all around with walkways, and the urbane refurbished upmarket and quirky places of interest that have spruced up the old Mughal surviving structures. Hauz Khas Village is also known for its electric nightlife with countless cafes, bars and pubs. No matter whether you are a Delhiite of not, you eventually find yourself at the most happening place in the city.
The Hauz Khas complex is replete with a water tank, an Islamic educational institution, a mosque, a tomb and the semi-urbanized village of Hauz Khas. The compound is dotted with domed structures which are tombs of royalties during 14th to 16th century. The tomb of Feroz Shah Tughlak, a renowned ruler of the Tughlak dynasty is at the end of the road.
Hauz Khas has an extensive and excellent range of cuisines from Himalayan to Continental dishes. The first floor is filled with restaurants and cafes. Yeti on the is a small and cosy place with exquisite Himalayan and Tibetan food on the menu. Matchbox, Ali Baba Caves, Lord of the Drinks Meadow, CAPSULE by Hinglish, Beer Cafe, Turquoise Cottage, Summer House Cafe, Kylin Sky Bar, Chemistry and Theobroma are other famous options in the area.
3. Connaught Place
When it came into being, the sprawling circular market was the largest of its kind in India. The British believed that the horseshoe-shaped market would prove lucky for the shoppers and the shopkeepers both. This market has two circles. The Inner Circle consists of Blocks A to F. The important shops and showrooms here include Adidas Originals, Allen Solly, Bentley, Bon Ton, Cantabil, Gas, Johnson Watch Company, Kalpana, Lee, Louis Philippe, Neelkanth Jewellers, Nike, Orra, Park Avenue, Pepe, Proline and Fila, Roopchand Jewellers, Snowhite Square, Wills Lifestyle. Mohanlal Sons promises to give you ready or tailored attires to suit every occasion. Known for its quality and good service, you will find here a wide range of shirts, trousers, jackets, suits, kurtas and sherwanis. The Outer Circle consists of Blocks G to P. Showrooms like Digjam, Lacoste, Omega, Rado, RL Exports and TAG Heuer lie in this circle.
Ganga Ram & Sons in the Regal Building offer an exclusive range of wool and Cashmere suiting from premium brands. Gangoly Bros. have been known for their clocks and watches for generations. At Ivory Mart Jewellers in InterContinental Hotel you get traditional and ethnic pieces, beautifully crafted with hand-picked diamonds. Also check out the small range of handicraft pieces that are studded with precious stones.
The Tibetan Market, near Hotel Imperial, is a storehouse of curios and Tibetan artefacts. You can shop for some silver jewellery, thangkhas and brassware.
5. Mehraul
Don’t miss heading out to Mehrauli – the oldest place in the city. Make sure you visit the stepping well of Mehrauli and witness the mind-blowing architecture.
There are extraordinary riches scattered around Mehrauli, with more than 440 monuments – from the 10th century to the British era – dotting a forest and the village itself. In the forest, most impressive are the time-ravaged tombs of Balban and Quli Khan, his son, and the Jamali Khamali mosque, attached to the tomb of the Sufi poet Jamali. To the west is the 16th-century Rajon ki Baoli, Delhi's finest step-well, with a monumental flight of steps.
At the northern end of Mehrauli village is Adham Khan’s Mausoleum, which was once used as a British residence, then later as a police station and post office. Leading northwards from the tomb are the pre-Islamic walls of Lal Kot.
To the south of the village are the remains of the Mughal palace, the Zafar Mahal, once in the heart of the jungle. Next door to it is the Sufi shrine, the Dargah of Qutb Sahib. There is a small burial ground with one empty space that was intended for the last king of Delhi, Bahadur Shah Zafar, who died in exile in Burma (Myanmar) in 1862. South of here is a Lodi-era burial ground for hijras (tranvestites and eunuchs), Hijron ka Khanqah. The identity of those buried here is unknown, but it's a well-kept, peaceful place, revered by Delhi's hijracommunity. A little further south are Jahaz Mahal ('ship palace', also built by the Mughals) and the Haus i Shamsi tank
Don’t miss heading out to Mehrauli – the oldest place in the city. Make sure you visit the stepping well of Mehrauli and witness the mind-blowing architecture.
There are extraordinary riches scattered around Mehrauli, with more than 440 monuments – from the 10th century to the British era – dotting a forest and the village itself. In the forest, most impressive are the time-ravaged tombs of Balban and Quli Khan, his son, and the Jamali Khamali mosque, attached to the tomb of the Sufi poet Jamali. To the west is the 16th-century Rajon ki Baoli, Delhi's finest step-well, with a monumental flight of steps.
At the northern end of Mehrauli village is Adham Khan’s Mausoleum, which was once used as a British residence, then later as a police station and post office. Leading northwards from the tomb are the pre-Islamic walls of Lal Kot.
To the south of the village are the remains of the Mughal palace, the Zafar Mahal, once in the heart of the jungle. Next door to it is the Sufi shrine, the Dargah of Qutb Sahib. There is a small burial ground with one empty space that was intended for the last king of Delhi, Bahadur Shah Zafar, who died in exile in Burma (Myanmar) in 1862. South of here is a Lodi-era burial ground for hijras (tranvestites and eunuchs), Hijron ka Khanqah. The identity of those buried here is unknown, but it's a well-kept, peaceful place, revered by Delhi's hijracommunity. A little further south are Jahaz Mahal ('ship palace', also built by the Mughals) and the Haus i Shamsi tank
You can reach the forested part of the park by turning right from the metro station onto Anuvrat Marg and walking around 500m. A good way to explore the ruins is by guided walking tour.
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