India Gate
Synonymous with New Delhi and situated in the heart
of the city, India Gate is one of the most popular
monuments in the city. The foundation stone of India
Gate was laid in 1920 and the structure was unveiled in
1933. Designed by Edwin Lutyens, India Gate was
dedicated to all the Indian soldiers of the British Army
who died in World War I. Another memorial, the Amar
Jawan Jyoti was added later and was dedicated to
soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the Indo-Pakistan
war of 1971.
The India Gate is flanked by lush green lawns, which are
a popular picnic spot, especially during winter
afternoons and summer evenings. The wide roads
surrounding the India Gate are also frequented by
morning and evening walkers. There is also a small pond
nearby where one can enjoy boating as well. At nightfall
India Gate is beautifully lit up, including the
surrounding fountains and makes for a beautiful sight.
Lotus Temple (Baha’i House of Worship)
The Baha’I House of Worship, more popularly known as
the Lotus Temple, owing to its shape and design, is one
of Delhi’s most recognized structures.
The Lotus temple, constructed entirely out of white
marble, is known for its modern architecture, which
stands out against the concrete jungle around it. The
temple consists of twenty seven massive marble petals
shaped like an unfolding lotus flower, which rises from
nine pools and walkways. The number nine signifies the
nine unifying paths of the Baha’i faith. A little niche
under each petal contains sayings from the Baha’I
scriptures.
The temple does not contain any idols or images, as it
is against the Bah’i faith and visitors are welcome to
meditate inside the temple silently. The temple is
surrounded by beautifully maintained laws and the best
time to visit the temple is during sunset.
Rashtrapati Bhavan
The Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of
the President of India and is a rambling mansion with
breath taking architecture. Spread over 320 acres, the
vast grounds of the Rashtrapati Bhavan are home not only
the head of state, but also staff quarters, stables,
offices and the beautiful and famed Mughal Gardens.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan was designed by British
architect, Edwin Lutyens and is a unique amalgamation of
Mughal and European architecture. Such is the grandeur
of this mansion that very few residences of heads of
states from around the world can match up to the
extravagance that is the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Situated at
the eastern edge of Rajpath, the Rashtrapati Bhavan
faces the India Gate, which lies at the Western edge of
the same road.
On either side of the Rashtrapati Bhavan lie the North
Block and South Block, which house various ministries of
the Government of India. The lavish Mughal Gardens lie
behind the North Block and South Block, which opens to
the public from mid-February to mid-March. Apart from
this you can also enjoy a guided tour of a few section
of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, such as the Durbar Hall,
Lutyens’ Gallery, Long Drawing Room, Ashoka Hall,
Children’s Gallery and Gift Museum which have now been
opened to the public.
Red Fort (Lal Qila)
The Red Fort-a massive red sandstone fort is
synonymous with Delhi and is proof of the glory of the
flourishing Mughal Empire in Delhi.
Commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1638 when he decided to
shift the capital of the Mughal Empire from Agra to
Delhi, the Red Fort took a total of ten years to be
completed. The main gate to the Red Fort is the Lahore
Gate and is also the site for the Prime Ministers speech
every year on Independence Day. A UNESCO World Heritage
Site, the Red Fort is spread over a rambling 254.67
acres and the walls alone are around 2kilometres long.
The Red Fort is octagonal in design and there are
beautiful flower decorations and calligraphy on the
walls, examples of later Mughal style architecture. At
one point the Read Fort was surrounded by a deep moat,
used to keep intruders out. The Red Fort contains the
Diwan-e-Aam, the Diwan-e-Khas, the Moti Masjid and the
Hayat Baksh Bagh among other interesting architectural
elements.
Qutub Minar Overview
The Qutub Minar is a towering 73 meter high tower
built by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in 1193. The tower was built
to celebrate Muslim dominance in Delhi after the defeat
of Delhi’s last Hindu ruler. This tower is the highest
tower in India, complete with five storeys and
projecting balconies. The first three storeys of the
Qutub Minar are made of red sandstone and the last two
are made of marble and sandstone.
The construction of the Qutub Minar was started by
Qitub-ud-Din Aibak, but he only constructed the
basement. The construction of the tower was later taken
over by his successor Iltutmish who constructed three
more stories. The last two storeys were completed Firoz
Shah Tuglak. The different architectural styles from the
time of Aibak to Tuglak are clearly visible in the Qutub
Minar.
Apart from the tower, the Qutub Minar complex comprises
of the Quwwat-us-Islam Mosque (the first mosque to be
built in India), a 7 metre high iron pillar, the tomb of
Iltutmish, Ala’i-Darwaza and the Ala’I Minar.
Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib
Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib is one of the oldest and
most iconic Sikh shrines in Delhi. The Gurudwara was
first established in 1783 by Baghel Singh to mark the
martyrdom of the Sikh Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur.
Located in Chandini Chowk, Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib was
built at the spot where Guru Teg Bahadur was beheaded by
Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, when the former refused to
convert to Islam.
The present building of the Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib was
constructed in 1930 and tree under which Guru Teg
Bahadur was beheaded has also been preserved and so is
the well where the guru would bathe.
The Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib is visited by devotes on a
regular basis and everyone is welcome here irrespective
of their religion, caste or gender.
National Rail Museum Overview
Located in Chankayapuri the National Rail Museum
celebrates the rail heritage of India and was opened to
the public on 1st February 1977. Located over an area of
10 acres, the museum has over 100 life size exhibits of
trains belonging to the Indian Railways.
The National Rail Museum contains working and stationary
models of trains, equipment used to signal to trains,
historical photographs and reading material related to
the railways. Among the trains on exhibition in the
museum are the royal Prince of Wales Saloon from 1857
and the Maharaja of Mysore’s Saloon built in 1899
complete with a rosewood bed.
Though the most popular train in the National Rail
Museum remains the Fairy Queen constructed in 1855 and
believed to be one of the most properly preserved steam
locomotives of that time. Apart from enjoying the
locomotives on display, one can also enjoy a joy ride on
the mono rail and boating as well.
