Sights and Activities of Delhi

Delhi is the place where you can drench yourself in the ethnic past of old Delhi as well as take a dip into the refreshing attractions of New Delhi. Old Delhi is where you will find all the famous forts and monuments, that preserve within them centuries old history. While New Delhi has the trendiest of ayurvedic centres, spas, clubs, cultural centres, shopping spaces and entertainment sites.

Most of the historical sites have their weekly off, which mostly falls on Monday. Sunday is most appropriate for sightseeing as you will get less traffic on the roads. Many of the historical monuments have entry charges for the ticket receipts and there is a fixed opening and closing time. The Dollar charges are accepted in its rupee equivalent. People here are generally courteous. Their are many local languages spoken here apart from the national language Hindi.

Old Delhi:
Red Fort:
One of the topmost ranked tourist attraction of Delhi, Red Fort is an edifice par excellence. The imposing fort built in red sandstone is octagonal in shape and is surrounded by lush gardens. The perimeter of the fort runs to more than 2 km while the height of the fortifying walls rises from 18m along the river to 33 m along the town. The massive citadel was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in 1648 after a construction period of around ten years. It took around one crore rupees, an exorbitant sum at that time, to erect the edifice.

River Yamuna once used to fill the 10 m deep moat surrounding the fort, an eminent feature of Mughal forts. Delhi became the administrative capital for the Mughals only during the reigns of Aurangzeb. The fort saw the peak of Mughal dynasty and its fall too. It was from here that the first formal announcement of Independence was made by our first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru.
Lahori Gate:
The main entrance to the Red Fort is Lahori Gate, where you will get the entry tickets. The Gate's name signifies its direction, as it faces Lahore, a city that's now in Pakistan. Entering into the gate, you are welcomed to a passage of stalls known as Chhatta Chawk. The arcaded apartements sell some of the unique master pieces of art and craft, including silverware, metalware, paintings, jewelery, decoration items, etc which can be taken back as souvenirs. The arcade once used to have shops selling items needed by the royal households. Beyond the Chatta Chowk is the Naubat Khana or the Drum House where music was played five times in a day, for the emperor. There used to be galleries in the open areas beyond the Naubat Khana, which were later destroyed by the Britishers. One can also have a view of Indian War Memorial Museum that is located on the upper floor.

Diwan-i-Aam:
The Hall of Public Audience , situated in Red Fort, is where the emperor used to hear the petitions and complaints from his subjects and grant them justice. The grandness of the court can be imagined from its remains of huge courtyards, arches and bays. It must have been a splendorous site with carpets, chandeliers and the emperor's throne of marble and precious stones that were later plundered by invaders.

Diwan-e-Khas:
The Hall of Private Audience, as the name suggests, was were the emperor used to have confidential meetings with his ministers. The main attraction of this marble chamber was the peacock throne of the emperor, which was made of gold and embellished with precious gems and stones. It was plundered by Nadir Shah, a Persian invader. Even the ceiling of the court made in silver, was removed by the Maratha rulers, which leaves the Mughal edifice a meager reflexion of its past.

Royal Baths: Along with the Diwan-i-Khas you will see a bath house or Hammam that consists of three apartments topped with domes and connected with channeled corridors. At the centre point is a fountain enhancing the beauty and royalty of the place. The floors are made of marble with attractive pietra dura work while screens of colored glass are used for the rooms.

Shahi Bhurj:
To the north-eastern end of the fort, you will see a massive octagonal structure that served as a private working area for the emperor. There were water channels from this three floored royal tower, that flowed towards the Rang Mahal, Diwan-e-Khas and the Royal Baths.

Moti Masjid:
To the west of the Royal Baths is the private mosque of emperor Aurangzeb. The relatively small and secluded mosque was built in 1659 by the emperor for his protection. The orientation of the mosque follows that of the holy Mecca mosque. It is topped with domes and is inlaid with black marbles fitted with prayer carpets.

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Gardens of the fort:
Following the trend of other Mughal monuments, Red Fort also has gardens in the charbagh or four quartered style. The pavilions are beautifully laid out with flowers and fountains, but they are not as good as the gardens of that era. According to Holy Quran, It is considered that lush gardens with water channels and fountains are a symbol of paradise.

Other Features of the Fort:
Other attractions of the fort include the Khas Mahal, which was the private palace of the emperor, the Rang Mahal, that served as the palace of emperor's chief wife and the Museum of Archeology that has exhibits from the Mughal era.

Sound and Light Show:
One must not miss the special sound and light show at the Red Fort, which illuminates the whole area and recreates the magic of the events the fort has witnessed. The show requires nominal entry charges and starts between 7.30 and 9 pm, depending on the season.

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Jama Masjid:
> Also known as Masjid-i-Jahan, Jama Masjid is the largest mosque of India. The mosque was emperor Shah Jahan's last architectural creation. It is situated in Old Delhi in close proximity with the Red Fort. The mosque was erected in six years in 1658 with extensive use of red sandstone and white marble. The mosque has four entrance gateways surrounded by tall three-storied minarets and towers. The eastern gate is the largest, through which the King used to enter. The huge courtyard, becide the brilliant facade, is another attraction of the mosque, which can accommodate 25000 devotees simultaneously.

A view from the southern minaret of the mosque will actually make you believe the strategic planning of architect Edwin Lutyens who had put the mosque in line with Canaught Place and Sansad Bhavan. Though entering the mosque does not require any fee, but climbing on the minaret would require a small payment of Rs 20 to be made and female travelers must be accompanied by men. Respecting the religious sentiments, one must take of the footwear before entering the mosque, wear decent clothes and cover their heads too.

Chandni Chowk:
The favorite place for local Delhites to hang out and have some delicious street food, Chandni Chowk is the main shopping area of Old Delhi. Through its congested narrow lanes and dilapidated residential structures it will take you back to the old times. The 16th century Digambara Jain Temple and the Fatehpuri Masjid dating back to the 17th century are the historical attractions of the place.
Raj Ghat:

One of the most visited and revered site, Raj Ghat, is the cremation ground of Mahatma Gadhi, a father figure to India. A small plinth of black marble kept here marks the site where he was actually cremated. The first Prime Minister of India, Jawahar Lal Nehru, his daughter and the first woman Prime Minister of the country, Indira Gandhi and her sons Sanjay and Rajeev Gandhi are also cremated here.
It would be a great opportunity for you to take the blessings of Mahatma Gandhi and go through his teachings and life history in the Gandhi Memorial Museum located here to learn about the great man.