Delhi, the capital of India has a fascinating history and a stimulating present. Delhi is fine amalgamation of old and new. The old city, built by Shah Jahan in the 17th century, stands today as an epitome of the whole history of Indo-Islamic architecture. New Delhi, designed and constructed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker is a mixture of East & West.

Old Delhi presents old world charm whereas New Delhi reflects the new world extravaganza. If you tour in the Old Delhi you will come across old fashioned narrow alleys with small and big shops of various items.

Delhi is a state and metropolis in northern India. The name Delhi also refers to the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT) pronunciation (help·info), which is a special union territory jointly administered by the Central government, the NCT elected government and three municipal corporations. The metropolis of Delhi and the National Capital Territory of Delhi are coextensive and for most practical purposes they are considered to be the same entity. New Delhi, an urban area within the metropolis of Delhi, is the seat of the Government of India.

Delhi is the sixth most populous metropolis in the world with a population of 15.3 million (2005 figure). Delhi's metropolitan area, informally known as the National Capital Region (NCR), comprises of the NCT and the neighbouring satellite towns of Faridabad and Gurgaon in Haryana, and Noida and Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh making it the sixth most populous agglomeration in the world, with an estimated population of 19.7 million[1].

Delhi is believed to be the site Indraprastha, capital of the Pandavas in the Indian epic Mahabharata, founded around 5000 BC. Hindu texts state that the city of Delhi used to be referred to in Sanskrit as Hastinapur, which means "elephant-city". Archaeological evidence suggests that Indraprastha once stood where the Old Fort is today. The earliest architectural relics date back to the Maurya Period (c. 300 BC); since then the site has seen continuous settlement. The famous Iron pillar near the Qutub Minar was commissioned by the emperor Kumara Gupta I of the Gupta dynasty (320-540) and transplanted to Delhi during the 10th century. Eight major cities have been situated in the Delhi area. The first four cities were in the southern part of present-day Delhi.

The Tomara Rajput dynasty founded the city of Lal Kot in 736 A.D. near the Qutub Minar. The epic Prithvirajaraso names the Rajput Anangpal as the founder of Delhi. The Chauhan Rajput kings of Ajmer conquered Lal Kot in 1180 A.D. and renamed it Qila Rai Pithora. The Chauhan king Prithviraj III was defeated in 1192 by the Afghan Muhammad Ghori. From 1206, Delhi became the capital of the Delhi Sultanate under the Slave Dynasty. The first Sultan of Delhi, Qutb-ud-din Aybak was a former slave who rose through the ranks to become a general, a governor and then Sultan of Delhi. Qutb-ud-din started the construction the Qutub Minar to commemorate his victory but died before its completion. In the Qutb complex he also constructed the Quwwat-al-Islam (might of Islam), which is the earliest extant mosque in India. After the end of the Slave dynasty, a succession of Turkic and Central Asian dynasties, the Khilji dynasty, the Tughluq dynasty, the Sayyid dynasty and the Lodhi dynasty held power in the late medieval period and built a sequence of forts and townships that are part of the seven cities of Delhi. In 1526, following the First Battle of Panipat, Zahiruddin Babur, the former ruler of Fergana, defeated the last Lodhi sultan and founded the Mughal dynasty which ruled from Delhi, Agra and Lahore.
The India Gate commemorates the 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in the Afghan Wars and World War I
Enlarge
The India Gate commemorates the 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in the Afghan Wars and World War I

In the mid-sixteenth century there was an interruption in the Mughal rule of India as Sher Shah Suri defeated Babur's son Humayun and forced him to flee to Afghanistan and Persia. Sher Shah Suri built the sixth city of Delhi, as well as the old fort known as Purana Qila and the Grand Trunk Road. After Sher Shah Suri’s early death, Humayun recovered the throne with Persian help. The third and greatest Mughal emperor, Akbar, moved the capital to Agra resulting in a decline in the fortunes of Delhi. In the mid-seventeenth century, the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1658) built the seventh city of Delhi that sometimes bears his name (Shahjahanabad), and is more commonly known as the old city or old Delhi. The old city served as the capital of the later Mughal Empire from 1638 onwards, when Shah Jahan transferred the capital back from Agra. Aurangzeb (1658-1707) crowned himself as emperor in Delhi in 1658. In 1761, Delhi was raided by Ahmed Shah Abdali after the Third battle of Panipat.

Delhi passed to British control in 1857 after the First War of Indian Independence. Shortly after the First War of Independence, Calcutta was declared the capital of British India and Delhi was made a district province of the Punjab. But in 1911, Delhi was again declared as the capital of India. Parts of the old city were pulled down to create New Delhi, a monumental new quarter of the city designed by the British architect Edwin Lutyens to house the government buildings. New Delhi, also known as Lutyens' Delhi, was officially declared as the seat of the Government of India after independence in 1947. During the Partition of India thousands of Hindu and Sikh refugees from West Punjab and Sindh migrated to Delhi.

Delhi is located at 28.38° N and 77.13° E and lies in northern India. It borders the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on the south and Haryana on the west. Delhi can be divided into three major geographical regions: the Yamuna flood plain, the ridge and the Gangetic Plains. The low-lying Yamuna flood plains provide fertile alluvial soil suitable for agriculture. However, these plains are prone to recurrent floods. With an average altitude of 293 m above sea level, [5] the ridge forms the most dominating feature in this region. It originates from the Aravalli Hills in the south and encircles the west, northeast and northwest portions of the city. The Great Gangetic Plains are located in the south of the city and cover most of Delhi.

Yamuna, one of the most sacred rivers in Hinduism, is the only main river flowing through Delhi. Most of the city, including New Delhi, lies west of the river. East of the river is the urban area of Shahdara.

Red Fort

Built in Red Sand stone between 1639 - 1648 AD, this imposing fort is 3 kms in perimeter with the height of the wall fluctuating from 18 to 30 m at places. In the evening the Delhi Tourism Department organises a light and sound show which narrates the history of Delhi in context of the Red Fort. The light & sound show organised here is worth seeing.

Chandni Chowk

Located just opposite to Red Fort, this is the place where you can enjoy the old world charm. The hurrying crowd, the shouting vendors and overcrowded shops are the real charm of this place. You can find all types of items starting from textiles, jewelry, home furnishings, spices, household items to electronics, chemicals, ceramics, electrical, etc. Though, very crowded and congested , it is worth visiting.

Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid built in 1650 AD by Shah Jehan (the Vth Mughal Emperor) is one place in Delhi which is a must visit. One of the Architectural beauty of the past, Jama Masjid is one of the largest mosques not only in Delhi but in India. Completed in 1658 this Mosque has three gateways, Four angle towers and two 40 m high minarets. From the top of minarets you can have a birds eye view of Delhi.

Raj Ghat

Along the banks of the river Yamuna is located the place where the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was cremated. The Raj Ghat is one of the most visited Ghats. A simple square platform of black marble marks the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated after his assassination in 1948.

Qutab Minar

Qutub Minar is the most recognised landmark of Delhi. In 1199 AD, Qutbuddin erected the Qutub Minar either as a victory tower or as a minaret to the adjacent mosque. From a base of 14.32 mtrs. it tapers to 2.75 mtrs. at a height of 72.5 mtrs. Even today, it is the highest stone and one of the finest stone towers in India. Completed by the Sultan's successor and son-in-law, Iltutmish, Qutub MInar is the finest Islamic structures ever raised. The tomb of Iltutmish, which he himself built in 1235 AD, is located nearby.

The Lotus Temple

Completed in 1986, the Lotus Temple or the Bahai temple is set amidst pools and gardens, and adherents of any faith are free to visit the temple and pray or meditate silently according to their own religion. The structure is in lotus shape so it often called the lotus temple. The view of the temple is very spectacular just before dusk when the temple is flood lit.

India Gate

India Gate is a 42 mtrs high stone arch of triumph. It bears the name of the 85,000 Indian Army Soldiers who died in the campaigns of World War I. Below the arch is the memorial to the unknown soldier. India Gate is surrounded by green grass lawns and trees. A place you should not miss.

Jantar Mantar

Close to Connaught Place is a strange collection of astronomical instruments. Built by Maharaja Jai Singh this structure is actually an observatory. The astonishing part of these observatories is that they can calculate many astronomical movements very accurately.

Old Fort

It is believed that the Pandavas had built their capital, Indraprastha at the place where the old fort stands today. This fort, now in ruins, was the seat for administration for many emperors. The legendary Prithviraj Chauhan ruled from here till he was defeated by Abdali in the battle of Panipat. A new light & sound show is held by the Department of Delhi Tourism every evening.

Jantar Mantar

Observatory in Delhi.

By Air

Agra, Ahmedabd, Amritsar , Bhopal, Aurangabad, Bangalore, Bhubaneswar, Calcutta, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Goa, Gwalior, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Jammu, Jodhpur, Khajuraho, Kullu, Leh, Lucknow, Madras, Mumbai, Shimla, Srinagar, Trivandrum, Udaipur, Varanasi.

By Rail

Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Bikaner, Agra, Jhansi, Bhopal, Gwalior, Varanasi, Chandigarh, Jammu, Bombay, Calcutta.

By Road

Delhi boasts of well defined road network. It is easily accessible from the nearby states and places.

Delhi is the right place to shop for all those who love shopping. Delhi has numerous massive shopping complexes. Starting from Connaught Place, South Extension, Chandni Chowk to Sarojini Nagar, Karol Bagh, Janpath and Lajpat Nagar. You can find all types of items in these markets from cheapest to expensive one. All these places are popular hangouts of the Delhites in the weekends and evenings.