Location :
Situated in the northern part of the country, Delhi extends latitude 28.38°N and longitude 77.12°E. It is encircled by the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in the east and by Haryana in the other three sides. Delhi is an ideal gateway to visit the north Indian states of Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana. The city is lushed with a plethora of temples, forts, mosques as well as parks, gardens and beautiful colonial mansions. Delhi may seem daunting to a first time visitor but as a national capital and the gateway to the North, it is a must visit city on any travelers itinerary. Impressive museums and interesting nightlife, Delhi has a lot to offer for everyone.

Climate:
Delhi is hot and humid in the summers, and cold in the winters. The average temperature ranges from 25°C to 46°C during summer and 23.4°C to 5.1°C during winter. The cold wave from the Himalayan region makes winters very chilly. In summers, the heat wave is immense and adequate precaution has to be taken before going out in the afternoons. The best season to visit Delhi is during the spring seasons of February to April and August to November. It wears a festive look between February and April, the blooming season. The best time to Visit : October to March.

Site to Visit:

The Forts of Delhi
Counted among the premier tourist attractions of the city are the three majestic forts of Delhi, the Red Fort (Lal Qila) , the Old Fort (Purana Qila) and Tughlakabad Fort.

Red Fort or Lal Quila: It is the largest of old Delhi's monuments. The thick red sandstone walls of Red Fort or Lal Quila, bulging with turrets and bastions, extend for 2 km and vary in height from 18 metres on the river side to 33 metres on the city side. Its construction was started by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in 1638, and was completed in 1648. The main attraction of the fort is its beautiful palaces and public buildings. Lahore Gate or Main gate of the fort; the Diwan-i-Am or Hall for public audiences, Diwan-i-Khas or Hall for private audiences, Rang Mahal or Water-cooled apartment of royal ladies, and the Pearl Mosque, which is built of white marble are main attraction for tourists. There is also a small museum and a small shopping arcade inside the fort.

Old Fort or Purana Qila: It is situated in southeast of New Delhi area. This fort is believed to be the site of Indraprastha or the original city of Delhi. Sher Shah, the Afghan ruler, completed the fort during his reign from 1538-45. The fort consists of massive walls, three large gateways and a small octagonal red sandstone tower, the Sher Mandal, which was used by Humayun as a library. The Qila-i-Kuhram Mosque, or the Mosque of Sher Shah is located nearby the fort.

Tughlakabad Fort: Tughlakabad Fort is believed to be the third city of Delhi. The ruined fortress of Tughlakabad is 8 km east of the famous Qutub Minar. The tomb of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlak, the founder of the dynasty who built the city, is located near the main entrance to the fort. The near by fort of Adilabad, south of Tughlakabad Fort, was built by Ghiyas-ud-din's son and successor, Muhammad bin Tughlak.

Other Places of Interest

The National Museum will let you in on these secrets. The museum houses one of the largest collections of Vedic and pre-Vedic relics, exotic paintings, old manuscripts, and mural paintings from Buddhist shrines in Central Asia.

On the bank of the legendary Yamuna, which flows past Delhi, there is Raj Ghat—the last resting place of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. It has become an essential point of call for all visiting dignitaries.

Perhaps the most poignant, the most nostalgic feelings that still bring a tear to many an eye are stirred when one visits 1 Safdarjung Road. Once the permanent residence of the prime ministers of India, it now houses the Indira Gandhi Museum. Here, amongst other memorabilia, lies her saffron bullet-ridden sari, the scorch marks clearly visible even through the glass case. It was here at this table that she had her last breakfast, walked out through this door, along the flagstoned path shaded and flanked by greenery, towards the wooden gate where she was mowed down by a hail of bullets from her own security guards. Visitors stand clustered at the gate shocked into silence, reliving the treachery and the tragedy.

The cool, sylvan environs of the Lodi Gardens, where Lodi kings ambled with their consorts, today witness a new brand of VIP activity along with a daily convergence of people from several walks of life. The gardens are a popular retreat for a wide cross-section of Delhiites who enjoy jogging, quiet walks, picnics, naps under the shade of the boughs of some spreading tree or bush, basking in the winter sun, or simply soaking in the singularly soothing balm-like atmosphere.

Peace and quiet also pervade Chanakyapuri—the diplomatic headquarters where arterial pieces from other parts of the world have been transplanted. Here can be found the American Embassy, the British High Commission, and the embassies and missions of most countries big and small that have diplomatic ties with India. Their national flags flying proud and high, most of the countries represented have introduced striking architectural designs and highly individualistic interior designs. While the names of roads in other parts of Delhi are sometimes cosmopolitan—Josef Tito Marg, Africa Avenue, Max Mueller Road—at Chanakyapuri the roads have a predominance of names which exude a pure Indian essence—Shantipath, Nyaya Marg, Kautilya Marg, Niti Marg….

At the center of the city is India Gate, a memorial raised in honor of the Indian soldiers who were martyred during the Afghan war. The green, velvety lawns at India Gate, particularly, are a popular evening and holiday rendezvous for young and old alike. Ice-cream carts, balloon wallahs, popcorn and peanut vendors, carts selling cold water and cold drinks, panwallahs, men and women selling sweet-scented jasmine gajras (garlands) to decorate a bride, wife, daughter or girlfriend’s hair, do brisk business at the fringe of the lawns.

For lovers of flowers ad beauty, the annual spring opening of the glorious, meticulously tended Mughal Gardens at the stately Rashtrapati Bhawan is a bonanza topped by an amazing assembly of roses in perfect bloom—perhaps the best in the whole of India. Flower shows organized on a regular basis provide an extra edge of inducement to malis (gardeners), plant nursery owners, and the lucky ones who possess a green thumb.

Rashtrapati Bhawan was once the imperial residence of the British viceroys. Built on the Raisina hills of Delhi ridge, this 340-roomed structure has an imposing character overlooking India Gate and Rajpath. It is now the official residence of the president of India.

Down on earth, there is the sight of Vigyan Bhawan that has hosted some of the most important international events and summits. There is the sense of history, intermingled with pride as you go past Parliament House, the curiosity as you glance at North and South Blocks—the decision-making, bureaucratic heart of India.

Birla Mandir, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu situated in the central Delhi, and Lotus Temple, a beautiful white marble building and a place of worship for Bahai’s, are two temples worth visiting for those in search of spiritual rejuvenation.

The Jantar Mantar, one of the many astronomical observatories constructed by Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur, is situated in the center of the city near Connaught Place.

Through dark times of tragedy, throughout golden, heady periods of glory, since time immemorial, the eddying Yamuna has flowed past Delhi. Displaying different moods—sometimes a muted cadence or a gentle murmur, at others a gentle lapping of water, and in the monsoons, the fury of its swollen, wind blows on the bank—the Yamuna has remained indestructible.

Today, the river has changed course. But as you drive along Ring Road you can still glimpse the shimmer of the Yamuna as it flows past Delhi, and you realize with a start that this ageless river symbolizes the enduring soul of Delhi—enshrining the past, reflecting the present with all its contrasts and harmony, moving towards a tryst with the future. Delhi is the City of Destiny. In a very literal sense, Delhi—the capital of India, the city that history has made—is today still making history.
 

How to Reach:
Being the capital and third largest city in the country, Delhi is well connected to all parts of the world as well as other parts of India. Flights, trains, and roads all unite the city with other major cities in the country. Delhi is also the international gateway for most of the tourist attractions in North India making it a certain stopover for the tourists.

Major Hotels

• Hotel Taj Mahal
• Taj Palace Hotel
• Le Meridien
• Inter Continental
• Park Royal
• Maurya Sheraton