Delhi Tourism

The Jantar Mantar situated at Sansad Marg between Connaught Place and
Rashtrapati Bhavan New Delhi, Jantar Mantar is one of the five
observatories built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler and
founder of Jaipur, in India. Smaller than the one at Jaipur, it is
still astonishing because of its capability to make accurate
calculations of many astronomical movements. Constructed in 1724, the
giant abstract masonry instruments of Jantar Mantar are the evident of
the technological genius of the times in the field of astronomy. Jai
Singh was a keen astronomer and a noble in the Mughal court.
Vast red and white sloping stone structures hover over palm trees and
neat flower beds – The giant sundials are vast red and white sloping
stone structures hover over palm trees and neat flower beds. They cast
the shadows, which were formerly used to calculate time, lunar and
solar calendars, time as wells astrological movements, all with an
incredible degree of accuracy.
He was dissatisfied by the brass and metal astronomical instruments
and decided to correct and update the astronomical records with more
accurate instruments. He built five Jantar Mantars in India,

located

at Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. Jantar Mantar of New

Delhi was built with a view to help the practicing astronomers in
observing the movements of the Sun, Moon and all other planets. The
relevance of this science would then be introduced to the general
public.

The Sun dial here dominates the par and is also known as the Samrat
Yantra or Brihat Samrat yantra – the huge sundial. A striking
structure in yellow on the right side, it has a 27m high arm adjusted
at an angle of 27 degrees. The other yantras in this observatory are
used to observe the various stars and planets. The Mishra Yantra helps
to determine the longest and shortest days in the year. In December,
one pillar overshadows the other and in June, it does not cast any
shadow at all.

When compared to others, this observatory is the largest and the best
preserved today. But, after its erection in 1724, it remained
functional only for seven years. Observations made each day were noted
down and later a chart called Zij Muhammad Shahi was prepared. This
was then dedicated to the reigning monarch. Many experts in this field
are of the view that these observatories fell into disuse, because of
lack of thought on the part of the king. The original name Yantra
(instrument) mantra (formula) has been corrupted to Jantar Mantar.

Jantar Mantar is one of the top attractions of Delhi. It draws a
stream of visitors all round the year. With hotels of Delhi you can
have the glimpse of the astronomical advancement India had made in
ancient period.

The famous 18th century astronomer king and the founder of the Pink
city of Jaipur, Sawai Jai Singh, built the first of his five
astronomical observatories across India.

The observatories are known as Jantar Mantar which derives it name
from the corruptions of the words ‘yantra’ (instrument) ‘mantra’
(formula) over the period.

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Surrounded by large stretches of lawns, India Gate is a great historical monument, an ideal destination for family picnic and boating. India Gate is a place to watch life roll by, as well as the colours and people from all over the world. It is one of the popular tourist attractions in New Delhi. Be it the summer evenings or the winters, India Gate is illuminated after the sunset and the sight is magnificent.

History of India Gate

India Gate is a historical monument built in 1931, in the memory of the 90,000 Indian soldiers martyred during the First World War and the Afghan War of 1919. Officially known as All India War Memorial, this monument also houses an Eternal Flame, ‘Amar Jawaan Jyoti’, a tribute to the Indian soldiers who laid their lives in the 1971 war with Pakistan.The shrine is a black marble commemorative which has a rifle placed on the cask peaked by the helmet of a soldier.

Structure of India Gate

160 feet (about 42 m) high, India Gate is built from red Bharatpur stone with an arch of about 138 feet. The foundation of this Memorial was laid by the Duke of Connaught in February 1921, and ten years from then, the monument was completed in 1931 by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Standing at the eastern end of the Rajpath (the road which leads to the Rashtrapati Bhawan), this All India War Memorial once comprised the statue of King George V. An extraordinary view of the Rastrapati Bhavan is seen from the basement of the arch.

The names of the 90,000 soldiers, who laid their lives in the First World War and the Afghan Fiasco of 1919, are inscribed on the walls.

The lush green lawns serve as great family picnic spots in the evenings. Several salesmen can be seen selling balloons, soft drinks, snacks, toys etc. The fountains add  beauty to the lawns. There are other entertainment packages in the India Gate including camel rides, monkey dances and boating in the artificial ponds. The wide lawns also serve as playgrounds for sports like cricket, football and other outdoor games.

Located close to Connaught Place in central Delhi, India Gate is easily accessible by buses, autorickshaws or taxis from any part of the city.
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History of Red Fort

Mughal emperor Shah Jahan commenced the construction of Red Fort in 1638 and it was completed in 1648. Shah Jahan erected this fort with an aim to shift his capital from Agra to his new city of Shahjahanabad in Delhi, but his dream was never fulfilled as his son Aurangzeb deposed him and imprisoned him in Agra Fort. Aurangzeb was the first and last great Mughal emperor to rule from the Red Fort. In fact, the Red Fort provides a glimpse of the very peak of Mughal power, when the emperors rode out on elephant back into the streets of Old Delhi.

As you reach old walled city of Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi), the imposing Red Fort on the east will fascinate you with its grandeur. Red Fort or Lal Quila is a historic fort where the national flag of independent India was hoisted on 15th August 1947. Originally, this fort was built by fifth Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, but later British captured the fort and finally 300 years later, this historical fort came under the control of a democratic Government after India’s independence.

Built in red sandstone, the Red Fort extends over two kms and varies in height from 18 mts on the Yamuna river side to 33 mts on the city side. Initially, there were 14 gates to the fort, but now there are two main entrances namely – Delhi Gate to the south and Lahore Gate to the west. Today, the Red Fort is typically an Indian tourist attraction, here you will find guides leaping forth to offer their services as soon as you reach close to the fort. But above all, if you leave the frantic streets of Old Delhi for Red Fort, you will surely get a feel of calm.

Today Red Fort

The Red Fort is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Old Delhi, attracting thousands of visitors every year. The fort is also the site from which the Prime Minister of India addresses the nation on 15 August, the day India achieved independence from the British. It also happens to be the largest monument in Old Delhi.

At one point in time, more than 3,000 people lived within the premises of the Delhi Fort complex. But after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the fort was captured by Britain and the residential palaces destroyed. It was made the headquarters of the British Indian Army. Immediately after the mutiny, Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried at the Red Fort. It was also here in November 1945, that the most famous courts-martial of three officers of the Indian National Army were held. After India gained independence in 1947, the Indian Army took control over the fort. In December 2003, the Indian Army handed the fort over to the Indian tourist authorities.

Today, a sound and light show describing Mughal history is a tourist attraction in the evenings. The general condition of the major architectural features is mixed. None of the water features, which are extensive, contain water. Some of the buildings are in fairly good condition and have their decorative elements undisturbed. In others, the marble inlay flowers have been removed by looters and vandals. The tea house, though not in its historical state, is a functioning restaurant. The mosque and hamam are closed to the public, though one can catch peeks through the glass windows or marble lattice work. Walkways are left mostly in a crumbling state. Public toilets are available at the entrance and inside the park, but some are quite unsanitary.

The entrance through the Lahore Gate leads to a retail mall with jewellery and crafts stores. There is a museum of “blood paintings” depicting young Indian martyrs of the 20th century along with the story of their martyrdom. There is also an archaeological museum and an Indian war memorial museum.

The fort was the site of a December 2000 attack by terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba which killed two soldiers and one civilian in what was described in the media as an attempt to derail the India-Pakistan peace process in Kashmir.
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Qutub Minar The Qutub Minar is a tower located in Delhi, India. It is the world’s tallest brick minaret with a height of 72.5 meters (237.8 ft). Construction commenced by Qutb-ud-din Aibak who won Delhi from the Prithviraj under Muhammad of Ghor as his commander in chief, and finished by Iltutmish, The Qutub Minar is notable for being one of the earliest and most prominent examples of Indo-Islamic architecture. It is surrounded by several other ancient and medieval structures and ruins, collectively known as Qutub complex.

Qutab Minar is the nearest station on the Delhi Metro. A picture of the minaret also features on the Travel Cards issued by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

The famous Qutub Minar of Delhi is a tower that claims the distinction of being the highest stone tower in the country. Said to be a tower of victory, it soars to a height of 73 m. Qutub-ud-din Aibak, after defeating Delhi’s last Hindu kingdom, started the construction of this tower in the year 1193. Although Qutub-ud-din Aibak started the construction of the tower, he could not complete the monument during his lifetime. Later on, additions were made by his successors. Three stories were constructed by Iltutmush, while the fifth and the last two was the work of Firoz Shah Tughlak.

Delhi Qutub Minar is made up of five stories, with the first three being made of red sandstone and the fourth and fifth ones being made up of both marble as well as sandstone. Each of the stories has a projecting balcony with their diameter ranging from 15 m at the base to 2.5 m at the top. There is a little disagreement over the origins of Qutub Minar of Delhi. One legend has it that it was built as a tower of victory to commemorate the beginning of the Muslim rule in India.Another legend goes that it was built to serve as a minaret to the muezzins to call the faithful to prayer.

Delhi Qutub Minar is adorned with bands of inscriptions, along with four projecting balconies supported by elaborately decorated brackets. There is also the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque of India, which stands at the base of the Qutub Minar. Inside the courtyard of the mosque stands a 7 m high iron pillar. It is believed that if you are able to encircle it with your hands while standing with your back to it, your wish will be granted. Over the eastern gate, it is inscribed that the material to build it was acquired from demolishing twenty-seven Hindu temples.

The tallest stone tower of India – Qutub Minar is one of the most visited spots in Delhi. Built in 1199 by Qutub-ud-Din, the Qutub Minar is the first Islamic structure built in India. The construction of this historical tower was commenced by Qutub-ud-Din-Aibak and completed by his successor and son in law Iltutmish. Qutub Minar is one of the finest Islamic structures ever raised in India

Akshardham Temple

Akshardham is a Hindu temple complex in Delhi, India. Also referred to as Delhi Akshardham or Swaminarayan Akshardham, the complex displays millennia of traditional Indian and Hindu culture, spirituality, and architecture. The building was inspired and moderated by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, whose 3,000 volunteers helped 7,000 artisans construct Akshardham.

The temple, which attracts approximately 70 percent of all tourists who visit Delhi,was officially opened on 6 November 2005.It sits on the banks of the Yamuna adjacent to the 2010 Commonwealth Games village.The monument, at the center of the complex, was built off of the Vastu Shastra and Pancharatra Shastra. The complex features a large central monument crafted entirely of stone, exhibitions on incidents from the life of Swaminarayan and the history of India, an IMAX feature, a musical fountain, and large landscaped gardens. The temple is named after a belief in Swaminarayan Hinduism.

Monument

The main monument, at the center of the complex, is 141-foot (43 m) high, 316-foot (96 m) wide, and 370-foot (110 m) long, and is covered top to bottom with carved details of flora, fauna, dancers, musicians, and deities.

Designed in accordance with ancient Vedic text known as the Sthapatya Shastra, it features a blend of architectural styles from across India. It is constructed entirely from Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble, and has no support from steel or concrete.The monument also consists of 234 ornately carved pillars, nine domes, and 20,000 murtis and statues of Hinduism’s sadhus, devotees, and acharyas. The monument also features the Gajendra Pith at its base, a plinth paying tribute to the elephant for its importance in Hindu culture and India’s history. It contains 148 scale sized elephants in total and weighs a total of 3000 tons.

Within the monument, under the central dome, lies a murti or statue of Swaminarayan which is 11-foot (3.4 m) high. The murti is surrounded by similar statues of the gurus of the sect. Each murti is made of paanch daatu or five metals in accordance to Hindu tradition. Also within the central monument lie the murtis of other Hindu deities, including Sita Ram, Radha Krishna, Shiv Parvati, and Lakshmi Narayan.

Musical fountain

Known as the Yagnapurush Kund, it is India’s largest step well. It features a very large series of steps down to a traditional yagna kund. During the day, these steps provide rest for the visitors to the complex and at night, a musical fountain show representing the circle of life is played to an audience which is seated on the same steps. The fountain is named after the founder of the Hindu organization, Shastriji Maharaj.The fountain measures 300 feet (91 m) by 300 feet (91 m) with 2,870 steps and 108 small shrines. In its center lies an eight-petaled lotus shaped yagna kund designed according to the Jayaakhya Samhita of the Panchratra shastra.

Lotus Temple

All Bahá’í Houses of Worship, including the Lotus Temple, share certain architectural elements, some of which are specified by Bahá’í scripture. `Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of the founder of the religion, stipulated that an essential architectural character of a House of Worship be that it requires to have a nine-sided circular shape. Inspired by the lotus flower, its design is composed of 27 free-standing marble clad “petals” arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. While all current Bahá’í Houses of Worship have a dome, they are not regarded as an essential part of their architecture. Bahá’í scripture also states that no pictures, statues or images be displayed within the House of Worship and no pulpits or altars be incorporated as an architectural feature (readers may stand behind simple portable lecture stands). The nine doors of the Lotus Temple open onto a central hall, capable of holding up to 2,500 people. The central hall is slightly more than 40 meters tall and its surface is made of white marble. The white marbles are from Penteli mountain in Greece, the very same from which many of the ancient monuments were built and also many other Bahai temples. The House of Worship, along with the nine surrounding ponds and the gardens around comprise 26 acres (105,000 m²; 10.5 ha).
The site is in the village of Bahapur, in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The architect was an Iranian, who now lives in Canada, named Fariborz Sahba. He was approached in 1976 to design it, later oversaw its construction and saved money from the construction budget to build a greenhouse to study which indigenous plants and flowers would be appropriate for the site.
The major part of the funds needed to buy this land was donated by Ardishír Rustampúr of Hyderabad, who gave his entire life savings for this purpose in 1953.

Tourism
Since its inauguration to public worship in December 1986, the Bahá’í House of Worship in Delhi has, as of late 2002, attracted more than 50 million visitors, making it one of the most visited buildings in the world. Its numbers of visitors during those years surpassed those of the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal. On Hindu holy days, it has drawn as many as 150,000 people; it welcomes four million visitors each year (about 13,000 every day or 9 every minute).
This House of Worship is generally referred to as the “Lotus Temple”. In India, during the Hindu festival Durga Puja, several times a replica of the Lotus Temple has been made as a pandal, a temporary structure set up to venerate the goddess Durga. In Sikkim a permanent replica is of the Hindu Legship Mandir, dedicated to Shiva. Near kalkaji temple.