Delhi Fast Facts

8/6/2019 Delhi Fast Facts

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Delhi Fast Facts

Facts and

Figures of Delhi

How to Reach

Delhi

Delhi beingthe capital ofIndia is the maingateway to Indiaand is connected with world's major cities. International flights from allover the world fly to Delhi's international airport. Delhi has aninternational and a domestic airport to manage the air traffic ofInternational and domestic flights.

Connectivity of Delhi to and from major cities inIndia makes it an ideal to place to visit and relocate.

Business, education, IT and ITES have flourished inDelhi at a brisk rate with the graph ever increasing.Interstate road connectivity from Delhi to

neighboring states like Haryana, Uttar Pradesh,Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttranchal (Uttrakhand), and Himachal Pradesh

makes commuting an easy ride.

Delhi - Important Information

Population: 12.8 million

Area: 1483 sq km

Languages: Hindi, English, PunjabiBest Time to Go: November-March

STD Code: 011

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Delhi government hasspecial cell which looks intothe tourism aspect of thecity. You can have all theinformation neededregarding touristsdestination and major

sites within Delhi. Thereare private tour and travel operators within the city which would provideyou cheap and quality services. Online portals on Delhi also provideinformation on Delhi Tourism where you can also book or plan yourtravel in advance.

Delhi Basics

Time: GMT +5.5.

Electricity: 240 volts, 50Hz. A variety of power outlets are used inIndia, but most plugs have two or three round pins.

Money:

The currency is the Rupee (INR), which is divided into 100

paisa.

Major currencies can be changed at banks, and authorizedbureaus de change. It is impossible to obtain rupees outside India, butno matter what time you arrive in India there will be an exchange officeopen at the airport. It is illegal to exchange money through the blackmarket and it is advisable to refuse torn notes, as no one will acceptthem apart from the National Banks.

It is advisable to keep and tender money into small

denominations. Travelers cheque and major credit cards are widelyaccepted everywhere in the city whether it is shopping complexes,hotels, restaurants or a retail outlets.

Language: Delhi is a cosmopolitan city where you would find peoplefrom all over India. Hindi is the official and widely spoken language inDelhi, followed by Punjabi. However, English happens to be the officiallanguage for Business and official purposes. Urdu is the commonlanguage being spoken in Muslim community. There are sixteen otherlanguages which are spoken by people from different parts of India.

Entry requirements for Americans: United States citizens must havea valid passport and a visa.

Entry requirements for Australians: Australians require a validpassport and a visa.

Entry requirements for South Africans: South Africans require avalid passport and a visa.

Entry requirements for Irish nationals: Irish citizens require a validpassport and a visa.

Entry requirements for New Zealand

nationals: New Zealand citizens require avalid passport and a visa.


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Entry requirements for UK nationals: British citizens must have avalid passport and a visa.

Entry requirements for Canadians: Canadians require a validpassport and a visa.

Passport/Visa Note: A valid passport and visa is required by all forentry to India, unless they hold a PIO (Person of Indian Origin) Card.Some parts of the country are restricted areas and require a specialpermit. Travelers planning to go to the far northwest of the country or tothe islands should check with India Tourism for the latest information.

US Embassy or Consulate: United States Embassy, New Delhi: +91(0)11 2419 8000

UK Embassy or Consulate: British High Commission, New Delhi: +91(0)11 2687 2161

Canadian Embassy or Consulate: Canadian High Commission, NewDelhi: +91 (0)11 4178 2000

Australian Embassy or Consulate: Australian High Commission, NewDelhi: +91 (0)11 4139 9900

South African Embassy or Consulate: South African High

Commission, New Delhi: +91 (0)11 2614 9411

Embassy or Consulate in US: Indian Embassy, Washington DC, UnitedStates: +1 202 939 7000

Embassy or Consulate in UK: Indian High Commission, London, UnitedKingdom: +44 (0)20 7836 8484

Embassy or Consulate in Canada: Indian High Commission, Ottawa,Canada: +1 613 744 3751

Embassy or Consulate in Australia: Indian High Commission,

Canberra, Australia: + 61 (0)2 6273 3999

Embassy or Consulate in South Africa: Indian High Commission,Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 342 5392

Facts and Figures

Area 1,483 sq km

Latitude 28.38 N

Longitude 77.13 E

Altitude 293 m above sea level

Total Population 1, 38, 50,507

Altitude 293 m above sea level

Male 76, 07,234

Female 62, 43,273


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Density (Per Sq. km) 9340

Sex Ratio (per 1000 Males) 821

Literacy Rate (%) Persons 81.67

Literacy Rate (%) Males 87.37

Literacy Rate (%) Female 74.71

Birth Rate (per 1000) 21.24

Death Rate (per 1000) 5.81

Infant Mortality Rate (per 1000) 23.93

Per Capita Income RS.38864

Gross Domestic Product 478 billion INR (2005)

Temperature 45 degree (max), 5 degree (min)

Time Zone IST (UTC+5:30)

Language Hindi, English, Punjabi

STD Code 011

Postal Code 1100xx

Vehicle Code DL-0xx

Religion Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian

DelhiHistory

History of DelhiHaving a peak into the history of Delhi would giveyou an insight to the rich heritage ofIndianculture and tradition. It also lets you know thelives and work style of various rulers who ruledDelhi in yester years. As the history books suggest,

Delhi has been built and re-built more than 5 timesat different sites in and around Delhi but thecorrect reference is found in the Mahabharatha asthe city of Pandavas, also

called Indraprastha,some 3000 years ago. Thecity has a historic importance of its own with everycrumbling walls of the city has a story to tell. Delhihas witnessed a rise and fall of major power during12th century. Until the influx of outsiders, Delhi

was home to the Hindu rulers somewhere during the 12th century. Muslim rule in India was

established in 12th century after Mohammed Gauri defeated Prithviraj Chauhan.


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Indraprastha:

Indraprastha was formed in Delhi in 1000 B.C during Mahabharatha which is assumed tohave been around the annex of Purana Quila. According to Mahabharatha, Pandavas named

thisregion asIndrapra

sthawhich

was known as Khandava-Prastha.

Maurya Capital:

Our history reveals that Delhi was on thegreat national highway of the Mauryas thatlinked their capital Patliputra (now Patna inBihar) with Taxila (Takshashila), now in

Pakistan. The route is believed to have beenchosen by Buddhist Monks while traveling toTaxila. This very fact shows the strategic andhistorical importance of Delhi.

The Chauhans took control in the 12thcentury and made Delhi the most important

Hindu centre in northern India.

Delhi Sultanate:

Delhi was acquired by Qutab-Ud-Din Aibak in1193 which was followed by mighty Mughalsfrom the year 1526 to 1857. Later on Khiljifollowers built their new capital at Siri, thesecond city of Delhi.

Tughlakabad was the third city of Delhi builtinside the great fortress with 13 outer gates.It was built during the reign of Ghiyas-Ud-Dinfrom 1321-25.

The fourth city of Delhi was calledJahanpanah, which was built by MuhammedBin Tughlak. Later on the capital was shiftedto Daulatabad in Deccan which resulted in the loss of soldiers because it was a difficultmarch of 1120 kilometers. Finally Tughlaq forfeited his decision and Delhi got back thestatus of capital.

The fifth city was called Ferozabad whose remains can still be found in the city. It was builtby Feroz Shah Tughlak in the year 1351 on the banks of river Yamuna. It was later

destroyed by Shah Jahan to build Shahjahanabad.

The remains of the sixth city can be found in the form of tomb and monuments within theLodi gardens. Old Delhi happens to be the sixth city.

British Rule:

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In 1911, king Goerge visited India and it was during his tenure that Delhi became the newcapital of India. Delhi saw some significant developments during this period in the form ofbuildings, infrastructure, parliamentary buildings and public offices. The interception ofBritish rule in India also witnessed a new city being formed in the name of New Delhi or theLutyens Delhi.

It can be said that New Delhi has a regal and majestic history which is quite vivid from the

rise and fall of various rules. There is no denying the fact that history of India revolvesaround the rich history of Delhi.

Taking a tour to Delhi's rich heritage and cultural history is not a cumbersome task. Thereare holiday hub providers who provide complete information on the history of Delhi. Thesetour operators make your travel and exploration an easy task by providing every comfortand pleasure despite the hectic lifestyle of Delhi.

Lal Qila (Red Fort)

Red

Fort in

Delhi:

The

Symbo

l of

IndiaLal

Quilaalso

calledthe Red Fort is one of the most importantmonuments of India. It stands on thebank of river Yamuna. The whole structure ismade of Red stone. The fort was builtby Shahjahan - the Mughal King who alsobuilt the famous Taj Mahal - in 1648.

Shahjahan called it the Uru-Muhalla.Shahjahan shifted his capital from Agra toDelhi and Red Fort was the new capital. LalQuila stands at the eastern side ofShahjahanabad and the very name of "Lal

Quila" comes from the huge wall thatencloses the whole structure. The wall is 2.5km long and the height varies from 16meters on the river side to 33 meterstowards the city.

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One of the special attraction of the fort isthe huge wall that encompasses the wholestructure. The walls have two entrances, oneat the delhi gate and the other at the Lahoregate. Lahore Gate is the main entrance pointof the fort, leading to Chatta Chowk. It is acoveres bazaar street where merchnats sold

their goods to the nobles of the court.

As you move along the passage of Chatta

Chowk, you will come across Naqqar Khana,also called drum house. This place was usedby the musicians who played thieir bandsevery day. The place now is used as a warmuseum. There is another open space alongthe main entrance path which served as thecourtyard of the Diwan-i-Am. An ornatethrone balcony can be seen at the easternwall of the Diwan-i-Am. Nobles used togather here facing each other depending ontheir ranks and hierarchy. The emperor usedto sit above with royal princes occupying theplace next to the throne and the wazirs usedto sit on the marble takht below the throne.

The architectural design behind the

Emperor's throne was done by French artistswhich was a major attraction in alomostevery Mughal architecture. You could also

see the rings that were used for curtainspossibly to keep the hall off the sunlight.


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A gateway called Lal Purdah can be seen onthe left of the Diwan-i-Am which was theway out of the court. The gate was used byEmperor's important members in the courtand were called Lal Purdaris.

On the left you will find a royal bath. Closeto the royal bath, there is a mosque orprivate royal chapel. The mosque was builtby Auranzeb which was used for offeringprayers.

Behind the throne, you will find the imperialapartments which consist of a row of

pavilions. These pavilions are covered bycontinuous water channels called the Nahr-i-Behisht. There is a tower called Shah Burj atthe north east corner of the fort which actsas a source for water from the river Yamuna

to these water channels. The whole design

within the palace is based on the theme of"Paradise- as described in the Koran. Aninscription within the palace reads "If therebe a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here".Hindu influence ofMughalArchitecture can be seen in all thepavilions despite the fact that the palacewas built with Islamic architecturalprototypes.

Palace garden at the Red Fort is one of themain attractions as it gives you a glimpse of

the great Mughal garden. The garden isalso called the Hayat Baksh garden. Anothergardens in the palace is the MoonlightGarden or the Mehtab Bagh. It was calledMoonligh Garden because the garden was

full of flowers that blossomed during themoonlight.

Another pavilion is Diwan-i-Khas, a lavishlydecorated hall that was used for mistrial andcourt gatherings. It is the best among all thepavilions because of its architecturespecialty which includes designs with floralpietra patterns on the columns and the

wooden painted ceiling. There is a carvingon the marbles of Baithak, called the sittingspace. The place was used by the emperor

to entertain his friends and people close tohim. The balcony on the top, also called the

Jharoka, was used by the emperor toaddress the crowd.

As you move beyond the privateapartments, you will notice a palace called


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the Rang Mahal or the Palace of Colors.The palace belonged to Padshah Begum.Beyond the Rang Mahal, there is a buildingwhich has now been converted into amuseum. The museum containsreminiscence of the great Mughal era, thecostumes and the pictures of the Mughal

era.

Red Fort has a lot to offer to the visitors.There are many things that can only be seenand witnessed. You must visit the fort onceand get to learn a lot about the greatMughal architecture. Being among the

top tourist destinations of Delhi, Red Fortattracts thousands of visitors every year.Above all, the Red Fort has a very importantpurpose in the democracy of India. It is thesite that is used for celebratingthe Independence Day. The Prime Ministerof India addresses the nation on August 15

from this very historical monument.

Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar: The Tallest

Monument in IndiaThe tall and ever attractivemonument of Delhi which can beseen from most parts of the city is

called the Qutab Minar. Every bodyhas the same question when onesees the structure for the first time.The question that is often being putup is "Why the monument is thatbig?" or "Was there any specificreason to build such a tall buildingor it was just a wish of the personwho built it?" Well, the exact reason

is assumed to have somethingrelated to commemorating the

victory. Mughals used to build victory towers to proclaim and celebrate victories.Some say the minaret was used to offer prayer but it is so tall that you can hearthe person standing on the top. Also, the minaret is not joined on to Qutuddin's

mosque and the Iltutmish's mosque.

Qutab Minar is among the tallest and famous towers in the world. The minaret is234 feet high and the highest individual tower in the world. Other towers in theworld are the Great Pagoda in Pekin, China and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italybut these towers are not as high as the Qutab Minar in Delhi.

According to history books, the minar was started by Prithviraj or his uncleVigraharaja who won Delhi from the Tomar Rajputs. However, it is assumed andhistorians believe that Qutubuddib and Iltutmish finished it though the minar


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may have been commenced by Prithviraj or Vigraharaja. The minar wascompleted in 1200 A.D and since then the tall structure has been there uprightand ever beautiful keeping an eye to Delhi just like a sentry. When Alauddinreturned from the wars in the Deccan, he had this thought in mind that he wouldbuild a victory tower somewhat similar to the Qutab Minar. The ruins of this veryinitiative can be seen adjacent to the Qutbuddin's mosque because Alauddin diedat the very start of the construction work and no one carried on to finish the

initiative taken by Alauddin.

Qutab Minar is another greatmasterpiece of Mughalarchitecture. It has a number offloors or storeys which has beautifulcarvings like the one on the tomb of

Iltutmish. There are inscriptions allround the tower and theseinscriptions reveal that Iltutmishfinised the tower. The structure ofthe wall is made as such that itwidens from top to bottom, just tomake the minar stronger.

Moving upstairs inside the minarwill give you a wonderful experienceand counting the stairs is always afun for visitors. It has 378 stepswhich takes good amount of energyto reach at the top. The top of thetower gives an insight toDelhi because you get to see thebird's eye view of the city. To point

a few sight seeing from the top, youwill find views of the Hauz Khaz onthe left and the walls of theJahanpanah and Siri on the right. Itwas this very top of Qutab Minar

that was used by Khilji and Tughlaqkings to watch the wild Mongolhordes when they threatened Delhi.The top also served as the watchtop for Tughlaq who watchedTimur's army camp on the Wellingdon Airport. Other important monuments thatis visible from the top are the walls of Tughlaqabad,Humayun's Tomb, PuranaQila, Firoz Shah Kotla and Jama Masjid.

The minar did receive some damage because of earthquakes on more than acouple of occasions but was reinstated and renovated by the respective rulers.

During the rule of Firoz Shah, the minar's two top floors got damaged due toearthquake but were repaired by Firoz Shah. In the year 1505, earthquake againstruck and it was repaired by Sikandar Lodi. Later on in the year 1794, the minar

faced another earthquake and it was Major Smith, an engineer who repaired theaffected parts of the minar. He replaced Firoz Shah's pavilion with his ownpavilion at the top. The pavilion was removed in the year 1848 by Lord Hardingeand now it can be seen between the Dak Bungalow and the Minar in the garden.The floors built by Firaz Shah can be distinguished easily as the pavilions wasbuilt of white marbles and are quite smooth as compared to other ones.

The minar is not that erect as it used to be because of wears and tears over thepast several years. Closely looking at the mina rives you an idea that it issomewhat tilled towards one side. The minar is very sincerely looked after by the

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authorities much like the same as other historic monuments in the country.

The Lotus Temple

Lotus Temple in Delhi: A Remarkable

ArchitectureLotus Temple is one of the remarkablearchitectures of Bahai faith. It is located atKalkaji in New Delhi. The temple looks like alotus flower and is made of marble, cement,

dolomite and sand. The temple has norestrictions for visitors and is open to people

from all religions. The place providesimmaculate environment for meditation,peace and wisdom. The Bahai temple wascompleted in 1986. Since then the templehas received recognition from all over theworld for its splendid architecture anddesign. Lotus Temple is among the mostvisited monuments in India. The credit for

building this beautiful structure goes to thePersian architect Fariborz Sahba fromCanada.

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Personifying Lotus in the temple does notmerely mean giving a lotus shape to theedifice but it has a message to the peopleof India in the form of a manifestation from

the almighty. Lotus is a symbol of peace,purity, love and immortality. It is thisparticular specialty of Lotus flower whichmakes the flower an important iconin Indian culture and society. This is whythe design of Lotus temple has been inspiredby lotus flower.

The design looks like a half opened Lotusflower with 27 freestanding "petals" made of

marble. The architect, while designing thetemple took into account the eternal beautyof Lotus flower. The construction work tookalmost 10 years before it finally got shapeand was open for public. The teamcomprised of 800 engineers, technicians,

workers and artisans who worked diligentlyto give realization to one of the mostcomplex edifices in the world. The templeintegrates the aesthetic values along withthe technological influence within the wholestructure. There are nine reflecting pools

that encompass the temple from outside.Converting the geometry of the design thatdid not have any straight line to the actual

structure needed a lot of effort anddedicated engineering.


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The temple hasthe capacity to

accommodatenearly 2500people and hasnine doors thatopen in a

central hall. Thewhole structureis made ofwhite marblethat adds to theglory of thetemple. It isabout 40

meters tall surrounded by nine ponds and

appears as if the temple is floating like aLotus flower in water.

The most appraising aspect of this particulararchitectural masterpiece is the integration

of the effervescent Indian history along withthe modern engineering and architecture.The temple has to its accreditation beingrecognized all over the world as one of themost visited edifices in the world with almost50 million people having visited the templesince its inception in 1986.

Awards Received:

Award given to the architect Mr.

Sabha in the year 1987 from InternationalFederation for Art and Architecture, USA.

Award for the structural design bythe Institute of Structural Engineers in UK

The Citation Award for personifyingthe visual impact of the beautiful Lotusflower.

Accreditation for its outdoor

illumination in the year 1988

American Concrete Institute Awardfor being one of the most artistically builtconcrete structures.

In the year 2000 it received the"Glob Art Academy Award" from Glob Art

Academy in Vienna.

So, whenever you visit Delhi, do not forgetto see this particular masterpiece whichoffers a strong message of wisdom, peaceand tranquility


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Akshardham Temple

Places to Visit in Delhi: Akshardham TempleAkshardham Temple in Delhi has an important placein Delhi's tourism. The structure depicts great Indianculture and its architecture is simply immaculate. Thetemple is located at NH 24,Noida Mor, New Delhi. Thisamazing structure comprises of 20,000 statues, floral motifsand exquisite carved pillars made of stones.

This beautiful structure and masterpiece architecture was

built under the support and funding of the BochasanvasiAksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). Thetemple was inaugurated on November 7, 2005 byPramukhswami Maharaj (Leader of BAPS).

It is built along the river Yamuna and lies over an area ofaround 100 acres with beautiful gardens, water fountainsand carved pavilions. The temple took complete two yearsfor completion and a hefty sum of rupees was invested in theconstruction. According to estimates, around 2 billion was

spent in the construction of this masterpiece which indeeddepicts the great Hindu religion.

The architecture of Akshardham temple is similar to the oneat Gandhinagar in Gujarat. The main monument at thetemple is about 141 feet high with a beautiful statue of LordSwaminarayan. There are various structures within thetemple which depicts the history and culture of Hindu

Religion.If youwant to

explorethe whole

temple then you should take your time off for the whole dayas it takes at least five hours to visit each and everystructure of the temple.

Akshardham Temple in Delhi

Akshardham Temple: Soul Zone

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OtherrelevantinformationaboutAkshardham

Location: NH24, Noida Mor,New Delhi

State: Delhi

Year ofConstruction:2005

Specialty: Thestructure is spread over 100 depicting Indian culture,history, art, values.

Open time for public: 9AM - 9PM from Tuesday to Sunday.

Closed on Monday

Nearest Hotels and Accommodation: There are hotels,lodge and guest houses in Delhi which providing tourismservices

Near By Cities: Noida,Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad

Entry Fee: There is no entry charges except for the specialexhibitions and shows organized in the temple.

India Gate

India Gate in New Delhi: A Tribute to Indian Soldiers

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India Gate is situated on the RajPath of New Delhi. India Gate wasbuilt by Edwin Lutyens to payhomage to the Indian soldiers whodied in the World War I and theAfgan War. Closely looking at the

walls of India Gate would let youknow the names of 90,000 soldierswho died during the World War I,the Afgan War and the North-WestFrontier operations. The structurewas finally completed in the year1931. India Gate was originallycalled the All India WarMemorial.

Amar Jawan Jyoti was built much

later to commemorate the soldierswho died in the war againstPakistan in the year 1971 and ever

since there is a burning "AmarJawan Jyoti", called as the flame ofimmortal warriors.

The shrine is made up of a blackmarble and on the top of the shirethere is a rifle with a soldier's capon the top. This commemorative isplaced on the structure having inscription of "Amar Jawan" on all the four sides.

India Gate is a 42 meter tall structure with beautiful gardens and fountainsaround. There is a round circle of road around India Gate with many diversions to

important roads.

The night view of India Gate looks verymajestic with children and families enjoyingthe evening. There is a lawn throughout thestretch of the Rajpath and people lovecoming here again and again. A summer

evening is the best time to enjoy thesurroundings of India Gate. During winters,lawns around India Gate and Rajpath are hotfavorites for a picnic spot.

Surroundings in and around India Gate isfilled with enjoyment, laughter, and voices ofchildren rejoicing in the lawns. The FruitChaats (mixture of fruits), Ice-creams,

Bhelpuri (spicy snack), potato chips and cold drinks can be had at any pointthrough the long walk along the Janpath and near India Gate.


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How to Reach India Gate

One can board DTC and private buses from

any location within Delhi. Buses to India Gate can betaken from the Inter State Bus Service or the ISBT.

By auto or cabs from anywhere in Delhi

There are frequent buses from Sarai Kale Khan BusTerminal

One can find buses for India Gate at Connaught

Place

Metro Rail Service can be used to reach IndiaGate. The nearest metro station to India Gate is CentralSecretariat.

Tours and travel operators would take you to India Gate undertheir tourist package to the city.

Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar

Jantar Mantar is very popular among tourists and the people of Delhi. Thestructure is another great masterpiece ofIndian architecture which showsthe scientific acumen of ancient India. Jantar Manter is situated at Parliament

Street, very close to Connaught Place. Jantar Mantar is also called DelhiObservatory. It is maintained by the Jaipur government because it was builtby Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur in 1710 A.D.

It is a remarkable structure which consists of fourteen geometric devices used for

measuring time, forecasting weather changes, predicting behaviour of planetsand finding extraterrestrial altitude. All these devices are fixed structures andpoint to a specific direction. The largest device or instrument is the Samrat Jantarwhich is 90 feet high and its shadow is plotted in such a manner so that is showsthe exact time of the day. Any weather change or the onset of monsoons can be


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ascertained by the Hindu Chhatri, which is a small domed structure.

The whole structure is made of

stone and marble with each of thenhaving an engraved astronomicalscale. Jantar Mantar finally got thestatus of a national monument in1948. It has always attractedarchitects, historians and scientistsfrom all over the world.

Maharaja Jai Singh was a fanaticalastronomer himself who studiedvarious works from Hindu, Muslimand European astronomy. He hadthe perception that the tables usedby the pundits were deceptive and

the actual planetary changes andpredictions of eclipses would nothave been possible through thesemeasuring parameters. So hethought that he would find animproved and efficient meansthrough which exact predictioncould be made. It was his owninspiration and foresightedness that

gave shape to such an instrument.He built other observatories atJaipur, Ujjain, Benares and Mathurato have an exact calculation. It tookalmost seven years before the whole structure was fully operational because hewanted to be fully satisfied with the accuracy of the instruments at Jantar Mantar.

Some of the major instruments at Jantar Mantar are:

The Samrat Yantra 'Prince of Dials' (the largest device)

The Ram Yantra - two circular buildings

The Jai Prakash

The Misra Yantra (north-west to the Samrat Yantra)

Pillars on the southwest of Mishra Yantra used to measure the shortestand longest days of the year.

The Samrat Yantra measured the accurate time of the day. It also measured thedeclination of the sun which can be seen by the shadow moving around the

structure.

The Jai Prakash shows the sun's position at the time of equinox. There is a holenear the bottom of the structure which witnesses sunshine only once in a yearthat is on 21 march, called vernal eqinox.

Another important structure calledthe Ram Yantra, consists of twolarge buildings with open top. Both these two buildings form a complete device.The device is used to measure the altitude of stars which is equivalent to the

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latitude and the longitude on the earth.

To the north-west of the Prakash Yantra, there is a structure or instrument calledMishra Yantra. It consists of five instruments. Pillars on the southwest of MishraYantra are used to measure the shortest day (21 December) and the longest day(21 June) of the year.

It is no denying the fact that the structure does represent the scientific heritageof India, though not being used in the modern scientific research. Having saidthat, we must give accreditation to the Jantar Mantar for its scientific acumenwhich could have reaped more fruits had there been appropriate motivation andresource given for research and development.

\

Delhi Culture

Delhi Culture

Culture is the specialtyof New Delhi andwhole of India. Delhi

boasts its rich tradition and sound culturalvalues. The rich heritage and culture can be

seen in the lifestyle, demography, art, craftsand music. Delhi being the capital of Indiahas many art and craft galleries along with

auditoriums that host regular culturalevents.

ArtArt and culture have gone side by side and

they have a strong influence overthecitizens of Delhi. The Mughals ruledDelhi for a long period and the art duringthat period was worth seeing. Akbar hasbeen known for his work on arts and crafts.In ancient India, people used arts and craftsin their palaces for better lives. This is thereason why Mughals used to have Persianartists for carpet weaving and metalcrafting.

The culture and tradition is still very wellpreserved with arts and crafts galleries inthe city representing the work of variousartists. The National Gallery of Modern Art,the Lalit Kala Academy and the SanskritiKendra are some of the main arts and crafts

centers in Delhi. We have studios at the LalitKala Academy which has been developed onthe designs of the city of art in Paris. Thesestudios are called Garhis and artists areprovided with studios and lodgings.


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The Sanskriti Kendra at Anandgram isanother home for artists and craftspersonwho work and interact with other craftsmento enrich their overall skill as an artist. Thecampus spreads over an area of eight acreswith lodging facilities for artists and

craftsmen. The craftsmen are given hutswhile the scholars work in studios,workshops and auditoriums. It also has anopen theatre, an auditorium and an artgallery for hosting exhibitions of arts.

October to March happens to be the mainmonths where cultural events take place inthe city and you can look forward to variousevents related to arts and culture. Theperformances include classical dance, musicand displays of major arts exhibition fromthe country.

Some of the prominent art galleries in

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Delhi are: Art Heritage, Vadhera ArtGallery, Triveni Art Gallery, SridharaniGallery, LGT Gallery, Gallery RomainRolland, Max Mueller Photo Gallery, theVillage Gallery, AIFACS, Dhoomi Mal Artcenter and Khirkee Gallery.

CraftsCraftsmanship has always been the specialty

of Delhi. Mainly the most practiced craftswork range from silver and gold enamelingto the traditional embroidery work, alsocalled zari.

Artistic work on potteries, wooden toys, kitemaking and polish crafts are still existent inthe citys art and crafts culture. Having around in the Old Delhi area would let yourealize the importance of this craftsmanshipbecause you will find various shops dealing

in art and crafts items. Handicrafts can befound at Delhi Haat, at the stateemporiums in Baba Khadak Singh Marg andCrafts Museum in Pragati Maidan.

Mughals were great clientele of arts andcrafts during their reign of Old Delhi, alsocalled Shahjajanabad. Collection ofmasterpiece craftsmanship can be found atthe Matia Mahals Pahadi Bhoja with shopsselling fashionable jewelry, bangles and

necklaces made out of exquisite crafts work.These shops are run by the decedents ofancestral artists who specialized in ivory

craftsmanship. However, with the ban onivory, these craftsmen had to use bones of

buffaloes and camels as alternatives.

Embroidery is one of the popular craftsworks with golden thread embroidery, whichis called Zardozi. Craftsmen also work oncomplex design with silk and velvet. Thinsilver sheets used to wrap sweets are madeby these craftsmen who beat silver to makethin sheets of silver. You can still find thesecraftsmen in the Matia Mahal area of NewDelhi.

Another veryfamous workthat was popular during old days ofShahjahanabad is the Meenakari work doneon gold or silver. Meenakari is basicallyembossing paint on gold and silver in anartistic manner so that it resembles aprecious stone.

Lacquer craftsmanship on bangles is still

very popular among females who love


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adoring these pieces that have small piecesof glass embossed with bright shades ofcolors and golden borders that add to thebeauty of these bangles.

Incense sticks that are made of attars(perfumes) or brass are also very popular in

thecraftsmanship of Delhi.

However, change in colonial rule and otherinstabilities in Delhi forced these craftsmento choose different options. So, some ofthem moved to Rajasthan while craftsmenwho made bangles from lac migrated toHyderabad.

Dance and MusicIf you are a music lover or a connoisseur ofmusic then Delhi is the place you must lookfor. Famous artists from the country visitDelhi to perform which is not limited to justone or two events but has a range ofactivities from the field of Indian classicalmusic, Hindustani or Carnatic and theghazals. These cultural events are organizedon a regular basis and you can have everydetail about the happenings in newspaperspublished in Delhi.

Among the main auditoriums hostingmusical and dance performances, we have

FICCI Auditorium, Kamani Auditorium,Chamber Theater at Triveni Kala Sangam,

Sri Ram Center, Siri Fort Auditorium, theIndia International Center, LTG Auditorium

and Auditoriums at Pragati Maidan.

You can visit Shankarlal, Dhrupad andTansen Festivals happening in the month ofFebruary and March. Another event to lookforward to is the Vishnu Digamber Festival inAugust where top musicians of the countrygather to perform.

Month of October is famous for QutabFestival held at the famous Qutab Minar in

Delhi. Musicians and dancers offerfascinating performances in the vicinity ofthe beautiful Qutab Minar. Film lovers can

look forward to National Film Festival and Bi-Annual International Film Festival, helf in themonth of January. In addition to the cinemahalls in the city, there are other theatersscreening films of National and Internationalfame. These theaters are the HungarianInformation Center, the Max MuellerBhawan, the Russian Centre for Science andCultural, the Japan Cultural Centre and theBritish Council Division.


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Theaters and Auditoriums are heavilyoccupied by frequent performances byartists from across the country and aconstant drive for these cultural activitiescomes from the very presence of NationalSchool of Drama. Hindi and local version oftranslated European plays are among the

popular forms of Drama being organizedhere. Also, the Art and Crafts exhibition atthe art galleries represents the promisingnature ofDelhis art culture.

However, there has been new addition to theculture of dance in Delhi which is verydifferent from the traditional dance. Well, we

are talking of the dancing clubs where youcan spend your weekends or a . There aremany dance clubs in Delhi, especially infive star hotels like Taj Palace (My Kind ofPlace), Maurya Sheraton (Ghunghroos), Park

Hotel (Someplace Else), Hyatt Regency

(Oasis) and Le Meridien (C.J.'s). If you arehaving a stay at these hotels, then visitingthe dance club is free but for an outsiderthere is an entry fee and provided you are incouple.

If you are a fun loving person and wish to gobeyond Delhi, you can visit 32nd Milestone

on the Delhi-Jaipur highway. The interiorand ambience of the place resembles aspaceship and has big dance floors whereyou move your legs freely.

DelhiClimate

Climate in Delhi

Delhi Climate News


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New Delhi,the capitalof India, hasa hot and

humidclimate formost of the

season. Thecity climate

becomes very hot during the month of Junewhich is followed by monsoon happeningsomewhere after September. Monsoon inDelhi is quite unpredictable where youcan't predict which way they will turn. Delhi monsoon has never been like the one wewitness in other parts of India, say for example Mumbai. Winter in Delhi is very chilly whichpeaks in at the start of November and continues till the month of February. The foggy and

chilly weather during winters makes Delhi's climate a tough one to confront with. Delhi issituated on the banks of river Yamuna with Himalayas being in the north of Delhi. This isthe main reason behind Delhi's climate being called as the "Continental Climate".

Summer Season: The average

temperature ofNew Delhi during summerranges from 25 C to 46 C. This goes toshow that Delhi summer is verycumbersome and bearing the heat is nochild's play. May and June are considered tobe the hottest months of the year. Summerin Delhi stays till October before tinge ofwinter starts to sets in. Summer in Delhiattributes its cause to Rajasthan hot waves

called "Loo". These heat waves areimmensely hot and one needs to takeproper precaution during the season. Thearrival of monsoon does bring some reliefto Delhi, which comes no earlier than the end of June. Monsoon in Delhi does bring somerespite to Delhities but this has still not been much predictable and has been rare at times.

Winter Season: In comparison to summer, winters are short. Winter Season starts fromthe end of November and continues till February-March. The cold waves from theHimalayan region makes the winters in New Delhi very chilly. Temperatures fallsubstantially down to as low as 3 to 4 C at the peak of winter. Winters in Delhi get reallychilly with bonfires all round the streets of Delhi to beat the cold waves. Delhi is not aloofto the problems of fog and smog. In January, a dense fog envelopes the city, reducingvisibility on the streets. It is advisable to take enough precautions while driving during

night and morning because fog reduces the visibility to a great extent. Usually though,winter days are pleasant with bright sunlight in afternoons only.

Fog blankets Delhi, rail and airtraffic in chaosAs the sun set on the coldest day of theseason on Friday, dense fog enveloped thecity and other areas nearby, leading to a

gloomy, dreary Saturday. It was the worstfog of the season and threatened to last forthe weekend.

More

Current Temperature, New Delhi

Know Your City


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Monsoon (Rainy Season): The city doesnot witness much of rainy season. Themonsoon lasts from July to September.October sees the end of the monsoon but it isreasonably pleasant.

Following table gives you an idea of monthlyrainfall in Delhi:

ANNUAL TEMPERATURE & RAINFALL CHART

Months Max Min Rainfall

January 21 07 25

February 24 10 22

March 30 15 17

April 36 21 07

May 41 27 08

June 40 29 65

July 35 27 211

August 34 26 173

September 34 25 150

October 35 19 31

November 29 12 01

December 23 08 05

Best Time to visit Delhi: If you are looking to visit Delhi, the best time is duringOctober-November or February-March. During October-November, the atmosphere is littlebit cool with sunny weather in mid day. February-March is the time when the nights are

cool and the days filled with bright sunshine. This is the time when you can enjoy the bestin Delhi.


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Festivals inDelhi

FESTIVALS IN

DELHIIndia is country which has festivals all through the yearand Delhi being a cosmopolitan city celebrates variousfestivals pertaining to all religions. These festivals havemany implications because it forms a basis for bringingpeople together on a single platform.People ofDelhi gather to celebrate every festival with greatenthusiasm and vigor. This is the specialty of Delhi that we

get to see festivals of all religions and each one of them carries a message of peace andharmony.

Major festivals in Delhi

Id-Ul-Fitr

Id-Ul-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims to end the holy month of Ramzan. The festival brings alot of joy among Muslims who rejoice after a long period of fast.

Know Your City


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Makar SakrantiMakar Sakranti is celebrated in Delhi andmost parts of India. It is also called theharvest festival of India. The reason forbeing given such a name comes from thefact that the festival marks the joy and

happiness after new food grains are

harvested. Makar Sakranti is a major eventin Southern India. It is also celebrated in eastern India where people take holy dips in theriver Ganges

Republic DayRepublic Day is a national festival in India and is celebrated all across India devoid of any

religious barriers and customs. It is celebrated to mark the day when constitution of Indiacame into effect. The celebration takes place in Delhi which includes parade of IndianArmy to show the might of the Republic of India, folk dances and Jhankis to show the

culture of different states in India.

HoliHoli, arguably the most popular festival in India, iscelebrated all across the country with great bliss and

vigour. The festival comes in the month of Phaguna andon a full moon day. Colors or Gulals are the majoringredients of the festival. People use these colors to playwith others and to add to the joy, people love dancing tothe tunes of traditional drum beats and holi songs.

DiwaliIt is called the festivals of lights and is celebrated all acrossIndia with a lot of excitement. Crackers, fireworks anddiyas form the major part of the festival with lighting all

across the city. The festival is celebrated in the month of October. Diwali is celebrated togreet goddess Lakshmi who is regarded as the emblem of wealth and prosperity.Worship of the goddess is followed by burning crackers in the evening.

DusseraFestival of Dussera is celebrated in most parts of India to rejoice the victory of bad overevil. Celebrated in the month of September or October, the festival continues for a periodof ten days. Effigy of Ravana, who is known as the demon according to the HinduMythology, is burnt at the last day of the festival. The festival cites the heroic deeds oflord Rama and his troops in the battle against the evil.

Independance DayIndependence Day is celebrated on August 15 to mark the freedom of India. It was on thisday when India got Independence from the British rule and became a sovereign republic.

LohriIt is celebrated in the month of January to mark the start of chilly winter season in Delhi.People dance and sing around bonfires followed by the traditional rituals.

Garden Tourism FestivalIt is a festival organized by the tourism ministry of Delhi and has nothing to do with anyparticular culture and tradition. The festival takes place in the month of March and

continues till four to five days. It draws interest and excitement from garden lovingcommunity in Delhi. The basic idea is to bring people of same likings under one roof wherepeople throw colored waters on each other. The month of March is also the spring seasonand the city is full of lovely flowers all around. So, this time of the year provides a


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conducive environment for hosting such a festival where tourists also find something newand unique to cherish.

Phoolwari-Ki-SairThis is commonly called the festival of flowers sellers. Hindus and Muslims activelyparticipate in the festival which lasts for three days. People gather at the shrine of DeviJog Maya and at the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiyar Kaki. Flower sellers offer flowers to theshrine and the Dargah to pray for a better flower season in the coming year.

Mango FestivalCelebrated in the month of July which offers you varieties of mango to choose from. It isheld in Delhi and people gather to buy Mangoes of more than 1200 varieties grown in thecountry. India also happens to be the largest mango producing country of the world.

Qutub FestivalThe festival is celebrated at the Qutab Minar in the month of October. Artists andperformers from different parts of the country gather to perform on the occasion.

Infrastructurein Delhi

INFRASTRUCTURE IN DELHI

Delhi has seen major

infrastructural changes over thepast few years amidst increasedforeign investment and economicgrowth. Delhis infrastructure isattracting MNCs and corporatebodies from all over the world.Information technology, BPOs andother IT Services are among thegrowing industries in Delhi.

Delhi has the infrastructure to be called as the modern city. Recent developmentsand economical growth in Delhi have put the city on the global mapcompeting with other top notch cities in the world. Delhi has a much improvedinfrastructure with new roads, flyovers, bridges, healthcare facilities, sanitation,etc. Education in Delhi has always been the specialty of Delhi with so many

good schools and colleges to choose from. Other major initiatives of thegovernment include telecom, housing, power facilities, and transportation.

Delhi Infrastructure Updates


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Sighting theupcoming Commonwealth Games2010, Delhi is geared up fortransforming itself to a world classcity. Recent developmentslike Delhi Metro, Flyovers, Roads,High Capacity Buses, Hotels and

townships reflect the growth ofDelhi.

In the coming few years, Delhi isexpected to be a city with minimumred lights, which means that thetraffic problem will be reduced to agreat extent. Primary facilities of

transportation and healthcare areno more a subject of concern forthe people of Delhi because thegovernment has plans to expandthe existing Metro Rail Service toother parts of Delhi and NCR. Also,the health care facilities haveimproved with free services to poorand advanced treatments available

at government hospitals.

Delhi government has outlinedmajor proposals in Delhi Master

Plan-2021 (MPD 2021) which include major infrastructural changes in the city.Some of the main proposals are extension of present commercial areas inDelhi, re-development in the form of new multi-storied buildings andencouraging population shift to NCR.

Delhi Metro Rail: Metro rail service in Delhi has come as a much awaited giftfor the people of Delhi which has indeed changed the transport facility of the city.It has become the "life line" of Delhi as people are dependent on Delhi Metro for

commuting to different places within the city. Delhi Metro Project has beenrecognized all over the world for its specialty in terms of a hi-tech rail and betterequipped transport system. The project is under the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation,DMRC and it deserves all the credit for transforming the transport service of thecity. Know More

Delhi Airports: International Airport of Delhi popularly known as IndiraGandhi International Airport is located 24 kilometers south ofNew Delhi. Itis a two-terminal airport with major Airlines from across the world having flightsto and from Indira Gandhi International Airport. Out of the two terminals, one isthe Domestic Terminal some 3 kilometers away from the InternationalTerminal. Know More

IT Project to analyse infrastructue inDelhiDelhi government's InformationTechnology (IT) Department has mappedevery inch of Delhi using 3-D imaging.The mapping will benefit variousgovernment departments while planninginfrastructure development projects.Read More

First Cancer Hospital in West Delhi

West Delhi gets a state-of-the-art cancerhospital, a first in comprehensive cancercare in an area that does not have manynames to boast of when it comes tospecialised healthcare.Read More

Signature Bridge ProgressDTTDC has come up with a novel

proposal to clean up the stretch of riverfrom the Wazirabad barrage to akilometre downstream to help make theyet-to-be-built Signature bridge a touristdestination.Read More

Delhi - City of Dreams & Aspirations.Government is working hard to makeDelhi a well-managed and dynamic city.

Read More


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Delhi Hotels: Delhi has hotels andtourist accommodation all acrossthe city with cheap and bestservice. Hotels in Delhi suit allpockets where a visitor has a

number of options to choose from.If you are habitual of a luxurious

lifestyle then Delhi has five star andthree star hotels offering qualityservice. There are many low

budget hotels in Pahar Ganjarea of New Delhi which isflooded with hotels. Tourists fromaround the country find this place asuitable option because of itsvicinity to New Delhi railwaystation and Central Delhi. KnowMore

Transport System inDelhi: Delhi Transport Corporationor the DTC is the maintransportation medium in Delhi.DTC plies all round Delhi with busesat frequent intervals to ease the commuting of passengers. DTC is the world'slargest compressed natural gas bus service. The service has come a long waysince its inception in the year 1984. Now all buses have been converted into CNGin order to control the pollution level of the city. Apart from the bus service of theDTC, there are private Blue Line services which are under the private

hands. Know More

Hospitals in Delhi: Medical facility is an integral part of a well established cityand Delhi ranks among the best in medical facilities in India. In Delhi, thereare a number of government and non-government organizations offering health

care facilities to the citizens. Directorate of health Services (DHS) under thegovernment of NCT of Delhi is the major agency committed to delivering betterhealth care. It coordinates with other government and non-governmentorganization to deliver thebest medical facility in Delhi. Know More

Infrastructure

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