7 Must Visit Places to Delhi

It’s not without a reason that Delhi is called the “heart of India”. Delhi’s strategic location and class leading infrastructure make it one of the biggest metropolitan economies in India, besides being the capital city, of course. Delhi receives a lion share of international visitors to India, mostly on business visits. However, the city itself is blessed with plenty of tourist attractions that are popular with tourist worldwide. In this post, I have listed 7 tourist attractions that should not be missed while on a visit to Delhi. 

One of the best examples of Mughal architecture in India, Humayun Tomb was commissioned by the spouse of Mughal emperor Humayun ‘Hamida Bano Begum’. The Char Bagh garden style of this Mughal edifice was the benchmark for various such monuments that were constructed time to time including Taj Mahal. Recognized as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Humayun Tomb, located in Nizamuddin East,  is a seamless fusion of Persian architecture, domes, lattice work and arched corridors.

The site of Old Fort has been the seat of administration for many legendary rulers right from Pandavas to the great Prithviraj  Chauhan till he was defeated by Mohammad Ghori in the second battle of terrain. Located in proximity to the National Zoological Park, Old Fort, stretched over to 1.5 kilometers and standing at a height of 18 meters, has three vaulted gateways-  Bara Darwaza in the west, Humayun Gate in the south and the last Talaqi Gate. Every day in the evening, a Son-et-Lumiere is organized that tells the saga of destruction and creation of Delhi for seven times.

Commenced by Maharaja Jai Singh of Jaipur in 1724, Jantar Mantar is one of the five royal observatories built across India. The major reason behind the construction of this observatory is to accurately predict the astronomical movements of sun, moon and planets. Some names of the instruments housed here include Samrat Yantra, Ram Yantra, Misra Yantra, Niyati Chakra and Jai Prakash. The proximity of astronomical observatory to the Palika Bazaar and Janpath offers ample opportunity to indulge in street shopping.

India Gate

Located right in the heart of Delhi, India Gate is a landmark monument devised by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1931. It was designed to commemorate the 90,000 soldiers who lost their lives fighting for British Indian Army in the First World War and the Third Anglo Afghan War. There is an eternal flame known as ‘Amar Jawan Jyoti’ installed in the remembrance of the unidentified soldiers of the Indian Army. A visit to Delhi is incomplete without spending an evening at India Gate lawns.

Also known as Qila-e-Mubarak, Red Fort, built in the 17th century, was the seat of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after he moved his capital from Agra to Delhi. It is one of the three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in New Delhi along with Qutub Minar and the Humayun Tomb. The important structures housed within this red sandstone structure are Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-Khas, Nahr-i-Behisht, Zenana and Moti Masjid.

Famous for its association with the 8th Sikh guru-Guru Harkishan- Bangla Sahib Gurudwara is the most prominent Sikh Gurudwara housed in Delhi. There is a small pond inside the complex whose water is considered as Amrit. The inside ambience is quite peaceful and devotees regardless of their caste and creed participate in the practice of Langar.

One of the busiest and bustling markets of Old Delhi is Chandani Chowk. The structure of this market area was devised by the daughter of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan- Jahan Ara. It is a 2 kilometer long lane starting from Red Fort to Fatehpur Masjid. The place is quite hit with locals and tourists owing to its shops and street food joints. The popular daily soap running on Zee TV has been entirely shot in the Chandani Chowk area of New Delhi.