Places to visit in Delhi: Delhi Sightseeing
Delhi is the diplomatic center of India, the capital city is easily one of the largest cities in the world with a 19 million population and growing. The city is the center of most economic and commercial activities in the country. Most of all the multinational corporations have their head offices in India. Delhi is one of the very few metropolitan cities in India that has world leading infrastructure. The city is home to some of the wealthiest citizens in the country that include billionaires and millionaires.
New Delhi was known as Indraprastha in the pre-independent phase of India. The capital city of Indraprastha has been referred to in the ancient scripts of Mahabharata. Hence the city is of great significance to the Indian subcontinent not just in the present but in the distant past as well. There are many historic monuments and sites that describe great stories of the people living during that period of time.
New Delhi is home to people from all over the world. It is easily the melting pot of cultures. New Delhi can easily be described as a synonym to the word diversity. New Delhi is also home to a lot of economic activities, in fact the city has a GDP of $167 billion. To bring into perspective how big the city is, take the population of Austria which is close to 8.9 million people, a city in India has more than double its population.
The city of New Delhi is unlike any other city in the world, some of the beautiful places to visit in Delhi include sites like,
Akshardham
The Swaminarayan Akshardham, or Akshardham as it is popularly called is a huge Hindu temple that has become the embodiment of Indian culture, architecture, and spirituality. The Guinness World Record has awarded the temple the distinct title of “The World’s Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple”. In Delhi, it is easily one of the most visited places by tourists and locals alike. Akshardham is easily one of the best monuments that should be part of the Delhi sightseeing list.
Interesting facts about Akshardham
- The name Akshardham is a combination of two words Askhar and Dham. Aksar means eternal and Dham means abode. Hence the name Akshardham literally translates to “ the abode of the eternal one.
- Akshardham, unlike other temples, has ten entry gates to its complex.
- No concrete or steel is used in the building of the temple.
- It took more than 11,000 artisans to design the temple.
- The food court inside the temple” Premvati Ahargruh”, the design theme is based on Ajanta and Ellora caves in Maharashtra.
Lotus Temple
The lotus temple is an architectural marvel in itself. It was built with an intention to provide a space that the people of India could use to meditate, and experience peace. The structure resembles a white petal lotus. It is naturally one of the most favorite places for tourists both domestic and international alike. The design was conceptualized by the Canadian architect by the name Fariborz Sahba. The artwork was completed in the year 1986. The temple is open to people of all religions, beliefs, and faiths. Even though there are many places to visit near Delhi, as far as Delhi NCR is considered Lotus Temple is easily the must see places to visit in Delhi.
The temple is famous for its beautiful floral gardens and its water fountains. The feel is quiet, tranquil with green patches of beautifully laid grass. People from all faiths come to this temple to meditate. It is a breath of fresh air for people living in Delhi, a must needed break from the hectic schedules. It is the best place to relax and be one with nature.
Interesting facts about Delhi’s Lotus Temple
- The temple is based on Bahai religion. Bahai religion believes that their center of worship is for people of all religions. Hence people in all faiths can come and visit this temple and practice their religious activities in the temple.
- The Bahai Lotus Temple’s prayer room can at a time house 2500 people for prayers.
- 10,000 different sizes of marbles are used to build the Lotus Temple.
Red Fort
The Red Fort is a representation of the zenith of the Mughal dynasty, its power, its culture, and its architectural heritage. Spread over 256 acres overlooking the Yamuna is the massive Red Fort exudes royalty and wealth. The colour of the red fort has withstood the test of time, it has surprisingly not faded away at all. It was built as a palace when the capital of the Mughal empire was shifted from Agra to Delhi.
The Red Force still has political significance in modern India’s political legacy. It is in this building that the Prime Minister of the country hoists the flag of India every Independence day. The Prime Minister addresses the nation from the Red Fort, stating the direction of his government in the coming years.
Red Fort is open for visitors every day except on Mondays. On Monday’s the monument remains closed. Red Fort has easily become one of the must see attractions that should be part of the Delhi sightseeing list.
Interesting facts about Red Fort
- The Red Fort was initially white when Mughals built the structure. It was British that actually painted the building Red.
- The Last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was stripped of all his titles in the Red Fort by the British, accusing him of treason.
- The world renowned Kohinoor Diamond Was Part of the Red Fort Furniture.
- It took ten years to build the fort.
- The name given by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to this palace was “Qila-e-Mubarak”. Which in turn means “The Blessed Fort”.
- The shape of the Red Fort is Octagonal in shape.
How to reach Delhi
There are a lot of places to visit in Delhi but how do you reach them?. The best way to reach Delhi is by flying to Indira Gandhi International Airport, the sole airport in Delhi. Visitors who want to travel to Delhi or places to visit near Delhi can perform flight booking to its airport. The airport even has direct flights from some major cities in the US. If you are ready to do some research you could find answers to some of the burning questions that haunt most international tourists, “how to find cheap flights”.
Conclusion
Delhi has always remained an important city pre-independence, and now post-independence as well. There is a popular saying that if you have Delhi, you have India. That is the diplomatic and political power vested among the people of Delhi. Delhi has always been the best place to understand the nation’s mood. Delhi is part of what the government calls the golden triangle, which includes places like Rajasthan, New Delhi, and Agra, UP. Hence there are a lot of places to visit near Delhi that attract tourists from across the world. There is very significant importance that Delhi as a city brings to the table when it comes to India. If you are interested Bangalore is another big city that has a different character altogether. Read about the places to visit in Bangalore.
