Cities, Towns and Places
Delhi *
Delhi, the capital of
the world’s largest democracy, is not one city – but seven cities – says the
tradition. From the time of the Pandavas, the victorious brothers in the Mahabharata
war, who made it their capital around 1500 B.C. – the city was then known as
Indraprastha. The city has been rebuilt seven times, in seven different ages.
The seventh
reconstruction had been carried out by Emperor Shah Jahan (the builder of Taj
Mahal). He had named it Shahjahanabad, after completing its work in 1648.
Posterity, however, remembers his city as Old Delhi.
Just as Delhi and its
surrouareas are dotted with monuments, so also the past of Delhi is dotted with
numerous memorable events. Battles have soaked its earth with the blood of many
a race; shouts of triumph and cries of defeat have rent its skies umpteen
times. Its dust contains the vestiges of innumerable ancient monuments. Some
raby time and some by hordes of invaders who plundered it time and again.
How did this ancient
Indraprastha assume the name, Delhi? A legend says that it owes the name to a
legendary king, Dilli.
However, from
Indraprastha, built by Maya Danava – the mythical demon architect – to the
Delhi of today built by so many including Edwin Lutyens (the principal
architect of New Delhi), the way has been very long. The names of a number of
kings, some legendary and some historical, are associated with it. We will
discuss some of them when we focus on the monuments that bear their memory.
Near Qutab Minar can be
seen the remains of a citadel called Lal Kot, supposed to have been built by
King Anangpal. From his dynasty the region passed on to the Chauhans –
Prithviraj, who was the last Hindu king of Delhi.
Prithviraj and Samyukta,
the daughter of Jaichandra, the king of Kanauj, had met and set their hearts on
each other despite great differences in their ages. Jaichandra hated
Prithviraj. He arranged for his daughter’s Swayamvara – a ceremony in
ancient India where a princess exercised her freedom to choose her bridegroom
from an assembly of invited princes by garlanding the one of her choice – but
Prithviraj was left out of the list of invitees. Not only that, as Chand
Bardai, the court poet of Prithviraj, tells us, he made a statue of Prithviraj
and placed it at the entrance to the palace like a watchman.
The dauntless princess
cut straight through the regal assembly and garlanded her lover’s statue!
From the crowd outside
the gate stepped forward the gallant Prithviraj. He took hold of the princess
and, before anyone realised, had helped her hop into his horse and both
galloped away.
By then the fame of
Delhi as an inexhaustible mine of wealth had spread far and wide resulting in a
series of invasions. Prithviraj routed the army of the Turkish Sultan, Muhammad
Ghori, took the Sultan prisoner, and sent him back home obliging him to wear a
lady’s outfit – gold bangles.
While Ghori was thus
sulking under humiliation, he joined hands with Jaichandra and in a fiercely
fought battle defeated and killed Prithviraj. Samyukta set herself ablaze and
died; so did her maids. This was in 1192.
Jaichandra, of course,
was betrayed by his ally. The very next year Ghori killed him and captured his
kingdom.
After Ghori, one of his
Viceroys, Qutb-ud-din, ruled Delhi. He was originally a slave. His dynasty
became known as the Slave Dynasty (1206-1290).
A remarkable lady who
ruled the Delhi Sultanate for four years belonged to this dynasty. She was Raziya.
He father, Iltutmish, while dying, declared her as his successor, instead of
his son, for he knew her ability.
Indeed, she proved kind
and capable. But the nobles disliked being ruled by a woman. They revolted
under the leadership of Altuniya. In a dramatic bid, Raziya tried to win
Altuniya’s love and succeeded. She married him, only to fall, along with him,
to the swords of the adversaries in 1240.
The Slave Dynasty was
put to an end by Jalal-ud-din Firuz Shah, whose father had been executed by
Kaikubad, the last of the Slave Sultans. Jalal-ud-din accomplished the feat by
murdering Kaikubad. The Dynasty he founded is known as the Khilji Dynasty
(1290-1320).
The last of the Khiljis
was beheaded by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlak who began the Tughlaq Dynasty
(1320-1413).
The fall of this dynasty
was hastened by the invasion of the cruel Timur (Tamerlane) of Samarkand.
Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq tried to check his advance but in vain. Timur massacred
100,000 adult males, his prisoners, in cold blood, and then stayed in Delhi for
a fortnight letting his soldiers plunder the city, and returned home the
richest man of the time.
After the death of the
last Tughlaq, the Sayyids and the Lodis ruled Delhi from 1413 to 1528. Then
came Babur, a descendant of Timur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty.
The first six of the
nineteen Mughal rulers – Babur (1526-30), Humayun (1530-56), Akbar (1556-1605),
Jahangir (1605-27), Shah Jahan(1627-58), and Aurangzeb (1658-1707) are famous
as the Great Mughals. They went on expanding their empire which, by Aurangzeb’s
time, had come to be comprised of almost the whole of the Indian subcontinent.
The Mughal period was
eventful in many ways. Their architectural achievements and monuments of
significance will claim a great part of the tourist’s itinerary.
It was during Jahangir’s
rule that a messenger of King James I of England visited the Mughal court in
1608. He was followed by Sir Thomas Roe in 1615 who managed to obtain the
emperor’s permission for the East India Company setting up factories in India.
Thus the way was paved for the British rule in the country.
In 1738 – by that time
the Mughal Dynasty had fallen into a pitiable state – Nadir Shah of Persia
invaded Delhi. He killed 30,000 citizens and made a bonfire of a large area of
the city. His loot included the famous Peacock Throne, 1,000 elephants, 7,000
horses, 10,000 camels, loaded with plunder, a bevy of charming women chosen
from the Mughal harem, and 500 talented architects and craftsmen.
Nadir Shah was still not
satisfied. He was looking for the legendary diamond, Kohi-I-Noor. The Mughal,
Muhammad Shah, who then sat on the throne of Delhi and who was trying his best
to please the brutal conqueror, had kept the diamond hidden in his costly
turban. At the moment of departure the crafty Nadir embraced the Mughal and
proposed that they exchange their turbans as a mark of friendship. The Mughal
looked on helplessly as the turbans changed heads.
One of Nadir’s soldiers
who had gloated over his master’s booty became a chief in Afghanistan after
Nadir’s assassination. He was never tired of leading expeditions to India. In
1757, he struck Delhi and conducted a pillage that was a thorough as his
master’s.
While the Mughal empire
was disintegrating, the British power was boosting. At last they captured Agra
and Delhi in 1803. Shah Alam, the reigning Mughal, virtually lived as their
prisoners till his death in 1806.
His son, Akbar II, was
permitted to be called ‘Emperor’. In 1857, the historic uprising took pace
which the British called the Sepoy Mutiny, against the East India Company. The
British deported the last Mughal, Bahadur Shah II, to Rangoon, accusing him of
complicity with the mutineers. He died in 1862.
The entrance to the Old
Forts is called the Khuni Darwaza or the Bloody Gate. The emperor’s sons
and male descendants were shot dead or hung there. The Company’s Commander,
Hodson, wrote: “In twenty-four hours I disposed of the principal members of the
House of Taimur and Tartar. I am not cruel, but I confess that I did rejoice in
the opportunity …”
That was the end of
Mughal Dynasty. However, some of their descendants are still living, poor and
forgotten.
A famous saying is
attributed to Saint Nizamuddin. When Sultan Ghiasuddin was entering Delhi after
an expedition to Bengal, he said, Hanuz Delhi dur ast, meaning, “Delhi
is still far!”
Soon a huge pavilion,
constructed to receive the Sultan, collapsed on his head and killed him. Delhi
remained far for him.
And Delhi remained far
for many an aspiring invader or prince. The real Delhi – the symbol of the
highest mundane glory, perhaps slipped through the fof many who even arrived!
In 1858, the government
of India passed on from the East India Company to the British Crown. Calcutta
became India’s capital. Delhi’s lost glory was restored to it in 1911 when King
George V held a Durbar here and announced that Delhi was to be the capital of
India thereafter.
Through its chequered
history Delhi reached 15 August 1947 – when India became independent. It is on
the rise ever sine.
The two worlds of the
city, the Old and the New, in fact form a grand synthesis, as natural as the
coexistence of night and day, enriched by the other’s splendours.
We shall now tell you
about the monuments and places of interest. We could very well draw for you a
sequence, placing the spots in order as you should see them one after the
other. But our survey shows that any such order is unrealistic, for, much will
depend on time available to you, where you stay, and your interest. Hence we
put them in an order.
Monuments of the Past
Ashoka’s Pillar
Atop the ruins of
Firozeshah Kotla stands Ashoka’s pillar, cut out of pale orange sandstone going
back to the 3rd century B.C. Its brightly polished surface bears the
seven edicts of Emperor Ashoka in Brahmi script. Firozeshah Tughlaq brought it
from Topra, near Meerut, in the middle of A.D. 14th century.
Ferozeshah Kotla
Extensive ruins –
suggestive of a lost city that was larger than the modern Delhi – this was the
5th Delhi, built by Ferozeshah Tughlaq around 1354 AD. It was then
known as Firozeshah. The Ashoka pillar overlooks the piles of rubble.
Nearby is the Jami
mosque in ruins. This was the biggest mosque in a bygone era. Timur, the
invader, prayed here. He liked the structure so much that he built a mosque in
Samarkand on its model.
Ghiasuddin’s Tomb
This mausoleum of
Ghiasuddin Tughlaq, Sultan of Delhi, is a massive stone edifice, decorated with
choice marbles. The monument stands in an artificial lake surrounded by
battlements in the shape of a pentagon. It is situated opposite Tughlaqabad
Fort, across Badarpur Fort.
Hauz Khas
Hauz Khas or the
Reservoir Exclusive, built by Alauddin Khilji in 1305 for his new capital, Siri
– the second Delhi – is to be seen off Sri Aurobindo Marg, on the way to Qutab
Minar. Near the reservoir lies buried Emperor Firozeshah.
The Hauz Khas presents
the best example of the Tughlaq style of architecture.
Hazrat Nizamuddin
Nizamuddin Aulia
(1256-1347), a Sufi Saint, influenced even the politics of the time. The
fascinating mosque built near his tomb is remarkable for its marble masonry.
Here lies buried Mirza
Ghalib (1797-1869), the great Urdu poet, and Jahanara, the loyal daughter of
Shah Jahan. Once, in Shah Jahan’s good days, Jahanara’s fine muslin caught fire
from a lamp, giving her a severe burn. Shah Jahan retired from all business and
kept sitting by her side, applying medicines to her wounds. When all physicians
failed, a slave, named Arif, did some quackery and healed here wounds. The
emperor had Arif weighted in gold and made a gift of the gold to him. In turn
Jahanara devoted herself to her aged father’s service, when Aurangzeb
imprisoned Shah Jahan.
Humayun’s Tomb
Erected in 1565 by Bega
Begum, also known as Hazi Begum, the widow of Humayun, this monument is the
forerunner of the Taj Mahal. Architecturally, it is the first mature example of
the ‘tomb-in-a-garden’ complex which synthesised Persian architecture and
Indian traditions – the former reflected by arched alcoves, corridors and high
double dome and the latter by kiosks, giving it a vague pyramidal outline from
a distance.
The mausoleum contains,
apart from Humayun’s body, the body if his queen (its builder), and among
several princes, Dara Shikoh, Shah Jahan’s eldest son.
Jama Masjid
This grand mosque, the
last building built by Shah Jahan, is the largest mosque in India and certainly
one of the largest in the world. Its onion-shaped domes and tapering minarets
are among the best examples of the Mughal architecture. A flight of steps leads
to its expansive courtyard measuring 400 square metres.
The mosque is sacred
because it treasures a strand of hair from the Prophet Muhammad’s beard, his
sandals, and a chapter from the Holy Quran dictated by him.
On Muslim religious days
the mosque witnesses huge congregations at prayer.
Jama Masjid stands
opposite the Red Fort, south of Chandni Chowk.
Jantar Mantar
Situated on the Sansad
Marg (Parliament Street), these designs in stone looking like the reveries of a
cubist, were made by Raja Jai Singh II of Jaipur, in 1724.
This is an astronomical
observatory. The star-gazing Raja had built similar ones at Jaipur, Varanasi,
Mathura, and Ujjain.
The six unusual
structures provide excellent opportunity for the study of astronomy as in those
days.
The largest of the
instruments, known as the Samrat Yantra (the supreme instrument), is a
huge sundial. The other five instruments indicate the movements of the sun, the
moon and other celestial bodies. New Delhi Municipal Corporation has built the
tallest building of Delhi housing the Corporation’s offices, adjacent to Jantar
Mantar.
Khan-I-Khanan’s Tomb
Located on Mathura Road,
near Nizamuddin, this monument was built on the tomb of Abdur Rahim
Khan-I-Khanan, the son of Bairam Khan, one of Akbar’s generals. Khan-I-Khanan
was an eminent poet who died in 1627.
This is an example of
the typical Persian style of architecture. It is raised on a square terrace,
with seventeen arched recesses on each side.
Khirki Mosque
Built in 1326 by
Mohammad Tughlaq, at Khirki, near the present day Malaviya Nagar, and close to
the vestiges of Jahanpanah, the fourth Delhi, this mosque looks like a rugged
fortification with bastions at the four corners. The perforated windows on the
upper floor, called the Khirkis, have given the mosque as well as its
surrounding area their names.
Lodi Tombs
In the charming Lodi
Gardens along the Lodi Road are seen three tombs of the rulers of the Lodi
Dynasty and one of the Sayyids – all belonging to the 15th century.
The tomb of Sikandar
Lodi, built by his son, Ibrahim Lodi, close to Safdarjang’s tomb, is the most
commendable of the monuments with a set of beautiful pillars and arches.
Near this is the Bara
Gumbad mosque an imposing structure with its lofty dome, its walls adorned
with floral motifs and calligraphic inscriptions from the Holy Quran. It is
believed to harbour the grave of an unknown builder.
Purana Qila (Old
Fort)
Situated on what was
once a hillock the construction of this fort was begun by Humayun in AD 1530
and was completed by Sher Shah, the Afghan ruler who had wrested the Delhi
throne from him in 1541.
Magnificent in its
ruins, the fort, evidently, was a gigantic and excellently planned structure.
Inside, the two
monuments which claim one’s attention are Sher Shah’s Qila-I-Kuhna Mosque,
symbolising the highest development in Indo-Afghan architecture, and Sher
Manzil, an octagonal building made of red sandstone, used by Huyamun as his
library. It was while coming down the stairs of this building that Huyamun met
with an accident (1556) which proved fatal.
Behind the Manzil is a
platform from which the visitor can view archaeological excavations revealing
the remains of various layers of the past. This is the place which is believed
to have been Indraprastha, the capital of the Pandavas.
Qutab Minar and
nearby monuments
“Isolated above the
surrounding plain (for even the great screen of arches is dwarfed beside it),
it stands like some mysterious sentinel which has watched the rise and fall of
dynasties and of the cities which are visible from its galleries,” writes a
visitor to the Qutab Minar, Sir Henry Sharp.
Situated at Mehrauli,
once the centre of the ancient Delhi, the Minar is one of the most remarkable
towers in the world. Dominating the colossal ruins of the fort of Prithviraj,
the 73-metre tall Minar is an architectural marvel.
With a base that
measures 14.5 metres in diameter, the Minar tapers to 2.5 metres at its apex.
Of its five storeys, the first three are made of red sandstone, and the rest
are a mixture of marble and sandstone. The projecting balconies give each
storey a distinct look. The minaret was used by the muezzin to give hcall for
prayer.
The cibelieved to have
been begun by Qutub-ud-din Aibak, the first Sultan of the Slave Dynasty. It was
carried on by his son-in-law, Iltutmish. Ferozeshah Tughlaq contributed a
cupola to the Minar which an earthquake threw off in 1803. The British admirers
put a new cupola; but it looked rather grotesque. At the Governor-General’s
order it was removed a few years later. It is lying on the ground near the
tower.
There is also atheory
that the monument was built in the memory of a saint, over his tomb. It
commemorates his name and not that of Qutub-ud-din Aibak.
The mosque that stands
near it, Quwwat-ul-Islam (Might of Islam), is the oldest extant mosque in the
country. Materials from twenty-seven Hindu and Jain temples were taken to make
this monument.
Amidst the ruins of the
mosque stands a mysterious pillar made of iron, Sir Alexander Cunningham
(1814-93), the first Archaeological to the Government of India, wrote, “The Iron
Pillar of Delhi is one of the most curious monuments of India. Many large works
of metal were no doubt made in ancient times, for instance, the celebrated
Colossus of Rhodes and the gigantic statues of the Buddhists which are
described by Hiuen Tsang. But all of them were of brass and copper, all of them
were hollow, all of them were built of pieces welded together, whereas the
Delhi pillar is a solid shaft of mixed metal.”
Experts have described
the pillar as being even more wonderful than the great Minar. “It opens our
eyes to an unsuspected state of affairs to find the Hindus at this age capable
of forging a bar of iron larger than any that has been forged in Europe up to a
very late date,” says one.
Folk-tale points at this
pillar when it says that a certain king had tried to transfix the mythical
serpent, Vasuki using a huge pole.
Historians fix the age
of the pillar as over 1,600 years. From an inscription it seems to have been
made by King Chandra Barman who ruled during the Gupta period.
Centuries of exposure to
the elements have not rusted the pillar.
Red Ford (Lal Qila)
This great fort on the
bank of Jamuna, built by Shah Jahan as the citadel of the seventh Delhi founded
by him, then known as Shahjahanabad and now Old Delhi, is a significant link
between the past the present, for, it is from here the Prime Minister of India
addresses the people on the Independence, August 15.
The Red Fort, so called
because of the red stone with which it is built, is, according to an authority,
“the most magnificent palace in the East or perhaps in the world.” (Fergusson).
No doubt, once the
interiors of the Red Fort were packed with wealth of untold value. It treasured
the Peacock Throne, the Kohinoor diamond and some of the world’s costliest
jewels. From the Red Fort reigned a regal power that was unique in its majesty
and sway. But in balance, the tides of fortune seem to have outnumbered the
tides of misfortune. Assassinations, (of Emperor Farrukhsiyar in 1719),
betrayals and plunders (carried on by Nadir Shah in 1739) that have taken place
in the Fort will make a fat volume of history. In 1788, Ghulam Qadir, the
Rohilla brigand, besieged the Fort and perpetrated the most beastly cruelty
imaginable on the family of Emperor Shah Alam II. The Mughal Dynasty had fallen
into lean days and there was no hidden treasure in the Fort. But Qadir would
not believe that. He tied up the ladies of the palace and whipped them; he
lashed the Emperor’s infant children to death, and gouged the Emperor’s eyes.
The main gate of the
Fort is called the Lahore Gate, for it faces the city of Lahore, now in
Pakistan.
The area immediately
after the gate was an exclusive fancy market for the aristocracy. Writers Lt.
Col. Newell: “Here sat the court jewellers, goldsmiths, picture-painters,
workers in enamel, carpet-manufacturers, weavers of rich silk, kincobs, fine
cloths for turbans, and makers of pyjama girdles ornamented with gold and
silver flowers, together with a thousand other beautiful and costly luxuries
adapted to the sumptuous taste of the most splendid Court in the world.”
A courtyard leads to the
Naubat Khana or the Band House from which music used to be played at least five
times a day.
Next to be seen is
Diwan-I-Aam, the Hall of Public Audience. The marble canopy on the balcony
marks the royal seat. The vault of the hall rests on octagonal and fluted
columns and must have highly impressed any visitor when the court was full.
The other hall is
Diwan-I-Khas, the Hall of Private Audience.
After his public
appearance, the Emperor retired into this hall and talked to dignitaries and
favourites. Though simples, it is artistically exquisite. The French traveller,
Bernier, a jewel merchant, had valued its ceiling alone at 75 million Francs.
This hall was adorned by
the Peacock Throne, made at a cost of 11 crore rupees, at that time.
Other aspects of the
Fort are the Moti Masjid, a mosque built by Aurangzeb, Hayat Bakhsh Garden or
the Garden of Rejuvenation, and two pavilions called Sawan and Bhadon
– named after the two Hindu calendar months of the monsoon.
The history of the Fort
is now presented through a Sound and Light Show, Son et Lumiere, every
evening.
Tughlaqabad
The ruins of the massive
for complex of Tughlaqabad across Badarpur road and opposite Ghiasuddin
Tughlaq’s tomb was the third city of Delhi built by him. Unbelievable as it may
appear today, the vast complex was built in record time. Supposedly under a curse
from the Saint Azam-ud-Din, it became a ghost city within fifteen years of its
birth.
Some Modern Monuments
India Gate
Situated on the Rajpath,
this 42-metre high structure was built in 1921 in the memory of the 90,000
Indian soldiers who were killed in World War I. This is modelled after the
famous Menir Gate of Ypres (Belgium).
Lakshmi Narayan
Temple
Built in 1938, the
building is an excellent example of a modern presentation of the classical
temple art and architecture. On Tuesday afternoons and evenings and religious
festivals the temple wears a festive look because of special rituals. It is
situated on Kalibari Marg, next to the temple of Goddess Kali.
Parliament House
Circular in shape, this
building on Sansad Marg has decent colonnades and is 171 metres in diameter.
Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s Residence)
A majestic structure
built in the late twenties of the century, on an elevated area of 330 acres,
this is the dwelling of the President of the Republic of India and it commands
an imposing view overlooking the Rajpath and India Gate.
The building contains
340 rooms, large courts, stately apartments for foreign dignitaries, a library,
and a Mughal style garden.
Foreign tourists can
obtain entry passes through the Tourist Office of the Government of India. The
Military Secretary to the President, at the Bhavan itself, issues passes to the
Indians.
Shopping Centres
The city is interspersed
with bazaars. No traveller can miss them. However, some bazaars which need
special mention are:
Chandni Chowk
This is the main
business centre of the Old Delhi region. Stretching between Red Ford and
Fatehpuri, this is famous for fine jewellery. However, this is a complete
bazaar.
Connaught Place
The main business centre
of New Delhi, originally shaped like a crescent moon, it is now almost a
complete circle. It has an underground air-conditioned market, Palika Bazar. On
the periphery of Connaught Place, are also a number of shopping areas – Shankar
Market and Super Bazar and Janpath shops.
Sunder Nagar Market
For jewellery, curios,
art objects, etc.
Ajmal Khan Market
Almost anything from
clothing to jewellery are available. One of the biggest market areas in Asia.
State Emporia
Building Complex (Baba Kharak Singh Marg)
From handicrafts to
jewellery at fixed prices. State Emporia of most of the States of India are
located here. Special products of each State are sold.
South Extension
Market
For jewellery, curios,
clothing, books and miscellaneous items.
Sarojini Nagar Market
For household goods and
miscellaneous items.
Sightseeing in Delhi
Delhi has sprawled over
the west bank of the river Yamuna, straddling the river. Remnants of the
glorious past survive cheek-by-jowl with soaring skyscrapers,
posresidenticolonies and commercial complexes.
Delhi has some of the
finest museums in the country. Its boutiques and shopping arcades offer access
to a wealth of traditional and contemporary crafts, from all over the country.
Delhi has specialty
restaurants to please the gourmet, sprawling parks and gardens ablaze with
flowers, and in the winter mont, a variety of cultural events. The myriad faces
of the city are simply tantalizing, and entice the curious traveller into a fascinating
journey of discovery.
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How To Get Package Tours
Tourist Offices
There
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How To Get There
Air: Delhi has an
extensive network of international and domestic flights. All the major airlines
in the world fly through Delhi, and it ieasily accessible from anywhere in the
world. Domestic air links cover Delhi from all the major cities in the country.
Train: Trains run from
all the parts of the country to Delhi. For nearby places like Chandigarh,
Dehradun, Gwalior, Bhopal, Lucknow and Kanpur, the Shatabdi Express is
recommended.
Bus: Buses from all the
major places in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh and Rajasthan are available for getting to Delhi. During the summer
months, air-conditioned coaches are recommended.
Package Tours
Local Sightseeing (Combined
Tour of New Delhi and Old Delhi)
New Delhi
When: Everyday
Time: 0845 hrs to 1330
hrs
Tariff: Half Day - Rs 35
( Non A/C ),
Combined - Rs. 60 (Non
A/C )
Places to visit: Jantar
Mantar, Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, Birla
Mandir, Qutab Minar,
Lotus Temple,
Safdarjung Tomb. Drive
past embassy area/
India Gate (Monday
only). Lunch halt at D.T.D.C Coffee Home/Dilli Haat, R.K.Puram
Old Delhi
When: Everyday
Time: 1345 hrs to 1715
hrs
Tariff: Half Day - Rs 35
( Non A/C ),
Combined - Rs. 60 (Non
A/C )
Places to visit: Red
Fort, Jama Masjid, Rajghat, Humayun's
Tomb
Agra Tour (One day)
When: Everyday except
Monday
Time: 0700 hrs to 2100
hrs
Tariff: Adult - Rs. 300,
Child - Rs 275 ( Non A/C )
Places to visit: Akbar's
Tomb, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort,
Haridwar - Rishikesh
Tour (2 days)
When: Every Wednesday
and Saturday
Time: Departure - 0715
hrs, Return - 2000 hrs
Tariff: Adult - Rs 450,
Child - Rs 390 ( Non A/C )
Places to visit: Har ki
Pauri, Mansa Devi Temple, Ganga
Temple, Ashrams in
Rishikesh
Golden Triangle Tour (3
days)
When: Every Tuesday and
Friday
Time: Departure - 0700
hrs, Return - 2000 hrs
Tariff: Adult - Rs 1650,
Child - Rs 1375 ( Non A/C )
Places to visit: Agra
(Akbar's Tomb, Agra Fort, Taj Mahal),
Fatehpur Sikri,
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary and
Jaipur ( Hawa Mahal, Ajmer
Fort, City Palace,
Jantar Mantar )
Delhi by Evening Tour
When: Everyday
Time: 1800 hrs to 2200
hrs
Tariff: Adult - Rs 60,
Child - Rs 50 ( Non A/C )
Places to visit: Birla
Mandir, Sound and Light Show at Red
Fort, drive past
Parliament House, Secretariat,
India Gate, Old Fort and
Exhibition Grounds
Temples tour to Mathura
- Vrindavan
When: Every Saturday and
Sunday
Time: 0600 hrs to 2100
hrs
Tariff: Adult - Rs 175,
Child - Rs 150 ( Non A/C )
Places to visit: Krishna
Janma Bhoomi, Dwarkadhish Temple,
Kans Fort, Mathura
Museum, ISKCON
Temple, Banke Bihari
Temple and Meera
Temple
Tourist Offices
New Delhi
18 A, Defence Colony
New Delhi
Tel : 4694859, 4623782
Fax : 4610500
N-36, Connaught Place
New Delhi
Tel : 3315322, 3314229
Fax : 3313637
New Delhi Railway
Station
New Delhi
Tel : 3732374
Inter-State Bus
Terminus(I.S.B.T)
New Delhi
Tel : 2962181
Domestic Airport
New Delhi
Tel : 3295609, 3295126
International Airport
New Delhi
Tel : 3291213, 5452021
Mumbai
Mumbai Trade Development
Corporation(M.T.D.C),
Madame Cama Road,
Mumbai
Tel : 2856736, 2026713,
2027784
Calcutta
4, Shakespeare Sarani,
Calcutta
Tel : 2425454, 2421401
Bangalore
C/o G.T.O, KFC Building,
48, Church Road,
Bangalore
Tel : 558417
Chennai
C/o Tamil Nadu Tourism
Development Corporation,
143, Anna Salai,
Chennai-2
Tel : 830498, 380390,
840752