Delhi (sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis in India, with a population of 11.9 million, and a federally-administered union territory officially known as the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). Located on the banks of the Yamuna River in northern India, it is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.

Delhi has been the capital of several ancient Indian empires and a major city along the old trade routes between northwest India and the Indo-Gangetic Plains. It is the site of many ancient and medieval monuments, archaeological sites and remains. The Mughal emperor Shahjahan built the city, now known as "Old Delhi", to serve as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1649 to 1857. After the British Raj took control of India during the 19th century, Calcutta became the capital until George V announced in 1911 that it was to move back to Delhi. A new capital city, New Delhi, was built during the 1920s. When India gained independence from British rule in 1947, New Delhi was declared its capital and seat of government. As such, New Delhi houses important offices of the federal government, including the Parliament of India.

Historically, Delhi has always remained an important trading centre in northern India. Old Delhi still contains legacies of its rich Mughal past that can be found among the old city's tangle of snaking lanes and teeming bazaars. The dingy markets of the Old City has an eclectic product range from oil-swamped mango, lime and eggplant pickles, candy-colored herbal potions to silver jewelry, bridal attire, uncut material and linen, spices, sweets. Some of old regal havelis (palatial residences) are still there in the Old City. Chandni Chowk, a three century old shopping area, is one of the most popular shopping areas in Delhi for jewellery and Zari saris.

Owing to the immigration of people from across the country, Delhi has grown to be a cosmopolitan city. Its rapid development and urbanization, coupled with the relatively high average income of its population, has transformed the city. Today, Delhi is a major cultural, political, and commercial center of India. However, the city is said to have lost its own identity and socio-cultural legacies as it went to absorb multitude of humanity from across the country and has morphed into an amorphous pool of cultural styles.

The Delhi Metro, a mass rapid transit system, serves many parts of Delhi. As of 2007, the metro operates three lines with a total length of 65 km (40 miles) and 59 stations while several other lines are under construction. The network is being expanded at a rapid pace with Phase-II under construction (128 km), expected to be completed by 2010. Phase III and IV will be completed by 2015 and 2020 respectively, creating a network spanning 413.8 km, longer than London's Underground.

ATTRACTIONS

Qutub Minar - World Heritage Site

Qutub Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world, and an important example of Indo-Islamic Architecture. The tower is in the Qutub complex at Mehrauli in South Delhi, India. The superb buildings in this complex date from the onset of Muslim rule in India. Standing at 72 meters high (237.8 ft) with 379 steps leading to the top, the diameter of the base is 14.3 meters wide while the top floor measures 2.75 meters in diameter.

The tower has five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone, the fourth and fifth storeys of marble and sandstone. The stairs inside the tower coil so steeply that they're enough to make the hardiest climber dizzy and claustrophobic, and it was no surprise when a stampede during a school trip in 1979 resulted in a number of deaths. The inside of the tower has since been closed to visitors.

An inscription over the mosque's eastern gate provocatively informs that it was built with material obtained from demolishing 27 Hindu temples. A 7m (23ft) high iron pillar stands in the courtyard of the mosque and it's said that if you can encircle it with your hands whilst standing with your back to it, your wish will be fulfilled; however, the pillar is now protected by a fence.

Humayun's Tomb - World Heritage Site

Humayun's tomb is a complex of buildings of Mughal architecture located in Nizamuddin east, New Delhi. In time of Slave Dynasty this land was under the KiloKheri Fort which was capital of Sultan Kequbad son of Nasiruddin (1268-1287). It encompasses the main tomb of the Emperor Humayun as well as numerous others. The complex is a World Heritage Site and the first example of this type of Mughal architecture in India. This style of mausoleum was the same that created the Taj Mahal in Agra.

Red Fort - World Heritage Site

** Red Fort is closed on Mondays

The Red Fort was the palace for Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's new capital, Shahjahanabad, the seventh Muslim city in the Delhi site. He moved his capital from Agra in a move designed to bring prestige to his reign, and to provide ample opportunity to apply his ambitious building schemes and interests. The Red Fort stands at the eastern edge of Shahjahanabad, and gets its name from the massive wall of red sandstone that defines its four sides. The Red Fort is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Delhi, attracting millions of visitors every year. The fort is also the site from which the Prime Minister of India addresses the nation on August 15 , the day India achieved independence from the British.

The red sandstone walls of the massive Red Fort (Lal Qila) rise 33m (108ft) above the clamor of 'Old' Delhi as a reminder of the magnificent power and pomp of the Mughal emperors. The fort's main gate, the Lahore Gate, is one of the emotional and symbolic focal points of the modern Indian nation and attracts a major crowd each Independence Day. The walls, built in 1638, may have been designed to keep out invaders, but today they mainly keep out the noise and confusion of the city, making the fort and its gardens and pavilions a peaceful haven from the surrounding chaos. During the British period the Fort was mainly used as a cantonment and even after Independence, a significant part of the Fort remained under the control of the Army till the year 2003.

Jama Masjid -

** Avoid visiting Masjid on Fridays

The Masjid-i-Jahan Numa commonly known as Jama Masjid of Delhi, is the principal mosque of Old Delhi in India. Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, and completed in the year 1656 AD, it is one of the largest and best-known mosques in India. It is also at the beginning of a very busy and popular street/center in Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk. Masjid-i-Jahan Numa means "the mosque commanding a view of the world", and the name Jama Masjid is a reference to the weekly congregation observed on Friday (the yaum al-jum`a) at the mosque. The mosque also houses several relics in a closet in the north gate, including a copy of the Qur'an written on deer skin. The highly decorative mosque has three great gateways, four towers and two 40m (135ft) high minarets constructed of strips of red sandstone and white marble. The courtyard of the mosque can hold up to twenty-five thousand worshippers. Travelers arriving bare-legged can hire robes at the northern gate.

Chandni Chowk & cycke–rickshaw-ride in the by-lanes –

Chandni Chowk, a main marketplace in Delhi, keeps alive the city's living legacy of Shahjahanabad. Created by Shah Jahan the builder of Taj Mahal, the old city, with the Red Fort as its focal point and Jama Masjid as the praying centre, has a fascinating market called Chandni Chowk. Legend has it that Shah Jahan planned Chandni Chowk so that his daughter could shop for all that she wanted. The market was divided by canals. The canals are now closed, but Chandni Chowk remains Asia's largest wholesale market. Crafts once patronized by the Mughals continue to flourish there. One can have a cycle-rickshaw-ride in the by-lanes of the old city and have a nice glimpse of local traders selling their merchandise to the local people. One of the most popular spice market is located further inside Chandni Chowk. However, cycle-rickshaws are prohibited on the main roads of Chandni Chowk.

 Raj Ghat -

Raj Ghat, a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi is a simple black marble platform that marks the spot of his cremation on 31 January 1948. It is left open to the sky while an eternal flame burns perpetually at one end. It is located on the banks of the river Yamuna in Delhi, India. A stone footpath flanked by lawns leads the walled enclosure that houses the memorial. Two museums dedicated to Gandhi are located near by. The memorial has the epitaph Hē Ram, (literally 'O' Ram', but also translated to 'O God'), believed to be the last words uttered by Gandhi. As a sign of respect, visitors are required to remove footwear before approaching the memorial. A commemorative ceremony takes place every Friday.

Parliament House -

The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is the federal and supreme legislative body of India. It consists of two houses – the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. It is a circular building designed by the British architect Herbert Baker in 1912–13. The roof of the outer circle of the structure is supported by 257 granite pillars. The Houses are located on Janpath, a stone's throw away from the presidential palace (Rashtrapati Bhavan).

President House –

Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India, is located at the west end of the 2 ¹/₂ km long Rajpath (King's path), a tree-lined avenue flanked by lawns with orderly flowerbeds and clipped hedges, with the India gate at the opposite end. Designed by Sir Edwin L. Lutyens and completed in 1929, this palatial building on the Raisina hill was formerly the Vice Regal Lodge (Viceroy's House), during the British rule.

India Gate–

Situated on the Rajpath in New Delhi, India Gate (originally called the All India War Memorial) is a monument built by Edwin Lutyens to commemorate the Indian soldiers who died in the World War I and the Afghan Wars. The foundation stone was laid on 10 February 1921 by the Duke of Connaught. The names of the soldiers who died in these wars are inscribed on the walls. Burning under it since 1971 is the Amar Jawan Jyoti (The flame of the immortal warrior), which marks the Unknown Soldier's Tomb.

Laxminarayan Temple –

The Laxminarayan Temple, (also called the Birla Mandir), is a temple built in honor of the Hindu goddess of wealth, Laxmi, and of her consort, Lord Vishnu – the Preserver of the Hindu Trinity. It is a temple with many shrines, fountains, and a large garden. The temple attracts thousands of devotees on the day of Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna. The temple was built in 1622 by Vir Singh Deo, and renovated by Prithvi Singh in 1793. Since 1938, funds for further renovations and support have come from the Birla family.

Akshardham Temple –

Akshardham is a Hindu temple complex. It was consecrated in November 2005 by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS (the organization responsible for the creation of Akshardham) and ceremoniously dedicated to the nation by the President and the Prime Minister of India. Sitting on the banks of the Yamuna River, the complex features a large monument, crafted entirely of stone, permanent exhibitions on Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Hinduism, an IMAX, musical fountain, and large landscaped gardens.

The main building at the centre of the complex is a 141-foot-high monument dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Designed according to ancient Vedic texts known as the Sthapatya-Shastra, it features a blend of architectural styles from across India. Within the monument, under the central dome, there is an 11-foot-high gilded image of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. He is surrounded by the gurus of the sect. The building itself is constructed entirely from Rajasthani pink sandstone and Italian Carrara marble, and features no steel or concrete. Its height and location on the banks of the Yamuna mean its presence is felt from afar, and its carved details of flora, fauna, dancers, musicians and deities covering its surfaces from top to bottom, leave most visitors in awe.

On 17 December, 2007, Michael Whitty, official world record adjudicator and member of the management committee of Guinness World Records, traveled especially to India to present a new world record to His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, spiritual leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. The record presented was for Akshardham, as the World’s Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple.

Bahá'í Lotus Temple -

The Bahá'í House of Worship, popularly known as the Lotus Temple, is also a prominent attraction in Delhi. It was completed in 1986 and serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian subcontinent. It has won numerous architectural awards and been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles.

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. The architect was an Iranian, who now lives in Canada, named Fariborz Sahba. The major part of the funds needed to buy this land was donated by Ardishír Rustampúr from Hyderabad, who gave his entire life savings for this purpose in 1953.

Nine doors open onto a central hall, capable of holding up to 2,500 people. Slightly more than 40 meters tall, its surface shining white marble, the temple at times seems to float above its 26 acre nine surrounding ponds. Since its inauguration to public worship in December 1986, the Bahá'í House of Worship 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).

Indira Gandhi International Airport –

Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) is situated in the southwestern corner of Delhi and serves for domestic and international connections. In 2006–07, the airport recorded a traffic of more than 20.44 million passengers, making it one of the busiest airports in South Asia. In future the airport will handle more than 100 million passengers per annum (more than what Atlanta airport, currently world's busiest airport, handles today).