Delhi

Introduction

Dehli - India

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Delhi is a sprawling and ancient city of 13 million people in northern India. New Delhi, the national capital, forms a small part of the wider metropolis. Most people, however, use New Delhi and Delhi interchangeably to mean the greater city of Delhi.

Old Delhi today has a rich and colourful character, stemming from its organic growth over several centuries and its still somewhat medieval ambience, majestic monuments, labyrinthine alleys, crowds of beggars and street-vendors, bazaars of jewellry market at Dariba Kalan, the embroidery brocade market at Kinari Bazar or the parathewali Gali (Indian bread street) all within the limits of Chandni Chowk (literally, “moonlit square”). A cycle Rickshaw tour through the winding lanes and by-lanes will show you all it has!

In contrast the New Delhi of Edwin Lutyens - who besides the city, designed the vice-regal palace to represent "the ideal of British Empire", sadly thereafter the Viceroys ruled only for 16 years, while even today after 60 years of independence it is still called Lutyens Delhi, and something of the empire lives on in the British tradition. The Beating of the Retreat in the square below the palace, replayed every Republic Day when the sun goes down showing off the monumental pink sandstone of the secretariat, where the bands assemble to play, besides others the English hymn "Abide with Me", reminiscent one of the Colonial past!

Today Delhi is growing at a breathless pace, beyond the scattered citadels of erstwhile dynasties and far beyond the ken of the colonial and latter-day town plan. Delhites display an amazing ability to adjust to influences from various communities and regions yet retain their culture.

Neighbourhoods

The National Capital Territory of Delhi is split out into nine administrative districts drawn out around new and historical cities that now make up, what most people think of when people say "Delhi". The National Capital Territory includes New Delhi, the capital of India.

Delhi is a modern and vibrant city, but also contains remnants of several cities attributed to its long history as a seat of power in the Indian subcontinent. Many of the vestiges of these ancient cities make for interesting day trips for those looking for an extended stay in Delhi. The ancient cities include: Indraprasta, Dhili, Mehrauli, Siri, Tuglaqabad, Jahanpanah, Ferozabad, Shergah, Lodi Complex, Shahjahanabad (now called "Old Delhi) and Lutyens (now New Delhi).

There are quite literally hundreds of neighbourhoods in Delhi, each functioning with it's own local market, main roads, parks and community resources.

Notable Delhi Neighbourhoods

• Old Delhi - The Walled City of Delhi, founded as Shahjahanabad by the Mughals has 14 gates with 26 feet high walls, 12 feet deep made of impressive red stone and includes the amazing Red Fort. It's filled with many narrow streets, many with their own specialties: Silver, Wedding supplies, animals, spices, books. There are several notable temples and is a has Muslim regions where you can try tasty Mughlai eats.
• Central Delhi - Central Delhi is an administrative district for the municipality of Delhi. It includes three 3 regions: Pahar Ganj: well known to backpackers for the numerous affordable accommodation options. Karol Bagh: with busy market streets and a growing number of western stores. Darya Ganj: Part of the wall city, known for it's Sunday book market.
• New Delhi - This is the core of Lutyen's Delhi, formed by the British Raj during their reign. Connaught Circle, a large business, financial and commercial business center. There are two large concentric circles of Georgian architecture. Twelve roads lead out from Connaught Circle, the most well known of these being Janpath. Adjacent to Connaught Place is the Bengali Market. New Delhi also includes Parliament Street area and Chanakyapuri. Chanakyapuri is home to most of Delhi's foreign embassies and the large estates of politicians and government officials.
• South Delhi - Technically not a neighbourhood, South Delhi represents an a extensive area including the Indira Ghandi Airport in the west to the Yamuna in the East. Treating is as one neighbourhood is useful and a well known short hand used by Delhiites. South Delhi is a fairly affluent residential regions of Delhi, including Defence Colony, Greater Kailash, Lodi Colony and Jor Bagh. It also includes interesting archeological sites for some of the ancient cities of Delhi: Siri (including Haus Khaz), Tughlaqabad and Mehrauli (including Qutab Minar). South Delhi has many beautiful green spaces, affluent shopping areas and is well known for its educational institutions (AAIMS and IIT). South Delhi also includes Nizamudin (Humanyun's Tomb), a large muslim neighbourhood with lovely mosques near the New Delhi Golf Course.
• Mehrauli - Mehrauli is the oldest continuously inhabited area of Delhi, with a history of more than 1,000 years. The Tomars were its earliest rulers. They were defeated by the Chauhan Rajputs and then in 1192 Afghan Muhammad Ghori established Islam in the region. From 1206, the Mehrauli area became the capital of the Delhi Sultanate under the Slave Dynasty. The first Sultan of Delhi, Qutb-ud-din Aybak, was a former slave who rose through the ranks to become a general, a governor, and then Sultan of Delhi. He started the construction of the Qutub Minar and the Quwwat-al-Islam ("Might of Islam"), which is the earliest extant mosque in India.

Sights and Activities

North Delhi

• Red Fort - Laid along the River Yamuna (which is almost dry most of the time), Red Fort was built by Emperor Shaha Jahan (of Taj Mahal fame). It is today a symbol of independence. Depending on the time of year (not the winter), visit the Fort at night when they have a very good light and audio show that tells the history of the Red Fort and India. Hours: Open sunrise to sunset, Closed on Monday, Price: Rs.100
• Jama Masjid (Open sunrise to sunset;; Entrance Rs.110) was built in 1656, Jama Masjid is the country's largest Mosque, opposite the Red Fort.
• Chandni Chowk - Chandni Chowk or the moonlit square was the eyes and ears of the Mughal instincts, and still is by way of the largest whole sale commercial hub, designed by Jahanara Begum one of the daughters of Shan Jahan. This entire region was then known as Shahjahanabad. You can join a Heritage Walk (24641304) through the lanes on a Sunday and explore it on a rickshaw on other days.
• India Gate is a symbol of Edward Lutyens' architectural heritage. It is 42 metres high and was built as a War Memorial in dedication to the Indian Jawans (soldiers) who gave up their lives fighting in World War 1.

Central Delhi

• Old Fort (Purana Quila) (Open sunrise to sunset. Entrance Rs.110) is a ruin of an old Fort in the heart of this capital, which gives a great character to the city. Built by the great Sher Shah Suri some time in the 16th century. It was from one of the towers of the Old Fort that Humayun fell and died.
• Jantar Mantar (Open sunrise to sunset; Entrance Rs.100) is a natural observatory to see the movements of the stars and the planets. It was built on the lines of the one in Jaipur by Sawai Jai Singh in 1724.
• Humayuns Tomb - Humayuns Tomb is aptly called the predecessor of the Taj Mahal because of its ornate Mughal style architecture, later perfected in the Taj Mahal, also built by the grieving wife of Humayun in 1565-66. The great architectural splendour becomes overpowering upon entering the lofty double-storied gateway. Simple, yet a work of highly developed engineering skill of the Mughal period. Hours: Open sunrise to sunset, Price: Rs.250
• Dargah Nizamuddin Aulia - Dargah Nizamuddin Aulia is the shrine of one of the most important revered Sufi Saints in India is close to Humayun's tomb. It was as per Humayun's wish that he was buried near the tomb of the Sufi saint and Shah Jahan's daughter, Jahanara, is also buried within the tomb complex of the saint next to the tomb of the poet Amir Khusro (who was a disciple and friend of the Saint). The live qawwali sessions held on thursday evenings here are not to be missed. Please note that the shrine is amidst people living in poverty therefore there are a lot of beggars in the vicinity. An option could be to get the food coupons that are sold in shops enroute to the shrine and distribute amongst the poor.
• The Parliament House can only be admired from outside. Close to India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential palace) and the North and South Blocks.
• Gandhi Smriti - Gandhi Smriti on Tees January Marg is the former house of business tycoon Birla where Mahatma Gandhi spent his last 144 days of his life and where he was shot on 30th January 1948. The house has been converted to a multimedia museum and memorial for Gandhiji.

South Delhi

• Bahai Temple - Bahai Temple is also called The Lotus Temple from the shape of its marvellous architecture built very recently. Hours: 9:30am to 5:30pm, Closed on Mondays
• Dilli Haat is a place that gives promotion to rural artisans who otherwise do not have a way to get their products to market.

Mehrauli

• Qutab Minar - Qutab Minar is considered one of the most perfect towers in the world and is 72 metres high. In front is an iron pillar built in the 5th century that has not caught rust to date. Belief has it if you can encircle your hands and hold both from drawing across your wish can be fulfilled. Hours: Open sunrise to sunset, Price: Rs.250
• Shrine of Khwaja Syed Muhammad Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki - The most famous site in Mehrauli is the shrine of Khwaja Syed Muhammad Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, locally simply known as Qutb Sahib, who was a renowned 13th century Muslim Sufi mystic, saint, and scholar of the Chishti Order. This shrine has been held in great esteem by the rulers of Delhi and was continuously extended throughout the centuries. There is also the Jahaz Mahal ("Ship Palace"), Delhi's most important Jain pilgrimage site, the Dadabari Mandir, the mystical Kala Mahal building, the city's most beautiful baoli (step-well), the Rajao ki Baoli, and the Jamali-Kamali compound. Curiously, the shrine of the Sufi saints Jamali and Kamali is significant for the Indian gay community, which sometimes refers to it as India's only gay monument.

Leisure time

Going clubbing is comparatively expensive in Delhi and is more something for the upper income classes. However, nightlife activities become increasingly popular and more and more local people are able to afford it. Besides, there are plenty of other cultural events, mostly for free. Newspapers including the Hindustan Times and The Times of India carry daily and weekly listings and information on interesting events. For Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore the famous Time Out magazine is published and gives you lots of ideas of what is up in the city. In Delhi there are other local magazines such as First City and Delhi Diary.

But also outside of Delhi there is a very lively cultural scene. If you are willing to adjust a little bit, you will be able to make the most of the local festivities and religious observances you are most likely to encounter. Ask around in Delhi to learn about things that are happening. Often you will end up being a guest of honour at a marriage or shaking a leg during some lively celebrations.

There are several walking tour operators in Delhi and walking tours of heritage sites are an experience that should be tried out at least once during your Delhi visit. Some of the better known walking tour operators are: Delhi heritage walks with scheduled walks each Sunday, India Offtrack which offers unique single day and multiple day tours by professionals in other fields ranging from photojournalism to women's empowerment who have a common interest and fascination for their city's heritage sites, Intach heritage walks which offers scheduled walks led by enthusiastic volunteers at INR 50 per person.

For those interested in shopping, there is a range of shopping venues from Sarojini Nagar market for street shopping of export surplus or slightly defective products to the Greater Kailash extension I and II for shopping on the high end. Products on offer at Dilli Haat varies according to who has rented out the stalls at any given time but the concept and design of Dilli Haat - where the rural producers/ sellers from all over India can directly rent out stalls and sell their products is nice. Mainly sarees, shawls and sometimes handicrafts such as jewellery or 'jhootis' (shoes) can be found here. Live music performances, regional food stalls all add to a unique ambience. Hauz Khas village has a range of designer boutiques where prices are significantly higher than in other places but what is on offer is quite exquisite and arty and does not confound you with a vast offering so well worth a visit. A significant number of malls have opened in the suburbs of Gurgaon and Noida and for those interested in western style clothing and brands, the malls would be interesting.

Events and Festivals

Republic Day

Republic Day is a National Holiday commemorating India's new constitution in 1950 and the declaration of independence of 1930. Every January 26th, Delhi puts on a fantastic exciting show of strength with the Republic Day Parade at Rajpath in New Delhi. Enormous crowds gather along the route to remember the sacrifice that was made during and since Independence, salute India's exemplary citizens and watch the colourful procession of armed forces in full battle regalia. Before you think airplanes and tanks aren't your thing, consider:

• Border Security Force Camel Contingent including the camel mounted "marching band" with bright turbaned men on brightly decorated camels;
• Fun floats representing each of India's 28 states and 7 union territories;
• Impressive rows of infantry regiments, with unique regional uniforms and mounted regiments on caparisoned horses;
• Military helicopters that drop millions of flower petals over the crowds;
• Daredevil motorcycle stunts performed by the Indian Arm including human pyramids on 2 wheels;
• And of course, battle tanks, Barrel Rocket Launchers and jets aerial stunts.

Even if large crowds aren't your thing, you can come a day or two early and while you are catching some of Delhi's must-see sights, you'll be sure to glimpse parading elephants, camels and soldiers rehearsing along the route.

Phool Walon Ki Sair

Phool Walong Ki Sair means "procession of florists" and every September, at the end of the rainy season there is a secular 3-day celebration of the florists of India, including an enchanting procession of musicians, dancers and large floral displays that weave around the Mehrauli Bazaar. Cultural troupes from different regions of India perform dances, plays and songs, giving the festival a national flair. At any time of the year, Mehrauli's flower market is worth a visit even if you aren't in town for the festival.

Weather

Delhi, like most of India, has three seasons. In general, from June to October the country is influenced by wet monsoon from the southwest. The coolest, driest time is from December to February, when light northerly winds bring clear skies and little rain. From March to May, Delhi becomes hotter and hotter and the drought continues. The rains only come when the wind turns again to the southwest. Summer temperatures are extremely high from March to June, just below 40 °C on average, but over 45 °C has been recorded. The rainy season typically starts in June and continues through to September. Winter daytime temperatures are nice, but nights can be chilly, with temperatures occasionally reaching freezing. In December and January fog can also be an issue, preventing you from enjoying some of the sights of the city and even causing frequent delays to flights and occasionally even affecting trains. Even so, December to February is the best period to visit, as you avoid the hot weather and the rainy months.

Getting There

By Plane

The Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) serves Delhi and is one of the busiest airports in southern Asia and the biggest in India itself. Recently, it has improved a lot and has become bigger, safer and more convenient. In 2010, a new terminal will be added in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in October.

International flights are numerous. Air India has flights from Delhi to Chicago, Dammam, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Jeddah, London, New York, Osaka, Paris, Riyadh, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Tokyo, Toronto and Washington, D.C..

Indian Airlines flies from Delhi to Bangkok, Dubai, Kabul, Kathmandu, Muscat, Sharjah and Singapore, while Jet Airways serves London, Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Brussels, Dhaka, Dubai, Hong Kong, Kathmandu, Singapore and Toronto.

Several dozens of airlines have many other places served, including Amsterdam, Moscow, Almaty, Beijing, Mauritius, Seoul, Vienna, Rome, Taipei, Guangzhou, Addis Ababa, Helsinki, Bahrain, Kuwait, Munich, Tehran, Kuala Lumpur, Lahore, Karachi, Amman, Kabul, Colombo, Zürich, Istanbul and Tashkent.

Besides this it has two other domestic terminals for flight departures to other parts of the country and one domestic terminal for all arrivals from all over India. Destinations throughout India include Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Khajuraho, Jaipur, Udaipur, Nagpur, Jodhpur and Goa, among many more cities.

The airport is connected to Delhi by the Delhi Airport Metro Express train line and the 8-lane Delhi Gurgaon Expressway. Low floor buses regularly run between the airport and the city. DTC operates several buses to the airport. The Delhi Mass Rapid Transit System will connect the new Terminal 3 with Delhi city.

You can find prepaid taxi booths at the airport. They are operated under the direct supervision of the traffic police. It helps to avert over-charging, refusal, misbehaviour or harassment by the drivers. You simply go there, tell where you want to go, and then a duly signed receipt indicating the taxi number, destination, service charges, and the fare will be given to you.

By Train

Train services only link to Pakistan during times of peace and are not very reliable. There are numerous trains connecting the rest of India though. There are two main stations in Delhi: (Old) Delhi train station in Old Delhi, and New Delhi train station at Paharganj. There’s also the Nizamuddin train station, south of Sunder Nagar, where various trains (usually for south-bound destinations) start or finish. Many trains between Delhi and Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Udaipur operate to and from Sarai Rohilla train station, about 4 kilometres northwest of Connaught Place

By Car

Delhi is connected by highways to most major Indian cities. By road one can easily visit nearby historical places like Jaipur, Agra and also hill stations in Himachal Pradesh.

By Bus

Good Luxury buses are advised for road travel. Delhi’s main bus station is the Inter State Bus Terminal, north of the (Old) Delhi train station. There are numerous services to other Indian cities. There are services to Jaipur (six hours, several services daily between 6:00am and midnight), Udaipur (15 hours, one daily service at 7:30pm), Ajmer (nine hours, daily at 7:30pm, 10:00pm and 11:15pm) and Jodhpur (11 hours, one daily service at 10:00pm). Buses connect many more cities, but sometimes travelling by train on long journeys is far more comfortable and faster as well.

By Boat

Not really an option here.

Getting Around

By Car or Auto-Rickshaw

For short trips within Delhi you will normally use an auto-rickshaw. For 10 kilometres all the way across Delhi, for example, you should pay Rs.80. As the drivers sometimes try to charge strangers (but also locals) a highly over-priced fee, it is all about bargaining, which can be lots of fun. At the same time these experiences will be a good practice for other daily situations. Taxis are around double the auto-rickshaw price but also more comfortable. Take one if you want to have a nostalgic ride in the typical black and yellow Ambassador cars, which were copies of the 1950s British Morris.

By Public Transport

The Delhi Metro is a world class rapid transit system which became operational from December 2002. The metro uses both elevated and underground lines and has received the ISO 14001 certification for environmentally friendly construction. Currently three lines are operational covering many parts of the city. A dedicated metro line from the International Airport to New Delhi railway station is currently under construction and is scheduled to become operational by September 2010. An ambitious plan is in place to connect Delhi with its adjoining areas by additional metro lines, which will become fully functional by 2020, taking the length of all lines to 413 kilometres.

There is a choice of tickets to choose from:

• Token is available for a single journey and the fare ranges from Rs.6 to Rs.22.
• Smart Cards, which are valid for year are convenient for frequent commuters and are available in denominations of Rs.50 to Rs.800 and usually a discount of 10% is given on all travels made using them.
• Tourist Cards are popular amongst the tourists and are available for 1 day (Rs.70) and 3 days (Rs.200). These can be used for unlimited travel on the metro network within the specified period.

Most of the city buses plying in Delhi are non air-conditioned and can be quite uncomfortable during the summer months. Recently a fleet of A/C buses have been introduced on select routes and many more such buses will be introduced in the coming years.

By Foot

Walks are recommended in the historic Delhi areas, such as Old Delhi and Mehrauli, in the evenings when the city is buzzing with activity. Summer months (April to June) can be extremely hot and is not recommended to cover the city on foot especially during the day.

By Bike

You can hire bikes in small colonies and residential areas. City limits are too congested and over populated to even think of biking. Leave it for visit in small towns.

Eat

• Bengali Market is located off the greater circle of Connaught Place. It is like a regular fast-food restaurant, except you get sweet, sour, spicy delights very cheap and at fast speeds of service (faster than McDonald's). Recommendations are Gol Gappas, Delhi Papri Chat, Aloo Tikki, Samose, Gulab Jamun, Kulfi, Chole Barute.
• Nizam's is located in the inner circle of Connaught Place. It is one of the oldest Kebab and Biriyani fast-food restaurants.
• China Fare located in Khan Market, South Delhi. It serves delicious, mouth-watering Chinese-Indian spicy dishes.
• Big Chill , also located in Khan Market, South Delhi. One may have never thought about where the best Italian food is served in the world but that's right, it is served in big-chill. Italian pastas with Indian touch.
• Andhra Bawan at Ashoka Road near India Gate is a canteen of the Andhra Pradesh Government office in Delhi. It is open to outsiders and generally packed as the South Indian food served there is delicious. Long queues during lunch hours and you will need to wait to be seated after you get your token.
• Dilli Haat has a food court in the middle with food stalls from different Indian states. It is a good introduction to Indian food.

Delhi has eateries to suit every palate and pocket. The chaats are the best but you get food from throughout the world.

Drink

In Delhi most of the people drink tap water (which is often not safe to drink). For the tourists packed bottled water is recommended. It is easily available all over Delhi (but make sure that the seal is not broken). The popular brands are Bisleri, Aquafina and Kinley. The average cost is Rs.15 per bottle of 1 liter. You can also request your hosts to boil water for you to consume or request filtered water in hotels and restaurants.

Alcoholic drinks are always comparatively expensive. A bottle of local beer costs around Rs.60 in the shop but restaurants, bars and clubs will charge you between Rs.120 to Rs.350 or even more. So going out (in the sense of Western nightlife) costs in Delhi about the same as in other expensive cities around the world.

Sleep

Budget

Work

Delhi's economy is expanding rapidly. In analogy many interesting work opportunities emerge. Monster and other online job platforms are a good starting point to see what kind of jobs are on offer. Traditionally foreigners often work in the social sector or in teaching. Increasingly, however, expats work for multinational companies and even local Indian companies.

There is a great variety of employment opportunities in Delhi for foreigners, whether they would like to work in business, NGOs, educational institutes, or even government. Still, there is one caveat: the labour market in Delhi is highly competitive and so at many prestigious organisations, the number of applicants far exceeds the number of positions available, which allows employers to receive highly talented applicants for rather meagre salaries (especially when compared to other international destinations).

Learn

When you get to Delhi you should make it a point to pick up some of the local language: Hindi / Urdu / Hindustani. Although English is popularly assumed to be a widely spoken and understood language in Delhi, it is still far from sufficient for understanding local culture or have meaningful conversations with most of the locals. For Delhi, learning Hindustani language will be an excellent investment of your time, as it functions as the lingua franca and will allow you to communicate with the maximum amount of people in the country across most of India’s varied geography.

Hindustani, also known as "Hindi-Urdu", is a term covering several closely related dialects in Pakistan and India, especially the vernacular form of the two national languages, Standard Hindi and Urdu. Hindi and Urdu can be seen as a single linguistic entity, the key difference being that Urdu is supplemented with a Perso-Arabic vocabulary and Hindi with a Sanskritic vocabulary, especially in their more literary forms. Besides, the difference is also sociolinguistic. When people speak Hindustani, Muslims will usually say that they are speaking Urdu and Hindus will typically refer to themselves speaking Hindi, even though they are speaking essentially the same language.

Besides, Delhi is a key centre of learning in India. The most famous universities in Delhi are JNU, DU, IGNOU and IIT. The official website of the Delhi Government's Directorate of Education is a good starting point for learning more about study opportunities in Delhi. Apart from undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral courses, there are many training and diploma-level institutes and polytechnics that cater to the growing demand for skill-based and vocational education.

Links to some of the major universities:

• University of Delhi
• Hindu College, University of Delhi
• Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi

Keep Connected

Internet

In Delhi there is an excellent coverage of Internet cafes. However, following the recent terror attacks all internet cafes have been instructed by the authorities to maintain a register and note down the identification details of all persons using internet. Sify iWay is a reliable and cheap cafe with over 1,600 cafes over India. iWay also allows you to open a pre-paid account that you can use all over India. Whenever you have Internet access probably the best and cheapest way to call family and friends at home is software that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet such as Skype.

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

Post

India Post is the national postal service of India, and on their website you find details about prices to send postcards, letters and parcels, both domestically and internationally. For most postcards to send internationally, it is better to visit the post office before writing on the card as you may need quite a few stamps. In general, post offices are open from 10:00am to 1:00pm and 1:30pm to 4:30pm in most bigger towns and cities, though there are regional variations and some might keep longer hours or be open during (part of) the weekend as well. Ask around. The Post Office in Paharganj is hidden away on the second floor of a building opposite the Relax hotel with no signs indicating it is there at all. The service takes quite a long time for parcels and involves some effort. You need to show up to have your parcel inspected, making sure it is in a strongish box. Take note of the persons face you dealt with. Then you need to be given out to a little and sent off to have it wrapped up in material, this service is usually available out on the same street, just look for a man with a sewing machine. Head back to the post office and go too the trouble of being told that the parcel needs to be inspected so why did you have it stitched up? This is a good time to remember the face of the person you originally dealt with and ask for them to remember you. You then need to fill out 3-4 duplicate forms before being asked to wait a while. Then the parcel is weighed, and lots of questions asked. Finally you pay as your parcel is tossed in a heap under a table. It should arrive at its destination a month or so later, and usually does.

External Links

• Delhi Tourism
• Delhi Official Governmental Website
• New Delhi Municipality
• Delhi Online Travel Guide