delhi tourist place

Tourist Attractions:

India Gate
Located in Rajpath, the most prestigious area in the entirety of the city of Delhi, the India Gate was built to commemorate the death of 90,000 India soldiers, who were killed in the North West Province during the First World War and the Afghan Conquest of 1919. India Gate is also credited for being the first gate to be constructed in New Delhi. The names of the soldiers in whose memory the Gate was constructed is inscribed on its walls, beside which an eternal flame called the Amar Jawan Jyoti. The foundation stone of the memorial was laid by HRH the Duke of Connaught in 1921 and the monument was dedicated to the nation 10 years later by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin. The Amar Jawan Jyoti was added to the memorial after India had gained her independence, in memory of the soldiers of the Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971. Today, the India Gate is one of the most important symbols of India, being at the center of the itinerary of most of the tourists who visit the country's capital city.
Red Fort:
Built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan around 1638 and 1648, the Red Fort today is a busy market-place called the Meena Bazaar, selling a host of wares. History states, that the Red Fort was built when Shahjahanabad replaced Agra as the capital of the Mughal rule. Located in the eastern end of Shahjahanabad, the Red Fort is symbolic of the pomp and splendor of the Mughals and their architectural prowess. The Lahori Gate which is the main gate of the fort is a structure that attracts thousands of visitors. The Red Fort is also the site of India's national functions on the 15th of August, India's independence Day. The Rang Mahal or the palace of colors is another of the remarkable attractions of the Red Fort, noted for its beautifully Lotus-shaped fountain. Red Fort still manages to hold its visitors spell-bound with images of its regal charm.
Qutub Minar:
The Qutab Minar was named after the Sufi saint, Khwaja Qutabuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki. It is believed that it served as a minaret to the adjoining mosque and was used by the muezzins to call the faithful to prayer. Constructed in red and buff sandstone and covered with intricate carvings and verses from the Holy Quran, Qutab Minar has five storeys surrounded by a projected balcony and buttressed by stone brackets, which are decked with honeycomb designs. There are numerous inscriptions on the Qutab Minar in Arabic and Nagari characters. The inscriptions state about the repair work done on the Qutab Minar by different rulers like Firoz Shah Tughlaq, Sikandar Lodi, as well as by Major R. Smith. The Qutab Minar was built on the ruins of Lal Kot, the Red Citadel in the city of Dhillika, the capital of the Tomar and Chauhana Rajputs, the last Hindu rulers of Delhi. There are many other remarkable buildings and structures in the Qutab Minar complex, including the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, the first mosque built in India. It was constructed by Qutab-ud-din Aybak using materials of 27 Jain and Hindu temples. There is also the famous Alai Darwaza at the entrance of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, built by Ala-ud-din Khalji. To the west of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque is the tomb of Iltutmish. Close to the mosque is the 4th century Iron pillar, one of Delhi's most interesting structures.
Rashtrapati Bahwan:
The palace, comprising of more than 350 Rooms, was constructed to affirm the permanence of British rule in India. After Indian independence in 1947, the now ceremonial governor-general continued to live there, being succeeded by the Indian President in 1950 when India became a republic and the house was renamed Rashtrapati Bhavan. Various Indian designs were added to the building including several circular stone basins on the top of the palace. There was also a traditional Indian chujja or chhajja, which took the place of a frieze in classical architecture. There were also statues of elephants and fountain sculptures of cobras in the gardens, as well as grilles made from red sandstone called jaalis. The front of the palace, on the east side, has twelve unevenly spaced columns with the Delhi order capitals. These capitals have a fusion of acanthus leaves with the four pendant Indian bells that are part of the Hindu and Buddhist religions. In the North Block, there are separate wings for the Viceroy, and another wing for guests. At the centre of the main part of the palace is Durbar's Hall underneath the main dome.
Parliament House:
Earlier called the Circular House, it was added to the layout at a later stage following the reforms which created a large Legislative Assembly. This is the reason for the Parliament House being also called Sansad Bhawan. The massive, spherical building of the Parliament House comprises of three semicircular chambers for the Legislatures and a Central Library crowned by a 27.4m high dome. The dome is 173m in diameter and covers 2.02 hectares in area, enclosed by a verandah with 144 columns. The three semi-circular areas were designed for the Chamber of Princes, the Council of State and the Legislative Assembly. Today they house the chambers of the Lok Sabha (House of the People), Rajya Sabha (Upper House) and the library. The boundary wall has blocks of sandstone carved in geometrical patterns that reflect the Mughal jalis. The Parliament House is situated on the northwest of Vijay Chowk, next to the Secretariat buildings at the end of the Parliament Street (Sansad Marg), New Delhi, India. Entrance to outsiders is not allowed without official permission, whether Parliament is in session or not. To obtain a visitor's pass to Sansad Bhawan, Indian nationals should apply to the Parliament Secretariat. Foreign nationals have to apply through their embassies or high commissions. Visitors can enter the public galleries of the Indian Parliament with prior permission, after receiving an official pass. To enter the library, an entry pass can be obtained from the Visitor's reception on Raisina Road by providing a letter of introduction from a Member of Parliament.
Chattarpur Mandir:
Chhatarpur Mandir in Delhi is credited with the honor of being one of the largest and most popular Hindu temples of the capital. The temple is located on the main Guragon-Mehrauli Road, a mere 4km. drive-away from the Qutab Minar complex. The immense premises of the temple create a blissful, placid and serene ambience. The temple is entirely built with white marble and is richly embellished. Built in the south Indian style, the temple complex is spread over a large area with beautifully manicured lawns and gardens. The main sanctum sanctorum of the temple is dedicated to the Goddess Durga. The complex has many temples dedicated to several deities like Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha and Lord Rama. Atmosphere of the temple exudes a spiritual charm as discourses and prayers are performed round the clock. People from all corners of the country throng the temple during Durga Puja days to offer prayers. The festival of Navratri also draws a big crowd. It is customary to wash one's feet, hands and mouth with water from the tap just outside the temple before entering it. Visitors are supposed to remove their shoes outside the temple.
Ashoka Pillar:
There are two Ashoka pillars in Delhi. One of the pillars was transported from Topra on Firozshah Tughlaq's orders. The other pillar, brought from Meerut, was installed near Bara Hindu Rao Hospital near Delhi University. Approximately 100 meters south of Hindu Rao Hospital along the ridge is the Ashokan Pillar belonging to 3rd century BC. It was brought by Feroz Shah Tughlaq in 1356 A.D. The Ashoka Pillar was transported to his hunting lodge in Delhi from Meerut. Like the one in Feroz Shah Kotla, this pillar too has seven main inscriptions or edicts of Emperor Ashoka apart from some figures and many minor inscriptions. However, the pillar was damaged by a gunpowder explosion in 1713. The Ashoka Pillar was broken into five pieces. In 1838, Hindu Rao took possession of these pieces and donated them to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta (Kolkata). The four lions of the Ashokan Pillar in Delhi are the main features of the historic monument. There are also non-religious interpretations to the symbolism of the pillars, describing the four lions as the symbol of Ashoka's rule over the four directions. The wheels at Ashokan Pillar in Delhi are symbols of enlightened rule (Chakravartin), and the four animals as symbols of four surrounding territories of India: - The Lion of the north. - The Elephant of the east. - The Bull of the south. - The Horse of the west.
Jama Masjid:
Architecturally, the Jama Masjid is similar to many other mosques that the Emperor of Architecture, Shah Jahan built all around his realm. These include mosques by the same name in cities like Ajmer, Agra and a number of others. The courtyard of the Jama Masjid, which is completely built of red sandstone, is accessible from the east, north and south by three different flights of stairs. These steps are used to house markets, entertainers as well as food stalls. The mosque also housed a Madrassah near the southern side of the mosque which had been pulled down after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Facing west, the Jama Masjid is covered on three sides with open arched colonnades with a tower like gateway in the center. Also called Masjid-I-Jahanuma or the 'mosque commanding view of the world', the Jama Masjid is a constructional wonder with alternating strips of red sandstone and marble. The mosque owes much of the respect associated with it to the relics of Mohammad, which it houses. These include Quran written on deerskin, a red beard-hair of the prophet, his sandals and his footprint, embedded in a marble slab, all of which are still preserved. source: tourist places in delhi {www.delhiplaces.com}