The Ultimate Guide to Traveling to Delhi: Tips, Tricks, and Must-Sees

Embark on an unforgettable journey to Delhi with our ultimate travel guide. Discover insider tips, tricks, and must-see attractions. From exploring historic landmarks like the Red Fort and Qutub Minar to navigating the bustling markets of Chandni Chowk, this guide offers invaluable insights for a remarkable visit to the vibrant capital city of India.

Author: Partha K. Post Date: 19 Jul 2023
Delhi, the capital city of India, is a vibrant metropolis that combines a very rich history with modernity. With its magnificent monuments, bustling markets, diverse cuisine and very vibrant culture, Delhi offers a very unique experience to every tourist. Whether the tourist is a history enthusiast, a food lover or an adventure-seeker, Delhi has something to offer for everyone. In this write-up, we will explore some tips, tricks, and must-sees to make the visit of a tourist to Delhi an unforgettable one.

Best Time to Visit Delhi

Delhi witnesses extreme temperatures, so it is essential to plan the trip keeping this fact in mind. The best time to visit Delhi is during October to February when the weather is pleasant and comfortable. This period allows the tourist to explore the city's attractions without being bothered by scorching heat or heavy rains.

Travelling in Delhi-Transport

Delhi has an extensive transportation network, making it relatively easy to move around the city. The Delhi Metro is a convenient and efficient way to travel between major attractions. It covers almost the entire city and its outskirts (Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, etc.). Delhi Metro offers a hassle-free, safer and comfortable mode of transportation. Additionally, auto-rickshaws are popular for short distances, while app-based cab services provide comfortable and reliable transportation. Delhi public bus services are also very convenient and widely spread all over the city. If a person has a good idea about different routes of the city, he/she will be able to enjoy the bus services available in Delhi from early morning to night.

Historical Monuments

Delhi is renowned for its historical monuments which showcase its rich past. One of the must-visit sites is the magnificent Red Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a symbol of India's independence. Another iconic monument is the Qutub Minar, the world's tallest brick minaret. Tourists don't miss Humayun's Tomb, an architectural marvel and inspiration for the Taj Mahal, Purana Qila (Qila Rai Pithora). Among other notable attractions, there are Jama Masjid, Agrasen ki Haveli, Hijron ki Khanquah, Barapula, Ghalib's Haveli, etc.

Modern Delhi

Delhi is not only a place to enjoy the grandeur of the historical monuments. The city offers many modern structures and beautiful parks. Modern Delhi includes India Gate, Lotus Temple, Akshardham Temple, and Rashtrapati Bhawan. Different museums like the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum, National Museum for modern arts, and Philately Museum are great to see. Beautiful parks like Nehru Park, Lodhi Garden, Garden of Five Senses (Mehrauli) and Talkatora Garden are admirable. The lung of Delhi, i.e. The Ridge should also be explored by health-conscious tourists.

Cultural Delights

Delhi's culture is a delightful blend of traditions from different parts of India. To immerse in the local culture, tourists need to explore old Delhi's bustling streets, where they can savour mouth-watering street food and shop for traditional clothes, jewellery, and spices. Chandni Chowk, the city's oldest and busiest market, is a must-visit for a true Delhi experience. There are many other excellent markets like Paharganj Market, Connaught Place, Sarojini Nagar Market, Lajpat Nagar Market, Karol Bagh Market and others which are marketing delights. Additionally, interested tourists can attend classical music or dance performance or get a feel of Delhi theatres at the famous Shri Ram Centre or the India Habitat Centre to witness the city's vibrant arts and cultural scenario.

Foodies' Paradise

Delhi is a food lover's paradise. The city offers a diverse range of flavours and culinary experiences. The tourists must indulge in delicious street food, such as chaat (savoury snacks), kebabs, and paranthas at popular food joints like Paranthe Wali Gali and Karim's. For a fine dining experience, explore the city's upscale restaurants serving both Indian and international cuisines. Aromatic biryanis and delectable sweets like jalebi and rabri at the famous food stalls in the city must not be missed. Delhi also offers food from different regions of India. South Indian foods are available at the Saravana Bhawan chain of restaurants and numerous Kerala Cafes. Delicious Bengali preparations can be found at C.R. Park Markets. Delicacies from the northeastern states are available at Delhi Haat food stalls.

Finally, a few words of caution

In conclusion, Delhi is a captivating city and it leaves a lasting impression on the tourists. But tourists must remain extremely cautious about their bags and purses while visiting crowded markets and availing of crowded public transport. They must bargain properly in the markets and check the articles thoroughly before purchasing. The tourists must also remain careful and must not go by the words of unscrupulous middlemen and touts. By remaining alert, the tourists will certainly make the most of their Delhi trip. They must explore the historical marvels, savour the diverse cuisine, and immerse in the vibrant culture of Delhi. The tourists will enjoy an incredible journey of discovery, as Delhi welcomes all with open arms.

Author: Neelam Joshi Post Date: 20 Jul 2023

Delhi is the capital city of India to be known to all, but do you know that there are Seven Delhi within the place today known as Delhi? Yes, it does sound a little odd to hear, but it is true because Delhi was settled Seven times at various places by various names in History. Here I am trying to give a glimpse of Delhi through

Historical and architectural perspective

Through the Hustling and bustling Markets of Delhi

Through the eyes of university students

The seven names of Delhi Settled seven times are as follows:

Qila Rai Pithora - Associated with the reign of Prithvi Raj Chauhan. Remnants of the City in present times can be seen spread across South Delhi's Vasant Kunj, Kishangarh, Mehrauli and Saket areas.

Mehruli - It is associated with the establishment of the Sultanate in Delhi. The credit for the foundation of Mehruli goes to the first ruler of Delhi Sultanate – Qutub Ud Din Aibek, and glimpses of this can be seen in Qutub Complex and marvellous Qutub Minar (Victory Tower) named after the saint Qutub Ud Din Aibek.

Siri Fort - With the foundation of the Delhi Sultanate, as the Sultans founded their roots, they started to build monuments this was made during the time of Allauddin Khalji when the consolidation of the sultanate started.

Tughlaqabad - A new and small city called Jahanpannah was built between Qila Rai Pithora and Siri Fort during the reign of Muhammad Bin Tuglaq. Though he abandoned Tughlaqabad Fort, fearing it was under a curse from Saint Nizamuddin Auliya, Tughlaqabad remained the main city, depicting the Tughlaq style of architecture like Bari Manzil, Bikai Mandal, Khirkee Mosque, and Chirag-i-Dilli's Dargah still remain, along with caravanserais, madrasas and canals.

Firozabad - The credit for building this city goes to Sultan Firoz Tuglaq, who not only made the city of Firozabad at the bank of river Yamuna but also repaired many old monuments associated with the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate.

Shergarh / Dinpanah - Din Panah was Delhi settled during the reign of the Mughals and was a kind of dream project of Humayun patronized by him but was later razed by Sher Shah Suri, who patronized some new buildings. These buildings, made under the Suri Dynasty and patronage of Sher Shah Suri and his son, were later completed by Humayun. The ruins of these cities can be seen in and around the Humayun tomb complex (built during the reign of Akbar).

Sahajanabaad - This Delhi shows the Grandeur and lifestyle with which Mughals used to live. Built during the reign of Mughal Ruler Sahajahan, who patronized massive architectural work. This part includes Monuments like Laal Qila (Red Fort), Jama Masjid and old houses of Chandni Chowk.

These were the seven old Delhi's, and in the modern era – you will see the architectural glimpses of the British who tried to make a mark on this wonderful city by trying to make it newer and planned. They gave this task to famous architects of the times who tried to make an amalgamation of Eastern and Western architectural styles. This work started to take place in 1911 under Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker, and this Delhi includes buildings, gardens, roads and monuments around Raisina Hills, with the Indian parliament, Rastrapathi Bhawan, and Connaught Place. This was another trial, like all earlier rulers to have a mark of its than ruler.

This practice of making a mark on History through architecture is still going on with projects of redevelopment like Central Vista. It is another practice to reduce colonial marks and have a marker of our new identity as an independent nation and its own architecture. So if you are planning to travel to Delhi, it is nice to know a little bit of History and then see these places in this manner. These will add more value to your experience. This is a city full of History and life, so travelling it through its History and timeline will make your experience memorable.

Markets of Delhi an attraction of Youngsters today

Other than historical monuments if you want to do little shopping for which Delhi markets are very famous where every kind of market is available from very expensive ones like in Connught place to very cheap ones like Sarojini Nagar. In mid-range prices like Lajpat Nagar, specialized markets like Chandni Chowk (for bridal and marriage-related shopping), Karolbaag (a centre for UPSC aspirants as well as expensive showrooms and shopping for grooms) Book markets at very low prices in Daryaganj. All these markets are near metro stations and very easily accessible. All you need is a Metro Map that you can get easily on the DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) application for finding metro routes or through buses for which too many apps are available. And if you are old school, you can always get a map of Delhi and roam around these beautiful peaceful monuments, hustling and bustling markets.

University Campuses

Beautiful university campuses especially north and south campuses, which are not only the best institutes for sharpening young minds but also great visuals for the eyes. Every campus has some unique places filled with unique stories, like the Sudama Tea stall corner on North Campus, Tom Uncle Maggi Point and Dolma Aunty K Momos. However, these places are meant for those who are interested to know more about university areas but are good places to go if one has time.

All this itinerary is for the people who have time with them to travel but for those who are visiting Delhi for just a day or two days and want to do major sightseeing. You can book a bus readily available for sightseeing in a day and book them online. These buses take you on a tour of all major buildings in a day, like Qutub Minar, Laxmi temple, Rajpath and some of the Handicraft markets. All in all, Delhi is old, new and in a continuous process of change, and it is good to see all these aspects for a tourist.

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