Delhi, also known as "Dilli" is the vibrant and delightful capital of India being its political and business hub.
Situated on the banks of the river Yamuna, and described by the famous poet Mirza Ghalib as "The Soul in the Body of the World" Delhi has constantly been inhabited since the 6th century BC and has seen the rise and fall of many dynasties.
Owing to migration of people from cross the country, Delhi has become a melting pot of cultures and influences and has grown to become a multicultural, cosmopolitan metropolis.
Best Time to Visit Delhi: The best time to visit Delhi is from the month of October to the month of March as the weather is very pleasant and helps tourists enjoy the various sights of the city. The temperature in Delhi during the summers goes up to 45 degrees Celsius and travellers are advised not to travel to Delhi during the summers, as the chances of being affected by a heatstroke are considerably high.
| Nearest Railway Station to Delhi: The city of Delhi is served by three main railway stations, namely:
| Major Trains departing to Delhi:
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The city of Delhi is served by the Indira Gandhi International Airport situated in West Delhi. This airport has been divided into:
- Terminal 1A: This terminal was initially built to handle Indian Airlines domestic flights only. Currently all flights from terminal 1A have been shifted to terminal 1D.
- Terminal 1B: Has been closed for operations after the opening of terminal 1D. Terminal 1C: All domestic operations arrive here and this terminal has received a bigger greeting area and more luggage reclaim belts.
- Terminal 1D: This is Delhi's brand new domestic terminal and was inaugurated in February 2009. This new terminal is twice the size of the old one and can handle 10 million passengers a year.
- Terminal 2: Constructed in 1980's this terminal was in urgent need of repair and the renovation of this was taken care of before the inauguration of terminal 3, hence the entire terminal was given a facelift.
- Terminal 3: This is the world's 8th largest passenger terminal, occupying 5.4 million square feet, with a capacity of handling 34 million passengers a year.
Domestic:
> Indian Airlines > Spice Jet > Jet Lite > IndiGo > Kingfisher Airlines > Jet Airways
International Airlines:
> Air France > Air India > British Airways > Cathy Pacific > Lufthansa > Aeroflot > Continental Airlines >American Airlines
Bus Stands in Delhi:
Delhi's had three main bus terminals, known as ISBT (Inter State Bus Terminus). > Kashniri Gate (Ph No: 001- 23868836, 23865181)
> Sarai Kale Khan (Ph No: 011- 29358092)
> Anand Vihar (Ph No: 011- 22152431)
http://www.dtc.nic.in/dt4.htm
Local Taxi Companies in Delhi
Kumar Tourist Taxi Service: Located in K block Connaught Place this is a highly reliable taxi service provider. Apart from car hire they also provide bus/train/air tickets, hotel bookings and various tours outside Delhi.
http://www.kumarindiatours.com/index.html
Bagmati Taxi: A reliable taxi service, they provide taxis for travel in Delhi and north India. http://www.delhitaxi.co.in/
Meru Cabs: One of Delhi's most popular and reliable cab service. Though their fares are on the slightly higher side, starting at Rs.22 per kilometre (day rate), their drivers are dependable and cabs clean.
http://www.merucabs.com/
Arya Cabs: This is a more affordable cab service, starting at Rs. 10 per kilometre (day rate) and is available 24 hours a day. http://aaryacabs.com/
Mango Cabs: Another more affordable option, Mango cabs start their fares at Rs, 10 per kilometre (day rate) and are dependable and available round the clock.
http://www.mangocabs.com/
Tourist Attractions in Delhi
Delhi is a traveller Delight and has a plethora of tourist attractions to offer visitors. A few among these are:
Old Delhi:
Red Fort: Known as the Lal Quila in Hindi, this sandstone fort extends for 2 km and varies in heigh from 18 m on the river side to 33 m on the city side. Shah Jahan started the construction of this fort in 1638 and it was completed it in 1648.
Jama Masjid: This is one of Delhi's greatest old mosques and an architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan. Construction of this mosque began in 1644 and was not completed until 1658.
Raj Ghat: South of the Red Forth, on the banks of the river Yamuna, a simple square platform of black marble marks the spot where the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi was cremated following his assassination in 1964
Central Delhi:
India Gate: This 42 meter high stone memorial stands at the east end of Rajpath, bearing the names of 85000 Indian Army soldiers who died while fighting in the Northwest Frontier operations in World War 1.
Purana Quila: About a kilometre southwest of India Gate is Purana Quila (Old Fort). There is a small archaeological museum just inside the main gate and there is a good view of New Delhi from atop the gate. A Sound and Light Show is held here every evening. Tickets are available on site.
Lodhi Garden: About 3 km to the west of Humayun's tomb and adjoining the India International Centre is Lodi Garden. In this well manicured garden you will find the tombs of Mubarak Shah, Ibrahim Lodi and Sikander Lodi.
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib: This popular Sikh shrine is known for its splendid golden domes. The temple is known for a tank, containing water that has healing properties. Visitors are required to cover their heads while in the temple, alternatively head covering is supplied at the temple.
Jantar Mantar: Found on Sansad Marg in Connaught Place this structure is one of Maharaja Jai Singh 2nd observatories. This ruler from Jaipur constructed this observatory in 1725 and is dominated by a huge sundial known as the Prince of Dials. Other instruments in this observatory follow the course of heavenly bodies and predict eclipses.
South Delhi:
Bahai Temple: Also known as the Lotus Temple, this building shaped like a lotus flower can be found just inside the Ring Road. Built in 1986, it is set among pools and gardens and people from any faiths are welcome to visit the temple
The Qutub Minar: The Qutub Minar is the world's tallest brick minaret standing 72.5 meters high. This tower was built by Qutub-ud-din-Aibak who won Delhi from Prithviraj with Muhammed Ghori as his commander-in-chief. Built out of red and buff sandstone the Qutub Minar is one of the earliest and most prominent examples of Indo-Islamic architecture.
The Not to be Missed Destinations in Delhi are:
- The Red Fort
- The Jama Masjid
- India Gate
- Humayun's Tomb
- Lodi Garden
- Bahai Temple
- Qutub Minar
Restaurants in Delhi
Delhi has a variety of restaurants that suit every taste and every pocket. Read on for what Delhi has in store for the foodie:
Karim's:
One cannot visit Delhi and miss a meal at Karim's. Down the lane from the south gate of the Jama Masjid you can fill yourself with an array of different kebabs or rich Mughlai curries. Apart from Karim's the food stalls around the Jama Masjid that sell kebabs and fried fish are also a tasty option, while being easy on your pocket. Address: - Chandini Chowk, Delhi- 110006 and Website:- http://www.karimhoteldelhi.com/
Ghantewala:
Located in Chandini Chowk, near the Sisganj Gurudwara, this is where you want to go if you want to sample authentic Indian sweets. Address:- 1862, A, Chandni Chowk,Delhi 110006 and website:-http://www.ghantewala.com/
Maurya Sheraton Hotel:
Situated on Sardar Patel Marg, this popular five star hotel has many famous restaurants, including the Bukhara; which serves Noth West Frontier food. The other famous restaurant at the Sheraton is the Dum Pukth, renowned for its Avadhi cuisine (Cuisine championed by the nawabs of Lucknow).Address:- Diplomatic Enclave, Sardar Patel Marg, New Delhi 110 021 and Tel : (91) (11) 26112233 Fax : (91) (11) 26113333
Punjabi by Nature:
A Punjabi food specialty restaurant.
Basant Lok
Munirka
New Delhi - (011) 46117000
and
W-82a Part-II, Greater Kailash
New Delhi Ph No: (011) 29212535
Delhi has numerous fast food restaurant joints, such as McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut and Domino's Pizza. Night Clubs and Bars in Delhi: F-Bar:
Hotel Samrat, Kautilya Marg
Chanakyapuri, Delhi
Landmark: Hotel Samrat
Phone: (011)26110101, 26111118
Agni:
Hotel The Park
15, Parliament Street
New Delhi
Landmark: Hotel Park
#Phone: (011)23743000, 27344000
Elevate:
Elevate, The Center Stage Mall
Sixth Floor, L-ONE
Sector 18, Noida
Landmark: Center Stage Mall
Noida.
Phone: 951204364600
TGIF: Across various locations in Delhi. It's best to look up their website to find one closest to you: http://www.tgifindia.com/
Dublin- The Irish Pub
Diplomatic Enclave
Sardar Patel Marg
New Delhi 110 021
Tel : (91) (11) 26112233 Fax : (91) (11) 26113333
Email : reservations.itcmaurya@itchotels.in
Cultural Centres in Delhi:
Alliance Francaise: http://delhi.afindia.org/
The British Council:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/india.htm
Max Mueller Bhavan:
http://www.goethe.de/ins/in/ned/enindex.htm?wt_sc=newdelhi
Government Registered Tourist Offices in Delhi:
Indian Tourism Delhi:
http://www.delhitourism.com/
Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation:
http://delhitourism.nic.in/delhitourism/index.jsp
Currency Exchange Delhi:
Thomas Cook:
International Trade Tower
Nehru Place
New Delhi
Ph No: (011) 23415571
American Express
A Block
Connaught Place
Delhi
Ph No: (011) 41510983
Other Places to Visit around Delhi:
Damdama: Nestled among the Aravali Hills, this is picturesque place with a beautiful lake where one can go boating and paddling and take advantage of water sports as well.
Morni: This is Haryana's only hill station and is a hit with tourists seeking a quick get away. Surrounded by beautiful hills and intense greenery, this is the place to be if you're looking for peace and quiet.
Emergency Contacts in Delhi:
Police:
> Emergency Control Room: 100
Ambulance
> Emergency: 102
Fire Department:
> Emergency: 101
Medical Services in Delhi:
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS):
Ansari Road
New Delhi
Ph No: (011): 26588500, 26588700, 26589900
http://www.aiims.ac.in/
Apollo Hospital:
Sarita Vihar
Mathura Road
New Delhi
Ph No: 1066 (Emergency only)
http://www.apollohospdelhi.com/
Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital Baba Kharak Singh Marg
New Delhi
Ph No: (011) 23365525
http://rmlh.nic.in/
Last Updated on 7/31/2013
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