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There
is famous saying that goes
One who knows Delhi is a loser and one who
doesnt know Delhi is also a loser. Which is very true. Because, a
person who has known Delhi finds it very difficult to adjust and accept any
other place while a person who has not known Delhi at all is simply missing
out all the fun that Delhi has to offer. Actually, Delhi is a small mirror
that reflects India. Over the millennia, the capital of the worlds
largest democracy has wooed rulers who just could not resist its charm. The
best way to know about the glorious heritage of Delhi is to know its
monuments, to travel through time back into centuries of history filled with
the rise and fall of dynasties that ruled the land.
The Qutab Minar is located at a small village called Mehrauli in South
Delhi. It was built by Qutub-ud-din Aibek of the Slave Dynasty, who took
possession of Delhi in 1206. It is a red sandstone tower, standing tall at a
height of 72.5 metres and is covered with intricate carvings and verses from
the holy Qur'an. Qutub-ud-din Aibak began constructing this victory tower as
a sign of Muslim domination of Delhi and as a minaret for the Muslim priest,
the muezzin, to call the faithful to prayer. However, only the first storey
was completed by Qutb-ud-din. The other storeys were built by his successor
Iltutmish. The two circular storeys in white marble were built by Ferozshah
Tughlaq in 1368, replacing the original fourth storey. The projected
balconies in the tower are supported by exquisite stalactite designs. The
tapering tower has pointed and circular flutings on the first storey and
star-shaped on the second and third storeys. The bands of calligraphic
inscriptions are amazing in perfection with the exquisite stalactite designs
seen on the exterior of this tower.
Humayun's Tomb was built nine years after Humayun's death by his wife Haji
Begum. Designed by a Persian architect named Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, and
completed in 1565, the edifice was a trendsetter of the time. It is said
that all later Mughal monuments, including the Taj Mahal, followed its
design.
Situated in Old Delhi, where the lanes are narrow and always filled with
people, Red Fort stands tall and proud-a great witness to history, a mute
spectator of the present. The decision for constructing the fort was taken
in 1639, when Shahjahan decided to shift his capital to Delhi. Within eight
years, Shahjahanabad was completed with the Red Fort-Qila-i-Mubarak
(fortunate citadel)-Delhi's seventh fort, ready in all its magnificence to
receive the Emperor. Though much has changed now because of large-scale
demolitions during the British occupation of the fort, its important
structures have survived, the glory faded with age but still impressive.
The Purana Quila is a good example of medieval military architecture. Built
by Humayun, the Purana Quila is a monument of bold design, which is strong,
straightforward and every inch a fortress. It is different from the
well-planned, carefully decorated, and palatial forts of the later Mughal
rulers. Purana Quila is also different from the later forts of the Mughals,
as it does not have a complex of palaces, administrative and recreational
buildings, as is generally found in the forts built later on. The main
purpose of this now-dilapidated fort was its utility, with less emphasis on
decoration.
The Baha'i Temple, situated in South Delhi, is shaped like a lotus. Built by
the Baha'i community, it offers the visitor a serenity that pervades the
temple and its artistic design.
Rashtrapati Bhawan is architecturally a very impressive building standing at
a height, with the India Gate right opposite to it. This stretch called the
Rajpath is where the Republic Day parade is held. The imposing plan of this
area conceived by Lutyens attracts lots of tourists as well as the residents
of Delhi who make it a point to visit the place often.
India Gate is a memorial raised in honour of the Indian soldiers martyred
during the Afghan war. The green, velvety lawns at India Gate, particularly,
are a popular evening and holiday rendezvous for young and old alike, who
come packed in cars and enjoy a picnic-dinner in the lawns while children
enjoy boating and playing around the place. . | Recommended Tours | |
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Destination Covered : Delhi - Jaipur -
Agra - Delhi |
Duration
: 10 NightsDestination Covered :
Delhi - Jaipur - Agra - Khajuraho - Varanasi |
Duration
: 14 NightsDestination Covered :
Mumbai - Bangalore - Mysore - Bandipur - Coorg - Ooty - Cochin - Munnar
- Thekkady - Kumarakom - Alleppey - Quilon - Kovalam - Kanyakumari -
Kovalam - Trivandrum |
|
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