India Travel
Hauz Khas in South Delhi
Hauz Khas, the Soho ot Delhi, is a wealthy suburban development, packed with boutiques and restaurants, 12km southwest of Connaught Place.The “village", as it is known, is just of Aurobindo Marg (or the Delhi—Mehrauli Road), which leads from die centre to the Qutb Minar Complex, and adjacent to a pleasant deer park. The road through the shopping enclave leads to the ruins of Ala-ud-din-Khalji’s large tank (enclosed reservoir) known as Hauz-i-Alai, built early in the fourteenth century to supply the inhabitants of Sin, Delhi’s second city. It was expanded almost fifty years later by Firoz Shah Tughlak, who added a two-storey madrasa (seminary), and a mosque at its northern end. The L-shaped madrasa providing grand views of the tank was constructed with latticed windows, and deep stone niches for books.
In among the anonymous tombs scattered throughout the area is that of Firoz Shah himself, situated on the edge of the tank. Its high walls, lofty dome, and doorway spanned by a lintel with a stone railing outside, are fine examples of Indian traditions effectively blended with Islamic architecture. At dawn every day, the surrounding woodlands and the bed of the immense tank, once the site of Timur’s camp, come alive with Delhi-ites out walking, practising yoga and jogging; in the evenings, Hauz Khas’s salubrious restaurants attract diners from all over the city
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Moth-ki-Masjid in South Delhi
The Moth-ki-Masjid, built during the reign of Sikandar Lodi (1488-1517), is now all but abandoned, isolated in a rural setting within the rapidly spreading suburbs of south Delhi, 2km from Hauz Khas off the Delhi—Mehrauli Road. A milestone in the evolution of the Moghul mosque, its three-domed prayer hall, ornate mihrab and arches stand on a raised plinth, enclosed by walls pierced by an elegant red sandstone gate to the east. Legend has it that Sikandar Lodi picked a grain of moth (a type of lentil) which was then sown by his minister Miyan Bhuwa; the bumper crop multiplied again
Firoz Shah Kotla in Central New Delhi
The prosperous fifth city of Delhi, Firozabad, founded in 1354, stretched from the north ridge to Hauz Khas in the south; today few traces survive save the remains of the palace of Firoz Shah Kotla, set amid ornamental gardens 500m east of Delhi Gate. Its most incongruous and yet distinctive element is the single polished sandstone Ashokan Column (third century BC). carried down the Yamuna by raft from Ambala to grace a palace that is now a crumbling ruin. The 14m-high column, the second brought to Delhi, continues to protrude above the surroundings, withstanding the ravages of time and dominating
South Delhi
The enclaves and villages spread across the vast area of South Delhi offer countless eating options. Trendy Hauz Khas. with its Village Bistro restaurant complex comprising several eateries, is renowned as one ot Delhi's best areas for dining out. Chanakya market holds a cluster of Tibetan dhabas selling excellent momos (dumplings) and thukpa (soup). The alleys and lanes of the medieval village of Nizamuddin conceal cafes and a range ot restaurants, while Pandara Road Market's restaurants and snack bars, close to India Gate, stay open until 2am. and the expensive coffee shops in the five-star hotels are all 24hr. Asian Games
Art, antiques, crafts and jewellery in Delhi
Much the best area to go shopping for art and antiques - even if sceptics do consider it vastly overpriced and rarely authentic - is the small Sunder Nagar Market, in a wealthy residential area near Purana Qila and the zoo. However, you shouldn't expect a bargain - the antique and art trade in India is a cutthroat business. Bear in mind that it is illegal to take art objects over one hundred years old out of the country and, strictly speaking, antiques should be registered and trading in them is against the law (see p.84). Elsewhere, curio shops aimed at
Sound and light shows in Central New Delhi
Each night a Sound and Light show takes place in the Red Fort: the palaces are dramatically lit, and a historical commentary blares from crackly loudspeakers. Trie show starts after sunset and lasts an hour (in Hindi Feb-April & Sept-Oct 7pm, May-Aug 7.30pm, Nov-Jan 6pm; in English Feb-April & Sept-Oct 8.30pm, May-Aug 9pm, Nov-Jan 7.30pm; Rs30; S011/327 4580). The mosquitoes are ferocious, so bring repellent. Heavy monsoon rains may affect summer shows. Khas Mahal was used by the emperor, who would appear here daily before throngs gathered on the riverbanks below. In 1911, when Delhi was declared capital, King George V
Bars in Delhi
Blues, N-17 Connaught Place A snazzy bar and restaurant, ottering an eclectic range of loud music but little in the way of blues and jazz. The bar staff are all pros at mixing extravagant cocktails Djinns, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Bhikaiji Cama Place A huge bar, pool table, darts, live bands from Europe and the Caribbean, innovative Indian snacks and pitchers of beer and cocktails Packed on Wednesday and the weekend with the Delhi jet-set, so get in early. No entrance after 11 pm, even though it stays open until 2am. Geoffries, Ansal Plaza, A very popular "English11 pub with bar
Detiels of Delhi
Delhi was marked by agrarian reforms, and the establishment in 1303 of Siri, the second city of Delhi, built in characteristically ornate marble and red sandstone. Near present-day Hauz Khas. it grew into a flourishing commercial centre. Ala-ud-din died a disappointed man. however, as cracks appeared in his dream of empire; the ensuing period of confusion only ended when Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq proclaimed himself" Sultan in 1320. Ghiyas-ud-din in turn built a city fortress, at Tughluqabad. 8km east of Qutb. but Delhi's third city was occupied for just five years from 1321, when the capital was shifted 1100km south to Daulatabad in
Shopping in Delhi
Although the traditional places to shop in I ) clhi are around Connaught Place and Chandni Chowk, ;i number of suburbs created by the rapid growth of the city are emerging as fashionable shopping districts. The shopping area of Haaz Khas Village. 12km southwest of Connaught Place, with numerous boutiques, jeweller}' shops and galleries, some pretentious and others well worth a browse, has, due :o over-popularity, lost some of its charm. Outrageous rents and uncontrolled building have ruined the ambience and forced boutiques out, some to the yet-to-be-developed village of Shahpur Jat, a short distance away. The garden setting of Santushi
The Diwan-i-Khas courtyard of Fatehpur Sikri in the Uttar Pradesh
An insignificant seeming doorway in the northwest corner of the Diwan-i-Am leads to a second courtyard, at the top of which stands the Hall of Private Audience, or Diwan-i-Khas. The centrepiece of this chamber is an extraordinary carved column known as the Throne Pillar, supporting a large circular platform from which four balustraded bridges radiate outwards. Seated upon this throne, the emperor would hold discussions with representatives of diverse religions - orthodox Muslim leaders (ulema), Jesuit priests from Goa, Hindu brahmins, Jains and Zoroastrians - ranged around the walis of the balcony. Through such discussions, Akbar sought to synthesize India's
Fabrics and clothes in Delhi
In Delhi you can buy anything from high-quality silks, homespun cottons and Kashmiri jackets and shawls to traditional everyday wear and multicoloured tie-dyed Western-style outfits. Buyers are expected to bargain in most street-side stalls, which can make shopping all the more fun - start at fifty percent of the quoted price and slowly increase. Be wary of high prices - the same item is often available in different shops at varying rates. Shops with fixed prices should have a sign to prove it. For Western-style trousers, skirts and shirts, try Paharganj. the Tibetan Market at the north end of Janpath,
The City in South Delhi
Delhi is both daunting and alluring, a sprawling metropolis with a stunning backdrop of ancient architecture. Once you've found your feet and got over the initial impact of the commotion, noise, pollution and sheer scale of the place, the city's geography slowly slips into focus. Monuments in sandstone and marble, which stand in assorted states of repair, make Delhi a veritable museum of Indo-Islamic architecture, seen at its best in the frenetic streets of Old Delhi and the venerable sites of South Delhi. Delhi today, however, as experienced by its many thousands of visitors, centres very much around the imperial
Delhi Zoo in South Delhi
Below the southern ramparts of the Purana Qila. the open-air enclosures and cages of Delhi Zoo (daily except Fri: April-Oct 8am-6pm; Nov-March 'Jam-.Spin; Rs40 [Rs5], Rs50 extra for video camera) cover an extensive area. A little toy train chugs through the grounds, stopping regularly so you can hop on and off as you like. The white tigers are the longstanding attraction but animal-lovers will be disappointed by the conditions m which the big cats are kept.
Arrival and information in Delhi
Delhi is India's main point of arrival for overseas visitors, and has two airports, one domestic and one international. State buses from all over the country pull into the Inter-state Bus Terminal in Old Delhi, while private buses stop in the more central location close to New Delhi railway station. Trains arrive at the railheads in Old or New Delhi, both well connected to Connaught Place, the commercial centre of the city, by rickshaw and taxi. For a summary of the kinds of accommodation available in different areas of the city, which may well determine where you head first, see p.
Travel agents and tour operators in Delhi
NB; Booking flights and excursions through street-side touts, particularly along Janpath, is not recommended, even if they claim to be "government recognized". For the issue or renewal of ISIC cards, head to STIC, opposite Imperial Hotel. American Express, A-Block. Connaught Place: expensive, tailor-made tours of the capital, and sites further afield - card-holders only; Cox and Kings, Indira Palace, Connaught Place: international operators offering expensive and exclusive tailor-made tours; Don't Pass Me By Tours and Travels, 79 Scindia House, nr Janpath: reliable and inexpensive tour operator specializing in road trips to Agra and through Rajasthan: Hans Travel Service, 1600 Visha!
The royal pavilions to the Agra in the Western UP
Clustered around a high terrace overlooking the river, the royal pavilions were designed to catch the cool breezes blowing across the Yamuna - and for ease of access to a water supply. The Macchi Bhavan (Fish Palace), approached through the alcove in the Diwan-i-Am, has suffered through the ages. During the period of jat control, the Maharaja of Bharatpur removed some of its marble fixtures to his palace in Deeg; later, the zealous evangelist Lord William Bentinck (governor-general from 1828-35) auctioned off much of the original mosaic and fretwork, including parts of the Hammam-i-Shahi, the royal bath. The palace was
Moving on from Delhi
Delhi has good domestic and international travel connections. Anyone heading from the south to the western Himalayas (Himachal Pradesh, Kullu. Manali, Ladakh) will pass through Delhi; it seldom takes more than a day to arrange the onward journey. Scores of travel agents sell bus and air tickets, and many hotels (budget or otherwise) will hook private buses for you; touts, concentrated at the top of Janpath, waylay tourists with promises of cheap fares, but can't always be trusted.
Treks in the Pangi valley to Lahaul in Himachal Pradesh
Few trekkers make it to the spectacular, all but inaccessible Pangi Valley, between the soaring Greater Himalayan Range in the north and the Outer Himalayan Range in the south. With its deep river gorges and barren mountain peaks, it offers a wide range of scenery and vegetation: cultivated fields give way to forests of pine, deodar, spruce and silver oak, and beyond that hardy shrubs. Inhabited by nomadic Gaddi shepherds, the valley maintains a unique village culture. Several peaks within it have never been climbed, and onward paths lead to Kashmir, Lahaul and Zanskar. The trek takes nine or ten
Delhi scams in Delhi
Delhi can prove a headache for the first-time visitor, with several scams to entrap the unwary. Arrival is always the most difficult, but for those arriving at New Delhi railway station a special word of warning is to avoid all touts and the false tourist offices opposite the Paharganj entrance to the New Delhi railway station, which have brought grief to many an unsuspecting traveller. Similarly, steer clear of those along Janpath that claim to be "government authorized" - there is no such authorization and you're likely to end up paying well over the odds for any services. Shoe-shine boys
By bus in Delhi
State buses pull in at the Inter-state Bus Terminal (ISBT), north of the railway station in Old Delhi. Auto-rickshaws to New Delhi or Paharganj take about fifteen minutes {around Rs50), cycle rickshaws twice that (around Rs30). Private buses from all over India terminate outside New Delhi railway station; some will drop passengers in Connaught Place if they pass that way.
Eating in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad's restaurants are clustered around Salapose Road and Relief Road, while good stalls in Khas Bazaar serve kebabs and fresh, gloopy dhal. As usual the better hotels in all districts have restaurants offering Indian, Chinese and some Western dishes with some fine independent eateries dotted around too. Alpha, DrTankaria Road. Huge menu of tasty multi-cuisine veg and non-veg in an equally spacious a/c hall. Open 8am-11pm. Anent Dining Hall, Salapose Road, off Relief Road. Small, very inexpensive veg place, good for Gujutati thalis. Open for lunch and dinner daily, except Sun evening. A branch across the street serves south Indian snacks