India Travel
Lai Qila (Red Fort) in Central New Delhi
The largest of Old Delhi’s monuments is Lai Qila, or Red Fort (daily dawi to dusk; 35 [Rs5]), whose thick red sandstone walls, bulging with turrets anc bastions, rise above a wide dry moat in the northeast corner of the original cin of Shahjahanabad. The fort covers a semi-octagonal area of almost 2km, it: longest walls facing the town in the west and the River Yamuna in the east Work was started on the fort - modelled on the royal citadel in Agra - in 1639 and it was completed by 1648. It contains all the expected trappings of the centre of Moghul government: halls of public and private audience, domed and arched marble palaces, plush private apartments, a mosque, and elaborately designed gardens. Today the Yamuna no longer flows close to the east wall, the “Stream of Paradise” no longer trickles through each palace, copper-plated domes have been replaced with plainer marble domes, and there are few signs of the precious stones and gems once set into die marble walls. Nevertheless, the fort remains an impressive testimony to Moghul grandeur, despite being attacked and plundered by the Persian emperor Nadir Shah in 1739, and by British soldiers during the battles of 1857 - as well as being rubbed, touched and worn down by thousands of marvelling tourists.
Entrance to the fort is through the mighty three-storey Lahori Gate in the centre of the west wall. A booking office sells tickets just outside, and eager guides will offer their services at negotiable prices (Rs30-50) - generally more than twice the price that you’d pay within. The mam entrance opens onto Chatta Chowk, a covered street flanked with arched cells that used to house Delhi’s most talented jewellers, carpet-makers, goldsmiths and silk-weavers, but now stock the usual souvenirs: miniatures, hookahs, brass ornaments, stone and woodcarvings and low-quality jewellery, just beyond a small restaurant at the end of Chatta Chowk, the road stretches past the military colony into the heart of the tort, coming to an end at Naubhat Khana. the erstwhile “drum house", where music was once played five times a day and which now bears scant remains of its original painting.
From Naubhat Khana, a path runs east through wide lawns to the hall of public audience, the Diwan-i-Am.This lofty hall, with sturdy pillars supporting its roof and its floor raised on a high platform, was the scene of daily public appearances by the emperor until the custom was stopped by Aurangzcb. When in use, it was strewn with silk carpets and partitioned with hanging tapestries and curtains. Set against the west wall is “the seat of the shadow of God", a marble throne surrounded by twelve panels inlaid with precious stones. It was designed by an artist from Bordeaux, whose frieze of the Greek god Orpheus with his lute makes a surprising departure from the more usual floral designs of the Moghuls. Lord Curzon, viceroy of India from 1898 to 19(15, restored the hall and returned the emperor’s seat from the British Museum in 1909.
The palaces in the tort along the east wall face spacious gardens in the west and overlook the banks of theYamuna, once the scene of animal fights laid on to entertain the royal occupants. Immediately east of the Diwan-i-Am, Rang Mahal, the “Palace of Colour", housed the emperors wives and mistresses. “The crowning jewel of Shah Jahan’s seraglio” was crowned with gilded turrets, delicately painted and decorated with intricate mosaics of mirrors, and with a ceiling overlaid with gold and silver that was reflected in a central pool in the marble floor. Unfortunately, it was greatly defaced when the British used it as an Officers’ Mess after the Mutiny, and today is a shadow of its former glory. The similar Mumtaz Mahal, south of the main zenana, or women’s quarters, and probably used by princesses, is now a museum (daily except Fri 10am—5pm) housing weaponry, textiles, carpets, ornate chess sets and hookahs.
On the northern side of Rang Mahal, the marble Khas Mahal was the personal palace of the emperor, divided into separate apartments for worship, sleeping and sitting.The southern chamber, Tosh Khana (robe room), has a stunning marble filigree screen on its north wall, carved with the scales of justice. Viewing the screen from the north you’ll see suns surrounding the scales, but from the south these look more like moons. The octagonal tower project-
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Purana Qila in South Delhi
The majestic fortress of Purana Qila, whose crumbling ramparts dominate busy Mathura Road. 4km southeast of Connaught Place, is often said to stand on the site of Indraprastha, the city of the Pandavas. oi Mahabharala fame. More certainly, it was the centre of the sixth city of Delhi, created by Humayun, the second Moghul emperor, as Din-Panah, and renamed Shergarh by Sher Shah, who briefly displaced him. Purana Qila is served by buses between Delhi Gate and Sundernagar, such as #423 and #438. The #411 continues to Nizamuddin. and #482 goes on to Kalkaji. Two principal buildings survive to hint at
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.
Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad) in Central New Delhi
Although it's not in fact the oldest part of Delhi, the seventeenth-century city of Shahjahanabad, built by the Moghul emperor. Shah Jahan, is known as OLD DELHI. The original city walls spread for seven miles, enclosing the sprawling fort, Lai Qila, and the formidable Jami Masjid, or "Friday Mosque'l. Old Delhi's mam thoroughfare, Chandni Chowk, a seething mass ot hooting, pushing cars, tempos, cycle rickshaws and ox carts, was once a sublime canal lined with trees and some of the most opulent bazaars of the East. Today the city walls have crumbled, and houses and shops have long since spilled
By train in Delhi
Delhi's main railhead. New Delhi Station at the eastern end of Paharganj. less than ikm north of Connaught Place, has regular departures to all corners of India, and a very efficient booking office (Mon-Sat 8am-5pm) for foreign tourists, on the first floor of the main departure building. They'll give you advice on the fastest trains, and you should have little difficulty finding a seat or berth: women travelling alone in second class may prefer to ask for a berth in the ladies' carriage. Foreigners must show passports, and pay in foreign currency or in rupees backed up by exchange certificates.
Crafts Museum in Central New Delhi
Immediately north of Purana Qila on Bhairon Road, the Crafts Museum is a uniquely dynamic exhibition of the rural arts and crafts of India, its village complex displays an assortment of building traditions, bringing together cultures from across the subcontinent to provide a unique if" artificial insight into rural life. Authentically constructed mud huts are beautifully decorated with folk art, and exhibits include woodcarvings, paintings, papier-mache, embroidery and a full-sized wooden haveli from Gujarat. Live demonstrations by the artisans offer close-up glimpses of the folk arts that can be all too difficult to obtain elsewhere in the country. You can
Humayun’s Tomb in South Delhi
Close to the medieval Muslim centre of Nizamuddin and 2km from Purana Qila. Humayun's Tomb (daily dawn to dusk; Rs5) stands at the crossroads of the Lodi and Mathura roads, 500m from Nizamuddin railway station which is one stop from New Delhi station on the suburban line. Delhi's first Moghul tomb was constructed from 1564 onwards, after the death of the second Moghul emperor, under the watchful eye of Haji Begum, Humayun's senior widow and mother of Akbar, who camped here tor the duration.The grounds were later used to inter several prominent Moghuls, and served as a refuge for the
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
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.
Nalagarh Fort Shimla in Himachal Pradesh
If you can afford it, the eighteenth-century fort of Nalagarh converted into probably the finest hotel in Himachal Pradesh, is an excellent place to break the journey between Delhi and Kullu. Overlooking the Punjab plains, the fort lies 60km from Chandigarh and 12km off the main Chandigarh-Mandi road. Towering above the town with the Himachal foothills rising steeply behind, the fort played a key role in the Gurkha wars of the early nineteenth century, and is today filled with memorabilia evoking its military past. An Ayurvedic clinic offering massage and a shop selling various health potions add to the luxury.
Central New Delhi
The modern area of CENTRAL NEW DELHI, with its wide tree-lined avenues and solid colonial architecture, has been the seat of central government since 1931. At its hub. the royal mall. Rajpath. runs from palatial Rashtrapati Bhavan, in the west, to the India Gate war memorial in the east. At the north edge of the new capital lies the thriving business centre, Connaught Place. where neon advertisements for Wimpy, American Express, hotels and countless airline offices adorn the flat roofs and colonnaded verandas of high white buildings that curve around a central park to form an almost perfect circle. Central New
Arrival and information of the Agra in the Uttar Pradesh
Agra has no less than six railway stations. The busiest is Agra Cantonment (Cantt), in the southwest, which serves Delhi, Gwalior. Jhansi and points south, has a tourist information counter, and is near most hotels. Trains from Rajasthan pull in close to the Jami Masjid at Agra Fort Station, further from the main hub of hotels. Don't be persuaded to get off at Agra City Station, an expensive rickshaw ride away from town. To get to a hotel, use the prepaid auto-rickshaw/taxi booth at Agra Cantonment Station (Rs40/90) or flag down one of the cycle rickshaws (Rs25) that wait in the
The Rock Fort of Tiruchirapalli in Central Tamil Nadu
Trichy's Rock Fort (daily 6am-8pm; Rs1; Rs10 extra with camera), looming incongruously above the bazaars in the north of town, is best reached by bus (#1) from outside the railway station, or from Dindigul Road: rickshaws will try to charge you Rs50 or more for the five-minute ride. The massive sand-coloured rock on which the fort rests towers to a height of more than 80m, its irregular sides smoothed by wind and rain. The Pallavas were the first to cut into it, but it was the Nayaks who grasped the site's potential as a fort, adding only a few walls and
Old Delhi and north of Connaught Place in Delhi
If you find Paharganj too much of a travellers' hang-out, or Connaught Place too impersonal, head for Old Delhi, where foreign tourists seldom stay. Here you'll find yourself swamped by the noise and smells of the least modernized area of the capital. Prices are low and standards not very high, but the hotels are well sited for visits to the Red Fort and Jami Masjid, and you can guarantee constant activity on the crowded streets, excellent food at long-established restaurants and superb sweets from roadside stalls. If the noise of Chandni Chowk proves too much, you could opt for a
Northern Madhya Pradesh
The remoteness of the famous temples at Khajuraho. with their superbly tirved erotic sculptures, means that many visitors find themselves passing ptough a large tract of northern Madhya Pradesh. Few choose to linger in the region, however, preferring to return to the main Delhi-Agra artery or move onto Varanasi, Yet this much-trodden trail passes within striking distance of several other sights which are well worth taking time out to see. Foremost among them is the hill-fort at Gwalior. In addition to the immaculately restored palaces and ancient Hindu temples within the fort itself, the city also boasts, in extravagant European-style
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
By train in Delhi
Delhi has two major railway stations. New Delhi Station is east of Paharganj (Main Bazaar), and within walking distance of many of the area's budget hotels, though courists burdened with luggage often prefer to hail a cycle rickshaw to reach their hotel, which shouldn't cost more than Rs20 -negotiate the fare in advance. If you're heading for hotels south of the station, however, bear in mind that cycle rickshaws cannot enter Connaught Place. The station has two exits, with the Paharganj exit the more popular, useful for Connaught Place and most points smith, and the Ajmeri Gate exir more convenient
Jami Masjid in Central new Delhi
Old Delhi's red and white Jami Masjid (Rs10; Rs50 extra for camera), dominating the surrounding markets around 500m to the west o( the Red Fort, may look huge from a distance, but feels nothing short of immense once you've climbed the wide staircases to the arched gateways and entered the open courtyard, large enough to accommodate the bending bodies of up to 25,000 worshippers. This is India's largest mosque, designed by the eminent architect Shah Jahan, and built by a workforce of 5000 between 1644 and 1656. Originally called Masjid-i-Jahanuma ("mosque commanding a view of the world"), this grand structure
Buses in Delhi
Despite running more than three hundred different routes, the Delhi Transport Corporation's vast centralized bus network can seem totally inadequate. The Latest Guide to Delhi, Old, and New (published by Lai Chand and Sons; Rs10) is in English and has the most comprehensive DTC bus route listings available. You can buy it from magazine vendors in Connaught Place or Paharganj. The first digit of each three-digit route number shows the direction of each bus — thus routes starting with "5" head south from the centre towards Mehrauli, and those starting with "4" travel southeast towards Kalkaji through Nizamuddin, while those
From eastern and central USA
Flying east, you'll stop over somewhere in Europe (most often London), the Gulf, or both. Figure on at least eighteen hours' total travel time from the East Coast. Air India and PIA discount their tickets heavily through a few specialist, understaffed New York consolidators. Marked-down tickets on European carriers - notably British Airways, Air France, KLM/Northwest and Lufthansa - are frequently sold by other discount agents. Other airlines flying between the eastern US and India include KLM/Northwest, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, Aeroflot, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways and Egypt Air. Or you can simply hop on any of the dozens of
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.