India’s right rollicking capital city has a wealth of exciting things to explore:
1. The Red Fort
Built in the 1640s as the palace for the new Mughal capital Shahjahanabad, by the 5th emperor Shah Jahan (of Taj Mahal fame), the Red Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was an imperial residence for 200 years until 1857 when the British turfed out Bahadur Shah II for being a symbol of rebellion and turned it into a barracks. The fort gets its name from its 18-metre-high red sandstone walls that once hid apartments, pavilions, gardens and audience halls – today many of the buildings have been requisitioned as museums, such as the Museum of the Struggle for Independence. Many of the intricate, original design features, in the Mughal, Persian and Hindu styles, can still be admired – the hammams are particularly exquisite.
2. Jama Masjid
The ultimate Mughal architectural confection, once again built by Shah Jahan, Delhi’s Jama Masjid is India’s largest mosque, able to hold a jaw-dropping 25,000 people. Set slightly above the old part of Delhi in a maze of chaotic alleyways, the mosque offers an oasis of calm and, with its red sandstone and white marble, magnificent domes and 40-metre-tall twin minarets, it is quite a sight to behold. Constructed between 1644 and 1656, the mosque was originally named Masjid-i-Jahan-Numa, ‘mosque commanding a view of the world’ – for those searching for such a view, one of the minarets is open for visitors to ascend.
3. Lodi Gardens
Perhaps a more unusual choice for a top 5 list, the Lodi Gardens are not only a favourite hangout for walking and picnicking locals, but are also home to some important history. This peaceful patch of 90 acres in New Delhi is dotted with the artfully crumbling tombs of Lodhi and Sayyid rulers from the 16th and 17th centuries. There is very little of this architecture left in India, leading to the site being protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. Mohammed Shah’s Tomb and the Tomb of Sikander Lodi are particularly magnificent and unlike anything that you’ll see anywhere else.
4. Rajpath
It is difficult to miss the Rajpath when exploring New Delhi, a colossally grand civic statement right in the heart of the city. Meaning ‘King’s Way’, the Rajpath was a central feature of Edwin Lutyen’s design of New Delhi, the demonstrate the might of the British Empire, the wide boulevard flanked by expanses of lawn, canals, gardens and trees. Grandiose Rashtrapati Bhavan, once the Viceroy’s house and now the official residence of India’s president, stands at its head, watching over the path as it runs down to India Gate, a war memorial dedicated to the thousands of Indian soldiers killed during World War I.
5. Humayun’s Tomb
This captivating building kicked into motion an architectural progression that lead, just under 100 years later to the Taj Mahal. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this was the Indian Subcontinent’s first garden tomb, beautifully blends Mughal and Persian influences and, geometrically, sticks rigidly to the rules of Islam, creating a building of perfect proportions. Set in lush and extensive gardens, this is a mausoleum not to miss!
If you would like to include Delhi, and the rest of India, on your tailormade trip to Asia, don’t hesitate to call the Asia Inspirations team for help and advice.