new delhi, saniya

Saniya
NEW DELHI !!!
Delightful Exciting Lovely Historic and Intriguing. These are indeed apt words to describe DELHI, known as Rome of
the East. An ancient city with a rich past , vibrant present and exciting future. A rich tapestry of different cultures,
languages, religions and traditions it is also a spicy and tangy place as can be seen from its rich cuisine.
This city in the heart of the country located on the banks of River Yamuna and flanked by the Aravalli Hills to the
west, has been witness to many civilizations. A city is a blend of the old and the new, where the ancient buildings
representing the old culture co exist with new structures that speak of the modern economy and polity. New Delhi
with its 14 million population is a city of many opportunities as well as some challenges. This city beckons you. Come
and unravel its mysteries!
All about New Delhi!
Delhi, the capital of the country truly represents the spirit of India. It has been the cradle of many a civilizations and
has seen at least 8 previous cities at the same location spread over centuries. Each of these have added to the history
and beauty of the city. Each of the empires whether it was the Hindu rulers, Muslim kingdom, the great Mughals or
the British have left their impression on the city through monuments, culture, lifestyle, cuisine, festivals, traditions and
richness of the language.
Delhi is spread over 1500 sq. km (including the national capital region) and it has a population of about 13.78
million. Nestling between River Yamuna in North India and Aravalli hills on the west the city is located at 28.38°
N latitude and 77.12°E longitude. The altitude is between 213-305 meters above sea level. New Delhi has an
extreme climate- the summers are sweltering hot, and the winters are freezing cold. The temperature ranges between
45° C in summers to 2 °C in winters.
The main languages spoken in Delhi are Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and English. The main religions practiced are Hinduism,
Islam, Sikhism, Jainism and Christianity. The main festivals celebrated are Republic Day, Independence Day, and
Gandhi Jay-anti which are national holidays. Other festivals celebrated by people from all religions are Holi, Durga
Pooja, Dussera, Diwali, Id, and Christmas. Delhi culture is as beautiful as a bouquet of colorful flowers.
Many old monuments in Delhi like the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Qutab Minar, India Gate, Jantar Mantar are
reminders of its rich past. Other relatively new monuments like the India Gate, Lotus Temple, Akshardham , Dilli Haat
are symbols of Delhi's vibrant present. New Delhi is truly one of the most historic, exotic, exciting and happening
cities in the world…
History of New Delhi
Delhi is a historic city and used to be
the site of at least 8 known cities
dating to the 4th century AD. It was
the capital of the of Hindu
Kingdoms, Muslim dynasties and the
great Mughals. It has numerous old
monuments built both in the Hindu
and the Muslim style of architecture.
Because of its important location in
the heart of the country, New Delhi
has always played an important role
in India's history. Over the ages
successive rulers have found its
strategic location critical to
maintaining control over rest of the
countr y. It has also been an
important commercial center.
In the 18th century when the British
colonized India, Kolkata became the
capital of the empire and Delhi lost
its prominence for sometime. In 1911
the British shifted their capital from
Kolkata to New Delhi and that
started another phase in the growth
of the city. New Delhi was founded
by the British and
planned as a
modern city and it
became the
center of the British rule in India. It
was designed by leading British
architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert
Baker. It had huge government
offices, Parliament house, India
G a t e , we l l l a i d o u t g a rd e n s ,
!
shopping arenas and wide roads.
New Delhi also became the main
center of India's independence
struggle and after independence in
1947 became the capital of a free
India. The city has since grown in
importance both politically and
commercially.
Till today old Delhi and new Delhi
exist together as a blend of the old
with the modern just like a quilt with
many colorful prints . The old city
with its old monuments, bazaars
bustling with activity, street vendors,
unplanned layout and crowded
areas co exists with the modern city
which bears the mark of British
influence in its wide roads, green
spaces, huge Government buildings
and shopping arenas.
Delhi is in many ways the essence of
modern India, with its mix of the old
and new, rich and poor, showing
richness of diversity.
THE LIFELINE!!!
Yamuna
River
The Yamuna River is the lifeline of Delhi. It is a source
of drinking water, water for irrigation and industrial
purposes. It also helps in transportation and is a good
place for fishing.
The people(POPULATION)
Delhi is a lovely, gleaming and
historic city which has seen several
civilizations. Delhi, because of its
geographic, commercial and political
importance has always attracted
people (like a magnet) from all over
the world and within the country
New. Delhi offers a large number of
opportunities for employment in both
the Government and in the private
sector. It is a major financial
center and a center for trade. It is
a centre of software and business
processing industry along with
traditional industries like textiles
and machinery. Delhi has also been
the centre of traditional arts and
crafts, metalwork and pottery.
Delhi also has been a center of
education and attracts people from
all over the country to the
educational institutions. The
population of Delhi including suburbs
is about 14 million. The population
of the modern New Delhi city is
about 300 thousand people and the
population of the old city of Delhi is
about 10 million people. New Delhi
is a city of multi-cultural diversity,
it’s like a rainbow with different
colors. The main religions are
Hinduism, Islamic, Sikhism Jainism,
and Christianity. The people in the
city speak many different languages
such as Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, and
English…and come from various
cities. They celebrate different
festivals and cultural events. New
Delhi represents unity in diversity as
different cultural groups have lived
together peacefully over centuries.
DELHI now and then...
Old Delhi…
In Old times Delhi used to look something like this. Delhi was a center of political power. It was a center of trade,
bustling with activity. It used to be a large, spacious and beautiful city…with a number of historical monuments.
New Delhi…
New Delhi the capital of modern India was designed by Edwin Lutyens. It is the center of commercial and industrial
activity. A highly populated city with crowed roads, a city where the old monument co exist with modern buildings and
market places…an Attractive, Awesome city…
A NEC D OT E
Jantar Mantar
crowded roads
the Red Fort
ONCE THIS HAPPENED TO MY AUNT FROM NORWAY. SHE LANDED AT THE NEW DELHI
AIRPORT. SHE HAD TO GET A TAXI TO HER HOTEL. HER HOTEL WAS TO SEND A
TAXI FOR HER BUT SHE COULD NOT SPOT IT. AS IT WAS THE PEAK OF WINTER AND
THE FOG WAS AS THICK AS SMOKE FROM FACTORY, SHE WAS IN A HURRY TO GET TO
HER HOTEL. SHE CALLED A TAXI BUT WAS A LITTLE SCARED AS SHE HAD HEARD
THAT TAXI DRIVERS FLEECE TOURISTS. HER TAXI DRIVER DROVE SLOWLY DUE TO THE
FOG AND FINALLY SHE REACHED HER HOTEL. SHE PAID THE DRIVER AND GOT OFF THE
TAXI. IN THE LOBBY OF THE HOTEL SHE SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT SHE HAD LEFT
HER PURSE IN THE BACKSEAT OF THE TAXI. THE PURSE HAD HER PASSPORT, CREDIT
CARDS AND CASH. SHE WAS REALLY WORRIED AND HAD NO HOPES OF GETTING HER
PURSE BACK.
SHE WAS ABOUT TO MAKE A FORMAL REPORT TO THE POLICE WHEN SHE SAW THE
TAXI DRIVER RETURN WITH HER PURSE. HE TOLD HER THAT AFTER LEAVING HER HE
DROVE FOR HALF AN HOUR BEFORE HE REALIZED THAT SHE HAD LEFT HER PURSE
BEHIND. HE CAME BACK TO THE HOTEL TO RETURN THE PURSE. MY AUNT WAS VERY
HAPPY AND GRATEFUL. SHE THANKED THE TAXI DRIVER FOR HIS HONESTY AND TRIED
TO REWARD HIM. BUT HE REFUSED TO TAKE ANY MONEY SAYING THAT GUESTS ARE
TREATED LIKE GODS IN INDIA AND HE HAD ONLY DONE HIS DUTY. THAT DAY MY
AUNT REALIZED THAT INDIAN PEOPLE ARE HONEST AND TRUTHFUL…
BY RACHNA SHAH
A Perfect Day In New Delhi...
A perfect day in Delhi would certainly
be a busy and long day and therefore
we have to start early.
The day should start with an early
morning walk at the picturesque Lodi
Gardens, among the well laid gardens
and old grand monuments. If you are
lucky along with the chirping of the
birds you may get to see a peacock.
The morning walk should be followed
by a cup of tea and some snacks at a
road side stall.
You would need to get back to the
hotel for a quick shower and then time
to hop into the taxi and discover the
many old and new monuments that dot
the city. A good idea would be to start
wit h t he majestic Qutab Minar,
followed by the Lotus temple and
Akshardham temple which is one of the
largest temples in the country. You will
also get a glimpse of the River Yamuna,
which has been witness to the growth
of the city.
After a taste of history it is time to get
a feel of the rich culture of Delhi. A visit
to Dilli Haat ( market place/ tiangge) is
called for, where you can buy your fill
of traditional handicrafts, shawls, silks,
pottery and jewellery from all parts of
the country. You can also see the
craftsmen make their stuff and see folk
dances too. And there is more, you can
get to sample the cuisine from all parts
of the country. Surely the lunch was
worth waiting for!!!
After the hearty meal it is time to
explore the many wonders of Indian
culture at the National Museum. Don’t
miss the famous dancing girl of the
Indus valley civilization!
The Humayun's tomb is a definite must.
In many ways it is the model on which
the more famous Taj Mahal in Agra
was designed. This should be followed
by a visit to the historic Red Fort and
the Jama Masjid both monuments
being grand and full of history. By this
time you will certainly be tired and
hungry. It is time to sample some of the
mouth watering sweets and snacks of
Chandni Chowk, the famous old and
crowded bazaar.
As the evening draws closer, it is time
to see the modern New Delhi. You can
drive past the beautifully lit India Gate,
Parliament, President's House . It is
truly a breathtaking sight.
As the night gets closer, before dinner,
one more activity not to be missed is
the sound and light show at the Red
Fort. As you listen to the mesmerizing
story of Delhi over the centuries you
can almost feel what it must have been
then.
You have had a busy and tiring day
exploring the city. It is time now for a
sumptuous meal at an interesting Indian
restaurant, before hitting the bed. But
be ready to see more of the city the
next day, especially its lesser known
monuments and other things which
make Delhi the city it is.
M U S T D O !!!
arts and jewels
Indian architecture
visitors
market places!
Historic Buildings
TOP TEN!!!
1. HISTORIC MONUMENTS
2. MUSEUMS
3. CUISINE
4. ART AND CRAFT
jewellery
5. LIGHT AND SOUND
6. CULTURAL SHOW
7. SHOPPING
8. METRO RIDE
religious places
9. VISIT RELIGIOUS PLACES
10.NATURE TRAIL
Metro Rides