Pragati Maidan

Location : Located in the heart of New Delhi, Pragati Maidan is a world class exhibition centre. About Pragati Maidan : More than just an exhibition place, the building is a huge complex with contemporary design and is surrounded by greenery. Divided into smaller buildings and compounds, Pragati Maidan hosts plethora of national and international exhibitions of all kinds. This complex houses five permanent exhibitions which include Nehru Pavalion, Atomic Energy an Defense Pavilion. Pragati Maidan was founded in 1982 on the eves of Asian games. The complex houses many pavilions like Nehru Pavilion, Defense Pavilion, Indira Pavilion, Son of India Pavilion. If you are in Delhi, then a visit to Pragati Maidan is a must. In November, Pragati Maidan becomes one of the best place to explore. Accessibility Nizamuddin Railway Station is 2.5 km. from Pragati Maidan 10 km. (approx.) from ISBT Areas Under Pragati Maidan ITO Sunder Nagar Nizamuddin

Gandhi Museum

National Gandhi Museum, dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, has a long story behind its establishment. The work on this museum started in Mumbai soon after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on 30th January 1948. Efforts were made to collect all the personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi including personal relics, manuscripts, books, journals, documents, photographs, audio-visual material and anything that related to the life, philosophy and work of Gandhiji.

Around early 1951, the work shifted to Delhi, with the museum first being set up in the Government hutments adjacent to the Kota House. Afterwards, Delhi National Gandhi Museum was shifted in 1957 the old mansion at 5, Mansingh Road and finally, in 1959, to the place where it now stands. Situated opposite Rajghat, this two-story museum was inaugurated on January 30, 1961 by the then President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

Also known as 'Gandhi Memorial Museum of Delhi, it comprises of five pavilions consisting of sculpture, photographs and paintings of Gandhiji, history of Satyagraha movement, along with the philosophy of 'ahimsa' (non-violence). Other collections of the museum include a stone bowl, a brass plate, the clothes Gandhiji was wearing on the day of his assassination, his wooden sandals, etc. National Gandhi Museum also houses a library and an information center.

Old Fort

Said to be built on the site of Indraprastha, mentioned in Mahabharata - the great Indian epic, Old Fort has been the seat for administration for many emperors. Now in ruins, this citadel had the glory of being the seat of the legendary ruler, Prithviraj Chauhan. Sher Shah Suri built it after he demolished the Humayun's city, Dinpanah. There are bastions on the corners of the western wall of the fort. The 2-km long ramparts of Purana Quila boast of three double-storied main gates sporting 'chhatris' on top. They can be found in north, south and west.

The northern one is called the 'Talaqi-Darwaza' (the Forbidden Gate) and has a carving of marble lions engaged in combat with a man in its front. One can still see the remnants of the colored tiles which used to ornament its exteriors. However, it is said that Sher Shah could not complete the construction of Old Fort and it was finished by Humayun. Thus, the southern gate of the fort is known as Humayun Darwaza. There is a wide moat on the northern and western sides of the fortress and a causeway connected the fortress with the main land.

Excavations in the Old Fort area have revealed pieces of painted greyware dated around 1000 BC, said to be related to Mahabharata. Relics and remains of later period found here confirm the belief that Purana Quila was built on the site of Indraprastha, the capital of Pandavas. These artifacts range from the Mauryan to early Mughal period, such as Northern Black polished ware, punch-marked coins, human and animal terracotta figurines and inscribed terracotta seals. Sher Shah built a mosque in 1541, with traits of Lodhi to Mughal architecture style.

Sher-Mandal, a double-storey octagonal tower of red sandstone and marble, surmounted by an octagonal chhatri and decorated with glazed tiles and painted plasterwork was also built by him. The latter was said to be used as a library by Humayun. It was from here that Humayun fell down and died. Besides these, there is a Sound and Light Show at Old Fort, presenting the 5000 years of history of Delhi. Other attractions near the Old Fort are a lake with paddle-boating facility and the Zoological Park situated just adjacent to it

Safdarjang's Tombs

Situated besides the Safdarjung airport in New Delhi, Safdarjung tomb was built by the Nawab of Awadh for his father. It is one of the finest examples of architecture in India. The second Nawab of the Awadh dynasty was popularly known as Safdarjung. He was born as Muhammad Muqim in Khurasan province of Persia and migrated to India in 1722. He succeeded his father-in-law and maternal uncle, Saadat Khan, to the throne of Awadh. In order to occupy the throne, he had to pay an astounding amount of money to Nadir Shah.

Later, the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah gave him the title of "Safdarjung". He was an efficient administrator and handled the administration of Awadh with great precision. Safdarjung rendered valuable assistance to the weakened Muhammad Shah. Very soon, he occupied an important place in the Delhi court. When Ahmad Shah Bahadur ascended the throne at Delhi, Safdarjung became his Wazir-ul-Mamalik-i-Hindustan or the Chief Minister of India.

The tomb of Safdarjang was built to commemorate the memory of Wazir of Hindustan. It is situated in the center and has a huge dome. There are four water canals leading to four buildings. One of the canals has an ornately decorated gateway, while the other three are pavilions, with living quarters built into the walls. There are octagonal towers in the corners. There are also four oblong tanks (canals) on each side of the tomb.

Jantar Mantar

Situated at Connaught Place area of New Delhi, Jantar Mantar is one of the five observatories built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler and founder of Jaipur, in India. Smaller than the one at Jaipur, it is still astonishing because of its capability to make accurate calculations of many astronomical movements. Constructed in 1724, the giant abstract masonry instruments of Jantar Mantar are the evident of the technological genius of the times in the field of astronomy. Jai Singh was a keen astronomer and a noble in the Mughal court.

He was dissatisfied by the brass and metal astronomical instruments and decided to correct and update the astronomical records with more accurate instruments. He built five Jantar Mantars in India, located at Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. Jantar Mantar of New Delhi was built with a view to help the practicing astronomers in observing the movements of the Sun, Moon and all other planets. The relevance of this science would then be introduced to the general public.

The Sun dial here dominates the par and is also known as the Samrat Yantra or Brihat Samrat yantra - the huge sundial. A striking structure in yellow on the right side, it has a 27m high arm adjusted at an angle of 27 degrees. The other yantras in this observatory are used to observe the various stars and planets. The Mishra Yantra helps to determine the longest and shortest days in the year. In December, one pillar overshadows the other and in June, it does not cast any shadow at all.

When compared to others, this observatory is the largest and the best preserved today. But, after its erection in 1724, it remained functional only for seven years. Observations made each day were noted down and later a chart called Zij Muhammad Shahi was prepared. This was then dedicated to the reigning monarch. Many experts in this field are of the view that these observatories fell into disuse, because of lack of thought on the part of the king. The original name Yantra (instrument) mantra (formula) has been corrupted to Jantar Mantar.

Humayun's Tomb

The first Mughal Emperor, Babur, was succeeded by his son, Humayun, who ruled in India for a decade but was expelled. Eventually he took refuge with the Safavid shah of Persia, who helped him regain Delhi in 1555, the year before his death. Humayun's Persian wife, Hamida Begum, supervised the construction from 1562-1572 of her husband's tomb in Delhi. The architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyuath, was Persian and had previously designed buildings in Herat (now northwest Afghanistan), Bukhara (now Uzbekistan), and elsewhere in India. The location chosen for the building on the bank of the Yamuna river adjoins the shrine of an important Sufi Chistiyya order saint, Nizam al-Din Awliya. The Chistiyya was particularly venerated by the Mughals; Humayun's son, Akbar, would build his new palace at Fatehpur Sikri next to the shrine of another saint of the Chistiyya order.

The tomb established some of the important norms for later Mughal mausolea. It is set in a geometrically arranged garden criscrossed by numerous water channels and probably representing symbolically a paradise setting. Such typical Persian gardens had been introduced into India by Babur; later they would be found in the Red Fort in Delhi and at the Taj Mahal in Agra. The architectural form of the building is Persian and especially in its main chamber shows some familiarity with the tomb of the Mongol Ilkhanid ruler of Persia, Oljeytu, at Sultaniyya. It is one of a long line of Mughal buildings influenced by Timurid architecture, notably the tomb of Timur (Tamerlane) in Samarkand. Babur was proud of his Timurid heritage and deeply regretted his inability to hold Samarkand. His successors continued to dream of regaining Samarkand and would interrogate visitors about Timur's tomb. Humayun's tomb is the first Indian building to use the Persian double dome; it is noteworthy for its harmonious proportions. As with later Mughal tombs, that of Humayun is set upon a podium or platform (see another example in the Taj Mahal). The most obvious Indian features of the architecture are the small kiosks or chhatris on the roof. The building is also noteworthy for its inlaid tile work, carving embodying both Indian and Persian decorative elements, and its carved stone screens.

---

Raj Ghat

Raj Ghat, the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most visited sites in Delhi. It consists of a simple square black-marble platform that stands on the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. Nearby, there are cremation sites of Jawaharlal Nehru - the first Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri.

Raj Ghat is situated to the south of Red Fort and is very peaceful. The black marble tomb is inscribed by the words 'Hey Ram!', the last words that were spoken by Mahatma Gandhi, as he fell down after being shot by Nathuram Godse. The whole edifice of the Samadhi reflects the simple and nature-loving personality of the great leader. The cenotaph stands surrounded by earthworks that protect it from the flooding of the Yamuna. These walls have resulted in the open space of the memorial being converted into an enclosed garden.

It is customary to circumambulate the tomb three times. The powerful spiritual aura of the place touches one's heart. This national shrine has an eternal flame and the sandstone walls enclosing it are inscribed with various passages written by Gandhi. The entire area of Rajghat stands surrounded by trees and here, one can see some of the most exotic shrubs of the country. This greenery is what lends such a serene aura to the Samadhi. The affairs of the Rajghat are being managed by an autonomous statutory body.

It is known by the name of Rajghat Samadhi Committee and was created by an Act of Parliament in 1951. One can also visit the National Gandhi Museum in the vicinity, which houses a collection of rare photographs and trivia related to Gandhiji. Vijay Ghat is the memorial of Prime Minister Lal Bhadur Shastri, while Indira Gandhi was cremated in Shakti Sthal. Rajeev Gandhi followed his mother's footsteps and was the most beloved Prime Minister of India, when he was slaughtered in a terrorist attack. He was cremated at the Veer Bhoomi.

The splendour of the Rashtrapati Bhavan is multi-dimensional. It is a vast mansion and its architecture is breathtaking. More than these, it has a hallowed existence in the annals of democracy for being the residence of the President of the largest democracy in the world. Few official residential premises of the Head of the State in the world will match the Rashtrapati Bhavan in terms of its size, vastness and its magnificence.

The present day Rashtrapati Bhavan was the erstwhile residence of the British Viceroy. Its architect was Edwin Landseer Lutyens. The decision to build a residence in New Delhi for the British Viceroy was taken after it was decided in the Delhi Durbar of 1911 that the capital of India would be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in the same year. It was constructed to affirm the permanence of British rule in India. This building gave the impression, in the words of a critique, the setting of a perpetual Durbar. The building and its surroundings were supposed to be 'an empire in stone', 'exercising imperial sway' and containing in it, "the abode of a disinterested elite whose rule was imposed from above". That 'empire in stone' and the perpetual Durbar was transformed to be the permanent institution of democracy on 26th January 1950 when Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the first President of India and occupied this building to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of India. It was from that day that this building was renamed as Rashtrapati Bhavan - the President's House. 

Apart from Edwin Lutyens, the Chief architect and Chief Engineer Hugh Keeling there were many Indian contractors who were involved in the construction of this building. While a Muslim contractor Haroun-al-Rashid did most of the work of the main building the forecourt was built by Sujan Singh and his son Sobha Singh. Surprisingly the names of these Indians did not find a place in the official biography of Lutyens. 

The sanctioned amount for the building was earmarked at 400,000 pounds. However the long span of seventeen years required for the construction of the building raised its cost to 877,136 pounds (then Rs. 12.8 million). The actual amount incurred in not only the construction of the building but also the Mughal Garden and the staff quarters amounted to Rs. 14 million. Edwin Lutyens was reported to have remarked that the money invested in the construction of the building was smaller in amount as compared to the cost of two warships. 

It is interesting to note that the building which was scheduled to be completed in four years took seventeen years and on the eighteenth year of its completion India became independent. 

This vast mansion has got four floors and 340 rooms. With a floor area of 200, 000 square feet it is built by using 700 million bricks and three million cubic feet of stone. Hardly any steel has gone into the construction of the building. 

The most prominent and distinguishing aspect of Rashtrapati Bhavan is its dome which is superimposed on its structure. It is visible from a distance and the most eye-catching round roof with a circular base in the heart of Delhi. While Lutyens ostensibly acknowledged the design of the dome to the pantheon of the Rome, it is very strongly believed by informed analysts that the dome was structured in the pattern of the great Stupa at Sanchi. The pre-dominance of Indian architecture in the dome is evident from the fact that it is encircled by railings of Sanchi origin. In fact the whole of Rashtrapati Bhavan embodies in it Indian architectural patterns such as Buddhist railings, chhajjas, chhatris and jaalis. 

Chhajjas are stone slabs which are fixed below the roof of a building and are designed for the purposes of preventing the sunrays from falling on the windows and protecting the walls from the rains in the monsoon. Chhatris adorn the rooftops of the building and make an exception to the horizontal line through their elevated positions. Jaalis, like chhajjas and chhatris, are also of typical Indian designs which add beauty to the architecture of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Jaalis are the stone slabs containing lots of perforations which are designed with delicate floral and geometric patterns. Lutyens very carefully used chhajjas, chhatris and jaalis and skillfully harnessed the utility of these designs by deploying them at appropriate places. In few of the jaalis that are installed in the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Lutyens also blended European styles to further enhance their aesthetics and utility. 

Another redeeming feature of the architecture of the Rashtrapati Bhavan is the use of Indian temple bells in its pillars. It is well known that the temple bells constitute part and parcel of our composite culture, particularly that of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions. Blending these bells with the Hellenic style architecture is a fine example of the fusion of Indian and European designs. Such bells are conspicuous in their absence in the North Block, South Block and in Parliament House. It is interesting to note that the ideas to adopt such bells in the pillars of Rashtrapati Bhavan came from a Jain temple at Moodabidri in Karnataka. 

When Chakrabarty Rajagopalachari assumed the office as the first Governor General of India and became the occupant of this building he preferred to stay in a few rooms which is now the family wing of the President and converted the then Viceroy's apartments to be the Guest Wing where the Heads of State of other countries stay during their visit to India. 

The might and authority of the people of India, which pervades this Republic is represented by the President of the country, whose official residence is the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the architecture of which fascinates as much the ardent architects as the common people across the globe. 

connaugh place

Connaught Place, the horseshoe-shaped market of New Delhi, was designed by Robert Tor Russell and W H Nicholls. It was named after the Duke of Connaught, a member of the British royal family. It was the largest of its kind in India at that time. Connaught Place is still a premier shopping destination of Delhi, with a number of restaurants, food joints, watering holes, shops, emporia and cinema halls. It is one of the leading commercial and business hubs of the city and can be broadly categorized into two areas - Inner Circle and Outer Circle.

Inner Circle offers almost all the international brands, finest restaurants, eateries, bars and excellent bookshops. Then, there is Janpath, with small kiosks offering export surplus garments at very reasonable prices and curios such as silver and artificial jewelry in small Tibetan shops. One can also explore the Central Cottage Industries Emporium at Janpath and Jawahar Vyapar Bhavan, across the road, for Indian handicrafts. The state-run emporia at Baba Kharak Singh Marg offers best handicrafts from all over India, including Kashmiri shawls and carpets, Madhubani paintings and gems and tea from Bengal.

Palika Bazaar at Connaught Place is an underground supermarket, offering electronic goods and clothes at reasonable prices. There are more than 400 shops here and you should be an expert at bargaining, if you want to buy something here. Sunday Bazaar on the ramparts of Red Fort is known as 'Chor Bazaar' (meaning a market of thieves) or 'Kabadi Bazaar' (meaning trash market) among the locals. It is actually a flea market, where you can get almost anything, from antiques to beautiful bottles to secondhand clothes to carpets.

Connaught Place is an architectural gem and is one of the most striking structures of Delhi. It is located in the heart of the city and is well connected by buses. There are a number of radial roads leading out of the Connaught circle. You can also reach here via Metro. The Metro station of Connaught Place is known by its official name Rajeev Chowk. The market is popularly known as CP and remains closed on Sunday. After you are done with your shopping and dining, enjoy the evening watching colorful fountains at the Central Park. So, remember not to miss out on the most happening place of the city.

Parliament House

The Parliament House of India is the highest federal legislative body of India. It has two houses called the Lok Sabha (The House of People or Lower House) and Rajya Sabha (Council of States or Upper House).Any bill has to be passed by both the houses before it becomes a law. It was designed by Herbert Baker, who along with Lutyens was responsible for much of the British architecture in Delhi. The Parliament House was then called the Council House and was criticized for being Baker's saddest venture.

Location
Parliament House is located in the northwest of Vijay-Chowk, at the end of the Parliament Street beside the Secretariats.

Architectural Statistics
Parliament House or Sansad Bhawan is a circular structure supported by 144 pillars with a broad corridor. These identical pillars each measure around 8.23m high. It has a 27.4m high dome on top inspired by the stupas. The total area covered by the Parliament is approximately 2.02 hectares and has a 170.69m diameter. The House comprises 3 semicircular chambers, namely the Chamber of Princes, the Council of State and Legislative Assembly.

In Parliament House
The Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha and the secretariats of both the houses are housed in Sansad Bhawan. The entire area has high security and is enclosed by an ornamental red sand stone wall with iron gates. The Central Hall is located at the centre of the House and is surrounded by three Chambers and three well laid-out courtyards with lush green lawns and fountains. Short passages emerging from three central points on the circumference of the hall connect the Lok Sabha Chamber, the Rajya Sabha Chamber and the earlier Library Hall.

How and When
Entry to Parliament House is free but one needs to have prior permission. Visitors needs to give a letter of introduction to the House to obtain official entry pass whether the parliament is in session or not. Indian Nationals can acquire their letters from the secretariat and foreign nationals can obtain the letters from their respective embassies. The timings for the library are 10 am to 6 pm and an entry pass is required to enter the library.

India Gate

The war memorial arch, India Gate, was built by the British in the honor of the unknown martyrs, who lost their lives in the First World War and Second Afghan War. Vijay Chowk (the Victory Square) is the site of 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony held annually in New Delhi, on 29th January. Originally known as All India War Memorial, it has the names of the soldiers who died in the wars inscribed on its walls. Since 1971, there is the eternal soldier's flame burning under it, known as 'Amar Jawan Jyoti'.

It is said that Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker designed India Gate and its surrounding area. India Gate is situated on Rajpath (the Royal Road). It is the ceremonial boulevard of the Indian republic that boasts of ornamental parks, pools and gardens alongside. It is here that the much-awaited event of Republic Day Parade takes place on 26th January every year. Rajpath runs through India Gate and Vijay Chowk and has Rashtrapati Bhavan at one end and National Stadium at another.

As we go along Rajpath, across Raisina Hill - the administrative center of India, we find the two secretarial buildings - North Block and South Block on its either side. One can also see Sansad Marg and the Parliament House along the stretch of this wide road. North Block houses the offices of Finance and Home Ministries, while South Block is home to External Affairs and Defense Ministries. Other than this, Rajpath is surrounded by many official buildings and museums. There is Indira Gandhi National Center for Arts as well as National Museum, famous for its archaeological collections.

Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid (the mosque of Friday), Delhi is the country's largest and perhaps its most magnificent mosque. It stands across the road from Red Fort. The great mosque of Old Delhi is the final architectural extravagance of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan with a courtyard capable of holding 25,000 devotees. The mosque measures 65m by 35m, and its court forms a square of 100m. Built in 1656, it is an eloquent reminder of the Mughal religious fervour. Its spacious courtyard holds thousands of the faithful who offer their prayers here.

It's also known as 'Masjid-i-Jahanuma' or 'Mosque commanding view of the world'. It was designed as Emperor Shahjahan's principal mosque. A sprawling esplanade separates it from the main road.

Situated in the ancient town of Old Delhi, this monument was built by five thousand artisans. This magnificent structure stands on the Bho Jhala, one of the two hills of the old Mughal capital city of Shahjahanabad. On the east, this monument faces the Lal Quila (Red Fort) and has three gateways, four towers and two minarets. It is constructed of alternating vertical strips of red sandstone and white marble. In the three domes white marble has been used extensively and they have been inlaid with stripes of black.

The structure was placed on a high platform so that its magnificent facade would be visible from all the adjoining areas. Broad flights of steps lead up to the imposing gateways in the north and the south. Wide staircases and arched gateways are the hallmark of this popular mosque. The main eastern entrance, probably used by the emperors, remains closed on weekdays. The main prayer hall on the west side is adorned by a series of high cusped arches, standing on 260 pillars which support about 15 marble domes at various elevations. Worshippers use this hall on most days but on Fridays and other holy days. The premises of the south minaret are 1076-sq-ft wide where 25,000 devotees at a time may sit together for namaaz (prayer).

It is said that Emperor Shahjahan built Jama Masjid at the cost of Rs.10 crore and it can be called as the replica of Moti Masjid in Agra. It combines the best of Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture.

A whole way of life, a microcosm of quintessential India resides in the shadow of this age-old monument, on its steps, in the narrow streets, narrating a tale of India's rich cultural heritage.

chandni chowk

he antiquity of the main market area of Chandni Chowk has rendered it a venerated place in the markets of Delhi. It is said that it was once lined with beautiful fountains. However, with time, it grew as crowded as it is today. Situated opposite the Red Fort, Chandani Chowk houses the Digambar Jain Temple, Fatehpuri Mosque - built by the wives of Shah Jahan - and Sunheri Masjid.

It was from here that the troops of Nadir Shah started their mission of plundering and massacring the 'infidels' at Delhi. One of the most prominent wholesale and retail markets of India, Chandni Chowk is more than 300 years old. It was established in 1650, when Mughal Emperor Shahjahan shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi, as an accompaniment to the fort. Jahanara, the Emperor's favorite daughter, is credited with designing this market, where an arcade of shops was built in a half-moon shape around a pool.

It soon budded into a prosperous trading center and branched into a number of by-lanes and soon stretched from the Fort to Fatehpuri Mosque. A canal known as Faiz Nahar, renovated by Ali Mardan Khan, is said to have run through the entire length of Chandni Chowk, providing water for both drinking and irrigation, but it went into disuse later. Besides the Red Fort situated nearby, one can also visit the famous Chawri Bazaar.

It is one of the narrowest, busiest and most prosperous trading centers of Delhi, dealing in iron and hardware, paper, utensils of brass, copper and stainless steel. You can see traditional framework of Chandni Chowk consisting of 'Havelis', 'Kuchas' & 'Katras'. Visit the seven major Hindu and Jain temples, two Churches, three Mosques and two Gurudwaras in the area. These places of worship include Sri Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, Jama Masjid, Gurudwara Shish Ganj, Gauri Shankar temple and Sunahari Masjid.

Red fort

Shah Jahan shifted his capital from Agra to Shahjahanabad and laid the foundation of Red Fort, or the Lal Quila, on 16th April 1639. It took nine years to build this mighty citadel and it got completed on 16th April 1648. It is said that about one crore rupees, an astronomical sum in those days, was spent on its construction. Half of this sum was spent to build the exotic palaces within the fort. Built of red sandstone, it is octagonal in shape, with two longer sides on the east and west.

The perimeter of its strong ramparts is about 2.41 km. Red Fort rises to a height of 33.5 m on the town side and 18 m along the river. A wide moat surrounds the fort, which was originally connected with the river and was always filled with water. The two main gateways, known as Lahori Gate and Delhi Gate (named so, as they face Lahore and Delhi respectively), are three storeys high and are flanked by semi-octagonal towers. They are situated on the centre of the western and southern sides respectively.

The main entrance to the Lal Quila is through the Lahori Gate. Beyond the gate, there is a roofed passage, flanked by arcaded apartments leading to the palaces, known as Chhatta Chowk. These apartments are now used as shops. Besides these, there are three more gates on other sides, which are kept closed now. The master builders of the Red Fort were Hamid and Ahmad. Visitors are allowed only in a part of Red Fort, as the army occupies the rest of it. Some of the main buildings within the fort are:

Diwan-i-Am
Diwan-i-Am or Hall of Public Audience is situated in the Red Fort of Delhi. It originally had a courtyard on its front and was richly ornamented with gilded stuccowork. Heavy curtains graced the main hall, which were three bays in depth.

Hamam
Accompanying the Diwan-i-Khas, or Hall of Selective Audience, the Hamam (bathroom set) consists of three apartments interconnected by corridors. The marble floors and dados are inlaid with beautiful floral patterns of multi-colored stones.

Moti Masjid
The personal mosque of Aurungzeb, Moti Masjid or Pearl Mosque lies to the west of Hamam. Situated on a higher level than courtyards, the prayer-hall of the mosque has inlaid black-marble outlines of 'musallas' (small carpets for prayers) and is surmounted by three bulbous domes.

Mumtaz Mahal
One of the original six main-palaces situated along the river front, Mumtaz Mahal was also known as 'Chhoti Baithak'. A beautiful water channel called 'Nahr-i-Bihisht' (meaning Stream of Paradise) flew through these palaces. However, this palace has been removed, probably because it was totally in ruins.

Naubat Khana Naubat Khana, or Naqqar Khana (meaning the Drum House), is situated at the entrance of the palace area. Here music was played five times a day at the appointed hours. It housed a gate known as 'Hathi Pol' (Elephant Gate), where visitors dismounted from their elephants.

Rashtrapati Bhawan, Delhi

Delhi, the capital of India, is an amalgam of the old and the new. The ancient and the modern times are in juxtaposition here, not only in the remains of a succession of empires, but equally in present social structure and lifestyles. The name Delhi, Dehali, or Dilli is derived from Dhillika, the name of the first medieval township of Delhi, located on the southwestern border of the present Delhi, in Mehrauli. This was the first in the series of seven medieval cities. It is also known as Yoginipura, that is, the fortress of the yoginis (female divinities).

There was, however, an ancient urban settlement in Delhi known as Indraprastha on the banks of the Yamuna which is traditionally believed to have been founded by the Pandava brothers, the mythical heroes of Mahabharata, the national epic of India. Excavations at the site of the township inside Purana Kila or the Old Fort show that the date of the oldest habitation in Delhi is around the 3rd or 4th century B.C.

Delhi is divided into two parts. The old Delhi or Delhi was one of the capitals of Muslim India between the 12th and 19th centuries. Old forts, mosques and monuments related to India's Muslim history are located here. New Delhi is the imperial city which was created as the capital by the British. It is spread over a wide area and is lined with imposing boulevards.

Delhi is a major travel gateway into India. It is one of India's busiest entry points for overseas airlines and is on the overland route access across Asia.