(DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Delhi

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL


TOP

DELHI










GAVIN THOMAS
JANICE PARIAT
















































001_Top_10_Delhi.indd 1 5/25/17 9:46 AM

Top 10 Delhi The Top 10 of
Highlights Everything

Welcome to Delhi ...........................5 Moments in History .....................42
Exploring Delhi ...............................6 Delhi Sultanate Sights .................44
Delhi Highlights ...........................10 Mughal Delhi Sights ....................46
Red Fort ........................................12 Monuments of the
Chandni Chowk ............................14 1857 Uprising............................48
Jama Masjid .................................16 Cities of Delhi,
Humayun’s Tomb .........................18 Old and New .............................50
Around Rajpath ............................20 Museums and Galleries ..............52
Qutb Minar Complex ....................24 Places of Worship ........................54
Crafts Museum ............................28 Parks and Gardens ......................56
Lodi Gardens ................................30 Delhi-Inspired Books ...................58
National Museum ........................32 Off the Beaten Track ....................60
Taj Mahal, Agra and Performing Arts Venues ..............62
Fatehpur Sikri ...........................36 Places to Eat ................................64
Bazaars of Old Delhi ....................66
Delhi for Free ...............................68
Festivals and Events ....................70
Excursions from Delhi .................72

















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CONTENTS



















Delhi Streetsmart
Area by Area

New Delhi .....................................76 Getting To and
Old Delhi .......................................84 Around Delhi ...........................108
South of the Centre ......................92 Practical Information .................110
South Delhi ...................................98 Places to Stay .............................114
General Index .............................120
Acknowledgments .....................126
Selected Street Index .................128






The information in this DK Eyewitness Top
10 Travel Guide is checked regularly.
Every effort has been made to ensure that
this book is as up-to-date as possible at the
time of going to press. Some details,
however, such as telephone numbers,
opening hours, prices, gallery hanging
arrangements and travel information are
liable to change. The publishers cannot
accept responsibility for any consequences
arising from the use of this book, nor for any
material on third party websites, and cannot
Within each Top 10 list in this book, no hierarchy guarantee that any website address in this
of quality or popularity is implied. All 10 are, in book will be a suitable source of travel
the editor’s opinion, of roughly equal merit. information. We value the views and
suggestions of our readers very highly. Please
Front cover and spine Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi write to: Publisher, DK Eyewitness Travel
Back cover The picturesque Lotus Temple Guides, Dorling Kindersley, 80 Strand, London
surrounded by landscaped gardens WC2R 0RL, Great Britain, or email
Title page Spices on sale at a market in Delhi [email protected]





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Eyewitness Travel – Top 10 series LAYERS PRINTED:
11pt grid, Top 10 Intro “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v.beta)
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Date 11th March 2015
Size 100mm x 191mm

Top 10 Delhi ❮❮ 5

Welcome to
Delhi





India’s buzzing capital is a fast-growing metropolis studded
with the remains of ancient empires, where exquisite
Mughal architecture, grandiose imperial avenues, dazzling
modern temples and pretty little mosques jostle for space
amid the city’s constant bustle, vibrant colours and evocative
scents. With Eyewitness Top 10 Delhi, it’s yours to explore.

At its heart is New Delhi, the British-built imperial city: elegant and
spacious, with fine dining and excellent shopping, bisected by the
wide, majestic thoroughfare known as the Rajpath. The grandiose
17th-century Mughal city of Old Delhi, by contrast, is a warren of
teeming bazaars concealing all manner of fascinating nooks and
crannies, but its magnificent constructions – the famous Red Fort
complex and the utterly flamboyant Jama Masjid mosque among
them – are just as impressive as those of the new city.

South of the centre, the garden tombs of Humayun and Safdarjung
put into context that zenith of Mughal architecture: the Taj Mahal in
Agra, an easy excursion from Delhi, along with the long-abandoned
but architecturally rich Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri. Meanwhile,
Delhi’s modern, efficient and ever-expanding metro system puts
into easy reach the scattered sights of South Delhi – most notably
the 12th-century Qutb Minar, which marks the original location of
one of the traditional seven cities of Delhi – before heading out to the
satellite towns of Noida and Gurgaon (Gurugram), burgeoning IT
hubs that crackle with the dynamism of an up-and-coming new India.
Whether you’re coming for a weekend, a week or longer, our Top 10
guide is designed to bring together the best that Delhi has to offer,
from the hottest Indian cuisine to the most magnificent monuments.
The guide has useful tips throughout, from seeking out what’s free
to avoiding the crowds, plus six easy-to-follow itineraries, which tie
together a clutch of sights in a short space of time. Add inspiring
photography and detailed maps, and you’ve got the essential
pocket-sized travel companion. Enjoy the book, and enjoy Delhi.

Clockwise from top: Taj Mahal, Baha’i Lotus Temple, Qutb Minar complex, Chhath Hindu
festival, a spice market near Chandni Chowk, Rajpath, detail from the Red Fort






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6 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi

Exploring Delhi Qudsia Bagh St James 0 metr 1000 1000
St James’ ’
0 metres 1000es 1000
Churchch
Chur
Qudsia Bagh
0 yar
0 yardsds
Nicholson’s Cemetery’s Cemetery
St James’ Church’ Church
St James There are so many sights to see and things to do Nicholson Kashmiri
Kashmiri
British
in Delhi, you could easily spend a couple of weeks AUTO- RICKSHAW AUTO- RICKSHAW Gate Gate British
Residency
Residency
Chandni
Chandni
here. Whether you’re visiting for a weekend or have Khari Baoli Cho Chowkwk
Khari Baoli
the luxury of an extra couple of days, these two- Fatehpuri Masjid Red Red
Fatehpuri Masjid
and four-day itineraries will help you make the Lal Mandir & G Fort Fort
Lal Mandir & Gauri Shankar Mandiauri Shankar Mandi
most of your time in this vibrant city. Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid
Karim
Karim’s’s
New Delhielhi
New D
station
station
Connaughtght
Connau TRAIN TRAIN AUTO-RICKSHAW AUTO-RICKSHAW
Plac Placee
Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar
The Red Fort offers a glimpse into the opulent
lifestyle of the city’s former rulers. AUTO-RICKSHAW AUTO-RICKSHAW
Two Days in Delhi Rashtrapati Crafts
Crafts
Rashtrapati
Museum
Rajpath
AUTO -
AUTO -
Bhavan Rajpath RICKSHAW Museum
Bhavan
RICKSHAW
Day 1 Udyog Bhawan India India
Udyog Bhawan
National Gate
station
MORNING station National Gate Purana
Purana
Museum
Museum
From Khari Baoli market (see p66), Qila Qila
take a stroll or a cycle-rickshaw ride Gandhi RICKSHAW RICKSHAW
Gandhi
Smriti
down Chandni Chowk (see pp14–15) Smriti AUTO - AUTO - AUTO-RICKSHAW AUTO-RICKSHAW
to the Red Fort (see pp12–13), before
heading over to see the imposing METRO METRO AUTO - AUTO - Humayun’s
RICKSHAW
Humayun’s
Jama Masjid (see pp16–17). RICKSHAW Tomb Tomb
To Qutb Minarinar
Lodi Gardens
AFTERNOON To Qutb M (9 km) (9 km) Lodi Gardens To Agr To Agra,a,
Fatephur Sikriur Sikri
Fateph
Take an auto-rickshaw to the Crafts Safdarjung’s Nizamuddin (210 k (210 km)m)
Nizamuddin
Safdarjung’s
Museum (see pp28–9), then take a short Tomb Tomb
Jorbagh Station
walk to Purana Qila (see p93). From METRO METRO Jorbagh Station
there head to Humayun’s Tomb (see From Q
From Qutb Minar,utb Minar,
pp18–19) and Nizamuddin (see pp94–5). Mehr Mehrauli Archaeological Parkauli Archaeological Park
(9 km)
(9 km)
Day 2
MORNING Four Days in Delhi
Start at Gandhi Smriti (see p79) and
from there walk or take an auto- Day 1
rickshaw to Safdarjung’s Tomb (see MORNING
p94). Later, go for a stroll around the See the Red Fort (see pp12–13), then
peaceful Lodi Gardens (see pp30–31). pop into the Lal Mandir (see p87)
AFTERNOON and Gauri Shankar Mandir (see p88)
Take an auto-rickshaw along Rajpath before walking down Chandni Chowk
(see pp20–21) from Rashtrapati to the Fatehpuri Masjid (see p15) and
Bhavan to India Gate, before Khari Baoli market (see p66).
backtracking slightly to the National AFTERNOON
Museum (see pp32–5). Then get the Take a rickshaw to Qudsia Bagh
metro from Udyog Bhawan station to (see p88), then check out Nicholson’s
visit the fascinating red sandstone Cemetery (see p49) and the Kashmiri
Qutb Minar complex (see pp24–7). Gate (see p49) before heading past
006-007_Top_10_Delhi_Exploring_Itinerary.indd 6 5/25/17 9:50 AM

Exploring Delhi ❮❮ 7

St James
St James’ ’
0 metres 1000es 1000
Chur Churchch 0 metr
Qudsia Bagh
Qudsia Bagh
Nicholson’s Cemetery’s Cemetery
Nicholson 0 yar 0 yardsds 1000 1000
St James
St James’ Church’ Church
RICKSHAW
AUTO- RICKSHAW AUTO- Kashmiri Gate British
Kashmiri
British
Gate
Residency
Residency
Chandni
Chandni
Khari Baoli Cho Chowkwk
Khari Baoli
Red Red
Fatehpuri Masjid
Fatehpuri Masjid
Fort Fort
Lal Mandir & G
Lal Mandir & Gauri Shankar Mandiauri Shankar Mandi
Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid
Karim’s’s
Karim
New Delhielhi
New D
station
station
The Taj Mahal, Shah Jahan’s sublime mausoleum, is a
magnificent example of Mughal architecture.
Connaughtght
Connau TRAIN TRAIN AUTO-RICKSHAW AUTO-RICKSHAW
Plac Placee Safdarjung’s
Tomb features
this beautifully
Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar
decorated arch
just above the
main entrance.
Crafts
Crafts
Rashtrapati Museum
Rashtrapati
AUTO-RICKSHAW
AUTO-RICKSHAW
Museum
Rajpath
AUTO -
AUTO -
Bhavan
Bhavan Rajpath RICKSHAW
RICKSHAW
Udyog Bhawan India India
Udyog Bhawan
National Gate
station
station National Gate Purana
Purana
Museum
Museum
Qila Qila
Gandhi
Gandhi
Smriti
Smriti RICKSHAW AUTO - RICKSHAW AUTO - AUTO-RICKSHAW AUTO-RICKSHAW
another along Rajpath to India Gate
METRO METRO AUTO - RICKSHAW Humayun’s (see p20) and Purana Qila (see p93).
AUTO -
RICKSHAW
Humayun’s
Tomb
Tomb
To Qutb Minarinar
To Qutb M Lodi Gardens To Agr To Agra,a, Visit the Crafts Museum (see pp28–9).
Lodi Gardens
Fatephur Sikriur Sikri
(9 km) (9 km) Fateph
(210 k
(210 km)m)
Nizamuddin
Safdarjung’s
Safdarjung’s Nizamuddin Day 3
Tomb
Tomb Jorbagh Station MORNING
METRO METRO Jorbagh Station Key Start at the Qutb Minar (see pp24–7),
From Qutb Minar,utb Minar,
From Q Two-day itinerary visit the Mehrauli Archaeological
Mehr Mehrauli Archaeological Parkauli Archaeological Park Four-day itinerary Park (see pp26–27), then take the
(9 km) (9 km)
metro to Safdarjung’s Tomb (see p94).
St James’ Church (see p85) and the AFTERNOON
British Residency (see p48) with a Visit Gandhi Smriti (see p79) before
cycle-rickshaw to the Jama Masjid walking around the Lodi Gardens
(see pp16–17), finishing with a mutton (see pp30–31) and going on to see
korma at Karim’s (see p65). Humayun’s Tomb (see pp18–19).
Head to Nizamuddin (see pp94–5) for
Day 2 the evening’s qawwali session.
MORNING
From Connaught Place (see p77), Day 4
head to the Jantar Mantar (see p78), MORNING
then take an auto across Rajpath Take the morning train to Agra and
(see pp20–21) to the National visit the Taj Mahal (see pp36–7).
Museum (see pp32–5). AFTERNOON
AFTERNOON Get a taxi to Fatehpur Sikri (see p39),
Get an auto-rickshaw to Rashtrapati before returning to Agra in time to
Bhavan (book ahead, see p21), then catch the evening train back to Delhi.
006-007_Top_10_Delhi_Exploring_Itinerary.indd 7 5/25/17 9:50 AM

Top 10 Delhi

Highlights












Visitors at the Taj Mahal
in Agra, Uttar Pradesh















































008-009_Top_10_Delhi.indd 8 5/25/17 9:46 AM

Delhi Highlights 10 Qutb Minar Complex 24
Red Fort 12 Crafts Museum 28
Chandni Chowk 14 Lodi Gardens 30
Jama Masjid 16 National Museum 32
Humayun’s Tomb 18 Taj Mahal, Agra and
Fatehpur Sikri 36
Around Rajpath 20






















































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10 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Delhi Highlights SHYAMA PRASAD MUKHERJI MG
SHYAMA PRASAD MUKHERJI MG
CHANDNI CHOWK
CHANDNI CHOWK
History is writ large in Delhi, and few places in the world can NAYA BAZAAR SHRADDHANAND OLD DELHI
OLD DELHI
rival the city’s incredible clutch of monuments, spanning 1,000 MARG
years of history. These range from the soaring minaret of the QUTAB ROAD QUTAB ROAD
MARG
Qutb Minar and the imposing Red Fort to the dramatic Jama
NAYA BAZAAR SHRADDHANAND
Masjid and Humayun’s Tomb, as well as some of the most J AWAHARLAL N EHRU MARG BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG
ASAF ALI ROAD
ASAF ALI ROAD
grandiose landmarks of the British Raj, such as India Gate. CHELMSFORD ROAD CHELMSFORD ROAD VIVEKANAND VIVEKANAND ROAD
ROAD
J AWAHARLAL N EHRU MARG
Red Fort
Connaughtght
A former residence of the Connau Placee DEEN DAYAL UPADHYAYA MARG
Plac
powerful Mughal emperors, the
DEEN DAYAL UPADHYAYA MARG
enormous Red Fort (right) is Old BARAKHAMBA RD
T OLSTOY MG
BARAKHAMBA RD SIKANDRA RD
Delhi’s iconic showpiece attraction, T OLSTOY MG SIKANDRA RD
JANPATH
FEROZ SHAH ROAD
providing a fascinating peek into the JANPATH FEROZ SHAH ROAD
cultured world of the country’s most ASHOKA ROAD COPERNICUS MG COPERNICUS MG TILAK MARG TILAK MARG
charis matic rulers (see pp12–13).
ASHOKA ROAD
NE NEW DELHIW DELHI
KASTURBA GANDHI MG
KASTURBA GANDHI MG
Chandni Chowk RAJPATH India India BHAIRON M G
RAJPATH
Gate
Gate
BHAIRON M G
At the heart of Old Delhi, this Pur Qila Qila
Puranaana
SHAH JAHAN RD
famous Mughal thoroughfare, lined with MOTILAL SHAH JAHAN RD MATHURA ROAD MATHURA ROAD
mosques, temples (left) and myriad NEHRU MG PANDARA RD DR ZAKIR HUSSAIN MARG
SUBRAMANIAM BHARTI MG
MOTILAL
NEHRU MG
shops (see pp14–15), offers a colourful
PRITHVIRAJ ROAD
slice of quintessen tial Indian street life. PRITHVIRAJ ROAD SUBRAMANIAM BHARTI MG Delhi Delhi
Golf
Golf
PANDARA RD DR ZAKIR HUSSAIN MARG
Course
Jama Masjid 0 km 70 RAMAN MARG MAHARISHI RAMAN MARG MAHARISHI Course
LODI ROAD LODI ROAD
The largest and most Rohtak NH1 0 miles 70 LODI ROAD LODI ROAD
Delhi
spectacular mosque (right) in
India, this Mughal monument TAJ EXPRESSWAY Aligarh PITAMAH MARG BHISHAM BHISHAM
LALA LAJPAT RAI PATH MATHURA ROAD
JOR BAGH ROAD
rises out of the streets of NH8 NH2 JOR BAGH ROAD LALA LAJPAT RAI PATH MATHURA ROAD
0 metres 1000es 1000
Old Delhi (see pp16–17). Mathura 8 km 8 km 0 metr
PITAMAH MARG
Bharatpur 0 y 0 yardsards 1000
1000
NH11 Agra
Humayun’s Tomb
The first of the great Mughal garden tombs
(left), this is one of ancient Delhi’s most beautiful
historical monuments (see pp18–19).
Rajpath
As the centrepiece of imperial Delhi, this
great Raj-era thoroughfare is one of the world’s
finest examples of Colonial pomp, stretching
from the stately India Gate (below) to the grand
Rashtrapati Bhavan (see pp20–21).
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Delhi Highlights ❮❮ 11

Qutb Minar
SHYAMA PRASAD MUKHERJI MG
SHYAMA PRASAD MUKHERJI MG
Complex
Towering over southern Delhi,
CHANDNI CHOWK
CHANDNI CHOWK
OLD DELHI
OLD DELHI the Qutb Minar is perhaps the
city’s single most dramatic
sight, sur rounded by monu­
MARG
MARG
ments from the Sultanate and
NAYA BAZAAR SHRADDHANAND
NAYA BAZAAR SHRADDHANAND
QUTAB ROAD
QUTAB ROAD
Mughal periods (see pp24–5).
CHELMSFORD ROAD CHELMSFORD ROAD VIVEKANAND ROAD J AWAHARLAL N EHRU MARG BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG Crafts Museum
VIVEKANAND
ASAF ALI ROAD
ASAF ALI ROAD
ROAD
J AWAHARLAL N EHRU MARG
This engaging museum
Connaughtght
Connau
BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARG
Plac Placee DEEN DAYAL UPADHYAYA MARG offers a fascinating snap shot of
the myriad local arts­and­crafts
DEEN DAYAL UPADHYAYA MARG
(right) traditions of the sub­
T OLSTOY MG
T OLSTOY MG SIKANDRA RD continent, from arcane religious
BARAKHAMBA RD
BARAKHAMBA RD SIKANDRA RD
JANPATH
JANPATH FEROZ SHAH ROAD COPERNICUS MG COPERNICUS MG artifacts to traditional village
FEROZ SHAH ROAD
houses (see pp28–9).
ASHOKA ROAD
NE ASHOKA ROAD TILAK MARG TILAK MARG
NEW DELHIW DELHI
KASTURBA GANDHI MG
KASTURBA GANDHI MG
India India
RAJPATH
RAJPATH Gate Gate BHAIRON M G
BHAIRON M G
Pur
SHAH JAHAN RD
MOTILAL SHAH JAHAN RD PANDARA RD DR ZAKIR HUSSAIN MARG MATHURA ROAD Puranaana
Qila
Qila
SUBRAMANIAM BHARTI MG
MOTILAL
NEHRU MG
NEHRU MG
PRITHVIRAJ ROAD
PRITHVIRAJ ROAD SUBRAMANIAM BHARTI MG Delhi Golf
Delhi
Golf
PANDARA RD DR ZAKIR HUSSAIN MARG
Course
Course
MATHURA ROAD
0 km 70 RAMAN MARG MAHARISHI RAMAN MARG MAHARISHI
LODI ROAD LODI ROAD
0 miles 70 Lodi Gardens
Rohtak NH1
Delhi LODI ROAD LODI ROAD The idyllic Lodi Gardens are
LALA LAJPAT RAI PATH MATHURA ROAD
NH8 NH2 TAJ EXPRESSWAY Aligarh JOR BAGH ROAD PITAMAH MARG BHISHAM BHISHAM LALA LAJPAT RAI PATH MATHURA ROAD dotted with a sequence of atmospheric
JOR BAGH ROAD
tombs (above) built in honour of the Delhi
0 metres 1000es 1000
PITAMAH MARG
Mathura 8 km 8 km 0 metr sultans. The landscaped grounds make
Bharatpur 0 y 0 yardsards 1000 1000 them ideal for a picnic (see pp30–31).
NH11 Agra
National Museum
The National Museum is India’s finest, with
an enormous collec tion of artifacts (left) and
exhibits ranging from the Harappan civilization
to the 20th cen tury, covering every aspect of the
country’s varied cultural history (see pp32–5).
Taj Mahal
Perhaps the most
famous – and certainly
the most beautiful –
monument in the world,
the incomparable
Taj Mahal in Agra (right),
a masterpiece of Mughal
architecture, never
fails to astonish and
amaze (see pp36–7).
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12 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Red Fort

In 1638, the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1627–58) decided to
leave Agra, then capital of the empire, and return to Delhi. Here he
created Shahjahanabad, or Old Delhi as it is now known, with the
Red Fort (Lal Qila) at its heart. The structure was com pleted in 1648
and surrounded by enormous red sandstone walls, their colour
lending the fort its name. It served as home to the emperor and his
successors until the 1857 Uprising (see p43). Although time has
taken its toll, it remains one of Delhi’s most absorb ing sights.

Naqqar Khana
1
The second of the
fort’s major gate ways,
the Naqqar (or Naubat)
Khana was where all
visitors were obliged to
dismount from their
elephants to enter the
inner court. In the gallery
above, musicians would
perform in welcome.
Khas Mahal
2
The emperor’s
lavishly decorated private
apartments are divi ded
by a marble latticework
screen sur mounted by
the scales of justice.
Hayat Bakhsh
3
Bagh
North of the Moti Masjid
Moti Masjid
lies the Hayat Bakhsh 4 0 3
Bagh, or Life-Bestowing Built in 1659, the
Garden, with two small Moti Masjid is closed to
marble pavil ions (below) visitors, though visitors
at either end, and the can peer through its
pretty Zafar Mahal, a red latticed marble screens
sandstone pavilion, in a for a glimpse of the deli-
pool in the middle. cate courtyard within. 9
4
6
2

R I N G R O A D


5 1 7 8
Red Fort






012-013_Top_10_Delhi.indd 12 5/25/17 12:12 PM

Red Fort ❮❮ 13

Lahori Gate
5 THE RED FORT
The Red Fort’s
main entrance is the IN THE AGE OF
majestic Lahori Gate THE MUGHALS
(left), although its origi­ Impressive as it is, what
nal grandeur has been visitors see of the Red
obscured by the bastion Fort today is only a part
added by Aurangzeb of the original structure,
(1618–1707), designed once a veritable city
within a city, with lovely
to force attack ers into pavil ions and gracious
a sideways approach. courtyards, many of
Diwan-i-Khas
6 which, sadly, have now
vanished. Much of the
This pillared hall
is where the emperor blame for this falls
on the British, who, after
would have conferred the 1857 Uprising, razed
with his ministers on many of the fort’s grand
affairs of state; it was buildings to the ground.
also where Emperor They erected a rather
Shah Jahan’s legendary, overbearing sequence
jewel­encrusted Peacock of barracks in their place
Throne was housed. which, unfortunately,
It remains easily the survive to this day.
most lavish building
in the fort, with fine
Shahi Burj and
marble carving and 9
pietra dura inlaywork. Burj-i-Shamali
The Shahi Burj tower is
Diwan-i-Aam
7 where water was drawn
from the Yamuna River
One of the Red
Fort’s most impressive for use within the fort.
structures, this very Aurangzeb later added
elegant sandstone a fine marble pavil ion,
pavilion (left) is where called the Burj­i­Shamli,
the emperor used to hold with a water chute lead­
his public audiences. ing to a scalloped basin.
NEED TO KNOW
MAP H3 • Chandni
Chowk • Lal Qila
Metro; Chandni Chowk
Metro • asi.nic.in
Fort: 7am–6:30pm
9 Tue–Sun; closed Mon;
4 adm ₹500 (Indians
6 ₹35), video ₹25, audio
2 guides ₹100 plus tax
and deposit
Sound and Light Show Rang Mahal Salimgarh
(English): Feb–Apr & Sep– 8 0
Oct: 8:30pm, May–Aug: The centre of the Fort
R I N G R O A D
9pm, Nov–Jan: 7:30pm; Red Fort’s women’s North of the Red Fort is
closed Mon; adm ₹60–80 quarters (above) has Salimgarh, built in 1546
carved marble walls, an and later used by the
• Take a break at the inlaid marble fountain British to imprison inde­
café on the premises. and the remains of ornate pendence fighters. It
mirror work on the ceiling . now houses a museum.



012-013_Top_10_Delhi.indd 13 6/12/17 1:45 PM

14 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Chandni Chowk

Chandni
Lal
When Shah Jahan built his new city, Chandni Chowk was planned Chowk HC SEN ROAD Qila
as its principal thoroughfare – a broad, ceremonial avenue leading KHARI BAOLI RD
directly from the Red Fort and a favoured spot for elaborate KATRA C H A N D N I C H O W K NETAJI SUBHASH MG
BARIYAN
processions. Most of the street’s origi nal buildings are now gone NAYA BANS BAZAAR BALLIM ARAN NA I S ARAK
(along with the canal which ran down the middle of the road), but
Chandni Chowk, lined with shoebox shops, and eternally bustling
with crowds and traffic, retains much of its traditional atmosphere.










Gurudwara Sisganj
1
This large, modern Sikh temple (above)
commemorates the spot where the ninth Sikh guru,
Teg Bahadur, was beheaded on the orders of Mughal
emperor Aurangzeb in 1675.
Sikh Museum
Lal Mandir
2 3
The museum
Built during the
provides an extremely reign of Shah Jahan for
comprehensive history the Jain sol diers in his
of the Sikhs in pictures, army, the Lal Mandir
including some por traits (Red Temple) is one of
of the ten Sikh gurus. Delhi’s principal Jain
Town Hall
shrines. Made of red 4
The elegant British
NEED TO KNOW Kota stone (hence the Town Hall (below) built
name), the temple’s
MAP G3 • Chandni towers are major in 1864, stands out from
Chowk Metro landmarks at the fort cluttered buildings of
• The pavements of end of Chandni Chowk. Chandni Chowk.
Chandni Chowk are
busy and congested.
A rickshaw ride along
the road is a fun way
to experience this lively
area without con stantly
having to check what’s
happening up ahead.
• Halfway down
Chandni Chowk is
Haldiram’s (see p89),
good for light meals,
or get a tasty parantha
from the Paranthe Wali
Gali (see p89).




014-015_Top_10_Delhi.indd 14 5/25/17 9:46 AM

Chandni Chowk ❮❮ 15


0 8 4 29 6
GHANTEWALA
Chandni
Chowk HC SEN ROAD Lal Sadly, Chandni Chowk’s
Qila
KHARI BAOLI RD most famous sweet
shop, Ghantewala,
C H A N D N I C H O W K NETAJI SUBHASH MG established in 1790,
KATRA BALLIM ARAN NA I S ARAK closed in 2015. But
BARIYAN
sweet lovers won’t go
hungry, because at the
NAYA BANS BAZAAR
street’s western end,
Chaina Ram, founded in
Chandni Chowk 5 1 7 3
Karachi in 1901, makes
the best halwa in India.
Its Hindu owner was
forced to flee Pakistan
in 1947, but in what
amounts to a statement
against sectarianism, he
set up in Delhi’s most
Muslim neighbourhood.
Begum
9
Samru’s
Palace
Half-buried in the middle
of a crowded bazaar just
off the main street, this
huge Neo-Classical
man sion (now occupied
by the Central Bank of
India), was once one of
the grandest buildings in
Delhi. It was built back
in 1823, and had gardens
which stretched all the
Narrow streets lined with shops in Chandni Chowk way to Chandni Chowk.
Sunehri Masjid
Fatehpuri
Central
5 7 0
Baptist Church
Masjid
This small Mughal
mosque (1721) was The first Christian Located at the far west
named for its gilded mission in northern India end of Chandni Chowk,
domes (sunehri meaning when it was founded in the Fatehpuri Masjid
“golden”). It was from 1814 (although the (below) was built by a
here that Persian invader current build ing dates wife of Shah Jahan in
Nadir Shah watched his from 1858), this modest 1650, and has an enor-
soldiers massacre the church is an atmos pheric mous and wonder fully
city’s inhabitants in 1739. memento of the Raj era. peaceful courtyard.
Gauri Shankar
Lala Chunna
6 8
Mal’s Haveli
Mandir
Created for Shankar Built by Hindu merchant
(Shiva) and Gauri (his Lala Chunna Mal, who
wife Parvati), this vibrant had made a fortune
Hindu temple features supplying British forces
an ancient lingam, a in the 1857 Uprising, this
symbol of worship of sprawling, balconied
the god Shiva; it is said to mansion has no fewer
be around 800 years old. than 128 rooms.
014-015_Top_10_Delhi.indd 15 5/25/17 9:46 AM

16 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Jama Masjid

Completed in 1656, the Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque, named after
the Muslim day of prayer) is the largest mosque in India, with three
huge domes, a pair of minarets over 40 m (131 ft) tall and a
courtyard large enough to hold 25,000 worshippers. The
mosque is an architectural masterpiece and took six years
to build, using 5,000 masons and at a cost of around a
million rupees. Today, its soaring minarets and domes
are among Old Delhi’s most memorable sights.


















The Façade
1 Jama Masjid
The prayer hall’s
façade (above) is the 7 PATEL GALI RD 6
most impressive of any ESP L ANADE RD 4
Indian mosque. Ten 5
cusped arches flank the JAMA MASJID RD 2
central iwan (main arch), 3
indicating the dir ection of
Mecca and providing a URDU BAZAAR ROAD 8
URDU BAZAAR ROAD
focus of prayer to the 500 metres
many worship pers. 0 9 1 (550 yards)
The Eastern Approach
2
The most dramatic approach to Jama Masjid
is from the east, between the busy stalls of the Meena
Bazaar, with the grand mosque looming ahead.
Tomb of
Meena Bazaar
3 4
Maulana Azad
This busy market
on the eastern approach Halfway along Meena
sells prayer rugs, framed Bazaar, an opening on
Koranic inscrip tions and the right leads up to a
numerous other Islamic raised tomb that houses
items (left), amid the the remains of Maulana
smoky scent of freshly Azad (1888–1958), a
cooked kebabs from the major figure in the fight
dozens of nearby dhabas. for Indian independence.




016-017_Top_10_Delhi.indd 16 5/25/17 9:46 AM

Jama Masjid ❮❮ 17

Prayer Hall
5 SHAH JAHAN:
On the western side of the
courtyard is the enormous liwan, or MASTER BUILDER
prayer hall. Its western wall is punc- Mughal emperor Shah
tuated by no fewer than seven mihrabs, Jahan was a prolific
niches that indi cate the direc tion of builder, who during his
Mecca to worshippers. A graceful 30-year reign, promoted
minbar, or pulpit, stands to the right. an architectural
outpour ing that has
The Courtyard
6 never been matched. In
addition to Delhi’s Jama
Designed as a place to go for
communal worship, the enormous, Masjid and the Red Fort,
he com missioned
breezy court yard (below) has space for exten sive additions to
thou sands of religious worshippers. the Agra Fort (see p38),
and oversaw a spate of
construction in Lahore,
Pakistan (including the
Shalimar Gardens), not
to mention the superb
Taj Mahal (see pp36–7).
South Minaret
9
Views
The South Minaret
affords unrivalled views
(below) of Old Delhi.
There are about 120
narrow steps and not
much space at the top.
Pataudi House
The Minarets
7 8
Mosque
The main prayer
hall is framed by two This is one of Delhi’s
brick mina rets. Their prettiest little mosques –
slender outlines add a white with triple domes
much needed lightness and frilly doorways. It
to the long, arcaded dates as far back as
façade, which is topped the 18th century, when
with bulbous Hindu-style it was part of a haveli,
chattris (pavilions). that is now long gone.
NEED TO KNOW • Visitors are required
to dress respectfully (no
MAP H4 • Off Netaji shorts, short skirts or
The Domes
Subhash Marg • 011 2336 sleeveless tops). It is a 0
5358 • Chawri Bazaar good idea to come with Three huge onion
Metro; Jama Masjid Metro appro priate clothing, domes sit atop the main
Open 8am daily until although overgarments prayer hall, their bulbous
outlines picked out in
30 minutes before sunset are provided if needed. delicate black stripes.
(at certain times of the day • There is nowhere to The central dome is
visitors may need to wait eat or drink within the partially obscured by the
for prayers to finish) mosque itself, although massive iwan in front, an
the famous Karim’s (see
Camera ₹200 (female visitors p89) is close by, and archi tec tural conun drum
entering the mosque must roadside cafés line the that even Shah Jahan’s
be accompanied by a man) sur rounding streets. master archi tects were
unable to resolve.



016-017_Top_10_Delhi.indd 17 6/12/17 1:45 PM

18 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Humayun’s Tomb

Built in the 1560s, this gigantic mausoleum is the first of the great
Mughal garden tombs and the final resting place of the ill-fated
emperor Humayun (r. 1530–40 and 1555–6). The mausoleum is one
of Delhi’s most impressive sights and a classic exam ple of the great
tradition of tomb-building which, almost 100 years later, was to
reach its zenith in the Taj Mahal. It is also one of the
most peaceful places in Delhi, with a huge expanse
of beautiful gardens and an absorbing cluster of
further tombs, gateways and mosques.

The Western
1
Gateway
The entrance to
the gardens is via the
western gate way (left).
This serves as a kind of
architectural curtain,
designed to conceal the
garden and tomb from
the visitor’s view until the
very last minute, when
Humayun’s magnificent
mauso leum appears in
all its glory.
5 7
BHARAT SCOUTS AND GUIDES MG 3
9
DR ZAKIR
HUSSAIN MG
LODI 0
ROAD
4
8
The Gardens
ARAB KI SARAI RD 3
Humayun’s The beautiful
MATHURA ROAD
Tomb 2 6 1 gardens that surround
the tomb follow the
Mosque and Tomb of Isa Khan
2 Persian-style charbagh
pattern, in which the
The florid octagonal mosque and tomb of Isa
Khan (below), a courtier during the reign of Sher garden is divided into
Shah Suri (r. 1540–45), provides a complete change four quarters by water
of style. Both mosque and tomb lie within their own channels: a rep resen-
garden, enclosed in fortress-like walls. tation of the Islamic
gar dens of paradise.
The Barber’s
4
Tomb
According to legend, this
elegant tomb was built
for the imperial barber –
a rather fitting memorial
to the per son who was
trusted to hold a razor to
the emperor’s throat.

018-019_Top_10_Delhi.indd 18 5/25/17 9:46 AM

Humayun’s Tomb ❮❮ 19

Sabz Burj
Nila Gumbad
5 8 HUMAYUN
Housing the grave
The striking
of an unknown Mughal Persian-style Nila The second Mughal
noble man, this beautiful Gumbad, with its blue- emperor, Humayun, was
blue-domed, Persian- tiled dome, houses the an endearingly irre solute
style tomb now stands remains of an unknown figure, who alternated
marooned on a busy Mughal noble man. between bouts of utter
round about near the mili tary brilliance and
The Tomb
entrance to the complex. 9 total self-indul gence.
After succeeding his
Set atop a large
raised plat form, the father Babur in 1530, he
mausoleum is topped by lost his empire to the
Afghan invader Sher
a massive dome. Each Shah Suri, and was
of its four façades is obliged to seek refuge
domi nated by in Persia for the next 15
a huge arch. years – until he won the
empire back. His luck
didn’t last: one year later
he was dead, having
fallen down a very steep
flight of steps in the
Purana Qila (see p93).










The Interior
The Arab Serai
6 0
This extensive
A single door on
walled garden is where the southern side opens
visiting craftsmen are into the mausoleum’s
thought to have lived while interior (right), where
they worked on the tomb. Humayun lies in a small,
It also houses the neat plain marble tomb.
little Afsarwala Mosque
and Tomb (above). NEED TO KNOW tomb before going inside
Bu Halima’s
7 MAP S6 • Off Mathura gives a sense of the scale
of the mauso leum. The
Garden
Road • Taxi or auto-
The entrance to the rickshaw walk also takes in the
Barber’s Tomb and Nila
complex is through Bu Open Sunrise–sunset
Halima’s garden, which daily Gumbad, after which the
tomb can be entered via
has its own gateway. This Adm ₹500 (Indians ₹30),
gateway pre-dates the video ₹50 the southern entrance.
tomb itself, although • There is a pleasant
the mausoleum and the • Walking clockwise outdoor drinks stall
garden were designed around the exterior of the situated in the Arab Serai.
in align ment to it.
018-019_Top_10_Delhi.indd 19 5/25/17 9:46 AM

20 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Around Rajpath
Central GANDHI MG TILAK MARG
Secretariat
KASTURBA
Running east to west through the heart of New Delhi, Rajpath MOTHER T ERESA CRESCENT RAJPATH
(formerly Kingsway) is the grandest of all the city’s boulevards, JANPATH
stretching 2 km (1 mile) from India Gate to the presidential palace, Udyog MAN SINGH RD SHAH JAHAN RD
Rashtrapati Bhavan. Rajpath was created to showcase spectacular SOUTH AVE Bhawan
processions and occasions of state, while the surrounding central
government buildings were intended to serve as an enduring
symbol of British pomp and power to rival – or, indeed, surpass –
those monuments left scattered around the city by previous rulers.

Cathedral
3
Church of
the Redemption
Designed by Henry
Medd, assistant to
British archi tect Herbert
Baker (1862–1946), this
1935 Neo-Classical
church (left) was largely
inspired by Andrea
Palladio’s Il Redentore in
Venice, and is one of the
biggest, most impressive
churches in Delhi.
Raisina Hill
Secretariat
1 4
The area of Raisina
Buildings
Hill rises bet ween the
Flanking Raisina Hill are Secretariat Buildings
the Secretariat Build ings. towards Rashtrapati
Designed by Herbert Bhavan, although the
Baker in Neo-Classical latter only becomes
Rajpath
style with Indian touches, visible once you reach 5
they now house local the top, a miscalculation This grand 2-km
government offices. that infu ri ated Lutyens. (1-mile) axis (above)
connects India Gate with
India Gate
2 Rashtrapati Bhavan,
link ing many of New
This imposing arch (below) commemorates
the 90,000 Indian sol diers killed in Delhi’s major buildings
World War I and the Afghan Wars. along the way.
Below the arch, the Tomb of the
Sansad
Unknown Soldier honours 6
those who died during the Bhavan
1971 Indo-Pakistan conflict. Built for the Legislative
Assembly in 1935, this
dis tinctive circular
building north of Rajpath
is now home to the
Indian parlia ment. It is
set at a distance from
Rajpath, reflecting
Britain’s grudg ing
attitude towards India’s
democratic aspirations.
020-021_Top_10_Delhi.indd 20 5/25/17 9:46 AM

Around Rajpath ❮❮ 21

7 3 1 6
TILAK EDWIN LUTYENS
Central GANDHI MG MARG
Secretariat Edwin Landseer Lutyens
KASTURBA
RAJPATH 2 (1869–1944), the master
JANPATH SHAH archi tect behind New
Delhi, worked on the
SOUTH AVE Bhawan MAN SINGH RD JAHAN RD new city for over 20
Udyog
MOTHER T ERESA CRESCENT
8 4 0 5 Around Rajpath years. During that time
Lutyens developed
Mughal Gardens
7 an Indian-influenced
Neo-Classical style,
Set within the grounds of Rashtrapati Bhavan,
this beautiful oasis is laid out with water courses, best seen in the grand
Rashtrapati Bhavan,
fountains and neat squares of manicured lawn. with its enormous
Buddhist-inspired
dome. The success
of Lutyens’ designs is
slightly surprising given
his self-confessed dislike
of Indian architecture.
Vijay Chowk
0
Formerly known
as the Grand Place, Vijay
Chowk is an enormous
cross roads marking the
point at which Rajpath
meets Raisina Hill.
NEED TO KNOW
MAP L3 • Central
Secretariat Metro &
Udyog Bhawan Metro
Rashtrapati Bhavan:
2301 5321 (tours); www.
Rashtrapati Bhavan
8 rashtrapatisachivalaya.
gov.in/rbtour
Once the viceroy’s residence and now home to
the Pre sident of India, the magnificent Rashtrapati • The main govern ment
Bhavan is Edwin Lutyens’ master piece, a uniquely
success ful fusion of European and Indian ele ments. build ings on Rajpath,
which include Sansad
Visitors can register in advance for a guided tour. Bhavan as well as the
Military
9 Secretariat, are closed to
the public. The roads
Parades
The Republic Day parade around Sansad Bhavan
are also closed, so the
on 26 January (left) Cathedral Church of the
features a dazzling show Redemption must be
of mili tary person nel and accessed from the north.
brightly coloured floats • There are a few places
from every Indian state.
Festivities eventually to eat and drink along
Rajpath, although some
come to a close with of the grassy verges that
Beating the Retreat, a flank Rajpath, are good
wonderful, ceremonious picnic spots. The National
perfo rmance of military Museum has a pleasant
bands held on Raisina café in which to relax.
Hill on 29 January.
Following pages Jama Masjid in Old Delhi
020-021_Top_10_Delhi.indd 21 5/25/17 9:46 AM

022-023_Top_10_Delhi.indd 22 5/25/17 9:46 AM

022-023_Top_10_Delhi.indd 23 5/25/17 9:46 AM

24 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Qutb Minar Complex

Towering over southern Delhi, the monumental Qutb Minar is one
of the city’s most dramatic and instantly recognizable landmarks: a
triumphal minaret that marked, with a flourish, both the coming of
Islam to the subcontinent and the arrival of the Delhi sultans, who
held power in northern India for around 400 years
(see p45). Further remarkable monu ments, including
India’s oldest mosque, lie scattered at the foot of the
minaret and nearby, around Mehrauli village.
Iron Pillar
2
This unusual pillar
(left), in the central
courtyard, is thought to
have been made in Bihar
in the 4th cen tury and
later brought to Delhi by
the Tomars. Remarkably,
it has remained rust free
for over 1,500 years.
Tomb of
3
Imam Zamin
The tomb houses
the remains of the
Turkestani reli gious
itinerant Imam Zamin
(d. 1539) and postdates
the Qutb Minar complex.
Qutb Minar
Quwwat-
1 4
ul-Islam
Built during the
The first mosque in reigns of Aibak and
Delhi, the Quwwat-ul- Iltutmish (r. 1211–36),
Islam (Might of Islam), this tapering minaret
was built by Qutbuddin (right) is 72 m (236 ft)
Aibak (r. 1206–10) in 1192, tall. A fifth storey, clad in
soon after Muhammad marble, was added later,
Ghori’s con quest of after the summit was
north west India (see p42). damaged by lightning.



















024-025_Top_10_Delhi.indd 24 5/25/17 12:12 PM

Qutb Minar Complex ❮❮ 25

Madrasa of Alauddin Khilji
8
Built around 1317 as a madrasa (religious
school), this plain build ing (left) has lost most of its
ori ginal stone facing. Alauddin (r. 1296–1316) himself
is thought to be buried in its central chamber.
Alai Minar
9 THE TOWER OF
A large stump of
rough stone is all that BABEL, DELHI STYLE
remains of a rather The Alai Minar was the
maverick scheme to brainchild of Alauddin
build a second oversized Khilji, the most brilliant
Tomb of
5 minaret, intended to be and ruthless of all the
Iltutmish
Delhi sultans. The plan
even greater than the
Immediately behind the mighty Qutb Minar. was to build a min aret
mosque is the tomb of twice the height of
the Qutb Minar, but the
Iltutmish, one of the 5 KALKADAS MARG gar gantuan project
principal archi tects of never really got off the
the Qutb Minar com plex. ground, and all that
Small and plain on the 9 remains is a large pile
outside, the tomb is 7 of rubble – “a frus trated
lavishly carved within. 1 0 tower of Babel”, as one
writer describes it.
Alai Darwaza
4
6 3
Built in 1311 as a
brand new gateway to NEED TO KNOW
the mosque, the Alai 8 2 6
Darwaza is richly carved MAP U3 • Mehrauli,
using red sand stone and Qutb Minar Complex Delhi-Gurugram Road
white marble, a hallmark • Taxi, auto-rickshaw
The Prayer
of the later Mughal style. 0 or Qutb Minar Metro
Hall Screen
One of the finest pieces Open Sunrise–sunset
of Islamic architecture in Adm ₹500 (Indians ₹30),
all of India, the Quwwat- video ₹50, audio guide
ul-Islam’s prayer hall ₹100 plus tax and a
screen (left) is composed deposit of ID, credit card
of five sharply pointed or ₹2,000
ar ches that are covered • Arrive early or late
in Koranic inscrip tions in the day to avoid the
and floral decoration.
busy coach parties.
The Central Courtyard
7 • There are drink stalls
Aibak demo lished 27 Hindu and Jain temples
around the entrance to
to make way for his mosque. The temple pillars the complex. For food, it
were incor porated into the arcade of the central is best to bring a picnic.
court yard (below), giving it a Hindu appearance.









024-025_Top_10_Delhi.indd 25 5/25/17 12:12 PM

26 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Sites around Mehrauli













KALKADAS
MARG
Qutb CRESCENT RD
Minar
The beautiful and intricately designed Rajon ki Bain stepwell Mehrauli
Archaeological
Park
Rajon ki Bain
Adham Khan’s Tomb
1 3
Mughal emperor Akbar built
Built in 1506, this superb
baoli (stepwell) is atmospherically this tomb for his foster brother, who
buried amid woodland in the heart was thrown to his death from Agra KALKADAS MG
of the park. It has been built up Fort’s battlements for murdering SRI DEVPU RIJI ASHRAM RD ANUV R AT MA R G
over four levels, with rooms and Akbar’s prime minister. The tomb’s
arcades around the top two floors labyrinthine interior has earned it Qutub
and a well situated at the bottom. the nick name bhulbhulaiyan (maze). Minar
Quli Khan’s Tomb
Jamali-Kamali Masjid
2 4
and Tomb
Erected for Adham Khan’s
This beautiful early Mughal brother, Mohammad Quli Khan, this
mosque, built by the poet Sheikh neat little tomb was converted into
Fazlullah (known as Jamali; a summer retreat by Sir Thomas
d. 1535), has a delicately carved Metcalfe. It was christened Dilkusha,
façade and characteristic red sand­ or “Heart’s Delight”; the ruined walls
stone and white marble stone work. can still be seen around the tomb.
The poet’s tomb is located in an
Balban’s Tomb
enclo sure beside the mosque. 5
Close to the Jamali­Kamali
Masjid lie the fragment s of the tomb
of Balban (1200–87), one of the most
power ful of the early Delhi sultans.
Madhi Masjid
6
Constructed in the early
Mughal era, this heavily fortified
building looks more like a fortress
than a mosque, with a large court­
yard and – unusually – two sepa rate
prayer halls on either side of a
central mihrab wall.
Dargah Qutb Sahib
7
In the heart of the Mehrauli
bazaar (ask locally for direc tions),
Ceiling detail, Jamali-Kamali Tomb this serene little religious com plex


026-027_Top_10_Delhi.indd 26 5/25/17 12:12 PM

Qutb Minar Complex ❮❮ 27


honours Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki
(d. 1235), a Sufi saint from Fergana
(in modern Uzbekistan), and con tains
his grave, among other buildings.
Zafar Mahal
8
This summer palace was built
by Emperor Akbar Shah II (1760–
1837) and contains various struc­
tures, including Moti Masjid and the
tombs of two Mughal emperors.
7 3 1
KALKADAS
MARG A courtyard within the Jahaz Mahal
Qutb CRESCENT RD
Jahaz Mahal
Minar 9
4 At the western end of Mehrauli
Mehrauli village, this enigmatic Lodi­era
Archaeological 0 structure is thought to have been
Park
5 either a travellers’ rest house or
an opulent royal pleasure palace.
2
KALKADAS MG SRI DEVPU RIJI ASHRAM RD ANUV R AT MA R G 0
Mehrauli Archaeological
Park
West of the Qutb, this park was set
up to protect the ancient monu ments
Qutub
Minar dotted around the area, including
9 8 6 over 70, dating from the 11th to the
Sites around Mehrauli 19th centuries, in the park itself.
METCALFE’S FOLLY
Mehrauli witnessed one of the stranger episodes in Anglo-Indian history
when Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe (1795–1853), British Resident at
the Mughal Court, decided to establish a summer residence in the area.
Rather than build a new house, Metcalfe made the unusual decision to
convert the tomb of Quli Khan into an English-style country residence,
which he christened Dilkusha (Heart’s Delight), although it is generally
known as Metcalfe’s Folly. The tomb’s central chamber was turned into
a dining room, a pair of flanking wings and various out buildings were
erected (remnants of which
can still be seen), and a string
of Indian-style follies were
built in the surrounding
country side, including a
prominent chattri (open-
sided pavilion) on a nearby
hill. As fate would have it,
Metcalfe’s love of all things
Mughal did him little good:
he died slowly, allegedly
poisoned by one of the
emperor’s queens. The Mughal tomb of Quli Khan








026-027_Top_10_Delhi.indd 27 5/25/17 12:12 PM

28 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Crafts Museum

Delhi’s most enjoyable museum showcases India’s incredible
variety of local artistic and cultural traditions in a rustic build ing
and walled garden designed by Charles Correa (1930–2015). There
are some wonderful, fascinating crafts here from every part of
the subcontinent and in every medium, from tribal costumes
to ivory carvings. There is even a complete miniature village of
tradi tional buildings from across India in the grounds outside.
Folk and
3
Tribal Art
This gallery is packed
with unusual objects
(left) dating from the
19th century to the
present day, from a
collection of traditional
dolls to religious items.
Outdoor
4
Exhibits
A number of exhibits are
dotted around the Crafts
Museum grounds, such
as stone carv ings from
Rajasthan and a striking
group of Indo-Chinese
Museum
NEED TO KNOW 1 statues from Tamil Nadu.
Building
Cultic Objects
MAP R3 • Bhairon Designed by Indian 5
Marg • 233 71370 architect, Charles Gallery
• Pragati Maidan Metro
Correa, this rustic ochre- This gallery houses
Open 10am–5pm coloured building, religious objects from
Tue–Sun encircled by shady across India, ranging
verandahs and set in a from Hindu bronzes and
• The museum is a tree-filled com pound, South Indian paint ings to
good place to shop feels like a rural village unique Jain and Tibetan
for crafts, but it pays in the heart of Delhi. Buddhist arti facts.
to do some research
beforehand. It is Resident Bhuta
usually best to visit the 2 6
Sculpture
Craftspeople
govern ment emporiums Gallery
around Connaught The small courtyard,
Place to see what is at the back of the Devoted to the Bhuta
available and get an museum, is home cult of Karnataka,
idea of prices. to a selection of this gallery (left)
• Permission to take stalls. Artisans can contains images
often be seen at
from the shrine of
photographs can be work on a wide Nandikeshvara in
obtained from reception.
range of crafts, Udipi province,
• Visit Café Lota, inside such as painting, carved in dark
the museum. It is popular stone carving, jackfruit wood
for serving fusion Indian metal working and featur ing
cuisine and a variety and weaving. striking human
of teas and coffees. They also sell and animal-
their products. headed figures.
028-029_Top_10_Delhi.indd 28 5/25/17 9:47 AM

Crafts Museum ❮❮ 29

Traditional
8 GALLERY GUIDE
Buildings
Scattered around the The Crafts Museum is
museum garden is a rela tively small and can
fascinating collection of be cov ered in a couple
traditional buildings from of hours. All the galleries
across India, including a are laid out over the
a traditional house (left) ground floor of the
from Kullu in the state build ing, except the
of Himachal Pradesh. Textile Gallery and a
section of the Courtly
Crafts Gallery, which are
tucked away upstairs
7 Textile
Gallery and can be easy to miss.

Key to Floorplan
Ground floor
0 Courtly Crafts First floor
Gallery
0 Courtly Crafts
Gallery
5 Cultic Objects
Gallery




2
Resident
Craftspeople 3 Folk and
Tribal Art
The Museum 1 9 Shopping
8 Building for Crafts
Traditional Bhuta Sculpture 6
Buildings Gallery
Textile Gallery
Shopping
7 9
for Crafts
This beautiful,
well-curated gallery The museum has one of
provides an overview of Delhi’s most interesting
India’s textile traditions, selections of traditional
with a vast collection of crafts for sale, either
fabrics in styles including from one of the stalls at
brocade, block printing, the back of the museum
tie-dye and appliqué. (below), or the shop.
Courtly
0
Crafts
Gallery
Aristocratic
arts from the 18th
century to today are
displayed here, including
bidri-ware (silver inlay
work) (above), enamel-
ware, jade, ivory carvings
and glass jewellery.



028-029_Top_10_Delhi.indd 29 5/25/17 9:47 AM

30 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Lodi Gardens

One of the most enjoyable excursions in Delhi, the beautiful Lodi
Gardens offer a winning combination of nature and history. The
gardens themselves are among the most attractive and relaxed
in the city, with quiet paths winding between tropical trees and
plentiful birdlife in the branches over head. The series of fine
medieval tombs dotted among the trees and lawns, erected by
nobles of the Lodi and Sayyid Dynasties during the later years
of the Delhi Sultanate, provide historical interest.
Muhammad
2
Shah’s Tomb
The tomb of Sayyid ruler
Muhammad Shah
(r. 1434–44) is built in
the octa gonal shape
favoured by the later
Delhi sultans, its main
dome surrounded by
eight small chattris (left).
The Gardens
3
The gardens were
Sikander
1 created in 1936 by Lady
Lodi’s Tomb
Willingdon, wife of the
At the northern end of viceroy and governor-
the gardens is the tomb general of India. She
of Sikander Lodi (r. 1489– had the two villages
1517), the penultimate that formerly stood here
Delhi sultan. It occupies demolished to make way
an idyllic garden and for the new gardens.
has interior walls that
feature the remains of
the original blue tilework.
THE SAYYID AND
AMRITA
LODI DYNASTIES SHERGILL MARG MAX MUELLER MARG
The Sayyid and Lodi
Dynasties held sway
from 1414 until 1526,
though their power was L O D I
challenged by a series of R O A D
internal rebel lions and
external threats. The
first Sayyid sultan, Khizr
Khan, rose to power National Athpula
after Timur’s invasion 4 5
Bonsai Garden
Located near the
in 1398; while the last tomb of Sikander Lodi,
sultan, Ibrahim Lodi Near the southern
(r. 1517–26), was killed entrance to the park, the the striking, graceful
by Timur’s great-great- National Bonsai Garden Athpula (Eight Piers)
great-grandson, Babur, sports a collection of tiny bridge (above) was
who was the founder of trees. A few dis plays built during the reign of
the Mughal Dynasty. show the various styles Mughal emperor Akbar
of traditional bonsai. (r. 1556–1605).



030-031_Top_10_Delhi.indd 30 5/25/17 9:50 AM

Lodi Gardens ❮❮ 31

Bara Gumbad
Shish Gumbad
6 8
Masjid
Built around 1600
for an unidentified Attached to the Bara
nobleman, this is a Gumbad Tomb, this
cuboid­shaped tomb mosque is small but
(below), enlive ned with lavishly deco rated, with
bands of rich blue tiles, swirls of Koranic script
which run around the (right) covering every
middle and top. available surface.
























5 Round Tower
1 9 NEED TO KNOW
To the east of the
Bara Gumbad stands MAP N6 • Lodi Road
6 a solid­looking round • Taxi, auto-rickshaw
SHERGILL MARG MAX MUELLER MARG tower, prob ably built or Jor Bagh Metro
AMRITA
during the 14th century.
Open Apr–Sep: 5am–
8pm daily; Oct–Mar:
Bara Gumbad
0 6am–8pm daily
Tomb
L O D I Dating from around • There is nowhere
R O A D 1500, the Bara Gumbad to eat or drink within
3 2 4 9 0 8
Tomb is the gardens’ the gardens, but just
Lodi Gardens most impres sive beyond the southeast
struc ture, a cuboid corner, Lodi Garden
Birdlife
7 tomb (occupant Restaurant (3310 5163)
offers refre shments in a
unknown), top­
The
gardens are ped by a massive lovely outdoor setting.
home to a rich dome. Its rather • The India Habitat
array of birdlife, severe outlines Centre, near the
including tree are relieved southern entrance on
pies, blue throats, spot­ by alter nating Lodi Road, has a couple
ted owlets, geese and panels of red and of attractive cafés.
green parakeets (right). black stone.
030-031_Top_10_Delhi.indd 31 5/25/17 9:50 AM

32 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

National Museum

Founded in 1949, the superb National Museum is India’s
finest, with a collection of over 200,000 exhibits charting
five millennia of subcontinental history. Every major
strand in India’s complex cultural identity is covered
here, with artifacts from across the country and beyond,
including prehistoric archaeological finds, Buddhist
statues, Chola bronzes and Mughal miniatures.
Mughal Emperor
Dancing
1 4
Shah Jahan in
Girl
Dara Shikoh’s This small but
Marriage famous image of
Procession an elegant, long-
Painted around 1750 in legged dancing girl
Awadh, this painting (below) (left) was found in
is a good example of superbly Mohenjodaro. Dating
detailed Indian minia ture art, from around 2500 BC,
portraying the wedding pro- it is one of the
cession of Shah Jahan’s world’s old est cast-
favourite son, Dara Shikoh. bronze statuettes.
Harappan
Ganga
2 5
Bronze
This 5th-century
Chariot Gupta terracotta statue
One of the museum’s is one of the museum’s
most charming pieces most graceful. The river
is a bronze figurine goddess Ganga is seen
(c. 2000 BC) of a man on walking on the back of
a chariot pulled by oxen. her mythical animal
mount, the crocodile-like
Avalokitesvara
3 makara, whilst carrying
an urn (below).
These rare 9th-
and 10th-century silk
paintings, from the town
of Dunhuang on the old
Silk Route in north-
western China, depict
Avalokitesvara, the
Bodhisattva of Infinite
Compassion, a deity of
Vajrayana Buddhism.
NEED TO KNOW Adm ₹650 (Indians ₹20), • The collection is huge,
MAP N3 • 11 Janpath, audio guide free with a so don’t try to see
just south of Rajpath deposit of ID, credit card everything at once. An
• 2301 9272 • Udyog or ₹2,000 (Indians ₹150 for audio guide picks around
Bhawan Metro • www. an English audio guide) 30 of the best exhibits.
national museumindia. • The museum regularly • The film show runs
gov.in closes areas or galleries Tue–Sun at 11:30am,
Open 10am–5pm for renovation. It is best 2:30pm and 4pm.
Tue–Sun; closed on to call ahead or check the • There is a small café on
public holidays website first. the museum premises.




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National Museum ❮❮ 33



GALLERY GUIDE
The museum collection
is arranged over three
floors, although almost
all of the best exhibits
are to be found on
the ground floor of the
building. The first nine
exhibits described here
are displayed on the
ground floor, while
the tenth is on the first
floor. The museum’s
film show on Art and
Culture is a must-see.
Near the museum’s
reception area, there is
also a shop, with books
and replicas of some
of the exhibits for sale.
A visit to the extensive
library can be valuable
for researchers.
Shiva Nataraja
7
This iconic 12th-century Chola
bronze (left) shows Shiva as nataraj (“lord
of the dance”), surrounded by a ring of fire, repre-
senting the cycle of life. He is perform ing tandava,
the cosmic dance of destruction and creation.
Mughal
Baluchari Sari
Kali
6 8 0
Nativity
The fearsome
Rare 18th-century
Painting silk saris with delicate goddess Kali, one of the
This Muslim version of a floral patterns are part of more favoured deities
usually Christian subject the collection. They were of the Cholas, appears
(below) may seem made in Murshidabad serenely poised and
surprising, but Jesus is (West Bengal), one of the unusually benign in
revered as a prophet by country’s most famous an outstanding late
Muslims, and Mary is silk production centres. 12th-century bronze.
mentioned more in the
Koran than in the Bible. Asita’s Visit to 9
Suddhadhana
This is a beautifully
carved stone bas-relief
(right) from the great
Satavahana-era
Buddhist monastery
of Amaravati (Andhra
Pradesh), dating from
the 1st–2nd century AD.
The panel depicts the
sage Asita visiting King
Suddhadhana in the
town of Lumbini to
admire his son, the
newly born Buddha.


032-033_Top_10_Delhi.indd 33 5/25/17 9:47 AM

34 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

National Museum Collections


Late Medieval Art
4
Outstand ing examples of the
sculptural arts that flourished across
6 8 7 central and southern India during
0
the 11th and 12th centuries feature
9 in this excellent collection, including
those from the Vijayanagar, Hoysala,
Chola and Pala kingdoms.
Harappan Civilization
5
The museum is one of the
world’s finest showcases of artifacts
Key to Floorplan from the Harappan (or Indus Valley)
Ground floor Civilization (circa 2500–1500 BC).
First floor On display are a wide range of finds
54 3 2 1 Second floor from Harappa, Mohenjodaro and
else where, vividly bring ing one of the
Kushan (Gandhara,
1 world’s most ancient cultures to life.
Mathura and
Ikshavaku Art) 6
Indian Miniature
This superb collection of classical Paintings
sculpture from the Gandhara king­ Another of the museum’s highlights,
dom (in Afghanistan) is famous for this is an extensive col lection of
its remarkable Indo­Greek culture, su perbly detailed and vibrant paint­
in which local Buddhist traditions ings from the schools of Rajasthani,
inter mingled with the Greek styles Pahari, Deccani and Mughal.
brought to the region by Alexander
Maurya, Sunga and
the Great (356–23 BC). 7
Satavahana Art
Gupta Terracotta and
2 These galleries are devoted to the
Early Medieval Art
art of the Mauryans (321–185 BC),
The classic art of the Guptas India’s first great empire, and
(3rd–5th centuries), the second of their successors. Displays include
India’s great dynasties, is on show monumental sculptures, bas­relief
here, alongside some carvings and stone pillars, most
of the more flam boyant
statues from the early
Pallava (300–900 AD)
and Chola (300 BC–
1279 AD) kingdoms
of the south, featuring
beautiful, intri cately
carved Hindu gods.
Bronzes
3
This is one of the
museum’s highlights:
a room full of Chola
bronze statues of Hindu
deities, includ ing one of
the most iconic images
of Indian art – a pair of
Shiva natarajas. Sunga sculpture of an amorous couple



034-035_Top_10_Delhi.indd 34 5/25/17 9:47 AM

National Museum ❮❮ 35


INDIAN MINIATURE PAINTING

Although originally of Persian origin, the TOP 10
art of the miniature was perfected in India, MINIATURE PAINTERS
where artists developed a distinctive style 1 Mir Sayyid Ali (Persian/
of brilliantly coloured and minutely detailed Mughal, 16th century)
painting, usually depicting either religious 2 Abd al-Samad (Persian/
subjects or scenes from courtly life. Miniature Mughal, 16th century)
painting flourished under Muslim patronage 3 Basawan (Mughal,
throughout India – the Mughals, in particular, 16th century)
commissioned thousands of pictures and 4 Mansur (Mughal,
illustrated manuscripts, while distinctive 17th century)
regional schools subsequently developed in 5 Bishandas (Mughal,
Rajasthan, the Deccan and across the Pahari 17th century)
region in the Himalayan foothills. Most artists
remain anonymous, although a few of the 6 Abu al-Hasan (Mughal,
17th century)
most famous are listed on the right.
7 Govardhan (Mughal,
17th century)
8 Bichitr (Mughal,
17th century)
9 Sahibdin (Rajasthan,
17th century)
10 Dalchand (Rajasthan,
18th century)
Miniature painting
(1750) from Bundi,
Rajasthan, depicting
ladies playing chaupar,
National Museum

Tribal Lifestyle
recovered from Buddhist temples, 9
including panels from the Buddhist This is a rare glimpse into
monas tery of Amaravati in the lives of India’s little-known,
Andhra Pradesh (see p33). Chinese-descended north-
eastern tribes. Exhibits include
Decorative Arts
8 simple weapons, household
and Textiles
items and some unusual
Dedicated to India’s headgear, backed up by
rich and varied fascinating black-and-
clothing and textile white photos of tribes
tradi tions, this in traditional attire.
gallery features a
Buddhist Art
colourful display of 0
woven, printed, tie- A wide range of
dyed, embroi dered Buddhist art and arti-
and appliqué-worked facts from across India,
fabrics in silk, cotton Silver-incised bowl, Nepal, Gandhara and
and wool. Examples of Decorative Arts Gallery China are on display
India’s varied decorative here, including some
arts, including exquisite artifacts rare thangkas (devotional paintings),
made from ivory, jade, glass, ceramic statues and a pair of fine silver-and-
and wood, fill the adjoining galleries. brass temple trumpets from Ladakh.




034-035_Top_10_Delhi.indd 35 5/25/17 9:47 AM

36 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Taj Mahal, Agra and
Fatehpur Sikri


In 1504, Sikandar Lodi moved his capital from Delhi to Agra. Shah
Jahan moved it back in 1638, but when his favourite wife – Mumtaz
(or “Taj”) Mahal – died before the move, the grief-stricken emperor
had this magnificent tomb built for her in Agra. Of unparalleled
beauty, the Taj is the zenith of Mughal architecture. Agra has other
wonderful Mughal structures, and just down the road, Shah Jahan’s
grandfather, Akbar, had an entire city built at Fatehpur Sikri.
The Tomb
4
The Taj Mahal’s
classic perfection is
rooted in the simplest of
architec tural concepts.
The main tomb is a
perfect cube, while the
dome itself is of equal
height to the build ing
on which it rests.
The Dome
5
The dome rises to
The Charbagh
1 a height of 73 m (240 ft),
topped by a lotus-shaped
The Taj sits at
the far end of one of the design and sur rounded
finest Mughal charbagh- by four smaller chattris
style gar dens (above), an (domed pavilions),
expanse of lawn divided echoing those that
into four by raised cap the four minarets.
marble water channels. Minarets
Chowk-i-Jilo
Minarets mark
2 6
Khana
each of the four cor ners.
The Chowk-i-Jilo Khana Unusually, these are
is a fore court. At its detached from the main
The Lotus Pool
northern edge is a gate- tomb, so that if any of 7
way, which leads to the them ever fell, they The centre of the
Taj but screens it from would col lapse away charbagh’s four inter-
the view of those outside. from the main tomb. secting water channels
is marked by the marble
Tomb Chamber
3 Lotus Pool, symbolizing
The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal (below) sits at
the pool in the Islamic
the centre of the atmospheric tomb chamber, and is gardens of paradise.
protected by an exquisitely detailed jali (carved screen),
Calligraphic
while the tomb of Shah Jahan lies alongside it. 8
Panels
Koranic inscriptions
frame the tomb’s four
archways. The script in
the higher panels has
been enlarged to com-
pensate for the distorting
effects of perspective.
036-037_Top_10_Delhi.indd 36 5/25/17 12:12 PM

Taj Mahal, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri ❮❮ 37



THE BLACK TAJ
Of the many strange
myths surrounding the
Taj, the most frequently
repeated is that Shah
Jahan intended to build
a black marble Taj for
Mosque and Mehman Khana
9 himself, set across the
Yamuna River from the
The Taj is flanked by two mirror-image
build ings: a mosque (above) and the Mehman Khana, original. The idea was
or jawab (res ponse). The jawab cannot be used for first mooted by visiting
Frenchman Jean-Baptiste
wor ship since it is ori ented the wrong way round. Tavernier (1605–89) in
1665. There is, however,
no evidence to support
this appealing but
fanciful theory.
6 5 3 9


9
4
7
1



2
Taj Mahal



Taj Mahal, a masterpiece of unparalleled beauty

NEED TO KNOW • Arrive early at the Taj to
MAP C3 avoid the crowds. Security
is tight and visitors are
Taj Mahal: Taj Ganj, Agra, not allowed to bring in
215 km (134 miles) SE of food, drink (apart from a
Delhi; 6am–7pm Sat–Thu; bottle of water), phones
adm ₹1000 (Indians ₹40) or even guidebooks. Pietra Dura
Fatehpur Sikri: 45 km (28 There are a number of 0
Large parts of the
miles) SW of Agra; sunrise– cafés outside in Taj Ganj. Taj Mahal’s exterior walls
sunset daily; adm ₹260 • Fatehpur Sikri’s small are covered in excellent
(Indians ₹20), video ₹25, Archaeological Museum pietra dura inlay (above),
audio guide ₹100 plus tax (9am–5pm Sat–Thu) in which intricate stylized
and deposit of ID or ₹2,000 displays artifacts dating geo met rical floral pat-
(the Jama Masjid and the from before Fatehpur terns are created using
museum are free to enter) Sikri was built. coloured pre cious and
semiprecious stones.






036-037_Top_10_Delhi.indd 37 5/25/17 12:12 PM

38 ❯❯ Top 10 Delhi Highlights

Sights in Agra


Agra Fort
Sikandra
1 5
MAP C3 • Open sunrise–sunset
MAP C3 • Open sunrise–sunset
daily • Adm daily • Adm and charge for video
The huge mausoleum of Sikandra is The Agra Fort was originally built by
one of the grandest of all the Mughal Akbar (1542–1605) and enlarged and
monuments, although something of embellished by Jahangir (1569–1627)
an archi tectural hotch-potch, with and Shah Jahan.
the usual rooftop dome replaced
Jama Masjid
with a strange four-storey pavil ion. 6
daily MAP C3 • Open sunrise–sunset
Built in 1648, this spectacular
mosque, topped with a trio of domes,
is a perfect example of the late-
Mughal architec tural style perfected
during the reign of Shah Jahan.
Kinari Bazaar
7
MAP C3 • Open 11:30am–6pm
Mon–Sat
This atmospheric bazaar is home
The tomb of Akbar, Sikandra to the city’s purveyors of petha, an
unusual confection made from
Taj Nature Walk
2 crystallized pumpkin.
MAP C3 • Open 9am–6:30pm
Chini-ka-Rauza
daily • Adm 8
This is an attrac tive area of wooded MAP C3 • Open daily
parkland, with views of the Taj itself. This Persian-style tomb (1628-39)
was built for Afzal Khan, a poet who
Mehtab Bagh
3 served as Shah Jahan's minister.
MAP C3 • Open sunrise–sunset
Rambagh Gardens
daily • Adm 9
The Moonlight Garden offers the MAP C3 • Open sunrise–sunset
ultimate view of the Taj Mahal. daily • Adm
These formal gardens are laid out in
Itimad-ud-Daulah
4 the traditional Persian charbagh plan.
MAP C3 • Open sunrise–sunset
Mariam’s Tomb
daily • Adm 0
Built by Nur Jahan (1577–1645), this MAP C3 • Open sunrise–sunset
tomb is modest in size but exquis- daily • Adm
itely decorated with pietra dura. This pretty tomb was built in honour
of Mariam Zamani, one of Akbar’s
Itimad-ud-Daulah wives and mother of Jahangir.











038-039_Top_10_Delhi.indd 38 5/25/17 9:47 AM

Taj Mahal, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri ❮❮ 39

Sights in Fatehpur Sikri















Visitors outside the impressive Jama Masjid (Dargah Mosque)
Jama Masjid
House of the
1 6
Turkish Sultana
(Dargah Mosque)
The magnificent Jama Masjid, one The “Turkish sultana” (one of Akbar’s
of the biggest mosques in India, wives) probably didn’t live in this little
houses the tomb of the Sufi saint pleasure pavilion. More correctly, it is
Salim Chisti. It is entered through called the Anup Talao Pavilion, after
a massive, spectacular gate called the adjacent small square pool with
the Buland Darwaza, which leads a stage in the middle.
into the mosque’s huge courtyard. Daulat Khana
Diwan-i-Aam
2 7
Akbar’s private quarters have
three parts. The library once housed
The emperor received
ordinary subjects in this court yard, his collection of over 25,000 manu­
whose colonnade is topped with scripts. The room behind it was his
Hindu­style capi tals. The emperor study, and upstairs was his bedroom,
sat in a small pavilion flanked by known as the khwabgah.
carved screens. Panch Mahal
Diwan-i-Khas
3 8
The “five­storey palace”
The emperor’s private
narrows with each successive
audience hall deliberately com­ floor and marks the beginning
bines Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist of the zenana or women’s
and Christian features. quarters. Its columns originally
had screens between them,
Hiran Minar
4 shielding the women from view.
Just outside the city to
Sunehra Makan
the north, the odd­looking 9
Hiran Minar is a beacon Akbar’s mother may
tower said to be built have lived in the “golden
over the grave of Akbar’s house”. Its interior
favourite elephant. Hiran Minar murals, although sadly
faded, are still impressive.
Pachisi Court
5 Jodhabai’s Palace
In the palace’s main
courtyard there is a giant outdoor 0
The main harem was home
board for pachisi, the original to Akbar’s senior wives (he had
version of ludo. Akbar would play 13 wives in all). It is a grand affair,
here using colourfully dressed modelled on the ornate palaces
servant girls as live pieces. of Hindu Rajput princes.
038-039_Top_10_Delhi.indd 39 5/25/17 9:47 AM

The Top 10

of Everything












Muslim women praying at the
shrine of Nizamuddin















































040-041_Top_10_Delhi.indd 40 5/25/17 9:47 AM

Moments in History 42 Delhi-Inspired Books 58
Delhi Sultanate Sights 44 Off the Beaten Track 60
Mughal Delhi Sights 46 Performing Arts Venues 62
Monuments of the Places to Eat 64
1857 Uprising 48
Bazaars of Old Delhi 66
Cities of Delhi, Old and New 50
Delhi for Free 68
Museums and Galleries 52
Festivals and Events 70
Places of Worship 54
Excursions from Delhi 72
Parks and Gardens 56

















































040-041_Top_10_Delhi.indd 41 5/25/17 9:47 AM

42 ❯❯ The Top 10 of Everything

Moments in History


1398: Invasion of Timur
4
A Mongol army led by Timur
the Lame, or Tamerlaine as he is
better known in the West, sacked
Delhi and left it in ruins, leading to
the fall of the Tughlaq Dynasty.
1526: Arrival of the
5
First Mughals
Babur, a Central Asian adventurer
and former ruler of Fergana, Kabul
and Samarkand, defeated the last
Delhi sultan, Ibrahim Lodi, at the
The citadel of Qila Rai Pithora Battle of Panipat (1526) and ushered
in the Mughal Dynasty.
AD 736: Founding
1
of Delhi
Delhi was founded by the Rajput
Tomars in the Surajkund area, south
of the modern city. In 1060, the town
was relocated 10 km (6 miles) west
by Tomar ruler Anangpal II, who
created a new fortified citadel
there called Lal Kot. Around 1160,
the Tomars became vassals of the
Chauhans, another Rajput clan from
Ajmer, who extended Lal Kot and
renamed it Qila Rai Pithora.
1192: Founding of
2
the Delhi Sultanate
Muhammad of Ghori, from Ghazni
(Afghanistan), invaded north India in
1191, but was defeated by Prithviraj
Chauhan III at the Battle of Tarain.
A year later, Muhammad returned,
defeated Prithviraj and took con trol
of northern India. He went home,
leaving Qutbuddin Aibak, his general,
in charge of Delhi. Aibak became
the first sultan of Delhi following
Muhammad Ghori’s death in 1206.
Artwork depicting Babur in Kabul
1327: To Daulatabad
3 1638: Foundation
and Back Again
of Shajahanabad
Muhammad bin Tughlaq moved the 6
capital from Delhi to Daulatabad The fifth Mughal emperor, Shah
(pre sent-day Devagiri), 1,500 km Jahan, transferred India’s capital
(932 miles) to the south. Delhi’s entire from Agra (where it had been moved
population was forcibly relocated to by his pre deces sor, Akbar) back to
the new city. Daulatabad, how ever, Delhi. Once there, he founded the
lasted only two years before Tughlaq brand new city of Shahjahanabad,
aban doned it and returned to Delhi. or Old Delhi, as it is known today.





042-043_Top_10_Delhi.indd 42 5/25/17 9:47 AM

Moments in History ❮❮ 43



TOP 10 HISTORICAL FIGURES
1 Qutbuddin Aibak
The Turkish slave General Qutbuddin
Aibak (1150–1210) founded the Delhi
Sultanate, which eventually saw 36
rulers from five separate dynasties
control this region of north India.
2 Razia Sultan
Female sultan Razia (r. 1236–40) broke
A depiction of the 1857 Uprising every gender stereotype of her time,
appearing unveiled in public and
1857: Indian Uprising
7 going into battle on horseback.
3 Alauddin Khilji
In 1857, Indian soldiers across
north India revolted and seized Alauddin (r. 1296–1316) was perhaps
the most brilliant – and certainly the
control of major cities which were most ruth less – of the Delhi sultans.
under British control, includ ing Delhi,
Lucknow and Kanpur. Delhi became 4 Muhammad bin Tughlaq
the focus of the movement, as the The second Tughlaq ruler (1300–51),
was responsible for building the fourth
sepoys rallied behind the Mughal city of Delhi, named Jahanpanah.
emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II. The
rebel lion was quelled and the conflict 5 Sher Shah Suri
stopped after months of bitter This formidable Afghan adventurer
(1486–1545) wrested power from the
fighting. Not long afterwards, the city second Mughal emperor, Humayun.
of Delhi was retaken by the British.
6 Shah Jahan
1911: Foundation
8 The sublime Taj Mahal was built by
this Mughal emperor (1592–1666).
of New Delhi
The capital of British India was 7 Bahadur Shah Zafar II
moved from Calcutta to Delhi and The last Mughal emperor, Bahadur
work began on building the grand­ Shah Zafar II (1775–1862), was the
figure head of the 1857 Uprising.
iose city of New Delhi under the
creative leadership of Edwin Lutyens. 8 Mirza Ghalib
The city was inaugurated in 1931 – Ghalib (1797–1869) was the Urdu
ironically, the same year the British language’s greatest poet, known
particularly for his ghazals (see p63).
agreed, in principle, to grant India
its independence at a future date. 9 Edwin Lutyens
This British architect (1869–1944)
1947: Independence
9 designed much of New Delhi.
10 Mohandas K Gandhi
India was partitioned and
became independent. Delhi lost a The eminent leader (1869–1948)
large proportion of its former Muslim of the Indian independence move ment
was assassinated in Delhi.
population, while huge numbers
of Hindu and Sikh refugees from
Pakistan arrived in their place,
decisively changing the city’s cultural
and demo graphic constitution.
1984: Assassination
0
of Indira Gandhi
The assassination of Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi (1917–84) by two of her
Sikh body guards was fol lowed by
citywide rioting. Thou sands of Sikhs
were killed by lynch mobs and their Mohandas K Gandhi
homes were set on fire.
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44 ❯❯ The Top 10 of Everything

Delhi Sultanate Sights


scattered about the city, the
Begumpuri Masjid is a perfect exam­
ple of the austere and monumental
style favoured by the Tughlaq
Dynasty. The simple mosque is
raised, fortress­like, above the
surround ing streets, centred on a
huge courtyard, with a massive gate­
way above the central prayer hall.
Tomb of Ghiyasuddin
4
Tughlaq
MAP X3 • Tughlaqabad
• Tughlaqabad Metro
The modest tomb Lal Gumbad This simple, yet striking, red tomb
is the final resting place of one of
Lal Gumbad
1 medieval India’s most powerful
rulers, Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq. The
MAP V2 • Panchsheel Park
South, off Gamal Abdel Nasser Marg tomb is an almost windowless
• Hauz Khas Metro • Open 24 hrs structure with sloping sides set
Built for local Sufi saint Kabiruddin within a small fortified compound.
Aulia in 1397, the Lal Gumbad is
Lodi Gardens
very similar to the earlier tomb of 5
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq – a cube of red The delicately constructed
sandstone, almost devoid of extrane­ octagonal tombs of Muhammad
ous decoration. This is Tughlaq Shah, Sikander Lodi and other
architecture at its most austere. sultans are dotted throughout the
idyllic Lodi Gardens (see pp30–31).
Hauz Khas
2 Their relatively small scale (and light
Hauz Khas & Green Park Metro
style) illustrate the declining fortunes
The lake in Hauz Khas was built of the Sayyid and Lodi Dynasties.
by Alauddin Khilji in 1304 to
Qutb Minar
supply water to his new city at 6
Siri. Most of the pavilions around The defining image of the
it were added half a century Delhi Sultanate, the towering
later by Feroz Shah Tughlaq, Qutb Minar (see pp24–5) is a
who is buried here. perfect example of the simple,
but gran diose, Sultanate archi­
Begumpuri Masjid
3 tectural style, which was
intended to symbol ize both the
MAP V2 • Begumpur,
off Guru Govind Singh Road military might of the new sul­
• Hauz Khas Metro tans from Afghanistan and
The finest of the various the power of the then­newly
Sultanate­era mosques arrived Islamic faith.
The lofty Qutb Minar









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Delhi Sultanate Sights ❮❮ 45

Khirki Masjid
7 TOP 10 DELHI SULTANS
MAP V3 • Press Enclave Road
• Malviya Nagar Metro • Open daily 1 Qutbuddin Aibak
sunrise–sunset The first Delhi sultan, Qutbuddin Aibak
Another superbly atmospheric (1150–1210) founded the Delhi
Tughlaq-era mosque that was built Sultanate’s so-called Slave Dynasty.
in the 1370s, the Khirki Masjid looks 2 Iltutmish
more like a labrynthine fortress than The son-in-law of Aibak, Iltutmish
a peaceful place of worship. (r. 1211–36) extended the territory of
the Sultanate from Punjab to Bengal.
Quwwat-ul-Islam
8 3 Razia Sultan
The oldest mosque in India,
Iltutmish’s daughter (r. 1236–40) and
set in the Qutb complex (see p24), India’s only major female leader until
this is a fascinating study in cultural Indira Gandhi, seven centuries later.
contrasts. The central courtyard, 4 Alauddin Khilji
fashioned out of columns from Hindu Alauddin (r. 1296–1316) was the most
and Jain temples that previously illustrious ruler of the Khilji Dynasty.
stood on this site, has a decid edly 5 Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
Hindu appear ance. The mag nificent Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (r. 1320–24)
screen of the prayer hall, however, is founded the Tughlaq Dynasty.
a classic work of Islamic architecture 6 Muhammad bin Tughlaq
covered in Koranic inscriptions. Eccentric ruler (r. 1325–51) who tried
to relocate the capi tal from Delhi to
Daulatabad but later moved it back.
7 Feroz Shah Tughlaq
Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–88) tried
to repair the dam age inflicted on the
Sultanate by his predecessor.
8 Khizr Khan
Khizr Khan (r. 1414–21) took advantage
of the power vac uum created by Timur’s
inva sion in 1398 to establish the Sayyid
Dynasty (1414–51).
9 Buhlul Lodi
Ornate columns at Quwwat-ul-Islam Punjab governor (r. 1451–89) who
seized power from the Sayyids,
Tughlaqabad
9 establishing the last of the Sultanate’s
five dynasties, the Lodi Dynasty.
Another monumental
expression of the power of the 10 Sikander Lodi
Sultanate, the city of Tughlaqabad Sikander Lodi (r. 1489–1517) was
was built by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, the last effective Delhi sultan. His
son, Ibrahim Lodi (r. 1517–26), was
founder of the Tughlaq Dynasty. over thrown by the great Babur, the
The massive fortified citadel – now first of the Mughals.
largely in ruins – was built, aston-
ishingly, in just two years (see p101).
Feroz Shah Kotla
0
All that remains of the great
city of Ferozabad (see p88) is a
walled enclosure containing the
fragmentary remains of a royal
palace, mosque and other struc-
tures. The most eye-catching feature
here is the Ashokan column, which
is perched atop the citadel and dates A depiction of Razia Sultan
from the 3rd century BC.





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46 ❯❯ The Top 10 of Everything

Mughal Delhi Sights


Purana Qila
4
The oldest major
Mughal monument
in Delhi, the walled
Purana Qila was begun
by Humayun and com­
pleted by his Afghan
succes sor, Sher Shah
Suri (see p43) after he
had driven his rival into
exile in Persia (see p93).
Khan-i-
5
Khanan
Onion domes at Nizamuddin The imposing tomb of
Abdur Rahim, who served as prime
Nizamuddin
1 minister to Akbar, but later fell foul
of Jahangir, is now dilapi dated but
The religious complex at
Nizamuddin is home to several still impressive. It is clearly model led
Mughal struc tures, including the on the nearby Humayun’s Tomb,
tombs of Ataga Khan (1562) and though its rounded shape hints
the saint Nizamuddin Aulia (1325), at the later Taj Mahal (see p92).
both of which were built during the
Jama Masjid
reign of Akbar (see pp94–5). 6
India’s largest mosque, Shah
Zinat ul Masjid
2 Jahan’s Jama Masjid is the epit ome
of Mughal religious architec ture: a
Dating from the reign of
Aurangzeb, this neglected archi­ dramatically simple combination of
tectural gem is a perfect example of mas sive arches, domes and slender
Mughal architecture in miniature – minarets, towering high above the
a scaled­down version of the Jama streets of Old Delhi (see pp16–17).
Masjid, with a trio of marbled onion
Zafar Mahal
domes sitting atop the beautifully 7
pro portioned and serene prayer hall Built by the Mughal emperor
below (see p86). Akbar Shah II in the 18th century,
and the last major monument of
Humayun’s Tomb
3 Mughal India, the Zafar Mahal
Humayun’s Tomb exem plifies
many of the design elements that Humayun’s
were to become standard features of Tomb
the Mughal style, including the use
of red sand stone with marble inlay,
enor mous iwans and the setting
of the entire tomb within a very
pretty Persian­style charbagh
garden (see pp18–19).









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Mughal Delhi Sights ❮❮ 47


summer palace is an exer cise in
archi tectural nostalgia by an increas- TOP 10 MUGHAL DESIGN
ingly powerless, and soon to be FEATURES
extinguished, dynasty (see p27).
Safdarjung’s Tomb
8
The last major Mughal
mausoleum in Delhi, Safdarjung’s
Tomb is generally thought to
exemplify the creative decline that
set in following the demise of Shah
Jahan, though its fanciful façades
and interior lend it a certain kitsch
charm entirely its own (see p94).
Red Fort
9
Despite suffering considerable
damage during the 1857 Uprising Floral pietra dura tilework
and afterwards, the Red Fort 1 Red Sandstone and White Marble
remains a treasure trove of Mughal A classic Mughal combination: façades
architec tural styles, with imposing of red sandstone that are decorated
with bands of white marble inlay.
gateways, formal gardens and a
sequence of royal pavilions strung 2 Iwans
out along the ramparts (see pp12–13). Huge central arches providing a focus
on the façades of tombs and mosques.
3 Cusped Arches
Staple of Mughal architecture, derived
from Rajasthani and Bengali styles.
4 Pietra Dura
A hallmark of the Shah Jahan-era
style, where colour ful gem stones are
embedded in white marble to create
elaborate floral or abstract designs.
5 Jalis
Delicately carved marble or sandstone
screens, often used to enclose tombs.
6 Tilework
A technique derived from Persia,
using coloured tiles (usually, but not
exclusively, blue) to decorate domes,
window frames and façades.
7 Charbagh Gardens
The interior of Jamali-Kamali Masjid Persian-style gardens, divided by water
Jamali-Kamali Masjid
0 channels into four equal quadrants.
8 Domes
Completed in 1536 during
Humayun’s first reign (see p19), the Distinctive Persian-style onion domes,
often crowned with dramatic finials.
simple but elegant Jamali-Kamali 9 Chattris
Masjid is Delhi’s finest example of Small, domed pavilions supported
early-Mughal architecture (see p26). on four pillars, com mon in Hindu
architec ture and used on the eaves
and minarets of Mughal buildings.
10 Jharokas
Distinctive balconied windows, often
richly carved – another classic Hindu
feature adopted by the Mughals.






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48 ❯❯ The Top 10 of Everything

Monuments of the 1857
Uprising

















Muslims in the courtyard during daily prayer at Fatehpuri Masjid
Fatehpuri Masjid
Mutiny Monument
1 3
This Chandni Chowk mosque
MAP E1 • Rani Jhansi Road
was a hotbed of religious fervour • Pul Bangash Metro
and nationalist sentiment during the At the southern end of the Northern
1857 Uprising. The British responded Ridge, this grandiose Gothic-style
by sacking the mosque and sell ing it Victorian monument, built in 1863,
to a local business man, although two commemorates the British soldiers
decades later they bought it back (and “native” troops in British
and returned it to Delhi’s Muslim employ) killed during the uprising,
community. A num ber of Indian with panels listing the names, ranks
soldiers killed in the uprising lie and numbers of military fatalities.
buried in the court yard (see p15). An additional panel, added in 1972,
offers an Indian perspective on the
Flagstaff Tower
2 events described and is worth a look.
MAP B4 • Magazine Road,
British Residency
Northern Ridge • Vidhan Sabha 4
Metro MAP H2 • Sham Nath Marg
Built in 1828 as a British signalling • Kashmiri Gate Metro
post, the tower served as a shelter The old Neo-Classical British
for dozens of civilians fleeing the Residency was built around the ruins
city after the outbreak of hosti lities of a Mughal library erected by Dara
during the 1857 Uprising. Shikoh (1615–59), son of Shah Jahan.
It is now home to the Archaeology
Department of the Guru Gobind
Singh Indraprastha University.
Northern Ridge
5
North of Old Delhi, the
northern extension of the Aravalli
Range forms a long, low ridge. This
is where the refugees from Delhi
converged during the 1857 Uprising,
and where British forces gathered
before launching an assault to
The exterior of Flagstaff Tower recapture the city (see p88).




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