Architecture & History

 

• The ancient name of the city of Delhi is believed to be Indraprastha capital of the empire ruled by Pandavas in the days of the most heard epic of Mahabharata.

 

• The scattered remains are still found in the Old Fort situated near the bank of river Yamuna.

 

• Delhi, enjoys the status of being the capital of India. It has been the center of power and control by some of the most powerful emperors of India.

 

• Old Delhi also known as Shahjahanabad is classified as Walled City , which had glittering market place set up by the city's traders and merchants embraced by Mughal Emperor

 

• Shah Jahan in 1639. It remained the capital of the Mughals until the end of the Mughal dynasty.

 

• The Architecture of Delhi is a collection of various architectural splendors brought to India by Delhi Sultanate, Mughal Empire. Rajput kingdom and British Raj also played an important role of making Delhi, a center of attraction for art and architecture.

 

• Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker are the cherished architect and city planners of New Delhi in the foothill of Aravalli range. The city was designed to enable control on the city.

 

• Mughal architecture is characterized by large domes on the top, the extensive use of white marble and easily available red sandstone, delicate ornamental design carvings, and buildings surrounded by gardens on all sides.

 

• In modern days, there are skyscapper buildings made of bricks and mortar decorated with adventurous architecture found in the commercial centers and amusement centers to make best utility of space due to scarcity of land inside the city.

 

 

 

Demographic Location

 

 

• Delhi is located in the Northern part of India. State of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh share the territorial bouundaries with Delhi. There are two major geographical features of Delhi namely, the Yamuna flood plains and the Delhi ridge.

 

• The Aravalli range foothill covers the landscape of the city. There are scattered rocky spots and large variety of green vegetation in the city.

 

• The terrain is generally hilly with several rock gardens.

 

• The city was gifted with 7 lakes and water reservoirs. River Yamuna basin passes through the city which provides source of drinking and usable water.

 

• Delhi is surrounded by villages and farm lands with the great network of highways crossing through the city.

 

• The Himalayan mountain range is not far which makes the winters extremely cold in winters.

 

• Delhi Ridge, is a vast stretch of green vessel situated in the Northern Aravalli Leopard Wildlife corridor.

 

• The ridge consists of Quartzite rocks and is located in Tughlaqabad , near the Bhatti mines.

 

 

 

People, Rituals and Language

 

 

• Hindi is the most popular language amongst the people of Delhi. Some prefer talking in Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu, and others.

 

• Though spoken English is the choice of almost everyone in the city.

 

• The vernacular Hindi evolved during the rule of the Mughals with influence from Persian, Arabic and numerous Hindustani dialects.

 

 

Season and Climate

 

• The climate of Delhi is a mixture of Sub tropical Humid showered by moderate to heavy monsoon rains and semi-arid climate.

 

• Rains occur in Summers and Winters to add velocity of life in the city.

 

• The High pressure belt created due to heavy cold air makes Delhi a place for thick collection of fog/smog and haze during the winter season.

 

• The city experiences extreme heat and cold due to long distance from the sea.

 

 

Culture & Education

 

• Delhi is one of the high-power ancient regions, which has regained and improved cultural beauty throughout history with different empires controlling it.

 

• One side of Delhi is still with the ancient style architecture, old winding lanes, age-old markets, and traditional communities. This Old Delhi is still holding its traditional values whereas New Delhi is getting flourished with modernization. This diversity in culture makes Delhi, a most prominent tourist attraction.

 

• Hinduism was practiced in this region.

 

• However, during the 12th century, the invaders from middle-western and middle-eastern regions started to invade India.

 

• They came to this region in search of wealth, land and food. Invaders from Turkey, Persia and Mogolia tried to capture Delhi to control power in the region.

 

• Qutub Minar is considered to be the first Islamic structure along with a mosque in India. The main aim of the mosque was to show the entrance of Islam into India.

 

• Hinduism is still followed by Islam, Sikhism and then Christianity.

 

• Women wear salwar kameez or saree. The male population wear sherwani or kurta.

 

• These days, all forms of modern styled attire are in use in Delhi.

 

• The traditional wear had decorations made with gold or silver thread known as zardozi. Several clothing with mirror work, stone works, handprints, cutwork, are popular amongst the people of Delhi.

 

• The traditional dress of the Delhi population has a link with Turko-Persian culture and Turko-Mongol culture.

 

• Top traditional dance forms to enjoy in Delhi are Kathak, folk dance, Bhangra, and even Bharatanatyam.

 

• Top music forms of Delhi are Carnatic, Hindustani, ghazal and others. For dance performances, choose to visit any of the top dance clubs in Delhi.

 

 

 

Fairs And Festivals

 

 

• Delhi has people settled from different parts of the country, who bring many festivals and fairs into Delhi’s culture.

 

• Guru Purab was brought in by Sikhs, Bengalis introduced Durga Puja to Delhi.

 

• Some of the festival and fairs celebrated in Delhi are as follows :

 

• Independence Day – 15th August
• Republic Day – 26th January
• Phoolkwalon –ki-Sair (festival of flowers) – Early October or late September
• Qutub Festival – November or December
• International Mango festival – July
• Diwali – October or November
• Holi – March
• Navaratri or Dusshera – September/ October

 

 

Famous Spots

 

Top visiting attractions of Delhi are as follows :

• Chattarpur Temple
• Qutub Minar
• Lotus Temple
• India Gate and adjoining lawns
• Jama Masjid
• Red Fort
• Humayun's Tomb
• Chandini Chowk
• HauzKas Village
• Rashtrapati Bhawan and Mughal Rose Garden
• Akshardham Temple
• Jantar Mantar
• Rajghat

 

Top Museums to visit in Delhi are :

• National Museum
• Nehru Memorial Museum
• National Handicrafts And Handloom Museum
• National Gallery Of Modern Art
• National Rail Museum
• National Police Museum
• International Doll Museum
• National Science Center

 

Top Gardens in Delhi are :

• Lodhi Garden
• Japanese Park
• Garden of Five Senses
• Deer Park
• Nehru Park

 

Luxury malls of the city are :

• DLF Emporio
• Select City Mall
• Pacific Mall
• DLF Promenda
• D Mall
• Cross River Mall
• Crescent Mall

 

 

 

Aqualife, Flora & Fauna

 

 

• Delhi is home to around 150 species of migrating and local birds.

 

• Some of common species of birds found in the wild regions are the Rufous Treepie, the Indian Grey Hornbill, the Coppersmith Barbet, Green Parrot, Green Pigeons, Indian Sparrow, Nightingale and Woodpecker.

 

• The Ridge serves as the "Oxygen bowl" of the city, and protects Delhi from the hot winds of the deserts from adjoining areas of Rajasthan and Haryana.

 

• The Ridge belt surrounding Delhi enables th city to be the world's second most preferred destination of the migrating birds in the world.

 

Wild animals that live in the wild parts of Delhi are as follows:

• Leopard
• Jaguar
• Indian Crested Porcupine
• Fox
• Golden Jackal
• Blackbuck
• Neelgai
• Black Bear