Top 5 Tourist Attractions in Delhi

Being the national capital and the 3^rd largest city of India, Delhi has acquired the position of being India’s political hub since ancient times. Delhi is studded with edifice and mementos of the seventeenth and nineteenth century which is enough to give the world a fair idea about the bygone era of India.

Lal Quila of Delhi (Red Fort in English)

Shah Jahan was the famous Mughal emperor who started and completed the construction of classic Lal Quila in 1639 A.D. This unique fort of Delhi has many types of developments added on after its construction by Shah Jahan. The significant phases of Red Fort’s development were carried on by Emperor Aurangzeb and later Mughal emperors. This famous historical monument lies along the ghats of Yamuna River of Delhi and its northeastern walls are adjacent to another famous fort, the Salimgarh. Purana Quila displays the very high level of ornamental work and art form of Ancient India. After looking at the beautiful engravings and art work, one can estimate that creativity had a special place in the life of people at that time. This famous fort is one of the best tourist attractions in Delhi. Red Fort consists of The Hammam (bathing area), Shah Burj (an octagonal tower), Khas Mahal (emperor’s palace), Diwan-e Khas (hall of private audience), and Rang Mahal (palace of colors) of Mumtaz Mahal. The art work in Red Fort is a mixture of Hindustani (Indian), Persian, and European art which combined together to form the development of unique Shahjahani style of art that is rich in form, expression, and color. Lal Qila has two gates, one called as Lahore Gate and other called as Delhi Gate, for entrance. Like other tourist attractions in Delhi, Red Fort in Delhi attracts millions of travelers around the world to Delhi.

Entry Free: Entry in Red Fort is totally free on Fridays. On all other days, fee is just 10 rupees per Indian National and 150 rupees per foreign national.

Visiting Time: Fort is closed on Mondays and on other days, visiting time in Red Fort is 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Camera Charges: 25 rupees

Qutub Minar in Delhi (Qutb Minaret in English)

This famous mosque in Delhi is the tallest brick minaret on earth. It is an important landmark of Delhi and is also one of the finest store towers in India. Qutub Minar is 234 feet high from ground level which makes it the highest unique tower in the world. Qutb-ud-din Aibak was the first Muslim of India who initiated the orders for construction of this minaret in 1193 but it was in 1386 when Firuz Shah Tughluq was able to complete the construction of topmost storey of this minaret. Qutb Minar was built in celebrations of Muhammad Ghori’s victory over Rajputs. Qutub Minar has been built in red sandstone and has inscriptions of verses from the Holy Quran. It is one of the earliest and most notable examples of Indo-Islamic architecture around the world. Qutb Minar is located in Qutub Complex which is a large area comprising of many ancient and medieval structures and their ruins.

Connaught Place Metro Station is the nearest best public transport available to reach this place. You can also hire a cab or an autorikshaw to reach Qutub Minar near Mehrauli village.

Entry Free: Entry in Qutub Minar is 250 rupees.

Visiting Time: It is open on all days from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Camera Charges: 25 rupees

Mughal Gardens in Delhi

Spread over 13 acres of land in Delhi, Mughal Gardens is amongst the most popular gardens in Delhi. This famous garden is located between President’s House (Rashtrapati Bhawan). The Mughal Garden was initially designed by Sir Edwin Lutynes for Lady Harding in Delhi. This beautiful garden is divided into three sections, long, circular, and rectangular gardens. Mughal Gardens in Delhi is a mixture of British Garden concept and formal Mughal style. The gardens are beautified with Mughal style fountains, terraces, and canals. Mughal Gardens in Delhi have a variety of lovely trees and beautiful flowers including bougainvillea, roses, sweet William, marigold, viscaria, and many more.

Entry Free: Entry in Mughal Gardens is totally free for all.

Visiting Time: It is open on all days except Mondays and opens from 09:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Camera Charges: Nil.

Iskcon Temple in Delhi

Iskcon temple in Sant Nagar, East of Kailash Delhi is devoted to Lord Krishna. It is one of the most lavish and grand temples in Delhi built recently in 1998. Iskon temple is a fine example of modern Indian and Russian art and architecture. This famous temple located at Hari Krishna Hill in Sant Nagar sports “Shikharas” that rise up to 90 feet above ground level. Beautiful paintings by Russian artists depict events and lives of Hindu mythological Gods, Sita-Ram, Radha-Krishna, Laxman, Hanuman, and Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. On every Sunday afternoon, special sermons and prayers are held in this temple. This elegant temple is built by the followers of Hare-Rama, Hare-Krishna cult and remains open on all day from 4:30 in morning to 12 p.m. and from 4 in the evening to 9 p.m. There is also a museum located inside the temple where one can learn the philosophy and teachings of Ramayana and Mahabharata with the help of multimedia shows. Bhajans, sermons, and aartis are a regular feature of this highly devotional temple of Lord Krishna. On the eve of Janmashtami (birthday of Lord Krishna), several devotees from Delhi NCR visit this temple. Also, Iskcon temple is famous among foreign nationals who come to spend a vacation in Delhi.

Entry Free: Entry in Iskcon Temple is totally free for all.

Visiting Time: It is open on all days and time mentioned above.

Rail Museum of Delhi

The National Rail Museum of Delhi is located in Chanakyapuri. This place is a must see attraction for rail buffs. There are several models of old train engines and coaches displayed in this museum. The pride of National Rail Museum is India’s very first train which was a steam engine that covered its journey from Bombay to Thane in 1853 at the time of British Raj in India. The locomotives and rail engines are all displayed in open although there is a special museum as well which provides abundance of information on the history of railways in India. The vintage displays of National Rail Museum include the Viceregal Dining Car (1889) - a still working oldest locomotive on earth. Other old locomotives include Maharaja of Baroda’s Saloon from 1886, Prince of Wales Saloon from 1875, Maharaja of Mysore’s Saloon (1899). The elaborated interior design inside the royal saloon mentioned above is a must see attraction of this museum but to enter a royal saloon of any Maharaja or Prince, one has to purchase a ticket. The star attraction of Rail Museum of Delhi is the Fairy Queen locomotive built in 1855. The Fairy Queen locomotive is still known to be the best preserved steam locomotives of the era. There is also a miniature rail track ride available for pleasure of kids in the museum.

Indraprastha Metro Station is the nearest best public transport available to reach this place. You can also hire a cab or an autorikshaw to reach Rail Museum in Chankyapuri.

 Entry Free: Entry in National Rail Museum is totally free for all.

Visiting Time: From April to September from 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and from October to March from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.