Delhi Tourism

Memorials in Delhi

Delhi being the capital of the country is home to many memorials that are erected to pay homage to the great leaders of the nation. Today these memorials are important tourist places. Many people from different parts of the country and abroad visit these memorials.

Raj Ghat is the most popular memorial in Delhi. The memorial was set up in honor of the Father of the Nation-Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated on 31 January 1948. The memorial is located on the Ring Road on the way to ISBT and is about four kilometres away from Janpath. The memorial is made in black stone and his last words 'Hey Ram' are inscribed on it.

Teen Murti Bhawan is another beautiful memorial in Delhi. Built as a residence for the British Commander Chief in India, it was the official residence of the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. After his death, the residence was converted into a memorial.

Shanti Vana, located near Raj Ghat is the memorial of the first prime minister of India-Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.

The other memorials that you can visit in Delhi are Vijay Ghat (Lal Bahadur Shastri, 2nd Prime Minister of India), Kisan Ghat (Chaudhary Charan Singh, the great farmer leader), Vir Bhoomi (Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister) and Shakti Sthala is the memorial of the first woman Prime Minister of India-Indira Gandhi.

Lakshmi Narayan Temple
Popularly known as Birla Mandir, it is a large Hindu temple built in 1938. People of all faiths can enter and worship but one must walk barefoot into the courtyard and further on.

Lotus Temple
Otherwise known as the Lotus Temple, the modern Baha’i Temple has often been compared to the Sydney Opera House. Giant white petals of Rajasthani Macrana marble open out from nine pools and walkways in the shape of an unfolding lotus, symbolizing the nine spiritual paths of the Baha’i faith. Inside, the central hall rises to a height of over 30m (98ft), without the visible support of any columns. Visitors should take their shoes off before entering.

Lal Quila (Red Fort)
The Red Fort’s massive curtain wall and battlements dominate the skyline of Old Delhi. Inside, the bastions – built, like the nearby Jama Masjid, by Shah Jahan – are an range of exquisite 17th-century Mughal buildings, which provided the living quarters for the Emperor, his courtiers and family. The flawless balance and proportion of these buildings, as well as the intricate decoration, is wonderful to behold and in complete contrast to the military might of the fort itself. Sadly, the water conduits that would once have cooled the dwellings and gardens are now dry. The Lahore Gate, on the west side of the fort, was a potent symbol in the fight for Independence and is still regarded as a shrine of the Republic.

Humayun's Tomb
The Tomb was built by Humayun's widowed Queen Haji Begum, in the 16th century AD. Architecturally the forerunner of the Taj Mahal, it stands in Nizamuddin which shows the Mughal architecture at its best.

Jama Masjid
Built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the Jama Masjid is the largest mosque in India. The mosque was built in 1656 AD and about 5,000 labourers and craftsmen toiled for six years to complete the beautiful monument. The Jama Masjid is a fine example of the Mughal architecture. The mosque can accommodate about 25,000 people.Located in the old Delhi area, the Jama Masjid is an important tourist attraction in Delhi. The red sandstone and white marble strips are a delight to watch in the mosque. The two minarets, four towers and three gateways of the mosque are beautifully designed. The domes of the mosque are built in white marble. The prayer hall of the mosque has 260 pillars, which support 15 marble domes. The arched gateway and wide staircase are other important features of Jama Masjid.

Qutub Minar
The Qutb Minar is a huge tower, started at the end of the 12th century, to commemorate the Muslim conquest of Delhi. Standing 72.5m (238ft) tall, it is built of fluted red sandstone and decorated with calligraphy representing verses from the Koran. The top two levels are faced in white marble. So anxious were the new rulers of Delhi to erect a mosque, they shamelessly pilfered 27 Hindu and Jain temples for building materials. Many of pillars that surround the courtyard are carved with Hindu iconography, which is curiously at odds with the Islamic calligraphy of the Muslim prayer screens.

India Gate
India Gate is a majestic high arch, 42 meters high, built as a memorial to the Indian soldiers killed in the World War I. Beneath it burns an eternal flame. From the base of the arch one can get a good view of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Jantar Mantar
Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observatory with masonry instruments, built in 1724 by Jai Singh, the mathematician and astronomer king. The Samrat or Yantra supreme - the largest structure shaped like a right-angled triangle, is actually a huge sun-dial; the other five instruments are intended to show the movements of the sun, moon, etc.

The National Museum
For a museum that was built in 1960, the National Museum has an extraordinarily rich collection. It begins with prehistory, going on to the classical period of Indian art, then on through galleries of miniature painting, textiles, decorative art, arms, tribal art, Central Asian antiquities, costumes and musical instruments. The museum remains open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all days except Mondays.

Parliament House
This circular shaped colonnaded building houses the two Houses of Parliament- the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Its domed Central Hall is 90 feet in diameter.