So called because of the red stone with which it is built, the Red Fort is one of the most magnificent palaces in the world. India's history is also closely linked with this fort. It was frorth here ht the British deposed the last Mughal ruler, Bhadur Shah Zafar, marking the end of the three century long Mughal rule. It was also fromits ramparts that the first prime. Minister of India, pandit Jawharlal Nehru, announced to the nation that India was free form colonial rule.

The mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, after ruling from Agra for elleven years, decided to shift to Delhi and laid the foundation stone of the Red Fort in 1618. For its inauguration in 1647, the main halls of the palace were draped in rich tapestry and covered with silk from china and velvet from Turkey. With a circumference of almost one and a half miles, the fort is an irregular octagon and has two entrances, the Lahore and Delhi Gates.

Form the Lahore Gate, a visitor has access to the Chatta Chowk (vaulted arcade ) which as once a royal market and housed court jewelers, miniature painters carpet manufacturers, workers in enamel, silk weavers and families of specialized craftsmen. The road from the royal market leads to the Nawabarkhana (band house) where the royal band played five times a day. The band house also marks the entry into the main palace and all visitors, except royalty had to dismount here. The Diwani-I-Am is the Red Fort's hall of public audience.

Built of sandstone covered with shell plaster polished to look like ivory, the 80 x 40 feet hall is sub-divided by columns. The Mughal emperors would hold court here and meet dignitaries and foreign emissaries. The most imposing feature of the Diwqani-I-Am is the alcove in the back wall where the emperor sat in state on a richly carved and inlaid marble platform. In the recess behind the platform are fine examples of Italian pietra-dura work. The piece de resistance of the fort, the Diwan-I-Khas was the hall of private audience.

The most highly ornamented of all Shah Jahan's buildings, the 90 x 67 feet Diwani-I-Khas is a pavilion of white marble supported by intricately carved pillars. So enamoured was the emperor by the beauty of this pavilion that he engraved on it the following words: If there is paradise on the face of this earth, it is this, it is this." Richly decorated with flowers of inlaid mosaic work of cornelian and other stones, the Diwan-I-Khas once housed the famous Peacock Throne, which when it was plundered by Nadir Shah in 1739, was valued at six million sterling. Residence of the senior queens, the Rang Mahal (hall of colours ) has a central hall surrounded by six apartments.

The apartments are assured privacy by intricately carved screens which do not hinder the free flow of fresh air and light. The stream of paradise flows through the main hall, and is marked in the centre by a huge lotus shaped marble basin with an ivory fountain. Constructed by Emperor Aurangzeb in 1662 as his private mosque Moti Masjid (pearl mosque) is built with highly polished marble. The mosque is a good example of the Mughal fetish for symmetry with cusped arches, sinuous decorative designs, carved cornices and bulbous domes. Other building of interest in the Red Fort complex are the Musamman Burg (Octagonal tower), Khwabgah (bedroom) and the Hammam (royal baths).

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Gurdwara Sis Ganj, a Sikh pilgrimage, was built on the land where the Mughals in 1675 AD. martyred the Sikh Guru Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur.

It is believed that the ninth Guru Tegh Bahadur was murdered along with three of his disciples, it was raining very heavily. Because of the fear of the Mughals nobody came to pick the bodies up that night. The next day the head of the Guru was taken to Anandpur Sahib and the body to where Gurdwara Rakab Ganj is now situated.

A century later a devotee named Baba Baghel Singh searched and found this place and had this place of worship constructed here.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib embraced martyrdom in Delhi on November 11th, 1675. Bhai Jaita and his associates brought his head to Chakk Nanaki. The cremation of the head of Guru Sahib was held here on November 17th, 1675. The trunk of that tree under which the Guru was martyred and the well where he took his daily bath while in prison are preserved here to this day.

It is believed that the night Guru Tegh Bahadur was murdered along with three of his disciples it was raining very heavily. Because of the fear of the Mughals nobody came to pick the bodies up that night. The next day the head of the Guru was taken to Anandpur Sahib and the body to where Gurdwara Rakab Ganj is now situated. A century later a devotee named Baba Baghel Singh searched and found this place and had this place of worship constructed here.

Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib embraced martyrdom in Delhi on November 11th, 1675. Bhai Jaita and his associates brought his head to Chakk Nanaki. The cremation of the head of Guru Sahib was held here on November 17th, 1675. The trunk of that tree under which the Guru was martyred and the well where he took his daily bath while in prison are preserved here to this day.

When Guru Gobind Singh Sahib left Anandpur Sahib, on the night of December 5th and 6th, 1705, he visited this place and appointed Bhai Gurbakhsh Das Udasi as caretaker of this shrine and began his final journey. It is believed that the central pedestal of this shrine is the oldest structure of Chakk Nanaki-Anandpur Sahib

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Location : Near Safdarjung Airport,Delhi
Memorial Of : Mirza Muquim Abul Mansur Khan
Area : 300-Sq-Metre
Built In : 1753-54
After the death of Aurangzeb, the only significant structures raised were the Tomb of Safdarjung, who was the prime minister of Delhi under Muhammad Shah. Built in 1753-1754, the tomb lies at the head of Lodi road.
Described as the "last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture" it is clearly decadent in style. Mehrauli village also has the Zafar Mahal, a summer place of the last Mughal. The memorial was built by Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah who was the son of Mirza Muqim Abul Mansur Khan popularly known as Safdarjung (1739-54)who was the governor of the province of Awadh under Muhammad Shah (1719-48) and later became his prime minister.

The tomb is roughly on the plans of Humayun's tomb, though much scaled down.It is set in the middle of an extensive garden, which spreads over an area of over 300-sq-metre. The garden itself is on the pattern of the Mughal 'Chaharbagh' style. In the center piling up with effortless arrogance is the massive gateway to the enclosure which rises to two levels. Inside there is the tomb, the courtyard and a mosque.

On either side are beautiful pavilions known as "Moti Mahal" or the pearl palace, "Jangli Mahal" or the sylvan palace and "Badshah Pasand" or the emperor's favorite. The mausoleum built with red sandstone and buff stone is faced with marble and stands squarely in the middle of a garden. There are two graves here, one of Safdarjung and the other presumably his wife's. The square central chamber of the mausoleum is surrounded by eight rooms all around. All the apartments, except the corner ones are rectangular in shape, the corner ones being octagonal. The dome of the tomb rises from a sixteen-sided base. The tomb has been criticized for its weakness in proportions hence a lack of balance in its make-up.

It is 5 km to the S-West from Connaught Place at Arvind Marg on the way to Kutub. Between 1753-74, Nawab Suja-ud-Dulla erected Safdarjung on the graveyard of Nawab of Ayodhya Mirza Mukim Abul Mansur Khan, like the tomb of Humayun. In the middle of Mughal Garden Charbagh, it is the last tomb or graveyard of 40 ft high. On the 4 sides, there are 4 stone made Azan Minar. In the courtyard, there is rose garden. Beside it, mini airport, Safdarjung of Delhi Flying Club is located. In 1980, Sanjay Gandhi died in an air crash in this airport. Adjacent to the south, there is the battle field, where Mahammad Shah Tughlak was defeated by Taimur in 12 Dec, 1398

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Dedicated to the Goddess Kali, this temple is located in Kalkaji near Nehru Place Bus Terminal. The oldest part of this temple was built in 1764. In 1816, Mirza Raja Kedar Nath, the Peshkar of Akbar II made some more additions to the existing shrine. This temple with a lofty pyramidal dome attracts thousands of devotees during Navratras and also after the harvest of wheat crop.

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Janpath is one of the busiest roads in New Delhi. Tourism Dept Office of Govt of India is at 88 Janpath. You may seek their assistance Monday to Friday from 9-00 to 18-00 and on Saturday from 9-00 to 13-00. Sunday closed. Janpath meets Rajpath going further south. To the east of Rajpath is India Gate and to the west is Parliament House and Rashtrapati Bhawan. To the further south there is the posh area of New Delhi - Defence Colony, Lodhi Colony, Greater Kailash, Basanta Bihar etc. Indira Gandhi International Airport is towards further S-West from Rajpath via Dalhousie Rd/Sardar Patel Marg/Parade Rd. On the way various foreign Consulates and Embassies there is Diplomatic Enclave Chanakyapuri. Many star hotels are also located in Chanakyapuri

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A marvellous piece of architecture which can be admired only from outside on account of security restrictions. Close to Rashtrapathi Bhavan, it is domed almost circular structure about a kilometer in circumference, and was designed by the famed architect Lutyens. It is the seat of the Indian Parliament and during the sessions of Parliament there is a flurry of activity in and around the structure. Although another large and imposing buliding, Sansad Bhawan, the Indian Parliament builiding, stands almost hidden and virtually unnoticed at the end of Sansad Marg, just north of Rajpath. The buliding is a circular colonnaded structure 171m in diameter.  Its relative physical insignificance in the grand scheme of New Delhi shows how the focus of power has shifted from the viceroy's residence, which was given pride of place during the time of British Raj when New Delhi was conceived.

Permits to visit the parliament and sit in the public gallery are available from the reception office on Raisina Rd, but you'll need a letter of introduction from your embassy.

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The Rashtrapati Bhavan is the official residence of the President of the country. Designed by Lutyens, it was the official residence of the Viceroy when the British ruled India. With 340 rooms and an area of about 330 acres, it is an imposing structure and a tourist's delight. The pillars and the porticos are an architect's marvel and so are the Durbar Hall and the Ashoka Hall within the complex. Although special permission has to be obtained to visit the complex, the Mughal Gardens within the complex are a treat for the eyes and are open to the public during certain periods of the year.

The official residence of the President of India stands at the opposite end of the Rajpath from India Gate. Completed in 1929, the palace-like builiding ia an interesting blend of Mughal and western architectural styles, the most obvious Indian feature being the huge copper dome. To the west of the building is a Mughal Garden that occupies 130 hectaares. This garden is only open to the public in Febuary and early March; book through the Government of India tourist office on Janpath.

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Sir Edwin Lutyens was the designer behind the building and the gardens. Lutyens’ original idea was to lay down two separate gardens, one for the Viceroy and the other for the public. However, he ended up designing the Mughal Garden for Lady Harding.

After carefully studying the Persian and Indian miniatures as well as the gardens at Taj Mahal in Agra and Shalimar Gardens in Lahore and Srinagar, Lutyens combined the formal Mughal style with that of an English garden. The gardens are a beautiful blend of Mughal canals and terraces at different levels and European flower beds, lawns and privet hedges.

W. R. Mustoe, O.B.E of the Horticultural Department was responsible for all the planting done in the gardens in the initial years. With his help, Lutyens was able to transform a desert into an oasis by 1929, when the building was ready for occupation.

The Garden's Features
The gardens comprise three parts: the first is the 'Rectangular Garden' immediately behind the main building. The second is the 'Long Garden', which leads on to the third section – the 'Circular Garden'.

Lutyens combined the soft English borders, small flower beds and lawns to produce a virtual paradise. The skeleton is formed of four waterways, two north to south and two running from square basins immediately below the windows of the main house. In these basins and at the four intersections are the unique fountains consisting of three-tiers of huge red-sandstone discs that draw inspiration from lotus leaves.

The slotted margins of the lotus leaves direct the water flow from step to step in alternating falls. From the four waterways a network of lesser channels extend to other areas. The waterways are patterned with red-sandstone edges and plots of lawns alternating with chequered flower beds – creating a wonderfully landscaped garden.

The garden spreads westwards from the Rectangular Garden to the Circular Garden through the Long Garden, which is the only part of the garden with no water channels. Over here, Lutyens designed a delightful Pergola, on which bougainvillaea creepers grow. On the sides, it has separate beds of roses with small trimmed hedges of Ingadulets, creating an effect of coloured knots on a vast carpet.

The gardens end quite simply in the round pool in the middle of a sunken circle. Around the pool are massed segmental and tiered flower beds attracting butterflies. This part is the Circular Garden, also called Pearl Garden and Butterfly Garden.

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Another national museum has been built at 1 Safdarjung Rd in memorium of Indira Gandhi, on May 27, 1985. Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own body guard on 31 Oct, 1984. A glass cage has covered the spot where her body fell down. Before being bullet sprayed in from point blank range, Indira was on her way along the garden road out of her residence.
At that place Czechoslovak Govt made a artificial water flow by crystal on steel plate of 33´25 m. The crystal stream on the steel plate is designed and planned by the Czech architect Jaroslav Mirich.
3 rooms are full with articles which were in use by Indira. Photographs of Indira are also there. The blood-stained sari and other dress materials of Indira are chemically preserved in the museum. You may go inside the private chambers to view reading room, dinning room, Dewan-i-Aam, Dewan-i-Khas etc. Except Monday open everyday from 10-00 to 17-00 3010094..

The Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum is devoted to the first and only women Prime Minister yet. It is situated in New Delhi at her former residence. The house stands amidst a beautiful garden full of mature trees and pretty fragrant flowers. No alterations have been done to Indira's library and living room and has been maintained to look the same as she had left them on the fateful day of October 31, 1984, when she was killed by her own Sikh bodyguards while she was strolling in the gardens. The public is not allowed to enter these rooms but one can have a peek inside the rooms from the windows that open out in the gardens. The path where she was assassinated is pictured here as a memorial. There is a rare collection of photographs that documents the life of this, one of the most prominent leaders in India, from her childhood to her days as Prime Minister. The house also has a number of rooms that have been decorated to her son Rajiv Gandhi, who was himself immensely popular among the masses when he was a Prime Minister and even after that until he was assassinated in May 1991.

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Located in the Jaipur House near India Gate. The building was the palace of the Maharaja of Jaipur. It has around 4,000 paintings of modern artists and also included are graphics and sculptures. The gallery arranges special exhibitions for those who wish to exhibit their works. Rabindranath, Abanindranath, Nanadalal Bose, Jamini Roy, Amrita Shergil and other's creative works are on display. This gallery has a huge collection of art and literature and journal on art and culture and painting of old and modern schooling. At Chanakyapuri behind Bhutan House, except Monday and national holidays, in the months of April to September daily between 9-30 to 19-00 and Oct-March Open from 10-00 to 17-00. The gallery also houses a library which can be used by museum, which is open from 1000 hours to 1700 hours, is closed on all holidays and observes Monday as its weekly off.

This Gallary stands near India Gate at the eastern end of Rajpath, and was formerly the Delhi residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur. It houses an excellent collection of works by both Indian and colonial artists.

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