World City Guide

Mini Guide of Delhi

City Overview

Delhi is a daunting city. It sprawls uncontrollably over a vast tract of the Jamuna plain, its population (13.8 million at the last count) is a seething mass of humanity and its poverty and pollution challenge the sensibilities and respiratory systems of even the most hardened travellers. Those who look beyond the squalor that envelops much of the city, the thundering traffic, the acrid smog and the constant demands of the hustlers will find delights at every turn - historical, architectural, floral and culinary - quite apart from the vivid colour, eastern eccentricity and restless vibrancy that give Delhi its spirit.

Delhi has been the capital of India since Independence in 1947, but even before that, the British moved their capital here from Calcutta in 1911. For much of its history, Delhi was the centre of power of the various Muslim dynasties that ruled swathes of the subcontinent from the 12th century onwards. Modern Delhi is really two cities: Old Delhi, packed into the narrow, filthy streets beneath the Red Fort's imposing walls, and New Delhi, which is its polar opposite, complete with the grandiose Imperial citadel, broad, leafy boulevards and well-spaced bungalows, as laid out by Lutyens and Baker in the 1920s. Old Delhi, built by Shah Jahan in the 17th century, is only the latest of seven cities that have existed in this location since the Muslims first arrived. Around New Delhi, particularly in the area known as Transjamuna, across the river from the Old City, are the suburbs and slums that have sprung up to accommodate a population that has increased, more by migration than by natural increment, by 46% between 1991 and 2001 (latest figure available). This population explosion has brought greater poverty and more wretched degradation in its wake - 45% of Delhi’s inhabitants live in slum accommodation and there are beggars on every street corner. In India, literacy rates are improving sharply, but in Delhi, illiteracy continues, marginally, to grow.

As well as being a starting-point for visiting Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal, or the cities and forts of Rajasthan, Delhi itself has much to offer. The architectural legacy of the Islamic conquerors is rich and varied, the colonial centre is imposingly impressive; there are some interesting museums and the city’s bazaars and shops offer a bewildering array of goods, from spices and silks to car spare parts. The city’s restaurants tempt the visitor with a wide variety of delicious food, which by Western standards is mostly very reasonably priced.

Summer in Delhi is best avoided. From mid-April, the temperature rises inexorably. For much of May, June and July the thermometer is stuck at around 45C (113F), before the monsoon brings some relief. The best time to visit is February or March.

Despite its long history, Delhi as a city is in fact very young. At partition in 1947, Delhi was radically and permanently changed, more or less overnight. With the creation of a predominately Hindu India and an exclusively Muslim Pakistan, there was a mass migration of peoples in both directions and sectarian bloodletting on a horrifying scale. Having been largely Muslim, before 1947, at Partition Delhi became a Hindu and Sikh, Punjabi-speaking city. At the same time, the population virtually doubled, despite the mass exodus of Muslims. This astonishing, artificial demographic change does much to explain Delhi’s brashness and insecurity - in many respects, it is a city that is only half a century old.

Getting There By Air

Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)
Tel: (011) 2565 2011.
Website: http://delhiairport.com

Indira Gandhi International Airport is located 23km (14 miles) southwest of central Delhi and is the main international gateway to India. Passengers flying to Indian destinations beyond Delhi should be aware that the domestic terminal at Palam (tel: (011) 2567 5126) is located some 5km (3.1 miles) away from the international terminal.

Approximate flight times to Delhi: From London is 8 hours 25 minutes; from New York is 16 hours; from Los Angeles is 24 hours; from Toronto is 18 hours and from Sydney is 17 hours.

Airport facilities: These include foreign exchange (but no ATM), tourist information counter, snack bars, a bookshop, duty-free shops, a restaurant and resting rooms. Car hire is available from outside the customs halls at both Domestic and International Arrivals, however, there is no facility for hiring self-drive cars at the airport, as self-drive cars are not generally available in India.

Transport to the city: Although metered taxis are available outside the airport, it is far easier to pre-book at one of the many taxi counters in the arrivals area. The journey to central Delhi should take 30-45-minutes. The Delhi Traffic Police Pre-Paid Taxi Booth issues a ticket, which is given to the allocated driver in lieu of a cash payment. Hotels and travel agents can, by prior agreement, arrange airport transfer by taxi.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

For those willing to brave Delhi’s notorious roads, driving is, in principle, on the left and foreign drivers must be over 18 and in possession of an International Driving Permit. Beyond that, there are few rules that are either adhered to or enforced. The consensus is that it is far safer to use taxis or hire a car with a driver for longer journeys. National Highways are designated by a number.

The legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.03%. Third party insurance is mandatory as per the Indian Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. Those intending to take their own car to India must obtain a carnet from one of the international motoring associations (such as RAC or AA) before entering the country. This document represents an undertaking that the car will not remain in India for more than six months. Most European motor insurance policies do not extend to India and motorists are advised to seek cover from an Indian insurer, as insurance is compulsory.

Automobile Association of Upper India (tel: (011) 2696 5397; website: www.aaui.org) provides further information.

Emergency breakdown service: The AAUI provides a 24-hour breakdown service.

Routes to the city: Five National Highways pass through Delhi, making the city a hub of the country’s road system. The most important of these are the Grand Trunk Road (National Highway 1) from Amritsar in the north, Mathura Road from Agra in the south, National Highway 2 from Calcutta in the east, and Gurgaon Road or National Highway 8 from Jaipur in the west. The construction of a peripheral expressway to the west of the city, linking it more efficiently to the national road network, has been proposed.

Approximate driving times to the city: From Agra - 2 hours 15 minutes; Jaipur - 2 hours 45 minutes; Amritsar - 4 hours 45 minutes.

Coach services: Delhi is linked by bus services (air conditioned, deluxe and ordinary) to all major destinations in northern India. The Interstate Bus Terminus (ISBT) (tel: (011) 2386 8836), at Kashmir Gate, north of Old Delhi railway station, is the terminus for all intercity bus services. Facilities include left-luggage, bank, post office, pharmacy and restaurant. There are two other ISBTs in Delhi and together they cater for more than 150,000 passengers and 3300 buses per day. State operators based here include Delhi Transport Corporation (tel: (011) 2386 8836; website: http://dtc.nic.in), Haryana Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 1262), Himachal Pradesh Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 8694), Punjab Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 7842), Rajasthan Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 1246) and Uttar Pradesh Roadways (tel: (011) 2386 8709).

Getting There By Rail

Delhi is the hub of the Indian Railways (tel: (011) 2334 8787 for reservations; website: www.indianrail.gov.in) network. The city has two major railway stations, in New Delhi and Old Delhi. New Delhi station, east of Pahar Ganj (Main Bazaar), is within walking distance of Connaught Place. Main Delhi station (Old Delhi), west of Red Fort, is about 7km (4 miles) from Connaught Place. All stations have basic waiting room and restaurant facilities. Railway stations and trains are notorious for theft and luggage should never be left unattended. There is a recorded information service available (tel: 131).

Rail services: Delhi offers express trains to all parts of the country. One of the most popular services is the Shatabdi Express, which travels to Agra, Lucknow and Chandigarh. Tickets are available for purchase at the International Tourist Bureau (tel: (011) 2334 6804), located at New Delhi station. This service is for foreigners only and the office takes payment in US dollars or pounds Sterling. The main ticket office is at the IRCA building on Chelmsford Road, Pahar Ganj, between New Delhi station and Connaught Place. For a small fee, travel agents take the time-consuming bureaucracy out of the protracted business of booking rail tickets. The Indrail Pass, valid for seven to 90 days allows unlimited travel for the period of validity but does not dispense with the need to make advance reservations.

Transport to the city: There are plenty of bicycle rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and taxis - pre-paid and otherwise - available at both railway stations. Prices should always be agreed in advance.

Getting Around

Public Transport
The first section of the Delhi metro is now in operation: a 8.3 km (5 miles), elevated stretch was opened by the Indian Prime Minister in December 2002. The rest of the first phase, which will extend the system to 62 km (39 miles), is partly overground, partly elevated and partly underground and is expected to be in service by autumn 2005. The necessary construction work, including tunnelling, continues apace. The system is technologically very advanced: fare collection, for example, is done using ‘smart’ cards and tokens. The metro is expected to reduce the dependence of Delhi's population on the car, reduce average commuting times by three-quarters and significantly cut pollution. The estimated cost of the first phase is Rs105.7 billion which has been raised partly through a ‘soft’ loan from the Japanese government and partly through equity investment from the Indian central and the Delhi state governments.

There are also several schemes afoot to improve the flow of traffic in the city, the most important of which is the construction of flyovers. Twelve flyovers have now been completed, while a further 26 are at various stages of the planning process. However, Delhi remains addicted to the car (the number of vehicles registered in the city has increased by 90% since 1991) and congestion, noise and pollution are a constant nuisance.

There are public buses in Delhi (all now converted to CNG or compressed natural gas), although finding a seat is an undertaking that challenges all Western notions of courtesy and personal space. Once on, passengers should be prepared for a numbing, bone-crunching ride. The Delhi Transport Corporation (tel: (011) 2386 8836; website: http://dtc.nic.in) operates a centralised bus network consisting of 814 routes operated by over 2,000 buses. DTC runs two daily tourist bus tours which take in the principal sights of the city (see http://dtc.nic.in for further information). This website also offers an excellent route finding service for the city’s bus network. There is a row of seats on the left of each bus reserved for women, although this rule is observed only on a whim. DTC also operate a night bus service.

A DTC Daily Green Card is available from Scindia House (website: http://dtc.nic.in) or one of 36 other pass sections, including Red Fort, Delhi Gate and Shahdara Terminal.

The easiest way to get around the city is by taxi or auto-rickshaw (see below). Recently the government, in an attempt to tackle the city’s air pollution, forced taxis and auto-rickshaws to convert from petrol to CNG. This apparently has made some statistical impact (Delhi has now moved below Mumbai and Calcutta in the list of India’s most polluted cities) and the areas around even the busiest roads do now feel less polluted. The authorities are also trying to compel Delhi’s taxis and auto-rickshaws to install electronic meters, to counter the widespread overcharging of passengers - according to one recent estimate, Delhi’s commuters are overcharged Rs2 billion, approximately 30 million, annually. Unsurprisingly, the meters are extremely unpopular among the taxi and rickshaw wallahs and are rarely used.

Rickshaws
Auto-rickshaws are open-sided, motorised tricycles, which weave in and out of Delhi’s appalling traffic and can be stopped pretty much anywhere in the city. Visitors should be prepared for an uncomfortable ride as they lurch over the bumps and potholes of Delhi’s roads, at the same level as the exhaust pipes of most lorries and buses. Four- and six-seater motorcycle rickshaws are also available, which run fixed routes at fixed prices, including the route between the Red Fort and Palika Bazaar at Connaught Place. In Old Delhi, bicycle rickshaws are useful for short distances. Fares should be negotiated at the start of the journey. Drivers often expect a tip from foreign tourists and 10% of the fare is satisfactory.

Taxis
Yellow and black Ambassador taxis are readily available, especially at local taxi stands, where taxis can be booked and prices fixed in advance. Taxis can also be booked through hotels. Drivers do not usually expect tips unless they have gone to some trouble on their passenger’s behalf. There is a 100% surcharge between 2300 and 0500. Like auto-rickshaws, there are official rates for taxis but metered prices are generally subject to high surcharges and can be twice as expensive as auto-rickshaws. Fares should be negotiated at the start of the journey.

Driving in the City
Driving in Delhi takes a certain degree of steeliness. The broad boulevards of New Delhi pose few potential hazards. However, negotiating the vehicular chaos that is Old Delhi can test the skills of the most able driver, as bicycles and rickshaws career through the choking traffic of buses, trucks and Ambassadors, not to mention ox carts, lone wandering cows, goats and elephants. Road travel is also subject to the vagaries of VIPs, of which India has an astonishing number, with roads frequently closed for ‘VIP movement’. Night driving can be particularly dangerous, with streets and cars lit only sporadically. Car parks are few and far between and, in general, driving oneself around the city is not recommended.

Car Hire
Service providers include Avis (tel: (011) 2430 4452; website: www.avis.com), located at the Oberoi Hotel, Hertz (tel: (011) 2412 1496; website: www.hertz.com) at Chankyapuri and Wheels Rent A Car (tel: (011) 2331 8695). Most major hotels can also arrange car hire on the visitor’s behalf. An International Driving Permit is essential for driving in India and in most cases the driver must be 25 years or over. Third party insurance is required by law.

Bicycle & Scooter Hire
Cycling in New Delhi can take some courage but it is a good way of getting around the wide boulevards, which are fairly uncrowded and in relatively good condition. However, bicycle rental is hard to come by. Nevertheless, there is a small unnamed shop, in Pahar Ganj, a few doors down from Hotel Vivek, which has bicycles for hire.

Lovers of vintage motorcycles come to India to indulge a penchant for its locally built Enfields. Inder Motors, on Hari Singh Malwa street (tel: (011) 2572 8579; website: www.lallisingh.com), has new and second-hand Enfields for sale, while Lucky Auto Accessories, on Shri Kishan Dass Road, stocks renovated Enfield Bullets.

Business

Business Etiquette
The Indian Hindu greeting is to put both hands together as if in prayer and tilt the head forward. Indian women may prefer not to shake hands, although men will be quite comfortable with it. Language is a very political issue in India, with 18 official languages and 1600 minor languages and dialects. Government policy encourages the use of Hindi, which is widely spoken in Delhi and the north. English is usually sufficient for most business situations.

Corporate entertaining is an important part of Indian business life, making business lunches and dinners a minefield of potential disasters. The first rule is that Indians eat only with the right hand - the left hand may be used to hold a cup or utensil but would not be used to eat or pass food within polite society. Generally, the left hand should be used neither to pass anything nor to point at anyone. Gifts and business cards should be accepted with the right hand or both hands at the same time, as a sign of respect. The other taboo part of the body is the foot. Shoes should be removed when entering a private home and, when sitting, care should be taken to ensure feet are never pointed at anyone.

Indians are very conservative when it comes to dress and women should ensure that they are modestly dressed, with legs and shoulders covered. Trousers are acceptable but short skirts can be offensive. Regardless of how hot it gets, men are expected to wear suits and should remember the country’s British Raj heritage - Indian businessmen still wear blazers for afternoon drinks and dress for dinner. Visitors invited to the hallowed ground of the Gymkhana club, for instance, should bear in mind that anyone not dressed in a jacket and tie is automatically ruled out (and teetotallers are not much favoured either).

It has to be said that New Delhi remains very much attached to the days of the Raj, in more ways than one. The legacy of its political and bureaucratic culture means that business is still conducted according to the rather idiosyncratic Indian Standard Time - the same time zone (GMT + 5.5) applies for all areas of this vast country. Business hours are 0930/1000 to 1730/1800. As in the rest of India, however, Delhi is keen to be hooked up to the online world. Hotels and Internet cafes provide sometimes slow and sporadic connection by satellite; India remains a country where it can be difficult to get a telephone line. Laptops can be used to connect to the Internet but the adapters required for Indian telephone sockets can be hard to come by.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
The best-known sights are the two buildings that dominate Old Delhi, the Red Fort and Jama Masjid. A stroll through the chaotic, raucous, smelly alleyways of the Old City (also known as Shahjahanabad, after the 17th-century Mughal emperor who built it) is a fascinating experience. The bazaars of Chandni Chowk are a riot of colourful exoticism and frenetic activity. The Old City is decaying rapidly but it is still possible to glimpse a mosque here or the courtyard of a proud old townhouse there, hidden behind a shop front.

To the south of Old Delhi and in complete contrast to it, is Rajpath and the buildings on Raisina Hill (Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Secretariat) which form the centrepiece of British New Delhi. After the clamour of the Old City, the calm elegance and baroque vistas of this most splendidly laid-out scheme is a welcome relief. Between Old Delhi and Rajpath is Connaught Place, the arcaded bull’s eye of New Delhi, where shops, banks, bars, restaurants and hotels tout loudly for business.

Heading south once more, through the leafy enclaves of New Delhi (which have an allure all of their own, as they are spacious, shady and lusciously green), the visitor will find the bulk of the ancient monuments of medieval Delhi. Humayun’s Tomb and the Lodhi Gardens are readily accessible from the centre of the city. The Qutb Minar complex, the vast and formidable Tughluqabad and the remains at Haus Khaz are located deeper in the southern suburbs.

The swingeing increases in admission charges to the monuments in the care of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), imposed in October 2000, have now been moderated, as a result of protests from the tourist industry. As before, the new rates apply, somewhat controversially, only to foreigners.

The easiest way for one to get from site to site is by taxi or auto-rickshaw. Sightseeing in Delhi can be exhausting - negotiating the urban sprawl and traffic is a long-drawn-out and tiring business, particularly in the heat. But it is an experience that no traveller will regret.

Tourist Information
Government of India Tourist Office
88 Janpath
Tel: (011) 2332 0005. Fax: (011) 2332 0109.
E-mail: goitodelhi@tourism.nic.in
Website: www.incredibleindia.org
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800, Sat 0900-1400.

Passes
There are no tourist passes currently available in Delhi.

Key Attractions

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 Jehan) are an array 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.

Entrance from Lahori Gate or Chatta Chowk
Opening hours: Tue-Sun dawn-dusk.
Admission charge.

Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid is India’s largest mosque and is one of the masterpieces of the Mughal’s greatest builder, Shah Jehan. A huge courtyard, bounded by an arcade and pierced with three gates, lies in front of the prayer hall, which achieves serenity and peace from the perfect harmony of its arches, domes and spaces. The courtyard, which can accommodate 25,000 worshippers, is dominated by two red-and-white-striped sandstone minarets, 70m (230ft) tall. The energetic visitors who climb the 122 narrow steps to the top will be rewarded with a magnificent view of Delhi, smog and all. Shorts and short-sleeved shirts are not permitted, but wraps can be borrowed.

Matya Mahal, Bho Jala
Tel: (011) 2326 8344.
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk; closed during prayer times.
Free admission for the mosque; there is a charge for the minaret.

Qutb Minar
The Qutb Minar is an immense 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 (now being restored) and decorated with calligraphy representing verses from the Koran. The top two levels are faced in white marble. The Minar rises above a site that is home to the oldest extant Islamic monuments in India. There is the Ala-i-Darwaza, complete with horseshoe-shaped arches, lotus-leaf squinches and elaborate geometric patterns. Next to that, stands the Quwwat-ul-Islam, the first mosque to be built in India. 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. Incongruously, in the centre of the mosque, stands the fourth-century Iron Pillar, bearing inscriptions from the Gupta period. Beyond the mosque is the intricately carved Iltutmish's Tomb.

Qutb Minar complex
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Admission charge.

Rashtrapati Bhavan and Rajpath
Rajpath runs between the Secretariat Buildings and India Arch, the war memorial designed by Lutyens, in 1921. Rajpath is a formal conception, lined with trees, fountains and pools, intended by its architects, Lutyens and Baker, as the epicentre of British India. The Secretariat Buildings combine monumental classical and oriental detail and, while not beautiful, are certainly an imposing statement of colonial power. Rashtrapati Bhavan is an immense palace, supposedly larger than Versailles, which was built as the residence of the Viceroy and is now the official home of the President of India. Every Saturday morning (0935-1015), guards parade before the iron grille gates. While the apartments are private, the gardens are open to the public every year in February/March.

Rajpath
Website: www.presidentofindia.nic.in
Opening hours: By appointment; gardens open daily 0900-1600 (Feb-Mar).
Free admission.

National Museum
It takes a good few hours to get a decent overview of Indian culture at the National Museum, which is filled with exhibits covering over 5,000 years of history. Highlights include excavations from Indus Valley civilisation sites, carved pillars and statues from the Maryan empire (250BC), Gupta terracottas dating from AD400, sandstone figures from Pallava temples, stone and bronze Buddhist statues, Tibetan manuscripts, Naga models and masks, silk paintings from Central Asia, a gallery of 300 musical instruments, and Mughal clothing, tapestries, ornaments and weapons.

Janpath
Tel: (011) 2301 9272.
Website: www.nationalmuseumindia.org
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1000-1700.
Admission charge.

Chandni Chowk
The bazaars that surround Chandni Chowk, in Old Delhi, offer a colourful, heaving and pungent slice of Delhi life, with shops and stalls displaying a spectacular array of goods, from fish and poultry to second-hand goods, gemstones and gold, garlands, turbans, tinsel and spare car parts. They are an unmissable part of any visit to the city. The covered Gadodial Market is the wholesale spice market with an incredible display of aniseed, turmeric, pomegranate, dried mangoes, ginger, saffron, reetha nuts, lotus seeds, pickles, sugars and chutneys. Chawris Bazaar is packed with shops specialising in copper and brass Buddhas, Vishnus and Krishnas.

Chandni Chowk
Website: www.chandnichowk.com
Opening hours: Daily, approximately 1000-1800; most shops closed on Sunday.
Free admission.

Humayun’s Tomb
Often seen merely as a forerunner of the Taj Mahal, Humayun's Tomb is, in its own right, a stunning example of the Mughal architectural style, combining dome, mausoleum and plinth in perfect proportion. The Tomb is set in a square garden designed along Persian lines, shaded and geometric, crisscrossed with waterways and paths. In the grounds, there are some other monuments, including the Tomb of Isa Khan. The gardens, in particular the watercourses and pools, have recently been magnificently restored, thanks to the generosity of the Aga Khan’s Trust, and now the visitor will get a vivid impression of what the Tomb and its gardens would have looked like in their pomp.

Lodhi Road and Mathura Road
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Admission charge.

Baha’i 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, symbolising the nine spiritual paths of the Baha’i faith. The crouched yet upright stance and upturned, opening petals hint at the human form in ecstatic prayer. The temple is approached through an attractive formal garden. 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.

Kalkaji Hill
Tel: (011) 2647 0526.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 0900-1900 (summer); Tue-Sun 0930-1730 (winter), closed Monday.
Free admission.

Purana Qila
Humayun’s 16th-century Delhi had at its centre the fortress of Purana Qila, which reputedly stands on the site of Indraprastha, the city of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata. Of the buildings that survive today, the Qila-i-Kuhna Masjid, a successful fusion of the Islamic and Hindu styles, was constructed by Sher Shah in 1541. The Sher Mandal is an octagonal observatory and library. The north gate, Talaqi-Darwaza, has been partially rebuilt and gives an impression of how formidable the fortifications would have been in their heyday. The chattri surmounting the west (entrance) gate commands a fine view of New Delhi. Purana Qila is undergoing restoration. There is a small museum just inside the south gate.

Mathura Road
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk (fortress); daily 0800-1830 (museum).
Admission charge.

National Gallery of Modern Art
The National Gallery of Modern Art contains a large collection of 20th-century Indian art. There are examples of the work of the painters of the Bengali Renaissance and of the poet and artist, Tagore. The highlight is the room devoted to the pictures Amrita Sher-Gil (1913-1941), whose portraits, more successful than her genre scenes, are painted with the confident bravura of the youthful Augustus John. The museum has embarked on an ambitious scheme of building, which will when complete, provide greatly increased gallery space for the collection. The museum is in Jaipur House (by any yardstick, a grandee’s townhouse) formerly the Delhi residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur.

Jaipur House, India Gate
Tel: (011) 2338 2835.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1000-1700.
Admission charge.

Tughluqabad
The immense and brutal fortifications of Tughluqabad are an impressive monument to the militarism of the Tughluqs, an antidote to any idea that the Delhi Sultans were merely effete builders of mosques and palaces. Nowadays, the only living things that visitors are likely to see at the vast, barren, sun-scorched site are goats, donkeys and the occasional archaeologist, although in the 14th century, the citadel, the third city of Delhi, was the Sultan’s capital. Below the walls is the forbidding tomb of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq, the builder of Tughluqabad. It is approached from a causeway that crosses a lake, now dry. From the high point of the citadel there is a sweeping panorama of southern Delhi.

Tughluqabad
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Admission charge.

Further Distractions

Lodhi Gardens
An oasis of shaded calm, the Lodhi Gardens are a welcome refuge from the heat and clamour of Delhi. The extensive gardens boast a fine collection of tropical shrubs and trees. There are also a number of monuments of the Lodhi Sultanate (1451-1526), including the Shish Gumbad, the Bara Gumbad and the Tomb of Mohammed Shah.

Lodhi Road, south-central New Delhi
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Free admission.

National Rail Museum
The principal glory of the National Rail Museum is the open-air display of old steam locomotives and rolling stock. Particularly interesting are the ‘special’ carriages belonging to British and Indian grandees, such as the Gaekwar of Baroda’s Saloon, with its ornate gold and enamel ceiling.

Chanakyapuri
Tel: (011) 2688 0939.
Website: www.railmuseum.org
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 0930-1700 (Oct-Mar); 0930-1900 (Apr-Sep).
Admission charge.

Birla House
Birla House owes its historical resonance to the fact that Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated there by a Hindu extremist on 30th January 1948 while attending an evening prayer meeting. The house is now a shrine to the Mahatma. The exact spot in the garden where he met his death is marked.

Akbar Road
Tel: (011) 2301 1480.
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1000-1700, closed Monday.
Free admission.

Safdarjang’s Tomb
The finest extant example of a late Mughal garden tomb, Safdarjang’s Tomb was built by the Nawab of Avadh to commemorate his father. It may lack the perfect proportions and exhilarating simplicity of Humayun’s Tomb (which is 200 years older) but it is, in its own over-elaborate, almost blowsy way, a splendid building.

Aurobindo Marg and Lodhi Road
Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk.
Admission charge.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Nigel Hankin, an Englishman who has lived in Delhi for many years, runs walking tours of Old Delhi. Places on his tours may be booked at the lodge at the Mughal Gate of the British High Commission, Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri (tel: (011) 2687 2161). Other than that, self-guided walking tours of a number of areas are possible. Starting at the Jain Temple at the eastern end of Chandni Chowk, by the Red Fort, a walk through this area weaves through the alleyways and takes in the area’s best temples and most colourful markets. Meanwhile, it takes about an hour and a half to tour the main mosques and mansions of Old Delhi, which covers the stretch from Jama Masjid to Ajmeri Gate.

Bus Tours
Delhi Tourism Development Corporation (tel: (011) 2336 5358; website: http://delhitourism.nic.in) operates sightseeing tours in coaches, covering New and Old Delhi. Between October and April, the tours are in non air-conditioned coaches, between May and September in air-conditioned ones. The New Delhi tour takes in Jantar Mantar, Birla Mandir, Qutb Minar, the Baha’i Temple and Safdarjung’s Tomb. The Old Delhi tour stops at Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Raj Ghat and Humayun’s Tomb. The four-hour ‘Delhi by Evening Tour’ includes Birla Mandir, the son et lumiere show at Purana Qila and a drive past the Parliament House and India Gate. All tickets must be purchased in advance at the booking office at N-36, Connaught Place.

Excursions

For a Half Day

Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary: Situated in the neighbouring state of Haryana, it takes about 50 minutes by taxi to get to Sultanpur, 47km (29.5 miles) from Delhi (tel: (012) 4237 5242). The small lake and marshland is best visited between November and February when migratory birds, including the greater flamingo, bare-headed and Brahminy ducks from Tibet, flock to the sanctuary.

Suraj Kund: Also in Haryana, the ruins of Suraj Kund are just 16km (10 miles) from the outskirts of Delhi, a journey of about half an hour by taxi. Its tenth-century amphitheatre is the only great Hindu shrine left intact by invading Muslims. The shrine is surrounded by tranquil parklands and a small artificial boating lake and is a popular Sunday lunch picnic destination for middle-class Indian families.

For a Whole Day

Agra and Taj Mahal: The radiance of early morning is one of the best times to first glimpse the flawless proportions of the Taj Mahal, built entirely out of marble, by Shah Jahan, to serve as a mausoleum for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The complex consists of five main elements - the Darwaza or main gateway, the Bageecha or garden, the Masjid or mosque, the Naqqar Khana or resthouse and the Rauza or the Taj Mahal mausoleum. The actual tomb is situated inside. Most impressive are the four tall minarets (40m/131ft high) at the corners of the structure, the majestic dome in the middle and the black and white chessboard marble floor.

The other monument of note in Agra is Agra Fort, with high red sandstone ramparts. The fort houses the graceful Diwan-i-Am, the royal pavilions, the Hammam-i-Shahi (royal bath), the Nagina Masjid (Gem Mosque) and the Zenana Meena Bazaar, where the ladies of the court would linger over silks, jewellery and brocades.

The Shatabdi Express, an air-conditioned tourist train, covers the 199km (124 miles) to Agra in approximately two hours, departing from New Delhi station (website: www.indianrail.gov.in). Tickets can be purchased at the International Tourist Bureau on the first floor of New Delhi station. Payment is only accepted in foreign currency or travellers’ cheques (US dollars or pounds preferred). Credit cards are not accepted. To circumvent the tiresome queuing necessary to purchase tickets in person, a travel agent will do this for tourists, for a small fee.

Indiatourism at 191, The Mall, Agra (tel: 0562 222 6378) can provide further information.

Sport

Shopping

Silks, gemstones, carpets, antique furniture, spices ... the warehouses and emporia of Delhi are filled with a treasure trove of goods from the far corners of the Indian subcontinent. The intrepid will head for the chowks and alleyways of Old Delhi, while the more cautious will stick to the well-trodden round of Connaught Place and the state government handicrafts emporia on Baba Kharak Sing Marg, with perhaps an excursion in the direction of Hauz Khas Village and South Extension market.

The most central of the government-run handicraft centres is the Cottage Industries Emporium, on Janpath, which is well stocked with leather, textiles, jewellery, silks, cotton and saris. On Baba Kharak Sing Marg, the Himachal Pradesh Emporium has soft blankets and shawls in wool, cashmere or pashmina, while the Poompahar Emporium stocks the region’s glazed Thanjuver pottery and traditional stone carvings of gods and goddesses, and the Uttar Pradesh Emporium specialises in leather goods and copper and brass items. Located in south Delhi, Hauz Khas Village has a centralised collection of furniture shops and bazaars, along with a good selection of frequently changing boutiques offering designer clothes, silks, chiffons and organzas.

There is any number of shops selling carpets in Delhi but the visitor would be well advised to exercise caution, by confining himself to the reputable, fixed-price, non-commission establishments. All the carpets at Saga, on Mathura Road, come with a Central Silk Board guarantee.

Delhi’s markets come crammed with goods, people and smells. The magnificent bazaars of Chandni Chowk (see Key Attractions) are open daily and piled high with gold, nuts, spices, silks, carpets and perfume and are worth visiting for the spectacle alone. Sunder Nagar Market, off Mathura Road, is open Monday-Saturday and is a good place to search for antiques and jewellery, as well as boasting a huge variety of other knick-knacks and artefacts spilling out of the shops. One of Delhi's most prestigious markets and a regular haunt of the city’s ex-pats, is Khan Market, just south of India Gate, open Tuesday-Sunday. There are a number of excellent bookshops here. The wholesale Spice Market, on Khari Baoli, in the Old City, is where, for centuries, the culinary traditions of North Asia, China, Persia and the Middle East have worked their influence on local cuisine.

Except in the government-run shops, haggling is always the order of the day - it is the only way for shoppers to ensure that they do not pay too far over the odds. Shops tend to open around 1000 and close between 1800 and 1900. There is no VAT in India at present, but it may be introduced in the future.

Culture

The premier performing arts institute is Sangeet Natak Akademi, Firoz Shah Road (tel: (011) 2338 7246; website: www.sangeetnatak.com), while the arts complex of Triveni Kala Sangam, Tansen Marg (tel: (011) 2371 8833), contains two galleries devoted to fine art and an open-air and an indoor theatre, as well as a sculpture park and bookshop.

Among the ranks of Delhi's ‘chaterati’, the India International Centre, 40 Lodhi Estate (tel: (011) 2461 9431; website: www.iicdelhi.nic.in), is a political icon and post-Independence institution. The capital’s premier cultural centre, it organises seminars, lectures, music and dance recitals, as well as screening films on all aspects of Indian culture and environment. Nearby is the huge and recently-built India Habitat Centre (tel: (011) 2468 2001-9; website: www.indiahabitat.org), junction of Lodhi Road and Max Mueller Marg, which offers a lively and interesting programme of drama and lectures.

Most of the cultural centres host concerts and exhibitions, as well as screening films in English or their native language. These include, on Kasturba Gandhi Marg, the German cultural centre Max Mueller Bhavan (tel: (011) 2332 9506; website: www.goethe.de/su/ned/enindex.htm), the British Council (tel: (011) 2371 1401; website: www.britishcouncil.org/india), and the American Centre (tel: (011) 2331 6841; website: http://americanlibrary.in.library.net), at D13 NDSE Part II, the Alliance Francaise (tel: (011) 5101 2091-4; website: www.afdelhi.org), on Golf Links, the Italian Culture Centre (tel: (011) 2687 1901; website: www.italcultindia.com), and, on Firoz Shah Road, the Japan Cultural Centre (tel: (011) 2332 9838) and the Russian Cultural Centre (tel: (011) 2332 9102), which houses the Eisenstein Film Club.

Local newspapers Hindustan Times (website: www.hindustantimes.com) or Times of India (website: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com) carry daily and weekly listings of all events and should be the reference point for anyone interested in sampling the rich cultural life of Delhi. City Scan, City Guide and delhidiary magazines also carry listings.

Music: Delhi’s concert halls tend to be busy more or less year round, with the Delhi Symphony Orchestra performing at the Kamani Auditorium, Copernicus Marg (tel: (011) 2338 8084) and the FICCI Auditorium, Tansen Marg (tel: (011) 2335 7369). Hindustani music is by far the most popular, closely followed by Karnatic music. Some of Delhi’s open-air venues, such as the majestically lit Qutb Minar (see Key Attractions), provide a dramatic backdrop for select performances. The Delhi Music Society (tel: (011) 2611 5331) is based at Nayaya Marg, Chanakyapuri.

Theatre: Delhi is well provided with innovative theatres and the area just to the north of India Gate is home to a number of these, including the Kamani Auditorium (tel: (011) 2338 8084), on Copernicus Marg. The Abhimanch, Bahawalpur House (tel: (011) 2338 9402), stages an exciting programme of theatre, dance and films through the year.

Dance: Lovers of dance are well catered for in Delhi, seeing as a rich mix of classical (including Kathak, Bharatnatyam and Kathakali) folk and tribal dance, as well as ballet, are performed at various auditoria throughout the year. Hauz Khas, Delhi-Mehrauli Road, is a good spot to join well-heeled Delhiites, as they sit back over a meal or a drink while taking in an open-air dance or music performance. The India International Centre, 40 Lodhi Estate (tel: (011) 2461 9431; website: www.iicdelhi.nic.in), and Triveni Theatre, 205 Tansen Marg (tel: (011) 2371 8833), are both popular venues for regular, professional dance shows.

Film: Cinema is by far the most popular form of entertainment in India - it has been suggested that 23 million Indians watch a film every day. The glitzy love stories and action movies of Bollywood attract huge audiences and their stars are national figures. There are any number of cinemas in Delhi, some showing only films in Hindi, some only in English and some in both languages. English-language films are shown, among many others, at the Ritz, Kashmiri Gate, and the Chanakya, Chanakapuri. The movie that is closest to Delhi’s beating heart is the immensely popular Monsoon Wedding (2001), which was set in the city. The busy marketplaces of Delhi punctuated director Mira Nair’s beautiful celluloid weaving of character, place and drama.

Literary Notes: The delights of Delhi have been dissected, eulogised and disputed over the generations, by a whole canon of writers of both Indian and Western origin. William Dalrymple’s City of Djinns (1994), the fruit of a year spent in Delhi, is a luminous and penetrative combination of history, observation and anecdote. A meaty slice of Indian life viewed from the inside is Vikram Seth’s epic A Suitable Boy (1993), which follows the lives of four extended families set against the political landscape in a newly independent northern India, in the 1950s. Anita Desai, who was educated in Delhi, also focuses on the time of Partition in her first published novel, Clear Light of Day (1980), which traces the interweaving, departures and reconciliation of the Das family of Old Delhi. Ahmed Ali’s Twilight in Delhi (1940) gives a pungent whiff of life in early 20th-century Delhi. Through Ali’s wistful eyes, the reader glimpses the rhythms and rituals of Islamic life in the city, before the construction of New Delhi, a world that was destroyed forever by partition. One of the most prominent of Indian writers today, Arundhati Roy, who won the Booker Prize with God of Small Things (1997), studied and lives in Delhi. Those interested in the history of India’s progress to independence and beyond should search out a copy of Durga Das’s India: From Curzon to Nehru (1969). It is a most absorbing book, written by someone (a Delhi man to the core) who was himself on stage as these momentous events unfolded over a period of 50 years.

Nightlife

Delhi has a long way to go to compete with Mumbai as the capital of Indian nightlife. In Delhi, it is notoriously difficult to obtain an alcohol licence and many of the swishest watering holes and nightclubs are in the five-star international hotels - with prices to match. Apart from these hotels, the watering holes of Delhi are concentrated around Connaught Place, with various outposts in the more prosperous southern suburbs. Wine in Delhi is expensive and frequently of indifferent quality - those who wish to drink would be well advised to stick to beer, spirits or cocktails. Although there is no minimum drinking age, the minimum purchasing age in India is 18 years. The price of a beer while out and about in Delhi can vary considerably, depending on the venue, however, averages out to approximately Rs200.

Local newspapers Hindustan Times (website: www.hindustantimes.com) or Times of India (website: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com) carry daily and weekly listings and information on nightlife in Delhi. City Scan, City Guide and delhidiary magazines also carry listings.

Bars: The Maurya Sheraton, Diplomatic Enclave, has a lively bar behind the lobby of the hotel, with a golfing theme, while Henri’s at the top of the Meridien Hotel, Windsor Place, offers a fine panorama of the city. The celebrated Cavalry Bar, in the Oberoi Maidan Hotel, Civil Lines, is a relic of the Raj and will appeal to those who like bars to be simple yet smart. Rick’s, situated in the Taj Mahal Hotel, 1 Mansingh Road, offers a swish modernist style and live music to boot. Outside the five-star hotels there are a number of lively bars, which open and close with disconcerting regularity. Blues, Connaught Place, the recently-opened Buzz, PVR Complex and the ultra-hip Geoffrey’s are among the best. In Defence Colony Market there is a new and deafeningly noisy bar above the restaurant, Gola. Vasant Vihar boasts a TGI Fridays - very popular with hip young Delhiites - and the Golden Dragon, both situated in C-Block, Market. Expresso bars are very popular and can be found in many areas of the city. The Barista chain is the most widely established.

Casinos: There are no casinos in Delhi as gambling (except on the racecourse) is illegal in India.

Clubs: There are about half a dozen discos that have become regular haunts of elite Delhiites. Most are in the luxury hotels and many of them operate a couples-only policy, as well as a dress code. One of the most popular is CJ’s, at Le Meridien, Windsor Place. RPM, above Lazeez Affaire restaurant, Shopping Centre, Malcha Marg, Chanakypuri, has a vibrant atmosphere and is popular among younger, well-heeled Delhiites. Float, at the Park Royal Inter-Continental, Nehru Place and Ssteel in the Ashok Hotel, Chanakypuri have an enthusiastic following.

Live Music: The Tavern, at the Hotel Imperial, on Janpath, offers live music, performed by Indian musicians, every evening in its restaurant-cum-bar.

City Statistics

Location: National Capital Territory of Delhi, North India.
Country dialling code: 91.
Population: 13,782,976 (metropolitan area).
Time zone: GMT + 5.5.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two or three-pin plugs are used.
Average January temp: 21C (70F).
Average July temp: 35C (95F).
Annual rainfall: 714mm (27.9 inches). Monsoon season is July-August.

Special Events

Lohri: Hindu festival celebrated with bonfires, 13 Jan, throughout the city
Republic Day: a week of celebration kicks off on 26 Jan, with a military parade along Rajpath.
Martyr’s Day: commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, 30 Jan, a guard of honour stands to attention at Raj Ghat, celebrations throughout the city
Garden Tourism Festival: Feb
Holi: Hindu festival of harvest and fertility on the day after the full moon in early March, people run through the streets bombarding each other and stray tourists with brightly coloured powder and water, throughout the city
Baisakhi: Sikh festival, 14 Apr, throughout the city
Mango festival: Jul
Janamashtami: anniversary of Krishna’s birth, 12 Aug, throughout the city but most ostentatiously at Lakshmi Narayan Mandir
Independence Day: national holiday, 15 Aug, throughout the city
Dusshera: Hindu festival, Oct, throughout the city
Navratri: Hindu festival, Oct, throughout the city
Diwali: the most pan-Indian of Hindu festivals (coinciding with the onset of the Hindu and Jain new year) symbolises the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness by commemorating Lord Rama’s return to his kingdom, Ayodhya, after his 14-year exile, Nov, throughout the city
Qutub Festival: three-day festival of classical music and dance, Oct, Qutub Minar, Sharad Pournima
Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadurji: Sikh festival, Nov, throughout the city

Dilli Haat stages in its open-air theatre a wide variety of festivals spanning many aspects of Indian culture throughout the year. DTC organizes a number of other events during the course of the year. See website for further information.

Cost of Living

100 Indian Rupee (Rs100) = 1.22; US$2.30; C$2.87; A$2.98; 1.78
Currency conversion rates as of Feb 2005