Places of Worship In Delhi

Delhi is a cosmopolitan city and reflects the secularism of India. People of all the religions live here in harmony. Here, we are covering the religious places of four major religions co-existing harmoniously in the lap of Delhi, namely, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Christianity. The imposing Jama Masjid is one of the largest and the most elegant mosques in India. Besides the mosques mentioned here, some of the other notable mosques in Delhi are Quwwatu’l-Islam Masjid situated in the Qutub Complex, the first mosque of India, the double-storyed mosque of Khirki Masjid and Jamali Kamali Masjid.

Churches of Delhi
There are several churches in Delhi but the two most famous one are the colonial churches of Cathedral Church of Redemption and Church of the Sacred Heart, both designed by Henry Medd. One can evidently see the colonial style of architecture in these buildings and Christians from all over Delhi visit the Church every Sunday for their prayers. One should see the crowds in these churches during Christmas and other religious and festive occasions.

Church Of The Sacred Heart
Situated at the south end of Bhai Vir Singh Marg, the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart was designed by Henry Medd. One can clearly see the Italian influence in its structure as the façade of white pillars look beautiful and attractive supporting the canopy.

Cathedral Church Of The Redemption
Situated to the east of Parliament House, the Church of the Redemption was built in eight years and was completed in 1935. Henry Medd designed it too. Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy, was so impressed by its high curved arches and subtle domes that it came to be known as ‘Viceroy’s Church’.

Gurdwaras of Delhi
Delhi has five important gurudwaras that are important points of Sikh pilgrimage and were built to commemorate the visits of the five Gurus, who visited the capital at different times. Gurdwara Sis Ganj was built in honor of Guru Tegh Bahadur while Gurdwara Bangla Sahib was dedicated to the eighth Guru Harkrishen. Then there are Gurudwara Rakab Ganj, Gurudwara Majnu ka Tila and Gurdwara Nanak Piao.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is an important historical and religious place in India. Dedicated to the eighth Sikh Guru Sri Harkishen Sahib, it is situated near Connaught Place. The large main hall is kept simple except for the open central shrine covered by a small golden dome sporting a sculpted bronze cupola. Devotional music is relayed throughout the complex continuously. There is a higher secondary school, Baba Baghel Singh Museum, a library and a hospital in the Gurdwara complex. Holy water of Gurdwara known as ‘Amrit, is said to have miraculous powers of curing the sick.

Climate and Weather of Delhi

A part of lush green Aravalis in the plains of Northern India gave way to the capital of India - Delhi, several centuries ago. Like Agra, the city of Taj, it is also situated on the banks of river Yamuna. It has Himalayas to its north and is surrounded by land from all sides. Position inland, far away from sea, it has extreme type of continental climate with typical scorching summers and very cold and dry winters.

In summers, temperature can soar up to as high as 48oC while in winters, mercury has dipped down to as low as 2oC. Misty mornings, foggy evenings and delightfully mild sunny afternoons make up for the chilly waves in the winters. Tourists are advised to exercise precaution during summers and drink lots of water and liquids before venturing out to face the heat waves.

The best season in Delhi, especially for tourism purposes are the spring season from February to April and the autumn season from August to November. Besides the blooming blossoms in February and March are often accompanies by various colorful Spring festivals such as Vasant Panchmi, the festival of flowers and Holi, the best-known festival of colors.

Religion and Culture of Delhi

The cultural diversity and religious unity are the core values of Indian society and Delhi being the capital of India, naturally, reflects it all as people from different states come here for best education, best medicinal assistance and good job opportunities. It is a centre stage of Indian politics too and represents all that is best in India.

The metropolitan city with a cosmopolitan outlook, Delhi is not free from the shadows of its royal past. The ancient city Delhi still reflects the remnants of the glorious old-age charm and yet has a very modern and chic lifestyle. The nightlife is interesting and a number of discos throughout the city beckon the youngsters to sway and dance with enchanting numbers.

At the Nizamuddin Shrine, one can still hear the ‘Qawwalis’, ‘Gurbani’ (the verses from the Granth Sahaib) and Prabhat ferries can be heard in the Gurudwaras, ‘bhajans’ and ‘aartis’ in the temples and Sunday masses in Churches. The traditional fairs and festivals are still being celebrated such as ‘Phoolwalo-Ki-Sair’. With the increasing number of people from different states, regional festivals of Bihar such as ‘Chhath Puja’ and Bengal such as ‘Durga Puja’ are also observed here.

Since Delhi shares its borders with Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, its people and their lifestyle is often influenced greatly by these regions. Though, it is said that Delhi has mostly Punjabis, it now has a number of pockets dominated by other communities such as South Indians in R.K. Puram and Bengalis in C.R. Park.

Events and Festivals in Delhi

Delhi being the capital of India is home to people of all religions and communities that come from different parts of India and settle down here. Thus, the religious and state festivals have all found their way to Delhi and are especially with pomp and show, wherever there is concentration of population from same community and state. Besides the festivals such as Durga Puja, Diwali and Holi celebrated by Hindus and the Muslim festivals of Eid and Bakrid, there are National events such as the Republic Day, when the Republic Day Parade is organized on the Rajpath, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti, celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm in Delhi. Besides these, there are secular festivals specific to Delhi that we are discussing here.

Lohri, celebrated annually on 13th January, is basically a festival of Punjabis. It marks the end of winter and people arrange grand bonfire parties on this day and dance and sing all night. On the very next day, Hindus celebrate Makar Sankranti. A Kite Flying Festival is arranged every year in Delhi on this day on the green lawns above Palika Bazaar at Connaught Place.

The colorful kites of all shapes and sizes are beautiful to look at as national as well as international participants display their skills and fly their kites with dexterous movements. Basant Panchami or the Spring Festival of Hindus is celebrated usually at the end of January or early February. At Delhi, it is in this season that Moghul gardens at Rashtrapati Bhavan are in full bloom and are opened to public for a month.

Parks and Gardens In Delhi

One of the greenest capitals in the world, Delhi has some of the most beautiful and well-planned parks and gardens to boast of. There are regal Moghul Gardens that are only opened for the public for certain days in a year, there are vast stretches of Lodi Gardens, that are a hotspot for early morning joggers and picnickers and enclose a number of imperial tombs of yore, there are the historic gardens of Old Delhi such as Begam Ka Bagh, Tees Hazari, Roshnara Gardens and Qudsia Garden. Besides these there are other parks and gardens worth noting such as Nehru Park and Buddha Jayanti Park. People who have fun at hear cannot miss out the amusement parks of Delhi - Appu Ghar and Fun ‘N’ Food Village. Here we are mentioning only the most famous parks and gardens of Delhi.

Appu Ghar
The first amusement park of India, Appu Ghar is the favorite of all children because of its exquisite roller coasters and water slides. The mini-Disneyland of Delhi has joy rides for people of all ages. The large range of swings and ‘jhoolas’ here include the popular Roller Coaster, the Big Splash, Dodgem Cars, the Eerie Tunnel, Giant Wheel and Columbus Jhoola. Children love the thrill of riding in a Cable Car and the Speeding Cup. Since there is no snowfall in Delhi, the Ice Games at OYSTERS offering winter sports is quite popular here.

Fun ‘N’ Food Village
The amusement park for people of all ages including a water park and joy rides, Fun ‘N’ Food Village is situated near Gurgaon.

The serene and tranquil atmosphere of the place, the lush greenery and panoramic views that it offers, makes it the best retreat. Launched in 1993, it was inaugurated by former President of India Giani Zail Singh and showcases past traditions along with modern and futuristic recreations. This amusement park aims to promote Indian culture and traditional arts and crafts of India. Along with the joy rides, one can also see the performances and creations of artisans and craftsmen at work.

Lodi Garden
Established in the 15th and the 16th centuries by the Sayyids and Lodis, the vast grounds of Lodi Garden are famous among the joggers of the nearby areas. Carefully kept gardens and the medieval monuments lend a charm to these gardens. In 1968, J A Stein and Garrett Eckbo re-landscaped these gardens giving them their present beautified forms. The several tombs situated in the garden belong to the Lodi and Sayyid era and include Muhammad Shah’s Tomb and Sikander Lodi’s tomb.

Mughal Garden
Sprawled across six hectares of the Rashtrapati Bhavan Complex, the famous Mughal Gardens were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens for Lady Harding. These gardens combine the formal Moghul style with the British garden designs and sport Mughal canals, multi-level terraces and flowering shrubs along with European flowerbeds, lawns and privet hedges. W. R. Mustoe was responsible for planting the appropriate shrubs, plants and trees in the garden. Together, the two masterminds transform it into an oasis by 1929. The Gardens consist of three parts - the Rectangular Garden immediately behind the main building, the Long Garden and the Circular Garden.

National Zoological Park
National Zoological Park or the zoo of Delhi is one of the finest zoos in Asia and is situated close to Purana Qila or Old Fort. It sprawls across 214 acres and was established in 1959. It aims to provide natural habitat to more than 2,000 animals and birds species that have been brought here from all the continents such as Africa, America, Australia and even Asia.

An idyllic picnic spot in winters, the serenity of the greens here is pleasing and offers a delightful respite from the humdrum of the city. The winding pathways lead to the administrative building with a library on the right side where you can get all the information on animals, birds and plants of both and rare zoological species in India.

Shopping in Delhi

The old walled city of Shahjahanabad stands to the west of the Red Fort and was at one time surrounded by a sturdy defensive wall, only fragments of which now exist. The Kashmiri Gate at the northern end of the walled city, was the scene for desparate fighting when the British retook Delhi during the Mutiny.

West of here, near Sabzi Mandi, is the British erected Mutiny Memorial to the soldiers who lost their lives in the events of the uprising. Near the monument there is another Ashoka Pillar. Like the one in Feroz Kotla it was brought here by Feroz Shah Tugh-laq.

The main street of old Delhi is the colourful shopping bazaar known as Chandni Chowk. It’s hopelessly congested day and night, a very sharp contrast to the open, spacious streets of New Delhi. At the east (Red Fort) end of Chandni Chowk and north of the Jami Masjid there is a Jain temple with a small marble courtyard surrounded by a colonnade.

Next to the Kotwali (police station) is the Sunehri Masjid. In 1739 Nadir Shah, the Persian invader who carried off the Peacock Throne when he sacked Delhi, stood on the roof of the mosque and watched while his soldiers conducted a bloody massacre of the Delhi inhabitants.

The west end of Chandni Chowk is marked by the Fatehpuri Mosque which one of Shah Jahan’s wives erected in 1650.

Tourist Attractions of Delhi

Purana Qila: Just south-east of India Gate and north of Humayun’s Tomb and the Nizam-uddin Railway Station is the old fort, Purana Qila. This is the supposed site of Indraprastha the original city of Delhi. The fort has massive walls and three large gateways. Sher Shah, who briefly interrupted the Moghul empire by defeating Humayun, built the fort during his period of rule from 1538 to 1545 before Humayun wrested control of India back. Entering from the south gate the small octagonal red sandstone tower, the Sher Manzil, was later used by Humayun as a library. It was in this tower that he slipped, fell and received injuries from which he died. Just beyond this is the Qila-i-Kuhran Mosque or Mosque of Sher Shah.

Humayun’s Tomb: Built in the mid-16th century by Haji Begum, wife of Humayun, the second Moghul emperor, this is an early example of Moghul architecture. The elements in-’tte design - a squat building, lightened by high arched entrances, topped by a bulbous dome and surrounded by formal gardens - were to be refined over the years to the magnificence of the Taj Mahal in Agra.

This e,arlier tomb is thus of great interest for its relation to the later Taj. Humayun’s wife is also buried in the red and white sandstone, black and yellow marble tomb. Other tombs in the garden include that of Humayun’s barber while to the right is the tomb of Isa Khan, a good example of Pathan (Afghan) architecture from the time of the Lodi dynasty. There’s a fine view over the surrounding country from the terrace of Humayun’s Tomb.

Zoo: The Delhi Zoo is on the south side of the fort and is open from 8 am to 6 pm in summer, 9 am to 5 pm in winter.

Hazrat Nizam-ud-din Aulia: Across the road from Humayun’s Tomb is the shrine of the Moslem saint Nizam-ud-din Chisti. He died in 1325 aged 92 and his shrine, with its large tank, is only one of a number of interesting tombs here. They include the later grave of Jahanara, the daughter of Shah Jahan who stayed with him during his imprisonment by Aurangzeb. Mirza Ghalib, a renowned Urdu poet, also has his tomb here as does Azam Khan, a favourite of Humayun and Akbar who was murdered by Adham Khan in Agra.

In turn Akbar had Adham Khan terminated and his grave is near the Qutab Minar. The construction of Nizam-ud-din’s tank caused a dispute between the saint and the constructor of Tughlaqabad further to the south of Delhi - see Tughlaqabad for details.

Lodi Tombs: About three km to the west and adjoining the Indian International Centre are the Lodi Gardens. In these well-kept gardens there are the tombs of the Sayyid and Lodi rulers. Muhammad Shah’s tomb (1450) is a prototype for the later Moghul style tomb of Humayun, a design which would eventually develop into the Taj Mahal. Other tombs include those of his predecessor Mubarak Shah (1433), Ibrahim Lodi (1526) and Sikander Lodi (1517). The Bara Gumbad Mosque is a fine example of its type of plaster decoration.

Safdarjang Tomb: Beside the smaller Safdarjang airport, where Indira Gandhi’s son was killed in a light plane accident in 1980, is the Safdarjang Tomb. It was built in 1753-54 by the Nawab of Oudh for his father Safdarjang and is one of the last examples of Moghul architecture before the final remnants of the great empire completely collapsed. The tomb stands on a high terrace in an extensive garden. There are good views from the roof of the tomb.

Moth ki Masjid: South again fronM the Safdarjang Tomb this mosque is said to be the finest mosque in the Lodi style. It was around this area that Timur defeated the forces of Muhammad Shah Tughlaq in 1398.

Hauz Khas: About midway between Safdarjang and the Qutab Minar this area was once the reservoir for the second city of Delhi, Siri, which lies slightly to the east. Interesting sights here include Feroz Shah’s Tomb (1398) and the remains of an ancient college.

Khirki Masjid and Jahanpanah: This interesting mosque with its four open courts dates from 1380. The nearby village of Khirki also takes its name from the mosque. Close to the mosque are the remains of the fourth city of Delhi, Jahanpanah, including the high Bijai Mandal platform and the Begumpur Mosque with its multiplicity of domes.

Tughlaqabad: The massively strong walls of Tughlaqabad, the third city of Delhi, are east of the Qutab Minar. The walled city and fort with its 13 gateways was built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq and its construction involved a lagendary quarrel with the saint Nizam-ud-din. When the Tughlaq ruler took the workers whom Nizam-ud-din wanted for work on his shrine the saint cursed the king with the warning that his city would be inhabited only by Gujars (shepherds). Today that is indeed the situation.

The dispute between king and saint did not end with curse and counter-curse. When the king prepared to take vengeance on the saint, Nizam-ud-din calmly told his followers, in a saying that is still current in India today, ‘Delhi is a long way off. Indeed it was for the king was murdered on his way from Delhi in 1325. The fort walls are constructed of massive blocks and outside the south wall of the city is an artificial lake with the king’s tomb in its centre. A long causeway connects the tomb to the fort, both of which have walls that slope inward.

Red Fort: The/red sandstone walls of Lai Qila, the ‘Red Fort, extend for two km and vary in height from 18 metres on the river side to 33 metres on the city side. Shah Jahan commenced construction of the massive fort in 1638 and it was completed in 1648. He never completely moved his capital from Agra to his new city of Shahjahanabad in Delhi because his son Aurangzeb deposed him and imprisoned him in Agra Fort. The Red Fort dates from the very peak of Moghul power.

When the emperors rode out on elephant back into the streets of old Delhi it was a display of pomp and power at its most magnificent. The Moghul period at the top was a short one, however. Aurangzeb was the first and last great Moghul Emperor to rule from here. Today the fort is typically Indian with would-be guides leaping forth to offer their services as soon as you enter. It’s still a calm haven of peace if you’ve just left the frantic streets of old Delhi. The city noise and confusion is light years away from the fort gardens and pavilions. If you look out over the fort wall towards the Yamuna River there will probably be assorted musicians, contortionists, rope climbers, magicians, dancing bears and rope climbers down below.

Get around in Delhi

By metro

Three lines of the new Delhi Metro are now open and provide a hassle-free way of zipping around the city. Line 2, in particular, is useful for getting to the Old Delhi and New Delhi railway stations as well as the ISBT bus terminal. Fares range from Rs. 6 to 14.

By taxi

Taxis or hired car (usually with driver) are required to see many of the far-flung sites around and just outside Delhi. To get a taxi or a hired car, you have to go to a taxi stand; they are not usually flagged from the street. There is also a service called dial-a-cab. The number is 1090. You shouldn’t take non-official taxis, sometimes they take you to a wrong hotel, or to a “tourist information center”, and try to sell you overpriced things.

By autorickshaws

Autorickshaws (also called 3 wheeled Scooters or 3 wheelers) are good for shorter trips. Autorickshaws are three-wheeled partially enclosed contraptions(they don’t have any doors) that can seat three people in the back and usually run on CNG, petrol or diesel, mostly CNG in Delhi.

Although by law the rickshaw driver have to charge by the electronic meter in their vehicles, they will almost always try to haggle for price. If using a rickshaw, make sure you settle on either (a) paying by meter or (b) a fixed price in advance, or there will be no end of trouble. In general, they are much cheaper than taxis and can be hailed from the street.

If you have any trouble with them, go to the numerous tourist police in the city centre and they will give you a complaint slip which will result in a 500 rupee fine for the auto driver.

By cyclerickshaws

Cyclerickshaws are three-wheeled mechanical cycles or bikes with seats in the back to seat Passengers and a driver in the front who cycles the passenger. They are good for short distances or places which are too far to walk but too short for taking a bus/taxi/autorickshaw. Cyclerickshaws don’t use meters, so payment is done on established practices.

Getting in Delhi

By plane

The Indira Gandhi International airport is the arrival point for many visitors into India. The airport has all the basic airport facilities such as money changing, which is open 24 hours. If you want a taxi from the airport, make sure to get a prepaid taxi before exiting the airport, otherwise you will be accosted by hordes of taxi drivers trying to fleece you. The prepaid rates are set based on destination and are bona fide. It is also possible to take a city bus during the day, or a private one run 24 hours a day.

Most domestic flights land at Palam airport, which is a little closer to the city than the international terminal. If you are making connections, it can take between 15-30 minutes once you exit one terminal to get to the other one by car, depending on time of day and traffic. Take a pre-paid taxi from the Delhi tourism prepaid taxi booth. Watch out for the taxi touts!

By bus

Buses arrive from Kathmandu and Chitwan in Nepal (36+ hours) and virtually every city in India. They mostly arrive at the central bus terminal called I.S.B.T in East Delhi.

By train

Trains arrive at one of three main stations– one in Old Delhi which goes by the same name, the second at New Delhi which lies in Central Delhi and one at Hazrat Nizamuddin a few kilometers to the south. The first two are now conveniently connected by Metro Line 2, just minutes apart. It will also take around 40 minutes to an hour to travel from the New Delhi Railway Station to the airports by car, depending on the traffic.

A tourist ticket office is open during office hours, upstairs of the main New Delhi railway station for foreign tourists, bring your passport, and money change / cash advance receipts; a ticket office open to all is on the road to Connaught Place with longer hours and often has waiting times not much longer than at the tourist booking office.

Famous people from Delhi

Nizamuddin Auliya
Amir Khusro
Mirza Ghalib
Mukesh
Vikram Seth
Pervez Musharraf (Born in Delhi)
Ravi Shankar
Khushwant Singh
Shah Rukh Khan
Gyanendra Kumar Sharma
Sheila Dikshit
Safdar Hashmi
Akbar
Shah Jahan