Monuments 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.

Qutab Minar

Qutab Minar is a soaring, 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom. The tower has five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony and tapers from a 15 m diameter at the base to just 2.5 m at the top. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone; the fourth and fifth storeys are of marble and sandstone. At the foot of the tower is the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque to be built in India. An inscription over its eastern gate provocatively informs that it was built with material obtained from demolishing '27 Hindu temples'. A 7 m-high iron pillar stands in the courtyard of the mosque. It is said that if you can encircle it with your hands while standing with your back to it your wish will be fulfilled.

The origins of Qutab Minar are shrouded in controversy. Some believe it was erected as a tower of victory to signify the beginning of the Muslim rule in India. Others say it served as a minaret to the muezzins to call the faithful to prayer.

No one can, however, dispute that the tower is not only one of the finest monuments in India, but also in the world. Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Delhi, commenced the construction of the Qutab Minar in 1200 AD, but could only finish the basement. His successor, Iltutmush, added three more storeys, and in 1368, Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed the fifth and the last storey.

The development of architectural styles from Aibak to Tughlak is quite evident in the minar. The relief work and even the materials used for construction differ. The 238 feet Qutab Minar is 47 feet at the base and tapers to nine feet at the apex. The tower is ornamented by bands of inscriptions and by four projecting balconies supported by elaborately decorated brackets. Even in ruin, the Quwwat Ui Islam (Light of Islam) Mosque in the Qutab complex is one of the most magnificent in the world. Qutab-ud-din Aibak started its construction in 1193 and the mosque was completed in 1197.

Iltutmush in 1230 and Alla-ud-din Khilji in 1315 made additions to the building. The main mosque comprises of an inner and outer courtyard, of which an exquisite colonnade, the pillars of which are made of richly, surrounds the inner decorated shafts. Most of these shafts are from the 27 Hindu temples, which were plundered to construct the mosque. It is, therefore, not surprising that the Muslim mosque has typical Hindu ornamentation. Close to the mosque is one of Delhi's most curious antiques, the Iron Pillar.

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.