HISTORY

Delhi, has seen the rise and fall  of many empires which have left behind a plethora of monuments that the grandeur and glory of bygone ages. A city which traces its history to Mahabharata, the great epic tale of wars fought between  estranged cousins , the Kauravas and the Pandavas for the city of Indraprastha.

Mughals ruled Delhi in succession starting from Qutab-ub-din to  Khiljis, Tughlaqs. The city of Delhi  passed on to the hands of the British in 1803 AD. It was only in 1911, when the capital of British empire was shifted from Calcutta  to Delhi,  that Delhi got its present prestige. After independence also, a kind of autonomy was conferred on the capital but it largely remained a chief commissioners regime. In 1956 Delhi was converted into a Union territory and gradually the chief commissioner was replaced by a Lt. Governor. In 1991, the national capital territory Act was passed by the parliament and a system of diarchy was introduced under which, the elected Government was given wide powers; except law and order which remained with the central Government. The actual enforcement of the legislation came in 1993.

New Delhi, the capital of India, sprawled over the west bank of the river Yamuna is one of the fastest growing cities in India. It is surrounded on three sides by Haryana and to the east, across the river Yamuna by Uttar Pradesh. Historically, the city has long since been the foremost in political importance with successive dynasties choosing it as their seat of power, between the 13th and the 17th centuries.  Remnants of the glorious past survive as important monuments in different parts of the city.  

The myriad faces of the city are simply fascinating. In some places it remains a garden city, tree lined and with beautiful parks, but in some places it can also be crowded with heavy traffic. Turbaned Sikhs, colourfully  dressed Rajasthani and Gujarati women working in offices, Muslim shopkeepers along Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi, Tibetans and Ladakhis in the street stalls along Janpath and Kashmiris in the handicraft emporia around Connaught Place, all add to the cosmopolitan feel of the city. Soaring skyscrapers, posh residential colonies and bustling commercial complexes can be seen along with the ancient historical monuments. Its boutiques and shopping arcades offer access to a wealth of traditional and contemporary crafts, from all over the country. Old Delhi which looks entirely different from New Delhi area, is about 6 Km north of the city center.

General Information of Delhi:

Area : 1483 sq. Kms.
Altitude : 239 m above sea level
Population : 93.70 million (1991 census)
Males : 51.21 million Females : 42.49 million
Literacy rate : 76.1%
Density : 6139 persons per sq. Km.
Languages : Hindi, English, Urdu and Punjabi
Climate : Extreme Hot in Summer and Cold in Winter
Maximum Temperature : 46 Degree Celcius
Minimum Temperature : 04 Degree Celcius
Winter : December - February
Spring : March to mid April
Summer : April end to August
Autumn : September to November
Best time to Visit : October to March
River : Yamuna

Transportation

Delhi is well connected through a network of national highways.State roadways buses regularly ply from Delhi to various towns and cities. Detailed roadways inquiries can be made at (91-11)-2523145 and 2520290.
Delhi is well connected with all the state capitals and international cities in the country through a well laid out railway network. In India, most of the express and mail trains have facilities of air conditioned comfort.
Detailed information on train fares and the timings can be had from railway inquiry (91-11) 131, 23313535.

Click here for more details www.indianrailway.com

Regular air flights connect Delhi to all the state capitals,important cities and important tourist destinations.

Click here for more details indian-airlines.nic.in

Internal Transport :-

Easily available yellow top taxis and scooter rickshaws are metered.Ensure the meter is flagged down before starting the trip. There is a surcharge over the meter. The rate list may be checked from the driver before payment.Delhi Transport Corporation buses as well as buses run by private operators run on pre-defined routes and connect almost all points in Delhi. It is advisable to use them only during the non-peak hours Also available are Jeeps for point to point travel on fixed charges. Cycle rickshaws and tongas are available in the old city.

Delhi Tourism also offers transport facilities and an half/ full day sight seeing tour of the city which covers important sites of the city.

For more information, you can visit to these websites:

www.delhigovt.nic.in

www.delhitourism.nic.in