| New Delhi Monuments |
| Humayun 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. Humayun inherited the Mughal dynasty when his father Babur died in 1530. His reign got off to a good start, but his addiction to luxury at the palaces at Agra left the door open for ambitious men to plot behind his back. Ten years into his reign, Humayun was overthrown by the opportunist Sher Shah, who took advantage of Afghan tribesmen to force Humayun into exile in Iran, which was then ruled by the Safavid dynasty. Sher Shah died in 1545 and his successor was never able to assert the authority over the Afghani tribes that Sher Shah had enjoyed. As the remnants of the Shah's regime unraveled, Humayun mounted a restoration army and marched into Delhi in 1555. The aged Humayun had little time to celebrate, however, for barely six months later he died from a fall in his library at Sher Mandai. Humayun's tomb is believed to have been designed by his widow. Its plan, based on the description of Islamic paradise gardens, is known to have inspired the Taj Mahal and many later Mughal tombs. This type of garden is known as a charbagh and is based on a grid. 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 Bhawan. A fascinating and wonderful monument! Enjoy the lush green lawns of India Gate, which house the famous boat club and a children's park. The lawns come alive in the evening with picnicking families and couples taking a stroll. Little children run about playing with balloons and eating ice-creams purchased from nearby vendors. The use of special lighting means that the monument looks even more striking at night than it does by day. From the base of arch one can get a good view of Rashtrapati Bhawan. The entire monument is extremely beautiful and the arch stands on a low base of red Bharatpur stone which rises in stages to a huge molding.ich house the famous boat club and a children's park. The lawns come alive in the evening with picnicking families and couples taking a stroll. Little children run about playing with balloons and eating ice-creams purchased from nearby vendors. The use of special lighting means that the monument looks even more striking at night than it does by day. Lal Quila ( Red Fort) The largest of Old Delhi's monuments is Lal Quila or Red Fort whose thick red sandstone walls, bulging with turrets and bastions, have withstood the vagaries of time and nature. The Lal Quila rises above a wide dry moat in the northeast corner of the original city of Shahjahanabad. Its walls extend from two kilometers and vary in height from 18 metres on the river side to 33 metres on the city side. Mughal Emperor Shahjahan started construction of the massive fort in 1638 and work was completed in 1648. The fort contains all the expected trappings of the centre of Mughal government: halls of public and private audience, domed and arched marble palaces, plush private apartments, a mosque and elaborately designed gardens. Even today, the fort remains an impressive testimony to Mughal grandeur, despite being attacked by the Persian Emperor Nadir Shah in 1739 and by the British soldiers during the war of independence in 1857. Entrance to the fort is through the imposing Lahore Gate, which takes its name from the fact that it faces Lahore, now in Pakistan. This gate has a special significance for India since the first war of independence and important speeches have been made here by freedom fighters and national leaders of India. The main entrance opens on to the Chatta Chowk, a covered street flanked with arched cells that used to house Delhi's most talented jewellers, carpet makers, weavers and goldsmiths. This arcade was also known as the Meena Bazaar, the shopping centre for the ladies of the court. Just beyond the Chhata Chowk is the heart of the fort called Naubat Khana or the Drum House. The musicians used to play for the emperor from the Naubat Khana and the arrival of princes and royalty was heralded from here. The Fort also houses the Diwan-e-Aam or the Hall of Public Audiences where the Emperor would sit and hear complaints of the common folks. His alcove in the wall was marble-paneled and was set with precious stones, many of which were looted after the mutiny of 1857. The Diwan-e-Khas is the hall of private audiences where the Emperor held private meetings. This hall is made of marble and its centre-piece used to be the Peacock Throne, which was carried away to Iran by Nadir Shah in 1739. Today, the Diwan-e-Khas is only a pale shadow of its original glory, yet the famous Persian couplet inscribed on its wall reminds us of its former magnificence: "If on Earth be an Eden of bliss, it is this, it is this, none but this." The other attractions within this monument are the Royal Baths or hammams, the Shahi Burj, which used to be Shahjahan's private working area and the Moti Masjid or the Pearl Mosque, built by Aurangzeb for his personal use. The Rang Mahal or the " Palace of Colours" housed the Emperor's wives and mistresses. This palace was crowned with gilded turrets, delicately painted and decorated with an intricate mosaic of mirrors, and a ceiling overlaid with gold and silver that was reflected in a central pool in the marble floor. Even today, the Lal Quila is an eloquent reminder of the glory of the Mughal era and its magnificence leaves many wonder-struck and breathless. It is still a calm haven of peace which helps one to break away from the frantic pace of life outside the walls of the Fort and transports the visitor to another era of time. Jantar Mantar Commentary "The observatory consists of fourteen major geometric devices for measuring time, predicting eclipses, tracking stars in their orbits, ascertaining the declinations of planets, and determining the celestial altitudes and related ephemerides. Each is a fixed and 'focused' tool. The Samrat Jantar, the largest instrument, is 90 feet high, its shadow carefully plotted to tell the time of day. Its face is angled at 27 degrees, the latitude of Jaipur. The Hindu chhatri (small domed cupola) on top is used as a platform for announcing eclipses and the arrival of monsoons. " Built of local stone and marble, each instrument carries an astronomical scale, generally marked on the marble inner lining; bronze tablets, all extraordinarily accurate, were also employed. Thoroughly restored in 1901, the Jantar Mantar was declared a national monument in 1948. "An excursion through Jai Singh's Jantar is the singular one of walking through solid geometry and encountering a collective weapons system designed to probe the heavens." Lakshmi Narayan Temple Lakshmi Narayan Temple, popularly known as Birla Mandir, was built in 1938. The temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1938 on the condition that people of all strata of society be allowed to offer prayers there on account of the largescale prevalence of untouchability at that time. It was one of the first major Hindu places of worship which admitted Harijans (untouchables). Built by the well-known industrialist, R.D. Birla, the temple is dedicated to Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth) and Narayana (the preserver). The temple has been designed by Sris Chandra Chatterjee (1873-1966), who combined the architectural styles of Orissa style sanctuaries and Mughal arcades. The highest tower in the temple reaches a height of 165ft, while the ancillary towers reach 116ft. The Geeta Bhavan, a hall adorned with beautiful paintings depicting scenes from Indian mythology. There is also a temple dedicated to Buddha in this complex with fresco paintings describing his life and work. The entire complex, especially the walls and the upper gallery are full of paintings carried out by artists from Jaipur in Rajasthan. The rear of the temple has been developed as an artificial mountainous landscape with fountains and waterfalls. The Lakshmi Narayan Temple is adorned by a large garden and fountains behind it and is among the most popular of Hindu temples in Delhi. One of the most important festivals of the Hindus Janamashtami coinciding with the birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great fervour in the temple and the occasion is visited by lakhs of devotees. At the entrance is a plaque which welcomes people of all faiths and religions to visit the temple and that there would be no ostracisation of any kind. The father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, was assassinated in this temple complex in 1948. Qutab Minar Qutb-u'd-Din Aibak laid the foundation of Qutab Minar in AD 1199 for the use of Mu'azzin (crier) to give calls for prayer and raised the first storey, to which were added three more storeys by his successor and son-in-law, Shamsu'd-Din IItutmish (AD 1211-36). All the storeys are surrounded by a projected balcony encircling the Minar and supported by stone brackets, which are decorated with honeycomb design, more conspicuously in the first storey. Numerous inscriptions in Arabic and Nagari characters in different places of the Minar reveal the history of Qutb. According to the inscriptions on its surface it was repaired by Firoz Shah Tughlaq (AD 1351-88) and Sikandar Lodi (AD 1489-1517). Major R. Smith also repaired and restored the Qutab Minar in 1829. Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, to the northeast of Minar was built by Qutbu'd-Din Aibak in AD 1198. It is the earliest extant -mosque built by the Delhi Sultans. It consists of a rectangular courtyard enclosed by cloisters, erected with the carved columns and architectural members of 27 Hindu and Jain temples, which were demolished by Qutbu'd-Din Aibak as recorded in his inscription on the main eastern entrance. Later, a lofty arched screen was erected and the mosque was enlarged, by Shamsu'd- Din IItutmish (AD 1210-35) and Alau'd-Din Khalji. The Iron Pillar in the courtyard bears an inscription in Sanskrit in Brahmi script of 4th century AD, according to which the pillar was set up as a Vishnudhvaja (standard of Lord Vishnu) on the hill known as Vishnupada in memory of a mighty king named Chandra. A deep socket on the top of the ornate capital indicates that probably an image of Garuda was fixed into it. The Tomb of IItutmish (AD 1211-36) was built in AD 1235. It is a plain square chamber of red sandstone, profusely carved with inscriptions, geometrical and arabesque patterns in Saracenic tradition on the entrances and the whole of interior. Some of the motifs viz., the wheel, tassel, etc., are reminiscent of Hindu designs. Ala 'i- Darwaza, the southern gateway of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque was constructed by Alau'd-Din Khalji in AH 710 (AD 1311) as recorded in the inscriptions engraved on it. This is the first building employing Islamic principles of construction and ornamentation. Alau'd-Din Khalji commenced Ala'i Minar, which stands to the north of Kutub-Minar, with the intention of making it twice the size of earlier Minar. He could complete only the first storey, which now has an extant height of 25 m. The other remains in the Qutab complex comprise Madrasa, graves, tombs, mosque and architectural members. Safdarjang Tomb Representing the last phase of the Mughal style of architecture, Safdarjang's Tomb stands in the centre of an extensive garden. Built in 1753 by Nawab Shauja-ud-Daula to house the remains of his father, who was a minister in the Mughal court, the tomb is referred to as the "last flicker in the lamp of Mughal architecture." It shows how the grace and simplicity of he Mughals had been overtaken by decadence. The tomb is also has a mosque. Lotus Temple This distinctive lotus shaped marvel in marble is surrounded by a landscaped garden and is a symbol of peace. This is the Asian headquarters of the Bahai faith, and a circular temple that is open to all. It looks particularly spectacular at dusk when it is floodlit. You will be spellbound by the sacredness of this place. The number nine, represents the highest digit and, in the Bahai faith, it represents unity. The nine pools on the elevated platform signify the green leaves of the lotus -- and cool the stark, elegant interior. The lotus shaped structure has two layers: nine white marble-covered petals that point to heaven, and nine petals that conceal the portals. The interior conforms to that of all Bahai temples: there are no religious icons, just copies of the Holy Scriptures and wooden pews.Develop your strength of character and sense of discipline through prayer and meditation. Bahai faith believe that these are important instruments for the progress of the human soul, both in this world and the next. The Bahai is pray to one God, the Creator of the Universe. The act of praying is described as 'Conversation with God' and meditation is perceived as the 'Key for opening the doors of mysteries'. In that state, man withdraws himself from all outside objects and immerses himself in the ocean of spiritual life. Raj Ghat After Mohandas K. Gandhi was shot and killed by a Hindu fanatic on January 30, 1948, his body was cremated on the banks of the Yamuna River. His samadhi, or cremation site, is now a national shrine, where Indian tourists and pilgrims stream across the peaceful lawn to pay their respects to the saintlike Father of the Nation. At the center of a large courtyard is a raised slab of black marble adorned with flowers and inscribed with Gandhi's final words, Hai Ram! (Oh, God!). An eternal flame burns at its head. The sandstone walls enclosing the shrine are inscribed with passages written by Gandhi, translated into several tongues including Tamil, Malayalam, Nepali, Urdu, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese. Near Raj Ghat are the cremation sites of two other assassinated heads of state, Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv. Parliament & Rashtrapati Bhawan Rashtrapati Bhawan, or the official residence of the President of India, stands at the opposite end of the Rajpath from India Gate. Lutyens wanted a clear view all the way from this end of Rajpath to the Old Fort. But the design got marred a bit by the then viceroy's wife who though there should be a stadium behind India Gate. That stadium is of course, the National Stadium. Rashtrapati Bhawan, originally House of Viceroy of India, is one of the most spectacular symbols of the British Empire in India. When in 1911 the British decided to shift the Indian capital from Calcutta to New Delhi, they spared no effort or cost to embellish this precious jewel in their Crown. Dominating the capital's landscape, the Rashtrapati Bhawan today is the home of the President of India. Designed by Lutyens, this imposing structure, originally built to house the Viceroy of India during the British Raj, is a magnificent work of architecture befitting the capital of the world's largest democracy. |
