Witness the Heritage and Splendour of India on Delhi Tour (Part -2)

Next morning, I was all set to explore few other popular attractions of the city. Qutub Minar was the first one on my Delhi sightseeing that day. This huge structure was located in a peaceful ambiance and there I could also spot several other structures. This historic attraction still retains its old-world charm.

Qutub Minar

The famous Humayun's Tomb of Delhi was another part of my exploration. It is the first garden tomb in India and I found the architecture very impressive. The tour guide told me that it was built in 1570 by the emperor's widow, Haji Begum. With high arches and formal gardens or charbagh, the tomb is also listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After this wonderful experience, I was too excited to visit Lotus Temple in Delhi. Reason being, its flower-like shape always make me wonder that how can a temple lie within. It was the time to end my surprise and there I was at Lotus temple by Delhi metro. I got down at Kalkaji metro station and it was just on a walking distance. Based on my experience, I would recommend this popular tourist spot in Delhi. Its tranquil atmosphere, pleasant surroundings and majestic architecture will surely add delight to your Delhi tour.

I could also visit the Iskon temple and Birla temple on my travel to Delhi. Amazing architecture, pleasant ambiance and tranquil feeling that is all I could say after visiting these famous temples in Delhi.

Humayun Tomb Delhi

On my trip to Delhi, I also spent my last few hours at Akshardham temple Delhi. It was easily accessible by Delhi metro. This majestic temple offers you the beautiful glimpses of Indian sculptures that will occupy your mind. I had to rush as the leisure time was over for me and next day I was to report at office.

My Delhi tour ended and I bid goodbye to Delhi but with a promise to come again to visit all the Delhi attractions that I missed on this trip. The moments I captured in my camera was making me feel delightful throughout my way back to home.

Delhi Temples Tourism: Celebrating Spirituality

When two persons have different interests, it is quite difficult to choose a place to visit. My cousin, Sam insisted me to visit the religious places of Delhi on the third day of my trip. However, I hardly go to any temple, but when Sam told me that the temples in Delhi are true architectural wonders, I got ready in few minutes. Without having our breakfast even, we first hit the Cathedral Church of Redemption, located on Church Road that stands to the west of Parliament House. Built between 1927 and 1935, the church is a typical British structure with spotless beauty. Sam told me that the Cathedral of The Sacred Heart (at the Gol Dak Khana near the Connaught place) and the St. James Church (at the Kashmere Gate) are other equally important Catholic churches. Although the Christians are very less in number as far as population of Delhi is concerned, but these churches draw a number of devotees during festive seasons.

We then headed for the famous Gurdwara Bangla Sahib, near Connaught Place. Earlier a splendid bungalow of Raja Jai Singh Amber of Jaipur, this gurdwara is a highly revered place for both the Hindus and the Sikhs. It has a huge hall covered by a golden dome with a sculpted bronze cupola, that looks quite similar to the Golden temple of Amritsar. We were offered delicious 'halwa' in prasad, which was simply unbeatable. Sam told me that Delhi has a number of Sikh shrines like Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, Gurdwara Sis Ganj, Gurdwara Majnu ka Tila and Gurdwara Nanak Piao that are equally important and beautiful. The moment you enter any of these shrines you can hear the blissful 'Gurbani'. We stopped at the Hanuman Mandir (Connaught Place) for a quick bite, where I came to know that this temple was built by Maharaja Jai Singh along with Jantar Mantar in 1724.

Akshardham Temple, Delhi

After that we moved for the Akshardham Temple, which looks quite similar to the Akshardham in Ahmedabad. Made in Rajasthani pink sandstone, the temple has a Carrara marble platform with the presiding deity's panchdhatu (five-metal) statue (11 ft high). The temple is too big to explore on foot. I was surprised to see over 20,000 sculptures of animals, floral motifs, arches and exquisitely carved pillars. Apart from that, Birla Mandir (Laxmi Narayan Temple) and ISKCON Temple (Krishna Temple) were also fascinating. Another stunning structure was the Lotus Temple. Made in marble in the shape of lotus flower, this temple belongs to the Bahai sect, and is a peaceful place for meditation and relaxation.

Jama Masjid, Delhi

Our last halt was the famous Jama Masjid, in Old Delhi. Raised on the highest pedestal of Delhi, Jama Masjid is built of red sandstone and boasts of being the largest mosque in India. Facing the Red Fort, this was the last monument built by Shah Jahan (1650-1656). Muslims constitute about 12% of the population in Delhi, and there are a number of Muslim shrines here, namely Fatehpuri Masjid, Chirag Dihli Tomb, Nizam-ud-Din Auliya Tomb and Qutab Bakhtiyar Kaki Tomb. We had traditional north Indian food in the age old streets of Chandni Chowk. The temples in Delhi are simply the finest in India. I can surely call them the best in the terms of architecture.