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About Delhi & its culture

Updated: Feb 20, 2020

Delhi - India's historical city! Delhi is the capital city of India and is regarded as the heart of the nation.



History

Delhi - India's Historical City! Delhi is the capital city of India and is regarded as the heart of the nation. The city is popular for its enriched culture and heritage. The city hosts some famous historical monuments and is developing with the passing of time. Delhi is more than just the capital and political epicentre of the country. One great love of the mughals, this city blends modern with contemporary with surprising finesse. Art, culture, architecture, entertainment, fashion and, of course, politics—Delhi brings together all this and more. With a yearly footfall of crores of tourists that come lured by its charms, this city is a major attraction. The city of Delhi actually consists of two components: Old Delhi, in the north, the historic city; and New Delhi, in the south, since 1947 the capital of India, built in the first part of the 20th century as the capital of British India. One of the country’s largest urban agglomerations, Delhi sits astride (but primarily on the west bank of) the Yamuna River, a tributary of the Ganges (Ganga) River, about 100 miles (160 km) south of the Himalayas. The national capital territory embraces Old and New Delhi and the surrounding metropolitan region, as well as adjacent rural areas. To the east, the territory is bounded by the state of Uttar Pradesh, and to the north, west, and south it is bounded by the state of Haryana.


There are a number of myths and legends associated with the origin of the name Delhi. One of them is derived from Dhillu or Dilu, a king who built a city at this location in 50 BCE and named it after himself. Another legend holds that the name of the city is based on the Hindi/Prakrit word chilli (loose) and that it was used by the Tomaras to refer to the city because the iron pillar of Delhi had a weak foundation and had to be moved. The coins in circulation in the region under the Tomaras were called Dhaliwal. According to the Bhavishya Purana, King Prithiviraja of Indraprastha built a new fort in the modern-day Purana Qila area for the convenience of all four castes in his kingdom. He ordered the construction of a gateway to the fort and later named the fort dehali. Some historians believe that Dhilli or Dhillika is the original name for the city while others believe the name could be a corruption of the Hindustani words dehleez or dehali—both terms meaning 'threshold' or 'gateway'—and symbolic of the city as a gateway to the Gangetic Plain. The people of Delhi are referred to as Delhiites or Dilliwala.

Delhi Today

Modern Delhi, popularly known as Lutyens' Delhi, bears a striking contrast to Old Delhi with respect to architecture, building materials and layout. However, Modern Delhi itself dates back to over a century when the British shifted their capital from Calcutta to Delhi. New Delhi, as it is known today, designed by Lutyens, has wide-open lanes, avenues and buildings that are worth travelling across the globe for. Besides the usual tourist attractions of modern Delhi - India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, North and South Block - which are stunning examples of British architecture, you can also visit the various museums, temples and memorials that provide a comprehensive and entertaining insight into the lives of Delhites.

National Museum, at par with any international museum, is an important place to visit in modern Delhi. Here, you can catch glimpses of the rich historical past of India, from the ancient period to the medieval ages. National Rail Museum documents the more than 150-year-old history of Indian railways, including the first steam engine that ran from Thane, Mumbai in 1853 that marked the beginning of Indian railways. Modern Delhi has some popular temples of Modern India that are known not only for their religious significance but also for their experimental designs that challenge conventional architectural standards. The Lakshmi Narayan Temple (Birla Temple), built by the Birlas, is dedicated to the worship of Lord Lakshmi Narayan (Vishnu). Another temple worth a visit on your tour of modern Delhi is the Lotus Temple built by followers of the Bahai faith. Built-in the shape of a blooming lotus, the temple draws thousands of tourists each day.

Iskon (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) Temple boasts of a vegetarian restaurant, library, animatronics centre and an upcoming museum beside the prayers and meditation facilities. The newly built Akshardham temple is a very popular destination for tourists and Delhites. The temple is situated on the banks of Yamuna River and is beside the Common Wealth Games village. New Delhi has memorials of famous freedom fighters and national leaders. Raj Ghat, Shanti Van, Shakti Sthal are the resting place of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi respectively. You can also visit the Teen Murti Bhavan (Nehru Memorial Museum), Gandhi Smriti and Indira Gandhi Memorial.

The capital has a charming mix of an old and new world. On one side you can see Old architectural sites, buzzing streets and exotic markets, and on the other side, Delhi has magnificent Malls, swan by overbridges, modern opulent high rise buildings and lots of greenery.

Culture

Delhi is the traditional and present-day capital of India. Delhi stands in a triangle formed by the river Yamuna in the east and spurs from the Aravali range in the west and south. Delhi is not only the largest commercial centre in Northern India but also the largest centre of small industries. The IT sector, handloom, fashion, textile and electronic industry contribute a lot to Delhi's economy. Delhi is bounded by four states namely Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab that have a strong influence on the lifestyle of Delhi. Delhi is a cosmopolitan city where people are open to embracing new ideas and lifestyle. People from all parts of the country live here. All major festival of India is celebrated and the Unity in Diversity is evident in social and cultural gatherings. Be it Holi, Diwali, Id, Guru Purab, Buddha Purnima or Christmas, you will find the same vigour and bliss among people from different communities.


Art & culture

Delhi is also Hub of Art and Culture, Delhi is one of most active state in India that host all kinds of events, be it traditional events or International jazz festival. Delhi hosts thousands of events every year on literature, Music, Food, Trade, Fine arts, Comics, Dance, Youth Festival, Foreign Embassy Art and Culture events, throughout the year, especially between the month of September to February. Subscribe to our weekly news & events list to get regular updates.

Climate

Delhi's has an extreme climate. It is very hot in summer (April - July) and cold in winter (December - January). The average temperature can vary from 25 C to 45 C during the summer and 22 C to 3 C during the winter. In summer adequate precautions need to be taken, to avoid the intense heat, such as wearing light cotton clothing, wearing a hat or sunshade while going outdoors and drinking plenty of liquids. In winter, wearing warm or woollen clothing will protect you from the cold.

Religion.

As per census report, Delhi Religion 2011 Hinduism is the majority religion in Delhi city with 80.21 % followers. Islam is the second most popular religion in the city of Delhi with approximately 12.78 % following it. In Delhi city, Christianity is followed by 0.96 %, Jainism by 1.39 %, Sikhism by 4.43 % and Buddhism by 4.43 %.

Government of Delhi.

The Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi is the governing authority of the Indian national capital territory of Delhi and its 11 districts. It consists of an executive, led by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, a judiciary and a legislature. Currently, APP (Aam Aadmi Party) is the ruling party of Delhi and Hon'ble Arvind Kejriwal (born 16 August 1968) is an Indian Politician and a former bureaucrat who is the current and 7th Chief Minister of Delhi since February 2015. Arvind kejriwal re-appointed as Chief minister for third term in February 2020.

New Delhi-startup Culture

Over the years, Delhi has been home to a number of innovations and improvements in the way of life of Indians. And these days, it’s the heart of India’s startup ecosystem. Home to 13 unicorns, today, Delhi NCR plays host to 8,500 startups, including some of the biggest in the country such as Paytm, Snapdeal, Shopclues, Zomato among many others. The advantages of being the national capital are obvious but there are a number of factors that have gone into making Delhi a startup hub. These include high-speed connectivity, per capita income (NSDP) of $4,686 which is 2.63x higher than the average per capita income of other Indian states. According to StartupBlink’s startup ecosystem index, Delhi jumped up five slots in 2019 (compared to 2018) to grab the 18th rank among 1,000 cities overall in the world.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Delhi is from "October to March" when the weather is at its best. During this period flowers are at their blooming best, the weather is pleasant and enjoyable to experience Incredible Delhi.


By Air

Delhi is well connected with domestic and international flights, to all the major cities within and outside India. Almost all the major airlines have their flights operating from Indira Gandhi International Airport at New Delhi. Domestic Airport connects Delhi to the major cities in India. Click here for further information on Flights arrival/departure.


By Train The railway network connects Delhi to the all major and, nearly, all the minor destinations in India. The three important railway stations of Delhi are New Delhi Railway Station, Old Delhi Railway Station and Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station.


By Train

Delhi is well connected, by a network of roads and national highways, with all the major cities in India. The three major bus stands in Delhi are Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Kashmiri Gate, Sarai Kale-Khan Bus Terminus and Anand Vihar Bus Terminus. Both the government and private transport providers provide frequent bus services. One can also get government as well as private taxis here.


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