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DELHICOMMONWEALTH GAMES GUIDE TO

 must see  must do  must have Editorial: Chetananand Singh Researcher: Poulomi Sarma Design team: Subhasish Munshi, Balkishan Verma Production: Neeraj Bharti Project editor: Madhulita Mohanty

Commonwealth Games Guide to Copyright © Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., 2010

Published in 2010

This customized book has been produced by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 7, Marg -110 002 For Delhi Tourism & Transportation Development Corporation Ltd.

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Not for Sale CONTENTS

DELHI FACTS ...... 4 INTRODUCTION ...... 5 HISTORY AT A GLANCE ...... 6 TALE OF A ROYAL CITY ...... 8 ITINERARIES ...... 13 ...... 27 TAKE A WALK ...... 34 TAKE A BREAK ...... 40

Eating ...... 40 CONTENTS Shopping ...... 45 AROUND OLD DELHI ...... 49 TO THE EAST OF OLD DELHI ...... 50 TO THE NORTH OF OLD DELHI ...... 55 TAKE A BREAK ...... 62 Eating ...... 62 Shopping ...... 63 ...... 65 TAKE A BREAK ...... 89 Eating ...... 89 Nightlife ...... 97 Shopping ...... 99 ...... 105 TAKE A BREAK ...... 141 Eating ...... 141 Nightlife ...... 154 Shopping ...... 160 OTHER ATTRACTIONS ...... 169 TAKE A BREAK ...... 177 Eating ...... 177 Nightlife ...... 183 Shopping ...... 186 RECIPES ...... 189 EXCURSIONS ...... 197 LISTINGS ...... 213 INDEX ...... 253 Delhi Facts

Area: 1,483 sq km Latitudinal parallel: 28.3ºN Longitudinal meridian: 77.13ºE Altitude: 293 m above sea level Population: 12.8 million

Average Temperature: 45ºC (Max) — usually in May–Jun, 5ºC (Min) — usually in Dec–Jan Desirable Clothes: Woollen for winters and light cotton for summers Rainfall: 1,272 mm Monsoon: July to mid-September Season: Extreme climate with very hot summer and very cold winter Best time to visit: October to March

STD Code: 011 Languages: Hindi, English, Urdu and Punjabi Religions: Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Baha’i Faith INTRODUCTION

elhi is a city of many layers. It bridges two different D worlds. Old Delhi, once the capital of Islamic , is a labyrinth of narrow lanes lined with crumbling havelis and formidable mosques. In contrast, the imperial city of New Delhi created by the is composed of spacious, tree-lined avenues and imposing government buildings. Delhi has been the seat of power for several rulers and many empires for about a millennium. Many a city was built, destroyed HISTORY and then rebuilt here. Interestingly, many of Delhi’s rulers played a dual role, first as destroyers and then as creators. The city’s importance lies not just in its past glory as the seat of empires and magnificent monuments, but also in the rich and diverse cultures. No wonder chroniclers of Delhi culture — from Chand Bardai and Amir Khusro to William Dalrymple and film-maker Dibakar Banerjee — are never at a loss for topics. For first-timers, Delhi can seem chaotic and confusing with its crazy traffic. But scratch the surface and you will discover that the city is sprinkled with dazzling gems: captivating ancient monuments, fascinating museums and art galleries, architectural wonders, a vivacious performing-arts scene, fabulous eating places and bustling markets. Delhi has been the political hub of India. Every political activity in the country traces its roots here. This was true even of the mythological era. The Pandavas of the Mahabharata had their capital at , which is believed to have been geographically located in today’s Delhi. Now that Delhi is hosting the Commonwealth Games (CWG), it has staked its claim to becoming a global city. However, there are challenges galore. In the era of Kyoto Protocol, environment has to be the foremost concern. With Delhi switching over to CNG, the air has become a lot cleaner. If only the Yamuna could be restored to its pristine glory! Besides, the commuting needs of the burgeoning population have to be met and the large network of the efficiently planned. CWG 2010 has kindled hope in the heart of Delhi. If the talk of “an Asian century” turns into a reality, the future certainly lies here. The world may soon say, “Dilli chalo!”

5 DELHI

History at a Glance

1500 BC The earliest mention of a settlement at Delhi is found in the Mahabharata, which refers to a city called Indraprastha built around 1500 BC under the guidance of Yudhisthira, the Pandava king. 100 BC According to legend, Raja Dhilu founded “Dilli”. AD 736 The real foundations of Delhi were laid by the Tomar rulers, who also built the fortified Lal Kot near . 1180 The Chauhans, who ousted the Tomars, established , which was regarded as the first city of Delhi. 1191 Muhammad Ghori captured Delhi. 1206 Muhammad Ghori was assassinated. His lieutenant Qutub-ud-din Aibak crowned himself Sultan of Delhi and established the Slave Dynasty of Delhi or the . 1236 Sultan Razia succeeded father Iltutmish and is perhaps the only Muslim woman to have sat on the throne of Delhi. 1290 Ala-ud-din Khilji, the most dynamic Delhi Sultan, came to power in Delhi. The Slave Dynasty came to an end. 1303 Ala-ud-din Khilji set up the second city of Siri in Delhi’s southern area. This area is known as today. 1320 After Ala-ud-din Khilji’s death Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq proclaimed himself Sultan. 1325 Tughlakabad Fort was built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq. 1334 Muhammad bin Tughlaq built the new city of . 1354 Feroz Shah Tughlaq built Ferozabad, the fifth city of Delhi. 1398 The Tughlaq line came to an end when (Tamerlane), a Central Asian Turk, sacked Delhi. 1526 Mughal rule started in India. 1530 Babur died and was succeeded by his son, Humayun. 1540 Humayun was driven to Persia for 15 years subsequent to the loss of his throne to the Afghan king, Sher Shah. 1545 Sher Shah died while fighting against the . He was succeeded by Islam Shah, his son. 1555 Humayun returned from Kabul to recapture Delhi. 1556 Humayun died. Akbar ascended the throne and the capital shifted to Agra. 1628 Delhi was again made the capital of the under Emperor Shah Jahan, Akbar’s grandson.

6 HISTORY

1648 The construction of or Lal Qila was completed. 1707 Aurangzeb died. This resulted in a rapid decline in the fortunes of the Mughal Empire. 1724 Jantar Mantar was built. 1739 Persian invader Nadir Shah ordered a massacre. 1754 Safdarjung’s Tomb was built by Shuja-ud-Daula for his father, Mirza Khan, popularly known as Safdarjung. 1760 The Marathas and the Jats combined forces against the Mughals and besieged and looted the Red Fort, but did not take power.

1803 The British took control of Delhi after defeating the HISTORY Marathas. 1805 Around this time, Shah Alam the Mughal emperor and his family were getting pension from the British. 1806 Shah Alam was succeeded by his son Akbar Shah. 1837 Bahadur Shah succeeded Akbar Shah. 1857 Delhi became the focal point for the Indian Independence Movement. 1877 The Imperial Durbar was held to declare Queen Victoria as India’s Empress. 1903 Edward VII was declared the Emperor of India. 1911 The capital of the British Empire was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi. George V was declared the Emperor of British India. 1912 An attempt was made to assassinate the Viceroy with a bomb attack. 1931 Delhi was officially inaugurated as the capital of British India. 1947 India became independent. 1948 Mahatama Gandhi was assassinated. 1950 Delhi was made the capital of Independent India. 1956 Delhi was made a Union Territory. 1962 Master plan for Delhi was drawn up. 1985 National Capital Region was demarcated. 1992 Delhi was declared a state. 2001 The was attacked. 2002 Delhi Metro started its operations. All public transport buses were converted to CNG. 2003 New Delhi was chosen to host the Commonwealth Games 2010.

7 DELHI

Tale of a Royal City

Delhi — a pulsating modern city with 5,000 years of history. A city that has been the centre of power play for centuries. A city with a majestic and imperial past that has witnessed the rise and fall of many empires. Delhi is timeless in appeal. Incredible to experience. Exciting to explore. The is as exciting as the city itself. Delhi is said to be one of the oldest cities existing in the world, along with Damascus and Varanasi. Its existence can be traced back to the times of the Indian epic Mahabharata that narrates the creation of Indraprastha by the Pandavas. As the wheels of time turned, various kings and emperors made Delhi their royal seat. Lal Kot, Qila Rai Pithora, Siri, Jahanpanah, Tughlakabad, Ferozabad, Dinpanah, Delhi Sher Shahi or Shahjahanabad and New Delhi. Delhi has thus been christened and rechristened. But what has remained constant is the royal aura that the city holds in its character.

QILA RAI PITHORA The capital of Prithviraj Chauhan, Qila Rai Pithora, was the Delhi built in the 12th century as per available historical records. It is said that his ancestors had won the city from the Tomar Rajputs, who are credited with forming Delhi. Anangpal, a Tomar ruler, created the first known regular fort here and called it Lal Kot. Prithviraj Chauhan extended the city beyond the fort. The ruins of its ramparts are still visible around Qutub Minar and Mehrauli.

Remnants of the city wall of Qila Rai Pithora, the 10th-century capital of Prithviraj Chauhan

8 HISTORY

MEHRAULI In 1192, Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan and left Delhi to his slave Qutub-ud-din Aibak. Aibak, in turn, captured Delhi the subsequent year. In 1206, when Ghori was assassinated, Aibak declared himself the ruler of Delhi and the Slave Dynasty was started. This was also the beginning of the Delhi Sultanate. Mehrauli came into being and Qutub-ud-din made Delhi into an architectural wonder. The Slave Dynasty ruled until 1290. One of the prominent rulers was Razia Sultan, who ruled for just three years but became the first woman Emperor of India. HISTORY SIRI

The fort city of Siri was plundered by successive rulers to take away free building material

The Khilji (or Khalji) rulers followed the Slave Dynasty. The most prominent among the six rulers was Alauddin Khilji, who extended his kingdom to the south of Narmada and also established the city of Siri. Among some of the remaining ruins is part of the in the greater Hauz Khas area. The madrasa at Hauz Khas was constructed during Alauddin's reign and bears the stamp of West Asian architecture.

TUGHLAKABAD In 1330, Ghias-ud-din Tughlaq established the and set out to rebuild a Delhi of his own. His dream was to build an impregnable fort to keep away the Mongols. Thus he founded the city of Tughlakabad, the ruins of which still remain. His descendant Muhammad bin Tughlaq later formed Jahanpanah. Lying in the area between Siri and Qila Rai Pithora, this was the

9 DELHI fourth medieval city of Delhi built in AD 1326–27. Muhammad bin Tughlaq was so whimsical that when he moved the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (now near Aurangabad in Maharashtra) he made the entire population travel, only to return in a few years to escape the water shortage in the new town.

Ruins of Tughlakabad

FEROZABAD Feroz Shah Tughlaq was a more stable ruler than his father Muhammad bin Tughlaq. He created the next city of Ferozabad, or as we call it today. It was a well-planned city with palaces, mosques, pillared halls, and multi-floored water tanks. Feroz Shah also transplanted the Ashokan Pillar, 1500 years old and 42 feet high, from to the top of his palace. He renovated many older monuments like Ghori's tomb, Qutub Minar, Suraj Kund and Hauz Khas. After Feroz Shah's death, the Sultanate was invaded and overpowered by Taimur the Lame (from ). It is said about 100,000 people were murdered. The Sayyids and Lodis ruled Delhi thereafter but they had to pay more attention to re-establishing military and political stability in the kingdom. The memories of these dynasties lie in the tombs at Lodi Gardens. In 1526 a new chapter was written in Delhi's history. Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat and established the Mughal dynasty.

SHERGARH In 1540, a sway of imperial power saw Babur's son Humayun defeated by . Sher Shah established another Delhi. The city, known as Shergarh, was built on the ruins of Dinpanah

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