A Tour of Delhi

If you like to visit capital cities, high on the list for a really rewarding travel experience has to be Delhi. This is of course the Indian capital, and it has a long and interesting history, which is reflected in its unique architecture and cultural melange. Most people know that it only became the capital of India in 1911 after the British moved it there from Bombay (Mumbai), but fewer know that its importance dates back far longer than that.

There is evidence that trade routes passed through here at least as long ago as 1,000BC, and it became central to the Tomara Rajput civilisation in 736AD. This lasted until 1206 when an Islamic conqueror by the name of Qutb-ud-din Aybak founded a sultanate here. Timur the Lame managed to destroy the city in 1398 by dismantling it and using the materials to build a mosque in Samarkand. Control passed to the Mughals in 1526 as an agricultural centre before its final evolution into the modern Indian capital.

You can thus on your Holidays see historical artefacts and buildings from most of Delhi's history, starting with the Islamic Qutb Minar tower. Ironically, it was constructed using Hindu labour, as there were not enough Muslims available. You can also see a 4th century Iron Pillar - which while of unknown provenance, remains miraculously free of rust after so much time.

There are various forts in Delhi from throughout the ages, and the principal one dating from the Mughal period is the Qal'a-i-Kuhna-Masjid, which has distinct Persian influences. As a great trading and military confluence throughout the ages, Delhi is an interesting place to see architecture in transition - in this building's case, from the Afghan to the Persian. Finally, the 1648 Red Fort (Lal Quila), which dominates the city, is worth inspecting. The Shah Jahan, who built it in 1648, used white marble as opposed to a more conventional local red sandstone: it is thought the same architect was also employed on the Taj Mahal.

Moving from the more historical to the contemporary, you would want to see New Delhi, where the landmarks date from the Victorian era. Central to the city is Connaught Place, and is probably what one might term the capital's heart. Filled with people, energy and vibrancy, there is always something interesting to see. A particularly dramatic building is the Presidential Palace (formerly the Viceroy's palace), which is at the head of Rajpath, or the old colonial Kingsway. Reflecting the colonial grandeur and dignity of a capital city, Rajpath is the ceremonial avenue most important to India. At the other end is a war memorial set up to commemorate the 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in Britain's service in World War I. In contrast to colonialism, there is of course independence, and on Janpath (Queensway) there is the highly recommended Nehru Memorial Museum, and for rail buffs, the Rail Transport Museum.

For the complete Indian experience, you should take a trip to nearby Agra, with its famous Taj Mahal, but that's a story for another day and perhaps even another holiday in India!