Delhi is the present day version of Indraprastha, the legendary capital of Pandavas, and has in-between been seen various rulers on its throne, the longest being Mughals. No wonder Delhi has charmed writers, Sufi saints and travellers alike. The present Delhi is one of the most developed Indian as well as global cities albeit with its glorious past lurking across the city. The head of Indian government sits in Delhi in the Parliament in central Delhi, surrounded by forts and monuments of his ancestors, both autocratic and monarchs. These are places like Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, Jantar Mantar et al. Then there are imperial architectures around Lutyen's Delhi including Connaught Place, in heart of city and the closest Delhi can get to London's Trafalgar Square.

While these old one's have been there since long, the New Delhi, including NCR or National Capital Region has shown exemplary growth in architecture, business avenues, services, tourism and township. Let us have a quick trip across the capital...

Places to See

If you dare to get beyond the 'tourist-eye' in Delhi, you can see everything! The bustling streets, salad-bowl of people from various cultures, the keen cabbies and coolies in airports and railway stations, the cajoling & innovative beggars in CP, a working populace of all age groups in Gurgaon, vertical townships in Noida and hazaar shopping and eating avenues are some options not written in any city guide. In every auto rickshaw or cab ride, under every subway, in each mall and tourist spot, you will witness a new aspect of the city.

Talking about list of must visit places, the top names come from Delhi's history: ancient, medieval and modern.

Begin with Red Fort, a magnificent palace which gets its name from the red stone it's made with. It was in Red Fort that Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first PM announced its independence at the stroke of midnight. Next stoppage is Qutub Minar with shrouded origins. At 238 feet, Qutub Minar is one of the tallest brick minarets of the world. Humayun's Tomb, next in the list, is a UNESCO world heritage site with a bloddy history.

Other historically significant architectural marvels include Jantar Mantar(near Connaught Place) , Jama Masjid, Safdarjung's Tomb, Purana Quila (near Humayun's Tomb) from Mughal era and Rajghat, Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, Lotus Temple, India Gate and a magnanimous Akshardham Temple from the recent past and modern era.

After these short stoppages, a must visit place is Chandni Chowk. A part of Old Delhi's walled city, Chandni Chowk is today known for its rich culture, exhaustive market and delectable food. It has a Temple, a Church, a Gurudwara and a mosque, all with rich and fascinating histories. About food, Ghantewala Halwai (1970), Natraj's Dahi Bhalle (1940), famous Chaatwallah (1923), Chainaram sweet shop (1948) and Paranthe wali gali are a small part of the food options available at Chandni Chowk.

Moving on to contemporary Delhi, the malls of Delhi are a good option to experience the rapid urbanisation of the city. Ambiance Mall (Gurgaon), Select City Walk (Saket), Great India Place (Noida), DLF Promenade Mall (Vasant Kunj) Pacific Mall (Subhash Nagar) and Metro Walk (Rohini, with an amusement park) are some new and worth visiting mall for shopping, dining, movies and enjoyment. Some market places you should try are Palika Bazaar & Janpath in CP, Dilli Haat near AIIMS, Sarojni Nagar market in South Delhi and M-Block market in Greater Kailash.

While this list is potent enough to satiate many wanderlusts, if you want to explore Delhi further, it is best to take advice from locals, especially hotel/restaurant owners and taxi & auto rickshaw drivers.

Places to Eat

If you are a true foodie, what follows next demands maximum attention! Delhi has largely been under Mughal influence which is prominent in its famous food destinations too! The Karim's in Old Delhi is heaven for meat curries (chicken, mutton and beef) served after hours of preparation and at affordable prices. Khan Chacha in Khan Market serves Kebabs that melt in mouth. Very near to Khan Chacha is Al Bake, serving vegetarian and non vegetarian Shawarma rolls with Mayonnaise. And don't forget other eating avenues in Chandni Chowk mentioned above!

In Connaught Place there is Nizam's Kathi Kebab (self explanatory), Gulati Restaurant on Pandara Road (expensive but finger licking indulgence in north Indian non veg cuisine), Nathu Sweets (good old restaurant and sweet shop for vegetarian food and snacks) and Parikrama (Revolving restaurant with nice kebabs and butter chicken). Then there are modern and speciality places like Barbeque Nation (unlimited Barbeque on table followed by Buffet at surprisingly low prices), Mochas (to hang out with friends and smoke flavoured hookah, they call it Shisha), Punjabi by Nature (good Punjabi food served in a village set up) and others. Fortunately, even this is an endless list and you are advised to take locals' inputs to manage your dining and travelling itinerary perfectly.

Remember, by no means is this list exhaustive! To explore Indian capital and its pleasures further, come to Delhi!

Things to Do

With all its architectural glory and legendary tales, a sightseeing tour of Delhi will definitely leave you mesmerised. However, the true characteristics of a city are revealed in the day-to-day actions of its residents. Thus, to experience the true nature of Delhi, you need to indulge in common day activities and practices that reveal the existing and authentic nature of the city. Delhi city offers the most joyous experiences, one of which is cycle-rickshaw riding through the labyrinth that is Chandni Chowk. Take the metro to the heart of the area and then hop onto a rickshaw that will take you across the length and breadth of the market, into its tiny allies leading to a variety of shops. If you want to experience the world class quality of Delhi city and feel proud to be part of the infrastructure boom, a ride on the metro is an absolute must.
Next Dilli Haat calls out to all the foodies with its wide range of cuisines, snacks and beverages that you 'd love to indulge in. Even for the non-epicureans, Dilli Haat is a must visit for the variety of regional artefacts and products that it has on offer. With food stalls from all states lined at one end of the bazaar and the rest a maze of stores selling regional textiles and handicrafts, Dilli Haat is the perfect cultural potpourri within New Delhi. In addition to these, you can explore the parks and gardens of the city, and also enjoy thrilling activities in water parks. Don't miss to see a movie of your choice either Hindi or English in the multiplexes of the city.

A decade ago nightlife was an alien concept to Delhi's average Joe. Lesser exposed than its favoured cousin, Mumbai, the city finally caught up to the culture of a life beyond the twilight hour. Now, with a rising income and a steadily increasing cosmopolitan workforce, Delhi's youth are always ready to party. While Delhi city definitely retains a bit of its conservative nature, what with it still being considered unsafe for women, the city's commercial boom has brought along with it a much desired metropolitan culture.

Now, New Delhi has a thriving nightlife with pubs, lounge bars, discotheques and clubs dotting the city, offering everything from live music, adventurous cocktails, foreign DJs, state of the art technology to theme based nights. The pubs and clubs are chocablock throughout the week and it's the weekend when the discotheques really go wild with the PYTs of Delhi gyrating on the floor. With a plethora of night haunts now open in the city, Delhi seems to have arrived.
If you've explored all of Delhi's attractions, and had enough of Delhi tours and Delhi sightseeing head out to some equally enchanting destinations within easy reach from Delhi city. Owing to its proximity to various states including Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab, there are various places that can be weekend getaways from Delhi. However, most hill stations in Himachal and Uttarakhand are an overnight journey or 8 - 9 hour drive away from New Delhi. Most holiday destinations in the plains are however better connected via regular trains from New Delhi. Choose from many destinations such as Agra, Jaipur, Rishikesh and Nainital, and enjoy a memorable holiday away from the bustling life of Delhi.

Shopping

Simply put, Delhi city is a shopper's paradise with trendy boutiques, flea markets, swanky malls, tiny kiosks, upscale shopping areas, pavement shops, modern art galleries, Tibetan markets, centuries old bazaars and second hand street markets.

For a fun filled shopping trip visit Dilli Haat, preferably in the evening. It's an open air complex housing artisans who sell their indigenous wares. Expect a riot of colours from kitsch to ethnic fabrics, shoes, trinkets and furnishings. Top it up with a meal from one of the various restaurants offering indigenous cuisine from each state of India.

For shoes, bags, jewellery and skin care products visit the M-Block Market at Greater Kailash (GK) - one of the hippest markets of New Delhi. Also on offer are posh malls all over Delhi offering braded goods and labels. For designer wear, visit the Garden of Five Senses near the Qutub Minar.

For shoppers on a shoe string budget, Paharganj is perfect with its junk jewellery and trippy clothing. For some serious trousseau shopping and gold-diamond jewellery, visit Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh and Rajouri Garden. For affordable fakes, go to Lajpat Nagar.Go to Janpath for curios and bronzes, mirror studded bed covers and stained glass lanterns, and haggle till exhaustion. Visit Palika Bazaar for CDs and software.

For real time handicrafts and prices to match them, visit one of the many emporia lining Janpath, especially the Cottage Industries Emporium, the ones on Baba Kharag Singh Marg and the Hauz Khas Village. Indo-Western outfits and fa

Places to See

If you dare to get beyond the 'tourist-eye' in Delhi, you can see everything! The bustling streets, salad-bowl of people from various cultures, the keen cabbies and coolies in airports and railway stations, the cajoling & innovativ

A crimson sun casting an orange hue, setting behind the luminescent white marble of the epitome of everlasting love 'The Taj Mahal', is probably the 'cliched' picture that leaps to our mind when we think of Agra. Why should it not? After all Taj Mahal remains unsurpassed in beauty. But there is much more to Agra than just the Taj Mahal. Agra has a rich and puristic cultural mix of the Persian and the Mughal era. It is home to many ancient relics and monuments of historical and cultural significance - Taj Mahal, the ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri, the exquisite tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah are just a few of the many wonders of pristine Mughal architecture that are nestled in the city.

Historians are of the general opinion that the city of Agra was founded in 1504 A.D. by Sikandar Lodi, the ruler of the Delhi Sultunate. Sikander Lodi's son, Ibrahim Lodi, ruled over the city after his father's death until he fell fighting Babar in the first battle of Panipat fought in 1526. Under the Mughals, the city witnessed the blossoming of some of the finest pieces of architecture ever made. The magnificence of the ancient times is not the only thing that would strike you with awe. In the backdrop of the monuments and the tombs, is a bustling industrial city getting richer by the day. Some of you might get down on your knees twice - at the Taj Mahal to propose and the second time to thank your stars for all the shopping you could do in the city! Agra has a thriving market of marble artifacts, silk fabrics, and leather goods available at dirt cheap rates.

Places to see

The Taj Mahal - It was in 1653 that the glorious Taj Mahal's construction was completed. Built by the Mughal King Shah Jahan as the final resting place for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, Taj Mahal is perhaps India's most beautiful and enchanting monument. Finished in white marble, it is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is also one of the three World Heritage sites in Agra. Everything about Taj Mahal is fascinating. Spend the day here and watch the changing colors of the marble with the changing shades of the sun.

The Agra Fort - The Agra Fort was commissioned in 1565 A.D. by the great Mughal ruler Akbar. A stone tablet at the gate of the majestic fort states that it was built before 1000 A.D. and was later renovated by Akbar. The colossal structure, a World Heritage site, is made entirely of red sandstone and houses historical structures such as the Pearl Mosque, Deewa-ae-Aam, Deewan-ae-Khas, Jahangir's Palace, Sheesh Mahal, and Khas Mahal. There is much to see and explore and learn at the Agra Fort.

Fatehpur Sikri- Fatehpur Sikri, aka the Ghost City, was built from scratch by Akbar and is another World Heritage site nestled in Agra. Situated 35 k.m. away from Agra, Fatehpur Sikri is an adroit combination of Islamic and Hindu architecture. Perhaps the most renowned fact about Fatehpur Sikri is the humungous structure Buland Darwaza built by Akbar to commemorate his victory over Gujarat.

Itmad-ud-Daulah's mausoleum - The mausoleum of Itmad-ud-Daulah was built by Empress Noor Jehan for her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg, the Chief Minister of the Emperor Jehangir. The exquisite architecture of Itmad-ud-Daulah's mausoleum keeps you enchanted. Itmad-ud-Daulah's tomb is a highly ornate edifice and is regarded as an imminent precursor of the Taj Mahal as far as the carvings and the inlay work is concerned and has earned the nickname of 'Baby Taj'.

Things to do

A Voyage of Historical Monuments - If you are in Agra, the first thing to do would be to rush to Taj Mahal and savor the fine artistic beauty of the place. Although one can never probably have enough of Taj Mahal, next thing on the 'to do list' should be paying a visit to the World Heritage sites and the other monuments in Agra.

Appreciating the Wildlife - Agra's Wildlife SOS provides shelter and care to abused and abandoned animals like bears, elephants, geese, and even guinea fowl. A trip to this sanctuary would be a wholesome entertainment and a change from all the sightseeing.

Fishing - The Keetham Lake also known as the Sur Sarovar Lake provides an excellent opportunity to lay back lazily in peace and watch as the fishes get hooked on to the fishing hook.

Shopping - To err is human, to not shop when in Agra, is a sin! To say adieu before exploring the leather goods market and trying out the famous 'Petha', would make the trip to Agra an incomplete journey.

Places to Eat

Agra is a city of multi-cultural culinary delights. The cuisines, perfected over centuries, tingle your taste buds and are easy on the stomach. The Mughal non-veg dishes are mouthwatering and you might just catch yourself salivating in expectation from the mere fragrance of the dishes. The Mughlai food is a rich mix of exotic spices, dry fruits, and nuts. The ecstasy that engulfs you after a hearty Mughlai meal is second to none. Agra has a multitude of restaurants that offer Mughlai cuisines as well as Continental and North Indian dishes.

Capri restaurant is perhaps the best known place in Agra when it comes to serving exquisite Mughlai cuisine.The chicken delicacies served here deserve special mention. There is a near perfect blend of the spices used in the chicken dishes that makes you want to devour more and more. The Jharokha-e-Taj restaurant, situated in hotel Deedar-e-Taj, offers a variety of Indian cuisines ranging from sumptuous North Indian delicacies to the crisp mouthwatering Mughlai cuisine. The Grand Buffet is another restaurant in Agra that has carved a niche for itself when it comes to Indian and Continental dishes. The Nauratna restaurant allows you to have a taste of the finest and authentic delicacies of Indian cuisine. The Nauratna restaurant has a delightful consortium of both non-veg and vegetarian cuisines.

Restaurants apart, it would not be a bad idea to try out the local dhabas once or twice.

Shopping

Agra is the hub of handicrafts made of marble and soft-stone inlay work. Agra's famous products besides inlay work are: leather ware, brassware, carpets, jewels, and embroidery work. Agra is the Mecca for shoppers who rave for specialties of the place they visit such as souvenirs and replicas. Tiny white marble 'Taj Mahal' replicas sell like hot cakes all over Agra. Leather items at Agra have earned a name for themselves owing to their quality. The leather goods include sandals, purses, bags, and decorative items.

The main markets for shopping consisting of Sadar Bazar, Kinari Bazar, and Munro Road, in Agra are centered around the Taj Mahal complex. The Uttar Pradesh State Emporium called Gangotri at the Taj Mahal Complex, offers a multitude of handicrafts of great variety. For those who have a taste for the Emporiums, some of the places worth paying a visit would be Akbar International, Kraft Palace, Ganeshilal Emporium, Handicraft Inn, Kohinoor Jewelers, and Marble Emporium.

Traveller Tips

• While shopping for marble inlay work, a little wariness should be practiced as fake marble handicrafts might find a way into your kitty.
• The prices of the handicrafts and the leather goods might be exorbitant at times and bargaining is advised.
• Day tour to Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.
• Spend a whole day at the Taj Mahal and watch the sun paint the Taj Mahal in different hues.

In 1853, Jaipur's prosperous ruler King Sawai Man Singh got all city walls painted in pink to welcome the Prince of Wales, Edward VII. In the semi-desert lands of Rajasthan, Jaipur is the place for you if you are tired of frequenting hill stations in Northern India. A glorious past of Kings and palaces blended with a culture of pride and hospitality and topped up with a sepia urbanism, that's Jaipur for you!

Places to see

The list is always large. The time is often less. Therefore you must semi-plan your itinerary as you pack for Jaipur. Nevertheless, here are some personal recommendations we would like to give!

Let's begin with the best village in Jaipur, Chokhi Dhani. Spread over 10 acres, Chokhi Dhani (or Good Village) is an ethnic theme village, set up for tourists for both visiting and staying. The village is a 3-5 hour long engaging destination with ethnic culture of Jaipur at its best. The best time to visit the village is around 4 or 5 in the evening. After a not so expensive ticket (including an unexplainably delicious dinner) you get to see a rustic and rural village with kiosks or performances including magic show, puppetry, archery, machaans, cots, Rajasthani dance, tarot reading, free Baajra ki Roti, camel ride, live ethnic music band, and countless other entertainment options. Travel around till the evening hour and make sure you have enough appetite because the dinner (for which you paid with the entry ticket) is Rajasthani food served in traditional style (usually savoured while seated on the ground, but dining tables are also available) with various dishes, unlimited servings, and ready to serve traditionally clad staff! Food is perhaps the biggest attraction of Chowki Dhaani. Please note that the village also offers luxury ethnic resorts for night stay. It has royal cottages, haveli suites, multicuisine restaurants, banquet halls, spa, and barbeque among various other luxuries for tourists.

Next on a good itinerary should be the forts and palaces throughout the city. The most beauteous ones are Nahargarh Fort and Jaigarh Fort, two hill fortresses in proximity to each other. The fort of Amber, which was the former capital of Rajasthan, is a spending sight too.

After these, some more places you may go for include Jaipur's famous Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar, Rambagh Palace, and Albert Hall Museum. All the forts have two things in common, a strong hint of Jaipur's glorious past and infrastructural marvels. Another beautiful must-see place is the Jal Mahal. You will find it if you enter Jaipur from Delhi's direction, a large lake and a solitary palace standing in its centre, with 4 floors submerged in the lake and one above water. The history and concept of Jal Mahal are enough to qualify it as a must-see place!

Strongly influenced by Rajput culture, Jaipur has some famous temples attracting tourists. Some of these are Birla temple in main city, Shila Devi Temple in Amber fort where Prasad includes alcohol, Govind Dev Ji Temple established by Jaipur's founder Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II.

Places to Eat

You already know the most famous food destination in Jaipur, the buffet at Chokhi Dhani! The next must stop is Rawat Mishthan Bhandar, colloquially called Rawat Kachori Wala. This is no restaurant but a spacious and clean halwai shop with Rajasthani Pyaaz Kachori, Sweet Mawa KAchori, and Malai Ghevar, among other delicacies. The city has a nice Saras Parlour (Saras is the milk cooperative of Jaipur) with milk products and other north Indian cuisines offered at low prices and amiable decor.


Things to Do

An elephant ride up to Amber Fort is an absolute must. It's an exhilarating experience to ride up along the cobbled path to the magnificent fort astride an equally majestic elephant. Also enjoy walks at the Central Park opposite Rambagh Palace in the heart of the city or better still go to Jal Mahal for a leisurely evening.

Though once it looked quite dilapidated with the crumbling paint and algae covered waters surrounding it, today Jal Mahal's former beauty has been restored after a refurbishment drive. The walkway along the periphery of the lake is ideal for evening walks when the serenity of the surroundings is interrupted only by a few street hawkers selling knick knacks here.

Another must-not-miss experience is to watch a polo match at the Rambagh Polo Ground. Even if there are no tournaments on, exhibition matches as well as practice sessions usually happen every evening between 4 pm and 6 pm. However, owing to Jaipur's bristling heat, no matches happen during summer months.

While all festivals are celebrated with immense enthusiasm, Gangaur (April) and Teej (July) are the major regional festivals that generate much fanfare in Jaipur. Both occasions see elaborate decorations and colourful processions on the streets of the old city.

Makar Sakranti (January 14) is another festival that brings Jaipur's colourful nature to the fore. Quite literally at that as the sky is spotted with kites of all colours, sizes and shapes! Diwali is another festival celebrated with much enthusiasm in Jaipur. The old city is lit up with colourful lights and there's a whiff of delicacies in the air.

An important event is the 10-day long Rajasthan Day Celebrations, held in February each year. It is a time when the state is commemorated and exhibits its majestic and varied cultures with dance, music, sports and rituals. It's a time to explore and indulge in the soul of Rajasthan, in essence and in spirit.

There are numerous places around Jaipur that you can visit as part of an extended tour of the area. Samode (42 km), famous for its havelis and handicrafts, is a heritage resort turned hotel that's worth a visit and even a night's stay if you have time to spare. Another such site is Jamwa Ramgarh (25 km) where a former hunting lodge of the royal family of Jaipur has been converted into a plush heritage hotel. It overlooks the Ramgarh Lake and offers rambling walks to the temple of Jamwa Mata and the ruins of an old fort.

Also nearby is the holy town of Pushkar (170 km) which is worth a visit at least once. After that, you'll probably be compelled to travel there anyway as the town will leave you spellbound with its pristine beauty that prevails over the cacophony in its markets and at the lakeside ghats.

Shopping

Jaipur has so much to sell to so many people, and at low prices. Johari Bazaar, Bapu Bazaar, Nehru Bazaar, and Kishnapol Bazaar are the famous markets where national and international tourists get best deals on items like jewellery, ethnic clothes, accessories, souvenirs, Rajasthani arts and crafts, miniature paintings, marble statues, mirror work items, and other stationery & decorative items. Even if you are a non shopper, strolling through the local shopping markets, it is enough to fill your eyes with the rustic beauty of this city. Recently, Jaipur has seen a rise in various shopping malls and multiplexes, including the famous World Trade Park.

To sum it up, Jaipur must be visited for what it is, and for what it was. Plan it, and visit Jaipur and the first word you'll hear is khamaghani!