For many visitors, it is the experience of simply being in Delhi, rather than any one particular sight, which lingers longest in the memory. This is especially true of Old Delhi, as condensed a mass of teeming humanity as exists anywhere in the world. As its name implies, itās also where many of Delhiās most historic landmarks are found, and probably the best place to begin touring the city.
Having negotiated Old Delhi, the rest of the capital feels a whole lot more relaxed. New Delhi is epitomised by wide, tree-lined avenues, and is home to elegant whitewashed bungalows and the cityās political elite. Contained within this area are a number of world-class cultural experiences, from museums honouring the lives of some of Delhiās greatest residents to beautifully maintained gardens dotted with fine Moghul monuments, plus temples, mosques and churches.
Old Delhi
Old Delhi was originally the walled city of Shahjahanabad, built by the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan in 1648. The old city has, of course, expanded greatly over the centuries, but the places of most interest to visitors lie in a fairly compact area within the original boundaries. Most of the old walls have gone, but some of the entry gates survive, and form invaluable landmarks in this most congested of cityscapes. The only people who make real inroads on any motorised form of transport are the boldest of scooter riders.
Other modern-day amenities, such as running water and mains electricity, have also run into trouble in the narrow lanes. Evidence of this can be seen everywhere you look, with alarming spaghetti junctions of cables running amok at first-floor level, and water pipes jutting out when you least expect them. Among all this chaos, some sort of organisation prevails. This was until 1947 a predominantly Muslim city, and the arrangement of its markets owes much to the Middle Eastern souq. Goods for sale are grouped into specific areas, so while one street will sell nothing but stationery, the next will be lined with shops selling kitchen utensils.
The narrow nature of Old Delhiās galis (alleyways) means that walking is really the only way to get around, although taking a cycle rickshaw can make sense for longer journeys. Itās best to get the walking done as early in the day as possible, before it gets too hot, and then to spend the rest of the day relaxing in the peaceful grounds of the Red Fort. If youāre coming from New Delhi, the easiest way to gain access to the old city is by metro, just three short stops from Connaught Place.
The Red Fortās Lahore Gate
Henry Wilson
Red Fort (Lal Qila)
The Red Fort 1 [map] (Lal Qila; TueāSun sunriseāsunset; charge) takes its name from the colour of its massively imposing sandstone walls ā almost 2km (1.25 miles) in length ā which can be seen all over Old Delhi. Completed in 1648 by Shah Jahan, the fort originally stood on the banks of the Yamuna River, which filled its moat; the river has now receded to almost a kilometre (just over 0.5 mile) away, and the moat has been dry for decades. The fortās entrance is via Lahore Gate, one of Indiaās most emotive landmarks. The area outside the gate has seen crowds gather throughout history to be addressed by their leader, and the Indian prime minister still speaks from here on Independence Day. The ornate original gate is obscured by the solid bastion added by the defence-minded Aurangzeb, Shah Jahanās son and successor.
The Red Fort, viewed by many as the heart of India, has great symbolic significance. Each year on 15 August (Independence Day), the prime minister addresses his people from here. It was only in 2003 that the Indian Army handed over control of the fort to the tourist authorities.
Having entered the fort and escaped the commercial cacophony of Old Delhi, you may be dismayed to come across yet more shops as soon as you get through the gate. There is, however, a historical precedent for their existence, for it was here in Chatta Chowk that the royal bazaar was housed, stocking items designed to take the royal familyās fancy. On the right as you leave the bazaar is Naubat Khanna (Drum House), which marks the point at which visiting nobles were asked to dismount from their elephants. This was also where the court musicians would assemble five times a day to honour their emperor.
On entering the adjacent courtyard youāll be rewarded by the sight of the elegant Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audiences), which was one of many buildings looted by British troops in the wake of the 1857 uprising, when the enclosure was commandeered as barracks. The Hall is also where the emperor would come to listen to the affairs of his subjects, seated on a raised throne at the back. Justice was dispensed quickly with executioners armed with all manner of axes, clubs, swords and even poisonous snakes standing ready to carry out the emperorās wishes. The inlaid marble panels behind the throne were restored in the early 1900s, and hint at the opulence of the original decor, which would have included satin curtains and Persian rugs, with a thin layer of highly decorated plaster covering the walls and pillars.
Keeping the pavilions spic and span
Henry Wilson
Leave the hall by following the path to your left when looking at the throne pedestal, and youāll enter the fortās inner sanctum, an area into which only the most senior of nobles would have been allowed. The path takes you past two white marble pavilions. The gardens around them, and those throughout the fort, were originally laid out in the symmetrical Persian charbagh style, but were callously dug up by the British. In their heyday these gardens were traversed by water channels known as the āstreams of paradiseā, with water pouring from the pavilion rooftops (designed to replicate the monsoon) and candles lit at night to highlight the effect.
The octagonal tower in the far corner was Shah Jahanās private office, but it was seriously damaged in 1857 and remains closed. Immediately to the right is Aurangzebās Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque), built in 1659, though sadly itās currently closed to the public so you canāt enjoy its exquisite interior decor. Passing the Royal Baths, or Hammam, youāll come to the centrepiece of Shah Jahanās palace, the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audiences).
The hallās interior was originally dominated by the legendary Peacock Throne, a solid-gold masterpiece encrusted with precious jewels, chief among them the equally legendary Koh-i-noor diamond, which was taken to Tehran by Nadir Shah in 1739. From the Hindu-style chatris (small domes) on its rooftop to the exquisite decoration of its interior and original silver ceiling, the hall enchanted one visitor so much that he was moved to line the walls with the famous Persian couplet, composed by the great 14th-century Indian poet Amir Khusrau, tha...
