New Delhi, the capital and the third largest city of India, is having a very rapid growth that it will soon emerge as a world-class city. As it is located in the northern point of India it was a target of constant foreign invasions. Standing along the west end of Gangetic Plain Delhi is a fusion of the ancient and the modern. As a result of the ancient invasions Delhi has been left with numerous monuments which is a main attraction to Indian as well as foreign tourists. Delhi offers a picture rich with culture, architecture and human diversity, deep in history, monuments, museums, galleries, gardens and exotic shows. Green Delhi, as the name suggests, the city enjoys a piece of greenery with vast green parks, lovely gardens, tall green trees along roadsides and building compounds.

Delhi, comprising of two contrasting yet harmonious parts, the Old Delhi and New Delhi is a city with smog and traffic, suburbs and wide leafy dual carriageways and concrete flyovers. Delhi is a place where new hotels, offices and skyscrapers are overlaid on the remains of older regimes. The city might be boasted of as a travel hub of Northern India.

There are several distinct Delhis, some separated geographically, others simply built on top of earlier ones. Old Delhi or Shahjahanabad is a warren of narrow streets and lanes and bazaars full of teeming life and bustle and struggle. To its north is the ridge and the rather faded area associated with the nineteenth century Raj, and still full of the bloody and dispiriting relics of Mutiny. To the south is New Delhi, the diplomatic, administrative and commercial region, an area of fast growth and very busy with central features, Connaught Place, the commercial and tourist center and office blocks and to the south, the grandiose Imperial Layouts, The Rashtrapathi Bhavan, i.e., President’s residence, the secretariat, the Parliament House, Rajpath and India Gate. Beyond it lie Diplomatic enclave, now much filled in with development, vast areas of burgeoning modern suburbia and the air port.

The most lively and irrepressible bits of Delhi are parts like, Janpath, teeming with life and commerce- street traders, money- changers, boot- polishing boys, touts, beggars and the tourists. But there are also places- quieter, older and more remote, either like the ruins of Tughluqbad- out in open country, still in fairly good shape or hidden away - like Khirki Masjit or Begampur in the midst of obscure suburbs and little visited. ThePurana Qila and the Lodi Tombs are not less attractive, with their open spaces and enchanting gardens. These are not deserted – surrounded by picnics and cricket and soft drink- sellers and athletics and decorous flirtations. But they are grassy, relatively peaceful, full of trees and various birds, flying around.

Narrating the city's Mughal past, Old Delhi, takes you through the labyrinthine streets passing through formidable mosques, monuments and forts. You will also discover lively and colorful bazaars that boast to cater all sorts of good and items at mind-blowing prices amidst a barely controlled chaotic ambience. The imperial city of New Delhi displays the finely curved architecture of British Raj.

It generates a mesmerizing charm reflecting well-composed and spacious streets under the shade of beautifully lined avenues of trees and tall and imposing government buildings. In short Delhi is a replica of not only India but also the WORLD.

As much as it can boast of its chequered present, Delhi has an equally if not better past. The city of New Delhi has a majestic and imperial past, which is evident of the rise and fall of many empires before the dawn of history. The history of New Delhi talks of the royal citadels of Indraprastha, Lal Kot, Quila Rai Pithora, Siri, Jahanpanah, Tughlakabad, Ferozabad, Dinpanah, and Shahjahanabad, which were altogether called Delhi. The ancient history of Delhi manifested in the landmarks and memorials still stands testimony to the present history. The times when the epic Mahabharata was written refers to Delhi as Indraprastha and was supposed to have been founded by the Pandavas in as early as 1450 B.C.. Maya, the Danava architect built a splendid palace and court for them. The remains have been excavated within the ramparts of the Old Fort (Purana Qila)

The eternal Jamuna River bears witness to the 5,000- year- old- history of New Delhi. The history of Delhi has seen the death of many empires and resisted bloody attempts to eliminate her. Nadir Shah ordered his soldiers to plunder and massacre Delhi.

The history of Delhi tells us that it was the focal point for the first war of independence in 1857, though the revolt did not have much effect on the city of Delhi but it had become a thorn in the eyes of the British. Delhi has always been the center of any activity at all times, even at the time of the freedom struggle all the activities were directed towards the capital. Thus, Delhi also bears the marks of the freedom struggle. The ultimate goal of the Azad Hind Fauz during the freedom struggle was to capture Delhi and establish Swaraj. It was the hosting of the tricolor at Red Fort in Delhi, which marked a chapter in the history of India.

There are various views as to how Delhi, the capital of Indian Subcontinent, derived its name. It may have come from Raja Dillu's Dilli, c100BC, which was sited just east of Lalkot, or from Dhilba founded by the Tomar Rajputs in c736AD. And some say it came from the medieval town of Dhillika located near present date Mehrauli.

Other cities recorded are Surajpal's Surajkund c1024 AD, Qila Lal Kot c1024 AD that was built by Anangpal and Qila Rai Pithora c1170 AD of the brave and daring king Prithviraj Chauhan. Among the dynasties that laid claim to Delhi were the Tomor Rajputs and Chauhan Rajputs. With the defeat of Prithviraja, the Chauhan leader, in the hands of the Muslims towards the end of the 12th century Delhi became the capital of the Pathan Sultans and eventually of the Mughals.

The Gupta and the Maurya dynasties, around 320 A.D. when India was known as the Golden Bird, were mesmerised by the elegant vistas of Delhi and made their presence felt for a long time while ruling from Indraprastha. The Muslim Kings in the latter half of the 12th century and then by the slave kings and the Khaljis, who ruled for over a century and built a new capital Siri, in 1302 A.D. where today stands the imposing Siri Fort area and the Asian Games Village, followed this.

In the same area Qutb-ud-din-Aibak built his citadel and the Qutub Minar in the year 1199. He completed 3 storeys and his son-in-law Iltutmish, added the fourth. Lightning in the years 1326 & 1366 damaged it. Firoz Shah Tughlaq repaired the damage and added the fifth storey. It stands 72 metres high.

Ala-ud-Din-Khilji built a new capital for himself at Siri, c1302 AD. His palace of a thousand pillars saw many triumphs and tragedies, but has since completely gone to ruins. It was Ala-ud-Din-Khilji who built the magnificent tank called Hauz Khas. At that time it had enough water to meet the needs of the city.

After the Khaljis came the Tughlaks in the early 15th century who gave an additional impetus to the building activity in Indraprastha with the shaping of the Tughlakabad Fort built by Ghyias-ud-din Tughlak. Ghiyas-ud-Din-Tughluq, in c1320 moved south and built the fort city of Tughlakabad on the rocky southern ridge. It has massive bastions and walls. Though strategically located, it was deserted within 5 years perhaps because of a shortage of water.

Muhammad Shah Tughluq first built Adilabad just south of Tughlakabad but soon abandoned it. He moved north and gave his city the name of Jahanpanah (asylum of the world) in 1334 AD. Using the fortifications of the older cities, it had 13 gates. His son, Firuz Shah Tughluq, did not want to be left behind, so he created his own city Firuzabad (Kotla Firoz Shah), in the year 1351. He bought and erected a 8m tall 27 ton glittering golden monolith from Topra, near Ambala. Encased in reeds and raw skins it was transported on a carriage of 42 wheels, with 200 men pulling each wheel with ropes. This was emperor Ashoka's pillar with his edicts inscribed on it. It still stands in Kotla Firoz Shah.

The first Mughal conqueror and emperor, Babar, had a liking for Agra where he set up his capital, although his son, Humayun, returned to Delhi and built the Purana Qila as his fort and seat of governance. Babar's son Humayun, in 1530 AD, built a fort on one of the oldest settlements and called it Dinpanah. The Afghan king, Sher Shah Suri, wrested control from Humayun and built Dilli in 1542, encompassing a very large area.

Then came the Suri dynasty wherein Sher Shah Suri opted yet again for Dilli as the capital, which he built in 1542 A.D. And it had its epicentre as the very same Purana Qila. For the first time then the capital got its name Dilli, though some historians say that the brain behind giving this name was Raja Dillu who was supposed to have ruled in this area as far back as 100 B.C. Although the next Mughal emperor, Akbar, preferred to shift to Agra and Fathepur Sikri, his son, Shah Jahan derived an affable penchant for Delhi and began work on building the historic Red Fort (Lal Qila) in 1638 A.D and the huge well laid out city, Shahjahanabad.. It took 10 years to build. The city fort had 14 gates many of which still exist.

This city survives as the old Delhi of today Much before all this during the 11th century A.D., a Hindu King, Anangpal is said to have built the first city, Lal Kot and much after the Lodi dynasty was said to have been credited with the setting up of the sixth of the seven cities in the form of the Lodi tombs.

The seven cities, each with a unique characteristic of its own were Lal Kot, Siri, Tughlakabad, the ruined fortress east of the imposing Qutab Minar. Tughlakabad was said to have become a ghost city 15 years after it was built following a supposed curse from the Sufi saint, Azam-ud-din. The other cities were Jahanpanah, Ferozeshah Kotla, Lodi Tombs and the Purana Qila.

From 1772 to 1911, Calcutta was the capital city of British India. However, Delhi had served as the political and financial center of several empires of ancient India, most notably of the Mughal Empire. During the early 1900s, a proposal was made to the British administration to shift the capital of the Indian Empire from Calcutta to Delhi. Unlike Calcutta, which was located on the eastern coast of India, Delhi was located in central India and the Government of British India felt that it would be easier to administer India from Delhi rather than from Calcutta. Owing to its historic and cultural importance, George V, the then Emperor of India, made the announcement the capital of the Raj was to be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi. Peter Hall provides a succinct and entertaining description of the founding of New Delhi in "Cities of Tomorrow".

In 1911, the British asked Lutyens to give a new meaning to city development which is reflected in the architectural designs and sophistication that buildings in New Delhi like Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate, Connaught Place and various administrative buildings like the South and North blocks along the breathtaking view available from Raj Path.

Decades since the creation of New Delhi as the Capital of British India, the city has undergone a sea change. Made initially to cater to a population of 70,000, the total urban population of Delhi now exceeds 8 million. The city has exploded in all directions beyond the confines of Lutyen's wide, tree-lined avenues, with an exuberance that is characteristically Indian.

Several factors have contributed to this breathless pace of growth. For North India, especially, Independence also meant Partition. In 1947, many Muslim families of Delhi migrated to Pakistan while many Hindus and Sikhs from west Punjab sought refuge in the city. They were given land west of the Ridge and south of New Delhi. Many of these refugees also built their houses across the Yamuna and north of Shahjahanabad.

Since then, the influx into the city hasn't ceased. The manpower required by the Government in the Capital is itself staggering. Industrialists, Entrepreneurs and migrant labour from all over India have turned to Delhi in search of livelihood and success, and made it a commercial capital as well. The cultivated fields which till recently could be seen on the outskirts of the city have been developed into residential colonies and commercial complexes.

High-rise buildings now stand check-by-jowl with Delhi's 1300 monuments. Villages such as Khirkee, Begumpur, Hauz Khas, Sheikh Sarai and Nizamuddin, which grew around medieval Delhi's shifting capital cities, have now been engulfed by the urban sprawl. Many of them, however, retain their old-world characteristics.

The line of distinction between Old and New Delhi has begun to blur - north, south, east and west Delhi are more prevalant terms of demarcation. The facilities and opportunities available in Delhi have attracted Indians from far-flung corners of the country, making it a melting pot of sorts. On the other hand, the presence of diplomatic and trade mission, the growing number of multi-national companies and foreign investors, and the influx of tourists and visiting professionals have given the city, especially its southern and central parts, a cosmopolitan air.

The coexistence of the past and the present at many levels characterizes Delhi, as it does India. The assimilation of a specific cultural influence is expressed differently by people living in different parts of the city, a fact that offers insights into the social strata. South Delhi is undoubtedly the trendsetter, and the fashions and lifestyle introduced here become the aspirations of many. There are however, dramatic differences in localities, standards of living and adherence to traditions.

Delhi is one of the most historic capitals in the world and two of its monuments- the Qutb Minar and Humayun's Tomb - have been declared World Heritage Sites. It is also one of the greenest capitals. For the visitor, it serves as a perfect introduction to the cultural wealth, the complexities and dynamism of India.

Modern Delhi has something for everyone and that is amply reflected in the cosmopolitan culture that nurtures festivals of all faiths and religions, places of worship. You can take a stroll at your own leisurely pace, or a jog or a run and move faster than the common man. This is also reflected in the market places, the dhabas and restaurants or the gorgeous five-star hotels. Theatre, drama and entertainment of all sorts including the best of discotheques are all there. Delhi is one city from where you can branch off to any corner of the country either by a well-connected system of railways or by road and air.

The capital city today has grown. It has engulfed all the ancient city sites and overflows across the Yamuna and the Northern Ridge. Delhi is still changing.