|
|
| Home > City Guide - Delhi - Excursions | ||
|
||
|
Excursions For a Half Day Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary: Situated in the neighbouring state of Haryana, it takes about 50 minutes by taxi to get to Sultanpur, 47km (29.5 miles) from Delhi. The small lake and marshland is best visited between November and February when migratory birds, including the greater flamingo, bare-headed and Brahminy ducks from Tibet, flock to the sanctuary. Suraj Kund: Also in Haryana, the ruins of Suraj Kund are just 16km (ten miles) from the outskirts of Delhi, a journey of about half an hour by taxi. Its tenth-century amphitheatre is the only great Hindu shrine left intact by invading Muslims. The shrine is surrounded by tranquil parklands and a small artificial boating lake and is a popular Sunday lunch picnic destination for middle-class Indian families. For a Whole Day Agra and Taj Mahal: The radiance of early morning is one of the best times to first glimpse the flawless proportions of the Taj Mahal, built entirely out of marble, by Shah Jahan, to serve as a mausoleum for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The complex consists of five main elements – the Darwaza or main gateway, the Bageecha or garden, the Masjid or mosque, the Naqqar Khana or resthouse and the Rauza or the Taj Mahal mausoleum. The actual tomb is situated inside. Most impressive are the four tall minarets (40m/131ft high) at the corners of the structure, the majestic dome in the middle and the black and white chessboard marble floor. The Taj Mahal is open Saturday-Thursday from dawn to dusk and admission costs Rs750 for foreigners (Rs250 for the ASI ticket and Rs500 levied by the municipality of Agra). The other monument of note in Agra is Agra Fort, with high red sandstone ramparts. The foundations of the citadel were laid by the Emperor Akbar in 1565 and successive generations developed it as a stronghold of the Mughal empire. The fort houses the graceful Diwan-i-Am, the royal pavilions, the Hammam-i-Shahi (royal bath), the Nagina Masjid (Gem Mosque) and the Zenana Meena Bazaar, where the ladies of the court would linger over silks, jewellery and brocades. The Agra Fort is open daily dawn to dusk and admission costs Rs250 for foreigners. The Shatabdi Express, an air-conditioned tourist train, covers the 199km (124 miles) to Agra in approximately two hours, departing from New Delhi station. Tickets can be purchased at the International Tourist Bureau on the first floor of New Delhi station and cost Rs800 for a return, including breakfast. Payment is only accepted in foreign currency or travellers’ cheques (US Dollars or Pounds preferred). Credit cards are not accepted. To circumvent the tiresome queuing necessary to purchase tickets in person, a travel agent will do this for tourists, for a small fee. The Government of India Tourist Office in Agra, 191 The Mall (tel: 72377 or 67959) provides further information. |
||
