Home > City Guide  - Delhi
USACity Overview Delhi is a daunting city. It sprawls uncontrollably over a vast tract of the Jamuna plain, its population – 13.8 million at the last count – is a seething mass of humanity and its poverty and pollution challenge the sensibilities and respiratory systems of even the most hardened travellers. Those who look beyond the squalor that envelops much of the city, the thundering traffic, the acrid smog and the constant demands of the hustlers will find delights at every turn – historical, architectural, floral and culinary – quite apart from the vivid colour, eastern eccentricity and restless vibrancy that give Delhi its spirit. Delhi has been the capital of India since Independence in 1947 but, even before that, the British moved their capital here from Calcutta in 1911. For much of its history, Delhi was the centre of power of the various Muslim dynasties that ruled swathes of the subcontinent from the 12th century onwards. Modern Delhi is really two cities – Old Delhi, packed into the narrow, filthy streets beneath the Red Fort's imposing walls, is the polar opposite of the grandiose Imperial citadel, broad, leafy boulevards and well spaced bungalows of New Delhi, as laid out by Lutyens and Baker in the 1920s. Old Delhi, built by Shah Jahan in the 17th century, is only the latest of seven cities that have existed since the Muslims first arrived. Around New Delhi, particularly in the area known as Transjamuna, across the river from the Old City, are the suburbs and slums that have sprung up to accommodate a population that has increased, more by migration than by natural increment, by 46% between 1991 and 2001. This population explosion has brought greater poverty and more wretched degradation in its wake – 45% of Delhi’s inhabitants live in slum accommodation and beggars are on every street corner. In India, literacy rates are improving sharply but, in Delhi, illiteracy continues, marginally, to grow. As well as being a starting-point for visiting Agra – the home of the Taj Mahal – or the cities and forts of Rajasthan, Delhi itself has much to offer. The architectural legacy of the Islamic conquerors is rich and varied, the colonial centre is imposingly impressive; there are some interesting museums and the city’s bazaars and shops offer a bewildering array of goods, from spices and silks to car spare parts. The city’s restaurants tempt the visitor with a wide variety of delicious food, which – by European standards – is mostly very reasonably priced. Summer in Delhi is best avoided. From mid-April, the temperature rises inexorably. For much of May, June and July the thermometer is stuck at around 45°C (113°F), before the monsoon brings some relief. The best time to visit is February or March. Delhi is, despite its long history, a city that is in fact very young. At Partition in 1947, Delhi was changed, radically and permanently, more or less overnight. With the creation of a predominately Hindu India and an exclusively Muslim Pakistan, there was a mass migration of peoples in both directions and sectarian bloodletting on a horrifying scale. Having been largely Muslim, before 1947, at Partition Delhi became a Hindu and Sikh, Panjabi-speaking city. At the same time, the population virtually doubled, despite the mass exodus of Muslims. This astonishing, artificial demographic change does much to explain Delhi’s brashness and insecurity – in many respects, it is a city that is only half a century old. Getting There By Air Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) Tel: (011) 565 2011. Website: http://delhiairport.com Indira Gandhi International Airport is located 23km (14 miles) southwest of central Delhi and is the main international gateway to India. Passengers flying to Indian destinations beyond Delhi should be aware that the domestic terminal at Palam (tel: (011) 329 5126) is located some five kilometres (3.1 miles) away from the international terminal. Major airlines: Air India (tel: (011) 373 1225; website; www.airindia.com) is the national airline. Other airlines serving the airport include Air Canada, Air France, Air Lanka, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Delta Airlines, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines, Jet Airways, Malaysian Airlines, Royal Nepal Airlines, SAS, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Thai International Airways, United Airlines and Virgin. Approximate flight times to Delhi: From London is 8 hours 25 minutes; from New York is 16 hours; from Los Angeles is 24 hours; from Toronto is 18 hours and from Sydney is 17 hours. Airport facilities: These include foreign exchange (but no ATM), tourist information counter, snack bars, a bookshop, duty-free shops, a restaurant and resting rooms. Car hire is available from outside the customs halls at both Domestic and International Arrivals, however, there is no facility for hiring self-drive cars at the airport, as self-drive cars are not generally available in India. Business facilities: There is a business centre with office facilities including fax, telephones and photocopiers. Arrival/departure tax: A Foreign Travel departure tax of Rs500 or Rs150 is incorporated into the price of the ticket. Transport to the city: Although metered taxis are available outside the airport, it is far easier to pre-book at one of the many taxi counters in the arrivals area. Fares should be approximately Rs300-400 for the 30-45-minute drive to central Delhi, although it will cost more at night. The Delhi Traffic Police Pre-Paid Taxi Booth issues a ticket, which is given to the allocated driver in lieu of a cash payment. Hotels and travel agents can, by prior agreement, arrange airport transfer by taxi, which should not cost more than Rs500 in each direction. Getting There By Road For those willing to brave Delhi’s notorious roads, driving – in principle – is on the left and foreign drivers must be over 18 and in possession of an International Driving Permit. Beyond that, there are few rules that are either adhered to or enforced. The consensus is that it is far safer to use taxis or hire a car with a driver for longer journeys. National Highways are designated by a number. The legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.03%. Third party insurance is mandatory as per the Indian Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. Those intending to take their own car to India must obtain a carnet from one of the international motoring associations (such as RAC or AA) before entering the country. This document represents an undertaking that the car will not remain in India for more than six months. Most European motor insurance policies do not extend to India and motorists are advised to seek cover from an Indian insurer, as insurance is compulsory. The Federation of Indian Automobile Associations (tel: (022) 204 1085) provides further information. Emergency breakdown service: None. Routes to the city: Five National Highways pass through Delhi, making the city a hub of the country’s road system. The most important of these are the Grand Trunk Road (National Highway 1) from Amritsar in the north, Mathura Road from Agra in the south, National Highway 2 from Calcutta in the east, and Gurgaon Road or National Highway 8 from Jaipur in the west. The construction of a peripheral expressway to the west of the city, linking it more efficiently to the national road network, has been proposed. Approximate driving times to the city: From Agra – 2 hours 15 minutes; Jaipur – 2 hours 45 minutes; Amritsar – 4 hours 45 minutes. Coach services: Delhi is linked by bus services – air conditioned, deluxe and ordinary – to all major destinations in northern India. The Interstate Bus Terminus (ISBT), at Kashmir Gate, north of Old Delhi railway station, is the terminus for all intercity bus services. Facilities include left-luggage, bank, post office, pharmacy and restaurant. There are two other ISBTs in Delhi and together they cater for more than 150,000 passengers and 3300 buses per day. State operators based here include Delhi Transport Corporation (tel: (011) 386 8836 or 5181; website: http://dtc.nic.in), Haryana Roadways (website: (011) 296 1262), Himachal Pradesh Roadways (tel: (011) 251 6725), Punjab Roadways (tel: (011) 296 7842), Rajasthan Roadways (tel: (011) 252 2246) and Uttar Pradesh Roadways (tel: (011) 251 8709). Getting There By Rail Delhi is the hub of the Indian Railways (tel: (011) 334 8787; website: www.indianrail.gov.in) network. The city has two major railway stations, in New Delhi and Old Delhi. New Delhi station, east of Pahar Ganj (Main Bazaar), is within walking distance of Connaught Place. Main Delhi station (Old Delhi), west of Red Fort, is about seven kilometres (four miles) from Connaught Place. All stations have basic waiting room and restaurant facilities. Railway stations and trains are notorious for theft and luggage should never be left unattended. Rail services: Delhi offers express trains to all parts of the country. One of the most popular services is the Shatabdi Express, which travels to Agra, Lucknow and Chandigarh. Tickets are available for purchase at the International Tourist Bureau (tel: (011) 334 6804), located at New Delhi station. This service is for foreigners only and the office takes payment in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling. The main ticket office is at the IRCA building on Chelmsford Road, Pahar Ganj, between New Delhi station and Connaught Place. For a small fee, travel agents take the time-consuming bureaucracy out of the protracted business of booking rail tickets. The Indrail Pass, valid for seven to 90 days and costing from Rs6600 (US$135) upwards, allows unlimited travel for the period of validity but does not dispense with the need to make advance reservations. Transport to the city: There are plenty of bicycle rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and taxis – pre-paid and otherwise – available at both railway stations. Prices should always be agreed in advance. Getting Around Public Transport The first phase of the long-discussed Delhi metro – officially, the Mass Rapid Transit System or MRTS – is now under construction. It is hoped that the first trains will be running by January 2003, although the first phase of the MRTS will not fully be in operation until the end of 2005. The system will be partly overground, partly elevated and partly underground and will extend to 62 km (39 miles). The tunnelling required for the underground was due to start in the summer of 2002. The MRTS will, it is hoped, reduce the dependence of Delhi’s population on the car, with the benefits this should bring to the city and its environment. There are also several schemes afoot to improve the flow of traffic in the city, the most important of which is the construction of flyovers. Eleven flyovers have been built since 1998-99 and there are plans for a further 45, over the next decade. However, Delhi remains addicted to the car – the number of vehicles registered in the city has increased by 90% since 1991 – and congestion, noise and pollution are a constant nuisance. There are public buses in Delhi, although finding a seat is an undertaking that challenges all Western notions of courtesy and personal space. Once on, passengers should be prepared for a numbing, bone-crunching ride. The Delhi Transport Corporation (tel: (011) 331 7445; website: http://dtc.nic.in) operates a centralised bus network of more than 300 routes. There are a number of tourist services, including bus 454 between Connaught Place and Nizamuddin, bus 505 to Mehrauli and Qutb Minar, bus 620 to Chanakyapuri and buses 101 and 139 between Park Hotel and the Red Fort. There is a row of seats on the left of each bus reserved for women, although this rule is observed only on a whim. DTC also operate a night bus service. Bus fare costs between Rs5 and Rs10 and is paid upon boarding. A DTC General All-Route Pass costs Rs400-450 and is available from Scindia House (tel: (011) 331 7445) or one of 36 other pass sections, including Red Fort, Delhi Gate and Shahdara Terminal. The easiest way to get around the city is by taxi or auto-rickshaw (see below). Recently the government, in an attempt to tackle the city’s air pollution, forced taxis and auto-rickshaws to convert from petrol to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). This apparently has made some statistical impact – Delhi has now moved below Mumbai and Calcutta in the list of India’s most polluted cities – although standing amid the traffic’s fumes, it is difficult to believe it. The authorities are also trying to compel Delhi’s taxis and auto-rickshaws to install electronic meters, to counter the widespread overcharging of passengers – according to one recent estimate, Delhi’s commuters are overcharged Rs2 billion, approximately £30 million, annually. Unsurprisingly, this is extremely unpopular among the taxi and rickshaw wallahs and the process of conversion to electronic meters has been much slower than the authorities would have liked. Rickshaws Auto-rickshaws are open-sided, motorised tricycles, which weave in and out of Delhi’s appalling traffic and can be stopped pretty much anywhere in the city. Visitors should be prepared for an uncomfortable ride as they lurch over the bumps and potholes of Delhi’s roads, at the same level as the exhaust pipes of most lorries and buses. Four- and six-seater motorcycle rickshaws are also available, which run fixed routes at fixed prices, including the route between the Red Fort and Palika Bazaar at Connaught Place. In Old Delhi, bicycle rickshaws are useful for short distances. There is an official starting metre rate of Rs5 for auto-rickshaws but meters are invariably out of order and surcharges can exist over and above the metered price, so fares should be negotiated at the start of the journey. Drivers often expect a tip from foreign tourists and 10% of the fare is satisfactory. Taxis Yellow and black Ambassador taxis are readily available, especially at local taxi stands, where taxis can be booked and prices fixed in advance. Taxis can also be booked through hotels. Drivers do not usually expect tips unless they have gone to some trouble on their passenger’s behalf. There is a 100% surcharge between 2300 and 0500. Like auto-rickshaws, there are official rates for taxis but metered prices are generally subject to high surcharges and can be twice as expensive as auto-rickshaws. The official starting metre rate is Rs5. Prices should be negotiated at the start of the journey. Limousines For longer journeys or a day of sightseeing, Ambassador cars – of the yellow and black, or plain cream variety – with a driver are a good idea. These can be booked at the Tourist Office, through hotels or at private travel agents. Services International (tel: (011) 578 2636) provide chauffeur-driven ‘luxury’cars, including air-conditioned Mercedes and Fords. In Delhi, hire of a Mercedes plus chauffeur for eight hours would cost US$147 and a Ford US$70. Driving in the City Driving in Delhi takes a certain degree of steeliness. The broad boulevards of New Delhi pose few potential hazards. However, negotiating the vehicular chaos that is Old Delhi can test the skills of the most able driver, as bicycles and rickshaws career through the choking traffic of buses, trucks and Ambassadors, not to mention ox carts, lone wandering cows, goats and elephants. Road travel is also subject to the vagaries of VIPs, of which India has an astonishing number, with roads frequently closed for ‘VIP movement’. Night driving can be particularly dangerous, with streets and cars lit only sporadically. Car parks are few and far between and, in general, driving oneself around the city is not recommended. Car Hire Service providers include Europcar Inter-Rent (tel: (011) 619 1786) and Wheels Rent A Car (tel: (011) 331 8695). Most major hotels can also arrange car hire on the patron’s behalf. An International Driving Permit is essential for driving in India and in most cases the driver must be 25 years or over. Third party insurance is required by law. Car hire rates start at Rs2250 per day. Bicycle & Scooter Hire Cycling in New Delhi can take some courage but it is a good way of getting around the wide boulevards, which are fairly uncrowded and in relatively good condition. However, bicycle rental is hard to come by. Nevertheless, there is a small unnamed shop, in Pahar Ganj, a few doors down from Hotel Vivek, which has bicycles for hire. Lovers of vintage motorcycles come to India to indulge a penchant for its locally built Enfields. Inder Motors, on Hari Singh Malwa street (tel: (011) 572 8579), has new and second-hand Enfields for sale, while Lucky Auto Accessories, on Shri Kishan Dass Road, stocks renovated Enfield Bullets. Business Business Profile Mumbai may be the financial capital of India and Bangalore her Silicon Valley but Delhi is the seat of government and enjoys a thriving economy. In 2000-01 Delhi’s economy grew at a rate of 4.5% and, since 1993-94, has grown faster than the national economy. Annual per capita income in Delhi, estimated at Rs38,864 (about £570), is more than double the national average. Nearly 80% of Delhi’s economy is in the so-called tertiary sector, with financial services, insurance, real estate, hotels and restaurants the major contributors. India’s economy has developed significantly, not only since Independence over 50 years ago but also with a decade of reforms under its belt. The economic reforms introduced in the summer of 1991 can, by many measures, be counted a great success. The liberalisation of industry, devaluation of the Rupee and lowering of trade barriers proved a powerful stimulus to the Indian economy. The government is committed to privatisation – the recent sale of part of its stake in Indian Petrochemicals is evidence that the programme is gathering momentum. Inflation has declined from 14% in 1991 to 4% in 2000. Direct foreign investment has, over the period, grown from practically nothing to US$2 billion a year, while unprecedented growth in the software industry now generates exports estimated in 2000 to be worth US$8.3 billion from a standing start in 1990. In 1990, India faced the prospect of defaulting on her foreign debt. She now has reserves of foreign exchange totalling nearly US$40 billion. However, economic growth has now dropped for the second year in a row – it now stands at 6%. The crisis in Kashmir threatens political stability, fiscal equilibrium and inward investment. Meanwhile, the highly publicised scandals, which brought the government of the country virtually to a standstill, rumble on. Despite the advances that have been made, immense problems remain. The economic growth of the 1990s has failed to generate the millions of low-skilled jobs that India needs, while agriculture still accounts for a quarter of GDP, which exposes the national economy unduly to the vagaries of the weather. Both central and state governments suffer from enormous deficits, which in turn hinder their capacity to invest in the nation’s infrastructure. Unemployment also remains high. Exact figures are difficult to come by – the 2001 census released the figures for ‘non workers’ in India as 62.5% of the population. This is higher in Delhi, at 68.4%. Of these figures, it should be noted that approximately 30% are students and pensioners. Multinationals with a presence in Delhi include Citibank, Standard Chartered and HSBC banks, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Macmillan and Penguin. The central business district of Delhi is around Connaught Place, with secondary commercial hubs at Nehru Place and Rajendra Nagar. Business Etiquette The Indian Hindu greeting is to put both hands together as if in prayer and tilt the head forward. Indian women may prefer not to shake hands, although men will be quite comfortable with it. Language is a very political issue in India, with 18 official languages and 1600 minor languages and dialects. Government policy encourages the use of Hindi, which is widely spoken in Delhi and the north. English is usually sufficient for most business situations. Corporate entertaining is an important part of Indian business life, making business lunches and dinners a minefield of potential disasters. The first rule is that Indians eat only with the right hand – the left hand may be used to hold a cup or utensil but would not be used to eat or pass food with in polite society. Generally, the left hand should be used neither to pass anything nor to point at anyone. Gifts and business cards should be accepted with the right hand or both hands at the same time, as a sign of respect. The other taboo part of the body is the foot. Shoes should be removed when entering a private home and, when sitting, care should be taken to ensure feet are never pointed at anyone. Indians are very conservative when it comes to dress and women should ensure that they are modestly dressed, with legs and shoulders covered. Trousers are acceptable but short skirts can be offensive. Regardless of how hot it gets, men are expected to wear suits and should remember the country’s British Raj heritage – Indian businessmen still wear blazers for afternoon drinks and dress for dinner. Visitors invited to the hallowed ground of the Gymkhana club, for instance, should bear in mind that anyone not dressed in a jacket and tie is automatically ruled out (and teetotallers are not much favoured either). It has to be said that New Delhi remains very much attached to the days of the Raj, in more ways than one. The legacy of its political and bureaucratic culture means that business is still conducted according to the rather idiosyncratic Indian Standard Time – the same time zone (GMT + 5.5) applies for all areas of this vast country. Business hours are 0930/1000 to 1730/1800. As in the rest of India, however, Delhi is keen to be hooked up to the online world. Hotels and Internet cafés provide sometimes slow and sporadic connection by satellite, frustrated by the fact that India remains a country where it can be difficult to get a telephone line. Laptops can be used to connect to the Internet but the adapters required for Indian telephone sockets can be hard to come by. Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview The best-known sights are the two buildings that dominate Old Delhi, the Red Fort and Jama Masjid. A stroll through the chaotic, raucous, smelly alleyways of the Old City – also known as Shahjahanabad, after the 17th-century Mughal emperor who built it – is a fascinating experience. The bazzars of Chandni Chowk are a riot of colourful exoticism and frenetic activity. The Old City is decaying rapidly but it is still possible to glimpse a mosque here or the courtyard of a proud old townhouse there, hidden behind a shop front. To the south of Old Delhi and in complete contrast to it, is Rajpath and the buildings on Raisina Hill – Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Secretariat – which form the centrepiece of British New Delhi. After the clamour of the Old City, the calm elegance and baroque vistas of this most splendidly laid-out scheme is a welcome relief. Between Old Delhi and Rajpath is Connaught Place, the arcaded bull’s eye of New Delhi, where shops, banks, bars, restaurants and hotels tout loudly for business. Heading south once more, through the leafy enclaves of New Delhi – which have an allure all of their own, as they are spacious, shady and lusciously green – the visitor will find the bulk of the ancient monuments of medieval Delhi. Humayun’s Tomb and the Lodhi Gardens are readily accessible from the centre of the city. The Qutb Minar complex, the vast and formidable Tughluqabad and the remains at Haus Khaz are located deeper in the southern suburbs. The swingeing increases in admission charges to the monuments in the care of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), imposed in October 2000, have now been moderated, as a result of protests from the tourist industry. As before, the new rates apply, somewhat controversially, only to foreigners. The easiest way for one to get from site to site is by taxi or auto-rickshaw. Sightseeing in Delhi can be exhausting – negotiating the urban sprawl and traffic is a long-drawn-out and tiring business, particularly in the heat. But it is an experience that no traveller will regret. Tourist Information Government of India Tourist Office 88 Janpath Tel: (011) 332 0005. Fax: (011) 332 0109. E-mail: newdelhi@tourisminindia.com Website: www.tourisminindia.com Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800, Sat 0900-1400. Passes There are no tourist passes currently available in Delhi. Key Attractions Lal Quila (Red Fort) The Red Fort’s massive curtain wall and battlements dominate the skyline of Old Delhi. Inside, the bastions – built, like the nearby Jama Masjid, by Shah Jehan – are an array of exquisite 17th-century Mughal buildings, which provided the living quarters for the Emperor, his courtiers and family. The flawless balance and proportion of these buildings, as well as the intricate decoration, is wonderful to behold and in complete contrast to the military might of the fort itself. Sadly, the water conduits that would once have cooled the dwellings and gardens are now dry. The Lahore Gate, on the west side of the fort, was a potent symbol in the fight for Independence and is still regarded as a shrine of the Republic. Entrance from Lahori Gate or Chatta Chowk Opening hours: Tues-Sun dawn-dusk. Admission: Rs100 (foreigners). Jama Masjid Jama Masjid is India’s largest mosque and is one of the masterpieces of the Mughal’s greatest builder, Shah Jehan. A huge courtyard, bounded by an arcade and pierced with three gates, lies in front of the prayer hall, which achieves serenity and peace from the perfect harmony of its arches, domes and spaces. The courtyard, which can accommodate 25,000 worshippers, is dominated by two red-and-white-striped sandstone minarets, 70m (230ft) tall. The energetic visitors who climb the 122 narrow steps to the top will be rewarded with a magnificent view of Delhi, smog and all. Shorts and short-sleeved shirts are not permitted – wraps can be borrowed. Matya Mahal, Bho Jala Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk; closed during prayer times. Admission: Free (mosque); Rs10 to shoe wallah; Rs10 (minaret) and Rs100 (for cameras). Qutb Minar The Qutb Minar is an immense tower, started at the end of the 12th century, to commemorate the Muslim conquest of Delhi. Standing 72.5m (238ft) tall, it is built of fluted red sandstone and decorated with calligraphy representing verses from the Koran. The top two levels are faced in white marble. The Minar rises above a site that is home to the oldest extant Islamic monuments in India. There is the Ala-i-Darwaza, complete with horseshoe-shaped arches, lotus-leaf squinches and elaborate geometric patterns. Next to that, stands the Quwwat-ul-Islam, the first mosque to be built in India. So anxious were the new rulers of Delhi to erect a mosque, they shamelessly pilfered 27 Hindu and Jain temples for building materials. Many of pillars that surround the courtyard are carved with Hindu iconography, which is curiously at odds with the Islamic calligraphy of the Muslim prayer screens. Incongruously, in the centre of the mosque, stands the fourth-century Iron Pillar, bearing inscriptions from the Gupta period. Beyond the mosque is the intricately carved Iltutmish's Tomb. Qutb Minar complex Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk. Admission: Rs250 (foreigners). Rashtrapati Bhavan Rajpath runs between the Secretariat Buildings and India Arch, the war memorial designed by Lutyens, in 1921. Rajpath is a formal conception, lined with trees, fountains and pools, intended by its architects, Lutyens and Baker, as the epicentre of British India. The Secretariat Buildings combine monumental classical and oriental detail and, while not beautiful, are certainly an imposing statement of colonial power. Rashtrapati Bhavan is an immense palace, supposedly larger than Versailles, which was built as the residence of the Viceroy and is now the official home of the President of India. Every Saturday morning (0935-1015), guards parade before the iron grille gates. While the apartments are private, the gardens are open to the public every year in February/March. Rajpath Opening hours: By appointment; gardens open daily 0900-1600 (Feb-Mar). Admission: Free. National Museum It takes a good few hours to get a decent overview of Indian culture at the National Museum, which is filled with exhibits covering over 5000 years of history. Highlights include excavations from Indus Valley civilisation sites, carved pillars and statues from the Maryan empire (250BC), Gupta terracottas dating from AD400, sandstone figures from Pallava temples, stone and bronze Buddhist statues, Tibetan manuscripts, Naga models and masks, silk paintings from Central Asia, a gallery of 300 musical instruments, and Mughal clothing, tapestries, ornaments and weapons. Janpath Tel: (011) 301 9538. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1700. Admission: Rs150 (foreigners). Chandni Chowk The bazaars that surround Chandni Chowk, in Old Delhi, offer a colourful, heaving and pungent slice of Delhi life, with shops and stalls displaying a spectacular array of goods, from fish and poultry to ‘second-hand’ goods, gemstones and gold, garlands, turbans, tinsel and spare car parts. They are an unmissable part of any visit to the city. Naya Bazaar is the spice market on Khari Baoli, where porters haul sackfuls of spices onto ox carts to be peddled in other parts of the city, while the covered Gadodial Market, just off Khari Baoli, is the wholesale spice market with an incredible display of aniseed, turmeric, pomegranate, dried mangoes, ginger, saffron, reetha nuts, lotus seeds, pickles, sugars and chutneys. Chawris Bazaar became notorious in the 19th century, for its dancing girls who beckoned to men below from the arched windows and balconies of the huge mansions that once lined the street. Today, the mansions have made way for shops specialising in copper and brass Buddhas, Vishnus and Krishnas. Chandni Chowk Opening hours: Daily, approximately 1000-1800; most shops closed on Sunday. Admission: Free. Humayun’s Tomb Often seen merely as a forerunner of the Taj Mahal, Humayun's Tomb is, in its own right, a stunning example of the Mughal architectural style, combining dome, mausoleum and plinth in perfect proportion. The Tomb is set in a square garden designed along Persian lines, shaded and geometric, crisscrossed with waterways and paths. In the grounds, there are some other monuments, including the Tomb of Isa Khan. Lodhi Road and Mathura Road Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk. Admission: Rs250 (foreigners). Baha’i Temple Otherwise known as the Lotus Temple, the modern Baha’i Temple has often been compared to the Sydney Opera House. Giant white petals of Rajasthani Macrana marble open out from nine pools and walkways in the shape of an unfolding lotus, symbolising the nine spiritual paths of the Baha’i faith. Inside, the central hall rises to a height of over 30m (98ft), without the visible support of any columns. Visitors should take their shoes off before entering. Kalkaji Hill Opening hours: Daily 0900-1900(summer); daily 0930-1730 (winter); closed during prayers (1000-1100 and 1600-1700). Admission: Free. Purana Qila Humayun’s 16th-century Delhi had at its centre the fortress of Purana Qila, which reputedly stands on the site of Indraprastha, the city of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata. Of the buildings that survive today, the Qila-i-Kuhna Masjid was constructed in 1541, by Sher Shah, and represents a successful fusion of the Islamic and Hindu styles. The Sher Mandal is an octagonal observatory and library. The north gate, Talaqi-Darwaza, has been partially rebuilt and gives an impression of how formidable the fortifications would have been in their heyday. The chattri surmounting the west (entrance) gate commands a fine view of New Delhi. Purana Qila is in the throes of an extensive programme of rebuilding and restoration. There is a small museum just inside the south gate. Mathura Road Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk (fortress); daily 0800-1830 (museum). Admission: Rs110 (foreigners). National Gallery of Modern Art The National Gallery of Modern Art contains a large collection of 20th-century Indian art. There are examples of the work of the painters of the Bengali Renaissance and of the poet and artist, Tagore. The highlight is the room devoted to the pictures of female Indian artist Amrita Sher-Gil (1913-1941), whose portraits – more successful than her genre scenes – are painted with the confident bravura of the youthful Augustus John. The galleries recently have been reorganised to accommodate a programme of biannual exhibitions designed to bring a larger proportion of the 15,000-piece collection before the public. The museum is in Jaipur House – by any yardstick, a grandee’s townhouse – formerly the Delhi residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur. Jaipur House, India Gate Tel: (011) 338 2835. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1000-1700. Admission: Rs150 (foreigners). Tughluqabad The immense and brutal fortifications of Tughluqabad are an impressive monument to the militarism of the Tughluqs, an antidote to any idea that the Delhi Sultans were merely effete builders of mosques and palaces. Nowadays, the only living things that visitors are likely to see at the vast, barren, sun-scorched site are goats, donkeys and the occasional archaeologist, although in the 14th century, the citadel, the third city of Delhi, was the Sultan’s capital. Below the walls is the forbidding tomb of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq, the builder of Tughluqabad. It is approached from a causeway that crosses a lake, now dry. From the high point of the citadel there is a sweeping panorama of southern Delhi. Tughluqabad Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk. Admission: Rs110 (foreigners). Further Distractions Raj Ghat The ghats – steps leading down to the water – mark the cremation sites of the leaders and freedom fighters of India. Nowadays, they are situated in a landscaped park, complete with ornamental lake. The most popular, Raj Ghat, is a simple square platform of black marble, where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated, after his assassination in 1948. Pilgrims come to touch the petal-strewn platform (samadhi) with reverence and emotion and, every Friday evening and on the anniversaries of his birth and death (2 October and 30 January), prayers are held in remembrance. Nearby are memorials to Indira Gandhi and to her son, Rajiv, both of whom were assassinated. Ring Road Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk. Admission: Free. Gandhi Memorial Museum Adjacent to Raj Ghat is the Gandhi Memorial Musuem, where the visitor can see a fascinating display of photographs illustrating the Mahatma’s life and death. There is a large collection of Gandhi memorabilia, from toothpicks to spinning wheels, via the clothes he was supposedly wearing at his assassination. Among the bons mots about Gandhi, which are inscribed on the walls, is G.B. Shaw’s reflection that the Mahatma’s murder ‘shows how dangerous it is to be too good.’ Ring Road, opposite Raj Ghat. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0930-1730. Admission: Free. Lodhi Gardens An oasis of shaded calm, the Lodhi Gardens are a popular and relaxing place in which to escape the heat and clamour of Delhi. The gardens are extensive and boast a fine collection of tropical shrubs and trees. There is even a formal rose garden. There are also a number of monuments of the Lodhi Sultanate (1451-1526), including the Shish Gumbad, the Bara Gumbad and the Tomb of Mohammed Shah, all fine specimens of the Lodhi style. South-central New Delhi Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk. Admission: Free. Delhi Ridge and the Civil Lines Delhi Ridge, overlooking Old Delhi, was the centre of the British position for the siege of the city, during the Mutiny of 1857. On its southern scarp, is the Mutiny Memorial, an ugly neo-Gothic tower commemorating those who took part in the fighting. Higher up the Ridge is one of Ashoka's Pillars (third century BC), which was brought to Delhi by Feroz Shah and repaired and re-erected here by the British, in 1867. The Civil Lines, nestling below the Ridge, are where the British lived before the construction of New Delhi in the 1920s. Delhi Ridge Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. Haus Khaz Haus Khaz boasts an impressive collection of ruins, the most important of which are the Tomb of Feroz Shah (died 1388) and the neighbouring – and contemporary – madrasa (college). It was originally the site of the 50-hectare (125-acre) reservoir built by Aladdin (died 1316) to supply his citadel. Haus Khaz Village houses a number of trendy boutiques, galleries and restaurants. Haus Khaz Opening hours: Daily dawn-dusk. Admission: Free. National Railway Museum This is a small museum of railway memorabilia, including the skull of an elephant killed when it collided with a mail train in Bengal, in 1894. But the principal glory of the National Railway Museum is the open-air display of old steam locomotives and rolling stock. Particularly interesting are the ‘special’ carriages belonging to British and Indian grandees, such as the Viceregal dining car, the Maharaja of Mysore's personal train, which comprised both sleeping and day compartments, and the Gaekwar of Baroda’s Saloon, with its ornate gold and enamel ceiling. Also on display is the last steam engine to see service on the Indian railways – as recently as 1995 – and the first electric-powered engine to do so – as long ago as the 1930s. Chanakyapuri Tel: (011) 688 0939. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 0930-1700 (Oct-Mar); Tues-Sun 0930-1900 (Apr-Sep). Admission: Rs10. Tours of the City Walking Tours Nigel Hankin, an Englishman who has lived in Delhi for many years, runs walking tours of Old Delhi. Places on his tours may be booked at the lodge at the Mughal Gate of the British High Commission, Shanti Path, Chanakyapuri. Other than that, self-guided walking tours of a number of areas are possible. Starting at the Jain Temple at the eastern end of Chandni Chowk, by the Red Fort, a walk through this area weaves through the alleyways and takes in the area’s best temples and most colourful markets. Meanwhile, Old Delhi takes about an hour and a half to tour the main mosques and mansions, covering the stretch from Jama Masjid to Ajmeri Gate. Bus Tours Delhi Tourism Development Corporation (tel: (011) 331 4229 or 336 5358; website: http://delhitourism.nic.in) operates sightseeing tours in coaches, covering New and Old Delhi. Between October and April, the tours are in non air-conditioned coaches, between May and September in air-conditioned ones. The New Delhi tour departs daily at 0900 (finishing at 1315) and includes Jantar Mantar, Birla Mandir, Qutb Minar, the Baha’i Temple and Safdarjung’s Tomb. The Old Delhi tour departs daily at 1415 (finishing at 1715), stopping at Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Raj Ghat and Humayun’s Tomb. Prices are Rs95 for a half-day tour and Rs180 for a full-day tour. The prices for air-conditioned tours in the hot weather are Rs110 and Rs210 respectively. The four-hour ‘Delhi by Evening Tour’ includes Birla Mandir, the son et lumiere show at Purana Qila and a drive past the Parliament House and India Gate. Tickets cost Rs105 and tours depart daily at 1800 (1745 between October and February). Tickets must be purchased in advance at the booking office at N-36, Connaught Place. 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. Hotels As befits a capital city of more than 13 million people, Delhi boasts a large number of hotels, which offer accommodation ranging from air-conditioned, marbled luxury to cockroach-infested squalor. The most expensive luxury hotels in Delhi quote their prices in US Dollars – only resident Indians are permitted to pay in Rupees – and the visitor should be aware that the quoted rates do not include substantial local taxes. For the luxury hotels, these will amount to another 20% on top of the quoted room rates. The prices quoted below are starting prices for a standard double room, excluding local taxes and breakfast, unless otherwise specified. All hotels listed have air conditioning. Business Maurya Sheraton Hotel & Towers A large, well-appointed international hotel, the Maurya Sheraton caters for the needs of the business traveller and the tourist alike. The decor is more restrained than that of its next door neighbour, the Taj Palace – the lobby rejects marble in favour of old stone. Visitors will find a fully equipped business centre and full conference facilities. The lively hotel bar has a golfing theme and drinkers sit among old trophies and other golfing memorabilia. The hotel also boasts a swimming pool, tennis courts and a health club and is a popular venue for lavish Indian weddings. Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi Tel: (011) 611 2233. Fax: (011) 611 3333. Website: www.welcomgroup.com Price: From US$225. Radisson Hotel The Radisson is an unattractive, modern hotel within easy reach, four kilometres (2.5 miles), of the international airport. It does, however, offer everything that the business traveller could possibly require. There is a fully equipped business centre, extensive meeting and conference facilities, a gym and health club, a swimming pool and ten-pin bowling. It is largely characterless and is designed and run to a formula found the world over but guests can be sure that their cocoon will at least be comfortable and spotlessly clean. Guests are offered free transfers between the hotel and the airport. National Highway 8, New Delhi Tel: (011) 677 9191. Fax: (011) 677 9090. E-mail: reservations@radissondel.com Website: www.radisson.com/newdelhi.in Price: From US$225. Taj Mahal Hotel The flagship hotel of the Taj Group, the Taj Mahal is a large, well appointed international hotel, conveniently situated in the heart of New Delhi. It recently has been completely refurbished to the highest specifications. The lobby has emerged more restrained and graceful than in its previous incarnation. It has all the facilities that one would expect to find in a hotel of this class and also caters for the needs of the business traveller. 1 Mansingh Road, New Delhi Tel: (011) 302 6162. Fax: (011) 302 6070. E-mail: trn.delhi@tajhotels.com Website: www.tajhotels.com Price: From US$300. Taj Palace Hotel A large international hotel, the Taj Palace is typically glitzy and modern Indian in style. The lobby and public areas positively dazzle the visitor with acres of shiny marble and phalanxes of brassy chandeliers. The corporate traveller will, however, feel at home, as the hotel offers every facility for keeping in touch with clients and the office. It has fully equipped conference halls and meeting rooms, as well as a large swimming pool in which to cool off after the heat of the Delhi day. There are several restaurants offering a wide range of dishes. 1 Sardar Patel Marg, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi Tel: (011) 611 0202. Fax: (011) 611 0808. E-mail: palace.delhi@tajhotels.com or trn.delhi@tajhotels.com Website: www.tajhotels.com Price: From US$270. Luxury The Imperial The most famous hotel in Delhi, The Imperial opened in 1933 and was a favourite haunt of Nehru, Mountbatten and other luminaries, who schemed and gossiped in its lush gardens. Historically, it sits on the fault-line between imperial certainty and colonial apology; its clean, modernist lines and unobtrusive Art Deco detail seem to look forward to the Brave New World rather than back to former, faded glories. Its decoration is traditional colonial – ‘Lutyens Delhi’ – and the ambience calm and sophisticated. It has a swimming pool, a number of good restaurants and a stylish bar, the 1911. This is the first choice among luxury hotels in Delhi. Janpath, New Delhi Tel: (011) 334 1234. Fax: (011) 334 2255. E-mail: luxury@theimperialindia.com Website: www.theimperialindia.com Price: From US$200. The Oberoi New Delhi A stylish and most luxurious modern hotel, The Oberoi occupies a peaceful position overlooking New Delhi’s principal golf course. It has every conceivable convenience for the travelling businessperson or well-heeled tourist, including two-line telephones, voice-mail, workstations with modem points and even a 24-hour personalised butler service. In contrast to some of its competitors, the hotel is decorated with an understated, restrained charm. It has a swish bar, a fine swimming pool and four excellent restaurants, offering a range of culinary styles. It seems to attract an ostentatiously upmarket clientele. Dr Zakir Hussain Marg, New Delhi Tel: (011) 436 3030. Fax: (011) 436 0484. E-mail: reservations@oberoidel.com Website: www.oberoihotels.com Price: From US$320. Moderate Claridges Hotel Set in the leafy boulevards of New Delhi, Claridges Hotel is of a piece with its surroundings. The building, dating from the 1920s or 1930s, has a mildly Art Deco feel to it and a calm understated elegance, in keeping with the spacious bungalows that line the streets of the city. The lobby, with its fine double-crescent staircase, sets the tone for the rest of the hotel. There is a somewhat primitive business centre, a swimming pool and a health club. The hotel also has a number of restaurants and a congenial bar. 12 Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi Tel: (011) 301 0211. Fax: (011) 301 0625. E-mail: claridges.hotel@gems.vsnl.in Price: From US$175. Jukaso Inn Jukaso Inn is situated in the peaceful enclave of Sunder Nagar (‘beautiful place’ in Hindi), close to some of the most important sights of New Delhi, including Humayun's Tomb, Purana Qila and the Lodhi Gardens. It is small, light and airy hotel, having only 50 rooms and suites but stylish in a old-fashioned way and immaculately clean. All rooms have marble baths. The Jukaso Inn also has business and conference facilities. 49-50 Sunder Nagar, New Delhi Tel: (011) 435 0308. Fax: (011) 435 2137. E-mail: jukaso@hotmail.com Website: www.indiamart.com/jukasoinn Price: From Rs2700 (10% tax added). Other Recommendations Nirula’s Hotel For those who like to be in the centre of town, Nirula’s Hotel is the place to stay. Located on Connaught Place, the hub of New Delhi, it overlooks the swirling traffic and many of the best shops, bazaars and restaurants in the city are on its doorstep. This is another smaller hotel but the rooms are comfortable and spotlessly clean. Attached to the hotel is the famous Nirula’s ice cream parlour and a patisserie. L-Block, Connaught Place, New Delhi Tel: (011) 332 2419. Fax: (011) 335 3957. E-mail: delhihotel@nirulas.com Website: www.nirula.com Price: From Rs2900 (10% tax added). The Residency Located in the quiet suburb of Defence Colony – renowned for its market and restaurants – The Residency offers rooms and self-contained flats, each with three bedrooms, in light, airy and modern buildings, at reasonable rates. The flats might appeal to families who are visiting Delhi for a week or two, or to visitors who need somewhere to stay while they are searching for permanent accommodation in the city. The atmosphere is friendly and all rooms and flats are provided with a houseboy to do the cleaning and prepare breakfast. Internet access is available. 193 Golf Links, New Delhi Tel: (011) 461 1027. Fax: (011) 464 9008. E-mail: residency81@hotmail.com Price: Rooms from Rs1800 per night; flats from Rs90,000 per month (10% tax added). Restaurants Traditionally, all the best restaurants in Delhi were to be found in the five-star international hotels. When smart Delhiwallahs wished to impress, they would head for one of these places where, in return for five-star prices, they would be guaranteed good food in swish surroundings with obsequious service. To an extent, this is still the case, although beyond the confines of the big hotels, the prosperity of Delhi’s enormous middle class has ensured that a huge number of excellent restaurants have sprung up where one can be assured of delicious food at a fraction of the price that is charged in the big hotel dining rooms. The question of alcohol is a thorny one in Delhi, where it remains notoriously difficult to secure a drink licence. Therefore many restaurants are unlicensed. Alcohol in Delhi is expensive and wine particularly so – a run-of-the-mill bottle of Pino Grigio could cost up to Rs1800 (approximately £27), before sales taxes – as it is subject to an import tax of more than 200%. Wine lists are almost universally disappointing. Many licensed restaurants do not offer wine, confining themselves to beer, cocktails and spirits. Indian wine does exist and is worth trying, if only for its novelty value. There is an Indian ‘champagne’ sold under the name ‘Marquise de Pompadour’, which, at Rs750 a bottle, is a reasonable way to put some sparkle into an evening. Indian beer, however, is excellent and invariably ice cold. There are also a large number of restaurants in Delhi that are wholly vegetarian. Indeed, the city is a culinary paradise for the non-meat-eater, as even the categorisation of eating houses – ‘veg’ and ‘non-veg’ – suggests a presumption in favour of vegetarianism. ‘Non-veg’ restaurants will all offer a wide variety of ‘veg’ dishes. We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. All the restaurants included have air-conditioned dining rooms. Generally, restaurants are subject to a sales tax of 8% on meals and 20% on alcohol – in the five-star hotels there is an additional impost of 10%. This is called the ‘Hotel Expenditure Tax’. The prices quoted below are for a three-course meal per person and a bottle of Indian beer (usually 600ml) and include all taxes but not service charges. Gastronomic Baan Thai Baan Thai offers splendid Thai food – some of the best in Delhi – served in stylish surroundings. The ingredients are crisp and fresh and the sauces light yet pungent. Vegetarian and non vegetarian platters offer diners the traditional favourites, including spring rolls, mushroom cake, papaya salad, tofu, crisp vegetables, fish cakes, satay and prawn sticks. Patrons at this restaurant in The Oberoi hotel sit on the floor with their feet in a pit beneath the table. There are, however, conventional tables and chairs for the less supple. The Oberoi, New Delhi, Dr Zakir Hussain Marg, New Delhi Tel: (011) 436 3030. Fax: (011) 436 0484. E-mail: reservations@oberoidel.com Website: www.oberoihotels.com Price: Rs1600. Beer: Rs275. House of Ming House of Ming, located in the Taj Mahal Hotel, is one of Delhi’s finest restaurants serving genuine Chinese food – distinct from the (delicious) Indian interpretation of it. The dining room is spacious and the ambience delightful. Seafood dishes are a speciality well worth trying, despite their extra cost. 1 Mansingh Road, New Delhi Tel: (011) 302 6162. Fax: (011) 302 6070. E-mail: trn.delhi@tajhotels.com Website: www.tajhotels.com Price: Rs2000 (with seafood). Beer: Rs250. La Rochelle Part of The Oberoi hotel, La Rochelle is the best French restaurant in Delhi, with prices to match. The chef has constructed an authentically French menu that will excite the most jaded palate. Dishes include tart of escargot, roasted morel mushroom, pan-roast rack of lamb and pan-friend trout meuniere. It also boasts the most interesting wine list in Delhi, although diners should beware – a bottle of moderate 1999 claret costs Rs3000. The Oberoi, Dr Zakir Hussain Marg, New Delhi Tel: (011) 436 3030. Fax: (011) 436 0484. E-mail: reservations@oberoidel.com Website: www.oberoihotels.com Price: Rs2500. Beer: Rs275. Marsala Art The principal joy of the new Marsala Art in the Taj Palace Hotel is the ‘Instant Sketches’ menu, the soi disant ‘interactive’ Indian eating experience. Diners sit at a bar, behind which the chefs cook. There are three set menus to choose from – seafood, vegetarian and non-vegetarian – each comprising ten small dishes. Diner and chef can discuss the courses as these appear. The dining room is modern and unfussy, the food fabulous. The Taj Palace Hotel, 1 Sardar Patel Marg, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi Tel: (011) 611 0202. Fax: (011) 611 0808. E-mail: palace.delhi@tajhotels.com or trn.delhi@tajhotels.com Website: www.tajhotels.com Price: Rs1300. Beer: Rs270. Business Bukhara Restaurant Located in the Maurya Sheraton, the Bukhara is widely touted as the best place for Mughal and North-West Frontier specialities in Delhi. The food is delicious and everything its reputation suggests – one particularly recommended dish is the kastoori kebab, while the delicious dal makes a splendid accompaniment to any meal. Diners sit on benches, at elegant low tables. The restaurant is crowded but the service remains attentive. Maurya Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi Tel: (011) 611 2233. Fax: (011) 611 3333. Website: www.welcomgroup.com Price: Rs1500. Beer: Rs285. Dhaba Dhaba is a popular restaurant in Claridges Hotel, serving Mughal or Northern Indian specialities. The food is excellent and the restaurant less formal than some in the large hotels. The atmosphere is intended to be more rustic, suggesting a wayside tavern rather than a nawab’s dining room. Claridges Hotel, 12 Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi Tel: (011) 301 0211. Fax: (011) 301 0625. E-mail: claridges.hotel@gems.vsnl.in Price: Rs750. Beer: Rs165. Gaylord Gaylord serves Mughal and Northern Indian food in plush surroundings – armchairs, chandeliers and gilt mirrors – which give the place a slightly sombre feel, appealing to a predominantly male, middle-class and middle-aged clientele. The food is cooked in the traditional style, rich and filling – the nurg bharta is especially good. Gaylord lends itself to the business lunch. 16 Regal Building, Connaught Place, New Delhi Tel: (011) 336 0717 or 373 4677. Price: Rs550. Beer: Rs125. The Host A staid restaurant in Connaught Place, The Host serves Mughal and Chinese specialities to a clientele comprising Delhi businessmen and well-heeled tourists. The food is good if a little unexciting and, in the case of the Mughal dishes – bhuna murg, for example – rich and filling. F-8, Connaught Place, New Delhi Tel: (011) 331 6381 or 331 6576. Price: Rs550. Beer: Rs125. Spice Route The Spice Route is in The Imperial hotel and serves top-quality Thai and South Asian food, in a restaurant decorated with antique, gaudily painted wooden pillars and panels. Even if the food were not excellent – crisp, spicy and fresh – it would be worth eating here for the setting alone. The tangy oriental salads and the piquant vegetable stews are particularly recommended. The Imperial, Janpath, New Delhi Tel: (011) 334 1234. Fax: (011) 334 2255. E-mail: luxury@theimperialindia.com Website: www.theimperialindia.com Price: Rs1300. Beer: Rs220. Trendy Aka Saka A Chinese restaurant in Defence Colony Market, Aka Saka serves food that is typical of the Indian interpretation of the Chinese culinary idiom. In Indian hands, Chinese dishes tend to emerge hotter and spicier than would otherwise be the case. This restaurant is rather plusher than some of the others are, however, all are very popular. Aka Saka, Defence Colony Market, New Delhi Tel: (011) 469 1265 or 463 5394. Price: Rs350. Beer: Rs135. Moet's A well-known and popular restaurant in Defence Colony Market, Moet’s serves Indian and Chinese food in separate but adjacent restaurants. The Indian establishment serves Mughal and Kashmiri specialities and a range of vegetarian dishes, while the Chinese menu offers a wide range of standard favourites. The food – particularly the murg haryali kebab or the murg achari – is good and the smart, youngish clientele generates a buzz. 50 Defence Colony Market, New Delhi Tel: (011) 462 6814 or 463 5280. Price: Rs450. Beer: Rs160. The Village Bistro One of many restaurants in Haus Khaz Village, The Village Bistro serves Mughal specialities, along with some South Indian non-vegetarian dishes. The dining room is modern and split over several levels, which lends a feeling of intimacy and privacy to the tables. 12 Haus Khaz Village, New Delhi Tel: (011) 685 3857. Fax: (011) 652 2226. Price: Rs650. Beer: Rs175. Top of the Village A rooftop restaurant open to the skies in Haus Khaz Village, Top of the Village commands a magnificent view over the remains of Shah Feroz’s tomb and madrasa. At night, the ruins are floodlit and make a memorable backdrop to dinner. It is worth going there for the view alone, although the food – Mughal specialities, including particularly good paneer dishes – is more than acceptable. 12 Haus Khaz Village, New Delhi Tel: (011) 685 2227 or 685 3857. Fax: (011) 652 2226. Website: www.fhraindia.com/restaurant/delhi/bistro Price: Rs550. Beer: Rs175. Veg Gulati Veg Gulati serves northern Indian vegetarian specialities, such as the delicious paneer tikka, tandoori gobhi and tandoori aloo. It is a popular, family restaurant where patrons will be served quickly and with a smile. Next door is the sister establishment that serves non-vegetarian food as well. 8 Pandara Road Market, New Delhi Tel: (011) 338 8830 or 338 8863. Price: Rs400. Unlicensed. Budget China Fare A tiny, prettily decorated and unfussy restaurant in Khan Market, China Fare is popular among the expatriate community. It serves delicious Chinese food, cooked in the Indian style (hot and spicy) at reasonable prices. The service is friendly too. 27a Khan Market, New Delhi Tel: (011) 461 8602. Price: Rs450. Unlicensed. Karim’s Established in 1913, Karim’s is something of a Delhi institution. It serves Mughal food in rudimentary but clean surroundings off a courtyard that is close behind Jama Masjid in Old Delhi. The tandoori chicken here is highly recommended. The bird, surprisingly, arrives whole and spread-eagled but is mouth-wateringly good. Hotel Bombay Orient, 16 Jama Masjid, New Delhi Tel: (011) 326 9880 or 326 4981. E-mail: khpl@del3.vsnl.net.in Price: Rs300. Unlicensed. Machaan Part of the Taj Mahal Hotel, Machaan is a 24-hour café that offers a variety of styles of Oriental and European food, including Thai, Vietnamese and Italian, on a constantly changing basis. It is a reasonable place to eat quickly and well – the food is served from a buffet. The restaurant has recently been refurbished. Taj Mahal Hotel, 1 Mansingh Road, New Delhi Tel: (011) 302 6162. Fax: (011) 302 6070. E-mail: trn.delhi@tajhotels.com Price: Rs700. Beer: Rs250. Sagar Ratna Sagar Ratna is located in the Lodhi Hotel and serves southern Indian vegetarian food. The dhosas, idlis and uphapams, light yet filling, make a delicious alternative to the omnipresent Mughal food. The restaurant is spacious, which is fortunate, as it is very popular, and the service swift and polite. The sister establishment in Defence Colony Market is rather more rough and ready but equally as good. Lodhi Hotel, Lala Lajpai Rai Marg, New Delhi Tel: (011) 436 4442. Price: Rs200. Unlicensed. Swagath A new restaurant in Defence Colony Market, Swagath serves Chinese, Mughal and southern Indian food in calm, stylish premises spread over four floors. It specialises in seafood, including various fish gassis, fish sawantalis and fish malbaris. In season crab and lobster is available. 14, Defence Colony Market, New Delhi. Tel: (011) 465 4537 or 4538. Price: Rs500 (with seafood). Unlicensed (although a licence had, at the time of writing, been applied for.) Turtles Cafe Turtles is a café above The Full Circle bookshop in Khan Market. It is a good place for one to read over a cup of coffee or to take a light snack lunch – a pasta bake or quiche. The café serves cakes and scones too and is popular with expatriates of all ages. The Full Circle Bookshop, 5b Khan Market, New Delhi Tel: (011) 465 5641. Price: Rs150. Unlicensed. Personal Recommendations Flavours of Italy One of the better known Italian restaurants in Delhi, Flavors of Italy offers reasonably authentic Italian food – pizza and pasta – at reasonable prices. A good place to visit when the thought of yet more Indian food becomes too much, Flavors of Italy is a relaxed, café-like restaurant. 52c Moolchand Flyover Complex, opposite Moolchand Hospital, Defence Colony, New Delhi Tel: (011) 464 5644. Price: Rs400. Unlicensed. The Imperial A perfect start to the day is breakfast in the garden of The Imperial hotel. From a table on the terrace, guests look over the lush lawns and borders of the hotel’s celebrated gardens and can admire the tall palm trees along the drive. The buffet provides everything one could possibly desire at breakfast time, from cornflakes to idlis, via bacon and eggs. Imperial Hotel, 1, Janpath, New Delhi Tel: (011) 334 1234. Fax: (011) 334 2255. E-mail: luxury@theimperialindia.com Website: www.theimperialindia.com Price: Rs400 (including drinks). Lazeez Affaire In the heart of the Diplomatic Enclave, Lazeez Affaire is an elegant, upmarket restaurant, which attracts a smart, well-heeled clientele. The menu is imaginative and the food carefully cooked – the kakori kebab, the murg hyderabadi and the stuffed tomato are particularly recommended. Diners may either sit on the floor in traditional Indian style, or at tables. 6/48 Shopping Centre, Malcha Marg, Chanakypuri, New Delhi Tel: (011) 611 4380. Price: Rs800. Beer: Rs160. Pizza Express There comes a point when even the most hardened enthusiast of Indian cooking cannot look another rogan josh or murg tikka in the eye. This is the time to repair to Pizza Express on Connaught Place. In swish, modern surroundings the food, which is inexpensive, will be comfortingly familiar. D-10 Inner Circle, Connaught Place, New Delhi Tel: (011) 373 9306 or 331 5680. Price: Rs400. Beer: Rs170. Vaishali Located in the modern Siddharth Hotel, Vaishali serves an excellent buffet lunch, offering vegetarian and non-vegetarian northern Indian dishes. The paneer butter marsala is mouth-wateringly good. Diners should not be put off by the uninspiring surroundings, as this represents good value and should not disappoint. Siddharth Hotel, 3, Rajenda Place, New Delhi. Tel: (011) 576 2501. Fax: (011) 578 1016. Price: Rs500. Beer: Rs230. Sport In India, cricket reigns supreme and is played everywhere, from smart cricket clubs to the grassy spaces of New Delhi and street corners. The national side is followed with a devotion that borders on the fanatic. India is a consistently strong team, ably doing battle with its mighty Antipodean, South African and UK rivals. In Delhi, Test Matches are played at Ferozshah Kotla Stadium, located on Bahadur Shah Zhafar Marg, between September and March. Attending a Test Match here is quite an experience and is not for the faint-hearted. Other popular Indian games include kabbadi, a team sport combining the characteristics of wrestling and rugby, and kho kho, an evolved game of catch and hockey, in which the Indians regularly produce sides that challenge the best in the world. More mundanely, there are facilities in Delhi catering to the city’s elite, for a good selection of sports, including gyms, tennis, golf and swimming. Bowling: Indians, like many Asians, seem to enjoy bowling and there is a popular bowling alley at the Qutb Hotel, off Sri Aurobindo Marg (tel: (011) 652 1234). Fitness centres: In Delhi, fitness centres mean status and the well groomed keep in shape at Arya Vaidya Sala, South Extension (tel: (011) 462 1790), and Nelson Health Club, Hotel Samrat, Chanakyapuri (tel: (011) 611 0606). Many of the five-star hotels also provide exercise facilities for their guests. Golf: Delhi’s best-known golf course is the Delhi Golf and Country Club, Dr Zakir Hussein Marg (tel: (011) 436 2768). It boasts a nine-hole and an 18-hole course, both of which are dotted with Mughal mausolea. The timid should note that cobras supposedly lurk in the rough. The 18-hole course is open to the public on weekdays but restricted to members and their guests at weekends. The nine-hole course is open to all throughout the week. Green fees are Rs1950 (US$40) and a set of clubs can be hired for Rs20. Caddies and ball-spotters are available. Horseracing: Delhi Racecourse, off Safdarjang Road (tel: (011) 301 2943), has regular meetings during the racing season, which runs from October until the end of April. Delhi’s racecourse is an informal, almost provincial course, in marked contrast to Mumbai’s grand stands and spacious lawns. There is a large covered shed, which contains the bookies’ pitches. Admission to the Members’ Enclosure costs Rs50. Horseriding and polo: The Delhi Riding Club, Safdarjung Road (tel: (011) 301 1891), and the Polo Club, Cavalry Cariappa Marg, both provide equestrian sporting opportunities and facilities. The polo season is from October to March. Swimming: The safest swimming is at hotel pools, including Hotel Imperial, Janpath (tel: (011) 334 1234), Hotel Samrat, Chanakyapuri (tel: (011) 611 0606), and Ashok Hotel, Chanakyapuri (tel: (011) 611 0101). All hotels are likely to charge non-residents. Public swimming baths are located at NDMC Pools, Nehru Park, Chanakyapuri, National Stadium Complex, opposite India Gate, and Talkatora Pool, Talkatora Road. Tennis: Another sport thought to have originated in India, there are tennis facilities at Delhi Lawn Tennis Association, Africa Avenue; Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Bhishama Pitamah Road, and the National Sports Club of India, Mathura Road (tel: (011) 338 5564). Watersports: Watersports at Bhaleswa Lake, as well as other adventure activities – local and further afield – are available through Delhi Tourism’s Adventure Tourism Division (tel: (011) 336 3607). Yoga: Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Nataraja Center, Community Centre, East of Kailash (tel: (011) 648 0869) offers yoga classes. Shopping Silks, gemstones, carpets, antique furniture, spices ... the warehouses and emporia of Delhi are filled with a treasure trove of goods from the far corners of the Indian subcontinent. The intrepid will head for the chowks and alleyways of Old Delhi, while the more cautious will stick to the well-trodden round of Connaught Place and the state government handicrafts emporia on Baba Kharak Sing Marg, with perhaps an excursion in the direction of Hauz Khas Village and South Extension market. The most central of the government-run handicraft centres is the Cottage Industries Emporium, on Janpath, which is well stocked with leather, textiles, jewellery, silks, cotton and saris. On Baba Kharak Sing Marg, the Himachal Pradesh Emporium has soft blankets and shawls in wool, cashmere or pashmina, while the Poompahar Emporium stocks the region’s glazed Thanjuver pottery and traditional stone carvings of gods and goddesses, and the Uttar Pradesh Emporium specialises in leather goods and copper and brass items. Located in south Delhi, Hauz Khas Village has a centralised collection of furniture shops and bazaars, along with a good selection of frequently changing boutiques offering designer clothes, silks, chiffons and organzas. There is any number of shops selling carpets in Delhi but the visitor would be well advised to exercise caution, by confining himself to the reputable, fixed-price, non-commission establishments. All the carpets at Saga, on Mathura Road, come with a Central Silk Board guarantee. Delhi’s markets come crammed with goods, people and smells. The magnificent bazaars of Chandni Chowk are open daily and piled high with gold, nuts, spices, silks, carpets and perfume and are worth visiting for the spectacle alone. Sunder Nagar Market, off Mathura Road, is open Monday-Saturday and is a good place to search for antiques and jewellery, as well as boasting a huge variety of other knick-knacks and artefacts spilling out of the shops. One of Delhi's most prestigious markets and a regular haunt of the city’s ex-pats, is Khan Market, just south of India Gate, open Tuesday-Sunday. There are a number of excellent bookshops here. The wholesale Spice Market, on Khari Baoli, in the Old City, is where, for centuries, the culinary traditions of North Asia, China, Persia and the Middle East have worked their influence on local cuisine. Except in the government-run shops, haggling is always the order of the day – it is the only way for shoppers to ensure that they do not pay too far over the odds. Shops tend to open around 1000 and close between 1800 and 1900. VAT is currently not used in India, however, implementation of this is planned for April 2003. Culture The premier performing arts institute is Sangeet Natak Akademi, Firoz Shah Road (tel: (011) 338 7246), while the arts complex of Triveni Kala Sangam, Tansen Marg (tel: (011) 371 8833), contains two galleries devoted to fine art and an open-air and an indoor theatre, as well as a sculpture park and bookshop. Among the ranks of Delhi's ‘chaterati’, the India International Centre, 40 Lodhi Estate (tel: (011) 461 9431), is a political icon and post-Independence institution. The capital’s premier cultural centre, it organises seminars, lectures, music and dance recitals, as well as screening films on all aspects of Indian culture and environment. Nearby is the huge and recently built Indian Habitat Centre, junction of Lodhi Road and Max Mueller Marg, which offers a lively and interesting programme of drama and lectures. Most of the cultural centres host concerts and exhibitions, as well as screening films in English or their native language. These include, on Kasturba Gandhi Marg, the German cultural centre Max Mueller Bhavan (tel: (011) 332 9506), the British Council (tel: (011) 371 1401), and the American Centre (tel: (011) 331 6841), at D13 NDSE Part II, the Alliance Francaise (tel: (011) 625 8128), on Golf Links, the Italian Culture Centre (tel: (011) 687 1901), and, on Firoz Shah Road, the Japan Cultural Centre (tel: (011) 332 9838) and the Russian Cultural Centre (tel: (011) 332 9102), which houses the Eisenstein Film Club. Local newspapers (Hindustan Times or Times of India) carry daily and weekly listings of all events and should be the reference point for anyone interested in sampling the rich cultural life of Delhi. City Scan, City Guide and delhidiary magazines also carry listings. While reading the newspapers, it is possible to get insight into another aspect of Indian culture – the marriage columns. ‘Brides Sought’ and ‘Grooms Required’ in the weekend newspapers are indispensable reading. Music: Delhi’s concert halls tend to be busy more or less year round, with the Delhi Symphony Orchestra performing at the Kamani Auditorium, Copernicus Marg (tel: (011) 338 8084) and the FICCI Auditorium, Tansen Marg (tel: (011) 335 7369). Hindustani music is by far the most popular, closely followed by Karnatic music. Some of Delhi’s open-air venues, such as the majestically lit Qutb Minar (see Key Attractions), provide a dramatic backdrop for select performances. The Delhi Music Society (tel: (011) 611 5331) is based at Nayaya Marg, Chanakyapuri. Theatre: Delhi is well provided with innovative theatres and the area just to the north of India Gate is home to a number of these, including the Kamani Theatre (tel: (011) 338 8084), on Copernicus Marg. The Abhimanch, Bahawalpur House (tel: (011) 338 9402), stages an exciting programme of theatre, dance and films through the year. Dance: Lovers of dance are well catered for in Delhi, seeing as a rich mix of classical – including Kathak, Bharatnatyam and Kathakali – folk and tribal dance, as well as ballet is performed at various auditoria throughout the year. Hauz Khas, Delhi-Mehrauli Road, is a good spot to join well-heeled Delhiites, as they sit back over a meal or a drink while taking in an open-air dance or music performance. The India International Centre, 40 Lodhi Estate (tel: (011) 461 9431), and Triveni Theatre, 205 Tansen Marg (tel: (011) 371 8833), are both popular venues for regular, professional dance shows. Film: Cinema is by far the most popular form of entertainment in India – it has been suggested that 23 million Indians watch a film every day. The glitzy love stories and action movies of Bollywood attract huge audiences and their stars are national figures. There is any number of cinemas in Delhi, some showing only films in Hindi, some only in English and some in both languages. English-language films are shown, among many others, at the Ritz, Kasmiri Gate, and the Chanakya, Chanakapuri. The movie that is closest to Delhi’s beating heart is the immensely popular Monsoon Wedding (2001), which was set in the city. The busy marketplaces of Delhi punctuated director Mira Nair’s beautiful celluloid weaving of character, place and drama. Cultural events: India’s calendar of festivals draws upon the nation’s Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Sikh, Parsi, Buddhist and Christian communities, with a sprinkling of non-religious festivals thrown in for good measure. Most will be celebrated to some extent, somewhere in Delhi. Republic Day, a week of celebration kicks off on 26 January, with a military parade along Rajpath. A guard of honour stands to attention at Raj Ghat on Martyr’s Day, 30 January, to commemorate the anniversary of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Spring exuberance erupts on the day after the full moon in early March, during Holi, when people running through the streets bombard each other and stray tourists with brightly coloured powder and water, to celebrate good harvests and fertility of the land. Often an occasion for indulging in a drink or two too many. The Raslila is performed across India recreating the life of Krishna on the anniversary of his birth, Janmasthami, which falls in August/September. The city celebrates most ostentatiously at Lakshmi Narayan Mandir. Diwali (Deepavali), the most pan-Indian of Hindu festivals – coinciding with the onset of the Hindu and Jain new year – symbolises the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritual darkness by commemorating Lord Rama’s return to his kingdom, Ayodhya, after his 14-year exile. In 2002, Diwali falls on 4 November and is preceded by five days of celebrations. (Dates are calculated according to the Hindu calendar, which varies against the Gregorian calendar.) Literary Notes At the time of Muhammad Shah Rangila, the poet, Mir, wrote of Delhi: ‘Each glance reveals a picture, each coming of the spring enchains.’ The delights of Delhi have been dissected, eulogised and disputed over the generations, by a whole canon of writers of both Indian and Western origin. William Dalrymple’s City of Djinns (1994), the fruit of a year spent in Delhi, is a luminous and penetrative combination of history, observation and anecdote. By weaving the past with the present, he brings the city to life, explaining its mysteries and wonders. The author’s Delhi period was just the beginning of years of relentless travelling the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent, distilled in his collection The Age of Kali (1998). A meaty slice of Indian life viewed from the inside is Vikram Seth’s epic A Suitable Boy (1993), which follows the lives of four extended families set against the political landscape in a newly independent northern India, in the 1950s. The central plot – a love story – runs through a richly populated and eternally varied landscape, with the tension between Hindus and Muslims a constant and dangerous undertow. Anita Desai, who was educated in Delhi, also focuses on the time of Partition in her first published novel, Clear Light of Day (1980), which traces the interweaving, departures and reconciliation of the Das family of Old Delhi. Ahmed Ali’s Twilight in Delhi (1940) gives a pungent whiff of life in early 20th-century Delhi. Through Ali’s wistful eyes, the reader glimpses the rhythms and rituals of Islamic life in the city, before the construction of New Delhi, a world that was destroyed forever, by Partition. One of the most prominent of Indian writers today, Arundhati Roy, who won the Booker Prize with God of Small Things (1997), studied and lives in Delhi. Those interested in the history of India’s progress to independence and beyond should search out a copy of Durga Das’s India:From Curzon to Nehru (1969). It is a most absorbing book, written by someone – a Delhi man to the core – who was himself on stage as these momentous events unfolded over a period of 50 years. Nightlife Delhi has a long way to go to compete with Mumbai as the capital of Indian nightlife. In Delhi, it is notoriously difficult to obtain an alcohol licence and many of the swishest watering holes and nightclubs are in the five-star international hotels – with prices to match. Apart from these hotels, the watering holes of Delhi are concentrated around Connaught Place, with various outposts in the more prosperous southern suburbs. Wine in Delhi is expensive and frequently of indifferent quality – those who wish to drink would be well advised to stick to beer, spirits or cocktails. Although there is no minimum drinking age, the minimum purchasing age in India is 18 years. The price of a beer while out and about in Delhi can vary considerably, depending on the venue, however, averages out to approximately Rs200. Local newspapers (Hindustan Times or Times of India) carry daily and weekly listings and information on nightlife in Delhi. City Scan, City Guide and delhidiary magazines also carry listings. Bars: Anyone who has been to Delhi returns to tell stories about the Rodeo bar, A-Block, Connaught Place, because of the mock saddle seats at the bar and its Indian waiters dressed, quite preposterously, as cowboys. The Pegasus bar, L-Block, Connaught Place, is the most convincing attempt in Delhi to replicate an English pub. The Maurya Sheraton, Diplomatic Enclave, has a lively bar behind the lobby of the hotel, with a golfing theme, while Henri’s at the top of the Meridien Hotel, Windsor Place, offers a fine panorama of the city. The celebrated Cavalry Bar, in the Oberoi Maidan Hotel, Civil Lines, is a relic of the Raj and will appeal to those who like bars to be simple yet smart. Rick’s, situated in the Taj Mahal Hotel, 1 Mansingh Road, has recently been refurbished in a swish modernist style and offers live music to boot. In Defence Colony Market there is a new and deafeningly noisy bar above the restaurant, Gola. Vasant Vihar boasts a TGI Fridays – very popular with hip young Delhiites – and the Golden Dragon, both situated in C-Block, Market. Expresso bars are increasingly popular and can be found in many areas of the city. The Barista chain is the most widely established. Casinos: There are no casinos in Delhi as gambling in India – except on the racecourse – is illegal. Clubs: There are about half a dozen discos that have become regular haunts of elite Delhiites. Most are in the luxury hotels and many of them operate a couples-only policy, as well as a dress code. One of the most popular is CJ’s, at Le Meridien, Windsor Place. The recently opened RPM, above Lazeez Affaire restaurant, Shopping Centre, Malcha Marg, Chanakypuri, has a vibrant atmosphere and is popular among younger, well-heeled Delhiites. Annabelles, at the Inter-Continental, Barakhamba Avenue, Connaught Place, and Wheels, at the Ambassador, Sujan Singh Park, both have an enthusiastic following. Live music: The Jazz Bar, at the Maurya Sheraton, Sardar Patel Marg, features a live jazz show every evening, performed by Indian musicians. The Tavern, at the Hotel Imperial, on Janpath, offers the same in its restaurant-cum-bar. City Statistics Location: National Capital Territory of Delhi, North India. Country dialling code: 91. Population: 13,782,976 (metropolitan area). Ethnic mix: 72% Indo-Aryan, 25% Dravidian, 3% Mongoloid and other. Religion: 80% Hindu, 11% Muslim, 1% Sikh, Jain, Christian and Buddhist. Time zone: GMT + 5.5. Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two or three-pin plugs are used. Average January temp: 21°C (70°F). Average July temp: 35°C (95°F). Annual rainfall: 714mm (27.9 inches). Monsoon season is July-August. Special Events Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Sikh festival, 5 Jan 2003, throughout the city Lohri, Hindu festival celebrated with bonfires, 13 Jan, throughout the city Republic Day, public holiday with a parade along Rajpath, 26 Jan, throughout the city Martyr’s Day, commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, 30 Jan, Raj Ghat, throughout the city Holi, Hindu festival of harvest and fertility on the day after the full moon in early March, 18 Mar, throughout the city Baisakhi, Sikh festival, 14 Apr, throughout the city Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, Sikh festival, 16 Jun, throughout the city Navratri, Hindu festival, 25 Sep-4 Oct, throughout the city Janamashtami, anniversary of Krishna’s birth, 12 Aug, throughout the city mainly Lakshmi Narayan Mandir Independence Day, national holiday, 15 Aug, throughout the city Dusshera, Hindu festival, Oct, throughout the city Navratri, Hindu festival, Oct, throughout the city Dusshera, Hindu festival, Oct, throughout the city Diwali, Hindu New Year festival, Oct, throughout the city Qutub Festival, three-day festival of classical music and dance, Oct, Qutub Minar, Sharad Pournima Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, Sikh festival, Nov, throughout the city Diwali, Hindu New Year festival, Nov, throughout the city Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Nov, throughout the city Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, Sikh festival, Nov, throughout the city (Dates are calculated according to the Hindu and Nanakshahi Era calendars, which vary against the Gregorian calendar.) Cost of Living One-litre bottle of mineral water: Rs15-25 75cl bottle of beer: Rs100 Financial Times newspaper: Rs75 36-exposure colour film: Rs95 City-centre bus ticket: Rs5-10 Adult Test Match cricket ticket: Rs100-300 Three-course meal with wine/beer: Rs500-700 1 Rupee (Rs) = £0.01; US$0.02; C$0.03; A$0.04; €0.02 Currency conversion rates as of February 2003 Copyright © 2003 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd.