Delhi

Delhi is the capital of India, its third-largest city and North India's industrial hub. Old Delhi was the capital of Muslim India between the 17th and 19th centuries, and a legacy of mosques, monuments and forts testifies to this. New Delhi was built as the imperial capital of India by the British. It is a spacious, open city and contains embassies and government buildings. The newer, wealthy suburbs are mostly to the south of New Delhi, and an ever-growing belt of poorer suburbs and jhuggis (slums) stretches in all directions.
In addition to its historic interest and role as the government centre, Delhi is a major travel gateway. It is one of India's busiest entrance points for overseas airlines, the hub of the North Indian travel network, and a stop on the overland route across Asia. The city of Delhi covers most of Delhi state.
Few travellers have much that is good to say about India's fastest growing city; the intense air pollution and persistent touts often make it an unsettling experience for newcomers. It does, however, have a long and fascinating history and there's a tangible energy and confidence that only comes with a history as rich and varied as Delhi's.
There is no smoking in public, especially around monuments and religious sites, but it's acceptable in restaurants and bars. Most sights are open sunrise to sunset, although following the dramatic price hikes of 2000, many have become poor value.

HISTORY
Delhi hasn't always been the capital of India, but it has played an important role in Indian history. The settlement of Indraprastha, which featured in the epic Manabharata over 3000 years ago, was approximately on the site of present-day Delhi. Over 2000 years ago, Pataliputra near modern-day Patna) was the capital of Asnoka's empire. The Mughal emperors made Agra the capital during the 16th and 17th centuries. Under the British, Kolkata (Calcutta) was the capital until the inauguration of New Delhi in 1931.
There have been at least eight cities around modern Delhi, and the old saying that whoever founds a new city in Delhi will lose it has come true every time - most recently for the British who lasted only 16 years. The first four cities were to the south, around the area where the Qutb Minar stands.
Indraprastha The earliest known Delhi, Indraprastha was centred near present-day Purana Qila. At the beginning of the 12th century, the last Hindu kingdom of Delhi was ruled by the Tomara and Chauthan dynasties and was also near the Qutb Minar and Surajkund, now in Haryana.
Siri Built by Ala-ud-din near present-day Hauz Khas in the 12th century.
Tughlaqabad Now entirely in ruins, Tughlaqabad stood 10km south-east of the Qutb Minar.
Jahanpanah Dating from the 14th century, Jahanpanah was also a creation of the Tughlaqs. It also stood near the Qutb Minar.
Firozabad This city was at Firoz Shah Kotla in present-day New Delhi. Its ruins include an Ashoka pillar, moved from elsewhere, and traces of a mosque where Tamerlane prayed during his attack on India.
Purana Qila Near India Gate in New Delhi, Purana Qila was created by Emperor Sher Shah, the Afghan ruler who defeated the Mughal Humayun and took control of Delhi.
Shahjahanabad Constructed by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, in the 17th century, thus shifting the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi; Shahjahanabad roughly corresponds to Old Delhi today and is largely preserved, including the Red Fort and the majestic Jama Masjid.
New Delhi Constructed by the British. The move from Kolkata (Calcutta) to New Delhi was announced in 1911 but construction was not completed, and the city officially inaugurated, until 1931.
Delhi has seen many invaders through the ages. Tamerlane plundered it in the 14th century; the Afghan Babur occupied it in the 16th century; and in 1739 the Persian emperor, Nadir Shah, sacked the city and carted the Kohinoor Diamond (now part of the British royal family's crown jewels) and the famous Peacock Throne off to Iran. The British captured Delhi in 1803, but during the Indian Uprising of 1857 it was a centre of resistance to the British. Prior to Partition, Delhi had a very large Muslim population and Urdu was the main language. In 1947, it became the capital of truncated India, and Hindu and Sikh refugees poured in from Pakistan Now Hindu Punjabis have replaced many of the Muslims, and Hindi predominates.
William Dalrymple's excellent City of Djinns is a wonderfully entertaining introduction to Delhi's past and present.

ORIENTATION
Delhi is a relatively easy city to find your way around, although it is very spread out. The section of interest to visitors is on the west bank of the Yamuna River and is divided into two basic parts - the tightly packed streets of Old Delhi and the spacious, planned areas of New Delhi.
Old Delhi is the 17th-century walled city of Shahjahanabad, with city gates, narrow alleys, constant traffic jams and terrible air pollution, the enormous Red Fort and Jama Masjid, temples, mosques, bazaars and the famous street known as Chandni Chowk. Here you will find the Old Delhi train station and, a little farther north, the main Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) near Kashmiri Gate. Near New Delhi train station, and acting as a sort of buffer zone between the old and new cities, is the crowded market area of Paharganj. This has become the budget travellers' hang-out, and there are many popular cheap hotels and restaurants in this area.
New Delhi is a planned city of wide, tree-lined streets, parks and fountains, but still has the Indian touches of doe-eyed cows calmly ignoring the traffic and squatter hovels on waste land. It can be subdivided into the business and residential areas around Connaught Place to the north and the government areas around Rajpath to the south. At the eastern end of Rajpath is the India Gate memorial and at the west end is Rashtrapati Bhavan, the residence of the Indian president.
The hub of New Delhi is the great circle of Connaught Place and the streets that radiate from it. Here you will find most of the airline offices, banks, travel agents, state and national tourist offices, more budget accommodation and several of the big hotels. The Regal Cinema, at the south side of the circle, and the Plaza Cinema, at the north, are two important landmarks and are useful for telling taxi or autorickshaw drivers where you want to go.
Janpath and Sansad Marg (Parliament St) are the two main streets running off Con-naught Place, here you'll find more tourist offices, hotels, airlines and a number of other useful addresses.
South of the New Delhi government areas are Delhi's more expensive residential areas, with names such as Defence Colony, South Extension, Lodi Colony, Greater Kailash and Vasant Vihar. Many of the better (and more expensive) cinemas and shopping centres are found here. The Indira Gandhi International Airport is to the south-west of the city, and about halfway between the airport and Connaught Place is Chanakyapuri, the diplomatic enclave. Most of Delhi's embassies (and the prime minister's house) are concentrated in this strikingly tidy area and there are several major hotels here.
Across the Yamuna River (heavily polluted for the nine months of the year that the monsoon is not flushing it) lie many new industrial and residential areas, as well as some of the grimmest slum areas.
The 250-page Eicher City Map (Rs 270) includes 174 area maps, and is a good reference if you are venturing farther into the Delhi environs. It's available at most larger bookshops and modern fuel stations.

INFORMATION
Tourist Offices
The Government of India tourist office (tel 3320005) at 88 Janpath is open from 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am to 2 pm Saturday. The office has a lot of information and brochures on destinations all over India, but you have to ask for it. It has a good give away map of the city, and the staff can also help with accommodation. Some have been known to try to sell overpriced taxi tours.
There are tourist offices in the arrivals nails of the international (t 5694229) and domestic (t 5665296) airports that are open wound the clock. Here, too, staff can help you find accommodation although, like many other Indian tourist offices, they may tell you the hotel you choose is 'full' and steer you somewhere else.
There is a Delhi Tourism Corporation office (t 3313637) in N-Block, Connaught Place, open from 7 am to 9 pm Monday to Friday, and another (with a pleasant coffee shop and garden) near the state emporiums on Baba Kharak Singh Marg. There are also counters at New Delhi, Old Delhi and Nizamuddin train stations, as well as at the ISBT at Kashmiri Gate.
Official guides are available at the major sites (around Rs 100 for half a day) and through the above tourist offices. Unofficial guides will also offer their services.
There are several city guides available from newsstands - Delhi City Guide, Delhi this Fortnight and Delhi Diary among them. First City (Rs 30) is a monthly magazine with gossip on what the city's upper-class 'tiger ladies' are up to, but also has good listings and reviews of cultural events and restaurants. Try www.delhigate.com for information about the city, and www.delhil23.com has news, events, venues, weather and more.
Most of the state governments have information centres in Delhi, staffed by a mix of helpful people and surly babus (bureaucratic bureaucrats):
Andaman & Nicobar Islands (t 6871443) 12 Chanakyapuri 
Andhra Pradesh (t 3382031) Andhra Bhavan, 1 Ashoka Rd
Arunachal Pradesh (t 3013956) Arunachal Bldg, Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri
Assam (t 3342064) Bl Baba Kharak Singh Marg
Bihar (t 3368371) 216-217 Kanishka Shopping Plaza, Ashoka Rd Goa (t 4629967) 18 Amrita Shergil Marg
Gujarat (t 3734015) A6 Baba Kharak Singh Marg
Haryana (t 3324910) Chandralok Bldg, 36 Janpath
Himachal Pradesh (t 3325320) Chandralok Bldg, 36 Janpath
Ja mm u & Kashmir (t 3345373) Kanishka Shopping Plaza, Ashoka Rd
Karnataka (t 3363862) Karnataka State Emporium, Baba Kharak Singh Marg
Kerala (t 3368541) Kanishka Shopping Plaza, Ashoka Rd
Madhya Pradesh (t 3341187) Kanishka Shopping Plaza, Ashoka Rd
Maharashtra (t 3363773) A8 Baba Kharak Singh Marg
Manipur (t 3344026) State Emporium Bldg, Baba Kharak Singh Marg Meghalaya (t 3014417) 9 Aurangzeb Rd
Mizoram (t 3012331) Mizoram State Government House, Circular Rd, Chanakyapuri
Nagaland (t 3343161) Nagaland Emporium, Baba Kharak Singh Marg
Orissa (t 3364580) B4 Baba Kharak Singh Marg
Punjab Kanishka Shopping Plaza, Ashoka Rd
Rajasthan (t 3383837) Bikaner House, Pandara Rd
Sikkim (t 6115346) New Sikkim House, 14 Panchsheel Marg, Chanakyapuri
Tamil Nadu (t 3735427) State Emporium Bldg, Baba Kharak Singh Marg
Tripura (t 3793827) Tripura Bhavan, off Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri
Uttar Pradesh (t 3322251) Chandralok Bldg, 36 Janpath
West Bengal (t 3732840) A2 Baba Kharak Singh Marg

Money
The major offices of all the Indian and foreign banks operating in India can be found in Delhi, where it's possible to get cash around the clock. If you do need to change money outside regular banking hours, Citibank and Standard Chartered Grindlays have 24-hour branches in Connaught Place and Thomas Cook also has 24-hour branches at New Delhi train station and at the airport. There are also plenty of ATMs dotted around.
At other times there's plenty of choice. In Paharganj, Chequepoint foreign exchange on Main Bazaar exchanges cash and travellers cheques without commission between 9.30 am and 8 pm daily.
American Express (AmEx; t 3324119) has its office in A-Block, Connaught Place, and is open from 9 am to 7 pm daily. Thomas Cook has more branches in C-Block, Con-naught Place and at The Imperial hotel, which is open from 9.30 am to 6 pm.
Other banks (most with ATMs) include:
Bank of America (t 3722332) DCM Bldg, Barakhamba Rd
Banque Nationale de Paris (t 3314848) 2nd floor, Hansalya Bldg, Barakhamba Rd
Citibank (t 3712484) Jeevan Bharati Bldg, Outer Circle, Connaught Place
Deutsche Bank (t 3712028) 15 Tolstoy House Tolstoy Marg '
HongKong & Shanghai Bank (t 3314355) ECE House, Kasturba Gandhi Marg
Standard Chartered Grindlays (t 3721242) 10 H-Block, Connaught Place; (a 3732260) 17 Sansard Marg. Connaught Place

Post & Communications
There are small post offices in Paharganj and A-Block, Connaught Place, but the main post office is on the roundabout on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, 500m south-west of Connaught Place. Poste restante mail can be collected here from 10 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Saturday. Ensure mail is addressed to New Delhi, otherwise it will go to the Old Delhi post office. Mail can also be sent to the Government of India tourist office on Janpath.
There are plenty of private STD/ISD call offices around the city, many of which also have fax and email facilities. The telecom centre in the Arunachal Building, Barakhamba Rd has fax and phone facilities, and the central telegraph office at Eastern Court has multimedia facilities. Both are open from 10 am to 7 pm Monday to Saturday.
Internet access around Connaught Place tends to be more expensive than elsewhere. Hub Internet Centre in B-Block is modern and has plenty of terminals for Rs 30 per hour (minimum time). DSIDC Cyber Cafe, next to Delhi Tourism Corporation in N-Block. is smaller and more expensive, charging Rs 30/50 per half hour/hour, but you get a free drink. It's open from 9 am to 8 pm. There are a couple of smaller places around Ringo Guest House that also charge Rs 30/50.
In Paharganj a few guesthouses have 24-hour Internet access at around Rs 20 per hour, and there's a whole heap of other places on Main Bazaar and in the lanes running off it. If your guesthouse doesn't have Internet access, you can enjoy a beer while you surf the Web at Hotel Gold Regency. Internet access costs Rs 20 per hour but the system is electronically timed and can cut off half way through sending a message. To the west along Main Bazaar down the small lane east of Khosla Cafe is a really good place open 24 hours. It's a bit pricier at Rs 30 per hour but access is fast. There's another good place with fast access opposite the Malhotra restaurants that is open until 9 pm.

Internet Resources
Following are some useful Internet resources for Delhi:
delhigate City listings site with a query page.
http://www.delhigate.com/ delhi123 City listings site with news, events,
venues, weather and more.
http://www.delhil23.com/

Visa Extensions & Other Permits
You will find the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office (FRRO; t 3319489) in Hans Bhavan, near the Tilak Bridge train station. Come here to get permits for restricted areas such as Mizoram in the north-eastern region. The office is open from 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and 2 to 4 pm Monday to Friday.
The FRRO can issue 15-day visa extensions for free if you just need a few extra days before you leave the country. To apply for a maximum one-month extension on a six-month visa is more complicated. First you need a very good reason, then you must collect the long-term visa extension form from the Ministry of Home Affairs at Lok Nayak Bhavan in Khan Market (t 4693334), on Subramania Bharati Rd. The office is open from 10 am to noon Monday to Friday. It's a typical Indian government office, so be prepared to wait. Once you've collected the form, you then need to take it, along with four photos, to the FRRO, which is about a Rs 20 rickshaw ride away. A one-month extension costs USS30. When (or if) the extension is authorised, the authorisation has to be taken back to the Ministry of Home Affairs, where the actual visa extension is issued.
Since it's difficult to get an extension on a six-month visa, you may be approached by people offering to forge your visa for a longer stay. Don't fall for this one - the authorities will check your details carefully against their computer records when you leave India. There are heavy fines if you're caught and you won't be allowed to visit India again.
If you need a tax clearance certificate before departure, the Foreign Section of the Income Tax Department (t 3317826) is at Indraprastha Estate. Bring exchange certificates with you, though it's entirely likely nobody will ask for your clearance certificate when you leave the country. The office is closed from 1 to 2 pm.
Export of any object over 100 years old requires a permit. If in doubt, contact the Director, Antiquities, Archaeological Survey of India (t 3017220), on Janpath, next to the National Museum.

Travel Agencies
In the ITDC Hotel Janpath, the Student Travel Information Centre (t 3327582) is used by many travellers and is the place to renew or obtain student cards (Rs 200), although their tickets are not usually as cheap as elsewhere.
Some of the ticket discounters around Paharganj and Connaught Place are real fly-by-night operations, so take care. Those that have been recommended by readers include the following:
Aa Bee Travels (t 3510172, aabee@mail.com) Hare Rama Guest House, Paharganj
Cozy Travels (t 3312873) BMC House, 1 N-Block, Connaught Place
Don't Pass Me By Travels (t 3352942) 1st floor, Ringo Guest House
VINstring Holidays (t 3368717) YWCA International Guest House, Sansad Marg
Vin Tours (t 3348571) YWCA Blue Triangle Family Hostel, Ashoka Rd
Y Tours & Travel (t 3711662) YMCA, Ashoka Rd
Hotel Namaskar (t 3621234), just off Main Bazaar, Paharganj, and the travel agency at the Hotel Ajanta (t 3620927), Arakashan Rd, have also been recommended (see Places to Stay later in this chapter).
For more upmarket travel arrangements, both within India and for foreign travel, there are a number of agencies that are mostly located around Connaught Place. These include Cox & Kings (t 3320067) in H-Block and Sita World Travels (t 331-1133) in F-Block.

Photography
I There are lots of places around Connaught Place at which you can buy and process film. The Delhi Photo Company, at 78 Jan-path, close to the Government of India tourist office, competently processes both print and slide film. Kinsey Bros in A-Block, Con-naught Place is a bit quicker but is also a bit more expensive.
There are plenty more camera and film shops for snap-happy tourists. Sanjay Studio
next to Diamond Cafe is convenient for those staying in Paharganj, but if you really treasure good quality snaps you should make the trek to Connaught Place.

Bookshops
Connaught Place and Khan Market are the main places to look for interesting Indian books or to stock up with hefty paperbacks to while away those long train rides. Some of the better shops include:
Bahri & Sons Khan Market
The Bookshop Khan Market, Subramania
English Book Store 17L Radial Road No 5, Connaught Place
New Book Depot 18 B-Block, Connaught Place
There are plenty of pavement stalls in various places around Connaught Place, particularly on Sansad Marg, near the Kwality
Restaurant, and in Paharganj. Most stalls have a good range of cheap paperback books, and will often buy them back from you if they are returned in a reasonable condition. Almost next door to the Kwality Restaurant is People Tree, which sells books about the environment as well as ecofriendly crafts.
Prabhu Book Service in Hauz Khas Village has an interesting selection of secondhand and rare books. Bookshops in deluxe
hotels are more expensive but have a good selection of novels, glossy art books and historical works.

Libraries & Cultural Centres
Delhi has a fair selection of libraries and cultural centres, including Delhi Public Library, opposite the (Old) Delhi Train Station on SP Mukherjee Marg, open 8.30 am to 8.30 pm daily, except Sunday. Others include:
Alliance Francaise (t 6258128) D-13 South Extension Part II
American Center (t 3316841) 24 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Connaught Place. Open 10 am to 6 pm Thursday to Saturday and Monday to Tuesday.
British Council Library (t 3711401) 17 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Connaught Place. Open 10 am to 6 pm Tuesday to Saturday. This is better than the US equivalent, but officially you have to join to get in.
India International Centre (t 4619431) Near the Lodi tombs. The centre has weekly lectures on art, economics and other contemporary issues by Indian and foreign experts.
World Wide Fund for Nature India (t 469-3744) 172-B Lodi Estate. This organisation has excellent computerised environmental records, a good library, and an ecoshop selling handicrafts and books. It's open 9.30 am to 5.30 pm Monday to Friday.
For Sangeet Natak Akademi, a performing arts centre with substantial archive material, Lalit Kala Akademi, the academy of fine arts and sculpture, and Sahitya Akademi, the literature academy, see Museums & Galleries later in this chapter.

Laundry
Most hotels and guest houses have a laundry service. You'll save a bit of cash by taking your laundry to the parcel office next door to Hare Rama Guest House, where t-shirts/trousers are machine washed for around Rs 5/10 per garment. There are several other laundries around Connaught Place and the suburbs; most of these will also do dry-cleaning.

Left Luggage
Most hotels will store baggage for a nominal fee or for free. Otherwise gear can be
safely stored at The Luggage Room (T 3618971), in a lane east of Hare Rama Guest House in Paharganj, for Rs 4 per day It won't store cash, cameras or walkmans and you'll need your passport for both de-posit and collection, which is possible between 8 am and 8 pm daily. Shota Tours and Travel above Diamond Cafe charges a rupee or two more for the same service.

Medical Services & Emergency
The Indraprastha Apollo Hospital (t 692 5858), Sarita Vihar, Mathura Rd, is one of the best hospitals in Delhi, if not India. The East West Medical Centre (t 4623738,4699229) near Delhi Golf Course, at 38 Golf Links Rd, is popular with travellers. All rickshaw-wallahs know where these hospitals are
Reputable government hospitals include Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (t 335 5525), Baba Kharak Singh Marg, and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (t 6561123), Ansari Nagar. Embassies have lists of recommended doctors and dentists.
There is a 24-hour pharmacy (t 3310163, ext 180) at Super Bazaar in Connaught Place. The ambulance service can be reached on tel 102.

OLD DELHI
When Shah Jahan built his new capital of Shahjahanabad here in the 17th century, one of the key elements was a high red-brick wall, pierced by 14 gates. The British then strengthened and repaired it with stone, and added a number of bastions for increased protection. Only three of the original gates remain today - Ajmeri, Turkman and Delhi - all on the southern side. The Kashmiri Gate was built by the British in 1835 and was the scene of desperate fighting when the British retook Delhi during the 1857 Uprising. Lahore Gate has been demolished (this is not the Lahore Gate of Red Fort, but the Lahore Gate of Old Delhi).
It's possible to walk along the only remaining stretch of wall running west of Delhi Gate towards Turkman Gate. West of Kashmiri Gate, near Sabzi Mandi, is the British-erected Mutiny Memorial, to the soldiers who lost their lives during the Uprising.
Near the monument is an Ashoka pillar which, like the one in Firoz Shah Kotla, was brought here by Firoz Shah.
A novel and relatively stress-free way of exploring crowded Old Delhi, where walking 10m can take close to 10 minutes, is to hire a cycle-rickshaw for a few hours.

Red Fort
The red sandstone walls of the Lal Qila, or Red Fort, extend for 2km. Marking out an irregular octagon, the walls vary in height from 18m on the river side to 33m on the city side. Shah Jahan began construction of
the massive fort in 1638, and it was completed in 1648. He never completely moved his capital from Agra to his new city of Shahjahanabad in Delhi because he was deposed and imprisoned in Agra Fort by his son, Aurangzeb.
The Red Fort dates from the very peak of Mughal power, when it was known as the Qila-e-Mu'alla (Auspicious Fort); the name Lal Qila dates from the British era. When the emperor rode out on an elephant into the streets of Old Delhi it was a display of pomp and power at its most magnificent. The Mughal reign from Delhi was a short one, however; Aurangzeb was the first and last great Mughal emperor to rule from here.
Today, the fort is typically Indian, with would-be guides leaping forth to offer their services as soon as you enter, but it's still a calm haven of peace if you've just left the frantic streets of Old Delhi. The city noise and confusion are light years away from the fort gardens and pavilions.
The Yamuna River used to flow right by the eastern edge of the fort, and filled the lOm-deep moat. Originally the moat, dry since 1857, was crossed on wooden drawbridges, which were replaced with stone bridges in 1811. These days the river is more than 1km to the east and the moat remains empty.
Entry to the fort, open from sunrise to sunset Tuesday to Sunday, costs US$10. Tickets are available from the kiosk opposite the main gate and need to be shown at the Naubat Khana (Drum House). There are three museums within the fort (see Museums later in this entry).
Lahore Gate The main gate to the fort takes its name from the fact that it faces Lahore, now in Pakistan. The ornate gate is obscured by a sandstone bastion, which was added at a later date by Aurangzeb, ruining the original vista 'like a veil drawn across the face of a beautiful woman', as one contemporary commentator put it. Before the outer wall was built there was a square where visiting noblemen camped. Other more recent modifications include the installation of a sandstone tower that houses a lift, and the filling in of the gate-tower windows with sandstone during the 1980s; it was thought they would make a great perch for a sniper trying to knock off the prime minister during the Independence Day speech.
If one spot could be said to be the emotional and symbolic heart of the modern Indian nation, the Lahore Gate of the Red Fort is probably it. During the struggle for independence, one of the nationalists' declarations was that they would see the Indian flag flying over the Red Fort in Delhi. After
Independence, many important political speeches were given by Nehru and Indira Gandhi to the crowds amassed on the maidan (open grassed area) outside, and on Independence Day (15 August) each year, the prime minister addresses a huge crowd.
Chatta Chowk You enter the fort through the Lahore Gate and immediately find yourself in a vaulted arcade, the Chatta Chowk (Covered Bazaar). The shops in this arcade used to sell upmarket items that the royal household might fancy - silks, jewellery and gold. These days they cater to the tourist trade and the quality of the goods is certainly a little less, although some still carry a royal price tag. This arcade of shops was also known as the Meena Bazaar, the
shopping centre for ladies of the court. On Thursday the gates of the fort were closed to men, and women staffed the shops and only women were allowed inside the citadel. Just above some of the shop signs it's still possible to make out the cusped arches of the original shopfronts. Above the central octagon are the rooms and offices where senior British officials were killed at the beginning of the Uprising.
Naubat Khana The Chatta Chowk arcade leads to the Naubat Khana, or Drum House. where musicians used to play five times a day - this was also where the arrival of princes and royalty was heralded. Here visiting nobles had to dismount from their elephants and proceed on foot.
The grassed open courtyard beyond the Naubat Khana formerly had galleries along either side and a central tank, but these were removed by the British Army when the fort was used as their headquarters. Around the tank over 50 Europeans were executed on 16 June 1857. Another intrusive reminder of the British presence is the huge, conspicuous, three-storey barrack block section north of the courtyard.
Diwan-i-Am The Hall of Public Audiences was where the emperor would sit to hear complaints or disputes from his subjects, until Aurangzeb abolished the custom
The alcove in the wall was panelled with marble and set with precious stones, many of which were looted following the Uprising This elegant hall was restored as a result of a directive by Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India between 1898 and 1905. The marble panels behind the throne canopy are thought to have been designed in Italy.
The marble table below the throne is where the wazir, or chief minister, used to sit; he would listen to the petitioners and relay the complaints to the emperor. Justice was also rapidly dispensed here, with the convicted being put to death using various methods - poisonous snakes, the stomp of an elephant's foot or beheading. By the door in the walls to the right of the throne, two eunuchs would guard the entrance to the Imtiaz Mahal, which was reserved for women. Although the hall is in good condition, it would have created a vastly different impression when it was in use. Not only were the walls
and pillars completely covered with white plaster, but the floor was strewn with rugs and rich crimson awnings shaded the interior.
This was as far into the palace as most nobles could ever hope to go.
Diwan-i-Khas The Hall of Private Audiences, built of white marble, was the luxurious inner sanctum where the emperor would hold private meetings. The comers of the building are topped with marble chhatris (small domed canopies). This is where Bahadur Shah was proclaimed emperor at the height of the Uprising. The centrepiece of the hall was the magnificent Peacock Throne, until Nadir Shah carted it off to Iran in 1739. The solid gold throne had figures of peacocks standing behind it, their beautiful colours resulting from countless inlaid precious stones. Between them was the figure of a parrot carved out of a single emerald. This masterpiece in precious metals, sapphires,
rubies, emeralds and pearls was broken into | pieces, and the so-called Peacock Throne displayed in Teheran today is constructed from various bits of the original. The throne [ was said to have taken seven years to make, and it was 3m long, 2.2m wide and 4.5m high. The famous Kohinoor Diamond, taken from the throne, is now on display in the Tower of London, set in a crown belonging to the Queen Mother (see boxed text 'The Adventures of the Kohinoor Diamond'). The marble pedestal on which it used to sit is all that remains of the Peacock Throne in Delhi. In 1760, the Marathas also removed the silver ceiling from the hall; the gilt work on the ceiling dates to the time of the Coronation Durbar (see the Coronation Durbar Site section in this chapter) of 1903. Inscribed in gold on the walls of the Diwan-i-Khas is that famous Persian couplet, attributed to Shah Jahan's wazir, Saadullah Khan:
Agar firdaus bar rue zamin ast Hamin ast o hamin ast o hamin ast.
If there is a paradise on earth it is this, it is this, it is this.
Royal Hammam Just north of the Diwani-Khas are the hammams (baths) - three large rooms surmounted by domes, with a fountain in the centre - one of which was set up as a sauna. The eastern chamber, used as a dressing room, featured a fountain which sprayed scented rose-water. The floors used to be inlaid with pietra dura 'inlaid marble', work (for more on pietra dura, see the Taj Mahal entry in the Uttar Pradesh & Uttaranchal chapter), and the rooms were illuminated through panels of coloured glass in the roof. The baths are closed to the public.
Moti Masjid Built in 1659 by the ever-paranoid Aurangzeb for his personal use, the small and totally enclosed Pearl Mosque -made of marble - is next to the baths. Curiously, the mosque's outer walls are oriented to be in exact symmetry with the rest of the fort, while the inner walls are aligned at a different angle, so that the mosque inside has the correct orientation with Mecca.
Shahi Burj This modest, three-storey octagonal tower at the north-eastern edge of the fort was once Shah Jahan's private working area and was also a favourite place for the emperors to hold their private conclaves. From here the Nahr-i-Bhisht (Stream of Paradise) water channel used to flow through the Royal Baths, the Diwani-i-Khas, the Khas Mahal and the Rang Mahal. These days the channel is now largely over-grown and it's difficult to imagine what it must have looked like when it was flowing Like the baths, the tower is closed to the public but was undergoing renovation at the time of research.
Khas Mahal The small Khas Mahal, south of the Diwan-i-Khas, was the emperor's private palace, divided into rooms for worship, sleeping and living. Today its most outstanding feature is the fine jali (inlaid marble screen), which spans the Nahr-i-Bhisht. The screen shows the sun, moon and stars, as well as the scales of justice.
A small balcony protrudes out over what was the river bank, and from here the emperor used to give a morning audience. If for some reason he didn't appear, nervous speculation would rapidly mount as to his wellbeing.
Below the Khas Mahal is the gate through which the emperor and senior nobles would enter the Rang Mahal.
Rang Mahal The Rang Mahal (Palace of Colour) pavilion took its name from the painted interior that is now sadly gone. The building was badly defaced after the Uprising, when it was used as an officers' barracks. This was once the residence of the emperor's chief wife. On the floor in the centre is a beautifully carved marble lotus, and the water flowing along the channel from the Shahi Burj used to flow into here. Originally there was a fountain made of ivory in the centre, and the ceiling was silver. In the rooms at either end it is still possible to see the inlaid mirrorwork on the ceilings.
In an effort to alleviate the heat of Delhi's fierce summers, many people built the ground rooms. This is the case with
Mahal, although you can only peer in through the sandstone grilles that line the building below the raised platform that serves as its floor.
Mumtaz Mahal Still farther south along the eastern wall is the last of the remaining pavilions, the Mumtaz Mahal. It was formerly the residence of one of the Mughal court's greatest women, Jahanara Begum, Shah Jahan's favourite daughter and overseer of the royal harem. Today this building houses a small and tatty, but interesting, archaeological museum.
Gardens Between all the exquisite buildings were highly formal Persian gardens, complete with fountains, pools and small pavilions. Sadly, while the general outline and some of the pavilions are still in place, the gardens were all uprooted by the British and replaced with sterile, featureless lawns.
Museums There's a dusty Indian War Memorial museum, displaying armoury and uniforms upstairs in the Naubat Khana. In the Mumtaz Mahal, the archaeological museum displays weapons as well as carpets, textiles and scenes of courtly life. It's well worth a look, although most visitors seem to rush through the Red Fort, bypassing the museum.
Another museum worth seeing is the Svatantrata Sangrama Sangrahalaya (Museum of the Independence Movement), to the left before the Naubat Khana, among the army buildings. The independence movement is charted with newspaper cuttings, letters, photos and several impressive dioramas. Did the Rani of Jhansi really ride into battle with a baby strapped to her back?
Tickets to all three museums (Rs 2 each), open from 9 am to 5 pm Saturday to Thursday, are available from the booth by the Naubat Khana.
Sound-and-Light Show Each evening an entertaining sound-and-light show re-creates events of India's history, particularly those
connected with the Red Fort. Shows are in English and Hindi, and tickets are available
from the fort (Rs 30). The English sessions start at 7.30 pm from November to January, at 8.30 pm from February to April and September to October, and at 9 pm from May to August. It's well worth making the effort to see this show, which degenerates into a comedy at stages, but make sure you are well equipped with plenty of mosquito repellent.

Chandni Chowk
The main street of Old Delhi is the colourful shopping bazaar known as Chandni Chowk (Silver St). It's hopelessly congested (and polluted) day and night, in very sharp contrast to the open, spacious streets of New Delhi and the street Shah Jahan knew. During his reign it was lined with mansions and gardens and an ornamental canal ran down the centre. One of the only mansions left today is Begum Samru's Palace north of Chandni Chowk. Unfortunately, the building is all but obliterated by hoardings.
At the eastern (Red Fort) end of Chandni Chowk there is a Digambar Jain Temple, with a small marble courtyard surrounded by a colonnade. There's also an interesting bird hospital for injured pigeons, run by the Jains; entry is free but donations are gratefully accepted. The entrance is about 50m south of Chandni Chowk.
Next door, behind all the marigold garlands, is the 800-year-plus Gauri Shankar Temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The marble chair in the courtyard is where the saint Bhagwat Swaroup Brachmachari spent more than 50 years. It's his photo and sandals on the chair.
Opposite the Victorian-era Fountain Chowk is the Sikh Sisganj Curdwara, built on the site where the ninth Sikh guru, Tegh Bahadur, was executed by Aurangzeb. There is a kitchen and accommodation here.
Next to the old kotwali (police station) is the Sunehri Masjid. In 1739, Nadir Shah, the Persian invader who carried off the Peacock Throne, stood on the roof of this mosque and watched while his soldiers conducted a bloody massacre of Delhi's inhabitants.
The western end of Chandni Chowk is marked by the Fatehpuri Masjid, which was erected in 1650 by one of Shah Jahan's wives. The building ceased to function as a mosque after the Uprising, when Muslims were driven out of Old Delhi. On their return they found a Hindu family had bought and were living in the courtyard. The British had to buy the family out - by offering them four Hindu villages - in order to return it to the Muslims.
The street running west from the mosque is Khari Baoli, where Gadodia Market, Delhi's bustling wholesale spice market, is situated. Things have changed very little over the decades in this atmospheric area, where huge sacks of goods are brought here on long narrow barrows heaved by wiry labourers. In the morning it gets hectic as literally hundreds of barrow boys jostle for position. Other goods for sale include giant jars of chutneys and pickles, nuts, lentils, tea and soap (see also the boxed text 'Shopping Spots' later in this chapter).

Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid literally means 'Friday Mosque'.' A jama masjid is the main mosque of an area, and holds the Juma prayer service on Friday afternoons (Juma, or Friday, is the holy day of the Muslim week, the equivalent of Sunday in the Christian week). The Jama Masjid of Delhi, built by a team of around 5000 workers, is the largest mosque in India and was the final architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan. Designed by the architect Ustad Khalil, the process of its construction began in 1644 and was not completed until 1658. It has three great gateways, four angle towers and two minarets standing 40m high and constructed of alternating vertical strips of red sandstone and white marble.
Broad flights of steps lead up to the imposing gateways. The eastern gateway was originally only opened for the emperor, and is now only open on Friday and on Muslim festival days. The general public can enter by either the north or south gates (Rs 10). Shoes must be removed, and those considered unsuitably dressed (bare legs for either men or women) can hire robes at the northern gate.
In the north-east corner is a small pavilion containing relics of the Prophet. Pilgrims come here from all over India. In 1766 there was a vision here of the Prophet in par-adise, and legend has it that the Prophet win appear here on Judgement Day.
For Rs 5 (Rs 10 with a camera) it's possible to climb the southern minaret but women should be accompanied by a male as unaccompanied women have reported being hassled at the top. The views in all directions are superb - Old Delhi, the Red Fort and the polluting factories beyond it across the river and New Delhi to the south. You can also see one of the features that the architect Lutyens incorporated into his design of New Delhi - the Jama Masjid, Connaught Place and Sansad Bhavan (Parliament House) are in a direct line. There's also a fine view of the Red Fort from the east side of the mosque.

Raj Ghat
North-east of Firoz Shah Kotla, on the banks of the Yamuna River, a simple square platform of black marble marks the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated following his assassination in 1948. A commemorative ceremony takes place each Friday, the day he was killed.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Indian prime minister, was cremated just to the north at Shanti Vana (Forest of Peace) in 1964. His daughter, Indira Gandhi, who was killed in 1984, and grandsons Sanjay and Rajiv were also cremated in this vicinity (in 1980 and 1991 respectively).
The park is a beautiful and tranquil place to wander and is also the venue for prayers on the anniversaries of Gandhi's birth and death in October and January.

Gandhi Darshan & Gandhi Memorial Museum
Across the road from Raj Ghat, the Gandhi Darshan (t 3319001) is a poorly patronised display of paintings and photos about the Mahatma's life and deeds. It is open from 10 am to 5.30 pm Monday to Saturday; ad-mission is free.
On the opposite corner is the Gandhi Memorial Museum (t 3310168), with yet more memorabilia, including photos, the bamboo staff Gandhi carried on the Salt March in Gujarat, the bullet which killed him and even two of his lower teeth, which were extracted in 1936. The museum is open from 10 am to 5.30 pm Tuesday to Sunday; admission is free and there is a library.

NEW DELHI
New Delhi, the latest and perhaps last imperial city ever, combines 20th-century architecture with a monumental 17th-century vision, and features one of the biggest palaces in the world, Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The main architects of New Delhi were Sir Edward Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker, though assistants such as Robert Tor Russell were responsible for much of the detail, including the government bungalows, hospitals, police stations, lesser official buildings and Connaught Place. The complex geometrical city plan owes something to other imperial British regional capitals such as Pretoria, Canberra and Ottawa. Baker and Lutyens initially rejected Indian styles of architecture - Lutyens in particular could be brutally dismissive of Indians and Indian culture in general - but the final result shows many Indian elements melded with Classical design.

Connaught Place
At the north end of New Delhi, Connaught Place is the business and tourist centre. It's a vast traffic circle with a uniform series of colonnaded buildings around the edge, mainly devoted to shops, banks, restaurants and airline offices. It's spacious but busy, and you'll be continually approached by people willing to provide you with everything imaginable, from an airline ticket for Timbuktu to having your fortune read.
Be careful when walking around Con-naught Place as shoeshiners have developed a sneaky technique whereby they surreptitiously chuck a lump of shit on your shoe, draw your attention to it then kindly offer to clean it off for a fee. It's also not a good idea to put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear so try to ignore the glowing testimonials the ear-cleaning brigade show you.
In 1995 the inner and outer circle were renamed Rajiv Chowk and Indira Chowk respectively (the son within the mother), but everyone still calls it CP (Connaught Place) despite the signs. The outer circle is known as Connaught Circus.

Hanuman Mandir
This mandir (temple) built by Maharaja Jai Singh II, and dedicated to the Ramayana hero, is opposite the state emporiums on Baba Kharak Singh Marg. Surrounded by lac (plastic) bangle and religious offering stalls, and women touting mehndi (temporary henna tattoos), it is extremely popular and always busy. It is even more hectic on Tuesday when there is a market, and during festivals when devotees dressed as Hanuman leap and jump around the place.

Jantar Mantar
Only a short stroll down Sansad Marg (Parliament St) from Connaught Place, this strange collection of salmon-coloured structures is one of Maharaja Jai Singh II's observatories. Surrounded by new office buildings it has an almost futuristic look, and is in harmony with its modern surroundings. The ruler from Jaipur constructed this observatory in 1710, and it is dominated by a huge sundial, the Samrat Yantra, or Supreme Instrument.
Just south of the Samrat Yantra is the Jai Prakash, an instrument designed by Jai Singh (hence the name, which means Invention of Jai) consisting of two concave hemispherical structures which together ascertain the position of the sun and other heavenly bodies.
South again are two circular buildings which together form the Ram Yantra. Each has a central metal pole, and the shadow cast falls upon markings on the walls and floor, thus making it possible to determine the azimuth and altitude of the sun.
Other instruments include the Misra Yantra, or Mixed Instrument, which stands to the right of the garden as you enter. This ingenious device makes it possible to tell the time in four other places in the world when it is noon in Delhi.
Once the site of political protests, Jantar Mantar has now been fenced in. The US$5 entry fee is not really justified as you can see most of the instruments from outside.

Lakshmi Narayan Mandir
West of Connaught Place, this Orissan-style temple was erected by the industrialist BD Birla in 1938. Dedicated to Narayan (Vishnu the Preserver) and his wife Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, it's commonly known as Birla Mandir.
The temple is faced with red sandstone and is surrounded by gardens filled with man-made caves, waterways and gaudy creatures. There are a couple of cafes and you can even get a novelty souvenir photo taken.

Bangla Sahib Curdwara
This large temple complex is the main Sikh place of worship in Delhi. With the customary tank and temple as well as an information office, kitchen and library it offers those not venturing into Punjab the opportunity to experience the amazing hospitality and tranquillity of the Sikh faith. Don't forget to cover your head, remove your shoes and wash your feet before entering.

Rajpath
The Rajpath (Kingsway) is another focus of Lutyens' New Delhi. It is immensely broad and is flanked on either side by ornamental ponds. At the eastern end of Rajpath lies the India Gate, while at the western end lies Rashtrapati Bhavan, now the president's residence, but built originally for the viceroy. It is flanked by the two large Secretariat buildings, and these three buildings sit upon a small rise, known as Raisina Hill.
The Republic Day parade is held here every 26 January, and millions of people gather to enjoy the spectacle. Three days later at Vijay Chowk, the open intersection at the foot of the Secretariat Buildings, the Beating Retreat, a much smaller parade followed by fireworks, takes place. During the construction of New Delhi, this was where the narrow-gauge Imperial Delhi Railway terminated. It was constructed specifically to transport the buff sandstone from Dholpur, red sandstone from Bharatpur and marble from Rajasthan. In the early 1920s there were over 3500 Indian stonemasons working on the site. The names of the architects and builders who worked on the buildings are inscribed in the sandstone walls that line the rise from here up to the Secretariat buildings.

India Gate
The 42m-high stone arch of triumph stands at the eastern end of Rajpath. Officially known as the All India War Memorial, it bears the names of 90,000 Indian Army soldiers who died in the campaigns of WWI, the North-West Frontier operations of the same time and the 1919 Afghan fiasco. In the 1970s an eternal flame, flanked by uniformed soldiers, was established in the arch to honour the Unknown Soldier, though the shallow bowl on top of the arch was originally going to be filled with burning oil for ceremonial occasions.
Facing the arch is an open cupola which once contained the statue of King-Emperor George V, which now languishes in the Coronation Durbar Park. Despite plans to put a statue of Mahatma Gandhi in its place it has so far remained empty; some say this symbolises India's freedom better than any new statue could.
The best time to visit India Gate is at sun-set, when it is illuminated and large numbers of Delhiites come out for an evening promenade. The place takes on a real carnival atmosphere, complete with the usual gaggle of I hawkers and hangers-on that always seem to materialise whenever there's a crowd about. I As darkness falls, it seems as though every secluded spot in the surrounding paths and lawns is occupied by a canoodling couple.

Rashtrapati Bhavan
Prior to Independence, this imposing building at the opposite end of the Rajpath from India Gate was the viceroy's residence. Following Independence it became the official residence of the president of India. Completed in 1929, the palace-like building is an interesting blend of Mughal and Western architectural styles, the most obvious Indian feature being the huge copper dome
which was camouflaged with black paint during the war years. It is the centrepiece of New Delhi, a huge, grandiose building (larger than Versailles) designed and positioned to assert the dominance of the British empire, despite the fact that by the time of its construction the British were already facing an increasingly effective Indian Nationalist movement. The building is dramatically illuminated during Republic Day celebrations in January.
To the west of the building is a Mughal garden that occupies 130 hectares. This garden is only open to the public in February; book through the Government of India tourist office on Janpath. At the time of Mountbatten, India's last viceroy, the number of servants needed to maintain the building's 340 rooms and its extensive gardens was enormous. There were 418 gardeners alone, 50 of them boys whose sole job was to chase away birds!

Secretariat Buildings
Designed by Herbert Baker and closely resembling his government buildings in Pretoria in South Africa, the North Block and South Block secretariat buildings lie either side of Rajpath on Raisina Hill. These imposing two-tone sandstone buildings are a skilful blend of classical and Mughal styles, and the baroque, cathedral-like central domes, decorated with lotus motifs and elephants, are surrounded by Mughal chhatris. The two red sandstone columns at the front of each block together represent the four dominions of empire - Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa - and each is topped by a tarnished bronze model of a sailing vessel. Above the great gateway to North Block is the rather patronising inscription 'Liberty will not descend to a people: a people must raise themselves to liberty. It is a blessing which must be earned before it can be enjoyed'.
On the eastern face of each building are the foundation stones of New Delhi, originally laid by King George V and Queen Mary at the Coronation Durbar in 1911, when the move of the capital from Kolkata to New Delhi was formally announced. The stones were moved here at a later date once construction was under way (see Coronation Durbar Site later in this chapter).
The North Block now houses the ministries of home affairs and finance; the South Block houses the external affairs ministry.

Sansad Bhavan
Although it is another large and imposing building, Sansad Bhavan, the Indian parliament building, stands almost hidden and virtually unnoticed at the end of Sansad Marg, just north of Rajpath. The building is a circular colonnaded structure 171m in diameter, the foundation stone for which was laid by the Duke of Connaught in 1921. It was opened in 1927. Originally the parliamentary building was going to be an annexe on Rashtrapati Bhavan. After the Montague-Chelmsford reforms of 1919, which created a large assembly, the present site was chosen. There are three main chambers inside the structure: the Lok Sabha (lower house of parliament), the Rajya Sabha (upper house of parliament) and the library. The red sandstone boundary wall has carved blocks that evoke jali (carved marble lattice) screens.
Although it's an impressive building, its relative physical insignificance in the grand scheme of New Delhi shows how the focus of power has shifted from the viceroy's residence, which was given pride of place during the time of the British Raj when New Delhi was conceived.
Permits to visit the parliament so you can sit in the often-entertaining public gallery and view sessions in the public gallery are available from the reception office on Raisina Rd, but you'll need a letter of introduction from your embassy.

Purana Qila
Just south-east of India Gate and about 2km north of Humayun's tomb is the Purana Qila (Old Fort). This is the supposed site of Indraprastha, the original city of Delhi. The Afghan ruler Sher Shah, who briefly interrupted the Mughal sovereignty by defeating Humayun, completed the fort during his reign from 1538 to 1545, before Humayun
regained control of India. The fort has massive walls and three large gateways.
Entering from the south gate you'll see the small octagonal red sandstone tower, the Sher Mandal, later used by Humayun as a library. It was while descending the stairs of this tower one day in 1556 that he slipped, fell and received injuries from which he later died.
Just beyond it is the Qila-i-Kuhna Masjid. or Mosque of Sher Shah, which, unlike the fort itself, is in fairly reasonable condition. This building is Delhi's finest example of the Lodi style of architecture, which blended Hindu elements, such as square pillars, with Muslim arches and domes to create the first genuinely Indian architectural style.
There's a small archaeological museum just inside the main gate, the top of which has good views of New Delhi. It's open from sunrise to sunset, and entry costs US$5.
A sound-and-light show, (t 4603178) (using poor-quality loudspeakers) is held each evening and costs Rs 25. English sessions start at 7.30 pm from November to January, 8.30 pm from February to April and September to October and 9 pm from May to August. Tickets are available on site or from the tourist office.
Just across the road is the Khairu'l Manzil Masjid, a 16th-century mosque built by Akbar's influential wet nurse and mother of Adham Khan, Maham Anga. The doublestoreyed cloisters were used as a madrasa (Islamic college). Almost next to the mosque is the imposing Sher Shah's Gate, one of the gates into his city which lay west of the Purana Qila.

Humayun's Tomb
Built in the mid-16th century by Haji Begum, the Persian-born senior wife of Humayun, the second Mughal emperor, this is a wonderful early example of Mughal architecture. The elements in its design - a squat building, high arched entrances that let in light, topped by a bulbous dome and surrounded by formal gardens - were to be refined over the years to the magnificence of the Taj Mahal in Agra. This earlier tomb is thus of great interest for its relation to the later Taj.
The tomb itself sits on a red sandstone platform, a practice that became a key feature of Mughal tombs. The walls of the platform are marked by arched openings leading into small cells. In these are many unmarked tombs, the graves of members of the Mughal royal family.
The main tomb is built with red sandstone skilfully inlaid with black and white marble. The central octagonal chamber contains the tombstone of Humayun but, as is the case at the Taj Mahal, the real tomb is some 6m under the floor on the lower level. (It's possible to enter the lower level, but you'll need a torch and a strong constitution - the smell of bat droppings is overpowering. The entrance is through the first arch to the right of the southern steps.) In each of the four chambers at the corners of the main tomb lie other important Mughal tombs. On the stone platform outside the tomb are yet more Mughal tombs bearing Persian inscriptions; one of these contains the headless remains of Dara Shikoh, Shah Jahan's favoured son and heir.
The 38m-high marble dome on the roof is one of the earliest examples of a full dome in India, although it was in use in Persia from the 13th century. (A 'full' dome is a complete hemisphere; up until this time domes in India had only been half hemispheres.) The chhatris on the roof serve to blend the curves of the dome with the angles of the rest of the structure.
The gardens surrounding the tomb are laid out in the typically formal Mughal pattern, and still contain the watercourses which divided the garden into 32 small squares around the main platform. It is probably the most complete garden of its type remaining in India.
Entry to Humayun's tomb is US$10 (and Rs 25 for video cameras). An excellent view can be obtained over the surrounding area from the terraces of the tomb. 
Isa Khan's Tomb As you enter the tomb I area, and before you have to pay, a crumbling stone gateway on the right leads into the octagonal enclosure which contains the tomb of Isa Khan, a nobleman at the court of Sher Shah. With its octagonal form, small
overhanging chajja (eaves) and chhatris on the roof, it's a good example of Lodi architecture. A few small patches of blue tilework give a tantalising hint as to how it may have looked when first built. A small mosque stands at the western edge of the enclosure.
Bu Halima's Garden The next feature is the stone gateway that marks the entrance to Bu Halima's Garden, although when approaching it from this side it's actually the exit. Bu Halima was a Mughal noble, and the stone structure in the garden on the left is believed to be her tomb.
Arab Serai Once through the main gateway (where you must pay the entry fee), today the main entrance to Humayun's tomb lies straight ahead, but it's worth making a detour to the Arab Serai, the northern gate of which is the impressive soaring structure to the right of the path.
The serai was built by Haji Begum, Humayun's widow, in the mid-16th century, supposedly to house 300 Arabs she brought back from Mecca. It is unclear whether these men were actually Arab clerics or Persian artisans brought in to work on the construction of Humayun's tomb.
Inside the serai is the Afsarwala Mosque & Tomb, but it is not known who was the afsar (officer) responsible for these buildings.
Most visitors to Humayun's tomb spare these buildings barely a passing glance, and virtually no-one crosses the somewhat overgrown serai enclosure to visit the impressive eastern gate of the serai, which still has some of its enamelled tilework in place. An inscription over the gateway indicates it was built by Mihr Banu, a wet nurse of Jehangir. The gateway gives on to a ruined mandi (market).
While you're here, if you leave the serai enclosure via the eastern gate and walk along the road for about 100m, you'll come to what was the main entrance to Humayun's tomb, the southern gate.
Return along the gravel path that runs alongside the western wall of the main tomb enclosure, and enter the formal garden surrounding the tomb through the western gate.
Other Attractions In the south-eastern corner of the garden is the square, twin-domed Tomb of the Barber, so-called because it is said to be that of Humayun's barber. Outside the enclosure in this comer is the Nila Gumbad (Blue Dome), an octagonal tomb with an impressive blue-tiled dome, thought to date from 1625. The domed tomb on the traffic circle on Mathura Rd is known as the Sabz Burj (Green Dome) and dates from the 17th century. The blue tiles are courtesy of the Archaeological Survey of India in the 1980s; the green, blue and yellow tiles below the dome are original.

Nizam-ud-din's Shrine
Across the road from Humayun's tomb is the shrine of the Muslim Sufi saint, Nizamud-din Chishti, who died in 1325, aged 92. His shrine, with its large tank, is one of several interesting tombs here. The construction of Nizam-ud-din's tank caused a dispute between the saint and the constructor of Tughlaqabad, to the south of Delhi (see Tughlaqabad in the Greater Delhi section later in this chapter).
Other tombs include the later grave of Jahanara, the daughter of Shah Jahan, who stayed with her father during his imprisonment by Aurangzeb in Agra's Red Fort. Amir Khusru, a renowned Urdu poet, also has his tomb here, as does Atgah Khan, a favourite of Humayun and his son Akbar. Atgah Khan was murdered by Adham Khan in Agra. In turn Akbar had Adham Khan killed; his grave is near the Qutb Minar.
The village itself, which sprang up around the shrine, predates New Delhi and is unique in the city. It has narrow, crowded lanes which are only passable on foot, and it is possessed of an almost medieval atmosphere. You'll know when you're getting close as beggars will appear and others will be hassling you to look after your shoes, which must be removed before entering the shrine complex.
Always a hive of activity, the shrine is particularly worth visiting around sunset on Thursday, a popular time for worship when qawwali (Sufi devotional singing) follows evening prayers. This is one of Delhi's most
important pilgrimage sites, so dress appropriately and be prepared for lots of beggars.

Safdarjang's Tomb
Beside the small Safdarjang airport in New Delhi, this tomb was built in 1753-54 by the Nawab of Avadh for his father, Safdarjang, and is one of the last examples of Mughal architecture before the final remnants of the great empire collapsed. The tomb stands on a high terrace surrounded by an extensive walled garden. It makes a pleasant retreat from the urban bustle, and there is a cool garden cafe nearby.
The tomb is open from 6.30 am to 5.30 pm daily, and entry is US$5. It's a short walk from Lodi Gardens.

Parks & Gardens
Nehru Park in Chanakyapuri is one of Delhi's major lungs. Extensively landscaped with material from the nearby Ridge, it has Indian classical music concerts and an artists' corner on Sunday mornings.
Buddha Jayanti Park occupies a major section of the 650-hectare Southern Ridge, west of Rajpath, and commemorates the Buddha's attainment of nirvana. The park has been planted with trees and shrubs associated with the life of the Buddha, including, of course, a bodhi tree sapling.
Talkatora Gardens, on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, were once a walled tank (tal means tank and katora means cup), and it was here that the Marathas fought an unsuccessful battle against the Mughals in 1738. These days it's far more peaceful, and is also the site of a major indoor stadium, Talkatora Stadium.
To the north of Pragati Maidan on Mathura Rd is Appu Char, an amusement park with roller coasters and whizzy things and Oysters water park. The entrance is dominated by a large Shaktimaan (India's 'superman'), perhaps on hand should one of the rides malfunction. Entry costs Rs 10/20 for kids/adults and there are extra charges for the rides. It's open from 1 to 9 pm daily.
More traditional (and free) kids' entertainment can be found at India Gate's Children's Park, which has slides, monkey bars and swings within gardens.
Lodi Gardens About 3km to the west of Humayun's tomb and adjoining the India International Centre are the Lodi Gardens In these well-kept gardens are the tombs of the Sayyid and Lodi rulers. Mohammed Shah's tomb (1450) was a prototype for the later Mughal-style tomb of Humayun, a design that would eventually develop into the Taj Mahal. Other tombs include those of his predecessor, Mubarak Shah (1433), as well as Ibrahim Lodi (1526) and Sikander Lodi (1517). The latter is within a peaceful and overgrown walled enclosure, and there is the Tulaq-era Athpula (eight-tiered) stone bridge.
The Bara Gumbad Masjid is entered through a Lodi tomb, although just who it belongs to is unclear. The mosque itself displays fine plaster decoration. To the north is the Sheesh Gumbad, with the remains of the dazzling blue tilework that once covered it.
The gardens are incredibly popular with members of Delhi's expat community and middle-class joggers. With its ponds, footpaths and shady trees, it also attracts young couples sneaking in a few quiet moments away from the prying eyes of the family.
An autorickshaw should cost about Rs 30 one way from Connaught Place.
Museums & Galleries National Museum On Janpath, just south of Rajpath, the National Museum (t 301 9272) has a good collection of Indian bronzes, terracotta and wood sculptures dating back to the Mauryan period (3rd-2nd century BC), exhibits from the Vijayanagar period in South India, miniature and mural paintings, Mughal clothes, tapestries, ornaments and manuscripts, costumes of the various tribal peoples and a wide array of musical instruments.
The ground floor features the prehistoric age, with a gallery dedicated to prehistory and the Indus Valley civilisation. This includes the famous bronze dancing girl statue from Mohenjodaro, the important archaeological site located in modern-day Pakistan, the discovery of which proved that there was a civilisation developing in that region simultaneously with civilisations in Egypt, China and Sumer (in present-day Iraq).
The next four ground-floor galleries are filled with sculpture and jewellery, including pieces from the Greek-influenced Gandhara period (3rd-2nd century BC) such as Buddhas dressed in togas are much more sensuous in form than the terracotta figures from the Gupta period (6th-4th century AD), including images of the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna.
Some of the treasures on the first floor include miniature paintings from Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, Tanjore paintings on glass, illustrated manuscripts, Central Asian Buddhist antiquities and the autographed memoirs of the Mughal Emperor Jehangir.
The 2nd-floor galleries include a wonderful collection of weapons (deadly but beautiful) and musical instruments, and a section devoted to tribal arts and artefacts.
The museum, open from 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday to Sunday, offers free guided tours at 10.30 and 11.30 am, noon and 2 pm and is definitely worth visiting. Admission is Rs 5/150 for Indians/foreigners. There are films shown on weekends.
Next door is the Archaeological Survey of India office. Publications available here cover all the main sites in India, many of which are not available at the particular sites
themselves. The office is open from 9 am to 1 pm and 3.30 to 5 pm Monday to Friday.
National Gallery of Modern Art This gallery (t 3382835) is near India Gate at the eastern end of Rajpath, and was formerly the Delhi residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur. It houses an excellent collection of works by both Indian, colonial and international artists, and has a reference library. It is open from 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday to Sunday, and admission is Rs 5/150 for Indians/foreigners, although you can wander through the sculpture garden for free.

National Museum of Natural History
The natural history museum (t 3314849) is opposite the Nepali embassy on Barakhamba Rd. Fronted by a large model dinosaur, it has a collection of fossils, stuffed animals and birds, and a 'hands-on' discovery room for children. It's open from 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday to Sunday.
Nehru Memorial Museum & Planetarium On Teen Murti Rd near Chanakyapuri, the residence of Jawaharlal Nehru, Teen Murti Bhavan, has been converted into a museum. Photographs and newspaper clippings on display give a fascinating insight into the history of the independence movement. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday to Sunday. Admission is free.
There's also a planetarium in the grounds (40-minute shows in English at 11.30 am and 3 pm, Rs 10), above which is a small cafe.
The monument on the mound by the planetarium is the Kushk Mahal, thought to have been a hunting lodge during the reign of Firoz Shah.
Tibet House This museum (t 4611515) in New Delhi has a small but fascinating collection of ceremonial items brought out of Tibet when the Dalai Lama fled following the Chinese occupation. There are a couple of shops selling a wide range of Tibetan handicrafts and literature, and there are often lectures and discussion sessions held here. The museum, on Lodi Rd, is open from 10 am to 1 pm and 2 to 5.30 pm
Monday to Friday. Admission to the museum is Rs 5.
Exhibition Grounds There are a few museums and exhibitions at Pragati Maidan on Mathura Rd. The Crafts Museum (t 337 1817) contains a collection of traditional Indian crafts in textiles, metal, wood and ceramics, and in many cases you can see the artisans at work. The museum is part of a 'village life' complex where you can visit rural India without leaving Delhi - there are recreations of rural huts found throughout the country. There's also a pretty reasonable crafts shop.
Opening hours are from 10 am to 5.30 pm Tuesday to Sunday, and admission is free. The museum is accessible through Pragati Maidan or from Bhairon Marg, opposite Purana Qila.
Other exhibits include the National Science Centre (t 3371873), Nehru Pavilion, the Son of India (Sanjay Gandhi), Defence and Atomic Energy.
Gandhi Smriti This house on Tees January Marg was the former home of the well-known industrialist BD Birla, and is where Mahatma Gandhi used to stay during his many visits to Delhi. It was during one of these visits that he was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic in 1948.
These days it's another museum dedicated to Gandhi (t 3014849). There is memorabilia tracing Gandhi's life and dioramas of major events in the Independence struggle. A small pillar in the back garden marks the spot where Gandhi was shot, and bizarre concrete footprints trace his last walk from the house to the garden. The house is open from 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday to Sunday. Admission is free and there is a khadi (homespun cloth) shop and a book shop.

Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum
The former residence of Indira Gandhi at 1 Safdarjang Rd has also been converted into a museum (t 3010094). On show are some of her personal effects, including the sari she was wearing at the time of her assassination (complete with blood stains). The
crystal plaque in the garden, flanked constantly by two soldiers, protects a few brown spots of Mrs Gandhi's blood where she fell after being shot by two of her Sikh bodyguards in December 1984.
Opening hours are from 9.30 am to 4.45 pm Tuesday to Sunday, but it's a good idea to avoid weekends when hordes of Indian tourists are herded through. Admission is free. You're not allowed to take food or water in.
Sangeet Natak Akademi A major performing arts centre with substantial archival material, Sangeet Natak Akademi (t 338 7248) is at 35 Firoz Shah Rd, Rabindra Bhavan. The academy of fine arts and sculpture, Lalit Kala Akademi and the literature academy, Shahitya Akademi, are also here in separate wings.
The academy has a large archive of audio and video footage, a library and an exhibition of musical instruments and costumes. It is open from 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday; entry is free.

Shankar's International Dolls Museum
In Nehru House on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, this museum (t 3316970) displays 6000 dolls from 85 countries. More that one-third of them are from India and one exhibit comprises 500 dolls in the costumes worn all over India. The museum is open from 10 am to 5.30 pm Tuesday to Sunday. Admission is free and there is also a children's library.
National Philatelic Museum The National Philatelic Museum (t 3710154), hidden in the post office at Dak Bhavan, Sardar Patel Chowk on Sansad Marg, has an extensive collection. It's open from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Friday.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Coronation Durbar Site
This is a sobering sight for people interested in the Raj. In a desolate field stands a lone obelisk, where, in 1877 and 1903, the great theatrical durbars featuring the Indian army and the full set of Indian rulers paid
homage to the British monarch. This was also where, in 1911, King George V was declared emperor of India. New Delhi was originally to be constructed in this neighbourhood, until the architects Lutyens and Baker chose a new site that was less at risk of flooding, and one night quietly moved the foundation stone to Raisina Hill, where Rashtrapati Bhavan stands today.
Close by there's a shabby walled garden complete with a rogues' gallery of marble statues of former imperial dignitaries, languishing like disgraced schoolboys out of the public eye. Mysteriously there are many more plinths than statues these days. Pride of place would have to go to a 15m-high statue of the King-Emperor George V which rises ghost-like above the acacia trees. It was placed here after being removed from the canopy midway along Rajpath, between India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan, soon after Independence. The place it was taken from remains empty, supposedly signifying the freedom of India (see India Gate earlier in this chapter).
These days this lonely yet historic bit of spare ground lies forgotten on the outskirts of the city, a reminder of recent ceremonies of lavish proportions that today seem distant and irrelevant.
Coronation Durbar Site is north of Old Delhi and is best reached by autorickshaw (about Rs 120 return from Paharganj) or by taxi. However, very few drivers are aware of the existence of this place. Ask for Radio Colony - the site is just north of the radio masts near the Outer Ring Rd.

Firoz Shah Kotla
Despite the fact that there were already at least three existing palaces in Delhi at the time (Siri, Bijai Mandal and the Qutb at Mehrauli), Firoz Shah decided to build a new one on the banks of the Yamuna River in 1354. This became Firozabad, the fifth city of Delhi. The city is thought to have extended from the Ridge north of Old Delhi to Hauz Khas to the south-west.
The ruins of this city can be found at Firoz Shah Kotla, east of Connaught Place by the Ring Rd, although not a great deal
remains of the fortress-palace today, as most of the materials were pinched for the construction of Shahjahanabad.
The high stone walls enclose a peaceful garden, in stark contrast to the mayhem of Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg right outside. The main structure is the remains of the royal apartment, atop of which is a 13m-high sandstone Ashokan Pillar dating back to the 3rd century BC. The pillar was erected by Emperor Ashoka in Ambala and was brought to Delhi by Firoz Shah after he took a liking to it. It is similar to the one on the Ridge north of Old Delhi, but it is in much finer condition. The Brahmi inscription on the pillar was first deciphered in 1837; it details Ashoka's edicts to his subjects. Like other Ashokan Pillars, this one exhorts his people to follow the Buddhist faith by observing the moral code of dharma - virtue, social cohesion and piety. It also mentions a more modern concern - taxation.
Next to the apartment building are the remains of what was once another fine Jama Masjid, built on a series of ground floor cells. Only the rear (western) wall remains. It is said that Timur prayed here when he sacked Delhi in 1398. As the mosque is still in use today, you should remove your shoes before entering.
The large circular construction in the middle of the garden is a baoli, or step-well, which includes subterranean apartments. The door into the baoli is usually open, but be careful getting down the steps as they're very dark.
In the dividing strip on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, right outside Firoz Shah Kotla is the Khuni Darwaza, or Bloody Gate, a survivor of Sher Shah's 16th-century city some distance to the south. Its popular name dates from the time of the Uprising, as it was here in 1857 that the sons of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah, were shot by a British officer, Captain Hodson, and put on public display. Local stories speak of blood dripping from the gateway's ceiling. The surrounding area has a distinct Islamic atmosphere and is worth a little wander. Entry to the fort, which is open sunrise to sunset, costs US$5.

Rail Transport Museum
This museum (t 6881816) at Chanakyapuri is for anyone fascinated by India's exotic collection of railway engines. The exhibit includes an 1855 steam engine, still in working order, and a large number of oddities such as the skull of an elephant that charged a mail train in 1894, and lost. There are also a number of lavish carriages that were used by British royalty, though the best is the Maharaja of Mysore's carriage, complete with rosewood bed and decorated with teak, gold and ivory.
There are a number of model displays with buttons to push, and displays on every aspect of rail transport you could possibly think of; there's even a Braille exhibit for the blind. A toy train chugs around the grounds throughout the day according to demand (Rs 5/10 for kids/adults).
The museum is open from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm (until 7.30 pm from April to September) Tuesday to Sunday; admission costs Rs 3/5.

Hauz Khas Village
Midway between Safdarjang's tomb and the Qutb Minar, this urban village surrounded by parkland was once the reservoir for the second city of Delhi - Siri - which lies slightly to the east. Interesting sights here include Firoz Shah's tomb (1398) and the remains of an ancient college. It was around here that Tamerlane defeated the forces of Mohammed Shah Tughlaq in 1398. Hauz Khas is now one of the more chic places in Delhi; there are some excellent (if pricey) restaurants and shops here.
Also part of the old city of Siri is the Moth-ki Masjid, which lies some distance to the east of Hauz Khas. It is said to be the finest mosque in the Lodi style. Count on about Rs 70 for an autorickshaw from Connaught Place.

Bahai Temple
Lying to the east of Siri, this building is shaped like a lotus flower. Completed in 1986, it is set among pools and gardens, and adherents of any faith are free to visit the temple and pray or meditate silently according to their own religion.
The lotus was chosen as a symbol common to Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam: 'the lotus is part of the dream of all cultures'. The 35m-high petals are made of Korean concrete (later clad with white marble), which had to be cooled at the right temperature; during summer it was mixed with ice. From the exterior, the temple itself appears to float on nine pools of water, which create natural air-conditioning within. Attendants ensure there is no talking within the building; a reverential atmosphere of quiet prayer prevails. Those praying towards the heavens can appreciate the interlocking ribs of the 'petals' that are clearly visible on the interior of the dome.
The temple looks spectacular when floodlit at dusk, particularly from the air, but is rather disappointing close up. Open from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm daily October to March and 9 am to 7 pm April to September, the temple is just inside the Outer Ring Road, 12km south-east of the city centre. An auto-rickshaw should be around Rs 70 one way.

Urusvati Museum of Folklore
Urusvati Museum of Folklore (t 6149385) in Vasant Vihar displays arts and crafts from North India. It is open from 10 am to 6.30 pm daily and entry is free.


PLACES TO STAY
If Delhi is your first stop in India, it's probably a good idea to book a room in advance from home - reasonable places fill quickly, leaving new arrivals easy prey for the commission sharks. This is especially true if you're arriving in the middle of the night (see the boxed text 'Dodgy Delhi' near the beginning of this chapter). Fortunately many places, including budget hotels, have 24-hour receptions allowing for late arrivals.
Prices given here don't include luxury tax, which ranges from 10% to 22.5% in mid-range to top-end places; budget place generally don't charge tax. During summer (May to August) discounts of up to 50% £ often available, and it's always worth asking for a discount if you're staying more than a couple of days.
Unless stated otherwise checkout is at noon — although if you check in between 6 am and noon most places will apply a 24-hour checkout - and rooms have fans and/or air coolers. There is little need for air-con out of the hot sticky summer months, especially as Delhi Central Government forbids the use of it between 6.30 and 9.30 pm. Unless stated otherwise toilets are sit-down flush toilets and hot water is available 24 hours.

PLACES TO STAY - BUDGET
While most budget rooms may not be much to write home about, facilities such as 24-hour room service, TV, baggage storage, travel arrangements, airport pick-ups and laundry services make them good value and convenient places to stay.

Camping
Delhi's main camp ground closed in 2000 after some drug-related issues with the police. It may well reopen, but in the meantime it is possible to pitch a tent at the Tourist Camping Park (t 3973121), opposite the ISBT in Old Delhi. It's possible to camp in the small lawned area right next to the very busy main road for Rs 30 per person. It also has some very basic rooms for Rs 140/175 a single/double, and a few with bathroom for Rs 250. The toilet and shower blocks are reasonably clean and have hot water.

Connaught Place
The Youth Hostel (t 6116285, fax 6113469, yhoste@del2.vsnl.net.in, 5 Nyaya Marg) is in serene Chanakyapuri, but you have to he a member to stay (membership costs RS 250). Beds in single-sex dorms without air-con cost Rs 50 and Rs 250 with air-con. Doubles with shared bathroom start at RS 300/650 - prices go up after five days and there's no smoking or alcohol allowed. Open 24 hours (although check-in is at 11 am and checkout is at noon), this place has a cafe, bank, garden and recreation centre.
Down a side street near the Government of India tourist office, Ringo Guest House (t 3310605) is an ageing travellers' institution with its fair share of detractors as well as fans. Small, basic and gloomy rooms around a central open courtyard restaurant cost Rs 125/250 for a single/double with shared bathroom and from Rs 350 to 400 for a double with bathroom (squat toilets and 24-hour hot water). Dorm beds cost Rs 90.
Nearby and very similar, Sunny Guest House (t 3312909) is marginally better than Ringo Guest House. Rooms with shared bathroom that are not quite so dark cost Rs 125/250 and from Rs 350 to 450 for doubles with bathroom, again around a central courtyard restaurant. Dorm beds are available for Rs 90. Both places are reasonably clean and friendly, with a shabby charm, and are good for swapping travellers' tales and storing luggage (Rs 8 per day). However, they can be pretty awful when it's very hot (in July) or very cold (rainy February nights), and unless you specifically want to be near Connaught Circus you can find much better deals in Paharganj.
Hotel Blue (t 3322222, hotel-blue@ yahoo.com) is an older 3rd-floor place with a fair amount of character. Decent-sized rooms with phone, TV and shared bathroom cost Rs 300/500; those with bathroom are Rs 500/800. Tax is added. It has a large balcony terrace and small open courtyard.
Hotel Bright (t 3323456, fax 3 736049), directly below, is of a similar style without the terrace, so it's not quite as nice. Rooms without bathroom cost Rs 350/550; Rs 575/ 1100 with private bathroom.
Central Court Hotel ft 3315013, N-Block) has a bit of character and has old-style rooms with bath, fireplace and separate lounge area for Rs 800/1150. The fact that they're accessed from the terrace almost makes up for them having no windows. Rooms with shared bathroom cost Rs 600/800 and all have air-con, TV, fridge and phone. The hotel has a coffee shop and two restaurants.

Paharganj
Hotel Navrang (t 521965) on Baoli Chowk is popular with the grungy crowd and serves a selection of Japanese dishes in its secluded terrace cafe. Rooms with private bathroom (squat toilets and bucket hot water that costs Rs 10) cost Rs 80/100/150 for a single/double/triple - the more you pay the bigger they get. Try for one on the block overlooking the cafe as these get more light and have small terrace areas outside.
HotelBajrang (t 3551730) is a basic but friendly place with doubles around an open courtyard for Rs 100 with shared bathroom and Rs 150 with private bathroom (geyser hot water). There's a very cheap canteen for food and drink in the courtyard and Internet access is available for Rs 12 per hour.
The very funky Camran Lodge (t 352 6053, fax 3621030, camranlodge@id.eth.net) is basic but has a lot of character. It's the unmistakable old red building on Main Bazaar, with onion domes and a disused mosque on the roof — a great place to catch the sunset. Blue and green rooms have windows onto Main Bazaar; the 2nd-floor rooms, created by metal partitions, can get a bit hot. Singles/doubles with shared bathroom cost Rs 80/160 and Rs 100/180 with private bathroom (bucket hot water and squat toilets). The front door closes at midnight.
Hotel Namaskar (t 3621234, fax 362 2233, namaskarhotel@yahoo.com) gets good reports and the brothers who own it thrive on helping out travellers. Airy pink and green rooms, most with windows, cost Rs 200/250 with shared bathroom and from Rs 300 to 400 with bathroom (bucket hot water and both squat and sit-down flush toilets); air-con rooms cost Rs 450. One of the few places where the owners also manage the hotel, it is a good source of information and offers free luggage storage.
Smyle Inn (t 3559107, smyleinn@hotmail.com), nearby, has rooms with private bathroom, TV and phone for Rs 150/200.
Major's Den (t 3629599) has few of the facilities of its competitors (there is no restaurant or Internet connection) but remains a popular and safe haven for those looking for respite from Main Bazaar. It has a terrace, travel service and clean rooms with
bathroom and windows start at Rs 250/300. The major who lives downstairs with his wife and daughter is both a businessman and a pukka (proper) chap who can help in times of need. The doors close at midnight.
Traveller Guest House Inn (t 3544849) is a popular choice especially as it's one of the first places reached when coming from the station. Clean rooms with private bathroom and TV start at Rs 240; not all rooms have windows.
Hotel Victoria (t 3524413) is a very friendly place in a quiet area, east of Rajguru Rd. The large rooms with TV and private bathroom (both sit-down flush and squat toilet) have equally as large windows covered in plastic which gives everything a lovely pink hue. They start at Rs 222/250. Hotel Payal (t 3520867) has good-sized and clean rooms with private bathroom (geyser hot water) and window for Rs 200/250; rooms with shared bathroom start at Rs 150. Royal Guest House (t 7535880, fax 3625538) is a very friendly place with windows looking onto Main Bazaar. Rooms with private bathroom cost Rs 225 and Rs 450/490 with air-con.
Hotel Sweet Dream (t 3629801) offers rooms with bathroom (some with balcony) for Rs 175/200. A 10% service charge is added to room prices.
Ajay Guest House (t 35431253, fax 3540656, sent@ndf.vsnl.net.in) has average doubles without window/with onto the stairwell, as well as phone and private bathroom with geyser hot water, for Rs 260/270; a couple of larger air-con rooms (Rs 400) have small balconies. There is a rooftop cafe (with great views), a travel agency and an Internet centre. The best thing about this place is the bakery on the ground floor which has good coffee and tasty cakes, pizzas and rolls as well as a couple of pool tables. Checkout is 24 hours.
Hare Rama Guest House (t 3521413, fax 7532795, harerama@ndf.vsnl.net.in), opposite, has similar rooms around a covered courtyard, with a mix of sit-down flush and squat toilets and the addition of a fridge and TV, for Rs 250/320. It, too, has a 24-hour rooftop restaurant (with TV) on its treetop-flanked terrace. Catering to a large Israeli clientele, it also has a travel agency, Internet centre, art shop and luggage storage. Checkout for this place, which attracts louder late-night crowds, is 24 hours.
Anoop Hotel (t 3521451, fax 7532942, anoophotel@hotmail.com) is almost next door to Hare Krishna and has marble-lined singles/doubles with phone and private bathroom (geyser hot water) for Rs 220/ 280, and Rs 150/220 with shared bathroom.
These two places share a good 24-hour Thai restaurant on their large rooftops and Internet facilities on the ground floor of the Anoop. Checkout for both is 24 hours.
Hare Krishna Guest House (t 3521467, anoophotel@hotmail.com), under the same management, on Main Bazaar has rooms with phone for Rs 220 with shared bathroom and from Rs 230 to 250 with private bathroom (geyser hot water). Checkout is 24 hours.
Vivek Hotel (t 3512900, fax 7537103, vivekhotel@mailcity.com) has bright rooms with a few windows around an open courtyard for Rs 200/250 with private bathroom and Rs 150/200 with shared bathroom. Leema Restaurant is on the 1st floor but it's worth risking the elevator to get up to the much nicer rooftop terrace restaurant complete with a tiny lawned area.
Hotel Vishal (t 3526314) has a couple of good restaurants downstairs, but the rooms are a bit cell-like and most lack windows. Rooms with bathroom and phone cost Rs 200/250.
Hotel Fortuna (t 3614211), with an arcade on the ground floor, is recently painted and has with rooms with TV, phone and private bathroom for Rs 200/250. Those at the front have balconies.
Hotel Satyam (t 3525200) has rooms with TV, phone, bathroom (both squat and sit-down flush toilets and geyser hot water) and grubby sheets for Rs 250/300. There's a long rooftop terrace and balconies overlooking Rajguru Rd.
Hotel Star View (t 3556300, fax 3554220, starview@vsnl.com), next door, has the same views down Rajguru Rd from its terrace, the back section of which is a restaurant. Comfortable doubles with TV, phone, velour-covered furniture and private bathroom (geyser hot water) cost Rs 300 (Rs 500 with air-con).
Hotel Rak International (t 3550478, hotelrak@yahoo.com) on Baoli Chowk has rooms with TV, phone, sofa and private bathroom (both sit-down flush and squat toilets and geyser hot water) for Rs 250/ 350. A 24-hour terrace restaurant overlooks the square and temple below.
Shivlok Palace (t 3511270) has a bit of character, with sofas on its rooftop terrace and circular beds. Rooms with phone, TV and bathroom start at a negotiable Rs 350/ 400 (plus 10% service charge).
There are a couple of options on Arakashan Rd, across an incredibly busy and hard-to-cross road from Main Bazaar, although you'll be paying more for less here. Hotel Soma DX (t 3621002, fax 3552634) has good front rooms with big windows. Rooms with TV, phone and bathroom (squat toilets and hot water in the morning and evening) start at Rs 250/300; it has a lift.

Old Delhi
Staying in Old Delhi ensures that you're right in the thick of things. The area has a colourful atmosphere, and there are not too many other tourists around - the clientele in the area is predominantly Indian males.
The railway retiring rooms, at the high-rise Rail Yatri Niwas (t 3313484), on the Ajmeri Gate side of New Delhi train station (on the Paharganj map), are available for those in transit. Bona fide rail travellers with tickets for distances over 500km can stay in singles/doubles with shared bathroom for Rs 150/210; Rs 250 with private bathroom and Rs 500 with private bathroom and air-con. There are also dorm beds for Rs 70. Check-in is from 9 am and the maximum stay is three days.
Hotel New City Palace (t 3279548, fax 3289923) makes the most of its position overlooking the Jama Masjid with plenty of balconies and a roof terrace with restaurant. The rooms with phone and bathroom (squat toilet and 24-hour hot water) for Rs 450 are less impressive and somewhat contradict the hotel's self-promotion as a 'home for palatial comfort' - try to get a room at the front. Checkout is 24 hours.
Hotel de Romana (t 3266031, fax 328 6635, de-romana@hotmail.com), in a lane behind the Jagat Cinema, is a better deal with 'every damn thing' (except a view), including OK rooms with TV, phone, Private bathroom (sit-down flush toilet and 24-hour hot water) and air-con for Rs 330/ 400. Checkout is by noon.
Hotel Bombay Orient (t 3286253), on a main lane leading away from Jama Masjid, is another reasonable choice. Rooms with private bathroom (sit-down flush toilet and 24-hour hot water) cost Rs 250/350.
Hotel Malabar (t 3956669), at the end of Chandni Chowk, is for those who prefer to really be in the heart of Old Delhi. Basic rooms with private bathroom are Rs 150/250.

PLACES TO STAY - MID-RANGE Connaught Place
The YMCA/YWCA has a large complex, about a 10-minute walk south-west of Connaught Place, with three accommodation options. They all have a religious institution air and aren't that great a deal, although they are clean and central and good places to meet other travellers. Check-in and checkout for all is at noon, and rates, which are subject to tax and service charge (except dorms), include breakfast.
YMCA Tourist Hostel (t 3361915, fax 3746032, ymcath@ndf.vsnl.net.in, Jai Singh Rd) is closest to Connaught Place and the largest of the bunch with a laundry, swimming pool (open from April to October), fitness centre, restaurant, travel agency and Internet access. Singles/doubles with shared bathroom cost Rs 415/725 rising to 800/1350 with air-con, TV, phone and bathroom, plus a Rs 30 temporary membership fee. It's open 24 hours, and accepts credit cards.
YWCA International Guest House (t 3361561, fax 3341765, ywcaind@del3.vsnl.net.in, 10 Sansad Marg) is surrounded by a small garden and has a 24-hour cafe and a travel agency. Rooms cost Rs 800/1000, and it accepts AmEx cards.
ITDC Hotel Indraprastha (t 3344511, fax 3368153, 19 Ashok Rd) is a high-rise popular with Indian holiday makers. With a very institutionalised atmosphere, rooms are a reasonable size but you might want to have a look at a few. They cost Rs 600/ 750/1000 for one/two/three people in a standard room or Rs 750/850/1100 in a deluxe (plus 12.5% tax for both). There's a bar and a characterless 24-hour self-service restaurant and cafe.
Places directly on Connaught Circus are housed in colonial era buildings and therefore have a modicum of character.
Hotel Alka (t 3344328, fax 3732796, hotelalka@vsnl.com, P-Block, Connaught Circus) has a mad mirrored corridor, a good vegetarian restaurant and a bar, and a terrace overlooking the local bus station. Rooms start at Rs 1800/2900 for a single/double and Hotel Alka accepts credit cards. Hotel Marina (t 3324658, fax 3328609, marina@nde.vsnl.net.in) is quite swish, with a bar, restaurant, 24-hour coffee shop and resident dentist. It has rooms starting at Rs 2600/3200, including breakfast, and credit cards are accepted. Incidentally, this is the place at which Gandhi's assassin stayed the night before the horrific act.
Nlrula's Hotel (t 3322419, fax 3353957, L-Block), right by the restaurant of the same name, has good rooms with phone, fridge and TV for Rs 1995/3500. Children under 12 stay free.
York Hotel (t 3323769, fax 3352419, K-Block, Connaught Circus) has clean and cool rooms with fridge and TV for Rs 1800/2950. The rooms at the back of the hotel are quietest.
Hotel Jukaso Inn Downtown (t 3324451, fax 3324448, jukaso@vsnl.com, L-Block, Radial Rd 6) has a terrace and a cosy 24-hour coffee shop, and although the rooms are small, most have windows (Rs 1650/2200). Children under six can stay free.
Hotel 55 (t 3321244, fax 3320769, hotelfiftyfive@hotmail.com, 55 H-Block, Connaught Circus) is well designed with air-con throughout, but the rooms are on the small side. Rooms with balcony and private bathroom cost Rs 1100/1600.

Paharganj
Prince Polonia (t 3511930, fax 3557646), near the Imperial Cinema, has a small clean poolon its rooftop terrace (nonguests can use it for two hours for Rs 100). Double deluxe rooms/superdeluxe rooms/suites, most with balcony and all with TV, fridge, solar-heated hot water and air-con cost Rs 935/1155/1320. There are also another couple of terraces to relax on and a lift to get you up to them.
Metropolis Tourist Home (t 7531782 metravel@bom9.vsnl.net.in) has basic but clean air-con singles/doubles with phone TV and bathroom (geyser hot water) for Rs 600/675. There is a cheerless ground-floor licensed restaurant, and a pleasant roof terrace restaurant with tablecloths and atmosphere. There is also foreign exchange and a travel agency.
Hotel Relax (t 3681030, vidur109@hotmail.com) is a shiny new place on Ramdwara Rd south of Nehru Bazaar. The management is very enthusiastic and clean rooms come with phone, TV, fridge and air, con for Rs 800/1000. There's a good balcony from where you can watch the masses below while eating.
Vmn Inn (t 3677705, fax 3621398) is a modern and nicely furnished place away from the madness of Main Bazaar off Rajguru Rd. Cleanish rooms with windows are Rs 500/700.
Yatri Guest House (t 3625563, yatri@nde.vsnl.net.in, 3/4 Punchkuin Marg) is actually in a small lane off Punchkuin Marg, opposite the junction with Mandir Marg. It's small, calm and secure with a lawn out front and a couple of small, open courtyards at the back. Spotless, fan-cooled doubles with big beds and private bathrooms (geyser hot water) cost Rs 1250, including tax. There are meals and snacks as well as all-inclusive taxi tours starting at US$28 per day.
There is an array of places north of Paharganj on and around Arakashan Rd. With less hassle than Main Bazaar, these places are modern and prices are open to negotiation. The only issue is that a few are run by those who grab newcomers at the airport, pressuring them into paying over the odds.
Hotel Ajanta (t 3620927, fax 3620228, ccity@nda.vsnl.net.in) is one of the best places, providing a good service to travellers. There's a restaurant and a reputable travel service, as well as Internet access. Rooms are on the small side but are very clean and those at the front have balconies. Prices start at Rs 425/525 for singles/doubles.
Hotel Syal (t 3610091. fax 3514290; nomex@vsnl.com), nearby, is a centrally air-conditioned place used by tour groups. Rooms, some with balcony, start at Rs 450. It has a roof terrace and a good restaurant.

New Delhi
YWCA Blue Triangle Family Hostel (t 3360133, fax 3360202, ywcadel@vsnl.net, Ashoka Rd) has a restaurant, TV lounge and Internet facility. Rooms with Phone start at Rs 575/1035 and range to Rs 2875 for a two-bedroom suite with kitchen/ lounge room (no service charge). There are also dorm beds for Rs 185 (Rs 275 with air-con). You need to become a temporary
member for Rs 20 to stay here. Children under five stay free.
There are a few places in the Sunder Nagar, conveniently located between Purana Qila and Humayun's tomb. This area has some antique shops, a couple of reasonable restaurants and lots of greenery. The air-con hotels are all set within lawned gardens offering clean comfort in relative tranquillity.
La Sagrita Tourist Home (t 4694541, fax 4636956, Iasagrit@del3.vsnl.net.in) is the pick of the bunch with very comfortable rooms starting at Rs 1490/2090.
Kailash Inn (t 4623634, fax 4617401), a few doors down, has rooms for Rs 1500/ 1900; children under six can stay free.
Jukaso Inn (a 4692137, fax 4694402, jukaso@hotmail.com), not to be confused with the Connaught Place establishment, attracts business travellers. Rooms start at Rs 1650/2400, and it has a pool table and restaurant. Buffet breakfast/dinner is Rs 150/250.
Maharani Guest House (t 4693128, fax 4624562, mgh@vsnl.com) is similar to Jukaso. It has a flashy foyer and rooms starting at Rs 1500/2200.

Old Delhi
Hotel Broadway (t 327 3821, fax 3269966, 33broadway@oldworldhospitality.com, 4/15 Asaf Ali Rd), near Delhi Gate in Old Delhi, is a classy place with attentive staff, a very good restaurant, busy bar and informative and gastronomical walking tours of Old Delhi. Rooms start at Rs 1195/1495; those at the rear have views of Jama Masjid .

Other Areas
There are retiring rooms at the international and domestic terminals of the airport. To qualify for a room you must first track down the airport manager and secondly have a confirmed departure within 24 hours of your arrival by plane. Rooms cost Rs 450 for two. Karol Bagh is an area you may end up in if coming straight from the airport. It has Delhi's largest market.
Bajaj Indian Home Stay (t 5736509, fax 5812127, india@perfecttravels.com) is a modern attempt at a haveli (traditional ornately decorated residence). The effect isn't too bad and the owners are friendly and intent on providing good service. Singles/doubles with minibar start at Rs 1365/1785, including buffet breakfast.
En route to the airport, Master Paying Guest Accommodation (t 5741089, R-500 New Rajinder Nagar) is a cool little place in a residential area away from the action. Rooms with classic furniture and French windows are full of character and cost Rs 500/600 with shared bathroom (including tax). Breakfast, drinks and snacks are served in the homely lounge or shady roof terrace.

PLACES TO EAT
Delhi has an excellent array of places in which to eat - from dhabas (snack bars), with dishes from Rs 15, to top-of-the-range restaurants where a meal for two can easily top Rs 3500.

Connaught Place
There are many fast food places - Western and Indian - around Connaught Place. Here you will find McDonald's along with Wimpy, Kwality, Pizza Hut (t 3738626) and Dominoes Pizza (t 1600-111123). Nirula's (t 331 6694), a Delhi-based chain, is very good and has Indian, burgers, pizzas and ice cream (the best in Delhi, and you can try before you buy). The advantage of this area is that the establishments are clean and they serve good food at reasonable prices. However, most have nowhere to sit - it's stand, eat and run. More upmarket chains such as TGI Friday's and Pizza Express are also appearing.
Cafe 100 (B-Block, Connaught Place) is a very popular semi self-service place that's giving Nirula's a run for its money. There are Indian snacks, burgers, a wide range of ice creams and an excellent buffet upstairs (open from noon to 3 pm and 7 to 11 pm).
There are dhabas opposite L-Block on the Outer Circle, above Palika Bazaar and near Ringo Guest House. Nizam Katri Kabab in H-Block is the place to head if you fancy a quick meat-on-a-stick fix.
Berco's is one of Delhi's most popular places serving Chinese and Japanese for about Rs 150 per dish. Don't be surprised if you have to queue.
DV8 (t 3361444) on the corner of Connaught Circus and Sansad Marg is a place that keeps re-creating itself to attract the 'in-crowd'. The scene of Delhi's first disco (now closed) back in the 1960s, today it is a welcoming place to chill out while enjoying a drink or some pretty good fusion food. Upstairs you have the opportunity for fine dining, while downstairs the mood is more relaxed with leather couches, a library and pool table (Rs 125 per 30 minutes). The menu, with a large and varied choice, is the same in both and a meal for two will cost around Rs 800. If that's beyond your budget, but you can afford Rs 70/150 for a coffee/pitcher of beer, take the time to linger and enjoy some cool tunes while reading the paper. It's open from 11 am until late and sometimes has live music (cover charge).
Rodeo (A-Block, Connaught Place) is a lively restaurant serving good Tex-Mex and Indian food; it's worth visiting just for the sight of waiters in cowboy suits. Dinner for two will set you back about Rs 400. After 8.30 pm a Rs 175 cover charge is applied, unless you are dining, and there's a singing and organ-playing duo to entertain. It has cocktails and Mexican beers.
Gaylord (Connaught Circus) is one of the priciest, plushest restaurants on Connaught Place, with big mirrors, chandeliers and excellent Indian food. Main dishes are around Rs 200, but the high quality of the ingredients makes this a worthwhile splurge.
Parikrama (Kasturba Gandhi Marg), a revolving restaurant, is an interesting place to eat. Unlike many places of this ilk, where the Ist-class views are supposed to distract you from decidedly 2nd-class food, the fare here is excellent but pricey. Main dishes are around Rs 150. It's open daily for lunch and dinner, and for drinks from 3 to 7 pm.
The Embassy (D-Block, Connaught Place) has excellent veg and nonveg food. It's popular among office workers; meals for two cost about Rs 350.
Kovil (E-Block) is one of the best places for South Indian vegetarian food, costing about Rs 150 per person.
Coconut Grove in ITDC Hotel Indraprastha is good for more of a splurge - don't be put off by the hotel's rather depressing institutionalised appearance.
Vega, at the Hotel Alka, specialises in vegetarian food cooked Delhi style (in pure ghee but without onion and garlic) for about Rs 200 per person.
United Coffee House (E-Block, Connaught Place) is quite plush with a pleasantly relaxed atmosphere, good food and some of the best coffee in Delhi for about Rs 100.
The Host (F-BIock, Connaught Place) serves excellent Indian and Chinese food. It's extremely popular with well-heeled Indians, but it isn't cheap.
Keventers on the corner of Connaught Place and Radial Rd No 3 is a small milk bar around the corner from AmEx that has good fresh milk.
Wenger's (A-Block, Connaught Place) is a cake shop with a range of little cakes that management will put in a cardboard box and tie up with a bow so you can selfconsciously carry them back to your hotel room for private consumption.

Paharganj
There is a whole band of similarly styled restaurants catering to the hungry traveller along Main Bazaar. The menus are a fairly standard mix of Indian, Chinese and continental fare with the odd Israeli, Japanese and Korean specialty thrown in. Service is conducive to lingering and you can eat pretty well for around Rs 50 to 100. Some places will even serve beer if you're discreet about it. Most travellers' cafes have a subsidiary service such as a travel agency, bookshop, clothing shop or baggage store attached.
Diamond Cafe and Grand Sindh Cafe have cassettes and CDs for sale - greai places to relax and sip coffee while picking out some souvenir tunes.
Khosla Cafe and Madan Cafe on Main Bazaar have pavement seating, which can be either pleasant or a nightmare depending on the time of day you're there. Sitting in the mid-morning or late afternoon you're going to be pestered by beggars, hawkers, dogs and who knows what else.
If you want the fresh air but without the hassle try Satyam next to Hotel Payal, which has a rooftop terrace overlooking the vegetable market.
The place for South Indian food is Sonu Chat House - it's very popular with locals but also caters to travellers' tastes with banana chocolate dosas.
Appetite German Bakery, next to Hotel Vishal, has a small selection of tempting cakes accompanied by new age music, chess and a small library.
Gem Restaurant is a new, and therefore clean, place with fluorescent lighting and large 1st-floor windows - goldfish would feel at home here.
Golden Cafe at Nehru Bazaar offers a change of scene with some outside seating, and dishes that include Korean specialties. If you want a really good feed and don't mind paying a few rupees more than normal, Malhotra Restaurant, behind the Metropolis Tourist Home, is the place to go. Popular with tourists and locals alike, it rarely disappoints.
Those in need of a vitamin C burst should stop at one of the juice shops dotted around; those close to Diamond Cafe are popular.
Many guesthouses and hotels have their own restaurants, some of which are on rooftop terraces (see Places to Stay for details). There are alcohol shops on Desh Bandhu Gupta Rd and at Gole Market.

Old Delhi
The ISBT Workers' Canteen, in the Kashmiri Gate Inter State Bus Terminal, has good food at reasonable prices.
Karim's, down a lane across from the south gate of the Jama Masjid, is very well known among Delhi-wallahs for its excellent nonveg food. In this large restaurant there's everything from kebabs to the richest Mughlai dishes, and prices are reasonable.
Moti Mahal Restaurant (Netaji Subhash Marg, Daryaganj) is a licensed open-air place with live qawwali (devotional chants). It's particularly noted for its tandoori dishes.
Chor Bizarre in the Hotel Broadway serves tasty Kashmiri and Indian fare in quirky surrounds. Bizarre features include a vintage car, still in working condition, that serves as a salad bar, and for those planning a romantic liaison, there's a four-poster bed table. The menu makes great reading and not just for the excellent dishes; it recommends you go for a thali (meal), which gives you a good range of tasty dishes for Rs 225/295 for veg/nonveg). If you can get eight people together, take advantage of the Kashmiri feast eaten on the floor around a large platter (Rs 585 each).
Ghantewala (Chandni Chowk), near the Sisganj Gurdwara, is reputed to have some of the best Indian sweets in Delhi. The stalls along the road in front of the Jama Masjid are very cheap.

New Delhi
There are some good eating options in the area south of Connaught Place, but you'll need a taxi or transport to get to most of them. At Pandara Market, which is a shopping centre near Bikaner House, are some good-value mid-range places such as Ichiban, Pindi and Chicken Inn, plus several others popular with middle-class Delhiites. They all cost around Rs 300 to 400 for two.
Khan Market also has some good restaurants, including China Garden and China Fare, for a little less than the Pandara Market places.
At Sunder Nagar Market, Sweets Corner has tasty pure veg food, including South Indian, and has outdoor seating. Next door, Nathu has more of a fast-food slant.
Dilli Haat (Aurobindo Marg), opposite the INA Market, is a great place to sample food from all over India - many of the stalls devoted to particular states have restaurants, and for around Rs 50 per person they offer cheap value. This may be your one chance to try Naga or Mizo food (from the northeastern region). There is a Rs 7 entry fee.
There are lots of restaurants in Hauz Khas Village, nearly all of them mid-range places that charge around Rs 250 per person. The licensed Bistro Restaurant Complex includes the Kowloon (Chinese restaurant), Mohalla (curries in gravy) and The Roof-top (Indian barbecue plus live music and dance) and is very popular. Park Baluchi, within the nearby Deep Park, specialises in Afghan cuisine such as tandoori chicken wrapped around a sword.
Tamura, at the NDMC swimming pool in Nehru Park, is a licensed Japanese restaurant where most customers are Japanese. It has Japanese newspapers and the Japanese equivalent of thali; a meal for two should cost around Rs 700.
Basil & Thyme (Chanakyapuri), in the nearby swish Santushti Shopping Centre, has good continental food and excellent service. Meals for two cost about Rs 500 and it opens for lunch Monday to Saturday only.
Karol Bagh has some good choices for hungry shoppers or bikies. Dasaprakash South Indian does a good selection of dosas for around Rs 80 per person in clean and modern surrounds.
Mughal Hans Restaurant, opposite, is good for a more diverse range of dishes.

International Hotels
Many Delhi residents reckon the best food is at the major hotels.
The restaurants at The Claridges are very good value and they're interesting places to eat. Dhaba offers 'rugged roadside' cuisine, and is set up like a typical roadside cafe; Jade Garden serves Chinese food in a bamboo-grove setting; Pickwicks offers Western food, and the decor is 19th-century England; while outdoor Corbetts gets its inspiration from Jim Corbett of tiger hunting fame, complete with recorded jungle sounds. As might be expected, meat features prominently on the menu. All these restaurants are moderately priced - most main dishes cost under Rs 200.
Hotel Inter-Continental has a range of restaurants, including the Indian Baluchi, offering a biryani buffet on Sunday for Rs 500 (including beer), and the Blue Elephant on the rooftop, with Thai buffet lunches on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday for Rs 550 (including wine and soft drinks).
At Hyatt Regency, Delhi Ka Angan specialises in very rich Punjabi and Mughlai food. La Piazza has Italian food and possibly Delhi's best Italian wine list. TK's has Japanese and Mongolian buffet lunches. All places charge about Rs 1000 for two.
The Imperial is a great place for an alfresco breakfast in the pleasant garden. Spice Route offers mainly spicy Thai and Keralan dishes; it's very popular and very expensive (Rs 1800 for two). The decor includes a 'wealth section' with 24 carat gold leaves on the walls. At the Tavern Restaurant main dishes cost around Rs 200. Prices at the less formal Garden Party are 10% lower.
One of the best restaurants in the city is Bukhara at Maurya Sheraton . It has many Central Asian specialities, including tandoori cooking and dishes from the Peshawar region in north-west Pakistan. The dhal here is so popular they have started selling it in cans for Rs 150. Also at Maurya Bali Hi is a Chinese restaurant, and West View a European one. All three restaurants cost around Rs 1000 per person. Another restaurant here is the Dum Pukht, named after the cuisine championed by the nawabs of Avadh (Lucknow) around 300 years ago. The dishes are covered by a pastry cap while cooking, so the food is steamed as much as anything else. It's quite distinctive and absolutely superb, and is a little cheaper than the others at Rs 1200 for two.
Metropolitan Hotel Nikko's Sakura Japanese restaurant uses ingredients from Japan and has a 24-hour patio with fresh international fare.
Probably the best Thai restaurant in Delhi is Baan Thai at the Oberoi. Count on Rs 1100 for two; weekday lunch buffets cost Rs 550 and Mongolian barbeques start at Rs 475. It also offers the choice of dining by the pool.
Las Meninas at the Park is India's first Spanish restaurant. Dinner for one/two will cost around Rs 850/1200. Las Meninas is only open for dinner.

GETTING AROUND
Delhi is large and congested, and the buses get hopelessly crowded. The alternative is a taxi, an autorickshaw or, for the truly brave, a bicycle. At the time of research, the first phase of construction of a metro system had commenced; the system is due for completion in 2005.

To/From the Airport
Although there are a number of options, air-port-to-city transport is not as straight-
forward as it should be due to predatory taxi and autorickshaw drivers who target unwary first-time visitors.
Bus The Ex-Servicemen's Air Link Transport Service (EATS; t 3316530) has a regular bus service between the airport (both terminals) and its office near Indian Airlines in F-Block, Connaught Place, between 4 am and 11 pm. The fare is Rs 50 plus Rs 5 per large piece of luggage, and it will drop you off at most of the major hotels, and the Ajmeri Gate entrance to New Delhi train station (for Paharganj) en route.
When leaving the international terminal, the counter for the EATS bus is just to the right as you exit the building. This is probably the best, although not the quickest, way into the city if you arrive late at night (see the boxed text 'Dodgy Delhi' earlier in this chapter).

Taxi
What you want from the airport is not just a prepaid taxi, but the right prepaid taxi. Look for the Delhi Traffic Police Prepaid Taxi Booth outside the terminal entrance, where you'll get the lowest prices (Rs 170 to Paharganj). The others will try
for much more. You will be given a voucher that you should give to the driver at your destination.
At the domestic terminal, the taxi booking desk is just inside the terminal and charges Rs 120 to Paharganj, plus Rs 5 per bag. The taxi-wallahs outside will try for much more.
Most accommodation and travel agencies can also arrange airport pick-ups and dropoffs although they charge a minimum of Rs 200 for the service. If you need to get to the airport in the early hours of the morning, arrange this the day before - get a receipt and ensure you know exactly where your pick-up point is.

Bus
Avoid buses during rush hour. Whenever possible try to board (and leave) at a starting or finishing point, such as the Regal and Plaza Cinemas in Connaught Place, as there is more chance of a seat. There are some seats reserved for women on the left-hand side of the bus. The Delhi Transport Corporation runs some buses, others are privately owned, but all operate along the same I set routes. Western embassies generally ad-vise their staff not to take buses; the White Line and Green Line buses are slightly more expensive and are thus a little less crowded. Private buses and minibuses also run on these routes. A short bus ride (such as Connaught Place to Red Fort) only about Rs 2.
Useful buses include the following:
Bus No 505 Super Bazaar or Janpath (from opposite The Imperial hotel) to the Qutb Minar
Bus No 101 Kashmiri Gate Inter State Bus Terminal to Connaught Place
Bus Nos 620 & 630 Connaught Place (from outside the Jantar Mantar) to Chanakyapuri
Bus Nos 101,104 & 139 Regal Cinema bus stand to the Red Fort.

Car
Given Delhi's mind-boggling traffic (six road deaths per day on average), it's better to not drive.
If you must rent a self-drive car, try Avis (T 4304027, crs@avisdel.com) in The Oberoi on Dr Zakir Hussain Marg, or Budget (t 3354772, bracindia@hotmail.com) at 82 Janpath and the New Delhi train station (t 3232725).

Motorcycle
If you are in the market for a shiny new Enfield motorcycle or anything else bike related, go to Karol Bagh. Try either Madaan Motors (a 5735801, fax 5755812, madaanmotors@yahoo.com) at 1767/53 Naiwala Gali, Har Kishan Das Rd, or Inder Motors (t 5728579, fax 5781052, lalli@ndf.vsnl.net.in), 1740/55 Hari SinghNalwa St. Both also hire bikes from Rs 200 to 400 per day.

Taxi & Autorickshaw
All taxis and autorickshaws are metered but the meters are invariably out of date, allegedly 'not working' or the drivers will simply refuse to use them.
If you're anywhere near Connaught Place and need an autorickshaw, pick one up from the very useful prepaid booth near Palika Bazaar. Otherwise, you'll need to negotiate a price before you set out and this will always be more than it should be.
At the end of a metered journey you will have to pay according to a perversely complicated scale of revised charges (there are separate charts for recalibrated and unrecalibrated meters). Drivers are supposed to 
Rickshaws, both auto- and pedal-powered, navigate Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk.
carry conversion cards but if you demand to see one, strangely enough they won't be able to find it. At the time of research the formula to work out metered fares for taxis was to multiply the metered fare by five then add Rs 3.50; for autorickshaws multiply by 2.5 then add Rs 3. The fare charts are printed in the Delhi City Guide (Rs 15, available from newsagents). If you have a chart, pay what you think is the right price and leave it at that. Rest assured that no one is going to be out of pocket, except yourself, despite hurt or angry protestations to the contrary.
Connaught Place to the Red Fort should cost around Rs 60 by taxi or Rs 30 by autorickshaw, although the traffic jams can make this a long trip. From Connaught Place to Paharganj should cost about Rs according to the meter system, but Rs seems to be the standard minimum fare for foreigners. About Rs 30 is fair for an autorickshaw from Connaught Place to Humayun's tomb.
From 11 pm to 5 am there is a 20% surcharge for autorickshaws and 25% for tax"
If you're on your own at night make a show of writing down the licence plate number before setting off.
You will no doubt be asked if you want to go shopping (the driver will insist that 'just looking' is OK), as drivers get paid (Rs 200 is standard) just for taking foreigners to stores - even if you don't purchase anything. You could arrange with your driver to make a show of looking around a few shops and in return get your sightseeing for free, although the hard-sell tactics at the shops can wear you down. To hire a taxi for eight hours should cost around Rs 450, though the driver will expect a tip (around Rs 100).

Bicycle & Cycle-Rickshaw
Although traffic and pollution are dreadful in Old Delhi and around Connaught Place, the bicycle is one way of getting around the sights to the south, though cyclists are an oppressed caste on Delhi's roads. There are very few places to hire bikes. In Paharganj, there's a small cycle hire shop near Rajguru Rd. Jhandewallan Market in Karol Bagh is India's largest bicycle market, however, with domestic and international bikes and spares for sale.
Cycle-rickshaws are banned from the Connaught Place area and New Delhi itself, but they can be handy for travelling between Connaught Circus and Paharganj, for around Rs 10.