Old Delhi

Old Delhi

The Red Fort, Old Delhi

Delhi dates back to 1000 BC but the most famous features of Old Delhi reflect the period of Moslem rule, so that, according to the Rough Guide, Delhi is a 'veritable museum of Indo-Islamic architecture.' The greatest monument is Lal Qila, the Red Fort in what was Shah Jahan's capital of Shahjahanabad, now Old Delhi.

Old Delhi Street

Old Delhi is not the oldest part of Delhi, but a seventeenth century creation that has become overwhelmed with cars, cycle rickshaws and carts. It is a fascinating mixture of backstreet bazaars and crumbling monuments.

Jami Masjid, Old Delhi

Jami Masjid is 1km west of the Red Fort. It is Delhi's largest mosque, looking down on the city's teeming streets. The main prayer hall features high arches and three marble domes. The vast courtyard can accommodate 25,000 worshippers.

Delhi: The Red Fort
Delhi Tombs

The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi, 1857

by William Dalrymple
On a dark evening in November 1862, a cheap coffin is buried in eerie silence. There are no lamentations or panegyrics, for the British Commissioner in charge has insisted, 'No vesting will remain to distinguish where the last of the Great Mughals rests.' This Mughal is Bahadur Shah Zafar II, one of the most tolerant and likeable of his remarkable dynasty who found himself leader of a violent and doomed uprising. The Siege of Delhi was the Raj's Stalingrad, the end of both Mughal power and a remarkable culture.
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The Rough Guide to India

The Rough Guide to India is the essential handbook to this extraordinary country. The 24 page full-colour introduction includes stunning photography of the country's many highlights. The guide has comprehensive accounts of every attraction, from fast-paced Delhi and the sacred sites of the Ganges plain to the Moghul splendour of Agra and the shell-sand beaches of the south. There is also practical advice on activities as diverse as boating through the Keralan backwaters, hiking through the high-altitude deserts of Ladakh or treatments at an ayurvedic spa. The listings sections provide hundreds of insider reviews of the best hotels, hostels, restaurants, bars, shops and museums in every city and village. The authors also give an informed insight into India's history, politics, religion, music and cinema, providing a valuable context to the reader's trip.
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