Bustling with political high drama and cultural extravaganza throughout the year,
Delhi is a lively city. Dotted as it is with nearly 2,000 historical monuments – most of which are well-kept – Delhi comes across as a city where tradition and modernity coexist comfortably. In fact, the city can serve as a gateway to tourists visiting India for the first time. Wide roads leading to long flyovers, roundabouts made colorful with blooming flowers, elegant buildings, state-of-the art facilities, trendy shopping malls, shopping centers that are open all seven days-a-week, international chains of hotels and restaurants, offices of multinational companies, a rocking night life and a plethora of tourist spots make Delhi one of the most favored destinations in not India alone, but in the entire South Asian Region.
From the ruins of a ninth century Sun Temple near the famous
Suraj Kund to the modern {Bahai Temple / Lotus Temple}; from the medieval
Lodi Garden to a modern
Garden of Five Senses; from the legendary
Purana Quila to the modern amusement park
Appu Ghar, Delhi has lots to offer for body, mind and soul. The city boasts four forts and each of these has its own distinctive architecture. Tourists traveling through the city can enjoy the grand architecture of the {Humayun's Tomb}, the model for
Taj Mahal, in the morning, spend the afternoon lazing around at the Mughal Gardens, watch classical Indian performances in the evening at one of the various cultural festivals organized throughout the year and at night go through the centuries-old history of the city at the
Sound and Light Show at Purana Quila.
Besides dozens of multiplexes and hundreds of art galleries and auditoriums, showcasing the very best in performing and fine arts, Delhi also prides itself for certain unique festivals. For instance, if you are traveling to Delhi during June-July, you can’t afford to give the
International Mango Festival a miss. Similarly, in October, make sure to be part of the traditional
Phoolwalon Ki Sair. Besides, with people from all across the country making Delhi their home, the city is a miniature India where one can participate in almost every Indian festival – from the Punjabi
Lohri Festival to north Indian
Holi to Bengali
Durga Puja to Marathi Ganesh Utsav to Malayalee
Onam and Tamil
Pongal.
For the gourmets too, Delhi offers a very wide range of cuisines. Specialty restaurants serving Chinese, Mexican, Tibetan, Lebanese, Japanese, Arabian, Thai cuisines compete with the traditional North Indian and South Indian restaurants, Punjabi Dhabas and restaurants serving Rajasthani, Gujarati, Bengali,
Oriya and
Assamese food.
Spotting a well-known celebrity from political, business, cultural or sports arena is not at all difficult. Hard-working Delhiites love to party hard and participate in every possible socio-cultural activity. In fact, the most striking feature of Delhi’s culture is its people. Coming from various backgrounds, each community has contributed its bit to Delhi’s culture and given it a cosmopolitan outlook with a firm base in traditional customs.
