New Delhi

A bazaar unlike any you can imagine, Chandi Chowk, literally meaning “moonlit square”, is among the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi. Its labyrinth of by-lanes, with ancient crumbling havelis (mansions), forts, temples and churches, transport you back to the 17th century when it was built, sans the canals which once divided the market and shone in the reflection of the moon. Once you get accustomed to the overwhelming crowds and chaos, unleash the foodie and shopaholic in you – you’ll find everything from Indian street food delicacies and traditional sweets, to spice markets that overpower your senses, to clothes at a bargain, old books, leather goods, electronics, and the quirkiest Indian souvenirs to carry back home.

Built entirely in red sandstone, the Lal Qila a.k.a Red Fort is the oldest and one of the most magnificent Mughal-era monuments in the walled city of Old Delhi. It dates back to 1638, when it became the residence and political centre of the Mughal Empire, and retains its significance as the site of hoisting of India’s national flag on the country’s Independence Day (August 15th). Preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the fort fuses the Islamic, Persian and Hindu styles of architecture, and is best visited at sunset, when a sound and light show reinstates the fort to its original glory.

A memorial dedicated to the great Indian freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi, the Raj Ghat is a black marble platform on the banks of the Yamuna River. Located on the site of Gandhi’s cremation after his assassination in 1948, it symbolizes a significant milestone in Indian history, and has an eternal flame alight at one end. Roughly translated as “the riverbank of the royalty”, it also houses the memorial of India’s first male and female prime ministers. As a sign of respect, visitors are required to take off their shoes before entering the walls of the Raj Ghat.

The tomb of the great Mughal Emperor Humayun, is not just a mausoleum. It was India’s first ‘paradise garden’ tomb, built in the late 1500s on the orders of the emperor’s grieving wife, in Persian garden style. Made with Indo-Islamic architectural elements, of red sandstone and a white marble dome encircled by minarets, the tomb is surrounded by Charbagh (four square) gardens, which acquired a more English look during India’s colonial era, and lies on the banks of the Yamuna River. Within the complex are cenotaphs and monuments dedicated to other Mughal rulers, and the tomb has gained popularity in recent years as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for its old-world charm within the busy heart of Delhi.

A modern day architectural marvel, the Akshardham Temple is an ode to centuries of traditional culture, spirituality, art, music and architecture in India, and uses modern science and technology to depict their evolution. It was officially opened to the public in 2005. Built by 7,000 artisans on the eastern banks of the Yamuna, the central temple is made entirely of stone, and showcases the spiritual history of India through state-of-the-art IMAX movies, musical fountains, and artistic sculptures. The temple complex is housed in lush, sprawling gardens, and is popular with worshippers and non-worshippers alike.

True to its name, the Lotus Temple has a spectacular, award-winning, lotus-shaped architecture. The temple is actually a Bahá’í House of Worship, designed in the late 1980s by an Iranian architect, and welcomes people of all religions and faiths to worship ‘God’. As per the Bahá’í texts, no rituals, music, sermons, or image worshipping can be showcased within the house, making a visit within its nine-sided circular shaped structure a tranquil, introspective experience. Accordingly to some statistics, the number of visitors to the Lotus Temple has surpassed those to the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal in recent years!