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Delhi is the second-largest city in India, with
over 11 million people living within the city in 2007. It is the eight-largest metropolis in the
world, and lies on the banks of the Yamuna River of northern India. Delhi has been inhabited since the 6th Century
BC, and emerged as a major political, commercial and cultural centre. The sites of many archaeological excavation
sites, and home to many ancient monuments, Delhi served as the capital of the
famous Mughal Empire. In the 18th and
19th centuries, the British East India Company gained control of much of the
country. Later, in 1947, India gained
independence from the British, and was declared its capital and seat of
government. Delhi has developed quite
rapidly into a cosmopolitan city, and is a very important city to all of India.
With fleets of environmentally-friendly transit buses, and a state-of-the-art
Metro system, it's easy to find your way around this city for fairly
cheap. India is a country of exotic and
interesting culture, and there is a lot of it to enjoy. Delhi contains many monuments of great
significance in the city, and the Archaeological Survey of India lists 175
monuments within the city as heritage sites.
The site of the Old City is where the Mughals and the Turkic rulers built
architectural marvels such as the Jama Masjid-- India's largest mosque. Other notable World Heritage Sites include
the Red Fort, the Qutab Minar and Humayun's Tomb. Delhi celebrates many
national events and holidays such as Republic Day, Independence Day, and Ghandi
Jayanti-- Ghandi's Birthday. The
Republic Day Parade is a large cultural and military parade, which amplifies
India's cultural diversity and military strength. The Qutub Festival is a massive event where
performances by musicians and dancers from all over India are showcased. There is various local craft markets and
delicious Indian restaurants in which to eat, leaving you not knowing what to
do first!
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