Hotel Ajanta Delhi

Home > Delhi Travel Guide > Delhi monuments

Delhi monuments

Explicitly built to commemorate an historical event or a person, monuments have a way of taking one back in times. Delhi is one of those few metros where you turn the corner of a ‘galli’ and suddenly find yourself staring at an exquisite ruin of a beautiful shrine. Or you walk along one of the city’s copious parks and notice a rundown, crumbling tomb as you go past because there are so many of them!

Human tendency to take things for granted or get used to something is clearly depicted here. When you pause to think about it, the nonchalance manner in which we treat these historical monuments just like traffic jams and evening tea is certainly a sad fact. We do not realize that this callousness from the part of citizens might even lead to the eventual disappearance of these monuments.

A city gets its name from the historical events that happened there. This is the reason why the city Delhi was planned around the monuments. The Red Fort built by the Mughal emperor Shajahan in the 17th century is said to be a mini-city in itself rather than a monument. The Purana Quila made of imposing red sand stones by Mughal Emperor Humayun was built in 16th century. Qutub Minar, the highest stone tower in India was constructed in 1192 by Qutbuddin Aibak, the founder of Slave dynasty. Later the tower heralded the birth of Delhi Sultanates. It is 72.5 meters tall and is adorned with delicate and otherworldly carvings. The Iron Pillar was originally made as a flagpole for a Vishnu Temple, some 2000 years ago. This rust-free specimen is an iron-clad proof of India’s then superior knowledge in metallurgy.

There are more to such gems in the Indian capital. These truly architectural wonders are a bit modern in comparison though in actuality, there is no room for comparison. While you find ruins behind a forgotten old lake or imposing mosques amidst slums, there are some that meets the eye too. The great war memorial India Gate with its eternal flame, Rashtrapati Bhavan, which hosts the most important government ceremonies, Teen Murti Bhavan, the home of Pt. Nehru, which was built as memorial for the Indian martyrs of the World War I etc are some of them. Raj Ghat, Santiban and Vijay Ghat, the resting places of Gandhi, Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri respectively attract hordes of visitors to pay tribute to them.

People who live nearby may not often realize the true value of these national treasures. The wayward attitudes like scribbling on the wall, littering the premises etc show this. But to those people who fly over from every nook and corner of the world just to admire these beautiful places, it is a different story. Come to Delhi and explore centuries of Indian history and culture. You do not have to move outside its boundaries.