Delhi & Agra: India Short Stay

Welcome to New Delhi! During your stay in this lively city, enjoy some of the areas top spots such as:

Humayun’s Tomb (First Garden Tomb)
A UNESCO World Heritage site. The tomb was built in 1565 by Hamida Banu Begum and is one of the most beautiful Mughal monuments, with a 42.5 meters high double-dome with marble and pillared kiosks. The complex encompasses the main tomb of the Emperor Humayun, the graves of his wife, Hamida Begum, as well as numerous other subsequent Mughals.

Lotus Temple (Unified House of Worship)
Known as the Lotus Temple due to its flowerlike shape and designed by Iranian architect Fariborz Sahba. It serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian Subcontinent and emphasizes that the spirit of the House of Worship be that it is a gathering place where people of all religions may worship. The lotus represents the Manifestation of God, and is also a symbol of purity and tenderness. Its significance is deeply rooted in the minds and hearts of the Indians.

India Gate (War Memorial)
Built in 1931, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, this 42 meter high stone arch of victory, stands at the eastern end of Rajpath has names of the 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in the First World War.

Rashtrapati Bhavan (President’s House)
Rashtrapati Bhavan was the erstwhile residence of the British Viceroy. Its architect was Edwin Landseer Lutyens. The decision to build a residence in New Delhi for the British Viceroy was taken after it was decided in the Delhi Durbar of 1911 that the capital of India would be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in the same year. It was constructed to affirm the permanence of British rule in India. This building gave the impression, in the words of a critique, the setting of a perpetual Durbar. 

Sources: World Heritage, UNESCO; Condé Nast Traveler; tajmahal.gov

Travel to Agra today for a tour of the magnificent, white marble mausoleum, the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal
This immense mausoleum is constructed of white marble and was built in the mid-1600s by order of the emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife. Nothing compares with the experience of seeing the Taj for the first time. Commissioned by Shah Jahan for his favorite wife, Mumtaz, after her death in 1631, it was completed in 1653 and remains arguably the most moving testament to love in architectural history. 

Red Fort of Agra
Near the gardens of the Taj Mahal stands the important 16th-century Mughal monument and UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Red Fort of Agra. This powerful fortress of red sandstone encompasses, within its 2.5-km-long enclosure walls, the imperial city of the Mughal rulers. It comprises many fairy-tale palaces, such as the Jahangir Palace and the Khas Mahal, built by Shah Jahan; audience halls, such as the Diwan-i-Khas; and two very beautiful mosques.

Sources: World Heritage; Condé Nast Traveler; tajmahal.gov

Old Delhi is bursting with bazaars, which are good places to begin your exploration of the area. Before heading to the airport for your departure home, be sure to check out some of Old Delhi’s staples:

Chandni Chowk
The markets seem to sell everything—though textiles, clothing, jewelry, and antiques comprise the bulk of the wares. The goings-on at Chandni Chowk, one of the oldest and most iconic markets, will spark the interest of even the most jaded traveler.

Jama Masjid (the mosque commanding a view of the world)
The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, commissioned its construction. Five thousand craftsmen labored for six years to build the mosque. Completed in the year 1656 C.E., Jama Masjid constitutes one of the largest and best-known mosques in India. Shah Jahan enhanced the imposing grandeur of the edifice by placing it on high ground.

Sources: New World Encyclopedia, Condé Nast Traveler