Other places of interest

On the bank Yamuna River, is the serene and final resting place of Mahatma Gandhi the father of the nation. Raj Ghat where visiting dignitaries pay homage.Two museums dedicated to Gandhi are situated nearby. Lying close to the Raj Ghat, the Shanti Vana (literally, the forest of peace) is the place where India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was cremated. The area is lush green with saplings which have now grown into trees planted by visiting dignitaries and heads of state. Buddha Jayanti Park which is on the Ridge Road is a well maintained park for the public. Many Bollywood movies have been shot here. Delhi has a mix of the traditional and modern. Where you might see the latest car on the road, there might be a bullock cart alongside.It is a melting pot of all kinds of people and a visit to this wonderful city is a must.

Delhi is at par with any other city in the world. It can boast of a new international airport and the new metro rail which is a convenient mode of travel for the common man. The Delhi Metro is one of the fastest ways to commute in Delhi and has transformed public transport in the city so much so that the Metro line has become the life-line of New Delhi. Recently a superfast airport express has been put in service to connect the airport with the central part of New Delhi. The many flyovers which have been constructed at whooping costs showcase Delhi as a modern city. Pragati Maidan is another tourist destination. It is a large area of land covered with pavilions which can house exhibitions from other states as well as countries. It is a permanent construction for International Trade Fairs. Delhi has a mix of the traditional and modern.It is a melting pot of all kinds of people and a visit to this wonderful city is a must.

Pragati Maidan is a popular site which is known for organising various exhibitions throughout the year. It is a venue for Annual India International Trade Fare, which is held in November every year. Apart from the International Trade Fair, World Book Fair and Auto Expo are some of the events, which are organised in Pragati Maidan.

The site covers an area of about 72, 000 sq. m and is considered as the largest exhibition centre of New Delhi. This exhibition centre was founded in 1982 and is controlled by the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO). The Nehru Pavilion, the Son of India Pavilion, Defense Pavilion, the Indira Pavilion and Village Complex are some of the major attractions of this place.

This exhibition centre has four main entrances, air conditioned auditorium and conference room, business information centre and a press lounge. Apart from this, there are a number of restaurants along with post offices and banks.

Tourists can reach Pragati Maidan through buses, auto-rickshaws, taxis and metro, which are available in plenty in the destination.

Lotus Temple is situated near Kalkaji in Delhi which is the only Bahai Temple in Asia. This temple was designed by Fariborz Sahba, which has a half floating lotus as the main structure along with white petals made of marble. It measures around 35 m in height and is located amidst 9 pools and huge lawns. There is a big prayer hall inside this temple which is used by the devotees for meditation.

Tourists can visit this temple during evening, when the entire structure is illuminated, giving it a golden glow. The temple building was fully completed in 1986 and is open to people of all faiths, creeds and castes. It remains closed on Mondays and does not have any admission fees for the visitors.

Jantar Mantar is situated in the heart of the capital city of Delhi, near Connaught Place. It is one of five astronomical observatories in India that was designed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. This monument was built in 1724 and has some of old-fashioned structures that are instruments for tracking the movement of celestial bodies.

These instruments are useful for measuring the position of stars, azimuth, altitude and calculation of eclipses. There is a Samrat Yantra at this site which reflects the accurate time within four minutes. The instrument named Jai Prakash is used for analysing the position of the sun and other heavenly bodies.

Hazrat Nizamuddin or the Nizamuddin's Shrine is a famous dargah dedicated to Nizamuddin Auliya, who was one of the well known Sufi saints. Hazrat Nizamuddin is located in the Nizamuddin west area of Delhi and was constructed by Muhammad Tughlaq.

The site is visited by a number of tourists along with Muslim devotees. Travellers can come across the famous tombs of Jehan Ara Begum and Amir Khusro situated within the Hazrat Nizamuddin complex. Amir Khusro was a famous poet and a beloved disciple of the saint.

Visitors can also visit the tomb of Inayat Khan located close to Hazrat Nizamuddin dargah. During the festival of 'Urs', which is celebrated to commemorate the death anniversaries of Amir Khusro and Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, the site is thronged by tourists and devotees.

Connaught Place is the commercial hub of New Delhi, which is popular among tourists for shopping. Locals refer to it by its abbreviated name, C.P. It was built in 1931 and was inspired from well planned and well structured Victorian style of architecture. Connaught Place is divided into two zones, inner circle and outer circle. It was designed by Robert Tor Russell and W. H. Nicholls, and was named after the Duke of Connaught, who was the member of British royal family.

Of the two circles of Connaught Place, Inner Circle has numerous international brands, restaurants, eateries and bars and bookshops. The place is also popular for buying handicraft items from the nearby location, Janpath.

All the branches of major nationalised and international banks along with the offices of tour operators and emporiums are present in Connaught Place. There is also a central park, located at the centre of Connaught Place, which offers a beautiful environment