New Delhi is India’s capital and the third largest city in the country. It is also known as ND or Dilli; there are so many names for this city! New Delhi is a planned city with wide roads, beautiful parks, and modern architecture. There are many interesting facts about the capital of India that you may not know.
Let’s check them out:
How did New Delhi get its name?
New Delhi is the capital of India and was built from scratch to become the new thriving capital of the British Raj. The city’s name was chosen to honour the reigning King George V, who was Emperor of India at the time when construction was underway. Similarly, Bombay was once called “Bombay of the Isles”, Calcutta was once called “The City of Palaces”, Madras was once “The City of Mystery” and Lahore was once “The City of Gardens”.
Which is the oldest part of New Delhi?
The oldest part of New Delhi is Shahjahanabad, also known as “Old Delhi” or “Walled City”. Shah Jahan was the fifth Mughal Emperor and ruled from 1628 to 1658. He built the Red Fort and the Jama Masjid as well as many other mosques, tombs, and gardens. Shah Jahanabad is also home to Chandni Chowk and the famous Dariba Kalan, where you can buy beautiful hand-made traditional Indian wooden toys.
The Mughal architecture is best seen in the older parts of New Delhi.
Which is the tallest building in New Delhi?
The tallest building in New Delhi is the Imperial, a luxury residential building in the Central Business District. It is tall with 65 floors. Imperial, which was completed in 2010, has been designed by the architectural firm Arquitectonica, Miami, FL. You can also find the iconic Bharti Tower, a telecom tower on Rajpath. It is tall and was built in 1986.
How many people live in New Delhi?
There are about 16,000,000 people living in New Delhi. New Delhi has been the capital of India since it became independent in 1947. The city has been built from scratch and is one of the most modern cities in the world.
What’s your favourite food from New Delhi?
Delhi is famous for its street food, so there are so many delicacies and snacks you can try! But, if you want to try something traditional and iconic, go for “phulka”, which is a kind of stuffed and baked Indian bread, or “dal”, a lentil soup. And, if you want something sweet, try the “gulab jamun”, a milk-dumpling, or the “moong ki daal halwa”, which is a sweet made from beans.
Who owns the most expensive car in New Delhi?
The most expensive car in New Delhi is the Rolls-Royce Wraith, which costs about INR 18 Crore (about $2 million). The owner is Amit Kumar, a Bollywood actor.
When do you see the most cloud cover in New Delhi?
New Delhi receives only about 200 mm of rain per year and is known for being a very dry city. The months with the most cloud cover are the monsoons between July and September.
It was not always a green city!
New Delhi was built from scratch in the 1920s and 1930s and was designed to be a modern and beautiful city. It was not always green though! Many trees were planted later and the city was only officially recognized as a green city in 2012. It is now full of lovely parks and gardens. You can visit the famous Jor Bagh, where many couples come to celebrate Valentine’s Day. You can also visit the Rani Bagh, a beautiful garden that’s open to everyone.
Get to know more about India’s heritage!
The National Museum of India, the largest museum in the country, is a great place to get to know about India’s heritage. It has a collection of about 80,000 artefacts. Some of the most famous ones are the stone statues of Buddha, the Sumba idols, and the coins of the Gupta period. You can also visit the National Gallery of Modern Art, which has a great collection of Indian modern art. Some of the most famous paintings are The Reader by Shrilal Shukl, The Philosopher by M F Hussain, and The Lovers by S H Raza.
You can walk or run at Safdar Hashim
The most famous walking path in New Delhi is the Rajpath, which is a 6 km long path that passes through many of New Delhi’s most important monuments. You can walk from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate. If you are looking for something a bit more challenging, you can walk or run at Safdar Hashim. It is a park located near the National Stadium. The park has a beautiful garden with fountains and several sport facilities such as basketball courts and table tennis tables. If you are visiting New Delhi in winter, you can go ice skating at the indoor ice skating rink at Imperial Winter Frozen Fantasy.