Delhi Diaries: 5 Best Facts on the Heart of India!

Delhi the heart of India, the national Capital is home to 33 million inhabitants adding the national capital region adds another 20 million people ( Delhi is a union territory or independent state and the national capital region is a region that covers the Delhi metropolitan area along with the neighboring districts of various state like Noida (Uttar Pradesh), Gurgaon(Haryana)  etc.

Key Takeaways:

• Delhi, the bustling heart of India, boasts a diverse population and is the nucleus of the National Capital Region (NCR).
• The city offers a range of attractions, from affordable and delectable street food to thriving markets like Sarojini Nagar.
• Delhi houses iconic monuments such as the Red Fort and the Qutub Minar, along with world-class academic institutions.
• However, safety concerns, pollution, and traffic congestion can pose challenges, especially in the NCR regions.
• Exploring Delhi’s rich history and vibrant culture is best done during daylight hours, with precautions taken in mind.
• When visiting, consider staying in safe areas like South and Central Delhi, and avoid cheap, potentially risky accommodations.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of Delhi’s highlights and challenges, guiding visitors to make the most of their experience while staying aware of potential pitfalls.

Delights of Delhi: What Makes the Capital Shine!

• Cheap and delicious food
• Cheap clothes in regions like the Sarojini Nagar market
• Cheap and good jewelry in Sarafa Bazar
• Good and luxury showrooms at Connaught Palace
• World-class metro facilities in the whole NCR region with good connectivity
• World-class international airport connected with a metro aero-city line, you can book flights here for every domestic airport at different times of the day. It is also an airport with most number of gates and 3 terminals almost all international flight for India lands here( pretty much got many options)
• A good number of academic and coaching institutes for various national and international level exams are also home to world-class institutes like IIT Delhi (for engineering) and AIIMS for medical
• Various monuments like the Red Fort, Raj Ghat, Qutab Minar, India Gate, etc

Challenges and Concerns in Delhi!

• Safety issues at night for anyone mainly in the NCR region
• Cleanliness
• Over -traffic
• Women’s safety and lack of good hygienic toilets at the metro or any public station
• Worst pollution with some regions crossing the air quality index (AQI)of 369 with an average AQI of ( very hazardous if AQI level crossed 200)

Delhi’s Must-Visit Attractions

Below are the main places to visit when coming to Delhi:

Connaught Palace: –

It’s one of the cleanest areas in Delhi and hosts different luxury and mid-budget clothing brands, lifestyle brands, and electronic accessories, also you can enjoy some good quality food if you are an avid reader you can purchase books or novels at a very cheap rate.  Must visit this between 10:30 to 9:30 for shopping

Palika Bazar:

• Just nearby to Connaught palace, besides the metro gate lies Palika Bazar, you can buy things at a very cheap rate from there from a PlayStation CD to clothes but the problem there is the clothes aren’t of that good quality and it’s too much of bad smell while people also try to fool you around, the bargain is the must thing you can keep inside your mind while purchasing anything
• From my own experience, One shopkeeper quoted a price of 3300 Rupees for one pair of shoes but I bargained for it and got it. Just 1000 rupees later know that some other shop they are selling it for 800 rupees so the best thing to do is check out at different shops and then buy something.

Chandni chowk, Lal quila( Red fort), Sis Ganj Sahib Gurudwara:-

All three places lie in the same lane or street. One of the busiest streets of Delhi, home to various locally made as well as branded products. Most people from all over India come here for marriage shopping along with this you can savor very cheap and tasty food like Dahi bhalla, Chole bhature, Papdi chat, etc.  Most Shops mainly open at 9:30-10 Am and close by 8 p.m. But I recommend you to come early and leave by 5 pm otherwise there will be too much traffic along with this metro will be overcrowded by then and if you do a private cab, it will cost you 2-3 times.

• Lal Quila (red fort): In front of the street there is a Lal Quila built in the 17th century by then-Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, it is also included in one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites open to tourists between 9:30 Am to 4:30 Pm
• Sis Ganj sahib: On the street of Chandni Chowk in the middle of shops there lies this beautiful gurudwara. Many people have faith and worship here. Open 24 hours
• Jama Masjid: Built in the 17th century by Mughal emperor Shah Jhan, regarded as a symbolic gesture of Islamic powers, Muslims from all over India or NCR gather here for communal prayers held mostly on Fridays it opens at 7 Am and close at noon at 1:30 P.m. and finally closes at 6:30 pm

Sarojini Nagar market:-

• Ok so you are traveling with your lady and this is the time to make her happy, this is the best place to take her. This place will burn your pocket less and satisfy her craving for shopping more.
• You can get decent quality cloth mostly for women for just under 1000 rupees and sometimes as low as 100 rupees. I used the cloth and was more than Satisfied with the quality of the cloth against the money I paid.
• Colors won’t fade away easily even after multiple washes and most clothes I bought are as cheap as 200 rupees which is nothing if you spent 6000 rupees on a pair of jeans from any standard clothing outlet.
• Along with this, u can buy decent jewelry and footwear. Also, beware of the seamster selling you electronic products at lower prices. From my experience I bought a battery bank that was branded by some big company for under 1000 rupees I bargained it for 500 rupees and he accepted. But after 2-3 days it stopped working so, please beware of these things.
• Most of the time you don’t have to bargain here but when a fixed price is not written you can bargain. The market is crowded but shopping is quite easy as every shop has 4-5 servants easily. So, I advise you to keep cash with you as many people won’t accept online payments.

I will highly recommend this place and you can visit here from 10 Am to 8 pm

Qutab Minar: 

• Situated in South Delhi,  a symbol of the Tughlaq dynasty marvel in India based in the 12th-century sultanate, it is the tallest masonry tower situated in India   Its balconies project all the believers to prayers.
• Only no food except drinking water is allowed inside. It is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is open between 7 am to 9 pm and I recommend visiting this site in the evening as the area is quite safe.

So if you are in Delhi and also you want to enjoy the night life the safest areas to do so are south and central Delhi. Vasant Kunj, golf links, Greater Kailash, Hauz Khas, and Shantiniketan are other good clean and good options. Also, I recommend you to take hotels in these areas as these areas are safe and maybe somewhat costly.

Safety Tips for a Smooth Delhi Experience!

Follow the safety tips for a wonderful experience while visiting Delhi:-

• Roaming around NCR after 9 p.m.: – from my experience, you can’t feel safe in most NCR regions due to their high crime rates. I lived in Noida for a year and there reported many incidences like looting by throwing eggs on the cars at night so be roam around at your own risk in these unsafe areas
• Don’t buy cheap hotels in NCR: hotels which are top rated and not cheap either service will be cheap or your safety will be at risk
• Always be aware of pick picketers in public areas, especially at metro stations and bus stations

So this is all about this blog I will keep posting more, if you have any suggestions do contact us write a comment, and feel free to contact us. We will reply to you as soon as possible!!

References

The ULTIMATE DELHI Itinerary