IIT
Delhi :
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi is one of the seven Institutes of
Technology created as centres of excellence for higher training,
research and development in science, engineering and technology in
India, the others being at Kanpur
, Kharagpur
, Madras
, Bombay
, Guwahati
and Roorkee
. Established as College of Engineering
in 1961, the Institute was later declared an Institution of National
Importance under the "Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Act, 1963"
and was renamed "Indian Institute of Technology Delhi". It was then
accorded the status of a deemed university with powers to decide its
own academic policy, to conduct its own examinations, and to award its
own degrees.
HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, laid the foundation stone of
the Institute on January 27, 1959. The Institute was inaugurated by
Prof.Humayun Kabir, the then Union Minister for Scientific Research and
Cultural Affairs on August 21, 1961. The Institute buildings were
formally opened by Dr.Zakir Hussain, the then President of India, on
March 2, 1968.
NCERT:
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is an
apex resource organisation set up by the Government of India, with
headquarters at New Delhi, to assist and advise the Central and State
Governments on academic matters related to school education.
DCE:
Delhi College of
Engineering Bawana Road, Sector -18, Rohini, Delhi-110042
Rashtrapati
Bhawan
Modern Delhi, or New Delhi as it is called, centres around the
Rashtrapati Bhawan. It is architecturally a very impressive building
standing at a height, flowing down as it were to India Gate. This
stretch called the Rajpath is where the Republic Day parade is held.
The imposing plan of this area conceived by Lutyens does not fade in
its charm with the numerous summers or winters that go past.
India
Gate
India Gate is one of the most
popular tourist attractions in Delhi. The impressive colonial
architecture of India Gate is a symbol of modern Delhi. The beautiful
stone arch was built by the British in honor of Indian soldiers killed
in World War I. Here you will also find the 'Amar Javan Jyoti', which
is a permanent flame in honor of the Indian soldiers who died in wars
since 1918.
Laxminarayan
Temple
Also called the Birla Mandir, the Laxminarayan Temple was built by the
Birla family in 1938. It is a temple with a large garden and fountains
behind it. The temple attracts thousands of devotees on Janmashtami
day, the birthday of Lord Krishna.
Humayun's
Tomb
Humayun's wife, Hamida Begum, built
this monument in Delhi in the year 1556. The tomb is set on a platform
amidst a garden and is believed to have influenced the design of the
Taj Mahal. The structure of the tomb is as magnificent as the Taj Mahal
in Agra. The splendor of this grand monument becomes overpowering on
entering through the lofty double storied gateway. The fountains with
simple yet highly developed engineering skills enhance the beauty of
the garden.
Qutab Minar
The Qutab Minar is located at a
small village called Mehrauli in South Delhi. It was built by
Qutb-ud-din Aybak of the Slave Dynasty, who took possession of Delhi in
1206. It is a fluted red sandstone tower, which tapers up to a height
of 72.5 metres and is covered with intricate carvings and verses from
the holy Qur'an. Qutb-ud-din Aybak began constructing this victory
tower as a sign of Muslim domination of Delhi and as a minaret for the
Muslim priest, the muezzin, to call the faithful to prayer. However,
only the first storey was completed by Qutb-ud-din. The other storeys
were built by his successor Iltutmish. The two circular storeys in
white marble were built by Ferozshah Tughlaq in 1368, replacing the
original fourth storey.
Raj Ghat
On the bank of the legendary
Yamuna, which flows past Delhi, there is Raj Ghat-the last resting
place of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. It has become an
essential point of call for all visiting dignitaries. Two museums
dedicated to Gandhi are situated nearby.
Lotus Temple
Known in India as the "Lotus
Temple", the Baha'i House of Worship attracts an average of three and a
half million visitors a year.The Baha'i Temple, situated in South
Delhi, is shaped like a lotus. It is an eye-catching edifice worth
exploring. Built by the Baha'i community, it offers the visitor a
serenity that pervades the temple and its artistic design.
Jantar
mantar
The various abstract structures
within the Jantar Mantar are, in fact, instruments that were used for
keeping track of celestial bodies. Yet, Jantar Mantar is not only a
timekeeper of celestial bodies, it also tells a lot about the
technological achievements under the Rajput kings and their attempt to
resolve the mysteries regarding astronomy.
The Rail Museum
Its vintage displays include the
oldest locomotive in the world-still working; the Viceregal Dining Car
(1889) and the Prince of Wales Saloon (1875), Maharaja of Mysore's
Saloon (1899), Maharaja of Baroda's Saloon (1886). The royal saloons
are definitely worth a look for the elaborate interior design.
Lal
Quila (Red Fort)
The Red Fort's massive curtain wall
and battlements dominate the skyline of Old Delhi. Inside, the bastions
– built, like the nearby Jama Masjid, by Shah Jahan – are an range of
exquisite 17th-century Mughal buildings, which provided the living
quarters for the Emperor, his courtiers and family. The flawless
balance and proportion of these buildings, as well as the intricate
decoration, is wonderful to behold and in complete contrast to the
military might of the fort itself. Sadly, the water conduits that would
once have cooled the dwellings and gardens are now dry. The Lahore
Gate, on the west side of the fort, was a potent symbol in the fight
for Independence and is still regarded as a shrine of the Republic.
The
National Museum
For a
museum that was built in 1960, the National Museum has an
extraordinarily rich collection. It begins with prehistory, going on to
the classical period of Indian art, then on through galleries of
miniature painting, textiles, decorative art, arms, tribal art, Central
Asian antiquities, costumes and musical instruments. The museum remains
open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all days except Mondays.
National
Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi
The National Gallery of Modern Art
contains a large collection of 20th-century Indian art. There are
examples of the work of the painters of the Bengali Renaissance and of
the poet and artist, Tagore.
The highlight is
the room devoted to the pictures of female Indian artist Amrita
Sher-Gil (1913-1941), whose portraits – more successful than her genre
scenes – are painted with the confident bravura of the youthful
Augustus John.
The galleries
recently have been reorganized to accommodate a program of biannual
exhibitions designed to bring a larger proportion of the 15,000-piece
collection before the public. The museum is in Jaipur House – by any
yardstick, a grandee's townhouse – formerly the Delhi residence of the
Maharaja of Jaipur.