32 Best Sights in Delhi, India

This was Delhi's former imperial avenue, where the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan rode at the head of his lavish cavalcade. That scene is hard to picture today, as bicycles, freight carts, cows, auto-rickshaws, and pedestrians create a breathtaking bazaar. It runs from the Red Fort into the walled city, functioning as a major, if congested, artery. As in the days of the Mughals, commerce is everywhere: astrologers set up their charts on the pavement; shoemakers squat and repair sandals; sidewalk photographers with old box cameras take pictures for a small fee; medicine booths conceal doctors attending to patients; and oversize teeth grin from the windows of dentists' offices. Peer through a portico, and you might see men getting shaved, or silver being hammered into paper-thin edible sheets. While the scenes may seem archaic, the shopping is exactly where it's supposed to be, so make sure you carry cash (safely tucked about your person). The stores in tinsel-filled Kinari Bazaar and Dariba Kalan, with its jewelry and gemstones, may make you want to empty your wallet. Also, lining just about every alley are the famous halwais, a group of sweets makers selling staples such as fried orange jalebis.

A sight to behold, this 16th-century red sandstone and white marble tomb built by the widow of the Mughal emperor Humayun launched a new architectural era of Persian influence, culminating in the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri. The Mughals brought to India their love of gardens and fountains and left a legacy of harmonious structures, including this mausoleum, that fuse symmetry with decorative splendor.

Resting on an immense two-story platform, the tomb is surrounded by gardens intersected by water channels in the Mughals' beloved charbagh design---gardens divided into four (char) perfectly square parts. The marble dome covering the actual tomb is another first: a dome within a dome (the interior dome is set inside the soaring dome seen from outside), a style later used in the Taj Mahal. Stand a moment before the beveled gateway to enjoy the view of the monument framed in the arch.

Besides Humayun, several other important Mughals are buried here, along with Isa Khan Niyazi, a noble in the court of Sher Shah—who lies in the fetching octagonal shrine that precedes the tomb itself. The site's serenity belies the fact that many of the dead buried inside were murdered princes, victims of foul play. To see where Humayun actually died, combine this visit with a trip to the Purana Qila.

An exquisite statement in red sandstone and marble, India's largest mosque was the last monument commissioned by Shah Jahan; it was completed in 1656 after six years of work by 5,000 laborers. Three sets of broad steps lead to two-story gateways and a magnificent courtyard with a square ablution tank in the center. The entire space is enclosed by pillared corridors, with domed pavilions in each corner. Thousands gather to pray here, especially on Friday.

With its onion-shaped dome and tapering minarets, the mosque is characteristically Mughal, but Shah Jahan added an innovation: the stripes running up and down the marble domes and minarets. Climb the south minaret to see the domes up close, and to see how finely the mosque contrasts with the commercial streets around it. Look into the prayer hall (you can only enter after a ritual purification at the ablution tank) for the pulpit carved from a single slab of marble. In one corner is a room where Shah Jahan installed the marble footprints of the Prophet Mohammed. Each of the arched colonnades has black-marble inscriptions inlaid in white marble that relate the history of the building.

If you're feeling hungry, the restaurant Karim's is in the shadow of the Jama Masjid. The site is closed to non-Muslims from noon--1:30 pm and during prayer hours.

Named for its red-sandstone walls, the Red Fort, near the Yamuna River in Old Delhi, is the greatest of Delhi's palace cities. Built by Shah Jahan in the 17th century, Lal Qila recalls the era of Mughal power and magnificence—imperial elephants swaying by with their mahouts (elephant drivers), a royal army of eunuchs, court ladies carried in palanquins, and other vestiges of Shah Jahan's pomp. At its peak, the fort housed about 3,000 people. After the Indian Mutiny of 1857, the British moved into the fort, built barracks, and ended the grand Mughal era; eventually the Yamuna River changed course, so the view from the eastern ramparts is now a busy road. Still, if you use your imagination, a visit to the Red Fort gives an excellent idea of what a fantastic city Shahjahanabad was.

The view of the main entrance, called Lahore Gate, flanked with towers facing Chandni Chowk, is unfortunately blocked by a barbican (gatehouse), which the paranoid Aurangzeb added for his personal security—to the dismay of Shah Jahan, his father. From his prison, where he was held captive by his power-hungry son, Shah Jahan wrote, "You have made a bride of the palace and thrown a veil over her face."

Once you pass through Lahore Gate, continue down the Chhatta Chowk (Vaulted Arcade), originally the shopping district for the royal harem and now a bazaar selling rather less regal goods. From the end of the arcade you'll see the Naubat Khana (Welcome Room), a red-sandstone gateway where music was played five times daily. Beyond this point, everyone but the emperor and princes had to proceed on foot. Upstairs, literally inside the gateway, is the Indian War Memorial Museum (open Tuesday–Sunday 10–5; no extra charge), with arms and military regalia from several periods.

An expansive lawn leads to the great Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience)—you have now entered the Delhi of Shah Jahan. Raised on a platform and open on three sides, the hall is studded with some of the most emblematic arches in the Mughal world. In the center is Shah Jahan's royal throne, once surrounded by decorative panels that sparkled with inlaid gems. (It was stolen by British soldiers after the Indian Mutiny, but some of the panels were restored 50 years later by Lord Curzon.) Watched by throngs of people from the courtyard below, the emperor heard the pleas of his subjects; the rest of the hall was reserved for rajas and foreign envoys, all standing with "their eyes bent downward and their hands crossed." High above them, wrote the 17th-century French traveler François Bernier, under a pearl-fringed canopy resting on golden shafts, "glittered the dazzling figure of the Grand Mughal, a figure to strike terror, for a frown meant death."

Behind the Diwan-i-Am, a row of palaces overlooks the now-distant river. To the extreme right is the Mumtaz Mahal, now the Red Fort Museum (open Tuesday–Sunday 10–5; no extra charge), with numerous paintings and relics from the Mughal period, some in better lighting than others.

Heading back north, you'll come next to the Rang Mahal (Painted Palace), once richly decorated with a mirrored ceiling that was dismantled to pay the bills when the treasury ran low. Home of the royal ladies, the Rang Mahal contains a cooling water channel—called the Canal of Paradise—that runs from the marble basin in the center of the floor to the rest of the palace and to several of the others. You can't enter this or any of the palaces farther ahead, so you must peer creatively from the side.

The emperor's private Khas Mahal has three sections: the sitting room, the "dream chamber" (for sleeping), and the prayer chamber, all with lavishly carved walls and painted ceilings still intact. The lovely marble screen is carved with the Scale of Justice—two swords and a scale that symbolize punishment and justice. From the attached octagonal tower the emperor Muthamman Burj would appear before his subjects each morning or watch elephant fights in the nearby fields.

The Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) was the most exclusive pavilion of all. Here Shah Jahan would sit on his Peacock Throne, made of solid gold and inlaid with hundreds of precious and semiprecious stones. (When Nadir Shah sacked Delhi in 1739, he hauled the famous throne back to Persia. It was destroyed a few years later after Nadir Shah's assassination.) A Persian couplet written in gold above a corner arch sums up Shah Jahan's sentiments about his city: "If there be a paradise on Earth—It is this! It is this! It is this!"

The Royal Hammam was a luxurious three-chamber Mughal bath with inlaid-marble floors. The fountain in the center supposedly had rose-scented water. Sometimes called a Turkish bath, the hammam is still used in many Muslim cultures. Peek through the windows for a look.

Next door to the hammam is the Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque), designed by Aurangzeb for his personal use and that of his harem. The building is now closed, but the prayer hall is inlaid with musalla (prayer rugs) outlined in black marble. Though the mosque has the purity of white marble, some critics say its excessively ornate style reflects the decadence that set in late in Shah Jahan's reign.

Beyond the mosque is a typical Mughal charbagh, or four-section garden. Stroll through this quieter part of the fort to see some small pleasure palaces including the Zafar Mahal, decked out with carved sandstone jalis (screens) and once surrounded by water.

There has been a sound-and-light show at the venue in both Hindi and English with an additional cost of Rs. 80; however, at the time of this writing it was suspended for upgrading.

After the Mughal warrior Timur (aka Tamerlane) ransacked Delhi at the end of the 14th century, he ordered the massacre of the entire population as retribution for the murder of his soldiers. As if in unconscious response to this horrific act, the subsequent Lodhi and Sayyid dynasties built no city, only a few mosques and some mausoleums and tombs, the latter of which stand in what is now a delightful urban park. Winding walks cut through landscaped lawns with trees and flowers, past schoolboys playing cricket, politicians taking in some air, friends and lovers relaxing in the greenery, and parrots squawking. Lodi--The Garden Restaurant is a good place to get a meal after an evening walk. Near the southern entrance on Lodhi Road is the dignified mausoleum of Mohammed Shah, third ruler of the Sayyid dynasty, and some members of his family. This octagon, with a central chamber surrounded by verandas carved with arches, is a good example of the architecture of this period. Near the road is the open-air National Bonsai Park, with some nice specimens of the trees. The smaller, equally lovely octagonal tomb of Sikandar Lodhi in the park's northwestern corner, has an unusual double dome.

Rajpath—the broadest avenue in the city—leads to Delhi's British capital: Sir Edwin Lutyens' imperial city, built between 1914 and 1931 in a symbolically heavy-handed design after the British moved their capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911.

Starting from India Gate, at the lowest and eastern end of Rajpath, nearby land was allocated to numerous princely states, each of which built small palaces, such as the Bikaner House (now the Rajasthan tourism office) and Jaipur House (now the National Gallery of Modern Art). It might be said that this placement mirrored the British sentiments toward the princes, who lost much of their former power and status during the British Raj. Here, too, are the state Bhavans (houses), where you can taste the cuisine of each state.

Moving up the slowly inclining hill at the western end of the avenue, you also move up the British ladder of power, a concept inherent in the original design. First you come to the enormous North and South Secretariats, facing each other on Rajpath and reflecting the importance of the bureaucracy, a fixture of Indian society since the time of British rule. Identical in design, the two buildings have 1,000 rooms and miles of corridors.

Directly behind the North Secretariat is the Indian parliament house, Sansad Bhavan, a circular building in red and gray sandstone, encompassed by an open colonnade. Architecturally, the Indian design is meant to mirror the spinning wheel that was the symbol of Mahatma Gandhi, but the building's secondary placement, off the main avenue, may suggest the attitude of the British toward the Indian legislative assembly.

At the top of the hill is the former Viceroy's House, now called Rashtrapati Bhavan, where the president of India (not the prime minister) resides. It was built in the 20th century, but the building's daunting proportions seem to reflect an earlier, more lavish time of British supremacy. The Bhavan contains 340 rooms, and its grounds cover 330 acres. The shape of the central brass dome, the palace's main architectural feature, reflects that of a Buddhist stupa (shrine). The execution of Lutyens' design has a flaw: the entire palace was supposed to fill the vista as you approach the top of the hill, but the gradient is too steep, so only the dome dominates the horizon. Just a few years after the imperial city was completed, the British packed up and went home, and this lavish architectural complex became the grand capital of newly independent India.

Permission to enter Rashtrapati and Sansad Bhavan is almost impossible to obtain; unless you have contacts in high places, you'll have to satisfy yourself with a look at the poshest address in town from outside.

Parts of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, including the extensive gardens, are accessible to the public on prebooked tours, which are fully booked out much in advance. Book online and if you do get tickets, carry your passport. Heavy security is in place (no bags or cell phones, for instance).

For an experience of imperial Delhi, stop for tea at the Imperial Hotel on Janpath; for a glimpse of Delhi's contemporary elite, browse at Khan Market. A stroll through Lodhi Gardens is a relaxing break and Habitat World or the India International Centre are good bets if you have a taste for culture.

Rising over the traffic jams of National Highway 24 on the way to Noida lies a massive, 100-acre temple complex. Completed in November 2005, the pink-stone religious emporium pays tribute to Bhagwan Swami Narayan (1781–1830), the founder of a worldwide spiritual movement that claims a million devotees. An architectural marvel built over five years and without using steel, the elaborate main temple and its soaring domes and 20,000 carved figures only appear ancient. This gleaming complex includes a giant movie theater and a 14-minute boat ride that is quite an experience. Whisking the visitor through 10,000 years of Indian culture, the ride could be mistaken for something straight out of Disney World—Indian style! Just viewing the exhibits takes at least two hours. Admission lines can be lengthy, so allow plenty of time. Security is airtight.

All bags, electronics (including mobile phones and cameras), and tobacco products are banned, so check them in or leave them at the hotel or in the car before you get in line.

Exhibitions tend to shut an hour before the complex itself; the food court provides decent, cheap vegetarian meals and snacks for those who opt to spend the day.

The lotus flower is a symbol of purity and spirituality throughout India, and Delhi's Baha'i Temple celebrates this in a unique architectural way. Designed by Fariborz Sahba, an Iranian-born Canadian architect, and completed in 1986, the building incorporates the number nine—the highest digit and, in the Baha'i faith, a symbol of unity. The sleek structure has two layers: nine white marble-covered petals that point to heaven, and nine petals that conceal the portals. From a short distance it looks like a fantastic work of origami. The nine pools outside signify the green leaves of the lotus and cool the starkly elegant, usually silent marble interior. The interior conforms to that of all Baha'i houses of worship: there are no religious icons, just copies of the Holy Scriptures and wooden pews. The road to the temple passes through a colorful temple bazaar connected to the nearby Kalkaji Mandir.

This massive gurdwara (Sikh temple) is always full of activity—no surprise, given Delhi's huge Sikh population, most of whom came here as refugees from Pakistan in 1947. If you can't make it to Amritsar to see the Golden Temple, come here to admire the distinctively ostentatious style of their temples. Sikh gurdwaras reflect both the symmetry of Mughal mosques and the chaos of Hindu temples. Bangla Sahib is built of white marble and topped with a shiny, gold onion dome.

The gurdwara stands on the site where Guru Hari Krishan, the eighth of 10 Sikh gurus who lived between 1469 and 1708, performed a small miracle. Before entering, remove your shoes and socks (check them at the counter on the left), get rid of cigarettes, and cover your head with a piece of cloth. As you walk up the stairs and enter the sanctum, you'll see people filling jugs of water from enclosed cisterns. Guru Hari Krishan used to distribute sanctified water to the sick, believing it had a miraculous healing effect on their mind, body, and soul, and people still treat the contents of these pools as holy water. Inside, devotees sit facing a small pavilion in the center that holds the Granth Sahib (Sikh scriptures). Hymns from the holy book are sung continuously from well before sunrise until approximately 9 pm, and you're welcome to sit and listen; if you fancy something cultural in the evening, come at about 9 to see the ceremony by which the book is stored away for the night. As you walk around inside, be careful to proceed in a clockwise direction, and exit on the right side in back. Out the door to the right a priest distributes prasad, a ritual that Sikhs share with Hindus and that resembles the Christian sacrament of Communion: take a lump of this sugar, flour, and ghee (clarified butter) concoction with both hands, pop it into your mouth with your right hand, then rub the remaining ghee into your hands.

If you're on your way south to Agra or Jaipur, drive a few miles beyond the Qutub Minar on Mehrauli Road and check out this massive Hindu temple complex. It's a mishmash of styles, but the unifying factor—from the huge dome over the Shiva lingam to the 92-foot statue of the monkey god Hanuman—is its flashy and elaborate architecture, done in so-called Punjabi Baroque. It's quite a sight to take in: these huge temples looming on either side of the road. You can go inside even if you're not Hindu; just enter through the sanctum with the devotees and be respectful and quiet while they show their respect to the idols. Many gods and goddesses are represented, but the inner sanctum is dedicated to Adhya Ma Katyan, a mother goddess. Hymns are sung all night during full moons. Make sure you're dressed modestly, and be ready to take off your shoes.

This narrow, festive lane is filled with shopkeepers selling fabric and saris, including the well-known Ram Chandra Krishan Chandra's, where young brides choose their red-and-gold finery. The lane is named for its other industry: the fabulous paranthas (fried flatbreads) that are sold here in no-frills open-air eateries. Stuffed or served with a variety of fixings, such as radishes, soft cheese, and seasonal vegetables, paranthas are delicious. The parantha makers moved into this lane in the 1870s, even though a couple of its original sari and jewelry shops still dot the lane. The three oldest and most famous of these parantha makers are Pandit Gaya Prasad Shiv Charan (established in 1872), Pandit Kanhaiyalal & Durga Prasad Dixit (1875), and Pundit Baburam Devidayal Paranthe Wali (1889). A few kitchens have seating, making them excellent places to refuel while looking at photos of famous statesmen doing the same.

Mohandas K. Gandhi, better known as the Mahatma (Great Soul), lived a life of voluntary poverty, but he did it in some attractive places. It was in this huge colonial bungalow, designed by a French architect for Indian industrialist G. D. R. Birla, that Gandhi was staying as a guest when he was assassinated in the back garden on his way to a prayer meeting. Gandhi's bedroom is just as he left it, with his "worldly remains" (only 11 items, including his glasses and a walking stick) mounted on the wall. Pictures and text tell the story of Gandhi's life and the Independence movement; there's also a collection of dioramas depicting events in Gandhi's life. In the theater, 10 different documentaries are available for viewing on request. Take off your shoes before entering the somber prayer ground in back; an eternal flame marks the very spot where Gandhi expired. This, not the National Gandhi Museum at Raj Ghat, is the government's official museum dedicated to the Mahatma.

The road south to the urban village of Hauz Khas is lined on both sides by ancient stone monuments, and the entire village is dotted with domed structures—the tombs of minor Muslim royalty from the 14th to the 16th centuries. At the end of the road is the tomb of Firoz Shah Tughlaq, who ruled Delhi in the 14th century. Hauz Khas means "Royal Tank," referring to the artificial lake visible from Firoz Shah's pillared tomb. The tank was actually built a century earlier by Allauddin Khilji as a water source for his nearby fort, then called Siri (the second city of Delhi). Back in the village, wander through the narrow lanes to experience a medley of old and new structures—expensive shops and art galleries in a medieval warren.

Take in the lake view with sundowners at a rooftop bar such as Hauz Khas Social.

In the 1980s Hauz Khas was designated an upscale tourist destination, but of late it's better known as a tightly packed maze of bars, designer boutiques, and start-ups. After exploring, stop for a meal at one of the village's restaurants: Naivedyam and the Coast Café serve some of the best South Indian food this side of the country.

One of Delhi's greatest treats is hearing devout Sufis sing qawwalis, ecstatic devotional Muslim songs with a decidedly toe-tapping quality. Evenings from around 7:45 to 8:30, except on Thursday, the followers of the Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia often gather to sing in front of his dargah (tomb); this is one of the best places to catch a performance. To get here, follow the twisting lanes in the bazaar section of Nizamuddin West—you'll pass open-air restaurants serving simple meat-based meals and tiny shops selling Urdu-language books. When you see vendors selling flowers and garlands, you're getting close to the dargah. Nizamuddin, who was born in Bukhara (now in Uzbekistan) in 1238, later fled with his family to Delhi, where he became an important Sufi mystic and attracted a dedicated following. He died in 1325.

The tomb, built in 1562, is topped with an onion-shaped dome and is covered with intricate painting and inlay work. Men can enter the shrine to pay their respects; women must peer in from outside. The tomb is flanked by a mosque and the graves of other important Muslims, including the great Sufi poet Amir Khusro and Jahanara, a daughter of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.

Crowds can be dense, so keep money and valuables secured when you're in and around the dargah.

Anchoring a traffic circle near the far end of Rajpath from the Indian government, this massive sandstone arch was designed by Lutyens in 1931, in memory of the 90,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who fell in World War I and the Third Afghan War of the late 19th century. In the 1970s the government of India added a memorial to India's unknown soldier, the Amar Jawan Jyoti, beneath the arch. It has huge sentimental value to Indians. The Indira Gandhi Canal runs through the circle; if it's not dry, go boating! While traffic speeds neatly around the outer circle, vendors occupy the inner circle, and people amble and socialize on the lawns. Come in early evening and you'll find all sorts of activity, from men offering to make monkeys "dance" (for a fee) to impromptu cricket matches to youngsters splashing in the ornamental fountains. The thing to do is get an ice cream—Mother Dairy is one of the better brands.

On October 31, 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was shot outside her home by two of her Sikh bodyguards in retaliation for her violent suppression of a violent Sikh independence movement in Punjab, which included a military operation that entered Amritsar's Golden Temple. The murder sparked gruesome anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, and political turmoil ensued. The simple white bungalow in which Mrs. Gandhi lived from the 1960s to 1980s is now a small museum with endless photographs, quotations, and newspaper articles, plus a few rooms preserved as they were used. The photos get more interesting as you progress, and the museum ends with displays on Indira's son, Rajiv, himself prime minister from 1984 to 1991 before he, too, was assassinated. Displays include the sari, handbag, and shoes Mrs. Gandhi was wearing when she was killed, and the sneakers Rajiv was wearing during his even more grisly demise at the hands of a female suicide bomber who killed him and 14 others bcause of India's support of the Sri Lankan government during a civil war. Outside, the spot where Indira fell is marked and preserved. Popular with Indian tourists, the museum can get very crowded; allow extra time if you want to peruse things carefully.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is better known as the Hare Krishna sect, and despite the 1960s association they are very much alive and kicking. In the 1990s ISKCON erected enormous, gleaming Krishna temples in several Indian cities, and these offer a unique glimpse into the remaining pockets of international Hinduism, with shaven-headed foreigners in saffron robes mingling with Indian colleagues, devotees, and tourists. Built impressively on a rock outcropping near a residential market, Delhi's temple is an amalgam of architectural styles: Mughal, Gupta, and the flashy Delhi style jokingly called Punjabi Baroque. The sanctum contains three idols—Balram Krishna, Radha-Krishna, and Laksman (along with Rama and Sita)—each representing a different incarnation of Lord Krishna. The art gallery behind the idols must be viewed in a clockwise direction, as this parikrama (revolution) is the only appropriate way to move around the gods. At the Vedic Museum art displays and sound-and-light shows (even a robotics display) enact the Bhagavad Gita scriptures and the ancient epic, the Mahabharata..

ISKCON's temples are by far the cleanest in India, and very welcoming to visitors.

This odd grouping of what might seem like random modern sculptures is actually a huge sundial and open-air observatory. One of five such installations built by the Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur in the early 18th century (the one in Jaipur is the best preserved), Jantar Mantar is an interesting place to wander, though better understood with a good guide. The Samrat Jantar, the sundial, is the largest structure here, at 90 feet. The Hindu Chhatri, a small domed building, can tell when the monsoons are coming in and whether the weather will change. The Jai Prakash shows the sun's position at the time of the equinox. The Ram Yantra consists of two large buildings, both with open tops: they're used, together, to measure the altitude of stars. The Mishra Yantra consists of five instruments, which are used to measure the shortest and longest days of the year.

Designed by the Indian architect Charles Correa, this charming museum near the Purana Qila houses thousands of artifacts and handicrafts. You're greeted outside by playful terra-cotta sculptures from Tamil Nadu. Inside, the annotations are sketchy, but the collection is fascinating. Items in the Folk and Tribal Art Gallery, including some charming toys, illustrate village life throughout India. In one courtyard you'll see a giant wooden temple car (cart), built to carry deities in festive processions; one of the adjacent buildings contains a lavishly decorated Gujarati haveli. The Courtly Crafts section suggests the luxurious lives of India's former royalty, and the entire upper floor is a spectacular showcase of saris and textiles. In the village complex out back, craftspeople demonstrate their skills and sell their creations in replicas of village homes. The museum shop is one of the best in Delhi, with high-quality art books and crafts.

The in-house restaurant, Café Lota, serves regional highlights from all over the country.

Facing India Gate, this neoclassical building was built by the British in the early 20th century as a palace for the Maharaja of Jaipur. With its small dome and large, open rooms, the structure makes a fine space for this art museum, established in 1954 to preserve Indian art forms (mainly painting) that developed after 1850. A large new wing was added in 2008 so that more of the extensive collection could be displayed. The displays are attractive by local standards but are unfortunately uneven and not always well explained. Highlights are the colorful paintings of Amrita Sher-Gil (the Frida Kahlo of India) and, upstairs, the myth-inspired works of Raja Ravi Varma and the Bengali Renaissance oils and watercolors of the Tagore family, Jamini Roy, and Nandalal Bose. There are a few representative works by contemporary masters, including M. F. Husain and Ganesh Pyne. Documentaries, shown daily at 11 and 3, explain Indian art. The old wing often hosts interesting temporary or traveling exhibitions.

Run by a private foundation, this museum across Raj Ghat houses a great many photographs, a display of spinning wheels with some information on Gandhi's khadi (homespun cotton) crusade, and some of the Mahatma's personal effects, including the blood-stained dhoti he was wearing at the time of his murder. The tiny art gallery has a poignant wooden sculpture, made by a South African, of Gandhi in a pose suggesting Jesus's Crucifixion. A film on Gandhi's life is shown on weekends at 4.

The facade of this grand building imitates Lutyens' Presidential Palace: a sandstone dome is supported by classical columns of brown sandstone on a red-sandstone base. When you enter, you'll see a 13th-century idol—from the Konark Sun Temple in Bhubaneswar—of Surya, the sun god, standing beneath the dome. Such a statue is emblematic of the National Museum's strength—it showcases ancient, mainly Hindu, sculptures. An entire room is dedicated to artifacts from the Indus Valley Civilization, circa 2,700 BC; others display works from the Gandharan, Chandela, and Chola periods. Besides sculpture, also on exhibit are jewelry, painting, musical instruments, coins, carpets, and weapons, including Shah Jahan's sword. Be sure to pick up a brochure to help you navigate, and get the audio guide, included in ticket rates, which is also worth a listen.

This large, mostly outdoor museum is a glimpse into the largest railroad system in the world. The 10-acre grounds are home to 75 authentic locomotives, bogies (railway cars), royal saloon cars, and even a working roundabout (a device that turns rail cars). Parked behind glass is the Fairy Queen; built in 1855, it's the oldest running steam engine in the world. Inside the museum are displays that discuss the history of India's rail system. The museum is good not only for train buffs but also children, who love riding the tiny train that circles the grounds.

This colonial mansion, also known as Teen Murti Bhavan, was originally built for the commander of the British Indian Army. When the Viceroy's residence, Rashtrapati Bhavan (at the other end of South Avenue), became the home of India's president, India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, took up residence here. Those interested in the Independence movement should not miss this landmark or the nearby Gandhi Smriti. Nehru's yellow mansion is fronted by a long, oval-shape lawn; out back there's a tranquil flower garden. Inside, several rooms remain as Nehru left them, and extensive displays chronicle Nehru's life and the Independence movement. Move through the rooms in order: one by one, photographs, newspaper clippings, and personal letters tell the breathtaking story of the birth of the world's largest democracy. On your way out, stop and see the 14th-century hunting lodge next to the Nehru Planetarium. (The latter, good for children, has shows in English at 11:30 am and 3 pm.)

The design collective (also in several other Indian cities) has collaborated with the likes of Paul Smith. Popular items include cushion covers and totes with maps of Indian locales, Mughal-ruler playing cards, and T-shirts (they even add custom kitsch to Converse shoes). There's another branch in Khan Market.

India's sixth capital was the scene of a fierce power struggle between the Afghan Sher Shah and Humayun, son of the first Mughal emperor, Babur, in the 16th century. When Humayun started to build his own capital, Dinpanah, on these grounds in the 1530s, Sher Shah forced the emperor to flee for his life to Persia. Sher Shah destroyed what existed of Dinpanah to create his own capital, Shergarh. Fifteen years later, in 1555, Humayun returned and seized control, but he died the following year, leaving Sher Shah's city for others to destroy.

Once you enter the massive Bara Darwaza (Main Gate), only two buildings are intact. The Qila-i-Kuhna Masjid, Sher Shah's private mosque, is an excellent example of Indo-Afghan architecture in red sandstone with decorative marble touches. The Sher Mandal, a two-story octagonal tower of red sandstone and white marble, became Humayun's library and ultimately his death trap: hearing the call to prayer, Humayun started down the steep steps, slipped, and fell to his death. Excavated antiques are on display in a small museum.

This shop is a riot of color wrangled into kaleidoscopic order by two French expats. Packed into the ground floor are bags, cushions and home accessories—many using recycled products. Upstairs are pricier items like trays and hand-painted trunks.

Named for the Muslim sultan Qutab-ud-din Aibak, this striking tower is 238 feet high, with 376 steps, and the tallest stone tower in India. Qutub-ud-din Aibak began construction in 1193; his son-in-law and successor, Iltutmish, added three more stories, while Firoz Shah Tughlak added the fifth. The result is a handsome sandstone example of Indo-Islamic architecture, with terra-cotta frills and balconies. At its foot lies the Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid, the first mosque in India. The Muslims erected the mosque in the 12th century after they defeated the Hindu Chauhan dynasty—they built it on the site of a Hindu temple and used pillars and other materials from 27 demolished Hindu and Jain shrines. (Which explains why you see Hindu and Jain sculptures in the mosque.) The mosque is also famous for a 24-foot-high, 5th-century iron pillar, inscribed with six lines of Sanskrit. According to legend, if you stand with your back to the pillar and can reach around and touch your fingers, any wish you make will come true. (Unfortunately, it's now fenced off.)

After Mahatma Gandhi was shot and killed by a Hindu fanatic on January 30, 1948, his body was cremated on the banks of the Yamuna River; the site is now a national shrine called Raj Ghat, where tourists and pilgrims stream across the peaceful lawn to pay their respects to the saintlike "Father of the Nation." At the center of a large courtyard is a raised slab of black marble adorned with flowers and inscribed with Gandhi's final words, "Hai Ram!" (Oh, God!). An eternal flame burns at its head. The sandstone walls enclosing the shrine are inscribed with passages written by Gandhi, translated into several tongues including Tamil, Malayalam, Nepali, Urdu, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese. Near Raj Ghat are the cremation sites of other leaders, including two other assassinated heads of state, Indira Gandhi and her son Rajiv (no relation to Mohandas).

Delhi's last great garden tomb, built in 1754 for the prime minister of the emperor Mohammad Shah, is pleasantly located in the center of town. With its marble oversize dome and minarets, it can't compete with Humayun's resting place, but the finials and other details have a distinctly Mughul fineness, and the charbagh (four-section garden, which is a typical Mughal style) is a peaceful place to listen to the birds chirp. The site would be lovelier if water still ran through the four large channels in the gardens, but you have to imagine that part to complete the 18th-century scene.