About New Delhi

Welcome to the Capital City of India!

Delhi or the National Capital Territory of Delhi is the capital of India and the second largest metropolis in the country. The city has the distinction of being one of the oldest continually inhabited cities of the world. Archaeologists believe that civilization existed in the city around 2nd century B.C. As per the Indian epic Mahabharat, Delhi was the site of the Kingdom of Indraprastha, the legendary capital of the Pandavas. Over centuries, the city remained the seat of power of different rulers from the Hindu kings to Mughal Emperors and then, the British. On 15th August, 1947, with the end of the British rule, Delhi was proclaimed the capital of independent India and the reins of administration of this ancient city finally rested in the hands of its people.

There are some specific colonies which are popular as the Expat Colonies in Delhi. These are the areas where, mostly expats and diplomats like to live.

Climate

Delhi experiences semi-arid climate characterized by long and hot summers, short spell of monsoon and extremely cold winters. Mercury soars as high as 47 degrees Celsius and plummets as low as -0.6 degrees Celsius.  Dust-laden winds called ‘loo’ blows across Delhi during summer; while heavy fog disrupts daily life during winter. 

Lifestyle

Delhi has a cosmopolitan culture that celebrates life in its entirety. The people are friendly, carefree but sophisticated and believe in living life to the fullest. Being the capital city of India, Delhi plays host to national events such as The Republic Day Parade, Independence Day celebrations as well as Gandhi Jayanti. Every year, on August 15th the Prime Minister unfurls the Indian national flag from the Red Fort in Delhi to celebrate India’s independence from British rule. The spirit of secularism echoes in the pomp and vigor with each and every Indian festival, irrespective of the religion, is celebrated in Delhi with due respect and great fanfare. Besides religious festivities, the city also springs to life during cultural fests such as Qutub festival, International Mango Festival, Vasant Panchami (Festival of Spring) and the annual Kite flying festival.

Places to See 

Delhi has monuments that are worth a dekko. Experience architectural marvels such as the illustrious Rashtrapati Bhavan; Get a taste of India’s glorious history by taking a trip to Red Fort and Qutub Minaar or be mesmerized by the exquisite craftsmanship of Akshardhaam Temple and the Birla Mandir. Pay homage to former Emperor Humayun at the world heritage site of Humayun’s tomb or salute the spirit of the unnamed Indian soldiers at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate.

You can shop to your hearts content in the beautiful bylanes of Delhi that are always abuzz with activities. Delhi has always been an important trading center in North India and the bylanes of the 300 years old Chandni Chowk will vouch for it. Well known for Zari sarees and beautiful jewellery, Chandni Chowk still remains the most happening shopping area in Delhi. Well known for Meenakari (art of enameling) and Zardozi (embroidery done with gold threads) work, people from all over the country come to Delhi to shop for bridal attire, silver jewellery, salwar-kameez, etc.  A forerunner in arts and crafts, Delhi is home to Dilli Haat, Pragati Maidan and Hauz Khas that offer a wide variety of handlooms and handicrafts. 

Although deeply rooted in history, the city has kept pace with changing times and embraced modernism in all walks of life. The city has retained its old charm despite being transformed into a hi-tech city with sprawling luxurious residential complexes, bungalows, beautiful shopping malls and arcades as well as hi-tech multiplexes to match the high expectations of the global Indian.

On the education front, Delhi has numerous reputed schools imparting education in Hindi and English medium. Delhi is also home to some of the best educational institutes such as : All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS); Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Lady Sri Ram College for Women; IGNOU, JNU, Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology, Jamia Milia Islamia and Indian Institute of Mass Communication.

Cuisine

Delhi is the land of the foodies. From the delectable Punjabi cuisine to the lip-smacking Mughlai fare, Delhi enjoys a multi-cuisine culture with restaurants serving Hyderabadi, Maharashtrian, Goan, South Indian, Rajasthani and Bengali cuisines to name a few. Apart from this ofcourse Delhi has a wide variety of Street Food. Besides Indian food, the city offers choices aplenty in international cuisine including Chinese, Thai, American, French, Japanese and Italian.

Education:

Some of the famous schools of the region are Delhi Public School, Vasant Valley, Ryan Public School, G.D Goenka, Bhatnagar Public School. However, most Expat Community kids are generally either going to the American School or the British School, some expat children are also studying in a few of the good resident schools around the Suburbs of Delhi.

Commercial area:

Various Shopping Malls have come up within the past few years, where most expats like to shop as this is as close as it gets to back home. Other than this, there are some key areas where generally you can find things that you are generally used to back home, these may be food stuff for expat community and other products. The most prominent of malls are either located on the broad road leading from Vasant Vihar to Vasant Kunj, like the Emporio, which is hosting most high end international brands like CD or Gucci and Kelvin Klien etc. Apart from this, another major shopping area in South Delhi is Saket, which has the malls like the Select City Walk, which also is preferred by the expat community.

Hospitals:

Lately many hospitals have come up in the locality, the latest being the Fortis Hospital adjoinining Sector B1. An Apollo Clinic is located in the B11 Shopping Complex. And there is also the super speciality Indian Spinal Injuries Centre.

Travel Info

Being the capital city of India, Delhi is easily accessible from any part of India by road, rail and air.

By Air 
 
All major domestic and international airlines operate daily flights to the Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi.

By Road 
 
Delhi has a good network of roads and boasts of impressive flyovers built across the city. Delhi is easily accessible by National Highway 1, 2, 8, 10 and 24 from any part of the country. The internal transport system is manned by the environment friendly CNG bus operated by DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation), cycle rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and taxis.

Also, cars and taxis are easily available on rental basis to facilitate travel within Delhi and other parts of northern India.

By Rail 
 
A major junction in India’s rail map, Delhi is the headquarters of Northern Railways. The city has four major railway stations: New Delhi, Sarai Rohilla, Nizamuddin and Old Delhi. Also, the city has a robust train network known as Delhi Metro that facilitates easy travel within Delhi. Plans are also underway to extend the Metro to Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, and Noida to help lakhs of people commuting daily between Delhi and the cities in nearby vicinity.