At first sight,Jantar Mantar appears like a gallery of modern art.Swai Jai Singh II of Jaipur,a keen astronomer and a noble in the Mughal court, was dissatisfied with the faulty working of brass and the metal astronomical instruments. Maharaja jai singh of jaipur built Jantar Mantar in 1725 after studying European and Asian science and spending years observing the skies of Delhi. The result is as scientifically impressive as it is visually striking: the massive sundials and instruments accurately tell time, predicts eclipse and chart the movements of the stars.

This was the royal palace of Raja Jai Singh. He dedicated this palace, to the sacred memory of Guru Harkishan, the eighth Guru of the Sikhs.

Popularly known as the Birla Mandir, this huge Hindu temple was built in 1938,this temple is an ideal introduction to some of the gods of the Indian pantheon. The temple contains a large number of idols. Visitors can watch priests performing ritualistic prayers.

Built by Qutub-ud-din-Aibak, this tower standing 72.5 m tall, dates back to the 13th century, and is one of the greatest bequests of Islamic culture. At the intersection of Aurobindo Mag and Mehrauli Badarpur Rd, 14km southwest of Connaught Place. Open daily Situated in a part of Delhi speckled with crumbling mosques and decaying ram-parts, the ruins of the Qutblinar complex are peerless. The red sandstone &Qutab Minar was designed to stand as celebration of Qutb-ud-din Aibak's triumphs in Northern India and a miledtone marking the eastern frontier of the Muslim world. As an inscription on one of the tower notes, "the tower was erected to cast the shadow of God over both East and West." Modeled on the brick victory towers of Central Asia, the & Qutab Minar also served as the minaret for the Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid.

A distinctive lotus - shaped marvel, built in marble, it has been dubbed the "Taj Mahal of the 21st century". Over the past three decades, members of the Baha'i faith have donated millions of dollars toward the construction of seven Baha'i Temples in locations such as Uganda, Samoa, and the midwestern United States. The latest addition to this series was finished in 1986 and is situated in South Delhi on a 26-acre expanse of cropped grass and elegant pools. The temple, which inevitably draws comparisons to the Sydney Opera House, is built from white marble in the shape of an opening lotus flower. Silence is requested of visitors; there's little to do but settle comfortably onto one of the wood-backed benches, listen to the dull thudding of bare feet, and gaze up at the clean lines of the temple's splendid dome, which soars overhead to a height of 34m. 

Representing the last phase of the phase of the Mughal style of architecture, Safdarjung's Tomb stands in the center of an extensive garden.  Built in 1753 by nawab shauja-ud-Daula to house the remains of his father.  This marble - domed mausoleum was the last Mughal monument to be built in Delhi.

One of Delhi's magnificent monuments, the Red Fort was built by Emperor Shah Jahan, the architect of the Taj Mahal, in 1648.It gets its name from the red stone with which it is built. The red fort is one of the most magnificent palaces in the world. India's history is also closely linked with it. It was from here that the British deposed the last Mughal ruler, marking the end of the Mughal rule. It was also from its ramparts that the first Prime Minister of India Pandit J.L.Nehru, announced independence of India.

India's largest mosque, built in 1656, it is an eloquent reminder of the religious fervour of the Mughals. Emperor Shahjahan built this masjid to complement the Red Fort. A fine example of Mughal architecture, the Jama Masjid has three gateways. The largest and the highest was reserved for the emperor. The main courtyard is 408 square feet and is paved with red stone.

RAJGHAT. Here, a perpetually burning flame and a simple black slab set in a grassy courtyard offer a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, cremated at this spot after his 1948 assassination by a Hindu extremist. Gandhi's name is notably missing from the monument--the only inscription is of his last words, "Hai Ram" ("Oh God"). Hundreds of visitors come each day to cast flower petals and pray. Just south of the monument is a park full of trees and flowers planted by all dignitaries: flowers from Eisenhower, a pine from Queen Elizabeth II, and a slanted tree planted by Nasser. (On the west bank of the Yamuna River, 1km east of Delhi Gate and 2km southeast of the Red Fort.

An example of early Mughal architecture, it is believed to be the prototype of the Taj Mahal. HUMAYUN'S TOMB. A poem in red sandstone and black and white marble, Humayun's Tomb is set amid carefully designed gardens and rows of palm trees, possess a serene grandeur. Humayun was the second Mughal emperor, ruling from 1530 until he was vanquished by Sher Shah in 1540, and again from 1555 until his death one year later. Walking down the stairs of his library, Humayun heard the azan and quickly sat himself down on the nearest step; upon rising, the emperor tripped and slide down the stairs. The injuries incurred in his fall proved fatal; it wasn't until 1565, nine years after his death, that his tomb  as built. Humayun's Tomb is located at the center of a rectangular, quartered garden laced with channels and paths (charbagh), a type of garden which reached the apex of its development with the building of the Taj Mahal. A pioneering work of Mughal architecture, the octagonal tomb sits on top of a massive pedes tal; its double dome rises to a height of nearly 40m and is home to hordes of squealing bats, birds, and bees.

Built as a memorial to commemorate the 70,000 Indian soldiers killed in World War - I, India Gate was designed by Sir Edward Lutyens and completed in 1931.The gate is 160 feet high with an arch of 138 feet.Built from sandstone ,the arch also houses the ETERNAL FLAME,a gesture in memory of the brave Indian soliders who laid down their lives in the 1971 war with Pakistan.

The stylish commercial centre, Connaught Place, with the colourful stalls on Janpath, and the emporia on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, is a shopper's paradise.

Of the scores of buildings built by the British when they moved their capital from Kolkata to Delhi in 1911, Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's Residence) and Sansad Bhavan (Parliament House) are the most impressive. Designed by the renowned architect Edwin Lutyens, their massive grandeur-a not-so-subtle display of the vast reserves of British power--was intended to communicate the government's determination that India continue to be the jewel in the imperial crown. The effort basined -- the aesthetic anomaly of European-style buildings in the heart of an Indian city only further angered Indian nationalists, and the buildings became a lightning rod for criticism. In one memorable outburst, Gandhi described them as "architectural piles."

1.51nn southwest of Connaught Place, is a massive circular building that resembles a flying saucer. Because India's parliament, the Lok Sabha, meets here, approaching the building can be difficult. To reach Rashtrapati Bhavan, head left from the entrance to Parliament and bear right at the statue of Govind.Ballabah Pant; or walk due west from India Gate down Rajpath. Once the residence of the viceroy, the pink Rashtrapati Bhavan is now the home of India's president. To get inside the gates of Sansad Bhavan and Rashtrapati Bhavan, you'll need special permission and possibly a letter from your embassy. Enquire at the reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan the day before; you may be allowed to enter if no dignitaries are visiting.

Meanwhile, you can get a good view from Raisina Hill, the area between the secretariat buildings. Note the sturdy pillars, the massive copper dome, and the Mughal chhattris (kiosks). The 14jm-high pillar between the gate and the residence was donated by the Maharaja of Jaipur and is thus lagoon as the Jaipur Column. The pillar is capped with a bronze lotus and a six-pointed Star of India.  Flanking Raisina Hill on its north and south sides are the symmetrical Secretariats, which now house government ministries. The buildings are adorned with a variety of slogans singing the praises of enlightened Imperial rule.

For some shade (and fresh air), pass under the slogans and into the Great Hall, an airy room adorned with medallions and crowned by a baroque dome. Try to visit Ralsina Hill on a Saturday, when troops march in front of Rashtrapati Bhavan.