The capital of India is New Delhi. It is a planned city district within the larger National Capital Territory of Delhi, and it has served as the seat of the Indian government since it was formally inaugurated in 1931. This comprehensive guide explains why New Delhi became the capital, the dramatic history of how the British Raj moved the seat of power from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911, and the architectural genius of Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker that shaped the imperial city. You will also discover every essential landmark, from Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament House to India Gate and the revitalized Kartavya Path, plus all the practical information you need to visit the capital today—ticket prices, opening hours, Metro routes, and insider tips for navigating this sprawling political and cultural heart of the world’s largest democracy. Whether you are a traveler planning a trip, a student researching India’s government, or simply curious about the world’s most important capitals, this ultimate guide to New Delhi covers history, geography, architecture, daily life, seasonal weather, and answers every frequently asked question about the capital of India.
Why New Delhi Is the Capital
New Delhi became the capital of India primarily because the British Raj decided to shift its administrative center from Calcutta in the early 20th century. Calcutta, in the eastern state of Bengal, had been the capital of British India from 1772, but by the late 1800s it faced significant political and logistical challenges. The Indian independence movement was gaining momentum, and the British government felt that a more central location in the subcontinent would be easier to administer and defend. Delhi, located in the northern heartland, had been a historic capital for centuries under the Mughals and earlier Indian empires, making it a symbolically powerful choice that could lend legitimacy to British rule.
The decision was officially proclaimed by King George V at the Delhi Durbar on December 12, 1911, when he and Queen Mary were crowned Emperor and Empress of India. The King announced that the capital would be transferred from Calcutta to Delhi, and a new city would be built south of the existing Mughal city of Shahjahanabad. This move was designed to quiet political unrest in Bengal, which had been rocked by the Partition of Bengal in 1905 and the Swadeshi movement. By shifting the capital, the British hoped to distance the imperial government from the volatile politics of Calcutta and place it firmly in a region with strong historical associations of imperial rule. New Delhi was thus born from a mix of strategic calculus, colonial ambition, and a desire to imprint British power onto an ancient Indian landscape.
History of India’s Capitals
India’s capitals have shifted dramatically over millennia, reflecting the rise and fall of empires. In ancient times, Pataliputra (modern Patna) was the capital of the Mauryan Empire under Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE, while Vijayanagara in the south served as the seat of the Vijayanagara Empire from the 14th to 16th centuries. Delhi itself has a layered history as a site of seven historic cities, starting with Indraprastha of the Mahabharata, then successive capitals built by the Tomaras, Chauhans, Delhi Sultanate dynasties, and the Mughals. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan founded the walled city of Shahjahanabad (today’s Old Delhi) in 1639 and made it the Mughal capital until the dynasty’s collapse in 1857.
Under the British East India Company, Calcutta rose to prominence because of its strategic location on the Hooghly River and its early establishment as a trading post. In 1772, Warren Hastings moved the capital of the Presidency of Fort William to Calcutta, and it became the de facto capital of British India, a status it held through the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and the formal transfer of power from the Company to the Crown in 1858. Calcutta remained the capital until 1911, when the decision to relocate to Delhi was taken. After independence in 1947, New Delhi was retained as the capital of the Republic of India, cementing its status as the modern political center.
British Calcutta
Calcutta served as the capital of the British Indian Empire for 139 years, growing from a swampy trading settlement into a teeming commercial and administrative hub. The city was the headquarters of the Governor-General of India and housed the Viceregal Lodge, the Supreme Council, and all major departments of the colonial government. Victorian Gothic buildings like the Writers’ Building and the High Court, which still stand today, testified to Calcutta’s imperial grandeur during this period. However, the city’s location in the eastern delta also made it prone to cyclones, flooding, and disease, while its distance from the populous northern and central regions created communication delays.
The political turmoil surrounding the Partition of Bengal in 1905 accelerated the search for an alternative capital. Lord Curzon’s controversial decision to partition Bengal along religious lines ignited fierce opposition from the Indian National Congress and a wave of nationalist agitation. By moving the capital from Calcutta to Delhi, the British Raj hoped to symbolically break with the region’s troubled politics and position itself at a point perceived as more central to India’s vast geography. The move was also influenced by the desire to build a grand, purpose-built city that would rival the world’s great imperial capitals and project unshakeable British authority for centuries to come.
Shift to Delhi
The King’s proclamation at the 1911 Delhi Durbar was both a ceremonial spectacle and a decisive political act. The Durbar itself was a tented city north of Old Delhi where tens of thousands of British and Indian officials, princes, and dignitaries gathered to watch George V announce the transfer of the capital. The new capital was to be built on a sprawling site south of Shahjahanabad and the 17th-century Red Fort, on land that was then largely agricultural plain punctuated by scattered villages and crumbling medieval ruins. Immediately, the government began acquiring land, and a planning committee was formed to select the site and oversee the design.
The choice of Delhi was loaded with imperial meaning. The British consciously invoked the authority of the Mughal Empire and the earlier Delhi Sultanate, presenting themselves as natural successors to India’s long tradition of centralized rule. Delhi’s location on the banks of the Yamuna River, at the crossroads of trade routes between the Indus and Gangetic plains, provided good communications. Moreover, the relatively low cost of land compared to Calcutta and the availability of space to build a modern capital on a tabula rasa were powerful practical incentives for the move.
The 1911 Delhi Durbar
The Delhi Durbar of 1911 was the third and most spectacular of the British imperial durbars, following earlier gatherings in 1877 and 1903, and it marked the only time a reigning monarch visited India. Over the course of 10 days in December, the vast Coronation Park north of Old Delhi was transformed into a tented city of elaborately decorated pavilions, throne platforms, and parade grounds, lavishly designed in an Indo-Saracenic style. On December 12, 1911, King George V, wearing the newly created Imperial Crown of India, and Queen Mary sat on golden thrones before a gathering of over 100,000 attendees and made the shock announcement that the capital would move to Delhi.
The Durbar announcement was not universally welcomed. Calcutta’s elite were appalled at the impending loss of status, and many British administrators worried about the enormous cost and logistical nightmare of building an entirely new capital from scratch. For Indians, the decision was both a confirmation of Delhi’s historic importance and a reminder of foreign rule. The Durbar site itself, now known as Coronation Park, still stands as a memorial landscape, with a tall stone obelisk marking the exact spot of the proclamation and statues of British viceroys relocated there after independence.
Building New Delhi
Construction of New Delhi began shortly after 1911, but the First World War delayed progress, and it was not until the 1920s that the project gained full momentum. The British government appointed Edwin Landseer Lutyens as the chief architect, with Herbert Baker as his partner for the secretariat buildings. Lutyens, already famous for his country houses and war memorials in Britain, envisioned a city that would combine the grandeur of imperial Rome and Washington D.C. with Indian decorative motifs, creating a style that became known as Delhi Order. The Viceroy’s House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan) was the centerpiece, placed on the summit of Raisina Hill to dominate the city below.
Lutyens’ plan for New Delhi was based on a vast hexagonal grid with broad, tree-lined avenues radiating from roundabouts. The central axis, originally called Kingsway and now Kartavya Path, ran from the Viceroy’s House eastward to India Gate, a triumphal arch designed as the All-India War Memorial. Flanking the axis on the north and south, Baker designed the two enormous Secretariat blocks, which house the ministries of the Indian government. The city was laid out with separate residential zones for senior officials, detached bungalows with generous gardens, and a clear social hierarchy encoded in the architecture. New Delhi was formally inaugurated on February 13, 1931, by Viceroy Lord Irwin, in a ceremony that finally realized the 1911 vision after two decades of political upheaval and relentless construction.
Lutyens’ Delhi
Lutyens’ architectural philosophy for New Delhi blended classical European planning principles with deliberate references to Indian elements, such as chhatris (small domed pavilions), jali stone screens, and red sandstone detailing. The Viceroy’s House, covering 200,000 square feet and containing 340 rooms, is a magnificent fusion of Mughal and Western classical styles, with a large copper dome inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, topped by a lotus motif. Lutyens intended the building to symbolize the permanence of British rule, though ironically it became the official residence of the President of independent India. The building sits at the western end of the Central Vista, its long sweeping approach rising in stages to create a dramatic sense of arrival.
Baker’s Secretariat buildings—the North Block and South Block—are less flamboyant than Lutyens’ palace but equally massive, their colonnaded facades and flat roofs forming a solemn backdrop for the Rajpath. Lutyens and Baker famously fell out over the gradient of the approach road, which Baker designed at a steeper incline so that the Viceroy’s House would appear to sink slightly when viewed from India Gate, a deliberate slight that infuriated Lutyens. Today, the entire Central Vista is being redeveloped, with a new Parliament building inaugurated in 2023 and a new Prime Minister’s residence and office complex under construction, yet the Lutyens-Baker skyline remains the defining image of the Indian capital.
Geography and Layout
New Delhi sits on the western bank of the Yamuna River, occupying an area of approximately 42.7 square kilometers within the larger 1,484 square kilometers of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The city was built on a gently sloping plain that rises from the river to the rocky outcrop of the Delhi Ridge, part of the ancient Aravalli Range. The climate is characterized by extreme temperatures: scorching heat from April to June when temperatures routinely exceed 40°C (104°F), a monsoon season from July to September bringing heavy but erratic rainfall, pleasant autumn and spring months from October to March, and a mild winter with temperatures dropping to 5°C (41°F) in December and January.
The heart of modern New Delhi is the Central Vista, a 3.2-kilometer-long ceremonial axis that stretches from the gate of Rashtrapati Bhavan at Raisina Hill to India Gate. Radiating from this spine is a geometric network of wide roads named after British and Indian leaders, intersected by grand roundabouts. The most famous commercial hub, Connaught Place (officially Rajiv Chowk), is a circular colonnaded complex designed by Robert Tor Russell, located about 2 kilometers north of the Central Vista. The layout of New Delhi represents a classic garden-city design, with generous green spaces, large roundabouts filled with flowerbeds, and leafy residential avenues reserved for senior government officers and ministers. Urban expansion has long since blurred the edges between New Delhi, Old Delhi, and the sprawling suburbs of Gurugram and Noida, but the capital district retains its distinctive imperial character.
Landmarks of the Capital
New Delhi is home to some of the most iconic monuments and government buildings in the world. Every visitor to the capital encounters a concentration of history, power, and architecture along the Central Vista, but the district and its immediate surroundings also contain museums, places of worship, and public squares that tell the story of India’s past and present. Most landmarks are accessible by public transport, and many are free to visit or require only a modest ticket fee. The following are the essential sights that define the capital of India for tourists, diplomats, and citizens alike.
Rashtrapati Bhavan
Rashtrapati Bhavan, originally the Viceroy’s House, is the official residence of the President of the world’s largest democracy. Completed in 1929 and continuously occupied since 1931, it is one of the largest residential heads-of-state buildings on the planet, surpassing even Buckingham Palace in total floor area. The building’s Darbar Hall, Ashoka Hall, and Museum showcase stunning interiors with central dome, marble latticework, and paintings depicting Indian history. The Mughal Gardens, renamed Amrit Udyan, were redesigned in 2024 yet retain a magnificent 15-acre layout of terraced lawns, water channels, rose beds, and seasonal flower displays.
Visitors can tour Rashtrapati Bhavan on selected days and must book tickets online in advance. The general circuit (Rashtrapati Bhavan main building, Museum, and Amrit Udyan) opens Wednesday through Sunday, with two-hour time slots between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Tickets cost ₹50 for Indian citizens and ₹500 for foreign nationals, with separate rates for the guided Mughal Gardens walk during the annual opening in February–March. The nearest Metro station is Central Secretariat on the Yellow and Violet lines. Photography is allowed in most outdoor areas but restricted inside certain halls.
Parliament House
India’s Parliament complex now includes two striking buildings. The historic circular Parliament House, completed in 1927, served as the seat of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for nearly a century until the new Parliament House was inaugurated on May 28, 2023. The new building, adjacent to the original, is triangular in plan, covers 64,500 square meters, and houses a grand Lok Sabha chamber with a capacity of 888 members, reflecting the need for expanded seating. The old Parliament building will be conserved as a museum.
Public tours of the new Parliament are available on Saturdays and Sundays, excluding special sessions or national holidays, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets cost ₹100 for Indians and ₹750 for foreign nationals, available through the Parliament website. As of 2025, the Parliament complex is accessible from Central Secretariat Metro station, and visitors must undergo strict security screening. No mobile phones, cameras, or electronic devices are permitted inside, and lockers are provided at the entry.
India Gate
India Gate is a 42-meter-tall sandstone arch designed by Edwin Lutyens as the All-India War Memorial, commemorating the 84,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in World War I and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Completed in 1931, it stands at the eastern end of Kartavya Path, surrounded by wide lawns that are a favorite gathering spot for families in the evening. The Amar Jawan Jyoti, an eternal flame added in 1972 under the arch, originally honored India’s unknown soldier and was merged in 2022 with the National War Memorial nearby.
India Gate is free to visit, open 24 hours a day, and is dramatically lit at night. The lawns attract picnickers, balloon sellers, and ice cream vendors, and the area is particularly lively on cool weekends from October to February. The Patiala House Courts area nearby is also worth a walk. The nearest Metro station is Central Secretariat, about a 20-minute walk, or the new Khan Market station on the Violet Line extension.
Kartavya Path
Kartavya Path, formerly Rajpath, is the grand ceremonial boulevard stretching for 3.2 kilometers from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate. Renamed in 2022 as part of the Central Vista redevelopment, the avenue is flanked by lawns, water channels, and rows of trees, hosting the annual Republic Day parade on January 26. The newly redeveloped lawns, red granite walkways, branded benches, and public amenities have transformed the boulevard into a pedestrian-friendly people’s space while retaining its grand imperial scale.
The path is open to visitors daily, free of charge, and is most spectacular at dusk when the Rashtrapati Bhavan and North and South Blocks are illuminated. Vendors sell cheap snacks and chai, and families fly kites from the lawns. The area can be very crowded during Republic Day rehearsals in late January, but the rest of the year it is a peaceful spot for walks and photography. Access is from Central Secretariat or Udyog Bhawan Metro stations.
National Museum
The National Museum, located on Janpath just south of the Central Secretariat, is India’s largest museum, housing over 200,000 works of art, archaeology, and ethnography. Its galleries cover 5,000 years of Indian history, from the Harappan civilization and the Mauryan and Gupta empires to medieval sultanates, Mughal art, and modern Indian miniatures. The museum also holds the famous Dancing Girl bronze from Mohenjo-daro and an extensive collection of Buddhist artifacts, including reliquary caskets and stone sculpture.
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., closed on Mondays and national holidays. Entry costs ₹20 for Indian citizens and ₹650 for foreign nationals, with an additional fee for the audio guide. Photography is permitted in most galleries for a fee. The nearest Metro is Central Secretariat. The collection is in the process of transitioning to a new, larger museum under the Central Vista master plan, so some galleries may be temporarily relocated.
Connaught Place
Connaught Place is the commercial heart of New Delhi, a circular market complex designed by Robert Tor Russell and completed in 1933. Its two concentric circles of white colonnaded buildings, named after members of the British royal family and later renamed, house everything from international fashion brands and bookshops to legendary eateries like Wenger’s and United Coffee House. The central park features an underground market, Palika Bazaar, and the Rajiv Chowk Metro station, one of the busiest transport hubs in the city.
Connaught Place is free to explore, with shops open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily, though Sundays are quieter. The area is a hub for street food, from chole bhature to kulfi, and its radial lanes are packed with state emporiums where one can buy handicrafts and textiles from across India at fixed prices. The nearest Metro station is Rajiv Chowk. Parking is notoriously difficult, so using the Metro or an auto-rickshaw is strongly recommended.
Government at the Capital
New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India: the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. The Prime Minister’s Office is located in the South Block of the Secretariat, while the Cabinet Secretariat and Ministry of Home Affairs occupy the North Block. The President, as head of state, resides at Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the Vice President’s official residence is located on Maulana Azad Road nearby. The Supreme Court of India is situated on Tilak Marg, a short drive from the Parliament complex, with its modern dome and tiered colonial structure representing the highest judicial authority in the country.
The capital also hosts foreign embassies and high commissions concentrated in the Chanakyapuri diplomatic enclave, a leafy, meticulously planned zone south of the Central Vista. The headquarters of the Indian Armed Forces—the Ministry of Defence and the integrated services—are housed in the South Block and in the sprawling cantonment area. Additionally, the National Institute of Urban Affairs, the Planning Commission (NITI Aayog), the Reserve Bank of India’s central office, and numerous other statutory bodies are all headquartered in the capital region, making New Delhi the nerve center of India’s administrative and political life.
Culture and Daily Life
Beyond politics, New Delhi is a vibrant cultural capital with a unique cosmopolitan identity shaped by its role as the seat of national power. The city’s population of over 33 million people in the wider National Capital Region includes communities from every Indian state, creating a rich stew of languages, cuisines, and festivals. On any given day, you can hear Hindi, English, Punjabi, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, and dozens of other tongues on the Metro. Street food culture is legendary: chandni chowk in nearby Old Delhi offers centuries-old recipes, while the lanes of Connaught Place and Lutyens’ Zone serve everything from butter chicken kebabs to South Indian filter coffee.
Cultural institutions abound in the capital. The Kamani Auditorium, Siri Fort Auditorium, and the India International Centre host classical dance, theatre, and literary festivals year-round. The National Gallery of Modern Art and the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art showcase Indian modernism, while the Sahitya Akademi and the Lalit Kala Academy promote literature and visual arts. Residents and visitors alike escape the city’s heat and chaos in the lush Lodhi Garden, a sprawling park dotted with 15th-century tombs, or in the cool, marble-clad spaces of the Lotus Temple and the ISKCON temple complex. From early morning yoga sessions in Nehru Park to late-night food crawls in Karim’s, the capital’s cultural rhythm is relentless and deeply inclusive.
Visiting New Delhi
Planning a trip to the Indian capital can seem overwhelming given the city’s size and intensity, but with the right information it is straightforward, safe, and deeply rewarding. New Delhi is extremely well connected by air, rail, and road to every corner of India and the world. Its Metro system is a model of efficiency, and ride-hailing apps have made street navigation far easier than in the past. Below you will find all the essential practical details—how to get there, how to move around, ticket prices for major attractions, opening times, what to expect, and expert tips for a smooth visit.
Getting to New Delhi
Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) is the main gateway, located about 16 kilometers southwest of the city center. Terminal 3 handles all international flights and many domestic ones, while Terminals 1 and 2 serve budget domestic airlines. The Airport Express Metro link connects Terminal 3 to New Delhi railway station in about 20 minutes for ₹60, operating from 4:45 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Taxi and app-based cabs (Uber, Ola) are widely available; a trip to the central area costs approximately ₹400–₹700, depending on distance and traffic. Pre-paid taxi counters inside the terminal offer fixed-rate rides for a slightly higher cost.
New Delhi railway station (NDLS) is the principal rail hub, with connections to all parts of India. It is located in the Paharganj area, just a 10-minute Metro ride from Connaught Place. Other major stations in the city include Old Delhi (DLI), Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM), and Anand Vihar Terminal (ANVT). For long-distance road travel, the ISBT Kashmere Gate is the main bus terminal, with government-run and private buses to neighboring states. The Golden Quadrilateral highway network connects Delhi to Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, though driving in the city is not recommended for first-time visitors due to chaotic traffic.
Getting Around the Capital
The Delhi Metro is the most efficient and affordable way to navigate the capital. It operates from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., with 12 color-coded lines covering over 390 kilometers. Tourist passes are available: a one-day card costs ₹150, and a three-day card costs ₹300, offering unlimited rides except for the Airport Express. Metro stations are air-conditioned, clearly signed in Hindi and English, and connect to bus stops and auto-rickshaw stands. The Yellow Line (Huda City Centre to Samaypur Badli) serves the Central Secretariat, while the Violet Line connects to major landmarks and the commercial hub.
Auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws are ubiquitous and best for short distances. Always insist on the meter or negotiate the fare beforehand. Ola and Uber are reliable and cheap, with a 10-kilometer ride typically costing ₹200–₹350. The city’s bus network is extensive but can be overcrowded; tourists generally prefer the Metro and app-based cabs. For taxis, the government-run Delhi Transport Corporation operates some air-conditioned services, but ride-hailing is universally preferred.
Monument Opening Hours
Most government museums and monuments in New Delhi open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 or 6:00 p.m., and many are closed on Mondays. Rashtrapati Bhavan tours run Wednesday to Sunday in time slots; the Mughal Gardens (Amrit Udyan) are open daily during February–March from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Parliament tours are Saturday and Sunday only, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The National Museum closes Mondays. India Gate and Kartavya Path are open 24 hours. Connaught Place shops open around 10:30 a.m. and close by 9:00 p.m., though restaurants stay open later. Always check official websites before visiting, as timings can change due to state events, maintenance, and security drills.
Admission Prices and Tickets
Tickets for central government monuments are tiered by citizenship. Generally, Indian citizens pay a small fee while foreigners pay a premium. Rashtrapati Bhavan: ₹50 Indians, ₹500 foreigners. Parliament: ₹100 Indians, ₹750 foreigners. National Museum: ₹20 Indians, ₹650 foreigners. Qutub Minar (Delhi though outside New Delhi district): ₹35 Indians, ₹550 foreigners. Many sites, including India Gate, Raj Ghat (Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial), and the Lotus Temple, are free for all. Online booking is required for Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament; others offer on-the-spot tickets but may have long queues.
What to Expect
The capital is an intense sensory experience. Expect congestion, honking, heat, and crowds, but also extraordinary hospitality, magnificent architecture, and the thrilling sense of proximity to power. Security is tight at government buildings; carry photo ID at all times and be prepared for bag checks and metal detectors. English is widely spoken in tourist areas, but learning a few Hindi phrases will be warmly received. Dress modestly at religious sites, and be prepared to remove shoes at temples and some memorials. Tipping is customary at restaurants (5–10%) but not mandatory.
Tips for Visitors
Travel between October and March for the most pleasant weather; avoid May and June if possible. Book accommodation in Central Delhi for proximity to landmarks, or in South Delhi for a greener, more upscale experience. Use the Metro to avoid traffic, but avoid peak hours (8:00–10:00 a.m. and 5:00–7:00 p.m.) for a more comfortable ride. Drink only bottled or filtered water, and eat at busy, popular eateries to enjoy the best of Delhi’s street food without stomach issues. A reasonable daily budget for a mid-range visitor is ₹4,000–₹7,000 ($50–$85) including meals, transport, and entry fees.
Seasonal and Timely Sections
Republic Day 2025
Republic Day, celebrated on January 26, is the capital’s grandest annual event. The main parade proceeds down Kartavya Path from Rashtrapati Bhavan to Red Fort, featuring marching contingents, military hardware, tableaux from states, and a helicopter flypast. Tickets for the parade go on sale at Sena Bhavan and Pragati Maidan in early January and cost ₹50–₹300 for seats, with free standing room along the route. Security is extreme; arrive hours early and expect road closures across central Delhi. The Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk on January 29 marks the end of celebrations.
Independence Day 2025
Independence Day on August 15 sees the Prime Minister address the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Old Delhi. Tickets for the Red Fort event are distributed through government offices and are extremely difficult for tourists to obtain, but the capital dresses up in flags and the atmosphere is electric. Several government buildings in New Delhi are specially illuminated in the evening. Expect heightened security and partial road closures in the central area around the Red Fort and throughout the capital.
Best Festivals
Diwali (October/November) transforms the capital into a city of lights, with firecrackers, decorated markets, and family feasts. Holi (March) brings riotous color—visitors can join controlled celebrations in ticketed events. The Delhi International Arts Festival in spring and the India Art Fair in February attract global audiences. Check the exact dates each year and book accommodation months ahead for these popular times.
FAQs
What is the capital of India?
The capital of India is New Delhi. It is a district within the National Capital Territory of Delhi and has been the seat of the Government of India since 1931.
Is New Delhi the same as Delhi?
No. Delhi is the wider National Capital Territory, a sprawling urban region of over 33 million people. New Delhi is a distinct district within Delhi, planned by the British as the imperial capital and containing the main government buildings, embassies, and many of the city’s monuments.
When did New Delhi become the capital of India?
New Delhi was formally inaugurated as the capital on February 13, 1931, by Viceroy Lord Irwin. The decision to move the capital from Calcutta to Delhi was announced in 1911 and construction took roughly two decades.
Why was the capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi?
The capital was moved for several reasons: political unrest in Bengal, the need for a more central location for administration, and Delhi’s deep historical significance as a seat of imperial power under the Mughals and earlier kingdoms.
Who designed New Delhi?
The British architect Edwin Lutyens designed the master plan and iconic buildings such as Rashtrapati Bhavan and India Gate. Herbert Baker designed the Secretariat buildings. The garden city layout was a collaboration of a whole planning commission.
Where is the Parliament of India located?
The Parliament of India is in New Delhi, at the Sansad Marg, just north of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The new triangular Parliament building, inaugurated in 2023, sits adjacent to the original circular Parliament House from 1927.
How can I visit Rashtrapati Bhavan?
Visitors must book tickets online through the Rashtrapati Bhavan website. Tours run Wednesday through Sunday, and tickets cost ₹50 for Indians and ₹500 for foreigners. The Mughal Gardens (Amrit Udyan) are open to the public in February–March.
What are the top attractions in the capital?
Key attractions include Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, India Gate, Kartavya Path, the National Museum, Connaught Place, Lotus Temple, and the Red Fort (in Old Delhi). All are easily reachable via the Delhi Metro.
What is the best time to visit New Delhi?
October to March is ideal, with daytime temperatures between 20°C and 30°C (68°F–86°F). Avoid the hot season from April to June and the humid monsoon from July to September, though the city is less crowded during those off-peak months.
How do I reach New Delhi from the airport?
Indira Gandhi International Airport is connected to the city center by the Airport Express Metro line (20 minutes, ₹60) and by prepaid taxis or app-based cabs. The ride to Connaught Place takes about 30–40 minutes by road.
Is New Delhi safe for tourists?
New Delhi is generally safe for tourists, but visitors should take standard precautions: avoid unlit areas at night, use reputable transport, guard valuables in crowds, and dress conservatively to avoid unwanted attention. The tourist police are visible at major sites.
What languages are spoken in New Delhi?
Hindi is the most widely spoken language, and English is used for official and commercial purposes. Punjabi, Urdu, and many regional Indian languages are also spoken due to the city’s diverse population.
Can I take a tour of Parliament?
Yes, public tours of the new Parliament House are offered on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with advance booking required through the Parliament website. Admission costs ₹100 for Indian citizens and ₹750 for foreigners.
What is the currency used in New Delhi?
The Indian Rupee (₹) is the only legal currency. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, and shops, but street vendors and auto-rickshaws operate mostly with cash. ATMs are plentiful.
How much does it cost to visit the main monuments?
Rashtrapati Bhavan costs ₹50/₹500 (Indian/foreign), Parliament ₹100/₹750, National Museum ₹20/₹650, and Qutub Minar ₹35/₹550. Many sites like India Gate, Kartavya Path, Lotus Temple, and Raj Ghat are free.
What is the population of New Delhi?
New Delhi district has a population of roughly 250,000–300,000 residents, but the larger National Capital Territory of Delhi has over 33 million in 2025. The day-time working population in the government seat swells far beyond the residential count.
Is there a dress code for government buildings?
There is no strict dress code for most monuments, but modest dress covering shoulders and knees is respectful. For Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament, avoid shorts and sleeveless tops. At temples and mosques, you will be required to remove shoes.
What power plugs are used in New Delhi?
India uses Type C, D, and M plugs with a standard voltage of 230V and frequency of 50Hz. Travelers from North America and the UK should bring a universal adapter.
Can I use public Wi-Fi in New Delhi?
Free public Wi-Fi hotspots are available at major Metro stations, Connaught Place, and some government offices, but connectivity is inconsistent. Local SIM cards with data plans are cheap and recommended for visitors.
How many days do I need to see New Delhi?
A thorough visit to the capital’s core landmarks requires at least three to four days. Add another two days if you plan to explore Old Delhi, Humayun’s Tomb, and the Qutub Minar complex in greater Delhi.
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