visit to delhi

Garden of Five Senses

The Garden of five senses is a breadth taking and enamoring experience. It is not just a park - it is a celebration of aesthetic expression and appreciation, a seamless dialogue between the creations of man and nature that invites interaction and exploration. It is an ideal ground to realize the twin objectives of the need for a public leisure space as well as awakening of human sensitivity to the environment.

It is an intricate blend of natures bounty and subtle human creation. Amidst the concrete jungle and the hustle and bustle of the city, the garden of five senses comes across as a welcome breadth of fresh air and serene quietude. True to the imagery suggested by its name and with its beautiful, lush green landscapes, the garden of five senses stimulates all the five senses in an evocative bouquet that awakens the mind to the beauty of life and invokes a grateful prayer for the gift of touch, sight, sound, smell and taste .

Visitors are encouraged to touch the rocks and displays, the fragrance of flower for the nose, beds stimulates the olfactory senses, the landscaping appeals to the eyes - the sight, the ceramic bells and the water falls create a soothing sound -pleasing to the ear and the food courts serve a variety of cuisines - to please the tongue.

LOCATION

 The garden is located at Said-ul-Aizab village , close to the Mehrauli heritage area in New Delhi. The garden is built on a large expanse of land, 20 acres to be precise. It was inaugurated in February 2003 by Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit, coinciding with the beginning of the 16th garden festival which is showcasing seasonal flowers, hanging baskets and animal figures sculpted from the plants.

The Garden, developed at a cost of Rs 10.5 crore over the last three years. The garden is a visual treat. The geometric arrangement of plants , the meandering pathways and lotus pools , with beds of green leaves covering clear waters, with pink lotuses peeping out every now and then transport a person straight to heaven. A brief walk in the garden serves as a great stress reliever.

 Stainless steel birds mounted on slate -clad pillars soar indignantly in the air, as if, cocking a snook at their real counterparts , trying to welcome the visitors.

ESTIVALS

The food festivals, organized every now and then are virtual gastronomical delights and drive even the severest of dyspeptics on a binge trip. There are also Sherbet melas to boot . Other festivals include Garden tourism festival, Dandia Masti festival etc.

THEME

The garden festivals theme this year is Decorative Accents in Landscaping. A competition will be held in 24 classes consisting over 175 sections. There will also be competitions in Dahlia varieties, display sections, the tray garden class and nursery stalls. Such similar competitions and shows would be held every year.

AMUSEMENT SECTION

To add more interest , are the toy solar cars imported from Taiwan for use in the amusement section of the Garden of Five Senses. Each solar car cost Rs 60,000 each.

During the garden festival, free battery bus rides up to the garden would be available from Qutab Minar and the deputy commissioners office near Anupam Apartments in Saket.

SOLAR ENERGY PARK

An integral part of the garden is the solar Park set up with the assistance of the Ministry of Non-conventional Renewable Energy sources. The aim is to promote awareness of renewable source of energy. A 20KW solar power plant is installed to meet the requirement of the park.

The exhibits include :

Two solar-powered buses.
Weighing machine
Solar powered bicycles
Solar powered cars for children
Quiz computer
Solar drum and slide
A prototype of solar- powered home
Exhibits on renewable sources
In addition, solar water heating has been installed in nine food outlets

Lodi Tomb

Evidence of the sixth city, said to have been built by the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties is found only in the tombs and mosques in the famous Lodi Gardens, which is a favourite point for early morning walkers from the posh south Delhi coloniesLodi Tomb Situated about 3-kms to the west and adjoining the Indian International Centre are the Lodi Gardens.History has it that the tombs are remnants of another city that was sought to be built in Delhi. Muhammad Shah's tomb built in 1450 is a prototype for the later Mughal style tomb of Humayun, a design that would eventually develop into the Taj Mahal.

Other tombs include those of his predecessors Mubarak Shah -1433, Ibrahim Lodi - 1526 and Sikander Lodi - 1517. The Bara Gumbad Mosque is a fine example of its type of plaster decoration.

Humayun's Tomb

Humayun was the eldest son of Babar who was the first emperor of Mughal Empire in India. He succeeded in becoming the next Emperor. Humayun ruled India for about a decade till he was bitten by an Afghan Emperor Sher Shah Suri. In 1555 AD Humayun regained Delhi with the help of Shah of Persia. Humayun died an unfortunate death in less than a year's time after his conquer. He felt from the stairs of his own library known as Sher Mandal library. The Persian wife of Humayun named Bega Begum then decided to build a tomb for her husband which was named as Humayun Tomb.

The construction of the tomb started in 1562 and the building was completed in the year 1572. The building is famous as the first building built in the era of Humayun's son Jallaluddin Mahammad commonly known as the Akbar. The tomb was constructed with the help of Persian architect named Mirak Mirza Ghiyuath. For this reason, Humayun Tomb has a clear influence of Persian architecture. The site for construction was chosen on the bank of Yamuna River adjoining the shrine of the Nizamuddin Auliya a Sufi saint of Chisti silsilah. The tomb was the first garden tomb made in India. This tomb became the landmark in establishing different essential norms for buildings later built in Mughal Era.

The structure is mainly built in red sandstone. The marble is largely used in the borders. The dome is made of white marble. To relieve the monotony black and white marbles have been used. Humayun's tomb is the first building built in India to use the originally Persian concept of a double dome. The tomb is geometrically placed in the middle of specially made garden. The garden is divided into 4 parts. Therefore the garden is called as Char Bagh. The garden is divided in 36 small squares by grid of water paths and channels. The Persian garden concept was introduced in this tomb firstly which then went on till the period of Shah Jahan.

There are two double-storey gateways on south and west that lead to the enclosure. There is a pavilion at the center of the eastern wall and a bath chamber in present at the center of the northern wall. For entering the tomb's chamber we have to come through the south entrance. The other three sides have been covered with mesh wire and white marble. In the exact middle of the central chamber lies the tomb. The actual resting-place of Humayun is directly beneath the underground chamber. The roof is surmounted by a double dome made of marble which has huge diameter of 42.5 meters. The dome had pillared kiosks (also called as chhatris) placed around it. Several rulers of the Mughal era have been buried here.

In 1857, during the first independence war, Bahadur Shah Zafar with three princes had taken refuge in this tomb. Humayun's Tomb is a must visit place if you are planning to roam Delhi, the city of big hearted people!

Accommodation:

Being a capital of India, Delhi serves you with all types of stay and food options. Many 3 star, 5 star hotels are available in the city. Also many low cost lodges make you rooms available.

source: sightseeing in delhi {www.delhiplaces.com}