Nitesh Verma

13/06/2014

Like heaven

03/06/2014

A Monument in Delhi - Gandhak Ki Baoli

This Baoli with steps was built by Iltumish and due to the smell of Sulphur (Gandhak) it is called as Gandhak Ki Baoli. There is a diving well and young people used to dive from the upper tiers.

02/06/2014

Here is a location in Haryana you can visit from Delhi

Yadavindra Gardens, Pinjore, Haryana

Pinjore Gardens (also known as Pinjor Gardens or Yadavindra Gardens) is located in Pinjore, Panchkula district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is an example of the Mughal Gardens style, and was built by Patiala Dynasty Rulers. It was created in the 17th century by architect Nawab Fidai Khan during the early reign of his foster brother Aurangzeb (r. 1658-1707).. In recent times, it has been renamed as 'Yadavindra Garden' in the memory of Maharaja Yadavindra Singh of the former princely state of Patiala.

Distance from Delhi : Approx 290 Km.

The garden has been laid in seven terraces with the main gate of the garden opening into the highest first terrace which has a palace built in Rajasthani–Mughal style. It is called the “Shish Mahal” (palace of glass), which is adjoined by a romantic "Hawa Mahal" (airy Palace). The second terrace with arched doorways has the "Rang Mahal" (painted palace). The third terrace has cypress trees and flowerbeds leading to dense groves of fruit trees. The next terrace has the "Jal Mahal" (palace of water) with a square fountain bed and a platform to relax. Fountains and tree groves are provided in the next terrace. The lowermost terrace has an open-air theatre,which is designed as a disc-like structure.

31/05/2014

The single-domed Qila-i-Kuna Mosque, built by Sher Shah in 1541 is an excellent example of a pre-Mughal design, and an early example of the extensive use of the pointed arch in the region as seen in its five doorways with the 'true' horseshoe-shaped arches. It was designed as a Jami Mosque, or Friday mosque for the Sultan and his courtiers. The prayer hall inside, the single-aisled mosque, measures 51.20m by 14.90m and has five elegant arched prayer niches or mihrabs set in its western wall. Marble in shades of red, white and slate is used for the calligraphic inscriptions on the central iwan, marks a transition from Lodhi to Mughal architecture. At one time, the courtyard had a shallow tank, with a fountain.

A second storey, accessed through staircases from the prayer hall, with a narrow passage running along the rectangular hall, provided space for female courtiers to pray, while the arched doorway on the left wall, framed by ornate jharokas, was reserved for members of the royal family. On a marble slab within the mosque an inscription reads: "As long as there are people on the earth, may this edifice be frequented and people be happy and cheerful in it". Today it is the best preserved building in Purana Qila

31/05/2014

The Rang Mahal or Palace of Colour is located in the Red Fort, Delhi.

It originally served as a part of the imperial harem and was known as the Palace of Distinction (Imtiyaz Mahal) during the rule of Shah Jahan. After the British occupied the fort in 1857, Rang Mahal was used as a mess hall for a brief time.

The building's interior was once richly painted and decorated. Some apartments of this building are called Shish Mahal due to tiny pieces of mirrors that cover the ceilings.

Through the center of the marble palace, a shallow canal called the Stream of Paradise (Nahr-i-Bihist) flowed into a marble basin carved into the floor. Under the Rang Mahal was a basement which women would use on hot summer days.

24/05/2014

Trip planning details here: http://www.cntraveller.in/story/14-india-s-most-loved-hill-stations

24/05/2014

24/05/2014

Have you visited Khirki Masjid?

Khirki Masjid, approached from the Khirki village in South Delhi and close to the Satpula or the seven arched bridge on the edge of southern wall of Jahapanah (the fourth city of Medieval Delhi), was a mosque built by Khan-i-Jahan Junan Shah, the Prime Minister of Feroz Shah Tughlaq (1351–1388) of the Tughlaq Dynasty. The word 'Khirki' prefixed to masjid is an Urdu word that means "window" and hence is also called "The Masjid of Windows".

The Masjid, which is in a quadrangular shape, was built as a fortress with an unusual fusion of Islamic and traditional Hindu architecture. It is said to be the only mosque in North India, which is mostly covered; the totally covered mosque of the Sultanate period is, however, in South India at Gulbarga in North Karnataka.

23/05/2014

A Place to visit near Fatehpur Sikri - Panch Mahal

Distance from Delhi - 225 Km Approx

Panch Mahal is a five storey palace in Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh, India.

It is also known as "Badgir", which means wind catcher tower. Panch Mahal stands close to the Zenana quarters or Harem and that supports the fact that it acted as a pleasure palace. This is an extraordinary structure, entirely columnar, consisting of four storeys of decreasing size disposed a symmetrically upon a ground floor, which contains 84 columns. The pillars, that originally had jaali between them, support the whole structure. Once these screens provided purdah (cover) to queens and princess on the top terraces enjoying the cool breezes and watching splendid views of Sikri fortifications and the town nestling at the foot of the ridge.

22/05/2014

Bhimtal Lake - A place to see for those who visit Nainital from Delhi

Distance from delhi - Approx 300 Km

Bhimtal Lake is a lake in the town of Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, India. There is an island at the centre of the lake. It is the largest lake in the only real lake district of India. It is a perennial lake which not only supports a large variety of aquatic life but is a winter stopover for Trans Himalayan birds.

22/05/2014

Do You know about Tomb of Bahlol Lodi at Chirag Delhi in Delhi?

Bahlul Khan Lodi, was chief of the Afghan Lodi tribe and founder of Lodi dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate upon the abdication of the last claimant from the previous Sayyid rule. Bahlul died in July 1489 after a long reign. His tomb is a drab place compared to other mausoleums. It is a square chamber with three arched openings on all sides, surmounted by five domes, the central one being the biggest. Koranic verses are inscribed on the arches but there is hardly any other ornamentation.

21/05/2014

A Monument in Delhi - Sakri Gumti

The name of this Lodi period structure literally means ‘narrow domed building’ which is very appropriate, given that the walls are tall in proportion to their width.

This structure was probably built later than the building but its purpose is still not clear. There is no grave inside, and it is believed that this is not a tomb but it may be a gateway. A broken half-wall runs along the eastern side of the building and if complete - might actually have blocked the entrance into the building on that side.

20/05/2014

Fortaleza de Mehrangarh: Situada en una colina a 125 metros sobre la ciudad de Jodhpur, en el estado de Rajastán.

20/05/2014

A Monument in Delhi - Tomb of Abdul Rahim Khankhana

Khanzada Mirza Khan Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khana (17 December 1556 – 1626) was a poet who lived during the rule of Mughal emperor Akbar. He was one of the nine important ministers (dewan) in his court, also known as the Navaratnas. His tomb is situated in Nizamuddin East on the Mathura road near Humayun's Tomb in New Delhi. It was built by him for his wife in 1598, and his body was placed in it in 1627. In 1753-4, marble and sandstone from this tomb was used in the construction of Safdarjung's Tomb, also in New Delhi.

17/05/2014

Have you ever visited "The Holy City of Bliss"

Distance from Delhi - 330 Km

Anandpur Sahib is a city in Rupnagar district (Roper) in the state of Punjab, India. Known as "the holy City of Bliss," it is a holy city of the Sikhs and is one of their most important sacred places, closely linked with their religious traditions and history. It is located on the lower spurs of the Himalayas surrounded by picturesque natural scenery, with the river Sutlej forming a shimmering and shiny blue border on the south west barely four miles away.

10th Sikh Guru Guru Gobind Singh Ji made five forts on the border of the city to protect it from the external invasions. The fort is called Qila in the Punjabi and Hindi languages.

Qila Anandgarh Sahib: This was the main fort, after which the city was also named Anandpur Sahib.
Qila Holgarh Sahib
Qila Lohgarh Sahib
Qila Fatehgarh Sahib
Qila Taragarh Sahib

17/05/2014

Shahi (Emperor's) mosque inside Qudsia Bagh

Qudsia Bagh is an 18th-century garden complex and palace located in Old Delhi, India.

The complex was constructed in 1748 for Qudsia Begum, the mother of Mughal emperor Ahmad Shah Bahadur. It is situated north of the old city. Formerly a splendid palace, it belonged to the heir apparent before falling into disrepair. Large parts of it were destroyed during the Indian rebellion of 1857.

Today only an entrance gate, the Shahi (Emperor's) mosque and the stables remain. Historian Hasan Zafar notes that the garden has been recorded as a protected monument in the Archaeological Survey of India records.

16/05/2014

Here is weekend location to go from Delhi - Chakrata, Dehradun

Distance from Delhi - Approx 300 Km

Chakrata is a cantonment town in Dehradun district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is situated between the Tons and Yamuna rivers, at an elevation of 7000–7250 feet, 98 km from state capital, Dehradun, it was originally a cantonment of British Indian Army.

Chakrata can be reached from Dehradun via Mussoorie or Vikasnagar. Both routes pass through beautiful mountainous road. Travelling in the monsoon can be quite tricky as the area sees frequent road blockages due to landslides.

The area has an abundance of conifers, rhododendrons and oaks. The red rhododendrons are the most abundantly found in this region. A key attraction near Chakrata is the waterfall named Tiger Fall. A secluded -nearby, leafy hamlet of Deoban offers a panoramic view of the Himalayas stretching from Kinnaur to Garhwal and Kumaon.

13/05/2014

11/05/2014

A Weekend Tour Idea from Delhi

The Sariska Tiger Reserve is an Indian national park located in the Alwar district of the state of Rajasthan. The topography of Sariska supports scrub-thorn arid forests, dry deciduous forests, rocks and grasses. This area was a hunting preserve of the erstwhile Alwar state and it was declared a wildlife reserve in 1955. In 1978, it was given the status of a tiger reserve making it a part of India's Project Tiger scheme. The present area of the park is 866 km².

Distance from Delhi - 225 Km Approx.

10/05/2014

A historical Mosque and Tomb in Delhi - Jamali Kamali

Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb, located in the Archeological Village complex in Mehrauli, Delhi, India, comprise two monuments adjacent to each other; one is the mosque and the other is the tomb of two persons with the names Jamali and Kamali. The name "Jamali" is Urdu, though originates from "Jamal" which means “beauty”. "Jamali" was the alias given to Shaikh Fazlu’llah, also known as Shaikh Jamali Kamboh or Jalal Khan, a renowned Sufi saint who lived during the pre-Mughal dynasty rule of the Lodi’s, a period from the rule of Sikander Lodi to the Mughal Dynasty rule of Babur and Humayun. Jamali was greatly regarded. Kamali was an unknown person but associated with Jamali and his antecedents have not been established. Their names are tagged together as "Jamali Kamali" for the mosque as well as the tomb since they are buried adjacent to each other. The mosque and the tomb were constructed in 1528-1529, and Jamali was buried in the tomb after his death in 1535.

09/05/2014

A weekend Getaway from Delhi - Narkanda

Narkanda is a town in Shimla district in Himachal Pradesh. It is at an altitude of 2708 meters on the Hindustan-Tibet Road. It is about 65 km from Shimla and surrounded by the Shivalik Ranges. It is a skiing resort in winter. It connects Shimla with Rampur and a detour also goes to Thanedhar, the prime apple belt of Himachal Pradesh where Satyananda Stokes started the apple culture. Hatu Peak which is at 11000 ft is 5 km from Narkanda. Kotgarh is 16 km from Narkanda and famous for apple orchards.

09/05/2014

Did You Know the history of Alai Darwaza?

The Alai Darwaza is the main gateway from southern side of the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque. It was built by the second Khilji Sultan of Delhi, Ala-ud-din Khilji in 1311 AD, who also added a court to the pillared to the eastern side. The domed gateway is decorated with red sandstone and inlaid white marble decorations, inscriptions in Naskh script, latticed stone screens and showcases the remarkable craftsmanship of the Turkic artisans who worked on it. This is the first building in India to employ Islamic architecture principles in its construction and ornamentation.

08/05/2014

For Music Lovers, There is an Event Today

Sangeetam presents

'Golden Greats Of Indian Classical Music'

At Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre (IHC), Lodhi Road, New Delhi

At 7pm on 8th May 2014

Entry : Free (Seating on First-Come First-Served basis)

8th May
Sh.Abhishekh Laheri from Kolkata - Sarod
Pt Venkatesh Kumar from Dharwad - Hindustani Vocal

07/05/2014

Monument in Delhi - Khairul Manazil

Maham Anga built a mosque, 'Khairul Manazil' ca 1561 CE in Mughal architecture. It later served as a madarsa, and now stands opposite, Purana Qila, Delhi on Mathura Road, south east to Sher Shah Gate. Maham Anga was the wet nurse of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, and often referred as his foster mother as she took care of young Akbar, as his own mother, Hamida Banu Begum was mostly away, with his father, Humayun was in exile, throughout Akbar's growing years.