Vols pas chers vers Delhi

Another one of Shah Jahan's architectural masterpieces in the area is the Red Fort (Lal Qila). "If there is paradise on the face of this earth, it is this, it is this." The emperor had these words inscribed on the white marble pavilion, Diwan E-Khas, of the Red Fort. Though this ornately decorated hall, which was meant for a private audience, is one of the more celebrated areas in the fort, having housed the famed Peacock Throne till Nadir Shah plundered it in 1739; it is the magnificent palace, the Red Fort itself, which is absolutely breathtaking. It is made of red sandstone, from which it derives its name.

Jama Masjid is an extravagant structure of cusped arches, towers, two minarets, 260 pillars, 15 marble domes and a main prayer hall, which can hold up to 25,000 people. Made of alternate stripes of red sandstone and white marble, this was Shah Jahan's final architectural indulgence. It is the principal mosque of Old Delhi and the largest and arguably the most famous one in India. Its size does not take away from its elegance and the fact that it is built on high ground, the hill of Bho Jhala, adds to its majestic beauty. You can visit any time between 5 A.M and 9 P.M and visitors should remember to remove their shoes. Those who are inappropriately dressed can hire robes at the gate.

Even though the population is predominantly Muslim, there are some equally intriguing religious monuments of other faiths. The Digambar Jain Temple, a place of worship for adherents of the Jain faith, is a tranquil oasis amid the chaos and is the oldest Jain temple in Delhi, its simplicity being its main attraction. There is a bird hospital attached to it where sick and injured birds are taken care of, though the odors can be quite overwhelming! The Gauri Shankar Temple, fringed with heaps of marigolds sold to people going in to pray, has an 800-year old lingam, a stylized phallus worshipped as a symbol of the Hindu Lord Shiva. Another interesting stop is the Sisganj Gurudwara of the Sikhs, where Shah Jahan's tyrannical son, Aurangzeb, beheaded the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur.