Delhi is officially referred to as the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). In India Delhi is the largest metropolis in terms of area and the second largest in population. The National capital territory of Delhi includes the region of Noida, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad etc. New Delhi, the capital of India, is one of the fastest growing cities in India and lies within the National capital territory. Located on the banks of Yamuna River, Delhi is a home to Asia’s largest planned residential colony which is called Dwarka sub city. With a total area of about 33,578 km2 Delhi is the National Capital Territory of Delhi has its own Legislative Assembly, Council of Ministers, Lieutenant Governor, and Chief Minister. The parliament of India, the supreme court of India and the Rashtrapati Bhawan are located in Delhi. There are seventy assembly constituencies and seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi.

HISTORY OF DELHI
The history of Delhi is rooted in mythology and is believed to be the site of Indraprastha which was the capital of the Pandavas in the Indian epic Mahabharata. During the 3rd century B.C. Delhi was under the Maurya Empire. Remnants of seven chief cities have been discovered in Delhi. Delhi has seen the rise and fall of many empires, which have left behind a surplus of monuments that are the magnificence and glory of past ages. In the 13th century Delhi fell into the hands of the Delhi sultanates and subsequently it came under the dominion of the Mughals. Delhi passed on to the hands of the British in 1803 AD. It was only in 1911, when the capital of British Empire was shifted from Kolkata to Delhi, that Delhi got its present prestige. After independence also, a kind of self-rule was conferred on the capital but it largely remained a chief commissioner’s government. In 1956 Delhi was converted into a Union territory and gradually a Lt. Governor replaced the chief commissioner. In 1991, the National Capital territory Act was passed by the parliament and a system of diarchy (a form of government having two joint rulers) was introduced under which, the elected Government was given wide powers; except law and order which remained with the central Government. The actual enforcement of the legislation came in 1993.

GEOGRAPHY OF DELHI
Delhi is the largest city in India and is bordered on the east by the state of Uttar Pradesh and on the north, west, and south by Haryana. Delhi lies at an altitude of between 700 and 1,000 feet and covers an area of 1,485 square kilometers. Situated on the Yamuna River (a tributary of the Ganges River) Delhi is located in the northern part of India. It is a land locked city. The distance from the sea gives Delhi an extreme type of continental climate. The summers in Delhi are very hot and winters very cold. The temperature range varies from 45 degrees in summers to 4 degrees in winters. The winters are marked by mist and fog. The cold wave from the Himalayan region makes winters very chilly. In summers the heat wave is immense and adequate precaution has to be taken before going out in the hot summer afternoons. The bloom season of February and March make Delhi colorful. This time of the year brings greenery on the face of Delhi.

DEMOGRAPHY OF DELHI
According to the 2005 estimation, the total population of Delhi was over fifteen million. The 2001 census of India, recorded the total population of Delhi as 13,782,976. In the same year the population augmented by 275,000 as a result of migration. According to the estimation of 2004, the population was 15,279,000. The population density of Delhi is 9,294 persons per square kilometer. The ratio report of 2001 showed that the number of females per 1000 males was 827. The birth rate is 20.03, death rate is 5.59 and the infant mortality rate of Delhi is 13.08 per 1000 population. The literacy rate of Delhi is 81.82%. 82% of the total populations of Delhi are Hindus, 11% are Muslims and the rest are Jains, Sikhs and Christians.

CULTURE OF DELHI
Delhi culture is diverse in nature because since ancient times it has been a seat of power to many dynasties. Being a capital a lot of cultural amalgamation happens in Delhi. More than half the residents come from areas outside of the Delhi region. The culture of Delhi represents the culture of all the states of India in parts. In other words, it is a kind of synthesis and reflection of the culture of India, as a whole. Being the capital of India, New Delhi has also become the main center of politics, from where all the decisions are made and policies passed. However, the city does have a history of its own which has made some impact on its cultural scenario. The Archeological survey of India has recognised 1200 heritage buildings and 175 monuments in Delhi as national heritage sites. Islamic architecture like the Jama Masjid, the Red fort and the Qutub minar are located in Delhi and were constructed under the Muslim rulers. The temples such as the Laxminarayan temple and the Akshardham temple are the marvel of modern architecture. Religious festivals like Diwali, Holi, Mahavir Jayanti and Durga puja are celebrated with great pomp and show in Delhi. Due to Delhi’s large cosmopolitan and migrant population cuisines from all over India are available here but it excels in Punjabi and Mughal delicacies. A variety of Indian handicrafts and handlooms are noteworthy in the market places of Delhi.

EDUCATION OF DELHI
The system of education in Delhi is administered by the NCT governments, the Director of education or by Private organisations. There were 2,515 primaries, 635 middle, 504 secondary and 1,208 senior secondary schools in Delhi according to the report of 2005-05. There are reputed institutions for higher studies in Delhi and it includes 165 colleges, among them five medical colleges and eight engineering colleges. Delhi University and the Jawaharlal Nehru University are among the renowned universities of Delhi. The private schools of Delhi are affiliated to the administering bodies. In the year 2004- 2005, 15.29 lakh students were enrolled in primary schools, 8.22 lakh in middle schools and 6.69 lakh in secondary schools across Delhi. Female students represented 49% of the entirety enrollment.

ECONOMY OF DELHI
Delhi is the largest commercial centre in the north India. The per capita income of Delhi in the year 2007 was Rs. 66,728 (US$1,450) at current prices, the third highest in India after Chandigarh and Goa. The tertiary sector adds to 70.95% of Delhi’s gross SDP followed by secondary sector with 25.2% and primary sectors with 3.85% contribution. Delhi’s workforce constitutes 32.82% of the population showing a boost of 52.52% between 1991 and 2001. Delhi’s unemployment rate lessened from 12.57% in 1999– 2000 to 4.63% in 2003. In December 2004, 636,000 people were registered with diverse employment exchange programmes in Delhi. Construction, health, power, telecommunications and community services, and real estate form essential parts of Delhi’s financial system. Delhi has India’s biggest and one of the fastest growing retail industries. As a consequence, land prices are flourishing and Delhi is at present ranked the 7th most expensive office hub in the world.


ADMINISTRATION OF DELHI
The National capital territory of Delhi as per reports in 2007 has nine districts, twenty seven tehsils, fifty nine census towns, one hundred and sixty five villages and three statutory towns namely the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the New Delhi Municipal Committee and the Delhi Cantonment Board. Municipal Corporation of Delhi is one of the major municipal corporations in the world which provides municipal facilities to an estimated 13.78 million people. New Delhi, the capital of India, falls under the administration of the New Delhi Municipal Committee.

TOURISM IN DELHI
Apart from being the political and economic hub of India, Delhi is one of the prominent tourist destinations of India. Because of its rich history, Delhi is dotted with some spectacular historical buildings and monuments. Along with the architectural heritage, the shopping destinations of Delhi are equally lucrative.

How to Reach Delhi
Delhi is well connected by roadways, railways and airways which make it easy for the overseas travelers to reach Delhi.

By air: The Indira Gandhi International Airport of Delhi is well connected to all the chief cities of the world with almost all the major international airlines operating out of here. The Palam Domestic Airport connects Delhi to the major cities in India.

By rail: The Indian Railway connects Delhi to all major and minor destinations in India. Delhi has three major railway stations at New Delhi, Old New Delhi, and Nizamuddin. Luxury trains like the Palace-on-Wheels, Royal Orient Express and Fairy Queen can be taken from New Delhi Cantonment railway station. Rajdhani Express trains connect New Delhi from the state capitals. Shatabdi Express trains connect New Delhi to the neighboring cities.

By road: Delhi is well connected to all the main cities of India by a wide network of highways and roads. Buses can be taken from the Inter State bus terminuses at Sarai Kale Khan, Kashmere Gate, and Anand Vihar. There are many places in and around the city from which various states managed and privately run transport facilities like deluxe and regular coaches function.

Buses are the most popular mode of transport in Delhi and there are also auto rickshaws and metro rail system. The best season to visit Delhi is during the spring seasons of February to April and August to November. There are good accommodation facilities in Delhi and several budget hotels ensure a pleasant stay there.