Click it and Unblock the Notifications
Delhi is a city which is diverse in its cultures. The city wakes up to the bells of temples, calls of namaz along with gurbani raising from the gurdwaras every single day. The capital city is home a multireligious population, which comprises of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and many more.
Thanks to the numerous large grand to the small shrines of the city which makes it a host of religious spots. Amongst these structures are architectural marvels, such as the Lotus Temple, which is constructed out of white marble. One would get to watch qawwali performances at the ancient Nizamuddin Dargah and imbibe the gurbani from Bangla Sahib or watch the light and sound show at the Akshardham Temple.
1. Fatehpuri Masjid
PC: Varun Shiv Kapur
Built in the year 1650 by Fatehpuri Begaum, who was the wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the mosque is constructed entirely with red sandstone and is decorated with small domes and minarets. The structure also has three gates with one facing the Red Fort, which was built at around the same time.
Located at the west end of Chandni Chowk, the Fatehpuri Masjid indeed gives you an insight of modern Islamic life of the city and holds a position of a peaceful refuge from the busy streets of Old Delhi.
2. Central Baptist Church
PC: Supreet Sethi
One of the oldest churches to be built in North India, Central Baptist Church dates back to the year 1814 when it was established by the Baptist Missionary Society. Built in the Roman style with a deep colonnade, which is supported by thick columns on the sides, the church has inscriptions written in Urdu which are found close to the altar. Given the fact that it is probably the oldest Christian Mission in North India, the place is a treasure chest of secular spirit of the people who originally resided in the area.
3. Digambar Jain Lal Mandir
PC: Art Poskanzer
One of the most prominent landmarks in Chandni Chowk, the Digambar Jain Lal Mandir is an imposing red structure, which greets every individual at the main road, which also forms the entrance to the market area from the Red Fort side.
The temple has the bird hospital on one side and the well-known Gauri Shankar Temple on the other. The tale of the shrine takes you back in time to 1656 when Shah Jahan was building the city of Shahjahanbad.
It is said that he requested the members of the Jain and Agarwal communities to set-up base in this area and he promised them place to build their place of worship, which eventually resulted in the birth of the Digambar Jain Lal Temple.
4. Kalkaji Mandir
Dedicated to Kalka Devi, the Kalkaji Temple is one amongst the highly revered shrines, which is located in South Delhi. The temple is located close to the well-known Lotus Temple and is often known as Jayanto Peetha and Manokamna Siddha Peetha. According to popular beliefs, the idol of Kalka ji is a self-manifested one and dates back to the Satya Yuga - when Goddess Kalika incarnated and killed a demon named Raktabija along with several others.
5. R.K. Puram Sree Ayyappa Mahakshethram
Like most other Ayyappa temples outside the state of Kerala, this temple also began as a bhajana sangham and desired to build a small shrine dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. The initial worship here began with only a portrait of the deity, which pretty soon gained fame. The large inflow of devotees eventually lead to construction of a grand shrine in Kerala style of architecture, which was completed in the year 1980 and ever since has been attracting a large number of devotees from across the city.
