CHANAKYAPURI

National Rail Museum

It is located near the diplomatic area Chanakya Puri, near the Bhutan embassy.
History - It was got constructed by the British architect M.G.Satto in 1957. In its present location, the foundation stone was laid on 7th October 1971 and was formally inaugurated on 1st February 1977.
Open space- It is spread over an area of 10 acres and houses a collection of locomotives and carriages, cranes, turn table, girder bridge of 1892, coaching and goods stock, etc. This includes the model of India's very first train, a steam engine that made its journey from Mumbai to Thane in 1853; other exhibits like the Viceregal Dining Car (1889), the Prince of Wales Saloon (1875), Maharaja of Mysore's Saloon (1899), Maharaja of Baroda's Saloon (1886);
Fairy Queen (1885) - the oldest working steam locomotive in the world;
Patiala State Monorail Trainway - here the track is a single rail on one side of the road. It is still in working condition and a ride on the Steam Mono Rail can be enjoyed on Sundays. It was first built in 1907 connecting Bassi with Sirhind (6 miles) in the erstwhile Patiala State. Originally the train was pulled by mules but later on from 1909 onwards, 4 unique locomotives were used to pull the train;
Morris Fire Engine - This was first built in 1914 by the famous fire engineers M/s John Morris and Sons Ltd, Manchester, who invented the concept of instantaneous coupling for these machines. Only two of these models are known to exist today. Since its original purchase by the Nizam's State Railways, the fire engine was in active service in the Lallaguda Carriage and Wagon Workshop, Secunderabad. It was retired from active service in 1960, after 4 decades of service, due to difficulty in obtaining the spare parts.
There are as many as six gauges on exhibit, four of them accommodated on only four rails. The lines of various gauges are connected with multigauge lines to facilitate movement. There is a toy train to take you around the museum on a miniature track.
Indoor gallary - This air conditioned octogonal gallary is devoted to the display of various exhibits, models, records, photographs, coat of arms, documents etc. The development of engines, rolling stock, signalling and telecommunications, engineering constructions and architecture and the railway's contribution to the industrial development of the country is also depicted in the systematic and pictorial manner. One gallary has been set apart to focus attention on the post-independence developments and modernisation of the Indian Railways including self-sufficiency, export promotion and development plans for the future. The skull of an elephant that struck a mail train in 1894 with his head is also an exhibit. There is big screen TV showing vedio films on the Railways.
Timings - Summer 9.30 to 19.30; Winter 9.30 to 17.30 (Closed on Mondays and National Holidays)

R.K.PURAM

Swaminatha Swami Temple

This temple, popularly known as Malai Mandir (literally, Hill Temple), is located at Palam Marg (Outer Ring Road), Ramakrishna Puram on the top of a 90 feet high hillock.
History - In the year 1961, in a dream of a devotee Lord Swaminatha appeared and indicated the present hillock as his abode. After much efforts the temple was inaugurated on 7 June 1973 with performance of the Maha Kumbhabhishekam in the presence of the Shankaracharyas.
Temple - The main temple within the complex, formally called Sree Swaminatha Swami Temple, houses the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Swaminatha. It is situated atop a small hillock in keeping with the tradition of locating Murugan temples on hills. The sign outside the main temple is written in Tamil, proclaiming Lord Swaminatha's motto, "Yaamirukka Bayamain" meaning "Why fear when I am there?". The temple is built entirely of granite, and is reminiscent of Chola style of South Indian Temple Architecture. Besides the main Swaminatha Swami Temple, the complex contains temples dedicated to Sree Karpaga Vinayagar (elder brother of Lord Swaminatha), Sree Sundareswarar (father of Lord Swaminatha) and Devi Meenakshi (mother of Lord Swaminatha). These subsidiary temples draw inspiration from the Pandya style of South Indian Temple Architecture. The temples of the 'Nava Grahas' (9 planetary dieties) and the magnificient Aadhi Sankara Hall are located midway up the hill. The Aadhi Sankara Hall is regularly used for conduct of bhajans, medidation sessions, prayers etc. The Navagraha temple along with a temple of Idumban was consecrated on the 7th of July, 1995. The Adi Sankara Hall was inaugurated on the 9th of November, 1997. The temple of Lord Swaminatha has several unique features. Brahmasthana pratishta has been done here with dieties delineated in human form housed in the garbha griha. Here a Sarva Vasikarana Yantra is embedded under diety which acts as a strong magnet attracting all to the shrine. The temple is built of 900 massive stones, weighing three to four tons each, assembled together without the use of cement or mortar. The crevices have been filled with a mixture of lime and sand.
Silpa Kala Mandapam - It does not house any diety but houses several exquisite cultural pieces like the lion pillar, the trellised window, the music pillar, the stone chain and stone bull. This was constructed as per the advice of H.H. Sri Maha Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam and inaugurated on 18 September 1983.
Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple - This is located at the base of the hillock and was inaugurated on 13 June 1990 with performance of the Maha Kumbhabhishekam. This has been constructed in the Sudhai style of the temples constructed by the Pandya kings. The temple has three Sannidhis viz Vinayagar, Meenakshi and Sundareswar, Mukha mandapam, Vimanam, Prakara mandapam, Maha mandapam with 32 pillars.

Timings - Morning: 6-11.30 am; Evening:5-9 pm

SAID-UL-AZAIB

Garden of Five Senses

This 20 acre site is located at Said-Ul-Azaib village close to the Mehrauli heritage area and Mehrauli-Badarpur Road. It has almost two hundred varieties of newly introduced plants alongwith existing vegetation such as Kikar, thorny Ber bush, etc. Established in February 2003, this garden has been designed to satisfy the five senses of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste of the visitors. The garden serves as the venue of a number of festivals like Garden tourism festival, food festivals, Dandiya festivals etc. 25 sculptures and murals of skilled craftsmen and artisans of India are displayed here. It was developed by the Delhi Tourism Transportation Development Corporation.
Entry - Soaring stainless steel birds mounted on slate clad pillars welcome you into the park. An expansive plaza, set on the natural slope of the site, invites you up the spiral walkway. Across, a troupe of elephants cut in stone regale in a water bath.
Khas Bagh - A garden patterned on the lines of Mughal Garden. Slow moving water cascades in channels along its length while flowering and fragrant shrubs and trees line its path. The central axis leads to a series of fountains, some of which are lit up by fibreoptic lighting systems. Encapsulating the expression here is the sculpture of 'A fountain tree'.
Food and Shopping Court - This is located on the other side of the walkway, secluded and away from the heart of the garden.
Trail of Fragrance - This leads away to a rocky ridge to the north, where elevated amongst the rocks, a sculpture in stainless steel inspired by a pin wheel is seen.
Neel Bagh - This is a pool of water lilies encircled by pegols covered with climbing plants of different colours and textures. Overhead we can hear hundreds of ceramic bells chime.
Colour gardens - Beautiful compositions of ordinary flowering shrubs and ground covers with familiar plants.
Courts of Specimen Plants - Displays not so frequently seen species of bamboo, cactii, herbs etc.
Amphitheatre - Nestled amongst the natural slope of the ridge, it has blocks of sandstone to serve as seating. At the rear of the Garden is an open exhibition area for displaying art, holding art workshops etc.
Solar Energy Park - This park, set up with the aim of promoting awareness about renewable sources of energy, has on display two buses, bicycles, cars, computers, etc that run on solar energy.

ASOLA

Shree Shakti Peeth Shani Dham

This is located at Asola, Fatehpur Beri near Mehrauli. The site of the Shani Dham is divided into two parts, the eastern and the western.
Eastern part - On the top of the eastern part, the 100 feet tall eight metalled Shani idol was consecrated here by Sant Shiromani Madan Maharaj Rajasthani ji, an expert in Navgrah and Shani Pooja on 31 May 2003. Shri Maharaj ji had performed enchanting of Shani Mantras One Hundred Crores and thirty two lakh times on this sacred grove. Thus, the whole environment of the Shani Dham premises has become so alive that most of the problems of devotees of Lord Shani are automatically solved, when they happen to reach this temple. The special prayer here is the Abhishek of Shani Dev with mustard oil. On north and south, both sides there are Shani statues erected, wherein Shani Maharaj ji is riding over his various rides. On the left and right sides of the Shani Shila (Rock) here, the statues of Bhairav Dev are established.
Western part - West facing, huge Shani statues over the buffalo and the vulture have been erected here. The special prayer here is the Abhishek of Shani Dev with mustard oil. Apart from this the other fabricated idols established include the south facing Lord Hanuman, the oblation pool and the idols of the nine planets. In another cell, on the south side of the hall Jagdambaa Maa, huge Shivlingam and an oblation pool are posted. In an adjuscent hall, east facing satue of Lord Ardhanareeshwar is erected. The crowd here is the maximum on Saturdays.
Timings - 5 am to 1 pm (Morning); 5-9 pm (Evening)