Delhi is a place of much importance to India as it is the capital of the country and it is the place where major political developments that impact the whole country and even the world take place. If you thought Delhi will swell with pride because of the attention, then think again, for, this attention is not new to Delhi. It has always been the focus of interest ever since Mahabharatha days. Indraprastha, the capital of the Pandava dynasty, is believed to have been set up in and around the region that Delhi is situated today.  Ever since, Delhi has been the seat of power as different empires and dynasties invaded, captured and ruled Delhi. The signatures of these rules can be seen even today in Delhi in its centuries-old monuments, majestic structures, age-old religious shrines and so on. In fact, every monument in Delhi has a historical tale to narrate. Archaeological excavations have proved that the region was inhabited by settlements even hundreds and thousands of years ago. So far, seven cities were excavated in the region. A city, Lal Kot, which was discovered, was where many who ruled Delhi, had their capital and that include, Mughals, British and even the great Prithviraj Chauhan. Lal Kot is believed to have been set up in 736 C.E at the same spot where Delhi is located today.

Located in the North of India, Delhi was a union territory earlier but it became a state in 1992. Geographically, Delhi is located at 77.12° E longitude and 28.38° N latitude and is spread over 1483 sq.km area. Flanked by Aravalli and Himalayan ranges, Delhi has the states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana on three sides.  With Yamuna on the eastern side, Delhi is situated 300 metres above sea level. It is also the second largest metropolis in India with a length spanning up to 33 miles and breadth 30 miles. River Yamuna, Agra Canal, Hindon Canal and the Yamuna Canal on the western side supply water to Delhi.

Geographically, Delhi has three divisions, the plain area, the Ridge and the Yamuna Flood plain.  The flood plain is also known as Khadar.

The Ridge is referred to the area that starts from Aravalli hills to the northwest and western regions of Delhi. The majestic Tughlaquabad Fort is located on the highest point in the Ridge. The plain regions, also known as Bangar comprise a majority of Delhi area and also the Ridge and the Yamuna flood plain. The areas that include New Delhi, Delhi and the Delhi Cantonment are situated in the fertile plain region.

Parts of Delhi

Following are the main divisions of Delhi:

• Central Delhi: This area comprises Karol Bagh, Darya Ganj and Pahar Ganj. As per 2011 Census, Central Delhi’s population was 578,671. The boundary of Central Delhi passes through North, West, East and South West part of Delhi and also passes by New Delhi and Yamuna River.
• North Delhi: With a population of 883,418, North Delhi is referred to the areas in North West, West, Central and North Eastern regions in Delhi.
• South Delhi: The boundary of South Delhi, apart from passing by Yamuna River, also passes by Faridabad, Gurgaon in Haryana along with some districts of New Delhi and the South Western region. Its population stands at 2,733, 752.
• East Delhi: With a population pegged at 1,707,725, East Delhi passes by two districts, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar of UP, and also passes by Yamuna River.
• North East Delhi: As in any part of Delhi, North East Delhi is also not untouched by Yamuna. Other than Yamuna, the boundaries of the region pass by Ghaziabad, East and North Delhi too. It has a population of about 2,240,749.
• South East Delhi: Gurgaon and Jhajjar districts of Haryana, along with West, Central and South Delhi, and even New Delhi are the areas that pass along South East Delhi. Its population as per 2011 census was 2,292,363.
• New Delhi: A contrast to Old Delhi, New Delhi was more or less established to give a new face of development to Delhi. The main architects behind the glamorous face of New Delhi were Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker. Lord Irwin inaugurated the sprawling New Delhi on 13 February 1931. Its population in 2011 was 249,998.
• North West Delhi: North West Delhi has a population of 3,651,261 and it passes by the Haryana districts of Jhajjar and Sonipat and the district of UP, Ghaziabad. Along with Yamuna River, the boundary of North West Delhi also touches North and West Delhi as it does Yamuna River. The population of North West is 3,651,261.
• West Delhi: With a population of 2,531,583, the border of West Delhi passes by most parts of Delhi, including North West, South West and North and Central Delhi. The only outside place that it passes by is the Jhajjar district in Haryana.

Climate of Delhi

Delhi has an extreme climate, as summers can be extremely hot and winters can be severely cold. That is why, it is said that Delhi climate alone can take tourists to a different climate zone. For example, the chilly winters can give tourists a feel of Himalayan regions while the warm breeze that also takes along with it sand and dust can give you a feel of the sandy breezes in Rajasthan. The climate of Delhi can be referred to as semi-arid and the summers and winters can be very extreme. Those who wish to come to Delhi should take climate of Delhi too into account for you should choose a climate that will make it convenient to roam about in Delhi on foot also. Because if you want to truly experience the history of Delhi and the tales of the monuments, then you should be able to walk through them, feel them with your bare hands and keep your ears and eyes closer to take in the magical and nostalgic feeling that Delhi gives you. Hence before setting out, do check the climate conditions and then hop in to the available transport.