Urban India is intense in every sense of the word--stand-still intersections, herds of homeless people and animals alongside every road in every corner of town, 8-10 automobiles crowding roads that were clearly meant for 2-4, with many scooters weaving in and out all the while, police wearing respiratory masks while directing traffic. And then the hustlers.
Delhi is a prime example of this intensity.

It is for this reason that it is adviseable, in my eyes, to limit the time one spends in extremely populated Indian cities, as a tourist, anyway. It's convenient, then, that all the major tourist spots in the Delhi capital region can be seen in a single day.
Prices will vary slightly between drivers and establishments, but the tourist desk at our hotel got us a driver for the day Rs 800, about $16. It is at this point that I must make a shameless plug for the Hotel Grand Godwin, the most comfortable, well-maintained and classy establishment I stayed in the entire time I was in India. Luxurious without losing affordability, I highly recommend this hotel for anyone visiting New Delhi.

But back to our journey!
After departing our Ashoka Road hotel around 11 AM, we were off to Delhi's Red Fort, located in close proximity to the Old Delhi Railway Station along the River Yamuna. Built by Rajput Tomar King Raja Anagpal, the fort was expanded by none other than Shah Jahan after he moved his capital from to Agra to what was then called Shahjahanabad. The fort was occupied by the Mughals until 1857, when Emperor Zafar ceded it to the British. Aptly-named, the rust-colored fort is a fusion of Persian, European and Indian designs. Its most notable features are the elegant pavilions that lie within its courtyards and the Chatta Chowk, a long promenade replete with merchants and vendors. Entry into the fort is Rs 250 for Westerners.

Something important to note at this point is the necessity of keeping track of time. Due to basically non-existent parking, you will need to arrange a time to meet your driver after seeing each of the sites. If you are more than a few minutes late, your driver may have to abandon his parking spot and you may be left to negotiate a new rate with another driver who may or may not give you as good a price. Dora and I were nearly always on time and this aided the progress of our Delhi trip.

After the Red Fort, we headed to Raj Ghat, a lush, green plot of land located near the Red Fort which serves as the home for Mahatma Gandhi's tomb. A solemn place filled with faitful Hindus and curious Westerners alike, it provided a serenity that is hard to come by in the congested Indian Capital Region. After paying our respects, our driver surprised us with delicious soft-serve ice cream and we were off to the Lotus Temple.

Located in suburban South Delhi, the Lotus Temple is a major place of worship for members of the Bahá'í religion and a true architectual marvel. Shaped, well, like a lotus blossom, the temple is a place of worship. Talking and photography of any kind are strictly prohibited within. The temple is surrounded by lush green grass and beautiful gardens. Indeed, the sea of brightly colored saris against the green of the grass alone is a site to behold.

After this, we headed to the nearby Qutb Minar, another monument to North India's muslim past. Standing 72.5 meters high, the Qutb Minar stands, ironically, among the ruins of ancient Jain temples, whose remnants were used to construct it after they were destroyed. Commissioned in 1193 by, Qutb-ud-din Aibak, India's first Muslim ruler, the minaret was completed by Firuz Shah Tughluq in 1386, as a one-up to Afghanistan's Minaret of Jam.

At this point, Dora and I enjoyed a quick lunch at a central Delhi restaurant before heading to what was the most moving part of the entire New Delhi experience for me: the Birla House, where Mahatma Gandhi spent the last 144 days leading up to his January 30, 1948 assassination, whereby he was gunned down by a young militant while stepping outside to say his morning prayer. A simple, white-walled house that now largely functions as a museum, the Birla House is inhabited by an otherwordly sadness, solemnity and beauty that literally instantly brings its visitors to silence. Its walls adorned with placards chronicling Gandhi's life and priceless contributions to India's unification and subsequent independence, this is an absolute must-see for anyone who comes to India.

My eyes nearly cried out, we drove through the elegant, tree-lined boulevards of New Delhi toward the India Gate, a massive monument to India's independence, constructed in the style of Paris' Arc de Triomphe but much grander in every sense. Perfectly aligned with the India Gate is India's massive parliament building. The combination is visually stunning and awe-inspiring and makes our own Texas State Capitol look lilliputian in comparison. We stopped briefly at a prominent New Delhi Hindu temple after this and were back to our hotel before nightfall.

Now, of course, there are other things to see in Delhi, especially if one has a particular interest in one of the more obscure sights. Not to worry, though. The above journey includes nearly all the notable sights in the region and took us a mere seven hours to complete. Given a full twelve hours, the possibilities of what one can see in Delhi are nearly endless. Make sure and square away what you want and plan to see with your driver in advance, buckle up, and go! You won't ever forget this day.