Delhi has grown into the cultural, political and religious heart of India over the last 2,500 years.
The second largest city in India after Mumbai, the city has hosted the governments, palaces and consuls of some of the most powerful empires to have ever existed.
Balanced on a ridge between the two great fertile plains of the River Indus and Ganges, the city has also historically been at the geographical centre of the sub-continent and a vital trading hub for sub-Himalayan routes.
From the fifteenth to the mid-nineteenth centuries, Delhi was the capital of the Mughal Empire which stretched from Burma to Afghanistan and as far south as Mumbai.
After the British took control the Mughal Empire, Calcutta enjoyed a brief spell as India’s capital under control of the British run East India Company.
However, the title was returned to Delhi in 1911, partially due to its strategic importance at the centre of British Raj and partially due to its ancient cultural significance in Indian culture.
Since gaining independence from the Brits in 1947, Delhi has grown into its role as the capital of modern India.
In the last twenty years, shopping malls, high-rise hotels and ritzy restaurants have been added to the city to cater for the affluent business classes.
New Delhi airport is also an important gateway for tourists keen to explore the sites of North India, such as the Taj Mahal in Agra and the city of Jaipur in Rajasthan.