Thursday, August 21, 2008

Things to do in $5 in Delhi (New Delhi), India

$5 is Rs 200 (approximately) in India. There are so many things that can be done in Rs 200 in Delhi. I have tried many of them myself and will be trying remaining soon. So here’s my list:

1) Dilli Haat – Only thing it will cost you is Rs 15 as entry ticket. Nice clean market and with nice food available.
What all to do – Look around for nice handcrafted stuff available there. You can easily get something useful and good for Rs 150. Else, you a foodie, get the food from all the states there on special counters. Momos, pav bhaji are all worth trying once.

2) Nehru Planetarium - The Nehru Planetarium in New Delhi is situated in the green surroundings of the Teen Murti House, earlier the official residence of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru and now a museum in his memory.
What all to do – Visit the Memorial Museum, Memorial Library or watch the Sky Show. Currently you can watch “Chandrayaan” instead of Sky show, but its equal fun. At the end enjoying its greenery, have a walk

3) Visit Museums – There are many museums in Delhi, some of the best being:
a) Air Force Museum – A Collection of Aero planes & armory
b) Archaeological Museum - Paintings, Textiles, Costumes
c) Gandhi Museum - Personal Belongings Of Gandhiji
d) Indian War Memorial Museum - Arms, Weapons
e) National Gallery Of Modern Art – Nice paintings and library
f) National Science Centre Museum - Display the various Scientific Instruments
g) National Rail Museum - Collection Of Locomotives And Carriages
h) Doll Museum – Collection of Dolls
Price – The only thing one needs to spend on are entry tickets, and they will cost from Rs 10 to Rs 30.

4) Local Markets - like Sarojini Nagar, Connaught Place
What all to do – Roam around in the market, shop for clothes or other house hold stuff within Rs 200 or instead eat in local food joints for same. Rs 200 will be more then sufficient and you can save as well.

5) Watch plays, movies – So many multiplexes, India Habitat Center, Alliance Francais, Shri Ram Center of Art.
What all to do – Watch movie in Rs 150 or even in less in some of the theaters. If you prefer watching plays instead, so many places to watch. Ticket’s cost varies from Rs 0 to Rs 200.

6) Delhi Darshan in DTC Bus - DTC daily operates Sight Seeing Tours from Scindia House. The fare of Delhi Darshan Service is Rs.100/-. The Delhi Darshan ticket of Rs. 100/- will be valid in all city services on the pattern of DTC Green Card. Children between the age of 5 - 12 years will be charged half ticket i.e. Rs. 50/-.
Places you will be visiting – Red Fort, Raj Ghat, Indra Gandhi Samriti, Qutab Minar, Lotus Temple, National Rail Museum, Birla Mandir (Shri Laxmi Narian Temple).

7) Delhi Metro Tour – Buy the one day card for Rs 70 and browse the extensive, latest metro network in Delhi. One of the best public transportation medium is absolutely worth exploring.

8) India Gate – Go to India Gate and enjoy the green and clean surroundings and breathe taking view of India Gate.
What all to do – Go equipped with balls, Frisbees or just a pack of playing cards, or watch monkeys perform, blow soap bubbles all over the lawns, play with balloons and even get your insides turned inside out on a ferris wheel, loll on the cool lawns, lick a bar of ice candy and watch the floodlit arch and the fountains nearby that seem magically lit up with coloured lights.

9) Visit Forts: Old Fort, Red Fort, Humayun Tomb, Tughlaqabad Fort
What all to do – The colossal forts in Delhi, besides portraying a grand architecture also narrate the history of the erstwhile maharajas who reined this place. Standing amidst the greens of lush manicured gardens, they indeed create a magnificent sight.

10) Zoo - The New Delhi Zoo is a place for animal lovers. It is generally clean, very relaxing place to spend a full day. The entrance price is only 50 Rupees, including the map, which is an exceptionally good deal.

11) Akshardham – It’s a newly constructed awesome temple in New Delhi. It has found its place in Guinness book of world records as well. Place known for its beautiful carvings and architecture has to be visited once at least.
What all to do – Look at the beautiful carvings all over the temple. The awesome architectural work will force you to appreciate its beauty. Watch light and water show, have food in its cafeteria.

12) Have food in one of the local food places – dhabas in CP, local Chinese and South Indian Food Joints
What all to do – This is a must for all delhites and foodies. Awesome Indian food at awesome prices, we delhites survive on it.

2 comments:

  1. Wow, that's a reality check as to how expensive things are here in the states. The cheapest thing my son and I do is hit the local McDonalds for $1 kid's meal nights. New Delhi seems to have so much to do for very little money (or is it? approximately how much are the residents paid per hour?). It's a different world from here, where a soda costs a buck, bread almost $2, a gallon of milk around $3, and a gallon of gas is hovering around $4.

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  2. yes emily, its quite inexpensive here when compared to USA, but so is what we earn. Recently I was comparing the per capita earnings of various country. Our per capita is $950, and USA has 46,040. So I guess that explains the difference. :)

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