YOUR top five 'not in the guidebook' spots in Delhi

What are your top sites in Delhi that didn't make it in to the guide book you use?

The Masonic Lodge on Janpath for one, though I have no idea whether it is open to visitors.

New Delhi GPO, the post office with the code 110001, the so-called "Gol Dak-khana" ("round post office" - I have a special relationship to round buildings: see my avatar). A photograph like this one taken at ground level doesn't do justice to the building. You have to go around it once by car (or on foot). I'd be most surprised if there are guided tours of the building.

I don't know if the National Stadium makes it into the guide-books. I have the impression that they wax eloquent on the swanky new stadiums but ignore this architectural jewel.

The Royal Belgian Embassy in Chanakyapuri. I can't seem to find any decent picture of it on the net. (Their own web-site seems to be down. Even the sites of the Belgian Foreign Ministry in both French and Dutch aren't linking to their foreign representations.) This one just shows the central cupola in the ambassador's residence. The painter and sculptor Satish Gujral (brother of a former Prime Minister) provided some of the motives. You can drive past or behind it on Shanti Path or Nyaya Marg but if you want a closer look at the building you have to pretend you have some business there or get invited to something taking place there.

The building of the Modern School on Barakhamba Road. Like the National Stadium this is another example of "subdued" New Delhi style.

That makes five!

I thought that 110001 was the postcode of the Rail Bhavan - well worth visiting in its own right. But don't ask to go inside the gates to take a picture of the plinthed Darjeeling B Class. The soldier on the gate wasn't too friendly when I tried that.

Postal Zone 110001 covers a large part of Lutyens' New Delhi (I thought the two were coterminous but apparently the President has 110004 - I got this information from you). The Gol Dak-khana is the delivery post-office for the zone. Letters addressed to Rail Bhavan also end up there for sorting before they are delivered.

This page should provide some clarification.

The traffic island with the Gol Dak-khana used to be called Alexandra Place. I was just wondering if there is anywhere on the net where one can find out al the original street names in New Delhi. Or I should start a new thread where old Delhi-wallahs can dig the names out of their memories. I'll start with the roads around Alexandra Place - (I'm looking at my Eicher Atlas) Baba Kharak Singh Marg used to be Irwin Road, Pandit Pant Marg was Queen Mary's Avenue and Dr. Bishambar Das Marg was Allenby Road.

I always enjoyed breakfasting at the Hyatt Regency club and reading the morning newspaper with one eye, while watching the rising sun - slowly illuminating the Qutab Minar in the distance with the other. Perfect! Parties at the Gymkhana and a round of golf or two @ Delhi Golf Club (pub) were also enjoyable activities. The Sunday morning book/coin street sale in Old Delhi is a must. All depends what turns your personal crank though.

To watch the illumination of the Qutab Minar while residing in Hyatt would be quite an impossible feat. Enjoying breakfast in Hyatt even more so...

Top five :

1. Hopping into the jungle opposite kautilya marg
2. Walk through north campus of Delhi University
3 to 5. Too drunk right now to remember.

Time for a new pair of glasses.

Even that would not help...unless one is totally glassy eyed after having imbibed more than a few at the Polo Lounge...

Why, is there a new highrise blocking the line of view(from the Regency Club) as of 2006 or something?

Now now Peak ! You are trying too hard to establish that you were in Hyatt. Even if there were no high rises in 2006, you could not see the Qutab from Hyatt. The best view from their terrace top would have been AIIMS and even that would be a stretch.

I believe you are drunk. Ask the staff inside 'the club' to show you next time. Order a glass of mosambi for me. Stay sober!

If I could see the Qutab minar from the roof of a 3-story building at IIT crossing, it should certainly be visible from a taller hotel about the same distance away as the crow flies. With or without beer goggles.

Sounds interesting and crank turning! Can you elaborate? Thanks

I haven't read any guidebooks on Delhi, but I've never seen any foreigners at the following places, so I would suggest them:

1. Talkatora Garden on Mother Teresa Crescent, formerly Willingdon Crescent. Reminds me a bit of Pinjore Gardens. For the adventurous (such as I was in school), there's a real live forest right behind, with real wild animals.

2. Furniture Market behind St. Columba's School, which was shifted from Panchkuin Road. There used to be lots of foreigners in its former location, but I haven't seen any in its new location. Custom furniture made to order at really low prices. Must-visit for those settling in Delhi.

3. Buddha Jayanti Gardens, on another edge of the same forest as the Talkatora Garden.

4. Musuem of Natural History, Barakhamba Road. Creepy place. Dark, lonely, with life-like birds and animals staring at you, and a huge dinosaur on the front lawn.

5. Stupa in Indraprastha Millennium Park.

1. Majnu ka tilla - a crowded tibetian bazar not a must see but intresting place
2. Stepwell (Agrasen ki Baoli), hidden among the tall buildings of Connaught Place ... 15-meter wide historical step well on Hailey Road.
3. Kingdom of dreams - not exactly in delhi, but guraon. not a must see, but their shows at nautanki mahal are real dramas.
4. JNU campus - for its rustic landscape and carefree ambiance.
5. MF hussain painting - Actually its big collage (with delhi as a theme) done by great MF, this pricless piece now adorns the dome roof of sixth floor of DLF centre, parliament street, connaught place. a definetly must see.