Considering living in Delhi? Our relocation guide contains the information and tools you need to make your relocation less challenging.
Our guide was written by Margot Bigg and Gulnar Joshi and last published on Saturday 11th December 2010, it's the 2nd edition.
A City with a Rich History
Situated in the North of India, Delhi, the capital of India, is one of the oldest existing cities in the world. This city is said to have been built and destroyed 11 times and has played a pivotal role in the history of India.
Medieval Delhi: A City of Many Cities
According to old Hindu legends, Delhi is estimated to be over 5,000 years old. The earliest reference to the city (around 2500 BC) is in the Indian mythological epic Mahabharata where it is called Indraprastha or Hastinapur (the city of elephants). In fact, a village called Indraprastha existed in Delhi until the beginning of the 19th century when it was demolished by the British to make way for New Delhi.
The name Delhi is believed to be derived either from Raja Dillu's Dilli (100BC), a city situated just east of Lalkot or from Dhilba, a city founded by the Tomar Rajputs in 736AD. In the years that followed, about seven ancient empires of medieval India founded their capital cites around New Delhi.
Qila Rai Pithora, established around 1170 AD by the Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan, is probably the first of Delhi’s seven cites. Chauhan made Delhi the most important Hindu centre in northern India.
…| Population | Delhi is India’s second largest metropolis and one of the fastest growing cities of the world due to the high rate of immigration. According to the census in 2001, Delhi’s population was 13.8 million. However, 2006 government estimates put the figure at 16.5 million—a figure that is expected to go up to 19 million in 2011. |
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| Currency | The Indian Rupee (INR) is the currency used in India. One rupee =100 paisa. Indian coins come in denominations of 50 paisa and 1,2 and 5 rupees. Notes/bills are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000. INR-USD conversion rate varies between 40 and 50 INR to a Dollar. Various organizations including several banks offer facility for currency exchange in Delhi. The major centers for currency exchange in Delhi are at Connaught Place and Pahargunj. |
| Language | Hindi is the official and the primary spoken and written language of India. English, however, is widely read, understood and spoken in Delhi. Apart from Hindi and English, Urdu and Punjabi are also spoken in some areas. |
| Time zone | GMT + 5.30 |
| Dialing code | 011 (to dial New Delhi from outside India, you have to dial 0091-11-(number), and from within India, you need to dial 011.) |
| Temperature | Delhi has an extreme climate: Summers are hot with the temperature rising up to 45º C, while the winters can be quite cold with temperatures dropping as low as 5º C. Hot and dry summer: May and June are the hottest months of the year. The average temperature: 25º C to 46º C. Monsoon: starts at the beginning of July. October sees the end of the monsoon season and is a reasonably pleasant time to be in Delhi. Short Cool Winter: from the end of November till February-March. For a couple of weeks the temperatures fall as low as 3 to 4º C and fog envelopes the city reducing visibility. |
| Electrics | India has electric supply at 220V-50 Hz. The plug used is the old British Standard; it has three larger round pins in a triangular pattern. |
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The full guide contains over 25 chapters of information covering all practical aspects of moving overseas; from fulfilling legal obligations through to choosing a home for your family. Written by expats, for expats, we do not give you the “official version”, we give you the “real version” and that’s exactly what you will need to have the best possible start to your new life in Delhi. You can purchase our Delhi guide by clicking on the links on the right-hand side of this page.
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