Latest news with #DelhiTourism
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Time of India
Ditch day plans, unwind by Delhi's lakes on summer evenings
Want to hang out with family and friends, but the sweltering heat is stopping you? Step out when the sun goes down and head to one of Delhi's many lakes, where the vibes are cool, the skies turn gold, and there's a lot to do – or not – as you unwind amid nature. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now From taking a walk with your doggo and listening to the birds sing to enjoying a boat ride – the city's water bodies offer a relatively cool and pretty chill way to spend summer evenings. We take you through the scenic lakeside spots in the city that you can visit over the weekend. Naini Lake A North Delhi gem, Naini Lake is perfect for paddle boating and evening strolls. 'The lake is visited by many residents and college-goers in the evening. A 30-minute paddle boat ride costs Rs130 for four people. The motorboat ride costs Rs250 for six people,' shares a Delhi Tourism employee. Naini Lake 'Good time to spot resident birds' While migratory birds have departed, resident birds can be spotted in and around the lakes of Delhi during late summer afternoons. Kavi Nanda, a member of Delhi Bird Foundation, shares, 'During this time, most lakes in Delhi are home only to resident species. One may spot egrets, spot-billed ducks and herons. There's a good chance of spotting spot-billed ducks with chicks or coming across active heronries, egrets, cormorants, storks and ibises. The green patches around these water bodies are also ideal for spotting summer birds like the Indian golden oriole, Asian koel and common hawk-cuckoo.' 'Good time to spot resident birds' Sunder Nursery Lake With floral blooms on both sides of the walkway, the lake at Sunder Nursery offers a picture-perfect pause amid the heritage gardens Sunder Nursery Lake "For centuries, water bodies – baolis, temple tanks – have served as places of social congregation for people. At Sunder Nursery, the five-acre lake is a favourite among families and groups of young friends. Here, screaming wild ducks, red-vented ibis, screeching owls and squaking mynas turn the evenings into a therapeutic retreat," says Ratish Nanda, CEO, Aga Khan Trust for Culture Bhalswa Lake Tucked away in Northwest Delhi, Bhalswa is a vast lake popular for its water sports and peaceful birding spots Bhalswa Lake Purana Qila Lake Adjacent to Delhi's historic fort, this lake is known for its view of the centuries-old fort Purana Qila Lake Hauz Khas Set against the backdrop of medieval ruins, Hauz Khas lake draws crowds for evening walks, jam sessions, photography and chilled-out evenings Hauz Khas
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Pathway for vehicles included in Dilli Haat revamp
Nearly a month after a major fire gutted 24 shops in south Delhi's Dilli Haat, the pedestrian-only market is facilitating the entry of vehicles like fire engines as part of its reconstruction. This comes after the fire brigade team had reportedly faced difficulties entering the market to douse the fire on April 30. At the northern end, a narrow but non-functional gate opening towards the Maharaja Agrasen Marg is being widened and the pathway is being cleared of stalls and shops to make space for vehicular movements for future emergencies. 'We plan to open this gate for a complete and seamless entry of emergency vehicles in case we need to penetrate to the core inside,' said Neharika Rai, CEO of Delhi Tourism, which is responsible for the market's maintenance. Meanwhile, those whose shops were gutted continue to wait for compensation. 'We are under pressure to clear the pending wages of artisans. They too are helpless and depend on us for their livelihood,' one shopkeeper said. 'The compensation is being processed by the New Delhi administration,' said a senior official. Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra had assured shopkeepers of every help needed to restart their businesses. On Wednesday, Mr. Mishra inaugurated an installation on Operation Sindoor dedicated to the Indian Army in Dilli Haat.
Business Standard
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
Diamond Toons Unveils Comic 2.0 - The New Age Comic, Little Chanakya and Delhi Darshan at WAVES 2025 in association with Delhi Tourism
VMPL New Delhi [India], May 6: Diamond Toons proudly launches Little Chanakya and Delhi Darshan, a travel adventure Comic specially conceptualized for WAVES 2025 (World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit) in association with Delhi Tourism. This comic aims to inspire children to connect with India's capital city and was launched by Delhi Tourism Minister Shri Kapil Mishra at WAVES Summit 2025, Mumbai. It will be followed by a new age, Talking Comic 2.0, with voice-over, motion, music, and visual effects, which will be released soon. Through a gamified comic treasure hunt, riddles, and clues, Little Chanakya, a 9-year-old sharp-witted, fearless strategist, and his curious friends lead readers to Delhi's historical landmarks, one after another--from the timeless Qutub Minar and Red Fort to contemporary marvels like Bharat Mandapam, Yashobhoomi, Asita Park, Baansera Park, and the new Parliament House. Diamond Toons' pioneering concept of Talking Comics -- a breakthrough format that fuses voice-over, motion, visual effects, and music to create a multi-sensory storytelling experience. Talking Comics are engaging, relatable, and visually striking, designed not just for entertainment but to drive behavioral change and foster social impact. Perfect for awareness and education campaigns, this format speaks to inquisitive young minds, appeals to all age groups, and is multi-language and platform-friendly, making it accessible and impactful across diverse audiences. Diamond Toons has successfully utilized the new-age Talking Comic 2.0 in major national projects -- including Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Chhattisgarh Tourism, Prime Minister's Yuva Yojana, Jal Jeewan Mission, Namami Gange, and Smart City initiatives -- demonstrating how compelling storytelling can raise awareness, encourage positive action, and strengthen community engagement. "With Little Chanakya and Delhi Darshan, we are not just telling a story -- we are redefining how stories are experienced," said Manish Verma, Director, Diamond Toons. "Specially conceptualized as Talking Comic 2.0 for WAVES 2025, this new age comic concept creates a whole new world -- where animation, voice, gamification, and immersive technology transform reading into a living, breathing adventure. We are proud to showcase how creativity in India can set new global benchmarks in storytelling and media innovation." Translated into Hindi and English, Little Chanakya and Delhi Darshan will be distributed across multiple platforms -- including print, digital, libraries, schools, merchandise, animation, gaming adaptations, and new immersive formats like AR/VR and metaverse experiences -- ensuring that Delhi's heritage reaches audiences everywhere. About Diamond Toons: Diamond Toons is the youngest and most dynamic division of the iconic Diamond Group of Publications, with a bold vision to revolutionize how India experiences comics. Rooted in tradition but driven by innovation, Diamond Toons create and publish fresh, contemporary content that entertains, educates, and inspires readers across generations. Diamond Toons is the publisher of legendary comic characters like Chacha Chaudhary, Sabu, Billoo, Pinki, Little Chanakya, Tinga Dojo, and Boxy, along with globally loved icons such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Chhota Bheem. Diamond Toons brings timeless characters to life, blending fun, learning, and laughter across generations.
Indian Express
03-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Opinion After the fire, revisiting and reforming Dilli Haat
My phone was flooded with videos of Dilli Haat on fire and queries from friends from as far away as Canada, New Zealand and the UK. I had to go there in the blazing sun the next morning to speak to all who had been affected. The fire that broke out on the evening of April 30 could have been caused by a small gas leak near the museum dedicated to the late President A P J Abdul Kalam — a wire from one of the many electric poles with trails of wiring, a carelessly thrown cigarette butt, or a short circuit. In the constant chaotic condition in which Dilli Haat is maintained, the conflagration was not surprising. The destroyed area consists of 25 stalls, mostly of Kashmiri and other traders, who had been allowed to rig themselves up under colourful cloth and plastic-covered stores near the backstage. Around five adjoining stalls belonging to artisans making metal and marble goods and Madhubani paintings were also ruined. Luckily, the main body of the brick-and-mortar areas was not affected, and to the credit of all affected, the stall occupants focussed on getting visitors out of Dilli Haat. They did not try to salvage their goods as they were a deadly, flammable combination of textile, papier mache, paper, wood and trinkets, all covered with cloth and plastic sheets. It was clear that there were two sets of occupants who had different stories to tell. First came those in the commercial category who had been allotted spaces after online bidding with Delhi Tourism, running into lakhs of rupees per stall for any length of time. Some of these tradesmen claimed their hard work over the past 35 years had built up Dilli Haat and believed they owned it. As its originator, I know Dilli Haat was established in 1994, (31 years ago), and no trader was allowed in until 15 years later, when the AAP administration decided to milk the golden cow. The crying and bemoaning certainly had theatrics and false claims thrown in. One gentleman claimed he and his brother 'owned two shops' that sold silver goods and pashmina. They claimed they lost goods worth Rs 95 lakh. Such stalls have big signs saying, 'Real Pashmina' and 'Real Silver', indicating quite clearly the opposite to any discerning customer. No one can 'own' a shop there. Items are bought cheaply and offered at ridiculous markups, which are then brought down through bargaining. This affects a genuine artisan who can neither bargain nor has the capacity to hold high stocks. The tradesmen complained that they bid online for their stalls, paid huge sums for randomly expanding the space they occupied, and as long as money exchanged hands, legitimately or otherwise, no rules were applied. They were not given any comfort or facilities and had to furnish, decorate, light up and protect their goods from the elements with no help from Delhi Tourism. Even these privileged persons felt short-changed. They had a point. Everything is an infrastructural or human jugaad at Dilli Haat. The management is oblivious as long as the prime space earns them profits. The second group with whom I engaged was a smaller cluster of genuine artisans who either occupy stalls in the name of someone else, collect goods from many and sell under one name, or are legitimately allotted a stall at a lower central government fixed rent for a fortnight. Their main complaint was the overcrowding by the commercial stalls, so much so that in many areas it was difficult to move about or even breathe. During the Covid years, the rule of occupying every other stall was not applied to the crowded commercial stall areas until we raised our voices. The genuine artisan group was unanimous in its demand for Delhi Tourism to remove all commercial stalls. Both groups were united in their complaints against the management. Fire tenders could not access the area under fire from the back lane as the two back gates to enter Dilli Haat were locked, and no one could find the keys. There were no functional fire extinguishers and checking was not done to ensure that there was no fire hazard. The chana/chooran seller has been allowed to operate from the narrowest corridor by building a cement platform and blocking a lane that leads to the side lane exit. Flex banners envelope this stall, although Dilli Haat calls itself a 'No Plastic Zone'. The new Delhi government must use this tragedy and loss as an opportunity to clean up the rot that has set into Dilli Haat in the past 15 years, put people before profit and clean up Dilli Haat with the same zeal as it is displaying to clean up the polluted Yamuna River. Otherwise, everything will be another round of theatrics.
