Delhi is the capital of India since 1911, when it was announced that the capital of British held territories in India was to be transferred from Calcutta. The name "New Delhi" was given in 1927, and the new capital was inaugurated on 13 February 1931. New Delhi, also known as Lutyens' Delhi (the city designed by Edward Lutyens), was officially declared as the capital of the Union of India after the country gained independence on 15 August 1947. During the partition of India, thousands of Hindu and Sikh refugees, mainly from West Punjab fled to Delhi, while many Muslim residents of the city migrated to Pakistan. Migration to Delhi from the rest of India continues (as of 2013), contributing more to the rise of Delhi's population than the birth rate, which is declining.

   Lutyen’s New Delhi is successor to seven old ‘Dillis’ — cities of former rulers. Being the national capital city, its major industry is government, its population mixed, its culture cosmopolitan and it is multilingual. Markets of Delhi sell produce of all states and there is very little that is typically ‘Delhi’.

   Delhi is a city and a union territory of India. In Delhi you can hear mainly Hindi and English. Official name of Delhi is the 'National Capital Territory of Delhi'. The name of Delhi in Hindi is 'Dilli' (stressed on the second 'i'), and you can hear it from conductors of the buses.

   Major places of interest are Red Fort, Purana Qila, Qila Rai Pithorah, Siri Fort, Adilabad Fort, Firoze Shah’s Fort, Jahanpanah, Baha'i House of Worship (Lotus Temple), Qutab Minar, Lodi Tombs, Humayun’s Tomb, Jantar Mantar Observatory, and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (Raj Ghat). Nevertheless, most of the tourists just pass through the city, going to other places, such as the Himalayas, beaches, ashrams and other cities.

   The backpackers most often visit Main Bazaar for night stay before the train journey from New Delhi Railway Station.