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Rajpath and India Gate: imperial Delhi on foot
The Imperial Mile
Rajpath, now Kartavya Path, is Lutyens' ceremonial axis: from the presidential palace on Raisina Hill, past the secretariats, to India Gate. By day the lawns have no shade at all; at sunset the Gate is floodlit and Delhi's families come out with ice cream. Plan the walk to end there.
👥 Who it suits
imperial Delhi picnic by the Gate evening lights
Staying here
No places to stay: this is the ceremonial government quarter.
🌙 In the evening
At night the Gate glows and the lawns fill with families and ice cream: Delhi at its most Delhi.
Getting there
Ⓜ Central Secretariat · then a 20-min walk
What to see
👣 From Raisina Hill to India Gate
The axis runs west to east, so walk it that way and the sun sets behind you, lighting the Gate ahead.
- Rashtrapati Bhavan, if booked
The President's house is seen only on pre-booked circuits, never on a walk-in, and not on Mondays or gazetted holidays; details on the Rashtrapati Bhavan page. Without a booking, start the walk at Vijay Chowk.
- Down Kartavya Path
From Vijay Chowk the avenue runs straight between lawns and canals. On the way Janpath crosses it, and the National Museum on Janpath just south of the crossing is the detour for the hot hours.
- India Gate and the War Memorial at dusk
India Gate, the 42-metre arch to the soldiers of British India, is free and open into the night. Just east of it, the National War Memorial carries the names of the more than 25,000 soldiers who have died since Independence, cut into granite around an eternal flame; most evenings there is a short ceremony at the flame, and the grounds stay open until about 19:30–20:30 by season.
- The gallery by the Gate
Beside the Gate stands the National Gallery of Modern Art, open until 20:00 at weekends and closed on Mondays and national holidays.
When the axis closes
Republic Day (26 January 2027) is held on Kartavya Path: a full dress rehearsal runs a few days before, the hexagon around India Gate closes to traffic on the morning of the parade, and Kartavya Path cannot be crossed until the afternoon. The Beating Retreat at Vijay Chowk closes the sequence a few days later. Passes, timings and free viewing spots are on Republic Day in Delhi.
Amrit Udyan, the Rashtrapati Bhavan gardens, opens only during Udyan Utsav, which the President's Secretariat runs in February–March and August–September. The comfortable months overall are October and February to March; from November to January check the smog first, and in May and June only the evening is bearable.
How it fits with the areas around it
This is the government quarter, so there is nowhere to stay on the axis; Connaught Place to the north is the closest base, and Janpath links the two on foot. To the south-east, Khan Market and Lodhi Colony are the leafy, slower side of the same Lutyens' city; to the south-west lies the embassy district of Chanakyapuri.
For the metro, Central Secretariat (Yellow and Violet lines) is at the western end, about 20 minutes' walk from the Gate; Delhi Tourism names Supreme Court on the Blue Line for India Gate itself.
❓ FAQ
Is India Gate open today for the public?
Yes, it is an open public monument, free, from morning to night every day. The exception is Republic Day, when the area around it closes during the parade.
When is the best time to visit India Gate?
At sunset and after dark, when the arch is floodlit and the lawns fill with families. By day there is no shade.
Can I go inside Rashtrapati Bhavan?
Only on a pre-booked circuit tour, booked online in advance; there is no walk-in entry, and no tours on Mondays or gazetted holidays.
Why is Rajpath now called Kartavya Path?
The avenue, built as Kingsway and renamed Rajpath after Independence, was redeveloped and renamed Kartavya Path ("path of duty") in 2022.
Which metro station is nearest to India Gate?
Supreme Court on the Blue Line, as Delhi Tourism lists it. Central Secretariat suits a walk from the western end.
Facts checked: 8 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
Other areas of Delhi
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