More and more of the Indian capital's best known monuments are going to be illuminated by solar energy.

Building on the experience gained in the last three years and keen on promoting the use of environment-friendly solar energy, the Delhi government plans to light more of the capital's historical sites through cheap, plentiful energy from the sun.

The 13th century Qutub Minar, the 17th century Red Fort and the 16th century Humayun's Tomb, all declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are among the six sites where the Delhi government intends to install solar power plants to replace conventional sources of electricity.

The environment-friendly step is designed to promote solar energy use in the capital.

The Jantar Mantar and Safdarjung's Tomb already feature solar powered lighting set up in 2009. Seeing the success at these sites, authorities thought of replicating it at other sites.

Because sites like Humayun's Tomb, the Red Fort and the Qutub Minar fall under the Archaeological Survey of India, the Delhi government will have to get permission from it.

Located a kilometer (0.6 miles) from the massive structure of the Taj Mahal and its surrounding monuments, the Taj Gateway is one of only two hotels featuring excellent views of the Taj Mahal.

Because of our relationship with the Taj Group, we exclusively provide our guests with rooms that have breath-taking views of the Taj Mahal.

Resting on 6 acres of landscaped gardens, the Taj Gateway provides a tranquil retreat in the city. All of the Gateway’s rooms offer comfortable accommodation with the highly personalized service of the Taj Group. Offering a host of amenities,

the hotel features cultural programming and theme nights. Guests may also rejuvenate with traditional, authentic Indian wellness treatments, such as Ayurvedic massages or yoga.

The spirit of freedom scaled colorful heights throughout the capital’s skies when thousands of professional and amateur kite fliers took to the rooftops and streets to celebrate the Independence Day ritual of kite-flying Aug. 15.

"Kite flying as a tradition is much older than the Olympics. In the capital, kite flying as a public sport goes back much before Independence Day, almost 80 years before the country freed itself from the British rule. Now, it is a dying tradition because the present generation does not know how to fly kites," Sudhir Sobti of Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation said.

Delhi Tourism organized a day's kite flying festival at the Garden of Five Senses at Mehrauli in the capital, where kite fliers from Old Delhi, the birth place of the tradition, came to show off their ability to fly multiple kites on a single thread.

Kite flying as a tradition grew out of Old Delhi where artisans still make a variety of kites. The oldest and biggest kite market is Lal Kuan, where kite flying originated as a sport.

Some historians say the tradition dates back to the days of the Mahabharata, one of the major Sanskrit epics of ancient India. Kites were not only used for receiving messages but also for measuring distances during war.

A Chettinad mansion is impossible to describe in words. The incredible detail, the opulence of the materials used in its construction, and the remarkable design all combine to make this a unique architectural achievement not found elsewhere.

By far the main attraction of Madurai is the great Sree Meenakshi Temple. This awe-imposing monument is the finest example of Dravidian temple architecture on this planet. Its Hall of a Thousand Pillars is a fabulous collection of elaborately sculpted and painted deities as well as other creatures from Hindu religious annals.