Kartavya Path

Kartavya Path is the ceremonial avenue at the heart of New Delhi, running east from Rashtrapati Bhavan on Raisina Hill past Vijay Chowk and down to India Gate. Laid out in the 1920s and 1930s as the spine of the new imperial capital, it was known as Kingsway and then Rajpath, and was renamed Kartavya Path, the Path of Duty, in September 2022.

Kartavya Path was designed by Edwin Lutyens, with Herbert Baker's North and South Block Secretariat buildings flanking the top of Raisina Hill. Every 26 January it hosts the Republic Day parade, with military units, state floats and flypasts, and on 29 January the Beating Retreat ceremony is held at Vijay Chowk. The avenue's lawns, canals, walkways and vending zones were rebuilt as part of the Central Vista redevelopment, which also produced the new Parliament building nearby. Kartavya Path is now one of the most popular public spaces in Delhi.

What to see

• The view from Vijay Chowk up to Rashtrapati Bhavan
• North Block and South Block, the sandstone Secretariat buildings
• The long canals and lawns along the avenue
• India Gate and the National War Memorial at the eastern end
• Evening lights and families picnicking on the grass

What to wear

Kartavya Path is an open public space with no dress code; light, modest clothes suit Delhi. The avenue is long and exposed, so wear comfortable walking shoes, and bring a hat and water in summer. December and January evenings are cold. In Delhi you will see women in salwar kameez and sarees and men in kurta pyjama, especially at festivals and weddings.

Local food to try

Licensed vendors sell ice cream, chaat, gol gappe and roasted corn in the vending areas near India Gate. For a full meal, Connaught Place is about 3 km north, with restaurants serving butter chicken, dal makhani and South Indian food. Vegetarian choices are everywhere, and halal meat is widely served.

Good to know

• Best from October to March; evenings are liveliest
• Open at all times; sections close for Republic Day rehearsals in January
• Free
• Allow one to two hours to walk from Vijay Chowk to India Gate
• Central Secretariat metro is at the western end; about 3 km south of Connaught Place
• Republic Day parade seats are ticketed and sell out early

Nearby places

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib is about 2 km north, and Humayun's Tomb is about 5 km south-east.