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Delhi is truly a symbol of the old
and the new; a blend of ancient well preserved monuments
and temples along with jam-packed burger joints and up
market shopping malls.The city is lushed with a plethora
of temples, forts, mosques as well as parks, gardens and
beautiful colonial mansions. Delhi may seem daunting to
a first time visitor but as a national capital and the
gateway to the North, it is a must visit city on any
travelers itinerary. Impressive museums and interesting
nightlife, Delhi has a lot to offer for everyone. The
Capital of India & its Administrative Center English,
Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi. Delhi is no fairytale city but
a city where dreams come to reality. Its strategic
location was one of the prime reasons why successive
dynasties chose it as their seat of power.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF DELHI
The Origin:
The earliest reference to a settlement at Delhi is found
in the epic Mahabharata, which mentions a city called
Indraprastha, built about 1400 BC under the direction of
'Yudhistra', a 'Pandava' king, on a huge mound somewhere
between the sites where the historic Old Fort and
Humayun's Tomb were later to be located. Although
nothing remains of Indraprastha, according to legend it
was a thriving city.The first reference to the
place-name Delhi seems to have been made in the 1st
century BC, when Raja Dhilu built a city near the site
of the future Qutub Minar and named it after him.
A Conglomerate of Seven Cities:
One of the most fascinating aspects of Delhi is the
visibility of its historic past. Some of the large
portions of the city could be well earmarked as
archeological parks because the rulers of successive
dynasties between the 13th and the 17th centuries
established seven cities in different parts of Delhi. A
chronological review of these cities fortunately also
serves as suitable itinerary for tourists and highlights
the important monuments amongst the 1300's. Delhi's
History goes much further back in time than the 13th
century. Anagpal Tomar who is said to have built LAL KOT,
which is the first known regular defence work in Delhi,
created the core of the first of the seven cities. The
Chauhan Rajput's later captured Delhi from the Tomars.
Prithviraj III, also known as Rai Pithora, extended Lal
Kot, adding massive ramparts and gates and made Quila
Rai Pithora the first city of Delhi. Today only, the
ramparts are visible near the Qutub Minar, though the
city is known to have had several Hindu and Jain
temples.
Soon afterwards, in two successive battles of Tarain
1191, the Rajputs first managed to hold off an invading
force from Afghanistan, led by Muhammad Ghuri but
surrendered a few months later. Unlike other invaders of
Central Asia who swept into the northern plains,
Muhammad Ghuri came to stay and not only plunder.
After Ghuri's assassination in 1206, his provinces,
forts and monuments were kept intact in the hands of his
Turkish general, Qutub-ud-din-Aibak. Qutub-ud-din was
the founder of the Slave or Mamulak dynasty also known
as Delhi Sultanate and became the first Muslim ruler of
Delhi. He also raised the construction of Qutub Minar.
His successor, Iltutmish, was arguably the greatest of
the early Delhi Sultans. The Slave Dynasty (1211-1227)
was followed by the Khalji dynasty (1296-1316) and
during the rule of Ala-ud-din Khalji, the second city of
Delhi was built - "SIRI". Today Sir is situated where
the Siri Fort and the modern day Asiad Village Complex
are located. The third city of Delhi - TUGHLUQABAD was
founded by the Tughluq dynasty soon after in 1320 AD but
very little remains of this can be seen in present day
Delhi. The fourth city of Delhi - JAHANPANAH was built
between Lal Kot and Siri in 1327 AD. The next Sultan
Firoz Shah built the fifth city of Delhi - FIROZABAD in
1354 AD.
The Central Asian Turk:
Timur, who was later succeeded by the Sayyid dynasty,
followed the Tughlaq’s. The Lodi dynasty soon followed
and the only interesting architectural features added by
them were the tombs, the best of which may be seen at
the Lodi Gardens. The famous battle of Panipat fought in
1526 AD marked the beginning of Mughal rule in India, a
period in history that was very significant.Babur and
Humayun were the early Mughal rulers followed by a
15-year break in Mughal rule when Sher Shah Suri an
Afghan king ruled over Delhi. He built the fort DIN-PANAH
- the 6th city on the banks of the Yamuna, which in
present day Delhi is known as the Purana Qila. When
Emperor Akbar took over, the capital was shifted to
Agra. However in 1628 AD, Delhi was once again made the
capital of the Mughal Empire under Emperor Shah Jahan.
In Shah Jahan's rule, Delhi witnessed the construction
of some of the finest pieces of Mughal architecture.
There was the new walled capital of SHAHJAHANBAD - the
7th city of Delhi, which is now Old Delhi with the Red
Fort and the Jama Masjid.
The Colonial Era:
For the next many decades, Delhi witnessed tumultuous
times, different rulers and dynasties and finally in
1803 AD, the British who had already established their
presence in India, took over power in Delhi. Delhi was
the focal point for the first war of independence in
1857. Though the revolt did not reach its desired
conclusion, Delhi became a thorn in the eyes of the
British.
As the British’s shifted their capital from Calcutta to
Delhi, all the activities during the freedom struggle
were directed towards Delhi. Thus, Delhi also bears the
marks of the freedom struggle. The ultimate goal of the
Azad Hind Fauz during the freedom struggle was to
capture Delhi and established Swaraj. The slogan 'Dilli
Chalo' is still used by leaders and political parties
when they organize any rally or demonstration. It was
the hosting of the tricolor at Red Fort in Delhi, which
marked a chapter in the history of India. In 1950, Delhi
was made the capital of Independent India and in 1992 it
was declared a state.
Architecture in Delhi:
Delhi comprises of some of the most exquisite examples
of architectural splendors. The conquest of Muslims made
an effective and distinct impact on the indigenous
manifestations of life and culture, which also gave rise
among other expressions of art, a new style in
architecture. This new style incorporated certain new
modes and principles of construction, beautifully
reflecting the religious and social needs of the
adherents of Islam. The systematically planned
architecture of the British brought with them a colonial
trend of having gardens and lawns within the premises,
creating a natural ambience around a building.
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