Happy Birthday Delhi: 100 years of being the national capital

Delhi – the dhadkan of India – is celebrating ten decades of its existence as the capital of India today. It was declared as the national capital on December 12, 1911, by King George V when he visited India to commemorate his coronation as the British emperor of India. Delhi is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai.

A brief history of Delhi

Delhi Durbar

The Delhi Durbar, meaning “Court of Delhi”, was a mass assembly at Coronation Park, Delhi, India, to mark the coronation of a King and Queen of the United Kingdom. Also known as the Imperial Durbar, it was held three times, in 1877, 1903, and 1911, at the height of the British Empire. The 1911 Durbar was the only one attended by the sovereign, who was George V. The term was derived from common Mughal term durbar. ( from Wiki )

Old Delhi

Delhi has been ruled by various emperors and dynasties with each of them bestowing the city with grand forts and palaces. Old Delhi, the walled city, was founded as Shahjahanabad by the Mughal Emperor, Shahjahan in 1639. Jama Masjid (India’s largest mosque), the Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, Daryaganj are the main highlights of Purani Dilli. Not many people know that the first wholesale market of Old Delhi was opened as a hardware market in Chawri Bazar in 1840!

The birth of New Delhi

After the collapse of Mughal Empire post 1857 revolt, the British rule shifted the capital of India from less volatile Calcutta to Delhi in 1911. The then Viceroy of India, Lord Hardinge, wanted new and old Delhi to look the same but Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, the greatest British Architect, opposed his idea.

New Delhi is the brain child of Edwin Lutyens. He is also the man behind the national monument India Gate, which was built in 1931 and is situated in the heart of New Delhi, as well as the magnificent Rashtrapati Bhavan located at Raisina Hill. This is why New Delhi is also referred to as Lutyens’ Delhi as he gave the city a metropolitan look with his classic architectural skills. His predilection for Delhi is vivid from his choice of incorporation of traditional and local Indian culture – like the drum-mounted Buddhist dome of the Rashtrapati Bhavan (formerly known as the Viceroy’s House). ( Source – ZeeNews )

The following video briefly describes the glory of Delhi.

Happy Birthday Delhi !!! Tel us in comments your favorite place or hang out in Delhi

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WorthvieW

Sethu Ram

Hi there! I’m Sethu, your go-to guy for all things tech, travel, internet, movies, and business tips. I love sharing insights and stories that make life more interesting. Let’s explore the world together, one article at a time!