Delhi History

Delhi has not always been the capital of India but has played an important role in Indian history. One of the fascinating aspects of the city has been the'visibility' of its historic past. If not for the demands of urbanization, large portions of the city could well be earmarked as archaeological sites. This is because the rulers of the dynasties from the 13th and 17th centuries established eight cities in different parts of Delhi. The first four were towards the south where the Qutub Minar stands. The city's history dates much further back than the 13th century. Excavations have proved that the Old Fort site was inhabited 3,000 years ago. And fine pottery dating back to 1,000 BC, from the time of the Hindu epic of Mahabharata, called the Painted Grey Ware, has been found. The excavations also cut through houses and the streets of the Sultanate of Rajput, Post-Gupta, Gupta, Saka-Kushan and Sunga periods reaching down to the Mauraya dynasty(300 BC). The association of Emperor Ashoka(273-36 BC) has come to light after the discovery of the Minor Rock Edict in one of the city's districts. However, the core of the first city was created by Anangpal Tomar in the 12th century. He built Lal Kot, the first ever fort in Delhi. Prithviraj Chauhan, the successive king, added massive ramparts and gates, and constructed the Quila Rai Pithora. Today, only the ramparts are visible near Qutub Minar. The second city, called Siri, was built by Alauddin Khilji in 1303. Nothing remains but the embattlements. He also dug a vast reservoir, Hauz Khas, to supply water to his people. Many historians consider the Delhi of yore as a"rival to Cairo, and even equal to Constantinople!" The Khiljis were replaced by the Tughlaq dynasty in 1321. Of its eleven rulers, only the first three were interested in architecture and each of them established a new city. Tughlaq architecture is more austere in comparison to the ornate structures built by the Khiljis. Ghitasuddin Tughlaq built the fortified town of Tughlaqabad, which lies eight kilometers east of the Qutub Minar Complex. Though partially in ruins, it is still worth a visit. Ghiyasuddin's successor, Muhammadbin- Tughlaq built Delhi's fourth city, Jahanpanah. It largely comprises a walled enclosure between Quila Rai Pithora and Siri. Nothing from this time survives, and the Sultan is best remembered for his eccentric schemes, the strangest one to shift the capital from Delhi to Dulatabad in the Deccan region and back again to Delhi. Firoz Shah Tughlaq, a man interested in history, hunting, architecture and irrigation created the fifth city, Firozabad, situated in the current Firoz Shah Kotla. Its ruins include the Ashoka Pillar and a mosque. Delhi's growth remained stagnant under the reign of the Sayyids and the Lodhis. The only notable architectural pieces by them were tombs, the best of which can be seen at Lodhi Gardens. The last king of the Lodhis was defeated by Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty. He shifted the capital from Delhi to Agra. The first six Mughal rulers were extraordinary men, and their rule witnessed a powerful resurgence in Islamic Architecture and culture. Babur's son, Humayun, built the sixth city of Delhi called the Purana Quila or Old Fort, which is off Mathura Road. In 1638, the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan shifted the capital back to Delhi while he was building the Taj Mahal in Agra. The foundations were laid for the seventh city, Shah Jahanabad, on the banks of Yamuna river. It took nine years to complete. Many monuments remain intact today Red Fort, Jama Masjid, and Chandni Chowk. Finally, the eighth city, New Delhi, was constructed by the British. The site chosen was a wilderness of Raisina, while the city was designed by the architect Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. It took 20 years to build and cost 15 million pounds. All of central Delhi- Connaught Place, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, is a testimonial of their creativity. In 1947, it became the capital of partitioned India, and Hindu and Sikh refugees poured in from Pakistan. Many have invaded Delhi through the ages. Tameerlaine attacked it in the 14th century, Babur occupied it in the 16th century and the Persian emperor, Nadir Shah, sacked the city and took the Kohinoor Diamond(now a part of the British royal family's crown jewels) and the famous Peacock Throne off to Iran. The British captured Delhi in 1803, but during the uprising of 1857, it became the center of resistance against the British.