Delhi
- Alternate meanings: Delhi, California, Delhi, New York
Delhi forms the 'National Capital Territory' of the Republic of India. It contains the newer city of New Delhi which is no longer a distinguishable urban area, but contains many of the administrative institutions of the national government, and is formally considered the national capital.
It occupies an area of some 1,483 square kilometres (572 square miles) with a population of approximately 14 million. The principal spoken languages are Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and English.
Delhi derives its historic importance from its position in northern India, occupying a location between the Aravalli Hills to the southwest and the Yamuna river on whose western banks it stands. This enabled it to dominate the old trade routes from northwest India to the plains of the Ganges.
History
Delhi is believed to be made up of seven subsequent cities, the remains of some of which can still be seen on the ground.
- Qila Rai Pithora built by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, near the oldest Rajput settlement in Lal-Kot
- Siri, built by Alaudin Khalji in 1303
- Tughluqabad, built by Ghiyazudin Tughluq (1321-1325).
- Jahanpanah, built by Muhammad bin Tuqhluq (1325-1351)
- Kotla Firoz Shah, built by Firuz Shah Tughluq (1351-1388)
- Purana Qila built by Sher Shah Sur and Dinpanah built by Humayun, both in the same area near the speculated site of the legendary Indra-Prastha (1538-1545)
- Shahjahanabad, built by Shah Jahan from 1638 to 1649, containing the Lal Qila and the Chandni Chowk.
Traditionally, Delhi is said to be the site of Indra-Prashta, capital of the Pandavas in the Indian epic Mahabharata. A village called Indarpat existed in Delhi until the beginning of the 19th century.
Excavations have unearthed sherds of the grey painted ware (ca. 1000 BC) that some archaeologist associate with the age of the Mahabharata, but no coherent settlement traces have been found. Some locate Indra-Prashta in the Purana-Qila area.
The earliest architectural relics stem from the Mauryan Period (ca 300 BC), since then, the site has seen continous settlement. In 1966, an inscription of the Mauryan King Ashoka, 273-236 BC was discovered near Srinivaspuri. The famous wrought iron pilar of Ashoka now to be seen in Qutb Minar was only manufactured in the Gupta-Period (400-600 AD) and transplanted to Delhi at some time in the 10th century. Two sandstone pillars inscribed with the edicts of Ashoka were only later brought to the city by Firuz Shah Tughluq (1351-1388).
In the Prithvirajaraso, the Rajput Anangpal is named as the founder of Delhi. He is supposed to have constructed the Lal-Kot and brought the Iron Pillar to the city. The Rajput period is dated from ca. 900-1200 AD.
The name of Dhilli or Dhillika first appears in an inscription from 1170 from Udaipur. By 1316, it may have become the capital of Haryana. 1206-1526 Delhi was the capital of the Delhi sultanate (Mamluk, dynasty, Khalij dynasty, Tughluq dynasty, Sayyid dynasty and Lodi dynasty).
In the mid-seventeenth century, the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1658) built the city that sometimes bears his name (Shahjahanabad), the seventh city of Delhi that is more commonly known as the old city or old Delhi. This city contains a number of significant architectural features; including most notably the Red Fort or Lal Qila. The old city served as the capital of the later Mughal empire from 1838 onwards, when Shah Jahan transferred the capital from Agra. Aurangzeb (1658-1707) crowned himself as emperor in Delhi in 1658 at the Shalinar garden ('Aizzabad-Bagh), a second coronation took place in 1659.
Delhi passed under British control in 1857 after the Sepoy mutiny and after Bahadur Shah II had been transported to Rangoon and became the Capital of British India in 1911 (formerly Calcutta).
In the large scale rebuilding, parts of the Old City were pulled down to provide place for New Delhi.
economy
Delhi is one of the largest market in the country despite its being much smaller in population to Mumbai and Calcutta. This is primarily because the per capita in Delhi is much higher compared to other cities. Since 1990's its become the number one destination for all FDI (foreign direct investment). Many multinational companies have set up their Head quarters in Delhi and adjoining cities- from Pepsico and Gap Inc to zipper giant, YKK.
The city is served by Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Famous sites in Delhi
Hotels in Delhi
Five Star:
Four and Three Star:
Markets in Delhi
External link
literature
- Y. D. Sharma, Delhi and its neighbourhood (New Delhi, Archaeological Survey of India 1990). -Historical architectural remains.
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