DELHI TOURISM
History of Delhi
Delhi : A Transition through Time - As you walk along the narrow bylanes
of this city of dreams, tread softly. Every crumbling wall has a story to tell.
Every yesterday is replete with history. Rulers have come and gone. The city has
lived through wars and resurrection, repeatedly rising from the ashes.
Cradling civilisations since times immemorial Delhi goes back hundreds
of thousands of years back into time.
Stone tools belonging to early
stone age were discovered from the Aravalli tracts in and around Anangpur, the
Jawaharlal Nehru University Campus, the northern ridge and elsewhere - evidence
that the Early Man lived here.
Excavations at Mandoli and Bhorgarh in
east and north-west Delhi respectively have thrown up remains of chalcolithic
period dating back to 2nd millennium BC, 1st millennium BC as well remains of
4th-5th century AD have been traced here.
The excavations of the ancient
mound of Indraprastha, capital of the Pandavas, located withing the fold of the
sixteenth century Purana Qila revealed evidence of continuous habitation of the
site for almost 2500 years.
According to the Mahabharata, the Pandavas
founded their capital Indrapratha in the region known as Khandava-prastha. Delhi
was also witness to the glories of the Maurya Empire during 3rd century BC. The
Ashokan edict engraved on a rock in East of Kailash as well as remains found in
Purana Quila excavations belonging to the Mauryan period point to Delhi's importance
during this era.
The first city of Delhi, Lal Kot was founded by the
Tomar ruler Anangpal, in the 11th century. It was extended to Qila Rai Pithora
by King Vigraharaja IV (Circa 1153-64). Qutbuddin Aibak became Delhi's first Sultan
in 1206 and laid the foundations of the Qutb Minar, India's tallest stone tower
at the site of the first city of Delhi subsequently the kings of the Sultanate
dynasties, Khaljis, Tughluqs Sayyids and Lodis continued to build. New cities
as Delhi grew.
The second city around Siri by Alaud-Din Khalji (1296-1316);
Tughlaqabad, the third city built by Ghiysud-Din Tughlug (1321-51); Firuzabad,
the fifth city of Delhi, is now represented by Kotla Firuz Shah, founded by Firuz
Shah Tughluq (1351-88).
It
was Humayun who laid the foundations of the sixth city - Dinpanah. This was destroyed
and reconstructed as the Purana Qila by Sher Shah Suri however, it was the Mughals
who took Delhi to the zenith of architectural glory.
While some construction
activities did continue during the reign of Akbar (1556-1605) and Jehangir (1605-27),
it was Shah Jehan (1628-58) who built the seventh city, Shahjahanabad which remained
the Mughal capital until 1857.
The British in 1911 shifted the capital
of India to Delhi. The eighth city of New Delhi took shape in the imperial style
of architecture. From then to now Delhi continues to throb with vitality and hope.
The ruins and ramparts still stand tall in dignity - and amidst them rise
modern buildings and giant skyscrapers. It's a breathtaking synthesis of yesterday
and tomorrow, the holding on to the past and surging ahead to the furture.
