|
|
| 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
hop
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.
Call it what you will.. it's Delhi. |
|
|
|
