Delhi
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.
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