Other cities recorded are Surajpal's Surajkund c1024
AD, Qila Lal Kot c1024 AD which was built by Anangpal
and Qila Rai Pithora c1170 AD of the brave and daring
king Prithviraj Chauhan.
In the same area Qutb-ud-din-Aibak built his citadel
and the Qutb Minar in the year 1199. He completed 3
storeys and his son-in-law Iltutmish, added the fourth.
It was damaged by lightning in the years 1326 &
1366. Firoz Shah Tughlaq repaired the damage and added
the fifth storey. It stands 72 metres high.
Ala-ud-Din-Khilji built a new capital for himself at
Siri, c1302 AD. His palace of a thousand pillars saw
many triumphs and tragedies, but has since completely
gone to ruins. It was Ala-ud-Din-Khilji who built the
magnificent tank called Hauz Khas. At that time it had
enough water to meet the needs of the city.
Ghiyas-ud-Din-Tughluq, in c1320 moved south and built
the fort city of Tughlakabad on the rocky southern ridge.
It has massive bastions and walls. Though strategically
located, it was deserted within 5 years perhaps because
of a shortage of water.
Muhammad Shah Tughluq first built Adilabad just south
of Tughlakabad but soon abandoned it. He moved north
and gave his city the name of Jahanpanah (asylum of
the world) in 1334 AD. Using the fortifications of the
older cities, it had 13 gates. His son, Firuz Shah Tughluq,
did not want to be left behind, so he created his own
city Firuzabad (Kotla Firoz Shah), in the year 1351.
He bought and erected a 8m tall 27 ton glittering golden
monolith from Topra, near Ambala. Encased in reeds and
raw skins it was transported on a carriage of 42 wheels,
with 200 men pulling each wheel with ropes. This was
emperor Ashoka's pillar with his edicts inscribed on
it. It still stands in Kotla Firoz Shah.
Babar's son Humayun, in 1530 AD, built a fort on one
of the oldest settlements and called it Dinpanah. The
afghan king, Sher Shah Suri, wrested control from Humayun
and built Dilli in 1542, encompassing a very large area.
The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built his fort, the Lal
Qila and the huge well laid out city, Shahjahanabad,
in 1648 AD. It took 10 years to build. The city fort
had 14 gates many of which still exists. This city survives
as the old Delhi of today.
Finally, the British built New Delhi, south of Shahjahanabad
and shifted their capital from Calcutta in 1931. In
the six decades since the creation of New Delhi as the
Capital of British India, the city has undergone a sea
change. Made initially to cater to a population of 70,000,
the total urban population of Delhi now exceeds 8 million.
The city has exploded in all directions beyond the confines
of Lutyen's wide, tree-lined avenues, with an exuberance
that is characteristically Indian.
Several factors have contributed to this breathless
pace of growth. For North India, especially, Independence
also meant Partition. In 1947, many Muslim families
of Delhi migrated to Pakistan while many Hindus and
Shikhs from west Punjab sought refuge in the city. They
were given land west of the Ridge and south of New Delhi.
Many of these refugees also built their houses across
the Yamuna and north of Shahjahanabad.
Since then, the influx into the city hasn't ceased.
The manpower required by the Government in the Capital
is itself staggering. Industrialists, Entrepreneurs
and migrant labour from all over India have turned to
Delhi in search of livelihood and success, and made
it a commercial capital as well. The cultivated fields
which till recently could be seen on the outskirts of
the city, have been developed into residential colonies
and commercial complexes.
High-rise buildings now stand check-by-jowl with Delhi's
1300 monuments. Villages such as Khirkee, Begumpur,
Hauz Khas, Sheikh Sarai and Nizamuddin which grew around
medieval Delhi's shifting capital cities, have now been
engulfed by the urban sprawl. Many of them, however,
retain their old-world characteristics.
The line of distinction between Old and New Delhi has
begun to blur - north, south, east and west Delhi are
more prevalant terms of demarcation. The facilities
and opportunities available in Delhi have attracted
Indians from far-flung corners of the country, making
it a melting pot of sorts. On the other hand, the presence
of diplomatic and trade mission, the growing number
of multi-national companies andforeign investors, and
the influx of tourists and visiting professionals have
given the city, especially its southern and central
parts, a cosmopolitan air.
The coexistence of the past and the present at many
levels characterizes Delhi, as it does India. The assimilation
of a specific cultural influence is expressed differently
by people living in different parts of the city, a fact
which offers insights into the social strata. South
Delhi is undoubtedly the trend-setter, and the fashions
and lifestyle introduced here become the aspirations
of many. There are however, dramatic differences in
localities, standards of living and adherence to traditions.
Delhi is one of the most historic capitals in the world
and two of its monuments- the Qutb Minar and Humayun's
Tomb - have been declared World Heritage Sites. It is
also one of the greenest capitals. For the visitor,
it serves as a perfect introduction to the cultural
wealth, the complexities and dynamism of India.
The capital city today has grown. It has engulfed
all the ancient city sites and overflows across the
Yamuna and the Northen Ridge. Delhi is still changing. |
