Delhi

I

Introduction

Delhi or Old Delhi, city in northern India, capital of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. It is situated on the western bank of the River Yamuna (Jumna)—a tributary of the Ganges—and is bordered on the south by New Delhi, the national capital. Delhi is surrounded by a high stone wall, erected in 1638, and can be approached through seven arched gateways, including the Delhi Gate in the south, the Ajmer Gate in the east, and the Kashmir Gate in the north. Population 12,791,458 (2001).

II

Economy

Delhi is an important transport, commercial, and industrial centre. Manufactured goods include electronic and electrical equipment, textiles, jewellery, chemicals, precision instruments, and motor-vehicle parts. Delhi is an important railway junction; the main railway station is at the heart of the city and provides service to all parts of India. Delhi is served by the Indira Gandhi International Airport, 20 km (12 mi) to the south of the city centre. Construction of the Delhi Metro, an underground rapid transport system, began in 1998. The first section of the subway opened in 2002 and by 2007 the network covered around 68 km (42 mi), with additional lines under construction.

III

Places of Interest

A major landmark in Delhi is the imposing Great Mosque (Jama Masjid); its tapering minarets and bulbous domes dominate the city’s skyline. One of the largest mosques in India, it was commissioned by the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan and completed in 1658. Nearby is the spectacular Red Fort (completed 1648), a complex of buildings enclosed by a high, red sandstone wall that once served as the imperial palace of India’s Mughal emperors. The two most famous buildings of the Red Fort are the Hall of Public Audience (Diwan-i-Am), where the grand mughal presided from a royal alcove, which contained the Peacock Throne, and the smaller Hall of Private Audience (Diwan-i-Khas). The decorated white-marble walls of the latter, considered a masterpiece of Mughal architecture, are inscribed with a couplet in Persian that has been translated in English as: “If there is a heaven on Earth, it is this—it is this.” Other features in the Red Fort are the Painted Palace (Rang Mahal) and the Pearl Mosque (Moti Masjid). The Red Fort became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.

Historical landmarks just outside Delhi include the Qutb Minar, a tall, decorated tower (12th century) which was designated a World Heritage Site in 1993; the royal tomb (16th century) of Humayun, also inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1993; and Raj Ghat, where Mohandas Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi were cremated. Within the walls is a maze of congested narrow streets, alleys, busy bazaars, and some of the nation’s most spectacular Indo-Muslim architectural features. Along the Chandni Chowk (Silver Street), once considered the most lavish street in the world, is a major commercial area of Delhi. The University of Delhi (1922) and a branch of the Indian Institute of Technology (1961) are also in the city. The British-designed Parliament House is another well-known landmark.

IV

History

The name Delhi, first recorded in the 1st century bc, was applied to a succession of cities built on this site before the present city was founded in 1638 by Shah Jahan. The first was built in the 12th century ad by the Cahaman ruler Prithviraja, though Delhi’s strategic site might have been settled as early as 1400 bc. It was captured by Muslims in 1193 and became capital of a Muslim empire in India under Qutb al-Din Aybak, builder of the Qutb Minar tower. Muslim control ended with the capture and destruction of Delhi in the late 14th century by the Mongol conqueror Tamerlane.

Babur, founder of the Mughal dynasty in India, restored Delhi to capital status in 1526, and his son Humayun built a new city there. In 1540 it was seized and destroyed by the Afghan invader Sher Shah, and was replaced by another new city. Akbar, the son of Humayun, recaptured Delhi but moved his capital to Agra and allowed Delhi to fall into ruins. It was rebuilt in its present form and restored as the Mughal capital by Akbar’s grandson Shah Jahan in the 17th century. Delhi remained the Mughal capital until 1739, when it was conquered and looted of its treasures, including the famous Peacock Throne, by the Persian ruler Nadir Shah. Around 1771 the Marathas gained control and remained in power until British forces seized the city in 1803. Delhi was the temporary capital of British India from 1912 to 1931, when New Delhi was officially inaugurated as the capital.

Delhi has grown rapidly, in both industry and population, since India gained independence from Great Britain in 1947. Increasingly pollution is impairing the quality of the air. Today Delhi ranks as the second-largest city in India, after Kolkata. The Asian Games were held in Delhi in 1982 and the city will host the Commonwealth Games in 2010.