New Delhi is a city that has a lot to offer and a lot to overcome, as it is a city that reflects the past, present, and future of India. It is a city that every Indian and every visitor should know and explore, as it is a city that will surprise and inspire them.
New Delhi, the capital of India, is a city that reflects the past, present, and future of the country. It is a city that was planned and built by the British as the new seat of their colonial empire in India, and later became the symbol of independent India’s democracy and diversity. It is a city that showcases the cultural, historical, and architectural heritage of India, as well as its economic, social, and political challenges and opportunities. It is a city that every Indian and every visitor should know and explore. In this article, we will look at how and why New Delhi became the capital of India, and what makes it unique and important.
The Origins of New Delhi
New Delhi is not the same as Delhi, although they are often used interchangeably. Delhi is a National Capital Territory, which encompasses New Delhi and several other districts. Delhi has a long and rich history, dating back to over 3,500 years, and has been the capital of many empires and kingdoms, such as the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire, and the British Raj. New Delhi, on the other hand, is a planned city that was designed and constructed by the British in the early 20th century, as the new capital of British India. New Delhi was officially inaugurated on February 13, 1931, by Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India12.
The idea of building a new capital for British India emerged in the early 1900s, when the British administration felt the need to shift the capital from Calcutta, which was located in the eastern coastal part of the country, to Delhi, which was located in the northern part. The main reasons for this decision were:
- The strategic location of Delhi, which was closer to the centre of the country and the north-western frontier, where the British faced threats from the Afghan and Russian empires.
- The symbolic significance of Delhi, which was the ancient and historic seat of power and prestige in India, and where the British could assert their authority and legitimacy over the subcontinent.
- The political and social unrest in Calcutta, which was the centre of the nationalist and revolutionary movements in India, and where the British faced resistance and hostility from the local population.
The announcement of the capital shift was made by King George V, the then Emperor of India, at the Delhi Durbar of 1911, a grand ceremony that marked the coronation of the King and Queen Mary as the sovereigns of India.
The King also laid the foundation stone of the new capital at the Coronation Park, where three imperial durbars were held between 1877 and 1911.
The Design and Construction of New Delhi
The design and construction of New Delhi was entrusted to two British architects, Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker, who were among the leading architects in Britain at that time. They were assisted by other architects and engineers, such as Robert Tor Russell, William Henry Nicholls, and Viceroy’s Engineer Hugh Keeling. The project was supervised by the Viceroy’s Secretariat, headed by Sir Harcourt Butler.
The plan of New Delhi was based on the principles of the garden city movement, which advocated for a harmonious and healthy balance between nature and urban development. The city was divided into two zones: the Central Administrative Area, which housed the government buildings, and the Residential Area, which housed the bungalows and apartments for the officials and the public. The city was also surrounded by green belts and parks, such as the Lodhi Garden, the Nehru Park, and the Mughal Garden.
The architecture of New Delhi was influenced by various styles and traditions, such as the classical, the Gothic, the Indo-Saracenic, and the Mughal. The most prominent and iconic buildings in New Delhi are:
The Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence of the President of India, which was formerly the Viceroy’s House. It is a massive and majestic structure, with a central dome, four wings, and 340 rooms. It is situated on the Raisina Hill, and overlooks the Rajpath, the ceremonial boulevard of New Delhi.
The Parliament House, the seat of the legislature of India, which consists of the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha, and the Library. It is a circular building, with a diameter of 173 metres and a height of 27 metres. It has 12 gates, 144 columns, and a central hall, where the joint sessions of the Parliament are held.
The India Gate, a war memorial that was built in 1931 to honour the 70,000 Indian soldiers who died in the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. It is a 42-metre-high arch, with the names of the martyrs inscribed on its walls. It also houses the eternal flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti, which honours the unknown soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
The construction of New Delhi took about 20 years, from 1911 to 1931, and cost about 15 million pounds.
It involved the labour of thousands of workers, artisans, and craftsmen, who worked under harsh and hazardous conditions. Many of them died or suffered from diseases and accidents during the project. The city was also criticised by some as a wasteful and extravagant enterprise, that ignored the needs and aspirations of the Indian people.
The Legacy and Future of New Delhi
New Delhi became the capital of independent India in 1947, after the end of the British rule and the partition of the subcontinent. It witnessed the birth of the Indian Republic in 1950, and the adoption of the Indian Constitution, which declared India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic. It also witnessed the evolution of the Indian democracy, and the emergence of various political parties, leaders, and movements, that shaped the destiny of the nation3.
New Delhi is also the centre of the Indian culture, and the hub of education, innovation, and development. It is home to some of the best educational and research institutions in India and the world, such as the University of Delhi, the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. It is also home to some of the finest museums, monuments, and festivals, that showcase the diversity and richness of the Indian heritage.
New Delhi is also a city of contrasts and contradictions, where the old and the new, the rich and the poor, the sacred and the secular, and the traditional and the modern coexist and collide. It is a city that faces various challenges and opportunities, such as poverty, inequality, crime, corruption, pollution, congestion, and climate change, as well as economic growth, social progress, and environmental sustainability.
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(India CSR)
