Introduction
Delhi was the capital city of mighty empires and powerful kingdoms for hundreds of years. Its boundaries have shifted over the years. Today it is divided into two sections: the city of Delhi (also called Old Delhi) and a separate city called New Delhi. New Delhi is the capital of the modern nation of India. Both cities are part of an area known as the national capital territory of Delhi. The territory is located in north-central India on the west bank of the Yamuna River.
The city of New Delhi was built in the early 20th century according to the design of a British architect. It has wide boulevards and many parks. Although it is connected to the old city, there are striking differences between the two. The older city is a confusing mixture of narrow and winding streets, mosques, temples, monuments, crowded bazaars, and residential areas.
Places of interest
Photograph:A 16th-century tomb at Delhi, India.
* A 16th-century tomb at Delhi, India.
The Delhi area has a long and colorful history that is reflected in its many ruins and monuments. Many of the most interesting were built by Muslim rulers who controlled different regions of Delhi over the centuries.The most prominent site in Old Delhi is the Red Fort. This was built during the reign of the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan in the mid-17th century. The fort has massive red sandstone walls that are 75 feet (23 meters) tall. They enclose palaces, gardens, military barracks, and other buildings. Another building in Old Delhi from that period is the Principal Mosque, or Jama Masjid.
In New Delhi the existing historical structures were incorporated into the design of the new city. Many of these can be found in the city's parks, including the tombs of the 15th-century Lodi kings in the Lodi Gardens and the tomb of the Mughal ruler Safdarjang.
India was controlled by Great Britain for many years, and New Delhi contains several monuments from that period. The India Gate, Parliament House, and the Presidential Palace were all built by the British. The India Gate is a war memorial honoring soldiers who died in World War I. In recent times, memorials for Indian heroes have been built along the Yamuna. These are often set in flowering gardens. The people honored are Indian leaders of the 20th century. They include Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.
Culture
India has national schools of music, dance, drama, art, and literature. Most are located in Delhi. The National Museum exhibits treasures from India and Central Asia. It contains paintings, ancient jewelry, and costumes of tribal people. The National Gallery of Modern Art, known as Jaipur House, exhibits the works of modern Indian artists. Other museums include the Nehru Memorial Museum, Tibet House (for Tibetan antiquities and religious objects), and the Museum of Natural History.
Delhi is famous for a variety of fairs and festivals. Pragati Maidan is a large exhibition ground that often hosts trade fairs, book fairs, and international exhibitions. In the Crafts Museum, traditional craftspeople demonstrate their art and sell their wares. An annual film festival is held in Delhi. There are many religious festivals and celebrations during the year.
Education is important in Delhi. Major schools include the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, the University of Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, and the Indian Institute of Technology.
Economy
Service industries, such as public administration, education, health care, and tourism are very important to Delhi's economy. Delhi has also been the leading trading and commercial center of northern India for many centuries. In modern times it has also become a manufacturing center. Many of the goods that India sells to other countries are produced in the area. These include textiles, electronic goods, electrical appliances and accessories, small tools, plastic goods, and precision instruments.
History
The earliest known city to be built in the Delhi area was Indraprastha, which was founded in about 1400 BC. The first reference to the place-name Delhi was in about the 1st century BC, when a ruler named Dhilu (or Dilli) built a city and named it for himself. This was one of many different cities built in the area over a period of hundreds of years.
Beginning in the late 12th century Delhi became the capital city of a series of Muslim rulers. One of these leaders moved the capital to Agra in the 14th century. In 1526, the Mughal dynasty, or family of rulers, came to power in northern India. The first Mughal ruler, Babur, stated that Delhi would be the seat of his empire.
In 1638 Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor, laid the foundations of a city called Shahjahanabad on the site of today's Old Delhi. Shah Jahan built the Jama Masjid as well as the Taj Mahal in nearby Agra.
The Mughal Empire ended in the mid-18th century. Various groups then fought for control of the city. In 1803 the British took over the city. In 1912, Delhi became the capital of British India. The city of New Delhi was completed in 1931. When India gained independence from Britain in 1947, New Delhi became the capital. The Delhi area has grown rapidly since India became independent. Population (2001 estimate), New Delhi, 294,783; Delhi, 9,817,439.
