Gates of Delhi
Encyclopedia
| Gates of DelhiAlai Darwaza: Qutb complex Qutb complex The Qutb complex , also spelled Qutab or Qutub, is an array of monuments and buildings at Mehrauli in Delhi, India. The construction of Qutb Minar was intended as a Victory Tower, to celebrate the victory of Mohammed Ghori over Rajput king, Prithviraj Chauhan, in 1192 AD, by his then viceroy,... | Kashmiri Gate Kashmiri Gate (Delhi) The Kashmiri Gate is a gate located in Delhi, it is the northern gate to the historic walled city of Delhi... | West Gate: Purana Qila | Delhi Gate Delhi Gate (Delhi) Delhi Gate is the southern gate of one of the many gates of the historic walled city of Delhi, or Shahjahanabad. The gate links the New Delhi city with the old walled city of Delhi... | Lahore Gate Red Fort | India Gate India Gate The India Gate is the national monument of India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was built in 1931... |
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The Gates of Delhi were built in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, under different dynastic rulers in the period that could be dated from 8th century to 20th century. These are: i) the gates of the ancient city of Lal Kot or Qila Rai Pithora, also called the first city of Delhi (period 731-1311) in Mehrauli
Mehrauli
Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in the South West district of Delhi in India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is located close to Gurgaon.-History:...
– Qutb Complex
Qutb complex
The Qutb complex , also spelled Qutab or Qutub, is an array of monuments and buildings at Mehrauli in Delhi, India. The construction of Qutb Minar was intended as a Victory Tower, to celebrate the victory of Mohammed Ghori over Rajput king, Prithviraj Chauhan, in 1192 AD, by his then viceroy,...
; ii) the gates in the second city of Siri Fort
Siri
Siri or SIRI may refer to:Given name* Sigrid, a female name commonly shortened as Siri* Siri, a common Hindu female name, meaning "Goddess Lakshmi, Wealth, God's gift of love."* Siri von Essen, Swedish actress married to writer August Strindberg...
(1304); iii) the gates in the third city Tughlaqabad
Tughlaqabad
Tughlaqabad Fort is a ruined fort in Delhi, stretching across 6.5 km, built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, of the Delhi Sultanate of India in 1321, as he established the fifth historic city of Delhi, which was later abandoned in 1327...
(1321–23), iv) the gates in the fourth city of Jahanpanah
Jahanpanah
Jahanpanah was the fourth medieval city of Delhi established in 1326–1327 by Muhammad bin Tughlaq , of the Delhi Sultanate. To address the constant threat of the Mongols, Tughlaq built the fortified city of Jahanpanah subsuming the Adilabad fort that had been built in the 14th century and...
’s of (mid 14th century); v) the gates in the fifth city of Feruzabad (1354); vi) the sixth city of Dilli Sher Shahi (Shergarh) ‘s gates (1534); near Purana Qila; vii) the gates built in the seventh city Shahjahanabad of (mid 17th century); and viii) the gates in the eighth modern city New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
of British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
(1931s) in Lutyens' Delhi
Lutyens' Delhi
Lutyens' Delhi is an area in Delhi, specifically New Delhi, India, named after the leading British architect Edwin Lutyens , who was responsible for much of the architectural design and building when India was part of the British Empire in the 1920s and 1930s...
of the British rule. In 1611, the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an merchant William Finch had described Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
as the city of seven castles (forts) and fifty two gates
Gates
-Places:*Gates, British Columbia, a rural community in British Columbia, Canada**Gates River, a river in British Columbia, Canada**Gates Valley, a valley in British Columbia, Canada*Gates, New York, a US town in Monroe County, New York...
. More gates were built after that period also during the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
rule and during the British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
rule. But, as on date, only 13 gates exist in good shape, while all others are in ruins or have been demolished. Like all gates denote, the direction of the destination station is the starting name of the gate.
Gates in the first city
| Alai Darwaza in Qutb Complex Qutb complex The Qutb complex , also spelled Qutab or Qutub, is an array of monuments and buildings at Mehrauli in Delhi, India. The construction of Qutb Minar was intended as a Victory Tower, to celebrate the victory of Mohammed Ghori over Rajput king, Prithviraj Chauhan, in 1192 AD, by his then viceroy,... next to Qutub Minar Qutub Minar Qutub Minar also Qutb Minar, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in Delhi, India. The Qutub Minar is constructed with red sandstone and marble, and is the tallest minaret in India, with a height of 72.5 meters , contains 379 stairs to reach the top, and the diameter of base is 14.3 meters... |
A refurbished Chaumukh Darwaza – Four faced Gate in the Qutub Archeological Village |
In the first city of Delhi, 13 gates were built in the 11th century citadel of Lal Kot, with the extended Qila Rai Pithora, which was ruled by the Slave Dynasty
Slave dynasty
The Slave Dynasty or Mamluk Dynasty or Ghulam Dynasty , was directed into India by Qutb-ud-din Aybak, a Turkic general of Central Asian birth. It was the first of five unrelated dynasties to rule India's Delhi Sultanate from 1206 to 1290...
from 1192 with the establishment of the Qutb complex
Qutb complex
The Qutb complex , also spelled Qutab or Qutub, is an array of monuments and buildings at Mehrauli in Delhi, India. The construction of Qutb Minar was intended as a Victory Tower, to celebrate the victory of Mohammed Ghori over Rajput king, Prithviraj Chauhan, in 1192 AD, by his then viceroy,...
. These were located in the rubble built ramparts of Lal Kot (5–6 m (16.4–19.7 ft)) thickness) of which only a few remain, either in ruins or under renovation. These are the Chaumukha, Sohan, Ranjit, Fateh, Hauz Rani, Barka, Badaun and Budayuni gates. Of these, the Chaumukha, Ranjit, Sohan and Fateh darwazas have been listed by the INTACH as heritage
Cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations...
monuments. The ruins of Hauz Rani and Barka are seen around the remains between giant gaps in the long stretches of the Lal Kot wall, surrounded by a wide moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
on the outside. Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has proposed to conserve all the identified gates.
The Chaumukha Darwaza, (Chaumukha in Hindi language means four faces), is inferred as the gate way of Lal Kot since it aligns with Lal Kot walls. It is located near the Qutb Complex and has been categorized as Grade B in archaeological value. It has been conserved by the ASI
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India is a department of the Government of India, attached to the Ministry of Culture . The ASI is responsible for archaeological studies and the preservation of archaeological heritage of the country in accordance with the various acts of the Indian Parliament...
. The gate’s architectural style is also traced to the Tuglaq period in view of its massive thickness. It has a “horned" outwork with paved stones in an engraved grid pattern that indicates that it was designed for defense purposes. The purpose for which it was built has not been discerned. Hence, it has also been conjectured that it could have been built by Thomas Metcalfe as one of his follies, close to his original 'Dilkusha' mansion (now seen in ruins) to enhance the elegance of his retreat.
The Ranjit gate towards the north wall of Lal Kot is in ruins. It was once considered as a grand gate through which the Turks
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
had entered the city. Hence, it was subsequently fortified to prevent any further foreign incursions. At present, only part of the gate is seen and is yet to be listed as a heritage monument.
The Fateh Gate close to Fateh Burj has convoluted features and is about(24 m (78.7 ft)) in diameter. The Sohan Gate guarded by a large bastion called the Sohan Burj was stated to be the location of a Sun temple.
Hauz Rani and Budayuni Gates, which were reportedly once prominent gates, are now traced in ruins. An interesting anecdote of history of the Budayuni gate, considered then as the principal gate of the city by Ibn Battuta
Ibn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta , or simply Ibn Battuta, also known as Shams ad–Din , was a Muslim Moroccan Berber explorer, known for his extensive travels published in the Rihla...
(the chronicler of the period, mentions it as the main gate to the city), is that Allauddin Khilji had resolved to shun drinking of alcohol by emptying his wine caskets and breaking his rich Chinaware at this gate. The gate was also known for punishment meted out to the guilty. They were tortured and beheaded in public view at this gate. A strict watch was maintained at this gate to detect and prevent incursions by Mongolian
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
s.
Alauddin Khilji
Alauddin Khilji
Ali Gurshap Khan better known by his titular name as Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji was the second ruler of the Turko-Afghan Khilji dynasty in India.He was a well and capable ruler. He belonged to the Afghanized Turkic tribe of the Khiljis...
had planned, as part of his ambitious architectural achievements, to build four darwazas (gates) but he could build only one during his lifetime, namely the Alai Darwaza (1311). This gate is seen at the southern end of the Qutb complex of the enlarged Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, built entirely on the principles of Islamic architecture. The gate made of rectangular bands of red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and white marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
has inscriptions of verses from Koran and Hadis in elaborate carvings on its windows. It is a square building- (17.2 m (56.4 ft)) square with dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
with horse shoe pointed shaped arch
Arch
An arch is a structure that spans a space and supports a load. Arches appeared as early as the 2nd millennium BC in Mesopotamian brick architecture and their systematic use started with the Ancient Romans who were the first to apply the technique to a wide range of structures.-Technical aspects:The...
es on three sides and with a semicircular arch on the northern side. The underside of the arches have fringed lotus bud embellishments.
Historian Fanshawe writing euphorically on the beauty of the gate has extolled:
The Alai Darwaza is not only the most beautiful structure at the Kutub, but is one of the most striking specimens of external polychromatic decoration not merely in India, but in the whole world, while the carving of interior may challenge comparison with any work of the kind. Both exterior and interior merit detailed and leisurely examination. The effect of the graceful pointed arches in the three external sides of the gate, and in the corner recesses is extremely pleasing, and the view from the exterior through the southern archway to the round-headed arch of the north side, and the court beyond, is very striking. The decoration of the north arch is curious and unique. The effect of exterior suffers, from a distant point of view, from the absence of a parapet above the walls; this was unfortunately removed by Captain Smith, as it was greatly ruined. The gate was finished five years before the emperor died, and is specially mentioned by the chronicler of his reign.
Gates in the second City
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| Southern Gate of Siri Fort Siri Fort Siri Fort, in the city of New Delhi, was built during the rule of Ala-ud-Din Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate to defend the city from the onslaught of the Mongols.... in ruins |
Entry gate to Tugalaqabad fort and Palace |
The second medieval city of Siri Fort
Siri
Siri or SIRI may refer to:Given name* Sigrid, a female name commonly shortened as Siri* Siri, a common Hindu female name, meaning "Goddess Lakshmi, Wealth, God's gift of love."* Siri von Essen, Swedish actress married to writer August Strindberg...
was built during the rule of Ala-ud-Din Khalji
Alauddin Khilji
Ali Gurshap Khan better known by his titular name as Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji was the second ruler of the Turko-Afghan Khilji dynasty in India.He was a well and capable ruler. He belonged to the Afghanized Turkic tribe of the Khiljis...
of the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
with the major objective of protecting the city from the onslaught of the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
. The city, when built with an oval plan, was best described as presenting an embodiment of richness with palaces and other structures and had seven gates for entry and exit. But, at present, only the Southeastern gate exists, also in ruins (pictured). The destruction of the fort and its gates are attributed more to the local rulers of subsequent dynasties who removed the stones, bricks and other artifacts of the fort for their own buildings and palaces.
Gates in the third City
TughlaqabadTughlaqabad
Tughlaqabad Fort is a ruined fort in Delhi, stretching across 6.5 km, built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, of the Delhi Sultanate of India in 1321, as he established the fifth historic city of Delhi, which was later abandoned in 1327...
, the third city of medieval Delhi, built by Ghazi Malik well known as Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq
Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq
Ghiyas ud-Din Tughluq , real name Ghazi Malik was the founder and first ruler of the Turkic Muslim Tughluq dynasty in India, who reigned over Sultanate of Delhi . He has been the founder of the third city of Delhi called Tughluqabad.Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq was in origin a poor Qarauna who took...
who established the Tughlaq Dynasty
Tughlaq dynasty
The Tughlaq dynasty of north India started in 1321 in Delhi when Ghazi Malik assumed the throne under the title of Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq. The Tughluqs were a Muslim family of Turkic origin...
in 1321 after ousting the Khiljis, was enclosed within a fort of massive proportions completed in a short span of four years. The fort has inclined walls with triple storied citadels, enormous towers, mosques and halls. The city when built is stated to have had 52 gates but only 13 remain today, mostly in ruins. Of the remaining gates, the main entry gate to the fort was built in typical Pathan
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
style, which is described as made of red sand stone with sloping face and jambs which merge well with the towers of the fort. But the fort was abandoned soon after Ghiyasuddin’s death for two reasons namely, water shortage and the fool hardy decision of his successor Sultan, the Muhammad bin Tughlaq who forcibly shifted his capital to the new city of Daulatabad in the Deccan and returned back to found the fourth city of Jahanpanah.
Gates in the fourth City
Muhammad bin TughluqMuhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq was the Turkic Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351. He was the eldest son of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq.He was born in Kotla Tolay Khan in Multan. His wife was daughter of the raja of Dipalpur...
, first built Adilabad
Adilabad
Adilabad , is a town and a municipality in Adilabad district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It has a population of 108,233 . It is the headquarters of the district of the same name.-History:...
, then Nai-ka-Kot, towards the south of Tughlaqabad. These were two small fortresses. But he soon abandoned them. He built a new city by enclosing the areas lying between the cities of Siri, Tughlaqabad and Lal Kot. The city was named as Jahanpanah, asylum of the world, in 1334. The city had 13 gates. The ruins of gigantic ramparts of his two fortresses and some portions of the Jahanpanah walls have survived the ravages of time but are seen now only in total ruins. The watchtower Bijai Mandal still stands in ruins in the city of Jahanpanah. But no fort gates are traced.
Gates in the fifth City
Firuz Shah Tughlaq built a new capital city on the banks of the Yamuna River in 1351 and called it Firuzabad. The architecture of the fort was fairly simple and straightforward. The city had three palaces and a citadel known as Feroz Shah KotlaFeroz Shah Kotla
The Feroz Shah Kotla or Kotla was originally a fortress built by Sultan Ferozshah Tughlaq to house his version of Delhi city called Ferozabad. A pristine polished sandstone pillar from the 3rd century B.C...
. The king's as well as his wife's quarters were situated along the riverfront. The structures within the enclosure walls of the fort were barracks, armories, servant's rooms, halls for audience, an imposing mosque as well as public and private baths and a stepped well or baoli. An Ashoka
Ashoka
Ashok Maurya or Ashoka , popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was an Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from ca. 269 BC to 232 BC. One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over most of present-day India after a number of military conquests...
n pillar brought from Topara, Ambala
Ambala
Ambala is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border of the states of Haryana and Punjab in India. Politically; Ambala has two sub-areas: Ambala Cantt and Ambala City, approximately 3 kilometers apart from each other...
was mounted on top of a pyramidal three-tiered construction. No gates of this period exist.
Gates in the sixth city
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| South Gate Purana Qila | View of Talaqi Darwaza of Purana Qila |
Three main gates on the north, south and west are part of the fortifications of the Purana Qila, the sixth city of Delhi, built by Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
(1538–45). Sher Shah Suri raised his citadel after demolishing Dinpanah, the city built by Humayun
Humayun
Nasir ud-din Muhammad Humayun was the second Mughal Emperor who ruled present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. Like his father, Babur, he lost his kingdom early, but with Persian aid, he eventually regained an even larger one...
. The fortifications of the Qila
Qila
Qila is a 1998 Bollywood Hindi language film directed by Umesh Mehra and starring Dilip Kumar , Rekha, Mukul Dev, Mamta Kulkarni, Smita Jaykar and Gulshan Grover...
extended to a boundary of (2 km (1.2 mi)) on an irregularly oblong plan. Bastions adorned the corners and the western wall. Of the existing three gates, the west gate forms the entrance to the Qila and is called the Bara Darwaza (big gate). All three gates are double–storied structures built with red sandstone and have chhatris. The enclosure wall inside has cells in two–bay depth. The northern gate, built in 1543–44, is called the Talaqi-Darwaza for reasons unknown. On this gate, in the front, carved marble leogryphs in combat with a man are seen above the oriel
Oriel
An oriel window is a type of bay window which projects from a wall.Oriel may also refer to:Places in the United Kingdom:*Oriel College, Oxford*Oriel Street, Oxford*Oriel Square, Oxford*Oriel Chambers, LiverpoolPlaces in Ireland:...
windows. Built in random rubble masonry with dressed stone facing, the gate has a tall arch enclosed by two smaller arched openings. Two bastions adorn the gate with high ceiling
Ceiling
A ceiling is an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room. It is generally not a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the floor or roof structure above....
rooms. On the second floor of the gate, there are two openings. Exterior surface of the gate had coloured tiles and the inner rooms were covered with incised plaster work. The Purana Qila was stated to have been left unfinished by Suri, which was later completed by Humayun. The southern gate is called the Humayun Darwaza; the reasons attributed for the name are that either Humayun built it or the gate overlooked Humayun’s tomb. An inscription in ink on the gate refers to Sher Shah with the date as 950 A.H. (1543–44).
Sher Shah Gate
Sher Shah gate located to the south of Khairu’l-Manazil-Masjid is said to be an entrance to the large city of Delhi that Sher Shah built in front of his fortress of Purana Qila. The gate, mostly built with red sandstone but with use of local grey
Grey
Grey or gray is an achromatic or neutral color.Complementary colors are defined to mix to grey, either additively or subtractively, and many color models place complements opposite each other in a color wheel. To produce grey in RGB displays, the R, G, and B primary light sources are combined in...
quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
in its upper storey, is thus called the Lal Darwaza (red gate). Arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
were built from this gate into the city, which were provided with series of dwellings with frontage of a verandah
Verandah
A veranda or verandah is a roofed opened gallery or porch. It is also described as an open pillared gallery, generally roofed, built around a central structure...
, which may have been used for commercial establishments. Kabuli or Khuni–Darwaza (explained in the following section) is another gate on the fringes of Sher Shah’s city. ASI has undertaken extensive conservation works of the gate and its surroundings at a cost of Rs 75 lakhs (US$150,000).
Gates in the seventh city
Shahjahanabad, the seventh city of Delhi, was built by Shah JahanShah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
in 1649 like a fortress encircled by strong and high red–brick walls with 14 entry gates to the city, in addition to 16 wicket gates called windows (khirkis in Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
language). A number of bastions built of stone were added by the British, in addition to repairing the earlier fort, to make the fort more secure. The gates were designed and built for the people to have access and the royal procession to enter or exit, when going out in diverse directions. Out of the 14 gates, five gates have survived, namely, the Kashmiri Gate
Kashmiri Gate (Delhi)
The Kashmiri Gate is a gate located in Delhi, it is the northern gate to the historic walled city of Delhi...
on the north, the Ajmeri Gate on the south-west, the Delhi Gate
Delhi Gate (Delhi)
Delhi Gate is the southern gate of one of the many gates of the historic walled city of Delhi, or Shahjahanabad. The gate links the New Delhi city with the old walled city of Delhi...
on the south-east, Turkman Gate on the south and the Nigambodh Gate on the north-east, all of which express vividly the splendor of the city. All the gates are located within a radius of (5–6 km (3.1–3.7 mi)) in the present day Old Delhi
Old Delhi
Old Delhi , walled city of Delhi, India, was founded as Shahjahanabad by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in 1639. It remained the capital of the Mughals until the end of the Mughal dynasty....
. The Lahori gate on the Northeast, in the old city, was demolished (some remnant walls are seen at the crossing as may be seen in picture) and the area converted into the present day Lahori Bazar. The gates have a square plan with high arched openings, except for low height of the Nigambodh gate, and two openings — one for entry and another for exit — of the Kashmiri gate. The names of all the gates, which existed during Shahajahan’s time are the Dilli Darwaza (also known as Delhi Gate), Kabuli Darwaza, Raj Ghat Darwaza, Khizri Darwaza, Nigambodh Darwaza, Kela ke Ghat ka Darwaza, Lal Darwaza, Kashmiri Darwaza, Badar Darwaza, Patthar Khati Darwaza, Lahori Darwaza, Ajmeri Darwaza and Turkuman Darwaza. The names of the wicket gates or windows (now none exist) through which people entered and exited from the old fort city were: 1) Zeenatul Masajid Khirkee; 2) Nawab Ahmad Bakhsh ki Khirkee; 3) Nawab Ghaziuddin ki Khirkee; 4) Musamman Burj ki Khirkee; 5) Muslim Garh ki Khirkee; 6) Naseer Ganj ki Khirkee; 7) Nai Khirkee; 8) Shah Ganj Khirkee; 9) Ajmeri Darwaza ki Khirkee; 10) Sayyad Bhole ki Khirkee; 11) Buland Bagh ki Khirkee; 12) Farash Khana ki Khirkee; 13) Ameer Khan ki Khirkee; 14) Khalil Khan ki Khirkee; 15) Bahadur Ali Khan ki Khirkee; and 16) Nigambodh ki Khirkee. However, the Red Fort also has two gates namely, the Delhi gate and the Lahore gate, which are well maintained.
Kashmiri gate
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| Kashmiri Gate Kashmiri Gate (Delhi) The Kashmiri Gate is a gate located in Delhi, it is the northern gate to the historic walled city of Delhi... preserved as a Heritage monument |
Mortar damage to Kashmiri Gate Kashmiri Gate (Delhi) The Kashmiri Gate is a gate located in Delhi, it is the northern gate to the historic walled city of Delhi... , Delhi Delhi Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census... , 1858 |
Kashmiri Gate
Kashmiri Gate (Delhi)
The Kashmiri Gate is a gate located in Delhi, it is the northern gate to the historic walled city of Delhi...
is one of the original fourteen gates built into the wall to the north of the city. It was built by the British in 1835 by Major Robert Smith. Local people also call it as Truckman gate. It has a square plan. There are two openings of the gate – one for entry and another for exit (pictured). During 1835, the British enlarged and straightened it into a two way gate as defensive measure against enemy attacks. In the present city setting, the gate is close to the Inter State Bus Terminals
Inter State Bus Terminals
Inter State Bus Terminals in India provide bus service to points in other states of India outside the state in which they are located.- Delhi :In Delhi, the major inter state bus terminals include:* Kashmiri Gate Inter State Bus Terminal...
. It is now preserved as monument on the road to the Old Secretariat and the Delhi University. It was named as Kashmiri Gate since it was used by the Emperors to go through this gate on their visits to Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
and North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
. It was also the historic venue of the intense fighting which took place in 1857, between the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and the Indian freedom fighters. The fortifications of this gate were used to fire cannons at the British army encamped at Ludlow Castle. The freedom fighters gathered at a place close to the St. James Church
St. James' Church, Delhi
St. James' is an Anglican church in Delhi, India, built in 1836 by Colonel James Skinner. It is one of the oldest churches in the city, and part of the Church of North India Diocese of Delhi ....
to discuss war strategy. British troops fought fiercely at this gate and re– captured the city from mutinous Indian soldiers. During the war, the gate was badly damaged by the British to get control over Delhi. Subsequently, area surrounding the Kashmiri Gate became the commercial hub of Delhi, when the Civil Lines
Civil Lines
Civil Lines is a term used for residential areas originally built by the British Raj for its senior officers. The Civil Lines, Delhi is a subdivision of North Delhi District in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, India and noted residential areas in Delhi. It is one of the 12 zones under the...
were developed by the British.
Delhi gate
| Delhi Gate that links Daryaganj of Old Delhi with New Delhi | View of Turkman gate |
Delhi gate
Delhi Gate (Delhi)
Delhi Gate is the southern gate of one of the many gates of the historic walled city of Delhi, or Shahjahanabad. The gate links the New Delhi city with the old walled city of Delhi...
on the south east, so named because of its large size, was built by Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
Shah Jahan in 1638 as part of the rubble–built high fort walls that encircled the Shahajahanabad. Shahajahanabad was the seventh city of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
on its southeast stretch. It was built in a polygonal shape and lead to other earlier cities of Delhi. It was built at the start of the Daryaganj
Daryaganj
Daryaganj, also called Darya Ganj , is a neighbourhood of Delhi inside the walled city of Shahjahanabad . The "darya" refers to the river Yamuna which was just outside the walled city...
. The road was also called the Thandi sadak (the cool street) as it was a tree lined avenue. The gate, square in plan, was built in sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
and is an impressive and large structure. Near the gate entry, two stone carvings of elephants were erected. The Emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
used this gate to go to the Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid
Jama Masjid also Jami Masjid, refers to the Friday Mosque, where Jummah or weekly Friday noon congregation prayers of Muslims take place...
for prayer. The road from this gate passing through Daryaganj lead to the Kashmiri gate. A part of the fort wall to the east has been demolished to build the Old Delhi Railway Station while the wall to the west exists. It is now a heritage gate maintained by the ASI and roads on either side leads Daryaganj, goes to the Kashmiri gate with Jama masjid on the left and the Red Fort to its right.
Ajmeri Gate
Ajmeri Gate, built in 1644, to the south–west of Shahjahanabad with a square plan, has high arched openings. The Sepoy Mutiny
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
or the first war of Indian independence in 1857 was fought at this venue also. The road, through this gate, leads to the city of Ajmer
Ajmer
Ajmer , formerly written as Ajmere, is a city in Ajmer District in Rajasthan state in India. Ajmer has a population of around 800,000 , and is located west of the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur, 200 km from Jodhpur, 274 km from Udaipur, 439 km from Jaisalmer, and 391 km from...
in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, and hence its name. A lovely park surrounds the gate. The madrasa (Islamic school of learning) built by Nawab Ghaziuddin Bahadur father of the first Nizam of Hyderabad in 1811, west of the college lies the tomb of the founder and a mosque In the following years, it converted to Delhi college and was one of the constituent colleges of the Delhi University. The College has shifted to a new building now and the Anglo Arabic Senior Secondary School
Anglo Arabic Senior Secondary School
The Anglo Arabic Senior Secondary School, commonly known as Anglo Arabic School, is a boys government aided school in New Delhi, India. It was founded in 1696 by Ghazi ud-Din Khan Feroze Jung I.-History:...
runs in the old building. Nearby outside a ditch, once lied remains of the underground apartments of Safdarjung
Safdarjung
Safdarjung was the Subadar Nawab of Oudh from 19 March 1739 to 5 October 1754.-Life:Safdarjung was born as Muhammad Muqim in Khurasan, Persia and migrated to India in 1722.-Career:...
, which at one point were one of the important sights of Delhi. At present, the old walls of the fort have been demolished and replaced by commercial buildings and residential complexes, but the gate on the west exists.
Turkman Gate
| View of Ajmeri Gate | Remnant of old Lahori Gate at Lahori Bazar crossing |
Turkman Gate, located to the southern edge of Shahajahanabad, is named after the Sufi Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Hazrat Shah Turkman Bayabani. His tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
dated to 1240, before building of Shahjahanabad, is located to the east of the gate. It is approached from the Jawahar Lal Nehru Road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
, the old Circular Road, in the vicinity of the Ramlila
Ramlila
Ramlila is a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Lord Ram, ending up in ten day battle between Lord Ram and Ravan, as described in the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana...
Grounds. It has a square plan with high arched openings. The tomb of Razia Sultan and Kali Masjid or Kalan Masjid are located in close proximity of the gate.
Red Fort gates
Red Fort has two well maintained gates namely the Lahori gate and the Delhi gate.
The Lahori gate of the Old Delhi
Old Delhi
Old Delhi , walled city of Delhi, India, was founded as Shahjahanabad by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in 1639. It remained the capital of the Mughals until the end of the Mughal dynasty....
city (now only a bazaar square with small remnants at one end) links with the Lahore gate of the Red Fort enclosing the Lahori bazaar and the Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk , originally meaning moonlit square or market, is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, now in central north Delhi, India...
in a length of (1.6 km (0.994196378639691 mi)). Inside the Lahori gate is the grain market which leads up to Chandni Chowk, and outside the gate stands a mosque built by Sirhindi Begum, wife of Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) Shah Jahan (also spelled Shah Jehan, Shahjehan, , Persian: شاه جهان) (January 5, 1592 – January 22, 1666) (Full title: His Imperial Majesty Al-Sultan al-'Azam wal Khaqan...
, whom he married after the death Arjumand Banu Begum, Mumtaz Mahal
Mumtaz Mahal
Mumtaz Mahal born as Arjumand Banu Begum was a Mughal Empress and chief consort of emperor Shah Jahan...
. This Lahori Gate was also one of the last points captured during the siege of 1857. The other Lahore gate is the main gate to the Red fort and is named so since it is oriented towards Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Delhi gate was the main entrance linking Red fort with the city but entry is now restricted since it provided access to a large army camp inside the Fort (since vacated). It is used by the public. It is said that during Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's reign the beauty of both the gates was spoiled by adding bastions: "The vista like a veil drawn across the face of a beautiful woman". In the 1980s, the area became a security zone due to its use for Indian Independence Day celebrations on 15 August for the flag hoisting and delivering an address to the Nation by the Prime Minister of India from the ramparts of the Red Fort. This necessitated blocking of the gate's tower windows as a security measure to prevent any kind of stealthy sniper attacks. At that time, a Lift was also added to the gate for use by the Prime Minister.
Nigambodh Gate
It was built on the north eastern side of the Shahajahanabad. It is located on the Ring Road
Ring road
A ring road, orbital motorway, beltway, circumferential highway, or loop highway is a road that encircles a town or city...
near the Yamuna
Yamuna
The Yamuna is the largest tributary river of the Ganges in northern India...
Bazaar
Bazaar
A bazaar , Cypriot Greek: pantopoula) is a permanent merchandising area, marketplace, or street of shops where goods and services are exchanged or sold. The term is sometimes also used to refer to the "network of merchants, bankers and craftsmen" who work that area...
. It derives its name Nigambodh Ghat from the burial ground here. The etymology of Nigambodh is derived from Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
words ‘Nigam’ which means the “Ved” and ‘bodh’ means “knowledge”, meaning realization of knowledge. According to a folk legend, Lord Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
(the creator) took a bath in the Yamuna River at this ghat to recover his lost memory and by this act Brahma not only got back his memory but also remembered the place he had kept his sacred books. In the past, the gate was closer to the ghat and nearer to the Salimgarh Fort
Salimgarh Fort
Salimgarh Fort was built in 1546 AD, in Delhi, in a former island of the Yamuna River, by Salim Shah Suri, son of Sher Shah Suri. There was a pause in Mughal rule when in 1540 AD Sher Shah Suri defeated the Mughal Emperor Humayun and established the Sur dynasty rule in Delhi...
.
Kabuli Gate
| View of Khuni Darwaza | Sher Shah gate or Lal Darwaza |
Kabuli Gate or Khooni Darwaza
Khooni Darwaza
Khooni Darwaza , also referred to as Lal Darwaza , is located near Delhi Gate, on the Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in Delhi, India. It is one of the 13 surviving gates in Delhi...
, literally translated means “Bloody Gate”, a “morbid sounding name”, though not within the walls of the Shahajahan's fort. Its historic significance is linked with the 1857 War of Indian Independence. Located on the Mathura road opposite to the Ferozshah Kotla near Maulana Azad Medical College
Maulana Azad Medical College
The Maulana Azad Medical College is a government medical college in Delhi affiliated to University of Delhi. It is named after Indian freedom fighter and first education minister of independent India Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. It is located at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi...
, it is an impressive double–storied structure. Its construction is credited to Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
's reign (though the fort walls of the Suri period have not been seen to extend to this gate). It was built largely with grey stone but red stones were also used in the frames of its windows.
According to the recorded history of the 1857 war Indian Independence (also called the Mutiny of 1857), the sons of Bahadur Shah, the last Mughal Emperor (who had taken shelter in Humayun's tomb
Humayun's Tomb
Humayun's tomb is the tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun. The tomb was commissioned by Humayun's wife Hamida Banu Begum in 1562 AD, and designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyath, a Persian architect...
) were arrested by the British officer named Captain William Hudson and while taking them from the Red fort, he was escorting the Royal family of Legitimate, sons n their wifes and children, about 16 of Bahdur Shah Zafar's family members, they were all herded into a Gig (a horse driven carriage), Capt. Hodson had a platoon of his "Savars" or mounted soldiers. On reaching this gate, he was stopped, and surrounded by thousands of Muslims, with white cloth tied on their forehead(a symbol for the shroud) Jehais or Gazis. Capt. Hudson latter recalled, " I was surrounded on all side by Ghazis as far as my eyes could see. Fearing of letting the Royals(legitimate kin) He one of histories greatest acts of courage in face of death, Hudson ordered the three sons of Zafar to come out, and asked them to strip (according to Archaeological Survey of India's, board put on the site/gate, it says, Hudson, made them remove their "upper" garments)and using his service "sword" he "hacked"/ cut the heads of all three sons of Zafar, and (then) he entered the gig/carraige and "slaughtered all men, women and children", hi shoots were getting stuck with the blood that was on the floor of the carriage.
All this happened in front of thousands of religious warriors or Gazis, and not a stone resisted Capt. Hudson and his handful of mounted horsemen(savars)
Later Bahadur Shah Zafar who was "under arrest" at Humayun's tomb, was "presented the heads of his sons" by the British commander.
This barbaric act is said to have crushed Zafar's wil to live, and was sent to Rangoon (modern day Burma. where he later died)
Its also said that the slated royals bodies were displayed on this gate for public viewing.
Hudson justified his action by claiming that a crowd which had assembled to see their arrested princes was restive and fearing an attack from the crowd he shot the two princes. Their dead bodies were also displayed at the Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk , originally meaning moonlit square or market, is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, now in central north Delhi, India...
.
The gate is also the location where Dara Shikoh
Dara Shikoh
His Highness, The Imperial Prince Dara Shikoh was the eldest son and the heir apparent of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal. His name دارا شكوه in Persian means "Darius the Magnificent"...
's severed head was displayed. In the battle of succession for the throne of Delhi, Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
murdered his brother Dara Shikoh and hung his severed head at this gate. During the riots in 1947, after the Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, many refugees were murdered here as they were trying to reach Purana Qila for safety.
Bahadur Shahi Gate
 |
 |
| Bahadurshah gate linking Red Fort and Salimgarh Fort Salimgarh Fort Salimgarh Fort was built in 1546 AD, in Delhi, in a former island of the Yamuna River, by Salim Shah Suri, son of Sher Shah Suri. There was a pause in Mughal rule when in 1540 AD Sher Shah Suri defeated the Mughal Emperor Humayun and established the Sur dynasty rule in Delhi... through the arched bridge |
Entry Gate to Salimgarh Fort Salimgarh Fort Salimgarh Fort was built in 1546 AD, in Delhi, in a former island of the Yamuna River, by Salim Shah Suri, son of Sher Shah Suri. There was a pause in Mughal rule when in 1540 AD Sher Shah Suri defeated the Mughal Emperor Humayun and established the Sur dynasty rule in Delhi... (renamed as Swatantrata Senani Smarak |
Salimgarh Fort, which is now part of Red fort complex, was constructed on an island of the Yamuna River in 1546. But a gate called the Bahadur Shahi Gate for entry into the Fort from the northern side was constructed only in 1854–55 AD by Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mogul ruler of India. The gate was built in brick masonry with moderate use of red sandstone. The fort was used during the Uprising in 1857 and also as prison, which housed Zebunnisa, daughter of Aurangzeb; the British imprisoned the freedom fighters of INA
INA
INA as an acronym may refer to: by IOC country code* Indian National Army was an Indian nationalist force during World War II aimed at overthrowing British rule over India* Indian Naval Academy* INA, a division of the Schaeffler Group...
. The layout of the Red Fort was organized to retain and integrate this site with the Salimgarh Fort through the Bahadur Shah Gate.
Gates in the eighth City
| India Gate India Gate The India Gate is the national monument of India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was built in 1931... (east face at night) commemorates India India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... n soldiers who lost their lives in World War I World War I World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918... and the Afghan Wars |
Entrance steel gates to Rashtrapati Bhavan Rashtrapati Bhavan The Rashtrapati Bhavan or The Official Residence of the Head of the State is the official residence of the President of India, located at Raisina hill in New Delhi, India. Until 1950 it was known as "Viceroy's House" and served as the residence of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India... with a Victory pillar called Jaipur Column in the background |
Delhi became the capital of British India after the seat of power was shifted from Calcutta in 1911. With this shift, the new city of New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
was established and the sixth city of Shahajahanabad to its north became the Old Delhi
Old Delhi
Old Delhi , walled city of Delhi, India, was founded as Shahjahanabad by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in 1639. It remained the capital of the Mughals until the end of the Mughal dynasty....
. Based on the designs of Edwin Lutyens
Edwin Lutyens
Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, OM, KCIE, PRA, FRIBA was a British architect who is known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era...
, New Delhi was built over a period of 20 years. One of the important landmarks built during this period was the India Gate
India Gate
The India Gate is the national monument of India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It was built in 1931...
. Built in 1921, it is officially known as All India War Memorial (an arch) to the Indian soldiers killed in the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Northwest frontier operations of the same time and the 1919 Afghan fiasco. The Gate has an impressive stone arch of (42 m (137.8 ft)) height; the names of over 90,000 soldiers are engraved on it. The base of the gate is built in red Bharatpur
Bharatpur
Bharatpur may refer to:Nepal*Bharatpur, Nepal, a city in Nepal.*Bharatpur, Dhanusa, village in Nepal*Bharatpur, Mahottari, village in NepalIndia*Bharatpur, Rajasthan, a city, Rajasthan, India....
stone and displays a shallow domed bowl. The past tradition was to fill this bowl with oil and light it as a lamp on anniversaries but is no more practiced, instead an eternal flame burns below the arch. The eternal flame was added in 1970s in the arch of the Gate to honour the Unknown Soldier. The location is flanked by two uniformed soldiers. The place takes a carnival atmosphere in the evenings when it is well lighted and visitors flock to the gate. Also seen behind the India Gate is an impressive Chhatri
Chhatri
Chhatris are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indian architecture. Chhatris are commonly used to depict the elements of of pride and honor in the Rajput architecture of Rajasthan. They are widely used, in palaces, in forts, or to demarcate funerary sites...
, which displayed the statue of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
till 1968. This statue has been shifted to the Coronation Park, Delhi, which was the site of the declaration of the new capital of Delhi. The Chhatri is now devoid of any statue since there is a protracted discussion on which National leader's statue should be installed there. There is an impressive set of a large central steel gates flanked by asymmetrically designed smaller gates that provides entry into the Rashtrapati Bhavan
Rashtrapati Bhavan
The Rashtrapati Bhavan or The Official Residence of the Head of the State is the official residence of the President of India, located at Raisina hill in New Delhi, India. Until 1950 it was known as "Viceroy's House" and served as the residence of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India...
(President's palace). A commemorative column called the 'Jaipur Column' with a "distinctly peculiar crown: a glass star springing out of bronze lotus blossom", is located midway between the entry gates and the Rashtrapati Bhavan.