Delhi is the capital of India but it hasn’t always been India s Capital , it has played pivotal part in Indian history and it has always been a gateway city ,built on the plains initially near a fording point on the Yamuna River and on the route between western and Central Asia and Southeast Asia. It s also believed to be the site of fabled city of Indraprastha , which featured in the Mahabharata over 3000 years ago , but the historical evidence suggests that the area has been settled for around 2500 years .
Visitors can easily dip into both ,spending half the day immersing themselves in history at the dramatic Red fort , Jama Masjid ,Humayun tomb ,Qutab Minar and the medieval flavoured bazaars of old delhi ,and the other half reviving themselves over frothy cappuccinos or frosty cocktails at one of New Delhi s swanky cafes and bars.
At least eight known cities have been founded around modern Delhi ,the last of which was the British Raj s New Delhi .The first four cities of delhi were to the south ,around the area where the Qutab Minar now stands . The fifth Delhi ,Firozabad ,was at Firoz Shah kotla in present day New Delhi .While emperor sher shah created the sixth at Puran Qila ,also in New Delhi .The Mughal Emperor ,shah jahan constructed the seventh Delhi in the 17th century , thus shifting the Mughal capital from Agra to Delhi ,his shahjahanabad roughly corresponded to old delhi today and is largely preserved .The chauhans seized control in the 12th century and made Delhi the most significant Hindu centre in northern india. But when Qutab –ud- din occupied the city in 1193,he usheredin more than six centuries of Islamic rule .In 1803 ,the british captured delhi and promptly installed a british administrator .
Delhi wasn t the capital of india at the time, but it was a critical commercial centre . |
