History of New Delhi

Lal Kot, founded by the Tomara Rajputs in 736 AD, is generally considered the first of the seven cities built within the Delhi area. After many battles for control over the years, a second city, Siri, was created by Ala-ud-din Khalji in 1303. A fortress city was built in 1321 by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq, but was abandoned after five years of residence. In 1327, he built the fourth city of Jahanpanah. By 1354, his successor, Firoz Shah, had created a new capital, Firozabad, by the river. After a series of invasions by various rulers, Babur, a descendant of Gengis managed to wrest control of the city. His successor, Humayun, was temporarily exiled by the invading Afghan king Sher Shah, who built the sixth capital city, presently called Purana Qila. The seventh city of Shahjahanabad was created by the 17th century Mogul emperor, Shah Jahan, to become one of the most majestic cities in the country, today known as Old Delhi.

The Birth of New Delhi

New Delhi was inaugurated by the British in 1931. It is the most recent of the eight cities within Delhi. The ruins of six of these can still be seen in South Delhi. New Delhi blends the ancient grandeur of the Old Town with contemporary styles. It’s not uncommon here to find modern buildings and highways built among the ruins of ancient cities, tombs, and temples. For those seeking an even closer brush with history, a trip through Old Delhi is highly recommended. The Red Fort and the Jama Masjid, two of the most popular must-see icons of Islamic Delhi’s history are located here.

New Delhi also displays a more modern form of architectural splendor, seen in the India Gate and the Presidential Palace. There are a multitude of museums that showcase the city’s rich past. The population here has been mostly Hindu since India’s independence from the British. Many of the residents are descendants of those who were displaced from the East Bengal and Pakistan-controlled Punjab regions after the Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.