History of Delhi

Delhiwalas know Paharganj and Daryaganj but both pahar and dariya are now not very much in evidence. Till early in this century, the Pahari ridge and the Yamuna River were the natural boundaries of Delhi. The Pahari, the last tired spur of the Aravalli range, ran southwest to northeast, where it met the Yamuna to flowing north to south.

The discovery of stone tools on the Ridge in the 1970s indicated that there were early stone-age settlements here. Much later, in the first millennium BC. Delhi - or Inderpatwas, with Tilpat, Baghpat, Panipat and Sonepat one of the prclsrhcrs given to the Pandavas by Dhritarashtra.

The written history and the architectural story of Delhi became clear and continuous from the 12^th century. In the 12^th century there were two over lapping areas of political conflict - one, in north and western India between rival Rajput clans, the other between rival Afghan groups seeking to control the territory from central Asia to northern India. In the out come, the Chahamanas (Chauhans) who had edged the Tomars out of Delhi were defeated by the Ghurids, who had edged the Ghaznavids out of power in Afghanistan. For the next three centuries, Delhi was the capital of the empire of a succession of dynasties, the rulers of which were designated Sultans.

 The name 'Delhi' has never been satisfactorily explained. What we do know is that it was used to describe the area, while the citadels of the rulers had different names. With an unconscious memory of the Seven Hills of Rome, the British were later to popularize the term 'the seven cities of Delhi.

A decision to enlarge the city, and increase its holding capacity, was taken by Alauddin Khilji, who in the 13th century moved to the plains north of Mehrauli. It was rich with gardens, bazaars, madarsas, mosques, palaces and baols - the Indo Islamic City that inherited the mantle of Baghdad. Its fame was international - which was why it attracted the plunderer. The Mongols rode out from central Asia towards Russia, West Asia and China, and now Delhi. Taimur's attack left Delhi a shell; even the means to rebuild it were denied to the people, for Taimur took away all the masons whose work he had marveled at.

Fifteenth-century Delhi was the capital of a much-reduced kingdom, but the Sayyid and Lodi rulers built mosques and find mausolea of a scale far grander than their power warranted.

Geography explained the strategic advantages of having Delhi as a capital Geopiety came to give an added reason for Delhi's staying power. The number of places with the suffix 'serai' in Greater Delhi indicate the importance of manufacture and trade the importance of manufacture and trade centeredon the city, as the national highways, particularly the Grand Trunk route, became well-maintained and well- traversed. This was helped by the fact that the Mughal rulers were a restless breed, who traveled incessantly, and never stayed in their beautiful cities for any great length of time.

The British wrested the city from the Maratha --Mughal combine in 1803, but half- a-century later an attempt was made to restore the Mughal badshah and to drive out the British civilians and soldiers. The Revolt of 1857 and the subsequent repressive measures by the British are attached in folk memory still.

The major crisis that hit the city was the aftermath of the country gaining Independence. The partition of the Punjab led to a massive migration of people who surged towards the capital; at the same time many people from Delhi left for Pakistan. Together this meant a great change in the social fabric of the city, as well as pressure for more living rooms. As the view from the top floor of any high-rise buildings will show, much of Delhi is spectacularly green. Delhi used to be called Jahan-Panah, the Refuge of the world -in the 14th century. This is still true, for it welcomes people and institutions form everywhere. Its three universities cater to a national hinterland and its various culture-controlling and culture-dispensing institutions likewise.

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