133-718: Jahanpanah was the fourth medieval city of Delhi established in 1326–1327 by Muhammad bin Tughlaq (reigned 1325–51) of the Delhi Sultanate . To counter the persistent threat of Mongol invasions, Tughlaq constructed the fortified city of Jahanpanah (meaning "Refuge of the World" in Persian), incorporating the Adilabad Fort, built in the 14th century, along with all the establishments located between Qila Rai Pithora and Siri Fort . Neither
266-541: A chief minister . New Delhi is jointly administered by the union government of India and the local government of Delhi , and serves as the capital of the nation as well as the NCT of Delhi. Delhi is also the centre of the National Capital Region, which is an "interstate regional planning" area created in 1985. Delhi hosted the inaugural 1951 Asian Games , the 1982 Asian Games , the 1983 Non-Aligned Movement summit,
399-613: A bloody fight known as the Siege of Delhi . The city came under the direct control of the British Government in 1858. It was made a district province of the Punjab . In 1911, it was announced that the capital of British-held territories in India was to be transferred from Calcutta to Delhi. This formally transferred on 12 December 1911. The name "New Delhi" was given in 1927, and the new capital
532-538: A combination of elevated, at-grade, and underground lines, and uses both broad gauge and standard gauge rolling stock. Four types of rolling stock are used: Mitsubishi–ROTEM Broad gauge, Bombardier MOVIA, Mitsubishi–ROTEM Standard gauge, and CAF Beasain Standard gauge. The Phase-I of Delhi Metro was built for US$ 2.3 billion and the Phase-II was expected to cost an additional ₹ 216 billion (US$ 2.6 billion). Phase-II has
665-529: A cost of ₹15 lakhs (US$ 30,000) in preparation for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Delhi Delhi , officially the National Capital Territory ( NCT ) of Delhi , is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi , the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its right bank , Delhi shares borders with the state of Uttar Pradesh in
798-620: A distance of 16 km northwest of Aurangabad, the district headquarters and midway to the Ellora Caves . The original widespread capital city is now mostly unoccupied and has been reduced to a village. Much of its survival depends on the tourists to the old city and the adjacent fort. The site had been occupied since at least 100 BC, and now has remains of Hindu and Jain temples similar to those at Ajanta and Ellora . A series of niches carved with Jain Tirthankara in cave 32. The city
931-550: A first-level administrative division, the National Capital Territory of Delhi has its own Legislative Assembly , Lieutenant Governor , the council of ministers, and Chief Minister . Members of the legislative assembly are directly elected from territorial constituencies in the NCT. The legislative assembly was abolished in 1956, after which direct federal control was implemented until it was re-established in 1993. The municipal corporation handles civic administration for
1064-497: A place to relax and enjoy the scenic view of the environs. The inclined path around the monument was a walkway leading to the apartments of the Sultan. Two large openings in the living rooms of the floor were inferred as leading to the vaults or the treasury. On the level platform, outside the building in front of the apartment rooms, small holes equally spaced are seen, which have been inferred to be holes used to fix wooden pillars to hold
1197-515: A prison. Beneath the northern flank of Balakot is a derelict palace building of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan , built after the Mughal capture of the fort in 1633. It consists of two large courts, an apartment building towards the west, and a hammam . Another pavilion of Shah Jahan is found beneath the summit of Balakot. Balakot also contains a ruined royal residence dating to the 15th century, built by
1330-468: A raised platform with doorways in each cardinal direction. The purpose of this unusual structure and the ruins of the Sar Dara Palace was described by Ibn Battuta as the palace with multiple chambers and the large public audience hall as the famed Hazar Sutan Palace. It was also interpreted as serving as an observation tower to monitor the activities of his troops. The ambiance of the place presented it as
1463-519: A sacred river in Hinduism , is the only major river flowing through Delhi. The Hindon River separates Ghaziabad from the eastern part of Delhi. The Delhi ridge originates from the Aravalli Range in the south and encircles the west, northeast, and northwest parts of the city. It reaches a height of 318 m (1,043 ft) and is a dominant feature of the region. In addition to the wetlands formed by
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#17328587536241596-417: A safe haven for the people living between Qila Rai Pithora and Siri. Tughalqabad continued to act as Tughlaq’s centre of government until, for strange and inexplicable reasons, he shifted his capital to Daulatabad , however, he returned after a short period. Adilabad, a fort of modest size, built on the hills to the south of Tughlaqabad , was provided with protective massive ramparts on its boundary around
1729-707: A sixteen-year hiatus during the reigns of Sher Shah Suri and Hemu from 1540 to 1556. Shah Jahan built the seventh city of Delhi that bears his name Shahjahanabad , which served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1638 and is today known as the Old City or Old Delhi . After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the Mughal Empire's influence declined rapidly as the Hindu Maratha Empire from Deccan Plateau rose to prominence. In 1737, Maratha forces led by Baji Rao I sacked Delhi following their victory against
1862-549: A temporary shamiana ( pavilion ) or cover. The process of ushering people into the presence of the Sultan was labyrinthine and formal, involving entry through semi–public places to private chambers to the audience hall. The debate over whether the Hazara Sultan Palace mentioned as existing during Alauddin Khalji 's reign was the same structure present during the Tughlaq period remains inconclusive. A plausible hypothesis
1995-744: A thousand pillars), built outside the Siri fort limits but within the Jahanpanah City area, was the residence of the Tughlaqs. Hazar Sutan Palace was located within the fortified area of the Jahnapanah in Bijaya Mandal (literal meaning in Hindi: 'victory platform'). The grand palace with its audience hall of the beautifully painted wooden canopy and columns is vividly described but it does no longer exists. The Fort acted as
2128-463: A total length of 128 km (80 mi) and was completed by 2010. Delhi Metro completed 10 years of operation on 25 December 2012. It carries millions of passengers every day. Daulatabad, Maharashtra Daulatabad Fort , originally Deogiri Fort , is a historic fortified citadel located in Daulatabad village near Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar , Maharashtra , India. It was the capital of
2261-563: A total length of 348.12 kilometres (216.31 mi). The system has a mix of underground, at-grade, and elevated stations using both broad-gauge and standard-gauge . All stations have escalators, lifts, and tactile tiles to guide the visually impaired from station entrances to trains. There are 18 designated parking sites at the Metro stations. In March 2010, DMRC partnered with Google India (through Google Transit) to provide train schedule and route information to mobile devices with Google Maps. It has
2394-500: Is 963 MGD. The shortfall is met by private and public tube wells and hand pumps . At 240 MGD, the Bhakra storage is DJB's largest water source, followed by the Yamuna and Ganges rivers. Delhi's groundwater level is falling and its population density is increasing, so residents often encounter acute water shortage. Research on Delhi suggests that up to half of the city's water use
2527-475: Is a major bus service provider which operates the world's largest fleet of CNG-fuelled buses. In addition, cluster scheme buses are operated by Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS) with the participation of private concessionaires and DTC. In December 2017, the DTC and cluster buses carried over 4.19 million passengers per day. Kashmiri Gate ISBT , Anand Vihar ISBT and Sarai Kale Khan ISBT are
2660-581: Is a major junction in the Indian railway network and is the headquarters of the Northern Railway . The main railway stations are New Delhi , Old Delhi , Hazrat Nizamuddin , Anand Vihar , Delhi Sarai Rohilla and Delhi Cantt . The Delhi Metro , a mass rapid transit system built and operated by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), serves many parts of Delhi and the neighbouring cities Ghaziabad , Faridabad , Gurgaon and Noida . As of December 2021 ,
2793-404: Is a place of extraordinary strength. The only means of access to the summit is by a narrow bridge, with the passage for not more than two people abreast, and a long gallery, excavated in the rock, which has, for the most part, a very gradual upward slope. About midway along this gallery, the access gallery has steep stairs, the top of which is covered by a grating destined in time of war to form
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#17328587536242926-472: Is also seen nearby. Farther from Sadhana Enclave, on its opposite side in Sheikh Serai, three tombs are noted, of which only one is well preserved: the square-domed tomb of Sheikh Alauddin (1541–42). The tomb building, elevated on twelve columns with perforated screens on the façade, features a large dome set on a sixteen-faced drum. The ceiling is adorned with intricate plaster medallions on the spandrels of
3059-476: Is bordered on its northern, western, and southern sides by the state of Haryana and to the east by that of Uttar Pradesh (UP). Two prominent features of the geography of Delhi are the Yamuna flood plains and the Delhi ridge . The Yamuna River was the historical boundary between Punjab and UP, and its flood plains provide fertile alluvial soil suitable for agriculture but, are prone to recurrent floods. The Yamuna,
3192-571: Is generally moderate (101–200) level between January and September, and then it drastically deteriorates to Very Poor (301–400), Severe (401–500) or Hazardous (500+) levels in three months between October and December, due to various factors including stubble burning (a type of biomass burning ), fire crackers burning during Diwali and cold weather. During 2013–14, peak levels of fine particulate matter (PM) increased by about 44%, primarily due to high vehicular and industrial emissions, construction work and crop burning in adjoining states. It has
3325-623: Is in the outskirts of Aurangabad , and is on the Aurangabad - Ellora road (National Highway 2003). Aurangabad is well connected by road and 20 km away from Devagiri. Daulatabad railway station is located on the Manmad-Purna section of South Central Railways and also on the Mudkhed-Manmad section of the Nanded Division of South Central Railway . Until reorganisation in 2005, it was
3458-640: Is included in India's seismic zone-IV , indicating its vulnerability to major earthquakes. Delhi features a dry winter humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cwa ) bordering a hot semi-arid climate ( Köppen BSh ). The warm season lasts from 21 March to 15 June with an average daily high temperature above 39 °C (102 °F). The hottest day of the year is usually witnessed between 26 and 30 May, with an average high of 42 °C (108 °F) and low of 27 °C (81 °F). The cold season lasts from 26 November to 9 February with an average daily high temperature below 20 °C (68 °F). The coldest day of
3591-550: Is lobbying "against the report" because it is "inconvenient" to the automobile industry. Environmentalists have also criticised the Delhi government for not doing enough to curb air pollution and to inform people about air quality issues. In 2014, an environmental panel appealed to India's Supreme Court to impose a 30% cess on diesel cars, but till date no action has been taken to penalise the automobile industry. Most of Delhi's residents are unaware of alarming levels of air pollution in
3724-506: Is part of a literary description in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata (composed c. 400 BCE to 300 CE but describing an earlier time ) which situates a city on a knoll on the banks of the river Yamuna. According to art historian Catherine B. Asher, the topographical description of the Mahabharata matches the area of Purana Qila , a 14th-century CE fort of the Delhi sultanate , but
3857-558: Is referenced in various idioms of the Northern Indo-Aryan languages . Examples include: The form Delhi , spelled in the Latin script with the h following the l , originated under colonial rule and is an alternation of the spelling based on the Urdu name of the city ( دہلی , Dehli ). Traditionally seven cities have been associated with the region of Delhi. The earliest, Indraprastha ,
3990-774: Is said to have been founded c. 1187 by Bhillama V , a Yadava prince who renounced his allegiance to the Chalukyas and established the power of the Yadava dynasty in the west. During the rule of the Yadava king Ramachandra , Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate raided Devagiri in 1296, forcing the Yadavas to pay a hefty tribute. When the tribute payments stopped, Alauddin sent a second expedition to Devagiri in 1308, forcing Ramachandra to become his vassal. In 1328, Muhammad bin Tughluq of
4123-406: Is that it was built by Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul Tilangani , prime minister during Feroz Shah Tughlaq ’s rule, who was also a builder of six more masjids (two of them in the close vicinity). The other view is that it was built by Tughlaq because of its proximity to Bijay Mandal and could probably be dated to 1351 A.D., the year Tughlaq died here. In support of the second view, it is said that Ibn Batuta,
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4256-494: Is that the stone hall of the palace was built by Alauddin Khalji while the tower adjoining the stone buildings was surely built by Mohammed bin Tughlaq. Archaeological excavations carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India unearthed treasures from the vaults in the buildings, which date the occupation of this monument during Feroz Shah's reign and also by Sheikh Hasan Tahir (a saint) during Sikander Lodi ’s rule at
4389-509: Is the highest in the Delhi before Supreme Court. The High Court of Delhi just like the apex court and other High Courts in India is the Court of record. Delhi is also home to various District Court according to jurisdictions. Delhi have Currently seven District Courts namely Tis Hazari Court Complex, Karkardooma Court Complex, Patiala House Court Complex, Rohini Court Complex, Dwarka Courts Complex, Saket Court Complex, and Rouse Avenue Court Apart from
4522-525: Is the large Jami mosque of Daulatabad , which dates to 1318. A short distance away is the Chand Minar . Located within a sector of the fort called Mahakot, it is an exceptionally tall tower built by Alauddin Bahmani in 1446 to commemorate his capture of Daulatabad. Its base is concealed by a small structure, which contains a mosque. Ambarkot is the outermost defense wall at the Daulatabad site, enclosing most of
4655-402: Is unofficial groundwater. In Delhi, daily domestic solid waste production is 8000 tonnes which is dumped at three landfill locations by MCD. The daily domestic waste water production is 470 MGD and industrial waste water is 70 MGD. A large portion of the sewage flows untreated into the Yamuna river. The city's electricity consumption is about 1,265 kWh per capita but
4788-543: The Chief Commissioner's Province of Delhi . The Constitution (Sixty-ninth Amendment) Act, 1991 declared the Union Territory of Delhi to be formally known as the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The Act gave Delhi its legislative assembly along Civil lines, though with limited powers. Delhi was the primary site in the nationwide anti-Sikh pogroms of 1984, which resulted in the death of around 2,800 people in
4921-446: The 2010 Men's Hockey World Cup , the 2010 Commonwealth Games , the 2012 BRICS summit , the 2023 G20 summit , and was one of the major host cities of the 2011 and 2023 Cricket World Cups . There are a number of myths and legends associated with the origin of the name Delhi . One of them is derived from Dhillu or Dilu , a king who built a city at this location in 50 BCE and named it after himself. Another legend holds that
5054-618: The Delhi Transport Corporation , the highest in India and the third highest in the world after Shenzhen and Santiago . Personal vehicles, especially cars also form a major chunk of vehicles plying on Delhi roads. As of 2007 , private vehicles account for 30% of the total demand for transport. Delhi has the highest number of registered cars compared to any other metropolitan city in India. Taxis, auto rickshaws, and cycle rickshaws also ply on Delhi roads in large numbers. As of 2008 ,
5187-567: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), in Begumpur, Khirki Masjid , Satpula and many other nearby locations; at some sections, as seen at Satpula, the fort walls were large enough to have few inbuilt storerooms to stack provisions and armory. The mystery of the city's precincts (complex) has unfolded over the years with later day excavations revealing a large number of monuments in the villages and residential colonies of South Delhi . Due to
5320-563: The Jarkurgan minaret , it is more closely related to the Ghaznavid and Ghurid minarets of Central Asia Razia , daughter of Iltutmish, became the Sultana of Delhi upon the former's death. For the next three hundred years, Delhi was ruled by a succession of Turkic , Indian and an Afghan , Lodi dynasty . They built several forts and townships that are part of the seven cities of Delhi . Delhi
5453-590: The Qutb Complex and on the east–west direction by the Mehrauli road and the Chirag Delhi road, with Indian Institute of Technology located on the other side of the Mehrauli road as an important landmark. Jahanpanah's etymology consists of two Persian words, جهان ‘Jahan’, "the world", and پناه ‘panah’,"shelter", thus "Refuge of the World" Mohammed bin Tughlaq, the son of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq who ordered
Jahanpanah - Misplaced Pages Continue
5586-461: The Qutb Minar and Quwwat-al-Islam (Might of Islam) mosque, the earliest extant mosque in India. It was his successor, Iltutmish (1211–1236), who consolidated the conquest of northern India. At 72.5 m (238 ft), the Qutb Minar , a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Delhi, was completed during the reign of Sultan Illtutmish in the 13th century. Although its style has some similarities with
5719-556: The World Health Organization (WHO), Delhi was the most polluted city in the world in 2014. In 2016, WHO downgraded Delhi to eleventh-worst in the urban air quality database. However, as recently as 2022, data from the WHO and IQAir, alongside comprehensive research, ranked Delhi as the fourth most polluted city globally. According to one estimate, air pollution causes the death of about 10,500 people every year. Air quality index
5852-511: The Yadavas (9th century – 14th century CE), for a brief time the capital of the Delhi Sultanate (1327–1334), and later a secondary capital of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate (1499–1636). Around the 6th century CE, Devagiri emerged as an important uplands town near present-day Aurangabad, along caravan routes going towards western and southern India. The historical triangular fortress in
5985-467: The finial on the roof of the tomb by climbing up over the iron rungs (called 'Rakab') on its western wall. Apart from these structures, the four walls of a mosque also are located within the compound of the tomb. The vicinity of Sadhana Enclave features the Baradari, an arched hall. Thought to have been built in the 14th century or 15th century, it is in a fairly well-preserved condition. A Lodi period tomb
6118-575: The Archaeological Survey of India, Alexander Cunningham, mentioned that dilli later became dihli/dehli . Some suggest the coins in circulation in the region under the Tomaras were called dehliwal . According to the Bhavishya Purana , King Prithiviraja of Indraprastha built a new fort in the modern-day Purana Qila area for the convenience of all four castes in his kingdom. He ordered
6251-548: The Bahmani dynasty during its early days. Kataka is a circular, intermediary fort at the Daulatabad site. It was built by Tughluq commanders as an expansion to Balakot, occupying its northern and eastern flanks, adjoining the base of the Devagiri hill. The defensive wall is a massive double rampart, featuring bastions and moats. Lying just outside the eastern entrance of the wall is a Mughal-era hammam . A notable structure within Kataka
6384-532: The Bijay Mandal (that is inferred to have housed the Hazar Sutan Palace, now destroyed), Begumpur Mosque, Serai Shaji Mahal, Lal Gumbad, Baradari with other nearby structures and scattered swathes of rubble masonry walls. From Ibn Batuta ’s chronicle of the period (he lived in Delhi from 1333–41), it is inferred that Lal Kot (Qutb complex) then constituted the urban area, Siri was the military cantonment , and
6517-520: The Congress. However, that government was short-lived, collapsing only after 49 days. Delhi was then under President's rule until February 2015, after which AAP returned to power after a landslide victory, winning 67 out of the 70 seats in the Delhi Legislative Assembly . AAP holds power ever since. Delhi is the largest commercial center in northern India. As of 2016 recent estimates of
6650-544: The Delhi Metro, a suburban railway, the Delhi Suburban Railway exists. The Delhi Metro is a rapid transit system serving Delhi, Ghaziabad , Faridabad , Gurgaon and Noida in the National Capital Region of India. It is the world's tenth-largest metro system by length of lines. It was India's second modern public transportation system. The network consists of 10 colour-coded lines serving 255 stations with
6783-420: The Delhi sultanate transferred the capital of his kingdom to Devagiri, and renamed it Daulatabad. The sultan made Daulatabad (Devagiri) his second capital in 1327. Some scholars argue that the idea behind transferring the capital was rational, because it lay more or less in the centre of the kingdom, and geographically secured the capital from the north-west frontier attacks. In the Daulatabad fort, Tughluq found
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#17328587536246916-482: The District Courts Delhi also have Consumer Courts, CBI Courts, Labour Courts, Revenue Courts, Army tribunals, electricity tribunals, Railway Tribunals, and other various tribunals situated according to appropriate jurisdictions. For policing purposes Delhi is divided into fifteen police districts which are further subdivided into 95 local police station zones. Delhi currently has 180 police stations. As
7049-550: The Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (273–235 BCE) was discovered near Srinivaspuri. Remains of several major cities can be found in Delhi. The first of these was in the southern part of present-day Delhi. Tomara Rajput King Anang Pal built the Lal Kot and several temples in 1052 CE. The Chauhan Rajputs under Vigraharaja IV conquered Lal Kot in the mid-12th century and renamed it Qila Rai Pithora . Prithviraj Chauhan
7182-723: The Mughals in the First Battle of Delhi. In 1739, the Mughal Empire lost the huge Battle of Karnal in less than three hours against the numerically outnumbered but militarily superior Persian army led by Nader Shah of Persia. After his invasion , he completely sacked and looted Delhi , carrying away immense wealth including the Peacock Throne , the Daria-i-Noor , and Koh-i-Noor . The Mughals, severely further weakened, could never overcome this crushing defeat and humiliation which also left
7315-493: The NCT of Delhi is made up of one division , 11 districts , 33 subdivisions , 59 census towns, and 300 villages. On the other way, the NCT of Delhi is divided into three municipalities. The boundaries of municipalities may be different from district boundaries: Between 13 January 2011 and 22 May 2022, MCD was divided into three municipal corporations: Delhi is home to the High Court of Delhi . The High Court of Delhi
7448-406: The Nai-ka-Kot (literally "Barber's fortress") was also built at a distance of about 700 m (2,296.6 ft) from Adilabad, with the citadel and army camps, which are now seen only in ruins. Tughlaq's primary attention to infrastructure, particularly of iron supply to the city, was also well thought-out. A structure ( weir or tank) with seven sluices ( Hindi : Satpula , meaning "seven bridges")
7581-400: The Nizam Shahi dynasty. There is no evidence tying it to any specific builder; it likely originates from the early days of the dynasty, and takes its name from blue/white tiles set into its facade. The palace is in a crumbling state, and currently survives as a long hall, with an entrance on one side. The palace may have been larger in the past, but was destroyed by the Mughals and converted into
7714-425: The Public Works Department (PWD) which is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Delhi while some are maintained by Delhi Development Authority and New Delhi Municipal Council which are under the jurisdiction of the Government of India . Roads and streets less than 60 ft (18 m) wide are maintained by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi . Roads and streets in unauthorised colonies are maintained by
7847-429: The Qutb Minar of Delhi, of which he was a great fan. He employed Iranian architects to build the Minar, who used lapis lazuli and red ocher for coloring. Currently, the Minar is out of bounds for tourists, because of a suicide case. As we move further into the fort, we can see the Chini Mahal, a VIP prison built by Aurangzeb. In this prison, he kept Abul Hasan Qutb Shah of the Golconda Sultanate of Hyderabad. Most of
7980-450: The Yamuna River, Delhi continues to retain over 500 ponds (wetlands < 5 ha (12 acres)), that in turn support a considerable number of bird species. Delhi's ponds, despite experiencing ecological deterioration due to garbage dumping and concretisation, support the largest number of bird species known to be using ponds anywhere in the world. Existing policy in Delhi prevents the conversion of wetlands and, quite inadvertently, has led to
8113-565: The actual demand is higher. In Delhi power distribution is managed by TPDDL and BSES Yamuna & BSES Rajdhani since 2002, transmission of power is done by Delhi Transco Limited and Powergrid , while generation of power is by IPGCL and PPCL . The city also imports a significant quantum of power from other states. The Delhi Fire Service runs 43 fire stations that attend about 15,000 fire and rescue calls per year. The state-owned MTNL and private enterprises such as Airtel , Vi , Jio , and provide telephone and cell phone services to
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#17328587536248246-448: The analogy does not go much further. Whereas the Mahabharata speaks of a beautifully decorated city with surrounding fortifications, the excavations have yielded "uneven findings of painted grey pottery characteristic of the eleventh century BCE; no signs of a built environment, much fewer fortifications, have been revealed." The earliest architectural relics date back to the Maurya period (c. 300 BCE); in 1966, an inscription of
8379-470: The arches, while the parapets display a merlon design. Archaeological excavations were done by ASI in part of the fort walls at its junction with the eastern wall of Qila Rai Pithora . The excavations revealed rough and small stones in the foundations followed by an ashlar face in the exterior wall above ground. The ASI undertook conservation efforts for the wall, including the installation of railings, environmental improvements, and enhanced lighting, at
8512-408: The area arid and dry. His capital-shift strategy failed miserably. Hence he shifted back to Delhi and earned the moniker "Mad King". The next important event in the Daulatabad fort time-line was the construction of the Chand Minar by the Bahmani Sultan Hasan Gangu Bahmani, also known as Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah (r. 3 August 1347 – 11 February 1358). Hasan Gangu built the Chand Minar as a replica of
8645-531: The attack, which caused a major diplomatic crisis between the two countries. There were further terrorist attacks in Delhi in 2005 and 2008 , resulting in a total of 92 deaths. In 2020, Delhi witnessed worst communal violence in decades. The riots, caused mainly by Hindu mobs attacking Muslims, 53 people were killed, two-thirds were Muslims, and the rest Hindus . Delhi is located in Northern India , at 28°37′N 77°14′E / 28.61°N 77.23°E / 28.61; 77.23 . The city
8778-440: The average maximum temperature during winters has declined notably since 1998 due to rising air pollution. India's Ministry of Earth Sciences published a research paper in October 2018 attributing almost 41% of PM2.5 air pollution in Delhi to vehicular emissions, 21.5% to dust/fire and 18% to industries. The director of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) alleged that the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)
8911-476: The beginning of the 16th century. Furthermore, excavations conducted in 1934 have revealed wooden pillar bases attributed to the Hazar Sutan Palace. Within the close precincts of Bijay Mandal stands a conspicuous domed building, distinguished by a unique architectural façade featuring two openings on each of its three sides. This structure is thought to be an annex to another building, as indicated by underground passages connecting it to an adjoining structure. However,
9044-473: The capital of the Dominion of India , and after 1950 of the Republic of India . Delhi ranks fifth among the Indian states and union territories in human development index , and has the second-highest GDP per capita in India (after Goa ). Although a union territory , the political administration of the NCT of Delhi today more closely resembles that of a state of India , with its own legislature, high court and an executive council of ministers headed by
9177-419: The chronicler of the period (till his departure from Delhi in 1341 A.D.) had not recorded this monument. The mosque, considered an architectural masterpiece, has three gates, one in each of the three covered passages: in the north, east (main gate) and south. The west wall which has the mihrab , has Tughluqi-style tapering minarets flanking the central high opening covered by a big dome. The entire passageway of
9310-443: The city according to government figures, though independent estimates of the number of people killed tend to be higher. The riots were set off by the assassination of Indira Gandhi —the Prime Minister of India at the time—by her Sikh bodyguards. In 2001, the Parliament of India building in New Delhi was attacked by armed militants, killing six security personnel. India suspected Pakistan-based Jihadist militant groups were behind
9443-456: The city and the health risks associated with it. In 2020, annual average PM2.5 in the city stood at 107.6 μg/m , which is almost 21.5 times the WHO's PM2.5 Guideline (5 μg/m ; set in September 2021). These pollution levels are estimated to reduce the life expectancy of an average person living in Delhi by almost 10.1 years. However, as of 2015 , awareness, particularly among the foreign diplomatic community and high-income Indians,
9576-776: The city as part of the Panchayati Raj Act . The Government of India and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi jointly administer New Delhi, where both bodies are located. The Parliament of India , the Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential Palace), Cabinet Secretariat , and the Supreme Court of India are located in the municipal district of New Delhi. There are 70 assembly constituencies and seven Lok Sabha (Indian Parliament's lower house) constituencies in Delhi. The Indian National Congress (Congress) formed all
9709-479: The city lie scattered across Begumpur village, serving as a silent testament to its ancient glory. The Begumpur Mosque , a vestige of the old city, of overall layout plan of 90 m × 94 m (295.3 ft × 308.4 ft) with the inner courtyard measuring 75 m × 80 m (246.1 ft × 262.5 ft), is said to be patterned on an Iranian design coonceived by an Iranian architect called Zahir al-Din al-Jayush. A majestic building in
9842-437: The city migrated to Pakistan. Ethnic Punjabis are believed to account for at least 40% of Delhi's total population and are predominantly Hindi -speaking Punjabi Hindus . Migration to Delhi from the rest of India continues (as of 2013 ), contributing more to the rise of Delhi's population than the birth rate, which is declining. The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 created the Union Territory of Delhi from its predecessor,
9975-467: The city nor the fort has survived. Many reasons have been offered for such a situation. One of these is exemplified by the idiosyncratic rule of Mohammed bin Tughlaq, who inexplicably decreed the capital to be moved to Daulatabad in the Deccan , only to return to Delhi soon after. The ruins of the city's walls are even now discerned in the road between Siri to Qutub Minar , and also in isolated patches behind
10108-450: The city of Jahanpanah. The fort was much smaller than its predecessor fort, Tughlaqabad fort, but of similar design. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in its evaluation of the status of the fort for conservation has recorded that two gates, one with barbicans between two bastions on the south-east and another on the south-west. Inside, it, separated by a bailey , is a citadel consisting of walls, bastions and gates within which lay
10241-410: The city was initially built around 1187 by the first Yadava monarch, Bhillama V . In 1308, the city was annexed by Alauddin Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate, which ruled over some parts of the northern India . In 1327, Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate renamed the city Daulatabad and shifted his imperial capital to the city from Delhi , ordering a mass migration of Delhi's population to
10374-430: The city's ponds becoming invaluable refugia for birds. The National Capital Territory of Delhi covers an area of 1,483 km (573 sq mi), of which 783 km (302 sq mi) is designated rural, and 700 km (270 sq mi) urban therefore making it the largest city in terms of area in the country. It has a length of 51.9 km (32 mi) and a width of 48.48 km (30 mi). Delhi
10507-614: The city, the Qutub Minar , Humayun's Tomb , and the Red Fort , belong to this period. Delhi was the early centre of Sufism and Qawwali music. The names of Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusrau are prominently associated with it. The Khariboli dialect of Delhi was part of a linguistic development that gave rise to the literature of Urdu and later Modern Standard Hindi . Major Urdu poets from Delhi include Mir Taqi Mir and Mirza Ghalib . Delhi
10640-617: The city. However, according to several authors, most of these gains have been lost, especially due to stubble burning , a rise in the market share of diesel cars and a considerable decline in bus ridership. According to CSE and System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), burning of agricultural waste in nearby Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh regions results in severe intensification of smog over Delhi. Delhi has been ranked 7th best "National Clean Air City" (under Category 1 >10L Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results' Currently,
10773-584: The city. Cellular coverage is available in GSM , 3G , 4G , 4G+ and 5G . Indira Gandhi International Airport , situated to the south-west of Delhi, is the main gateway for the city's domestic and international civilian air traffic. In 2015–16, the airport handled more than 48 million passengers, making it the busiest airport in India and South Asia. Terminal 3, which cost ₹ 96.8 billion (US$ 1.2 billion) to construct between 2007 and 2010, handles an additional 37 million passengers annually. In 2010, IGIA
10906-476: The city. Delhi's large consumer market and the availability of skilled labour has also attracted foreign investment. In 2001, the manufacturing sector employed 1,440,000 workers and the city had 129,000 industrial units. Delhi's municipal water supply is managed by the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). As of June 2005 , it supplied 650 million gallons per day (MGD), whereas the estimated consumption requirement
11039-646: The constraints triggered by the unfettered urban expansion of the capital city of Delhi, Jahanpanah is now engulfed by the upscale urban developments of South Delhi. The village and the wealth of ruins scattered all around are now enclosed by the South Delhi suburbs of Panchsheel Park, Malviya Nagar , Adchini, and the Aurobindo Ashram . It is hemmed in the North–;South direction between the Outer Ring Road and
11172-560: The construction of a gateway to the fort and later named the fort dehali . Some historians believe that Dhilli or Dhillika is the original name for the city while others believe the name could be a corruption of the Hindustani words dehleez or dehali —both terms meaning "threshold" or "gateway"—and symbolic of the city as a gateway to the Gangetic Plain . The people of Delhi are referred to as Delhiites or Dilliwalas . The city
11305-521: The conversion of Delhi's fleet of buses and taxis to run on CNG and banned the use of leaded petrol in 1998. In 2003, Delhi won the United States Department of Energy 's first 'Clean Cities International Partner of the Year' award for its "bold efforts to curb air pollution and support alternative fuel initiatives". The Delhi Metro has also been credited for significantly reducing air pollutants in
11438-407: The east and with the state of Haryana in the remaining directions. Delhi became a union territory on 1 November 1956 and the NCT in 1995. The NCT covers an area of 1,484 square kilometres (573 sq mi). According to the 2011 census, Delhi's city proper population was over 11 million, while the NCT's population was about 16.8 million. Delhi's urban agglomeration, which includes
11571-426: The economy of the Delhi urban area have ranged from $ 370 billion to $ 400 billion ( PPP metro GDP ) ranking it either the most or second-most productive metro area of India. The nominal GSDP of the NCT of Delhi for 2016–17 was estimated at ₹ 6,224 billion (US$ 75 billion), 13% higher than in 2015–16. Oxford Economics Global Cities index 2024 ranked Delhi as best city in India and 108th best city in
11704-418: The establishment of Tughlaqabad , constructed the new city of Jahanpanah between 1326 and 1327 by encircling and hemming the earlier cities of Siri and Lal Kot with 13 gates. But what remains of the city and Adilabad fort are largely ruins, which leave much ambiguity and conjecture regarding its physical status as to why and when it was built by Tughlaq. Some of the structures which have survived partially are
11837-497: The governments in Delhi until the 1990s, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Madan Lal Khurana , came to power. In 1998, the Congress returned to power under the leadership of Sheila Dikshit , who was subsequently re-elected for 3 consecutive terms. But in 2013 , the Congress was ousted from power by the newly formed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led by Arvind Kejriwal forming the government with outside support from
11970-424: The heart of the city with pride of place played a pivotal role in serving as a madrasa , an administrative centre with the treasury and a mosque of large proportions serving as a social community hub surrounded by a market area. It has an unusual layout with three arches covered passages with a "three by eight" deep nine-bay prayer hall on the west. The construction of this mosque is credited to two sources. One view
12103-404: The hearth of a huge fire kept burning by the garrison above. At the summit, and at intervals on the slope, are specimens of massive old cannon facing out over the surrounding countryside. Also at the midway, there is a cave entrance meant to confuse the enemies. The fort had the following specialties which are listed along with their advantages : Daulatabad (19°57’N 75°15’E) is located at
12236-410: The highest level of the airborne particulate matter, PM2.5 considered most harmful to health, with 153 micrograms. Rising air pollution level has significantly increased lung-related ailments (especially asthma and lung cancer) among Delhi's children and women. The dense smog and haze during winter results in major air and rail traffic disruptions every year. According to Indian meteorologists,
12369-522: The historic city. Balakot is the name given to the rock fort upon the conical Deogiri hill, and was termed so by the Tughluqs. The Yadavas initiated this fortification by scarping the slopes of the hill until they were vertical, rising 50m above ground, and excavated a deep moat at the base of the hill. The Balakot site contains a number of palatial buildings. The most notable is the Chini Mahal , dating to
12502-535: The historic city. It is typically attributed to Malik Ambar , minister of the Nizam Shahis, but may have been built by the Tughluqs. It is elliptical in shape, and spans two kilometres north to south. Similar to Kataka, the Ambarkot rampart consists of two defense walls. Scholar Pushkar Sohoni notes that there are a number of historic structures around the Ambarkot walls that have not been investigated yet. Daulatabad
12635-469: The literary description of the citadel Indraprastha in the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata ; however, excavations in the area have revealed no signs of an ancient built environment. From the early 13th century until the mid-19th century, Delhi was the capital of two major empires, the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire , which covered large parts of South Asia . All three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in
12768-500: The local Member of the Legislative Assembly . Buses are the most popular means of road transport, catering to about 60% of Delhi's total demand. Delhi has one of India's largest bus transport systems. In 1998, the Supreme Court of India ruled that all public transport vehicles in Delhi must be fuelled by compressed natural gas (CNG) to tackle increasing vehicular pollution. The state-owned Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC)
12901-591: The main bus terminals for outstation buses plying to neighbouring states. Delhi's rapid rate of economic development and population growth has resulted in an increasing demand for transport, creating excessive pressure on the city's transport infrastructure. To meet the transport demand, the State and Union government constructed a mass rapid transit system, including the Delhi Metro. Delhi Bus Rapid Transit System runs between Ambedkar Nagar and Delhi Gate . As per February 2024, Delhi has around 1,650 electric buses managed by
13034-533: The metro consists of ten operational lines with a total length of 348.12 km (216.31 mi) and 254 stations , and several other lines are under construction. The Phase-I was built at a cost of US$ 2.3 billion and the Phase-II was expected to cost an additional ₹ 216 billion (US$ 2.6 billion). Phase-II has a total length of 128 km (80 mi) and was completed by 2010. Delhi Metro completed 10 years of operation on 25 December 2012. It carries millions of passengers every day. In addition to
13167-488: The mosque to the Bijayamandal Palace. The stucco plastering work on the mosque walls has lasted for centuries and even now shows some tiles fixed on them at a few locations. The mosque was under occupation during Jahanpanah's existence till the 17th century. In the modern era, encroachers took over the mosque but were eventually evicted by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 1921. A shuttered by-lane entry from
13300-549: The name of the city is based on the Prakrit word dhili ( loose ) and that it was used by the Tomaras to refer to the city because the iron pillar of Delhi had a weak foundation and had to be moved. According to Panjab Notes and Queries, the name of the city at the time of King Prithviraj was dilpat , and that dilpat and dilli are probably derived from the old Hindi word dil meaning "eminence". The former director of
13433-484: The north has been interpreted as an approach that was used by the womenfolk of the Sultan's family for attending prayers in the mosque. Bijay Mandal is a structure with a layout measuring 74 m (242.8 ft) by 82 m (269.0 ft), featuring a well-proportioned square dome. It cannot be categorized as a tower or a palace though. It is a Tughlaqi structure with an octagonal plan built in rubble masonry (with massive battered sloping walls on east, west and southern directions) on
13566-563: The now Daulatabad. However, Muhammad bin Tughluq reversed his decision in 1334 and the capital of the Delhi Sultanate was shifted back to Delhi. In 1499, Daulatabad became part of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, who used it as their secondary capital. In 1610, near Daulatabad Fort, the new city of Aurangabad, then named Khadki, was established to serve as the capital of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate by the Ethiopian military leader Malik Ambar , who
13699-407: The number of vehicles in the metropolitan region, Delhi NCR, was 11.2 million (11.2 million). In 2008, there were 85 cars in Delhi for every 1,000 of its residents. In 2017, the number of vehicles in Delhi city alone crossed the ten million mark with the transport department of Delhi Government putting the total number of registered vehicles at 10,567,712 until 25 May of the year. Delhi
13832-467: The palaces. The fort was also known as ‘Muhammadabad’, but inferred as a latter-day development. The two gates on the southeast and southwest of Adilabad fort had chambers at the lower level while the east and west gates had grain bins and courtyards at the upper floors. The fortifications built, linking with the other two city walls, was 12 m (39.4 ft) in thickness and extended to a length of 8 km (5.0 mi). Another smaller fortress, called
13965-615: The present-day fortification was constructed under the Bahmanis and the Nizam Shahs of Ahmednagar Sultanate. The Mughal Governor of the Deccan under Shah Jahan , captured the fortress in 1632 and imprisoned the Nizam Shahi prince. It was captured by the Maratha Empire in 1760. In Hindu lore, Lord Shiva is believed to have stayed on the hills surrounding this region. Hence the fort
14098-485: The president and the prime minister. Delhi has the highest road density of 2103 km/100 km in India . It is connected to other parts of India by five National Highways : NH 1 , NH 2 , NH 8 , NH 10 and NH 24 . The Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Kolkata prongs of the Golden Quadrilateral start from the city. The majority of the city's roads which are 60 ft (18 m) wide or above are maintained by
14231-441: The purpose for which this dome was originally built remains unknown. Kalu Sarai Masjid, situated 500 m (1,640.4 ft) north of Bijay Mandal, is in a severely dilapidated condition and urgently requires restoration due to its status as a heritage monument. Currently, it is illegally occupied as a residential complex. The Masjid was built by the eminent mosque builder Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul Tilangani , who served as Prime Minister during
14364-430: The reign of Feroz Shah Tughlaq, as one of the seven mosques he constructed; this particular mosque retains the same architectural panache as the other six commissioned by him. Even today, the visible decorations of the mihrab appear more intricate than those in his other mosques. Originally constructed with rubble masonry and plastered surfaces, the mosque featured a frontage of seven arched openings, three bays in depth, and
14497-418: The remaining area consisted of his palace (Bijaymandal) and other structures like mosques , etc. Ibn Batuta reasoned that Muhammad Shah wished to see a unified city comprising Lal Kot, Siri, Jahanpanah and Tughlaqabad with one contiguous fortification encompassing them but cost considerations compelled him to abandon the plan halfway. In his chronicle, Batuta also stated that the Hazar Sutan Palace (palace of
14630-482: The satellite cities Ghaziabad , Faridabad , Gurgaon , Noida , Greater Noida and YEIDA city located in an area known as the National Capital Region (NCR), has an estimated population of over 28 million, making it the largest metropolitan area in India and the second-largest in the world (after Tokyo ). The topography of the medieval fort Purana Qila on the banks of the river Yamuna matches
14763-504: The tomb of Shaikh Farid Murtaza Khan , who during Emperor Akbar ’s period, was credited with building a number of serais, a mosque, and Faridabad village, which is now the present–day large city in Haryana . Other notable structures in the Jahanpanah's ambit of 20 ha (49.4 acres) area in close vicinity of the present day Panchshila Public School are the following: The Lal Gumbad
14896-547: The total workforce in national and state governments and the quasi-government sector was 594,000, and the private sector employed 273,000. Key service industries are information technology, telecommunications, hotels, banking, media and tourism. Construction, power, health and community services and real estate are also important to the city's economy. Delhi has one of India's largest and fastest growing retail industries. Manufacturing also grew considerably as consumer goods companies established manufacturing units and headquarters in
15029-486: The way open for more invaders to come, including eventually the British . Nader eventually agreed to leave the city and India after forcing the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah I to beg him for mercy and granting him the keys of the city and the royal treasury. A treaty signed in 1752 made Marathas the protectors of the Mughal throne in Delhi. The city was sacked again in 1757 by the forces of Ahmad Shah Durrani , although it
15162-494: The west wall has twenty-five arched openings. The mihrab wall depicts five projections. The prayer hall has modest decorative carvings but the columns and walls are bland. The eastern gate approach is from the road level up a flight of steps to negotiate the raised plinth on which this unique mosque has been built with a four-iwan layout . Stone chajjas or eaves can also be seen on all the four arcades . The northern entry with 1 m (3.3 ft) raised entrance, probably linked
15295-469: The whole of the Deccan under control, he moved his capital to Daulatabad, Maharashtra in central India. However, by moving away from Delhi he lost control of the north and was forced to return to Delhi to restore order. The southern provinces then broke away. In the years following the reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351–1388), the Delhi Sultanate rapidly began to lose its hold over its northern provinces. Delhi
15428-653: The world in Economics Category. As per the Economic survey of Delhi (2005–2006), the tertiary sector contributes 70.95% of Delhi's gross SDP followed by secondary and primary sectors with 25.20% and 3.85% contributions, respectively. Delhi's workforce constitutes 32.82% of the population, and increased by 52.52% between 1991 and 2001. Delhi's unemployment rate decreased from 12.57% in 1999–2000 to 4.63% in 2003. In December 2004, 636,000 people were registered with various employment exchange programmes in Delhi. In 2018
15561-589: The year is usually witnessed between 1 and 10 January, with an average low of 6.9 °C (44.4 °F) and high of 19.3 °C (66.7 °F). In early March, the wind direction changes from north-westerly to south-westerly. From April to October the weather is hot. The monsoon arrives at the end of June, along with an increase in humidity. The brief, mild winter starts in late November, peaks in January and heavy fog often occurs. Delhi receives an average annual precipitation of 774.4 mm (30.49 in). According to
15694-525: Was a major centre of Sufism during this period. The Mamluk Sultanate (Delhi) was overthrown in 1290 by Jalal ud din Firuz Khalji (1290–1320). Under the second Khalji ruler, Ala-ud-din Khalji , the Delhi sultanate extended its control south of the Narmada River in the Deccan . The Delhi sultanate reached its greatest extent during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq (1325–1351). In an attempt to bring
15827-628: Was a notable centre of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . In 1911, New Delhi , a southern region within Delhi, became the capital of the British Indian Empire . During the Partition of India in 1947, Delhi was transformed from a Mughal city to a Punjabi one, losing two-thirds of its Muslim residents, in part due to the pressure brought to bear by arriving Hindu and Sikh refugees from western Punjab. After independence in 1947, New Delhi continued as
15960-587: Was based at Safdarjung Airport which started operations in 1929, when it was the Delhi's only airport and the second in India. The airport functioned until 2001; however, in January 2002 the government closed the airport for flying activities because of security concerns following the New York attacks in September 2001 . Since then, the club only carries out aircraft maintenance courses and is used for helicopter rides to Indira Gandhi International Airport for VIP including
16093-496: Was brought to India as a slave but rose to become a popular Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. Most of the present-day fortifications at Daulatabad Fort were constructed under the Ahmadnagar Sultanate. The area of the city the hill-fortress of Devagiri (sometimes Latinised to Deogiri). It stands on a conical hill, about 200 meters high. Much of the lower slopes of the hill has been cut away by Yadava dynasty rulers to leave 50-meter vertical sides to improve defenses. The fort
16226-610: Was built as a tomb for Shaikh Kabbiruddin Auliya (1397), a 14th century Sufi saint who served as a disciple of Sufi saint Shaikh Raushan Chiragh–i–Delhi. The dome tomb was built with red sandstone . It is considered to be a small size replica of the Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq ’s Tomb in Tughlaqabad . The gateway to the tomb has a pointed arch with marble bands. It is also called the Rakabwala Gumbad as dacoits stolen
16359-580: Was built on a stream that flowed through the city. This structure called the Satpula still exists (though non–functional), located near Khirki village on the boundary walls of Jahanpanah. Similar structures had also been built at Tughlaqabad and Delhi in Hauz Khas Complex , thus covering the water supply needs of entire population of Jahanpanah. Khirki Mosque lies in Khirki village. Today, remnants of
16492-553: Was captured and sacked by Timur in 1398, who massacred 100,000 captive civilians. Delhi's decline continued under the Sayyid dynasty (1414–1451), until the sultanate was reduced to Delhi and its hinterland. Under the Afghan Lodi dynasty (1451–1526), the sultanate recovered control of Punjab and the Gangetic plain to once again achieve domination over Northern India. However, the recovery
16625-683: Was conferred the 4th best airport award in the world in the 15–25 million category, by Airports Council International . The airport was rated as the Best airport in the world in the 25–40 million passengers category in 2015, by Airports Council International. Delhi Airport was awarded The Best Airport in Central Asia and Best Airport Staff in Central Asia at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2015. Hindon Domestic Airport in Ghaziabad
16758-460: Was crowned by a series of low domes, exemplifying the typical Tughlaqi architectural style. East of Begumpur Masjid, in the village of Serai Shahji, lie edifices from the Mughal period, among which the Serai Shahji Mahal stands as a notable monument. The area surrounding this structure is scattered with decrepit gates, graves, and irregular urban tenements. A bit further from this structure is
16891-520: Was defeated in 1192 by Muhammad Ghori in the second battle of Tarain . Qutb-ud-din Aibak , was given the responsibility of governing the conquered territories of India after Ghori returned to his capital, Ghor . When Ghori died without an heir in 1206 CE, Qutb-ud-din assumed control of Ghori's Indian possessions and laid the foundation of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mamluk dynasty . He began construction of
17024-721: Was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the second airport for the Delhi-NCR Region on 8 March 2019. A second international airport open for commercial flights has been suggested either by expansion of Meerut Airport or construction of a new airport in Greater Noida . The Taj International Airport project in Jewar has been approved by the Uttar Pradesh government. The Delhi Flying Club , established in 1928 with two de Havilland Moth aircraft named Delhi and Roshanara ,
17157-599: Was inaugurated on 13 February 1931. New Delhi was officially declared as the capital of the Union of India after the country gained independence on 15 August 1947. It has expanded since; the small part of it that was constructed during the British period has come to be informally known as Lutyens' Delhi . During the partition of India , around five hundred thousand Hindu and Sikh refugees, mainly from West Punjab fled to Delhi, while around three hundred thousand Muslim residents of
17290-723: Was not annexed by the Afghan Empire and being its vassal state under the Mughal emperor. Then the Marathas battled and won control of Delhi from the Afghans. In 1803, during the Second Anglo-Maratha War , the forces of British East India Company defeated the Maratha forces in the Battle of Delhi . During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , Delhi fell to the forces of East India Company after
17423-506: Was noticeably increasing. Since the mid-1990s, Delhi has undertaken some measures to curb air pollution—it has the third-highest quantity of trees among Indian cities; the Delhi Transport Corporation operates the world's largest fleet of environmentally friendly compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. In 1996, the CSE started a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court of India that ordered
17556-423: Was originally known as Devagiri, literally "hills of god". Daulatabad is a fortified city that is the cumulative result of 1000 years of building history, overseen by successive rulers of the Deccan . It can be divided into three distinct zones: Balakot, the innermost fortification atop the conical hill itself; Kataka, the intermediate fortification; and Ambarkot, the outermost defense wall which encloses most of
17689-544: Was short-lived and the sultanate was destroyed in 1526 by Babur , founder of the Mughal dynasty . In 1526, Babur , a descendant of Genghis Khan and Timur from the Fergana Valley in modern-day Uzbekistan , invaded India and defeated the last Lodhi sultan in the First Battle of Panipat and founded the Mughal Empire that ruled from Delhi and Agra . The Mughal dynasty ruled Delhi for more than three centuries, with
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