February 10, 2012
History of Delhi
Interesting city of Delhi boasts of having equally interesting history which has seen many kingdoms. The history of the city goes back to 1450 BC when it was first founded as a fortress of Indraprastha -the capital place of Pandavas. Then thereafter many kingdoms founded their fortress cities there. Rajput Tomaras built the city of Lal Kot or Quila Rai Pithora at Qutub Minar in 1060 AD. It was further extended by Prithviraj Chauhan, Rajput king. Then the city of Delhi saw the rule of Qutb-ud-din Aybak of Slave Dynasty who established Delhi Sultanate. Qutub Minar built by Qutb-ud-din is still present there attracting many tourists.
After the fall of Slave Dynasty many Afgan and Turkic dynasties invaded the city and established their own forts and fortress there. Khiliji dynasties, Sayyid Dynasty, Tughluk Dynasty are some of the dynasties which had set up their citadels, townships and forts there in medieval period.
Delhi witnessed the rule of the Mughal Empire which ruled it for more than three hundred years. Sher Shah Suri, Akbar, Shahajan etc are some of rulers who belonged to Mughal Empire and rule the city and thereby the most part of India. Influence of Mughal Empire started to decline when Maratha kingdom rose to prominence. The defeat of Maratha in third battle of Panipat made the entry easy for the British which ruled the Delhi and the country until August 1947. It was in 1911 that the capital of British India was transformed from Kolkata to Delhi. A British architect named Edwin Lutvens designed a new administrative and political area known as New Delhi. It was also officially made the capital of independent India.
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