“Ye dilli hai dilwalon ki” is a much-referred time period once we speak about Delhi. The metropolis is thought for having essentially the most large-hearted individuals who welcome individuals from all walks of life, incomes it this title.
Home to diverse music, dance, literature, and way of life, Delhi thrives with a wealthy tradition in artwork, music, and festivals that it’s exhausting to level the finger at.
However, this isn’t the end result of a single ruler or one dynasty however an amalgamation of Mughal and Hindu rulers, their beliefs, values, traditions, and so on. The variety of invasions by rulers formed the tradition of Delhi, whose glimpses we see as we speak.
From the primary Muslim contact with the subcontinent to battles between Sikhs and Mughals to pre and post-British rule, this weblog discusses the saga of Delhi, a metropolis that survived in opposition to all odds.
Earliest Reference in Mahabharata
The first reference to a settlement at Delhi is discovered within the Hindu epic Mahabharata round 1000 BC. Then Delhi was referred to as “Indraprastha” and was the identify of the dominion arrange by Pandavas on the order of Hastinapur’s King Dhritarashtra. The kingdom was a formidable metropolis that made Kauravas jealous and finally enemies of their Pandavas brothers.
That was the place to begin of Delhi’s rise and fall chain of many empires and dynasties. Also, due to its strategic and business worth, Delhi got here on the radar of many rulers of India.
Historians say Delhi had seven cities between 1100 AD and 1947 AD, particularly Siri, Tughlqabad, Jahanpanah, Firozobad, and the town round Purana Qila, Shahjahanabad, and New Delhi.
Each of those cities was the fortress of a selected dynasty that wished Delhi to be their headquarters. And after every successive reign, increasingly more architectural buildings have been added to Delhi, like tombs, palaces, mosques, or victory towers.
Founder Of Delhi
Anangpal Tomar based “Dhillika Puri” in 1051, finally turning into Delhi. As per the A VS 1383 inscription in Delhi Museum, Tomars have been the founders of Delhi. Anangpal dominated Delhi from 1051 to 1081 CE and made their capital at Haryana’s Anangpur Village.
The precise story of Delhi commenced with the invasion of Sultan Muhammad Ghur in Northern India on the finish of the twelfth century. And since then, Delhi has regularly been the seat of each central political authority.
Saga Of Dynasties
Muslims first got here to this subcontinent within the seventh century CE. Their invasion began after c.1000 with the institution of the long-lived Slave Dynasty in 1206 AD, and the Delhi Sultanate ended with the Lodhi Dynasty in 1526 AD.
Let’s focus on this to know the features that formed Delhi as we speak.
The Role of Prithviraj Chauhan
The final Hindu king who dominated historical Delhi for a substantial interval was Prithviraj Chauhan. He took the rule of Delhi from the Tomar Empire in 1155 AD. He modified the identify Lal Kot, which Tomars constructed, to Quila Rai Pithora.
In the battle of Tarain in 1192 AD, Prithviraj was defeated by Emperor Mohammad Ghori and was given a demise sentence. Nonetheless, Prithviraj Chauhan remains to be remembered as an ideal Hindu ruler in Delhi’s historical past.
Slave Dynasty – The First Muslim Dynasty in Delhi
During the Slave Dynasty, the Turkish slave of Sultan Muhammad Ghur – Qutb-ud-din Aibak was the primary determine who invaded India in 1175 and began the Slave Dynasty in Delhi. After Muhammad Ghur, Qutb-ud-din Aibak took over in 1206 AD and have become the only ruler of the Delhi Sultanate.
Iltutmish got here afterward who was the son-in-law of Qutb-ud-din Aibak. Before dying, he handed on his rights to his daughter Raziyya, the one ladies ruler of this dynasty who dominated Delhi. Balban was the ruler, after which the Slave Dynasty resulted in 1290.
Khilji Dynasty
You all will need to have heard concerning the Khilji within the iconic film Padmavat. They dominated Delhi from 1290 AD to 1320 AD, with Jalaluddin Khilji as the primary ruler.
He was assassinated in a conspiracy deliberate by one in all his nephews Alauddin Khilji, who then dominated the Delhi Sultanate and went over to win Gujarat and assassinated Rajput Hamir in 1301 AD.
Tughlaq Dynasty
After Khilji’s, Tughlaqs got here into energy in Delhi, and established “Tughlaqabad”. Khusrau Khan was the final ruler of the Khilji Dynasty who was raised by Aaudddin’s son Mubarak Shah’s minister.
Did you realize that Khusrau was a Hindu earlier than Alauddin Khilji captured and transformed him right into a Muslim?
He insulted the Turkish nobles of the town, who favored Hindu nobles. Ain-ul-Mulk and the opposite Muslim the Aristocracy opposed him. The nobles invited the then Punjab governor underneath Khiljis, Ghazi Malik, who fashioned a military to kill Khusrau close to Delhi. Khusrau Shah was beheaded within the conflict, and Ghazi Malik quickly renamed himself as Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq and began the Tughlaq dynasty that lasted from 1230 to 1414.
Sayyid Dynasty
Khizar Khan of the Sayyid Dynasty took over from Tughlaq and dominated India for 37 years. Other rulers of this dynasty have been Mubarak Shah, Muhammad Shah, and the final ruler named, Alauddin Alam Shah.
He aided Timur, who restored the Mongol Empire to invade India. In his reward, Timur was made the governor of many Indian territories. However, Khizar Khan’s aspirations have been excessive, and he was eager to rule Delhi underneath Timur’s supremacy. Thus, in 1414, Khizar defeated Daulat Khan Lodi (who was occupying Delhi’s throne after the demise of Muhammad Tughluq) and expanded his kingdom.
Lodhi Dynasty
In 1451 AD, Bahlul Lodi based the Lodhi Dynasty, which originated in Afghanistan. Sikander Lodi got here after Bahlul and was the best ruler of his dynasty.
Did you realize that Sikander Lodi lived concurrently saint Kabirdas and tortured him?
In 1504, Sikander made Agra his capital and moved there. Many Hindu temples of Delhi have been destroyed underneath his reign, and he imposed many restrictions on Hindus.
Ibrahim Lodi succeeded his father, Sikander. Ibrahim’s shut kin and the ruler of Mewar invited Babar to invade India. In the Battle of Panipat, Babur killed Ibrahim Lodi, which ended the Sultanate in Delhi, and the Mughal ruler started.
Mughal Dynasty
Lastly arrived the descendants of Ghenghis Khan of Afghanistan. The Mughal Dynasty got here underneath the medieval interval, based by Babur in 1526. Humayun succeeded Babur, after which Akbar turned one of many best Mughal Emperors in Delhi and India. His reign lasted from 1556 to 1605.
Mughals formed Delhi’s political, architectural, cultural, and social features, that are nonetheless fairly evident.
The Fight between Sikhs and Mughals in Delhi
The Sikh neighborhood has performed a significant position after the Mughals within the altering panorama of Delhi.
In 1783, Sikh chief Baba Baghel Singh Ji conquered Delhi from Mughal Emperor Shah Alam. The Sikh military marched to Delhi on horses and elephants, with Nishan Sahib at Red Fort on eleventh March 1783, marked as probably the most essential occasions in Delhi’s historical past. An enormous variety of Sikhs gathered to have a good time at the present time as Fateh Diwas, however the date within the Gregorian calendar differs yearly.
This battle passed off in present-day New Delhi. The Sikhs entered the Red Fort and occupied Emperor Shah Alam II. He reconciled with Sikhs, who provided him a treaty for establishing Gurudwaras on Sikh historic websites.
Thus, Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib was constructed, the place Guru Tegh Bahadur was martyred on the orders of Aurangzeb. Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, the place the Guru’s ashes have been cremated.
Emperor Shah Alam II can be recognized for establishing Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, Gurudwara Bala Sahib, Gurudwara Moti Bagh, Gurudwara Mata Sundri, Gurudwara Majnu Ka Tilla, and Gurudwara Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.
In present-day Delhi, the location the place Baba Baghel Singh stopped along with his 30,000 males is now Tis Hazari. After profitable the Red Fort, the Sikhs distributed sweets, and that place is now often known as Mithai Pul.
Delhi During British Rule
In 1803 AD, Britishers stepped foot in Delhi, and in 1911, they shifted the capital from Calcutta to Delhi. The metropolis as soon as once more turned the middle of all governing actions. But as we all know, Delhi is thought for throwing its occupants off its throne, and the Britishers have been no totally different. India gained independence in 1947, and New Delhi formally turned the capital of India.
Delhi Today
Post-independence, India was nonetheless recovering from popping out of the shadow of Britishers, together with Delhi. Many architectural growth contributions have been made, together with Jantar Mantar from Maharaja of Jaipur and Lotus Temple by Fariborz Sahba in 1986.
Temples, malls, excessive buildings, and so on., are constructed which might be a testomony to Delhi’s fashionable structure. New Delhi can be referred to as Lutyens Delhi, which contrasts Old Delhi by way of format and structure.
And whereas India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, and Parliament House are prime examples of British structure, the Red Fort, Gurudwara Sis Ganj, and different buildings are the highlights of Old Delhi.
Despite the distinction, the large-hearted individuals of Delhi are the core that makes Delhi Dilwalon Ki.
With the contributions made by Delhi Sultanates, Mughals, Sikhs, and Britishers, Delhi nonetheless stands extravagant as ever, welcoming all with open arms. Mughals’ contribution to the town’s architectural magnificence to Britishers’ Indo-Saracenic model buildings, Delhi stays the point of interest of tourism and different important occasions that make it a logo of imperial energy in Indian Heritage.
If you want to witness the architectural, cultural, and historic fantastic thing about Delhi, e book Delhi tour packages. Indian Holiday will arrange your whole tour, together with transportation, meals, resorts, and sightseeing of the famend points of interest in Delhi like Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, India Gate, and extra. Connect with us for extra particulars.
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Manmeet Kaur
A author by career and a storyteller by coronary heart, Manmeet has a ardour for touring and treating her style buds to totally different cuisines. Besides, she likes to binge-watch motion pictures and collection every so often. She can be an avid reader, which retains her engaged.
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