Who founded Delhi?
Although nothing remains of Indraprastha, legend holds it to have been a thriving city. The first reference to the place-name Delhi seems to have been made in the 1st century bce, when Raja Dhilu built a city near the site of the future Quṭb Mīnār tower (in present-day southwestern Delhi) and named it for himself.
How Delhi got its name?
According to legend, the city was named for Raja Dhilu, a king who reigned in the region in the 1st century bce. The names by which the city has been known—including Delhi, Dehli, Dilli, and Dhilli, among others—likely are corruptions of his name.
Who was the first king of Delhi?
Qutb-ud-din AibakThey are: 1206 -1290 –Early Turkish Rulers / Slave Dynasty or Mamluk Dynasty Qutb-ud-din Aibak becomes first Sultan of Delhi in 1206.
How old is the history of Delhi?
Delhi has a long historical past dating back to the pre-historic 6th Century BC era when it was founded as 'Indraprastha', the capital of the Pandavas of the Mahabharata epic. It was earlier known as 'Hastinapur' or 'Elephant City' according to the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text.
Who built Old Delhi?
Shah JahanThe early Mughal emperors favoured Agra as their capital, and Delhi became their permanent seat only after Shah Jahan built (1638) the walls of Old Delhi. From Hindu Kings to Muslim Sultans, the reins of the city kept shifting from one ruler to another.
What is the nickname of Delhi?
Indian Cities and Their NicknamesStateCityNicknameNalandaThe land of KnowledgeChattisgarhBhilaiSteel capital of IndiaKorbaPower hub of IndiaDelhiNew DelhiCity of rallies49 more rows•Sep 12, 2018
Who was last Hindu king of Delhi?
It goes on to describe Hemu or Samrat Hem Chandra Vikramaditya as the last Hindu emperor of India. Popular historical references also talk about how Hemu was the last Hindu ruler of Delhi. Hemu ruled for barely a month from 7 October 1556 to 5 November 1556.
What are the 7 cities of Delhi?
Lal Kot or Qila Rai Pithora.Mehrauli.Siri.Tughlakabad.Firozabad.Shergarh.Shahjehabanad.New Delhi.
What is capital of Delhi?
New Delhi is a city in northern India, and capital of the country. It is located in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, on the Yamuna River....Technical Information of original imageCoverage:180 x 180 KMAcq. Date:05 April 1999 and 06 April 20174 more rows
What is the first city of Delhi?
The Pandavas founded the first city of Delhi and named it Indraprastha. The king of Pandava, Dharmaraj Yudhishthira established Indraprastha in Modern Delhi, as the capital of Pandava Kingdom.
Which is oldest city in India?
VaranasiVaranasi. It's perhaps India's oldest continually inhabited city, and has been a cradle of Indian vedic culture. Varanasi has bustling with cultural and religious activity since the Bronze Age collapse.
When was Delhi founded?
1911New DelhiCountryIndiaUnion territoryDelhiEstablished1911Inaugurated193120 more rows
What is the history of Delhi?
History of Delhi. The earliest reference to a settlement in the Delhi area is found in the Mahabharata, an epic narrative about two groups of warring cousins, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, both descendants of the prince Bharata. According to the narrative, a city called Indraprastha (“City of the God Indra”), built about 1400 bce, ...
When was Delhi built?
According to the narrative, a city called Indraprastha (“City of the God Indra”), built about 1400 bce, was the capital of the Pandavas. Although nothing remains of Indraprastha, legend holds it to have been a thriving city. The first reference to the place-name Delhi seems to have been made in the 1st century bce, ...
What is the name of the city in the Delhi Triangle?
The next notable city to emerge in the area now known as the Delhi Triangle was Anangpur (Anandpur), established as a royal resort in about 1020 ce by Anangapala of the Tomara dynasty. Anangapala later moved Anangpur some 6 miles (10 km) westward to a walled citadel called Lal Kot. The Tomara kings occupied Lal Kot for about a century. In 1164 Prithviraj III (Rai Pithora) extended the citadel by building massive ramparts around it; the city then became known as Qila Rai Pithora. In the late 12th century Prithviraj III was defeated, and the city passed into Muslim hands. Quṭb al-Dīn Aybak, builder of the famous tower Qutb Minar (completed in the early 13th century), made Lal Kot the seat of his empire.
What dynasties followed the Tughluqs?
After the invasion and sack of the Delhi area by Timur (Tamerlane) at the end of the 14th century, the Sayyid ( c. 1414–51) and the Lodī (1451–1526) dynasties, which followed the Tughluqs, confined themselves within the precincts of Firuzabad. Bābur, the first Mughal ruler, arrived in 1526 and made his base at Agra to the southeast (in what is now the state of Uttar Pradesh). His son Humāyūn ascended the throne in 1530 and in 1533 founded a new city, Din Panah, on the bank of the Yamuna River. Shēr Shah, who overthrew Humāyūn in 1540, razed Din Panah to the ground and built his new capital, the Sher Shahi, now known as Purana Qila fort, in southeastern Delhi.
What was the name of the city that was invaded by the Marathas?
Red Fort, Old Delhi, India. With the fall of the Mughal Empire during the mid-18th century, Delhi faced raids by the Marathas (a people of peninsular India), invasion by Nāder Shah of Persia, and a brief spell of Maratha rule before the British arrived in 1803.
Who built Siri?
Siri was the first completely new city to be built by the Muslim conquerors in India. The region passed into the hands of the Tughluq dynasty in 1321. A new capital was built by Ghiyāth al-Dīn Tughluq (1320–25) at Tughlakabad, but it had to be abandoned in favour of the old site near the Qutb Minar because of a scarcity of water. ...
Where was the first completely new city built by the Muslim conquerors in India?
As a defense against subsequent attacks by the Mongols, ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn Khaljī (reigned 1296–1316) built a new circular fortified city at Siri, a short distance northeast of the Qutb Minar, that was designated as the Khaljī capital. Siri was the first completely new city to be built by the Muslim conquerors in India.
When did Delhi become the capital of India?
In the year 1803 AD, the city came under the British rule. In 1911, British shifted their capital from Calcutta to Delhi. It again became the center of all the governing activities. But, the city has the reputation of over throwing the occupants of its throne. It included the British and the current political parties that have had the honour of leading free India.
What was the name of the city that the Mughals ruled?
Mughals ruled Delhi in succession starting from Qutab-ub-din to Khiljis, Tughlaqs . The city of Delhi passed on to the hands of the British in 1803 AD. It was only in 1911, when the capital of British empire was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi, that Delhi got its present prestige. After independence also, a kind of autonomy was conferred on the capital but it largely remained a chief commissioners regime. In 1956 Delhi was converted into a Union territory and gradually the chief commissioner was replaced by a Lt. Governor. In 1991, the national capital territory Act was passed by the parliament and a system of diarchy was introduced under which, the elected Government was given wide powers; except law and order which remained with the central Government. The actual enforcement of the legislation came in 1993.
Is Delhi a capital city?
The history of Delhi is as interesting and as grand as the city itself. It was not since its inception that Delhi got the status of a capital city .Delhi has been a witness to the political turmoil for over five centuries. It was ruled by the Mughals in succession to Khiljis and Tughlaqs.
What is New Delhi known for?
New Delhi is known for its flowering shade trees, such as the neem ( Azadirachta indica; a drought-resistant tree with a pale yellow fruit), jaman ( Syzygium cumini; a tree with an edible grapelike fruit), mango, pipal ( Ficus religiosa; a fig tree), and sissoo.
How many times has Delhi changed its location?
Popular lore holds that the city changed its locality a total of seven times between 3000 bce and the 17th century ce, although some authorities, who take smaller towns and strongholds into account, claim it changed its site as many as 15 times. All the earlier locations of Delhi fall within a triangular area of about 70 square miles (180 square km), commonly called the Delhi Triangle. Two sides of the triangle are articulated by the rocky hills of the Aravalli Range —one to the south of the city, the other on its western edge, where it is known as the Delhi Ridge. The third side of the triangle is formed by the shifting channel of the Yamuna River. Between the river and the hills lie broad alluvial plains; the elevation of the territory ranges from about 700 to 1,000 feet (200 to 300 metres).
What are the trees in New Delhi?
Riverine vegetation, consisting of weeds and grass, occurs on the banks of the Yamuna. New Delhi is known for its flowering shade trees , such as the neem ( Azadirachta indica; a drought-resistant tree with a pale yellow fruit), jaman ( Syzygium cumini; a tree with an edible grapelike fruit), mango, pipal ( Ficus religiosa; a fig tree), and sissoo. It also is known for its flowering plants, which include a large number of multicoloured seasonals: chrysanthemums, phlox, violas, and verbenas.
What is the capital of India?
Alternative Titles: Fīrūzābād, Jahānpanāh, Shēr Shāhī. Delhi, city and national capital territory, north-central India. The city of Delhi actually consists of two components: Old Delhi, in the north, the historic city; and New Delhi, in the south, since 1947 the capital of India, built in the first part of the 20th century as the capital ...
Why is Delhi important?
Delhi is of great historical significance as an important commercial, transport, and cultural hub, as well as the political centre of India. According to legend, the city was named for Raja Dhilu, a king who reigned in the region in the 1st century bce. The names by which the city has been known—including Delhi, Dehli, Dilli, and Dhilli, ...
What is the climate of Delhi?
The climate of Delhi is characterized by extreme dryness, with intensely hot summers. It is associated with a general prevalence of continental air, which moves in from the west or northwest, except during the season of the monsoon, when an easterly to southeasterly influx of oceanic air brings rain and increased humidity. The summer season lasts from mid-March to the end of June, with maximum temperatures typically reaching about 100 °F (about 37 °C) and minimum temperatures falling into the high 70s F (about 25 °C); it is characterized by frequent thunderstorms and squalls, especially in April and May. The monsoon season normally begins in July and continues until the end of September. It is during these months that Delhi receives the bulk of its rainfall—roughly 23 inches (600 mm), or nearly three-fourths of the annual average. October and November constitute a transition period from monsoon to winter conditions. The dry winter season extends from late November to mid-March. The coldest month is January, with high temperatures in the low 70s F (about 21 °C) and low temperatures in the mid-40s F (about 7 °C).
When does monsoon season start in Delhi?
The monsoon season normally begins in July and continues until the end of September. It is during these months that Delhi receives the bulk of its rainfall—roughly 23 inches (600 mm), or nearly three-fourths of the annual average. October and November constitute a transition period from monsoon to winter conditions.
When was Delhi founded?
The first ever evidence of Delhi can be traced back to the times of Mahabharata in 1400 BC when it was known by the name of Indraprastha. However, it is said that Anagpal Tomar first laid the foundation stone of the seven ancient cities of Delhi much before the 13th century. Prithviraj Chauhan played a major role in shaping the history of Delhi. ...
Who was the ruler of Delhi in 1266?
Raziyya remained the only women ruler of Slave dynasty who ruled Delhi. After Raziyya, Balban became the next ruler of Delhi in 1266 representing the Slave Dynasty. Being known for his cruelties and impartial demeanor, Balban established a centralized government system in Delhi during his rule.
What was the name of the city that the Khilji Dynasty established?
The Tughluqs took the rein of Delhi after the Khilji Dynasty and established the third city called as Tughluqabad. It is believed that the Mughal Empire had immense ...
When did Chauhan rule?
Prithviraj Chauhan during his rule changed the name of Lal Kot - built by the Tomars - to Quila Rai Pithora. The rule of Prithviraj Chauhan continued till 1192 AD. The Tarain war of 1192 AD end the rule of Prithviraj Chauhan in Delhi.
What was Khizar's role in the Indian government?
However, Khizar's aspirations were higher; he was keener to rule Delhi under the supremacy of Timur.
How did the Mughal Empire influence the development of Delhi?
It is believed that the Mughal Empire had immense influence on the all-round socio-economic development of the city . As a whole, the unique history of Delhi helped in shaping up the political, social, architectural, cultural and economic scenario of India in the ancient times.
Who was the first king of the Khilji Dynasty?
The Khilji Dynasty started its rule in Delhi in 1290 AD after the death of Balban - the last ruler of slave Dynasty. Jalaluddin Khilji was the first king of Khilji Dynasty who made Delhi his dominion in 1290 AD. However, in 1296 AD, Jalaluddin Khilji was killed out of a conspiracy planned by one of his nephews - Alauddin Khilji.
Who ruled Delhi?
Delhi has been a witness to the political turmoil for over five centuries. It was ruled by the Mughals in succession to Khiljis and Tughlaqs.
When did New Delhi become the capital of India?
It included the British and the current political parties that have had the honour of leading free India. After independence in 1947 , New Delhi was officially declared as the Capital of India. Click here to view the Heritage Map.