Delhi- the centre of India not just in location but in other factors as well. Delhi is the city which welcomes everyone from every city and every background with open arms. Delhi is called the "heart of India" for a reason. Delhi is the capital of India for a reason.
Well, what's that reason? Why did the capital of India shift from Kolkata to Delhi? Why only Delhi was chosen to be the capital city? Let's go through some facts, some opinions, some thoughts to know.
Capital of India During British Rule
Established in 1690,Calcutta (present day Kolkata was made the capital of India by the British Government because three of the neighbouring villages came into the possession of the East India Company. Kolkata used to be a major centre for political activities and hence the British Government thought of making Calcutta the capital of India.
But in 1911, it was announced that Calcutta was no longer the capital of India. Major reason was its location. Kolkata is situated primarily in eastern India, which made it difficult for the British Government to look after the entire country while being in Kolkata.
Another important reason was the growing nationalism in Kolkata. Boycotts and protests were becoming very common. The scenario made the British Government nervous and hence thought of shifting the entire administration from Calcutta to some other city.
Why was Delhi Chosen to be the Capital City of India?
The capital city is the one which is the centre hub of all the finance, politics, culture, and trade etc. And this was the reason why it was thought that Delhi could be a good option for being the capital city. Also the location of Delhi was best for the British officials to keep an eye on every corner of India.
Delhi was also a city popular since the historic times. The Mughal empire was also primarily based in Delhi. Delhi had been a powerful centre since very ancient times. Hence, The British Government must have thought that making an already established centre the capital city is a good idea.
Reconstruction of Delhi as New Delhi
The British Government thought of giving a makeover to Delhi and to establish New Delhi. They wanted to modernise the city and give it a westernised look. They looked for a lot of designs and consulted a number of architects but couldn't finalise one, major reason being the high cost.
Finally the designs of two British architects Sir Herbert Baker and Sir Edwin Lutyens were confirmed. Contract was done and then began the construction of New Delhi. But soon it slowed down due to World War I. And finally in 1931, the construction was completed.
Inauguration of The New Capital City of India
On February 13, 1931,Lord Irwin, the then viceroy of India inaugurated the new capital of India- New Delhi. Many offices of the British Government were shifted from Calcutta to New Delhi. In fact from different presidencies like the Madras Presidency, Calcutta presidency, employees were brought to New Delhi. The areas where they lived later turned out to be the most posh residential areas of New Delhi.
Westernised Delhi- Still a Symbol of the History of British Rule in Country
The motive behind the reconstruction of Delhi was to make it western. Yes, the British were sure they were gonna rule India forever. So they wanted to design Delhi to look like the place owned by them.
Even now if you compare the streets of Old Delhi with the buildings, bungalows Or hotels of Central Delhi, you would feel how different the Western architecture was. The design by Lutyens was foreign to India. It was modern and was inspired by cities like Washington and Paris.
The Parliament House, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan all were built by the architecture of Lutyens and Baker. This modern western architecture might have made Delhi look better but they also became the evidences or the terrific memories of us being the slaves under British Rule.
The Present Scenario of New Delhi
The present day New Delhi is very different from that during the colonial period. During those times, only the rich British officials used to live here. The population was very small. But now Delhi is one of the most populated cities of the country. People from every part of India have shifted here after the 1947- India-Pakistan riots.
Now Delhi has become the centre of the country in many ways. People from every state come to Delhi for education, and economical reasons. And Delhi has also become one of the most-polluted city in the world.
So, we can see how the capital city of India evolved with time and what a historic city New Delhi is.
Written By: Nidhi Jha
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