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It
has generally been presumed that Delhi was named after Raja
(King) Dhilu of the Mauryan dynasty who reigned in the 1st
century BC, and that the various names by which it has been
known (Delhi, Dehli, Dilli) have been corruptions of this name.
However the earliest reference to a settlement at Delhi is to be
found in one of the greatest Indian epics - The Mahabharata -
which mentions a city called Indraprastha built around 1400 BC
by under the direction of Yudhisthira, on a huge mound somewhere
between the sites where the historic Purana Qila (Old Fort) and
Humayun's tomb lie today.
THE SEVEN CITIES
Delhi has been the capital of a succession of mighty empires and
powerful kingdoms; numerous ruins mark the sites of various
cities, both ancient and medieval. According to popular
tradition, the city has changed its locality a total of seven
times although some authorities who take smaller towns and
strongholds into account claim Delhi has changed its site as
many as fifteen times.
The present site of Delhi is bounded by the rocky hills of the
Aravalli range in the west and south and on the third side by
the shifting channels of the holy river Yamuna.
THE QUTAB MINAR
After Raja Dhilu (after whom Delhi is thought to be named) Delhi
faced many vicisstudes and did not reemerge until the 12th
century AD, when it became the capital of the Chauhan ruler
Prithviraj III.
After the death of Prithviraj in the late 12th century the city
passed into Muslim hands. Qutb-ud-din Aibak who started his
career as a slave but then rose to the rank of an army general
and eventually founded the Muizzi (slave) dynasty chose Delhi as
his capital and built the famous Qutb Minar (completed in the
early 13th century). To build this minar more than 24 Hindu and
Jain temples were destroyed. The Iron Pillar housed in this
complex, however could not be destroyed. This pillar was build
by Samrat (Emperor) Ashoka who ruled around 280 B.C, and is also
known by his name (Ashokan Pillar). This simple pillar made of
iron, has not rusted in all these years providing a mysterious
insight to the developed metallurgical skills in that period.
"They say" if you stand straight and are able to wrap your arms
around the pillar, completely, your life will be bestowed with
good luck.
THE FIRST FIVE CITIES
Ala-ud Din Kilji (1296-1316) built the second city of Delhi
at Siri, three miles north-east of the Qutb Minar. He and some
of his successors brought about improvements to the Qutb Minar
complex.
The third city of Delhi was built by Ghiya-ud-Din Tughlaq
(1320-25) at Tughlakabad but had to be abadoned in favour of the
old site near Qutb Minar due to water scarcity. Muhammad ibn
Tughlaq (1325-51) extended the city further north-east and built
new fortifications around it. It then became the fourth city of
Delhi, under the name Jahanpanah. Firoz Shah (1351-88) abandoned
this site and moved his capital farther north near the ancient
site of Indraprastha and founded the fifth city of Delhi,
Firuzabad.
THE DECLINE OF DELHI
Delhi was invaded by the Tartar conquer Timur (Tamerlane) in the
latter half of the 14th century. The last of the sultan kings,
he moved the capital to Agra and Delhi exprienced a temporary
diminution in importance till it was re-established as capital
by Babar, the first Mughal ruler. (Tartar : A member of any of
various Mongolian and Turkik peoples |
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