History of Delhi - Cities of Delhi

Cities of Delhi

The modern city contains the remnants of at least 11 Capital cities including:

1. The first instance of the region being capitalised was in the Ancient Era, during the time of the Mahabharata War, when the five Pandava brothers built an immense and highly sophisticated fortress called Indraprastha and ruled the country from there.
2. 'Dhili' was founded by the Tomara ruler, Anangpal according to Vibudh Shridhar and other later authors. Lal Kot built by the Tomar was renamed Qila Rai Pithora after Prithvi Raj Chauhan (also known as Rai Pithora). It was a thirteen-gated fort in Delhi. Prithviraj, a Chauhan king, was the second-to-last Hindu king of Delhi.
3. Mehrauli, built by Qutubuddin Aibak in 12th century;
4. Siri, built by Alauddin Khalji in 1303;
5. Tughluqabad, built by Ghiyasuddin Tughluq (1321–1325);
6. Jahanpanah, built by Muhammad bin Tughluq (1325–1351);
7. Ferozabad, built by Firuz Shah Tughluq (1351–1388);
8. Dinpanah built by Humayun and Shergarh built by Sher Shah Suri, both in the area near the speculated site of the legendary Indraprastha (1538–1545);
9. Lodi Complex, built by the Lodi rulers and the least significant of all the dynasties of Delhi Sultanate (1451–1526); and
10. Shahjahanabad, the walled city built by Shah Jahan from 1638 to 1649, containing the Lal Qila and the Chandni Chowk. It was the capital of the Mughal Empire during Shah Jahan's reign. It is presently referred to as "Old Delhi".
11. Lutyens' Delhi or New Delhi, the city built by the British on the south-west, declared Capital on December 12, 1911.

• The region of Hauz Khas in South Delhi is a part of two cities, viz. Siri and Ferozabad, of Delhi. While the Hauz Khas Lake is a part of the former, the tombs and the monuments surrounding it belong to the latter.

Modern Delhi, referred to as 'Dilli' locally, derived from its historical name Dhili, is an amalgam all of the above.

There are texts that mention Delhi as a cluster of more than 11 cities. This is quite possible, given Delhi's long history as a capital, but reliable records regarding the same do not exist. Officially, however, only seven of the above mentioned eleven cities are recognized. The official recognition cites distinct identity and indigenous heritage for a historical city to be recognized as a City of Delhi. Of the above mentioned eleven Cities of Delhi, the officially recognized seven cities are Qila Rai Pithora, Mehrauli, Siri, Tughlaqabad, Ferozabad, Dinpanah and Shahjahanabad.

The rest are not officially identified as Cities of Delhi because of some specific reasons.

• Indraprastha, the legendary Ancient City is believed to have been established 5000 years ago (c. 2800 BC), as per the ancient Indian text- the Mahabharata. Though very much a part of India's very Ancient history, it lacks any tangible evidence to say without doubt that it existed. Archaeological evidence exists, but in such scarcity as be inconclusive. As acknowledged by British historian Michael Wood in his BBC documentary The Story of India, the excavated ceramic pottery from the site of today's Purana Qila in Delhi and the excavated layers of the ancient city seem to match what the verses of the Mahabharata indicate. More possible evidence in its favour is the existence of a village named Indraprastha very close to the Purana Qila that was destroyed by the British during the construction of Lutyens' Delhi.
• Jahanpanah is not considered as a City of Delhi because it is very much in ruins and too diffused now to be considered a distinct city. Moreover, sections of the city still standing are now counted in Siri or Mehrauli.
• Lodi Complex is not counted as a distinct city because their architectures are too few to be counted as a whole city. The Sayyid and Lodhi dynasties that followed the Tughlak dynasty were far more concerned with restoring stability than patronisation of arts or architecture. Tombs erected in the honour of the rulers are the only monuments of these times and these are scattered all over current South and Central Delhis.
• New Delhi, the Capital city of modern India is also not counted as a City of Delhi because the structures of those times are still in use as government buildings. So there seems no such thing as "history" about it. On December 12, 2011 New Delhi celebrated 100 years of serving as a India's National Capital.