New Delhi is surely an enigma and holds immense historical value in the context of the Indian subcontinent. But ever wondered why it was chosen as the capital of India on February 10, 1931? To understand this, here's a quick flashback.
Back in the days of the Delhi Sultanate, the Islamic empire that ruled over India for about three centuries, Delhi was picked as the capital for logistic purposes. Mostly because it was conveniently situated at the Ganga-Yamuna valley, the route that invaders would often take. When the Mughals took over the reins of the country, Agra and Lahore were added to the roster. But the British preferred the port city of Kolkata. Yet not for long. In 1931, the capital was officially shifted to Delhi due to the historic and symbolic value it held for India. Of course, also because Kolkata was all the way in the Eastern corner of the country. It took four million pounds to shift the administrations and the best hands, namely architects Herbert Baker and Edwin Lutyens, were put to task.
Is it Delhi or New Delhi?
Officially the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT), better known as Delhi, is the union territory while New Delhi, India's administrative capital, is a district situated in Delhi.
