DELHI, 1832

Delhi. The heart of India. The capital, the soul and the political hot-bath of the country that has always been the center of power since the middle-ages. Everyone knows the Hindu-Muslim lineage of Delhi which began from the Tomaras (736-1180), the Chauhans (1180-1192), entering the Islamic rulers like the Mamluks (1192-1289), the Khiljis (1290-1320), the Tughlaqs (1320-1413), the Sayyids (1414-1451), the Lodis (1451-1526), the Mughals (1526-1857; with a short intermediary phase of the Suris 1540-1556), and finally the British (1857-1947). Shifted between various points (all in today's Delhi region) before acquiring the administrative seat at today's current location, Delhi has served capital to various dynasties and empires. Names such as Lal Kot, Qila Rai Pithora, Mehrauli, Siri, Tughlaqabad, Jahanpanah, Ferozabad, Dinpanah, Shergarh, Shahjahanabad and finally Lutyen's Delhi (or New Delhi), sprung up all around the history with alternate spellings such as Dehli, Dhillika, Dilli, Delli etc. There are tonnes of books written on glorifying the Hindu and Islamic (in particular) architecture of Delhi, the beautiful monuments - Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, Qutb Minar etc., - the Mughal falling to the British, the conversion of the city into a refugee camp-base after partition, etc. But less is known about a brief European conversation with Delhi. How non-Hindu and non-Islamic cultures, though briefly, but did influence the city.

The map of Delhi as we see today is not that old. Between the transitioning of Mughal powers into British, Delhi was a massive province stretched from Bikaner in the west to the hills of Kumaon and Rohilkhand in the east and the ends of Doab at Fatehpur and Cawnpore (Kanpur or Caunpoor) in the south. Acquired by the English East India Company in 1832, Delhi was largely ignored by the British since it was already the seat of the Mughals that time. In fact, the focus of British was mostly at the newly established dock cities of Bombay, Madras and Calcutta, the EIC capital. The Delhi territory neighbored Nepal and Oudh (Awadh) in the east, Bundelcund (Bundelkhand) and Malwa in the south and Rajputana in the southwest. Its interesting as the name Haryana is mentioned on many 19th century maps as 'Hurriana', a small region near Hisar city.

There aren't many British architecture in Delhi if compared to cities like Chennai or Mumbai or Kolkata. When Delhi was conquered in 1803, the district consisted of today's Delhi, Gurgaon, Hisar and Karnal (or more precisely, today's districts of Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, Delhi NCT, Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal and Mewat). In 1832, the Delhi territory was annexed to Allahabad division under Northwest Provinces (this would later be expanded into United Provinces or today's Uttar Pradesh) that continued till 1858, after which the districts of Gurgaon, Hisar, Karnal, Delhi and Sonipat were annexed to Punjab.

Although a few, but the Europeans did establish a couple of buildings and churches all across the Delhi into region. St. James Church (or Skinner's Church, 1836), St. Stephan's Church (1862), St. Mary's Catholic Church (1865), the Cathedral Church of the Redemption (1931), etc. British cemeteries such as Lothian (1808) and Nicholson (1857) still exist near Kashmere Gate. But the British administration of Delhi was much more than churches and cemeteries. Although started very late only after 1857, the British divided Delhi into two parts - civil lines (residencies for British officers) and cantonments. The racial separation of natives by the British in other cities like Calcutta, Bombay and Madras was to create a boundary between the fort walls and rest of the city. Since the British didn't establish any forts in Delhi, this job was done by Civil Lines colonies.

Sadar Bazar was basically meant for British shopping which later was opened to natives. Initially Darya Ganj was chosen as the site to establish the cantonment but due to close proximity with the Mughals the new cantonment location was made after acquiring five villages - Timarpur (Wazirabad), Rajpore (Rajpur), Dhukka (Bhyachra), Mullukpore and Chandrawal. Although the British planning of Delhi started officially in 1824, till 1836 it was used only for military purpose.

By 1850s just before the 1857 revolts, the population of Delhi was about 1.5 lakhs and this is when the famous Ludlow Castle was built along with the Nicholson and Lothian cemeteries (which were made for burying English soldiers during the 1857 revolts). Soon British bungalows started spurring up between Alipur and Rajpur Roads (today's Tis Hazari and Railway Colony areas). It is now when the English rulers created a separation between Christian, Hindu and Muslim colonies, something the previous rulers hadn't really bothered to touch. In 1852 the British opened up an old dried drainage to provide clean drinking water for localites, something for the first time they did for the natives. They also removed a gunpowder factory in 1856 since the natives feared of its explosion and as fate had decided, just the next year the mutiny broke and British realised their mistakes (which in turn was a boon for Delhites).

The English were filled with vengeance for the losses they incurred during the 1857 revolts. They had previously destroyed and plundered Lucknow and Kanpur and in 1859, attacked Delhi as well. As soon as the English East India Company was expulled, the British Crown took over and in 1859 confiscated the property of locals in Daryaganj (since they took part in the mutiny) and demolished Muslim mohallas. Moreover, all the buildings around Red Fort was also destroyed and a new township near Chandni Chowk was made keeping a distance of 500 yards from the fort. Tis Hazari gardens was converted into a shooting range, mosques and havelis were detroyed and captured and between 1857 to 1860, Delhi was no more than an army cantonment. In 1861 an old gate of Red Fort between Kashmere Gate and Mori Gate, known as Calcutta Gate was destroyed to create railway lines. A total makeover of Delhi was to take place and even the cantonment was shifted to Meerut.

Soon after this, Shahdara and Paharganj were to be developed and inhabitants from UP (United Provinces), Rajputana and Gwalior started arriving. The Reghar Pura area of Karol Bagh was made a separate area for lower castes by the British. By this time Delhi was under Punjab Province. By 1872, the Rajputana State Railway was given the task to develop railway lines in Delhi and areas such as Palam, Nangal Raya, Bijwasan, Narayana and Rohila Khan (Sarai Rohilla) were considered.

By 20th century number of British buildings started to rise. Telegraph Memorial, Old Magazine Memorial, a police station near Secretariat, St. James Church etc. and suburbs like Sadar Bazar, Clarke Ganj, Paharganj, Karol Bagh, Jhandewalan, Idgah, Sabzimandi etc. And finally on the 12th of December 1911, the British shifted the Indian capital from Calcutta to Delhi marking a major new chapter in the Indian history.

The British chapter in Delhi is heavily overshadowed with the Mughals and the previous rulers. Even the British named roads are now renamed to local Indian ones. Names such as Allenby Road, Albuquerque Road, Cornwallis Road, King George's Avenue, Clive Road, Curzon Lane, King Edward Road etc. are now renamed either after Indian politicians or some famous personalities. Although New Delhi seats the capital of India and all the important government offices, even its cornerstone was laid by the British architect Edward Lutyens.

The map here shows map of Delhi territory in 1832 joined by Allahabad division in North West Provinces. This would soon enter Punjab Province in the coming years. The red areas were controlled by the British directly, the yellow areas under subsidiary alliance / influenced by the British while the green regions were independent.