Friday, March 29, 2024
Delhi

History of Delhi

 
Delhi, the capital of India before and after independence has perhaps seen, more of history than any other city in India. It was 1st created as the capital of an independent kingdom by Tomars in 736 AD and gradually it became the principal city of India and eventually its capital. Delhi changed hands at the end of the 12th century and passed on to the hands of the Muslim conquerors. Qutab-ub-din, Iltumish, Khiljis, Tughlaqs and Mughals ruled Delhi in succession. The city of Delhi passed on to the hands of the British in 1803 AD. It was only in 1911, when the capital of British empire was shifted from Kolkata to Delhi, that Delhi got its present prestige. 

After independence also, a kind of autonomy was conferred on the capital but it largely remained a chief commissioners regime. In 1956, Delhi was converted into a Union territory and gradually the Chief Commissioner was replaced by a Lt. Governor. In 1991, the national capital territory Act was passed by the parliament and a system of diarchy was introduced under which, the elected Government was given wide powers; except law and order which remained with the Central Government. The actual enforcement of the legislation came in 1993.