Delhi

8:26 PM / /

Delhi

Area: 1,483 sq km
Capital: Delhi
Languages: Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu;
Physiography: The Territory forms an enclave inside the eastern frontier of
Haryana in North India. Extreme dryness with an intensely hot summer and cold
winter are the characteristics of the climate.




History: The city of Delhi was founded in the 11th century A.D. by a Rajput
Chieftain of the Tomara clan. The Chauhans obtained possession of the city from
the Tomaras. Prithvi Raj, the Chauhan ruler of Ajmer and Delhi, made the city of
Delhi famous by his heroic valour and romantic adventures. Delhi under Prithvi
Raj and Kanauj under Jai Chand were the principal kingdoms of north India at
that time.

The first invasion of India by Muhammad Ghori was beaten back by Prithvi Raj in the first battle of Tarain in 1191. Next year, Ghori came back to avenge his defeat and in the second battle of Tarain (1192) the Rajput army was routed. Prithvi Raj was captured and put to death. Delhi thus passed into the hands of Muslim rulers for the next six centuries. Under the Mughal Emperors, Delhi became a world famous city.In 1857, following the mutiny of Indian troops, the British deposed the titular Emperor Bahadur Shah and formally annexed Delhi.

In 1912, the capital of British India was transferred from Calcutta to Delhi. A new city—New Delhi—of imposing dimensions was laid out by the side of the old city—Old Delhi—by the British Indian Government. Independent India has retained this historic capital.

Administration: Delhi became a Union Territory on November 1, 1956. In December, 1991 Delhi got a legislative assembly ,council of ministers headed by a Chief Minister. The Territory is made up of three census towns, Delhi, New Delhi and Delhi Cantt, and 214 villages. It is represented by 7 members in the Lok Sabha and 3 members in the Rajya Sabha. The Territory is covered by 3 local bodies—Delhi Municipal Corporation, New Delhi Municipal Committee and Cantonment Board.

The rural area of the Territory falls within the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

Economy: Delhi's cultivated area is fast diminishing due to urbanisation. Total
crop area decreased from 1,17,000 hectares to 77,000 hectares in 1989. Wheat,
Bajra, Jowar and Maize are the major food crops. Emphasis has shifted to
vegetables, fruits, dairy and poultry.Delhi is the largest commercial hub in northern India.

It is also the largest centre of small industries manufacturing TV sets, musical systems, electrical goods, light engineering machines, automobile parts, sports goods, bicycles, plastics and PVC goods, textiles, fertilisers, medicines, hosiery, leather goods, soft drinks, etc.

There are also units for metal forging, casting, galvanising, electro plating, printing and warehousing. About 89,000 units are in operation. About 8 lakh persons are engaged in manufacturing goods worth Rs. 4250 crore.Some traditional handicrafts for which Delhi was formerly famous, still flourish.
Among them are ivory carving, miniature painting, gold and silver jewellery, etc.

The handwoven textiles of Delhi are particularly fine, this craft having been
successfully revived.

Universities:
  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi Pin: 110 029;
  • Guru Govind Singh Indraprastha Vishwavidyalaya, Delhi, Pin: 110 006;
  • University of Delhi, Delhi, Pin: 110 007;
  • Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi,
    Pin: 110 012;
  • Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, Pin: 110 016;
  • Indira
    Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, Pin:110 068;
  • Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, Pin: 110 062; Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, Pin: 110 025;
  • Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Pin: 110 067;
  • National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation & Museology, New Delhi, Pin: 110 011;
  • School of Planning & Architecture, New Delhi, Pin: 110 002;
  • Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sankrit Vidyapeeta, New Delhi, Pin: 110 016;
  • TERI School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi, Pin: 110 003.
India's first engineering college exclusively for girls started functioning in Delhi in Sept.'98.A bypass or an expressway around the capital is to be built at the cost of Rs. 1500 cr. to decongest the city. A national law university is to be set up in Delhi

Tourist Centres: Since Delhi has been the capital of India for centuries, it is
full of rich monuments. Both the Delhis—the old city of the Mughals established
by Shah Jehan and the new city constructed by the British in 1931—preserve
centres of tourist interest.Among them are Rashtrapati Bhavan, Mughal Gardens, Parliament Buildings, Chandni Chauk, Red Fort, Juma Masjid, Raibat, Raj Ghat, Shantivana, Vijaya Ghat, Purana Kila (Indraprastham), Humayun's Tomb, Lodi Tomb, Qutb Minar, Haus Khas, Safdarjung's Tombs, Jantar Mantar and India Gate.The Zoological Garden, Kashmiri Gate, Birla Mandir, Vigyan Bhavan, National Museum, Connaught Circus, Buddha Jayanti Park, Rabindra Rangsala and Nehru
Memorial Museum are also of importance.

Labels: