PART ONE I. ANDHRA PRADESH (A.P.) - … India-I.pdf1.1. Chowmahalla Palace Complex .....5 2. ASAF JAH VII

MAGNIFICENT INDIA OTTALIL

KOCHUKUNJU JOY, M.A.

PART ONE

Table of Contents

I. ANDHRA PRADESH (A.P.) .............................................................................4

1. HYDERABAD ................................................................................................. 4

1.1. Chowmahalla Palace Complex ........................................................................ 5

2. ASAF JAH VII ............................................................................................... 6

2.1. Official Name ............................................................................................... 6

2.2. Marriages and Children .................................................................................. 7

2.3. Reign: A Cover Story By TIME ........................................................................ 7

3. JOY WAS IT ON THAT DAWN .......................................................................... 8

4. ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER AGE ....................................................................... 8

5. BARKAT ALI KHAN MUKARRAM JAH ASAF JAH VIII ............................................ 9

5.1. Official Name ............................................................................................... 9

5.2. Early Life ..................................................................................................... 9

5.3. Salarjung Museum ...................................................................................... 10

5.4. Important Exhibits ...................................................................................... 10

5.5. Hussain Sagar ............................................................................................ 11

5.6. Osmania University ..................................................................................... 11

5.7. Golconda Fort ............................................................................................. 12

6. SECUNDERABAD ......................................................................................... 13

6.1. Army Ordnance Corps [AOC] Centre.............................................................. 14

6.2. Military Reformatory, Trimulgherry ............................................................... 15

6.3. All Saints Church ....................................................................................... 15

7. TEMPLE TOWN OF TIRUPATHI ...................................................................... 16

II. NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI (NCT) ...................................... 17

1. CULTURE ................................................................................................... 19

2. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN DELHI ........................................................ 20

3. MEDIA ....................................................................................................... 21

4. SPORTS ..................................................................................................... 21

5. SISTER CITIES ........................................................................................... 22

6. HUMAYUNS TOMB ...................................................................................... 22

7. JAMA MASJID ............................................................................................. 22

8. OLD FORT (PURANA QILA) ........................................................................... 23

8.1. The Citadel & its History .............................................................................. 23

9. RED FORT (LAL QILA) .................................................................................. 23

9.1. The Fort Today ........................................................................................... 24

9.2. Important Buildings inside Fort ..................................................................... 25

10. QUTUB MINAR ............................................................................................ 26

10.1. Iron Pillar .................................................................................................. 26

11. BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR ............................................................................... 26

Magnificent India 2 of 62

11.1. Bahadur Shah Zafar Found Guilty Of Treason ................................................. 27

11.2. Bahadur Shahs Heartbroken Ghazal As His Own Epitaph: ................................ 28

12. ST. JAMES CHURCH .................................................................................... 29

12.1. Colonel James Skinner ................................................................................ 30

12.2. Graves at St. James' Church ........................................................................ 30

13. INDIRA GANDHI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.................................................... 31

14. DELHI METRO ............................................................................................ 31

15. RAISINA HILLS ........................................................................................... 32

16. PARLIAMENT OF INDIA (SANSAD BHAVAN) .................................................... 33

16.1. Lok Sabha (House of the People) .................................................................. 33

16.2. Rajya Sabha (Council of States) ................................................................... 33

17. RASHTRAPATI BHAVAN (PRESIDENTIAL PALACE) ............................................ 33

18. SUPREME COURT OF INDIA .......................................................................... 35

19. INDIA GATE ............................................................................................... 35

19.1. Amar Jawan Jyoti ........................................................................................ 36

20. REPUBLIC DAY ........................................................................................... 36

20.1. Republic Day Parade ................................................................................... 37

20.2. Beating Retreat .......................................................................................... 39

21. MADRAS REGIMENT .................................................................................... 40

21.1. History ...................................................................................................... 40

21.2. Post Independence ..................................................................................... 41

22. ARMY HEADQUARTERS CAMP ....................................................................... 41

23. ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES (AIIMS).................................... 41

24. CHANAKYAPURI .......................................................................................... 42

25. PRAGATI MAIDAN ....................................................................................... 42

26. SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES (SFL) ....................................................... 42

27. ARMY HEADQUARTERS, NEW DELHI .............................................................. 43

28. SHEIKH MUJIBUR RAHMAN .......................................................................... 43

29. SERVICES SELECTION BOARD (SSB)............................................................. 45

29.1. Details of the Tests ..................................................................................... 45

29.2. Board Meeting ............................................................................................ 46

III. JAMMU AND KASHMIR (J & K) ................................................................... 47

1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 47

2. SINO-INDIAN WAR ..................................................................................... 49

3. SECOND INDO-PAK WAR OF 1965 ................................................................ 50

3.1. PRELUDE TO THE 1965 CONFLICT ................................................................. 50

3.2. Covert Operations ....................................................................................... 53

3.3. US Library of Congress Country Studies ......................................................... 53

3.4. Stanley Wolpert's Summary Report ............................................................... 53

4. CEASEFIRE ................................................................................................ 54

5. CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR ...................................................................... 55

6. PAKISTAN OCCUPIED KASHMIR (POK) .......................................................... 56

7. KHEM KARAN ............................................................................................. 56

7.1. Patton Nagar .............................................................................................. 56


8. DAL LAKE .................................................................................................. 57

9. AKHNUR .................................................................................................... 57

10. GULMARG ("MEADOW OF FLOWERS") ........................................................... 57

11. JAMMU TAWI .............................................................................................. 57

11.1. Raghunath Temple ...................................................................................... 60

11.2. Bahu Fort .................................................................................................. 60

11.3. Vaishno Devi Mandir ................................................................................... 61

12. NAGROTA .................................................................................................. 61

13. PATHANKOT ............................................................................................... 61

14. SAMBA ...................................................................................................... 61

15. UDHAMPUR ................................................................................................ 62

Namaste! Welcome to the following pages on India containing information about what I was able to see and experience during my Army service from 1960 onwards until 1976, when I left the Army to come to Europe, and then during the course of my several visits to India to captivate and relish its rich cultural heritage, customs and traditions!

India is a land of different religions and communities. There is great diversity in their manners, habits, tastes and customs. People speak different languages and yet they all feel as Indians. "Unity in Diversity" has been the distinctive feature of its culture. To live peacefully has been its motto.

India is a vast country with a diverse culture, unparalleled anywhere in the world, that a single write up cannot do justice to her. All the same, this will, I hope, aid you in your pursuit for knowledge on India.


I. ANDHRA PRADESH (A.P.) Andhra Pradesh (A.P.), the "Rice Bowl of India", the 4th largest state in India by area and population, is a South Indian State, bordered by Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Orissa in the north, the Bay of Bengal in the East, Tamil Nadu to the south and Karnataka to the west. The state is crossed by two major rivers, the Godavari and the Krishna. The state can be divided into Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema and Telangana regions, with 23 districts.

Hyderabad is the capital city and, along with the adjoining twin city Secunderabad, is the largest city in the state.

1. HYDERABAD Hyderabad is the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad metropolitan area is the fourth largest in India. Greater Hyderabad has an estimated metropolitan

population of 10 million, which is known for its rich history, culture and architecture representing its unique character as a meeting point for North and South India, and also its multilingual culture, both geographically and culturally.

Also known as The City of Nizams and The City of Pearls, Hyderabad is today one of the most developed cities in the country and a modern hub of information technology, and biotechnology.

Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, a ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty the ruling family of the Golconda, previously a feudatory of Bahmani sultanate that declared independence in 1512, founded the city of Hyderabad on the banks of the Musi River in 1591 to relieve a water shortage the dynasty

had experienced at their old headquarters at Golconda. He also ordered the construction of the Charminar, the iconic monument of the city in 1591, reportedly in gratitude to the Almighty for arresting the plague epidemic before it did irreversible damage to his new city.

The Mughal emperor Aurangzeb captured Hyderabad in 1687 and during this short Mughal rule. But the Mughal-appointed governors of the city soon gained autonomy. In 1724, Asaf Jah I, who was granted the title Nizam-ul-Mulk ("Governor of the Country") by the Mughal emperor, defeated a rival official to establish control over Hyderabad. Thus began the Asaf Jahi dynasty that ruled Hyderabad until a year after India's independence from Britain. Asaf Jah's successors ruled as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The rule of the seven Nizams saw the growth of Hyderabad both culturally and economically. Hyderabad became the formal capital of the Kingdom and Golconda was almost abandoned. Huge reservoirs, like the Nizam Sagar, Tungabhadra, Osman Sagar, Himayat Sagar, and others were built. Survey work on Nagarjuna Sagar had also begun during this time; the actual work was completed by the Government of India in 1969. The wealth and grandeur of the Nizams is demonstrated by the fabled Jewels of the Nizams which is a tourist attraction. The state was richest and the largest among the princely states of India.

After the Indian independence in 1947, under the terms of independence from the British, the Nizam wanted to either remain independent or accede to Pakistan. India, then, implemented an economic blockade and forced Hyderabad state to sign a Standstill Agreement with the Indian Union. More than a year after India had gained independence; the Nizam signed the Instrument of Accession to the Indian Union in the aftermath of Operation Polo1.

1 Police Action code named Operation Polo refers to the successful Indian military operation which resulted in the integration of the State of Hyderabad and Berar into the Indian Union on September 12, 1948. The military operation was carried out because the State of Hyderabad under Osman Ali Khan, Asif Jah VII, decided to remain independent after the partition of India. Wary of a Muslim ruled state right in the middle of India, Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhai Patel decided to annex the State. Though backed by Qasim Razvi's armed militias, known as

Gen. J.N. Chaudhari, OBE

Charminar, enduring symbol of the city


On November 1, 1956, the states of India were reorganized on linguistic basis. The territories of the State of Hyderabad were divided between newly created Andhra Pradesh, Bombay state (later Maharashtra), and Karnataka. Hyderabad and the surrounding areas were added to Andhra Pradesh, based on the Telugu speaking community. Thus, Hyderabad became the capital city of the new state of AP.

1.1. Chowmahalla Palace Complex Once regarded as the center of Hyderabad, the magnificent Chowmahalla Palace was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty where the Nizams2 entertained their official guests and royal visitors. Built over 200 years ago, Chowmahalla is renowned for its unique style and elegance. A synthesis of many architectural styles and influences, the palace, in a poor condition, was restored and opened to public in January 2005.

Open now to select individuals and business for hosting dinners, receptions and cultural evenings,

Chowmahalla is a location thats

unmatchable for exclusivity, and offers an

experience guests will never forget.

In Urdu, Chow means four and Mahalat (plural of Mahel) means palaces, hence the name

Chowmahallat/four palaces. Situated near another famous landmark Charminar, Chowmahalla was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty and was the official residence of the Nizam. All ceremonial functions including the accession of the Nizams and receptions for the Governor-General were held at this palace.

The heart of the Chowmahalla Palace is called Khilwat Mubarak, and houses the Clock Tower, Council Hall and Roshan Bungalow, named after the sixth Nizams mother, Roshan Begum.

While Salabat Jung initiated its construction in 1750; it was completed by Asaf Jah V the 5th Nizam in 1869. The palace is believed to be modelled on the palace of the Shah of Iran in Teheran.

This palace consists of two courtyards, southern courtyard and northern courtyard. They have elegant palaces, the grand Khilwat (the Durbar Hall), fountains and gardens. The palace in the beginning with an area of 45 acres (180,000 m2), covers only 14 acres (57,000 m2) now.

1.1.1 Southern Courtyard This is the oldest part of the palace built in the neo-classical style, and has four palaces Afzal Mahal, Mahtab Mahal, Tahniyat Mahal and Aftab Mahal.

1.1.2 Northern courtyard Bara Imam is a long corridor of rooms on the east side facing the central fountain and pool that once housed the administrative wing. The rooms were once used as guest rooms for Razakars, and a distant moral support from Pakistan, the State Forces were easily defeated. At that time, Hyderabad had the largest number of polo grounds (17) in India, hence the name Operation Polo. Major General Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri, who led the Operation, was appointed the Military Governor (1948-1949). 2 Nizam, a shortened version of Nizam-ul-Mulk, meaning Administrator of the Realm, was the title of the native sovereigns of Hyderabad State belonging to the Asaf Jah dynasty since 1719.


officials accompanying visiting dignitaries. Now this forms a Craft Centre for the demonstration and sale of Indian Crafts.

Opposite the Bara Imam is a building that is its Shishe-Alat or mirror image. It has Mughal domes and arches and many Persian elements like the ornate stucco work that adorn the Khilwat Mubarak. These were characteristic of buildings built in Hyderabad at the time.

As you enter the courtyard you will see historic buildings around the central pool:

1.1.3 Khilwat Mubarak: The Durbar Hall Chowmahalla palace This is heart of Chowmahalla Palace. It is held in high esteem by the people of Hyderabad, as it was the seat of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. The grand pillared Durbar Hall has a pure marble

platform on which the Takht-e-Nishan (Royal Seat) was laid. Here the Nizams held their durbar and other religious and symbolic ceremonies. The 19 spectacular Chandeliers of Belgian crystal recently reinstalled to recreate the lost splendour of this regal hall.

1.1.4 Clock Tower The clock above the main gate to Chowmahalla Palace is affectionately called as Khilwat Clock. It has been ticking away for around 250 years. An expert family of clock repairers winds the mechanical clock

every week. The name of the clock repairer is Mohammed Khasim and his shop is located in Lad Bazaar. Now his son, Mohammed Hussain, is the proprietor and the people of the locality wait for its chime.

1.1.5 Council Hall This building housed a rare collection of manuscripts and priceless books. The Nizam often met important officials and dignitaries here. Today it is venue for temporary exhibitions from the treasures of the Chowmahalla Palace Collection that offer a glimpse of a bygone era.

1.1.6 Roshan Bangla The sixth Nizam, Mahbub Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VI, lived here and the building was named after his mother Roshan Begum.

2. ASAF JAH VII 2.1. Official Name His Exalted Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamalik, Asaf Jah VII, Muzaffar-ul-Mulk-Wal-Mamalik, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula Nawab Mir Sir Osman Ali Khan Bahadur, Sipah Saula, Fateh Jung, Nizam of Hyderabad and of Berar, Knight Grand Commander of The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Royal Victorian Chain, Honourable General in the Army, Faithful Ally of the British Government.

King George V. elevated Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan from His Highness to His Exalted Highness in 1918,. In a letter dated 24 January 1918, the title Faithful Ally of the British Government was conferred on him.

Osman Ali Khan Bahadur Asaf Jah VII

*06.04.1886 24.02.1967


2.2. Marriages and Children On April 14, 1906, Osman Ali married Dulhan Pasha Begum (1889-1955), daughter of Nawab Jahangir Jung, at Eden Bagh at the age of 21. She was the first of his seven wives and 42 concubines, and the mother of two eldest of his sons Azam Jah. In total, Osman Ali Khan sired at least 40 children.

2.3. Reign: A Cover Story By TIME On February 22, 1937, Time magazine called the Nizam the richest man in the world. Osman Ali acceded as Nizam of Hyderabad upon the death of his father in 1911. The state of Hyderabad was the largest of the princely states3 in pre-independence India. With an area of 86,000 square miles (223,000 km), it was roughly the size of present-day United Kingdom. Its ruler was the highest-ranking prince in India, was one of only five princes entitled to a 21-gun salute, held the unique title of "Nizam", and was created "His Exalted Highness" and "Faithful Ally of the British Crown" after World War I due to his financial contribution to the British Empire's war effort. (For example, No. 110 Squadron of the Royal Air Forces (RAF) original complement of DH.9As was Osman Ali's gift. Each aircraft bore an inscription to that effect and the unit became known as the Hyderabad Squadron.

Osman Ali was the absolute ruler of this principality. In some accounts, he is held to have been a benevolent ruler who patronized education, science and development. His 37-year rule witnessed the introduction of electricity, railways, roads and airways were developed, the Nizam Sagar Lake in Hyderabad city was excavated and some irrigation projects on the Tungabhadra River were undertaken.

In 1941, Mir Osman Ali Khan started his own bank, the Hyderabad State Bank (now State Bank of Hyderabad) as the state's central bank, which managed the state currency: the

Osmania sikka. Banknotes of Hyderabad give a good reference of the banking of that period.

Nearly all the major public buildings in Hyderabad city, such as the Osmania General Hospital, Andhra Pradesh High Court, Asafiya Library now known as

State Central Library, Town Hall now known as Assembly Hall, Jubilee Hall, Hyderabad Museum, now known as State Museum, Nizamia Observatory and many other monuments were built during his reign. Up to 11% of the Nizam's budget was spent on education. Osmania University was founded while schools and colleges and even a "Department for Translation" were set up. Primary education was made compulsory and provided free for the

3 A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entity of British rule in India that was not directly administered by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy; there were as many as 568 states in India before independence.

Osmania Arts College Hyderabad House, Delhi


poor. Mir Osman Ali Khan was a great scholar and wrote poetry in Urdu and Persian. The Nizam (as well as his predecessors) have been criticised for largely ignoring the native languages in favour of Urdu.

Osman Ali donated to many institutions in India and abroad. Recipients included educational institutions such as the Jamia Nizamia, the Darul Uloom Deoband and the Benares Hindu University. He also paid for a Royal Australian Navy vessel, N-class destroyer, HMAS Nizam (G38). Osman Ali lived at King Kothi Palace, bought from a nobleman, during his whole life. He never moved to Chowmahalla Palace not even after his accession to the throne.

He built the Hyderabad House in Delhi; originally known as Palace of the Nizam of Hyderabad, the Hyderabad House was designed by the eminent architect Edwin Lutyens in 1926, which was the royal residence of the Nizam in New Delhi. It is currently used by the Government of India for banquets and meetings for visiting foreign dignitaries.

3. JOY WAS IT ON THAT DAWN September 17-18 remains etched in the memory for a generation that saw the day when the Nizam threw in the towel.

Get yourself used to changed conditions and possibly a different mode of life

The last Prime Minister of Hyderabad Mir Laik Ali spoke these words on Deccan Radio at its Chirag Ali Lane office on September 17, 1948 at 4.18 p.m. hours after the Nizam Osman Ali Khan made his first broadcast throwing in the towel, surrendering his armed forces, withdrawing the case at the U.N. Security Council and banning the Razakars4. The next day Aminuddin Khan went up to the terrace of his maternal grandmothers house in Toli Chowki to watch the Sherman tanks, jeeps, personnel carriers and guns roll into the city on the old Bombay Highway and Shyam Benegal saw Indian soldiers coming into the city near his Bollarum home and the beaten Hyderabad Army soldiers moving in their armoured carriers moving in the opposite direction. Between these three images, is the image of a city that finally became free one year after India became free. That too after a 100-hour war that many feared would lead to a communal bloodbath. It led up to the scene where Major General Chaudhari arriving on a tank meeting the Hyderabadi Major General El Edroos driven on a Buick surrendering his forces at the Parade Grounds.

4. ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER AGE The Parade Ground is deserted except for a few horses and a scattering of cricketers the sprawling ground is empty. That Martyrs Memorial in one corner is a fenced in for which you have to scale a wall to see. It wasnt so on September 18, 1948 when the parade ground was a sea of humanity as the Tricolour became the colour of the day as the crowd got to know about surrender of the Forces of Hyderabad.

The Nizam is widely believed to have remained as the richest man in south Asia until his death in 1967 though his fortunes fell to $1 billion by then and became a subject of multiple legal disputes between bitterly fighting rival descendants. Adjusting for inflation, however, he ranked as the fifth richest man in the world, the wealthiest-ever Asian, the wealthiest-

4 The private Islamic militia organized by Qasim Razvi to support the rule of Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII and resist the integration of Hyderabad State in India.

Historical moment: Major General J.N. Chaudhari and His Exalted Highness the Nizam at the King Kothi Palace.


ever Indian and the second-wealthiest monarch in world history, with a fortune that at its high point was $225 billion (in 2008 US$).

5. BARKAT ALI KHAN MUKARRAM JAH ASAF JAH VIII Azam Jah, Damat Walashan Nawab Sir Mir Himayat Ali Khan Bahadur Bey Effendi was the eldest son of the seventh and last Nizam of Hyderabad. In 1936 he was given the courtesy title of Prince of Berar, a territory of the Nizam then leased in perpetuity to the British... Azam Jah did not enjoy the confidence of his father and on the death of the seventh Nizam, the title passed to Azam Jah's elder son, Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah, as eighth Nizam who remains the current pretender5 to the throne of Hyderabad.

Barkat Ali Khan Mukarram Jah Asaf Jah VIII born 6 October 1933 in the Hilafet Palace at Nice (France), less formally known as Mukarram Jah, is the current titular Head of the House of Nizam of Hyderabad since 1967.

5.1. Official Name His Exalted Highness Rustam-i-Dauran, Arustu-i-Zaman, Wal Mamaluk, Asaf Jah VIII, Muzaffar ul-Mamaluk, Nizam ul-Mulk, Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Mir Barakat 'Ali Khan Bahadur, Sipah Salar, Fath Jang, Nizam of Hyderabad and Berar, Honourable Lieutenant-General.

5.2. Early Life Barkat Ali Khan is the son of Azam Jah and Durru Shehvar and the grandson of Osman Ali Khan, the last reigning Nizam of Hyderabad state, and also the grandson of the last Ottoman Caliph, Abdul-Mijid II.

Barkat Ali Khan was educated at The Doon School and then in England at Harrow School, Cambridge, the London School of Economics and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

He enjoyed a close relationship with India's first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who reportedly wanted him to become his personal envoy or the country's ambassador, particularly to the Muslim countries.

He married his first wife, Turkish Princess Esra Birgin (b. 1938) in 1959. Barkat Ali Khan left his Hyderabad palace for a sheep station in the Australian outback and divorced his wife, who did not want to move with

him. Over the following two decades he married four more times. He married his second wife in 1980, a former air hostess and employee of the BBC with maiden name Helen Simmons; she converted to Islam, changed her name to Aysha, and died of an AIDS-related disease in 1989. His third wife was Manolya Onur, a former Miss Turkey, whom he married in 1990. He married his fourth wife, Jameela Boularous, a woman from Morocco, in 1993 or 1994, and

he married again in 1995. His fifth wife is Princess Orchedi, who is Turkish.

5 A pretender is a claimant to an abolished throne or to a throne already occupied by somebody else.

Prince Mukarram Jah with two of his sons, Prince Azmet Jah (from first marriage) and Prince Azam Jah (from second marriage)

Falaknuma Palace


He has sold the Australian farm and fled from his creditors. He has had to deal with numerous alimony suits from ex-wives. He lives now in Istanbul, Turkey and suffers from diabetes.

His two main palaces in Hyderabad - Chowmahalla and Falaknuma - have recently been restored and are accessible to the public, the former as a museum highlighting the Nizam era and the latter opening as a luxury hotel in February 2010 (under lease to the Taj Group).

5.3. Salarjung Museum The Salarjung Museum is the third largest museum in India housing the biggest one-man collections of antiques in the world. It is well known throughout India for its prized collections belonging to different civilizations dating back to the 1st century. Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan Salar Jung III (1889-1949), former Prime Minister of the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad, spent a substantial amount of his income over thirty five years to make this priceless collection, his life's passion. The collections left behind in his ancestral palace, 'Diwan Deodi' were formerly exhibited there as a private museum which was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1951. Old timers believe that the present collection constitutes only half of the original art wealth amassed by Salar Jung III. His employees siphoned off part of it, since Salar Jung was a bachelor and depended upon his staff to keep a vigil. Some more art pieces were lost or stolen during the shifting of the museum from Dewan Devdi to the present site. Later in 1968, the museum shifted to its present location at Afzalgunj and is administered by a Board of Trustees with the Governor of Andhra Pradesh as ex-officio chairperson under the Salar Jung Museum Act of 1961.

The museum building in a semicircular shape with 38 galleries, spread on two floors, displays only a part of the original collections. The ground floor has 20 galleries and the first floor has 18 galleries. The exhibits on different subjects are displayed in separate galleries.

Apart from the galleries, there is a reference Library, reading room, publication and education section, chemical conservation lab, sales counter, cafeteria etc. Guides are available at fixed timings free of charge.

5.4. Important Exhibits There are Aurangzeb's sword, daggers belonging to Empress Noor Jahan, Emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan, the Turbans and Chair of Tipu Sultan, furniture from Egypt, paintings on display. Among the sculptures stands out the world famous statue of Veiled Rebecca, her beautiful face hazily visible through a marble but gossamer veil. Equally captivating is a double-figure wood sculpture done by G.H. Benzoni, an Italian sculptor, in 1876. It stands before a mirror and shows the faade of a nonchalant Mephistopheles and the image of a demure Margaretta in the mirror.

A bewildering variety and array of clocks greets the visitor in the clock room. There are ancient Sandiaers in the form of obelisks to huge and modern clocks of the twentieth century. Others in the range vary from miniature clocks which need a magnifying glass to imbibe their beauty and complexity to stately grandfather clocks from as far away as Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. A visual delight is the musical clock Salar Jung bought from Cook and Kelvy of England, a virtual mechanical marvel. Every hour, a timekeeper emerges from the upper deck of the clock to strike a gong as many times as it is the hour of the day.

The Indian Parliament has declared the museum an Institution of National Importance.

Salar Jung Museum


5.5. Hussain Sagar Hussain Sagar Lake was built by Hazrat Hussain Shah Wali in 1562 during the rule of

Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah. It was a lake of 24 km built on a tributary of the River Musi to meet the water and irrigation requirements of the city. There is a large monolithic statue of the Gautama Buddha in the middle of the lake which was erected in 1992.

The Tank Bund dams Hussain Sagar Lake on the eastern side and

connects the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

It has become an attraction with 33 statues of famous people of Andhra Pradesh erected by former Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao.

5.6. Osmania University Osmania University is my Alma Mater6; one of the oldest and largest institutions of quality education, today it reflects the national agenda for higher learning. It is all set to meet the global needs and provide the wherewithal in terms of scholastic capabilities of its students as well as research facilities.

The University is a living symbol of a commitment to education enduring as an investment in excellence. As a multi-faculty, multi-campus, residential and affiliating University, it offers various undergraduates, postgraduates, research and professional programmes.

The last Nizam of Hyderabad, Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan founded the Osmania University. The University is the seventh oldest establishment of higher studies in India, the third oldest in Southern India and the first one to be set-up in the former princely State of Hyderabad. Throughout it's functioning of almost nine decades the University has shown noteworthy growth and sustained an incorporated progress of all faculties. It has made commendable contributions to the academic, social, and economic improvement of not only the region but to

the nation as a whole. Its alumni have distinguished themselves nationally and internationally in various spheres of life and are well-known far and wide around the world.

It has always attracted students from not only India, but also around the world. It offers one of the best MBA programmes and is among the toughest to get through. It is estimated that out of 10,000 candidates, only 60 are able to make it! The university also has attractive courses in Engineering, Arts, Science, Humanities, Information Technology, Commerce and Business among other courses such as Oriental Languages. The department of Geography and Geo-informatics has one of the best faculties in India. It is equipped with the latest laboratories and technology to keep the students updated with latest technical know-how. The Osmania University had the was awarded the five-star status by the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) of the University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India.

Some famous alumnus of this prestigious institution includes former Prime Minister Shri. PV Narasimha Rao, Shri. Y. Venugopal Reddy (Governor, RBI), Asaduddin Owaisi (Barrister and Member of Parliament).

6 Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother". It was used in ancient Rome as a title for the mother goddess and in Medieval Christianity for the Virgin Mary. In modern times it is used to refer to the University or College a person attends or attended.

N.T. Taraka Rama Rao *28.5.1923 18.1.1996


5.7. Golconda Fort Golconda (Golkonda), capital of ancient Hyderabad state (c. 13641512), is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad. Several towns in United States of America are named after this fort.

Later, it became one of the five Muslim Kingdoms of the Deccan known as the Deccan Sultanates, until it was captured by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb's Forces in 1687. Aurangzeb besieged the fort for nine months. If it were not for the treachery of a staff who opened a side gate, Golconda would have held out longer!

According to a legend, the fort derives its name from Golla Konda, which is a Telugu word for Shepherd's Hill. It is believed that a shepherd boy came across an idol on the hill. This led to the construction of a mud fort by the then Kakatiya dynasty ruler of the kingdom around the site.

The most important builder of Golconda was Ibrahim Quli Qutb Shah Wali, the fourth Qutb King. Ibrahim was following in the spirit of his ancestors, the Qutub Shahi kings, a great family of builders who had ruled the Kingdom of Golconda from 1512. Their first capital, the fortress citadel of Golconda, was rebuilt for defense from invading Mughals from the north. They laid out Golconda's splendid monuments, now in ruins, and designed a perfect acoustical system by which a hand clap sounded at the fort's main gates, the grand portico, was heard at the top of the citadel, situated on a 300-foot (91 m) high granite hill, which is one of the fascinating features of the fort.

In the 16th century, Golconda was the capital and fortress city of the Qutb Shahi kingdom, near Hyderabad. The city was home to one of the most powerful Muslim sultanates in the region and was the center of a flourishing diamond trade. They ruled over the Telangana region and some parts of present day Karnataka and Maharashtra.

After the collapse of the Bahmani Sultanate, Golconda rose to prominence as the seat of the Qutb Shahi dynasty around 1507. Over a period of 62 years the mud fort was expanded by the first three Qutb Shahi kings into a massive fort of granite, extending around 5 km in circumference. It remained the capital of the Qutb Shahi dynasty until 1590 when the capital was shifted to Hyderabad. The Qutb Shahis expanded the fort, whose 10 km outer wall enclosed the city. Three granite walls of megalithic construction surround the Fort, with the outermost wall having a circumference of about 7 km.

The state became a focal point for Shia Islam in India, for instance in the

seventeenth century Bahraini clerics, Sheikh Jafar bin Kamal al-Din and Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani both emigrated to Golconda.

5.7.1 Diamonds (Darya-e-Nur Diamond) The Hope Diamond, from the Golconda mines was once renowned for the diamonds found on the southeast and cut in the city. India, at that time, had the only known diamond mines in the world.


The Mines of Golconda themselves yielded diamonds of trifling quantity. Europeans knew that diamonds were found only in these fabled mines. Golconda was, in fact, the market city of the diamond trade, and gems sold there came from a number of mines. The fortress city within the walls was famous for diamond trade.

Magnificent diamonds were taken from the mines in the region surrounding Golconda, including Darya-e Nur, meaning Sea of Light, at 185 carats, the largest and finest diamond of the crown jewels of Iran.

Its name has taken a generic meaning and has come to be associated with great wealth. Many famed diamonds are believed to have been excavated in the mines of Golconda which include: Darya-e Nur, Nur-Ul-Ain Diamond, The Koh-i-noor, The Hope Diamond, The Regent Diamond.

By the 1880s, Golconda was being used generically by English speakers to refer to any particularly rich mine, and later to any source of great wealth. During the Renaissance and the early modern eras, the name "Golconda" acquired a legendary aura and became synonymous for vast wealth. The mines brought wealth to the ruling Qutb Shahis, who ruled after freed from the Mughals in 1724 until 1948, when Hyderabad was annexed to become a part of India.

5.7.2 Qutub Shahi Tombs The tombs of the Qutb Shahi Sultans with Islamic architecture lie about one kilometre north of Golconda's outer wall. These structures are made of beautifully carved stonework, and surrounded by landscaped gardens open to public.

5.7.3 Attractions within the Fort The fort of Golconda is known for its magical acoustic system. The highest point of the fort is the 'Bala Hissar', which is located one kilometre away. The palaces, factories, water supply system and the famous 'Rahban' cannon, within the fort are some of the major attractions. It is believed that there is a secret underground tunnel which leads from the 'Durbar Hall' and ends in one of the palaces at the foot of the hill.

5.7.4 Architectural Splendour The wonderful acoustic system of Golconda fort speaks volumes about the architecture of the fort. This majestic structure has beautiful palaces and an ingenious water supply system. Sadly, the unique architecture of the fort is now loosing its charm.

The ventilation of the fort is absolutely fabulous having exotic designs. They were so intricately designed that cool breeze could reach the interiors of the fort, providing a respite from the heat of summer.

The Huge gates of the fort are decorated with large pointed iron spikes. These spikes prevented Elephants from damaging the fort. The Fort is encircled by an 11 km long outer wall built in order to reinforce the fort.

The highlight of the Golconda fort is a sound and light show. It depicts the glorious past of this grand fortress. This audio - visual extravaganza is presented in English, Hindi and Telugu. It is a worth watching show.

6. SECUNDERABAD Hyderabad and Secunderabad form one of the few twin cities in the world; Secunderabad is the northern half of the Hyderabad urban agglomeration. The cities have merged, though an imaginary line drawn across the Tank Bund is still used to distinguish them. The Secunderabad Cantonment comprises a number of defense establishments. In 1798 an alliance signed between Hyderabad's Nizam Sikander Jah and the British East India Company made an area north of Hussain Sagar Lake into a cantonment, named Secunderabad after Nizam Sikander Jah.


The old Secunderabad of the bazaars is complemented by the modern business quarter, residential areas, and the large military cantonment, which is said to be the second largest in India. The large Parade ground marks the border between Secunderabad's business area and Secunderabad Cantonment. The red tiled roofs of the old British army buildings [Winston Churchill was stationed here as a young man] include the Army Ordnance Corps Centre, and the Electronics and Mechanical Engineering [EME] Centre. Tirumalagiri on a hill now called Gun rock is the site of a well designed and maintained military prison. The outcrop of rocks near Trimulgherry came to be known as Gun Rock after the Secunderabad Contingent mounted cannon to protect their first permanent settlement in the area of Trimulgherry, Bowenpalli and Bolarum in 1836. The cobbled road past Gun rock goes to a small lake on the other side. Around the hill are various military offices, including the College of Military Engineering (MCME).

6.1. Army Ordnance Corps [AOC] Centre I joined the Army Ordnance Corps on 19 November 1960 and had my Basic Training at AOC

Centre, Secunderabad, after which I was sent to AOC School later College of Materials Management (CMM), Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh (M.P.).

The Centre is the premier training establishment of the Army Ordnance Corps. The AOC Centre is responsible for training of recruits and other ranks of the Army Ordnance Corps. Apart from imparting Military training, training in ancillary trades like Textile Repair, Equipment repair, Saddlery, Carpentry, Painting, Tailoring and Driving is also imparted. In June 1953 all elements of the Army Ordnance Corps were amalgamated at its present location in Secunderabad.

AOC is the inventory manager of the Army. The logistics function of the Army Ordnance Corps involves the mechanics of provisioning and procuring of all stores required to raise and maintain an efficient and effective fighting Army.

AOC is responsible for ammunition management for the complete range of munitions, from

a pistol bullet to missiles.

AOC celebrated its 231st Anniversary at the AOC Centre in the year 2006. A special Sainik Sammelan was organised at the Centre to mark the occasion. While addressing the special Sainik Sammelan, Brigadier M.I. Hussain, Commandant of AOC Centre complemented all ranks for their commitment to service and their commendable accomplishments; it has also celebrated its 8th Reunion.

The Army Ordnance Corps has a chequered history since the year 1775, when the Board of Ordnance was formed under the British Empire in India in the then Bengal Presidency. The Ordnance personnel donned military uniform for the first time in 1914. In 1922, the Indian Army Ordnance Corps (IAOC) came into being. On India becoming a republic in 1950, the IAOC was re-designated as the Army Ordnance Corps. This gave birth to the concept of soldier logistician.

Hut of Remembrance, AOC Centre

AOC Centre Headquarters

Brig. M.I. Hussain addressing the soldiers


The role of AOC is complex and intricate. The supply chain management of about five lakh items across the length and breadth of the country in itself is a stupendous task. The inventory includes diverse range of equipments and spare parts encompassing armaments, electronic equipments, armoured fighting vehicles, cargo and troop carrying vehicles, ammunition and explosives, clothing and tentage. As materials managers of the Indian Army, the AOC is one of the largest logistic organisations in the world, in terms of size and diversity of inventory, customer base, vendor profile and the geographical extent of the supply chain. Meeting the needs of a soldier in war and peace, in

mountains, deserts, plains, snow-bound areas and overseas speak volumes of its commitment under difficult conditions.

The Ordnance Department handles the entire spectrum of logistics encompassing manufacturing, procurement from trade, inspections, warehousing and issue to troops accompanying formations on various expeditions and campaigns. One therefore finds that the Ordnance officers and men have been part of various campaigns in Egypt, East Africa, Gallipoli, France, Mesopotamia, and Southern Persia. In modern times, these experiences have helped AOC to effectively provide logistic support to our contingents, which undertake peace keeping operations all over the world under the aegis of the United Nations.

The officers and men of the AOC have proved themselves in every field of military activity. The corps has its own band of tough paratroopers and skydivers, mountaineers who have scaled some of the highest peaks in the world and its personnel including women officers have extensively participated in other adventure activities including motor rallies and white river rafting. The biggest achievement for the Corps in the field of adventure activity has been the successful scaling of the formidable Mount Everest by Captain Ashwini Pawar, thus becoming the first woman Army Officer of the world to climb the Mount Everest.

6.2. Military Reformatory, Trimulgherry The reformatory was constructed in the 1870s as a jail for the British Indian Army. Its

cellular form recalls the famous Andaman Jail also built during the British period of Indian History. Its long corridors and verandas, its austere cells and its execution chamber communicate a sense of awe mingled with respect. The building has both historic and architectural significance. It is maintained in

excellent condition by the Indian Army.

6.3. All Saints Church Located near Trimulgherry, in the Cantonment area, the All Saints Church was constructed in 1860, and is a fine example of the Gothic style. An imposing structure with a multitude of spires and turrets, a soaring tower like belfry, the church is built on an imposing scale. It was the first permanent structure of the Trimulgherry entrenchment.

It also boasts of stained glass windows dated 1884 depicting Jesus carrying the cross to Calvary which is dedicated to

Lt. Gen. T.A. D'Cunha, inspecting the Guard of Honour at AOC Centre Lt. Gen. T.A. D'Cunha, inspecting the Guard of Honour at AOC Centre


the memory of Edward Dawson, Lieutenant of the Royal Artillery. Sixteen memorial tablets along the wall and a medium sized organ are some of the antique possessions.

7. TEMPLE TOWN OF TIRUPATHI I visited Tirupathi twice in the 1990s to call on four girls, practising General Nursing at the

Sri Padmavathi School of Nursing, attached to SVRR Government General Hospital in Tirupathi.

Tirumala Devasthanam is one of the most popular Hindu shrines in India. The temple dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara is perched at a height of 874 metres above mean sea level and is about 10.33 sq miles in area. The temple town is located at the foot of the seven hills, called Seshadri, Neeladri, Garudadri, Anjanadri, Vrishabhadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri, of the Eastern Ghats in Chittoor District.

The name Tirupathi, meaning the 'the Lord of Lakshmi should have been appropriately applied to the village on the Venkata Hill, the abode of the Lord. However, it has been popularly assigned to the Municipal town at the foot of the Hill, while the village around the Hill near His temple is called Tirumala (the Sacred Hill).

A visit to the Tirumala-Tirupathi region is an enchanting experience. Nestled in the verdant Eastern Ghats the region is a treasure-house of ancient temples, waterfalls and other places of interest.

The 12th century Vaishnavite shrine is one of the richest shrines of the world, with annual income more than two billion rupees. Often referred as the Vatican of the East, the size of the visiting pilgrims and the wealth the temple town offers in terms of religious, cultural and natural splendour, make it an unsurpassed pilgrimage site.

All the great dynasties of rulers of the southern peninsula have paid homage to Lord Sri Venkateshwara in this ancient shrine. The Pallavas of Kancheepuram (9th century A.D.), the Cholas of Thanjavur (a century later), the Pandyas of Madurai, and the kings and chieftains of Vijayanagar (14th-15th century A.D.) were devotees of the Lord and they competed with one another in endowing the temple with rich offerings and contributions.

After the decline of the Vijayanagar dynasty, nobles and chieftains from all parts of the country continued to pay their homage and offer gifts to the temple. The Maratha general, Raghoji Bhonsle, visited the temple and set up a permanent endowment for the conduct of worship in the temple. He also presented valuable jewels to the Lord, including a large emerald which is still preserved in a box named after the General. Among the later rulers who have endowed large amounts are the rulers of Mysore and Gadwal.

After the fall of the Hindu kingdoms, the Muslim rulers of Karnataka and then the British took over and many of the temples came under their supervisory and protective control. Currently, the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam (TTD), controlled by a Board of Trustees and an Executive Officer appointed by the Government, maintains twelve temples and their sub-shrines in the Tirumala-Tirupathi area.

Tirupathi Seven Hills Peak

Tirupathi Temple Aerial View


II. NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI (NCT) A blend of historic past and vibrant present, Delhi the capital city of India typifies the soul of the country. Several mighty empires arose and fell here. The city is believed to be the site of Indraprastha, the legendary capital of the Pandavas in the Indian epic Mahabharata. Today, the city is a curious blend of the modern and traditional sky scrappers, beautiful gardens, and wide tree lined avenues perpetuate the Mughal passion of landscaping and architectural excellence. There are open air cafs, Yoga Ashrams, sophisticated hotels. A walled city built by the Mughals; Glittering shops, roadside wanderers and a world of culture and tradition to be explored.

Remains of seven major cities7 have been discovered in Delhi. The Tomara dynasty founded the city of Lal Kot in 736 AD. The Chauhan Rajputs of Ajmer conquered Lal Kot in 1180 AD and renamed it Qila Rai Pithora. The Chauhan King Prithviraj III was defeated in 1192 by the Afghan Muhammad Ghori. In 1206, Qutb-ud-din Aybak, the first ruler of the Slave Dynasty established the Delhi Sultanate. Qutb-ud-din started the construction of the Qutub Minar and Quwwat-al-Islam (Might of Islam), the earliest extant mosque in India. After the fall of the Slave dynasty, a succession of Turkic and Central Asian dynasties, the Khilji dynasty, the Tughluq dynasty, the Sayyid dynasty and the Lodhi dynasty held power in the late medieval period, and built a sequence of forts and townships that are part of the seven cities of Delhi. In 1398, Timur Lenk8 invaded India on the pretext that the Muslim sultans of Delhi were too tolerant to their Hindu subjects. Timur entered Delhi and the city was sacked, destroyed, and left in ruins. Delhi was a major centre of Sufism during the Sultanate period. In 1526, Zahiruddin Babur defeated the last Lodhi sultan in the First Battle of Panipat and founded the Mughal Empire that ruled from Delhi, Agra and Lahore.

It is the site of many ancient and medieval monuments, archaeological sites and remains. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the city, now known as "Old Delhi", to serve as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1649 to 1857.

Delhi, sometimes referred to as Dilli, is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population of 17 million, and a federally-administered union territory officially known as the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). Located on the banks of Yamuna River, it is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.

After the British East India Company gained control of much of India during the 18th and 19th centuries, Calcutta became the capital both under Company rule and under the British Raj, until George V announced in 1911 that the capital was to move back to Delhi, and a new city was to be built. On Indias independence, New Delhi was declared its Capital and Seat of Government.

The Mughal Empire ruled northern India for more than three centuries, with a five-year hiatus during Sher Shah Suri's reign in the mid-16th century. Mughal Emperor Akhbar shifted the capital from Agra to Delhi. Shah Jahan built the seventh city of Delhi that bears his name Shahjahanabad, and is more commonly known as the Old City or Old Delhi. The Old City served as the capital of the Mughal Empire since 1638. Nader Shah defeated the Mughal army at the Battle of Karnal in February 1739. After this victory, Nader captured and sacked Delhi, carrying away many treasures, including the

7 Quila Rai Pithora, Mehrauli, Siri, Tughlakabad, Firozabad, Shergarh, Shahjehabanad 8 Other names: Timur, Amir (Emir) Timur, Tamerlane or Timur the Lame (1336 19 February 1405

The splendorous Peacock Throne in Golestan Palace (Iran), taken from the Mughal Empire by Nadir Shah, became a metaphor for the Shahanshah


Peacock Throne9. In 1761, Delhi was raided by Ahmed Shah Abdali after the Third Battle of Panipat. At the Battle of Delhi on 11 September 1803, General Lake's British forces defeated the Marathas.

Delhi came under direct British control after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Shortly after the Rebellion, Calcutta was declared the capital of British India and Delhi was made a district province of Punjab. In 1911, Delhi was declared the capital of British India and a new political and administrative capital were designed by a team of British architects led by Edwin Lutyens to house the government buildings. New Delhi, also known as Lutyens' Delhi, was officially declared as the Seat of the Government of India and the Capital of the Republic after independence on 15 August 1947. During the partition of India thousands of Hindu and Sikh refugees from West Punjab and Sindh fled to Delhi while many Muslim residents of the city migrated to Pakistan. The Constitution (69th Amendment) Act, 1991 declared the Union Territory of Delhi to be formally known as National Capital Territory of Delhi. The Act gave Delhi its own legislative assembly, though with limited powers.

Delhi lies to the west of Yamuna River, almost entirely in the Gangetic plains. Two prominent features of the geography of Delhi are the Yamuna flood plain and the Delhi ridge. The low-lying Yamuna flood plains provide fertile alluvial soil suitable for agriculture. However, these plains are prone to recurrent floods. Reaching up to a height of 318 m (1043 ft), the ridge forms the most dominating feature in this region. It originates from the Aravalli Range in the south and encircles the west, northeast and northwest parts of the city.

Delhi has four major satellite cities which lie outside the National Capital Territory of Delhi. These are Gurgaon and Faridabad (in Haryana), and NOIDA (Acronym for New Okhla Industrial Development Authority) and Ghaziabad (in Uttar Pradesh). Delhi is divided into nine districts. Each

district (division) is headed by a Deputy Commissioner and has three subdivisions. Connaught Place is an important economic and cultural centre.

Public transport in Delhi is provided by buses, auto rickshaws, a rapid transit system, taxis and suburban railways. Buses are the most popular means of transport catering to about 60% of the total demand. Delhi is a major junction in the rail map of India and is the Headquarters of the Northern Railway. The four main railway stations are Old Delhi, New Delhi, Nizamuddin and Sarai Rohilla.

Auto rickshaws are an important and popular means of public transportation, as they charge a lower fare than taxis; most run on Compressed Natural Gas and are yellow and green in colour. Although they are equipped with electronic meters, which are supposed to show the fare, these are rarely used and bargaining, is the norm.

Delhi's high population growth rate, coupled with high economic growth rate has resulted in an ever increasing demand for transport creating excessive pressure on the city's existent transport infrastructure. As of 2008, Delhi had 5.5 million vehicles within its municipal limits, making most vehicle populous city of the world. Also, the number of vehicles in the metropolitan region, i.e., Delhi NCR (National Capital Region is 11.2 million, again surpassing all the metropolitan regions of the world like New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Seoul, Mexico City and others. In order to meet the transport demand in

9 The Peacock Throne, called Takht-e-Tvus in Persian, is the original name of the Mughal Throne, later used to describe the thrones of the Persian emperors from Nader Shah Afshari to Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. The name comes from the shape of a throne, having the figures of two peacocks standing behind it, their tails being expanded and the whole so inlaid with sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls and other precious stones of appropriate colours as to represent life, created for the Mughal Badshah Shah Jahan in the 17th century, which was in his imperial capital Delhi's Public audience hall, the Diwan-i-Am. Shah Jahan had the famous Koh-i-noor diamond placed in this throne.

Bah' House of Worship in Delhi

Edwin Lutyens


Delhi, the State and Union government started the construction of a mass rapid transit system, including the Delhi Metro. In 1998, the Supreme Court of India ordered all public transport vehicles to use compressed natural gas (CNG) as fuel instead of diesel and other hydro-carbons.

Many ethnic groups and cultures are represented in Delhi, making it a cosmopolitan city. A diplomatic hub, represented by embassies of 160 countries, Delhi has a large expatriate population as well.

According to the 2001 Census of India, the population of Delhi that year was 13,782,976. The corresponding population density was 9,294 persons per km, with a sex ratio of 821 women per 1000 men, and a literacy rate of 81.82%. In 2001, the population of Delhi increased by 285,000 as a result of migration and by an additional 215,000 as a result of natural population growth - this made Delhi one of the fastest growing cities in the world. By 2015, Delhi is expected to be the second largest agglomeration in the world after Tokyo.

Hinduism is the religion of 82% of Delhi's population. There are also large communities of Muslims (11.7%), Sikhs (4.0%), Jains (1.1%) and Christians (0.9%). Other minorities include Parsis, Anglo-Indians, Buddhists and Jews. Hindi is the principal spoken and written language of the city. Other languages commonly spoken in the city are English, Punjabi and Urdu. Of these, English is an associate official language, and Punjabi and Urdu second official languages.

In 2005, Delhi accounted for the highest percentage (16.2%) of the crimes reported in the 35 cities in India with populations of one million or more. The city also has the highest rate of crime against women (27.6 compared to national average rate of 14.1 per 100,000) and against children (6.5 compared to national average of 1.4 per 100,000).

1. CULTURE Delhi's culture has been influenced by its lengthy history and historic association as the

capital of India. This is exemplified by the many monuments of significance found in the city; the Archaeological Survey of India recognises 175 monuments in Delhi as national heritage sites. The Old City is the site where the Mughals and the Turkic rulers constructed several architectural marvels like the Jama Masjid (India's largest mosque) and Red Fort. Three World Heritage Sitesthe Red Fort, Qutab Minar and Humayun's Tombare located in Delhi. Other monuments include the India Gate, the Jantar Mantar (an 18th century astronomical observatory) and the Purana Qila (a 16th century fortress). The

Laxminarayan Temple, Akshardham and the Bah' Lotus Temple are examples of modern architecture.

Raj Ghat and associated memorials houses memorials of Mahatma Gandhi and other notable personalities. New Delhi houses several government buildings and official residences reminiscent of the British colonial architecture. Important structures include the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Secretariat, Rajpath, the Parliament of India and Vijay Chowk. Safdarjung's Tomb is an example of the Mughal gardens style

Delhi's association and geographic proximity to the capital has amplified the importance of national events and holidays. National events such as Republic Day, Independence Day and Gandhi Jayanti (Gandhi's birthday) are celebrated with great enthusiasm in Delhi. On India's Independence Day (15 August) the Prime Minister addresses the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Most Delhiites celebrate the day by flying kites, which

Raj Ghat

Shanti Van (Nehru)


are considered a symbol of freedom. The Republic Day Parade is a large cultural and military spectacle showcasing India's cultural diversity and military might.

The Qutub Festival is a cultural event during which performances of musicians and dancers from all over India are showcased at night, with the Qutub Minar as the chosen backdrop.

Other events such as Kite Flying Festival, International Mango Festival and Vasant Panchami (the Spring Festival) are held every year. The Auto Expo, Asia's largest auto show, is held in New Delhi biennially.

Punjabi cuisine and Mughlai delicacies like kebabs and biryanis are popular in several parts of Delhi. Due to Delhi's large cosmopolitan population, cuisines from every part of India, including Rajasthani, Maharashtrian, Bengali, Hyderabadi, and South Indian food items like idli, sambar and dosa are

widely available. Local delicacies include Chaat and Dahi-Papri. There are several food outlets in Delhi serving international cuisine including Italian and Chinese.

Historically, Delhi has always remained an important trading centre in northern India. Old Delhi still contains legacies of its rich Mughal past that can be found among the old city's tangle of snaking lanes and teeming bazaars. The dingy markets of the Old City has an eclectic product range from oil-swamped mango, lime and eggplant pickles, candy-colour herbal potions to silver jewellery, bridal attire, uncut material and linen, spices, sweets. Some of old regal havelis (palatial residences) are still there in the Old City. Chandni Chowk, a three century old shopping area, is one of the most popular shopping areas in Delhi for jewellery and Zari saris. Notable among Delhi's arts and crafts are the Zardozi embroidery done with gold thread) and Meenakari (the art of enamelling). Dilli Haat, Hauz Khas, Pragati Maidan offer a variety of Indian handicrafts and handlooms. However, the city is said to have lost its own identity and socio-cultural legacies as it went to absorb multitude of humanity from across the country and has morphed into an amorphous pool of cultural styles.

2. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN DELHI Schools and higher educational institutions in Delhi are administered either by the

Directorate of Education, the NCT Government, or Private Organizations. In 200405, there were 2,515 Primary, 635 Middle, 504 Secondary and 1,208 Senior Secondary Schools. That year, the higher education institutions in the city included 165 Colleges, among them five Medical Colleges and eight Engineering Colleges, six UniversitiesDU, JNU, JMI, GGSIPU, IGNOU and Jamia Hamdard - and nine Deemed Universities. Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) is the only State University; Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is for open/distance

learning; the rest are all Central Universities.

Vijay Ghat (Lal Bahadur Shastri)

Shakti Sthal (Indira Gandhi)

Akshardham Temple is the largest Hindu temple complex in the world


After completing the ten-year secondary phase of education under the 10+2+3 plan, students typically spend the next two years either in junior colleges or in schools with senior secondary facilities, during which their studies become more focused. They select a stream of study - liberal arts, commerce, science, or, less commonly, vocational. Upon completion, those who choose to continue, either study for a 3-year undergraduate degree at a college, or a professional degree in law, engineering, or medicine. Notable higher education or research institutes in Delhi include All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Netaji Subhash Institute of Technology, Delhi College of Engineering, Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi School of Economics, and Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.

3. MEDIA As the capital of India, New Delhi is the focus of political reportage, including regular Television Broadcasts of Indian Parliament Sessions. Many country-wide media agencies, among them the state-owned Press Trust of India and Doordarshan, are based in the city. Television programming in the city includes two free terrestrial television channels offered by Doordarshan, and several Hindi, English and regional-languages cable channels offered by Multi system operators. Satellite television, in contrast, is yet to gain large-scale subscription in the city.

Print journalism remains a popular news medium in Delhi. During the year 200405, 1029 newspapers in thirteen languages were published from the city. Of these, 492 were Hindi language newspapers, and included Navbharat Times, Dainik Hindustan, Punjab Kesri, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhaskar, Dainik Desbandhu and fastest growing weekly The Statesman International. Among the English language newspapers, The Hindustan Times, with over a million copies in circulation, was the single largest daily. Other major English newspapers include Indian Express, Business Standard, Times of India, The Hindu, The Pioneer and Asian Age.

Radio is a less popular mass medium in Delhi, although FM radio has been gaining ground since the inauguration of several new FM channels in 2006. A number of state-owned and private radio stations broadcast from Delhi, including All India Radio (AIR), one of the world's largest radio service providers, which offer six radio channels in ten languages. Other city-based radio stations include Big FM (92.7 FM)''Radio Mirchi (98.3 FM), Fever (104.0 FM), Radio One (94.3 FM), Red FM (93.5 FM), Radio City (91.1 FM), Hit 95(95.0 FM) and Meow (104.8FM).

4. SPORTS The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is the eighth largest stadium in the world. As in the rest of India, cricket is the most popular sport in Delhi. There are several cricket grounds (or maidans) located across the city, including the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, one of the oldest cricket grounds in India to be granted status as venue for international cricket matches. The Delhi cricket team represents the city in the Ranji Trophy, a domestic first-class cricket championship. The city is also home to the IPL team Delhi Daredevils. Other sports such as field hockey, football (soccer), tennis, golf, badminton, swimming, kart racing, weightlifting and table tennis are also popular.

Sports facilities in Delhi include the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium and the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. In the past, Delhi has hosted several domestic and international sporting events, such as the First and the Ninth Asian Games. The coming years will see the city host the 2010 Commonwealth Games, projected to be the largest multi-sport event

Nehru Stadium will host the 2010 Commonwealth Games


ever held in the city. Delhi is bidding for 2020 Olympic Games. Delhi was chosen by the Fdration Internationale de l'Automobile to host the first ever Indian Grand Prix in 2010.

5. SISTER CITIES Chicago (U.S.A.), Fukuoka Prefecture (Japan), London (U.K.), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Moscow (Russia), Seoul (Korea), Tokyo (Japan), Ulan Bator (Mongolia), Washington D.C.

6. HUMAYUNS TOMB One of the most spectacular Mughal buildings, Humayun's Tomb was added to UNESCOs World Heritage List in 1993. Built by Haji Begum, the widow of Humayun, the second Mughal Emperor, the mausoleum is known to be precursor of world famous Taj Mahal. Built in 1562 spanning over a period of eight years, the monument heralded the construction of garden-tombs on the Indian subcontinent.

As one enters the massive double-storeyed gateway, the majesty of the building becomes self-evident. High walls surround the garden which is divided into four large squares separated by causeways and water channels.

Highly developed engineering skills were employed in the working out of the fountains. Though made of red sandstone, black and yellow stone was used to give variation. Humayuns Tomb came into the scene during the First War of Indian Independence in 1857. When the uprising failed, Bahadur Shah II took refuge in the tomb, before he was exiled into a jail in Rangoon (Myanmar).

The tomb stands majestically at the center of the enclosure and rises from a platform faced with a series of cells with arched openings. The complex of Humayun's Tomb contains many small monuments. Chief among them are black-and-yellow marble tomb of Humayun's wife and the tomb of Humayun's barber. Referred to as Nai Ka Gumbad, the barber's tomb is an impressive square tomb with a double-dome.

7. JAMA MASJID The Masjid-i-Jahan Numa commonly known as the Jama Masjid of Delhi is the principal mosque of Old Delhi. Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, and completed in the year 1656 AD, it is one of the largest and best-known mosques in India. It is also at the beginning of a very busy and popular street, in the center of Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk.

Masjid-i-Jahan Numa means "the mosque commanding a view of the world", and the name Jama Masjid is a reference to the weekly congregation observed on Friday (the yaum al-juma) at the mosque. The courtyard of the mosque can hold up to twenty-five thousand worshippers. The mosque also houses several relics in a closet in the north gate, including a copy of the Qur'an written on deer skin. The mosque was the result of the efforts of over 5,000 workers, over a period of six years.

Shah Jahan built several important mosques in Delhi, Agra, Ajmer and Lahore. The Jama Masjid's floor plan is very similar to the Jama Masjid at Agra, but the Jama Masjid is the

Humayuns Tomb: the architectural precursor to the Taj Mahal


bigger and more imposing of the two. Its majesty is further enhanced because of the high ground selected for building the mosque. The architecture and design of the Badshahi Masjid of Lahore built by Shah Jahan's son Aurangzeb in 1673 is closely related to the Jama Masjid in Delhi.

8. OLD FORT (PURANA QILA) Purana Qila stands on an ancient mound. Excavations near its eastern wall reveal that the site has been continuously occupied since 1000 BC. It is also believed to be the place where Indraprastha, the Pandava capital mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, once stood. Purana Qila and its environs flourished as the sixth city of Delhi.

8.1. The Citadel & its History It was here that Humayun, the second Mughal Emperor began to construct his city, Dinpanah (Asylum of Faith), four years after his father Babur established the Mughal dynasty in 1526. However, Humayun's reign was short-lived and, in 1540 he was dispossessed of his fledgling empire by the Afghan Chieftain, Sher Shah Suri who ruled from 1540 to 1545. When Sher Shah took possession of the citadel, he strengthened its

fortifications, added several new structures and renamed it Shergarh. After his death, his successors were defeated by Humayun who recaptured his domains in 1555. Today, of the many palaces, barracks and houses that once existed only Sher Shah's mosque and the building said to be Humayun's library remain. The Yamuna once flowed on the fort's eastern side and formed a natural moat.

The present entrance, an imposing red sandstone gate on the western wall called the Bara Darwaza (Main Gate) is one of the three principal gates of Shergarh. Its

double-storeyed facade, surmounted by chhatris and approached by a steep ramp, still displays traces of tiles and carved foliage. Humayun's Gate, on the southern wall, has an inscription bearing Sher Shah's name and the date 950 AH (1543-4 AD). To the north, the Taliqi Darwaza (Forbidden Gate) has carved reliefs and across the road is the red sandstone Lal Darwaza (Red Gate) or Sher Shah Gate, one of the entrances to the township that grew around the fort.

9. RED FORT (LAL QILA) The Delhi Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2007.

The Red Fort stands at the eastern edge of Shahjahanabad, and gets its name from the massive wall of red sandstone that defines its four sides. The wall is 1.5 miles (2.5 km)

long, and varies in height from 60ft (16m) on the river side to 110 ft (33 m) towards the city. Measurements have shown that the plan was generated using a square grid of 82 m.

The main faade of the Red Fort and the City of Shahjahanabad was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1639 A.D. The layout of the Red Fort was organised to retain and integrate this site with the Salimgarh Fort. The fortress palace is an important focal point of


the medieval city of Shahjahanabad. The planning and aesthetics of the Red Fort represent the zenith of Mughal creativity which prevailed during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan. This Fort has had many developments added on after its construction by Emperor Shah Jahan. The significant phases of development were under Aurangzeb and later Mughal rulers. Important physical changes were carried out in the overall settings of the site after the First War of Independence during British Rule in 1857. After Independence, the site experienced a few changes in terms of addition/alteration to the structures. During the British period the Fort was mainly used as a cantonment and even after Independence, a significant part of the Fort remained under the control of the Army until the year 2003.

The Red Fort was the palace for Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan's new capital, Shahjahanabad, the seventh Muslim city in the Delhi site. He moved his capital from Agra in a move designed to bring prestige to his reign, and to provide ample opportunity to apply his ambitious building schemes and interests.

The fort lies along the Yamuna River, which fed the moats that surround most of the wall. The wall at its north-eastern corner is adjacent to an older fort, the Salimgarh Fort, a defense built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546. Construction on the Red Fort began in 1638 and was complete by 1648.It is believed that it is the ancient city of Lal Kot which was captured by Shah Jahan since Lal Kot literally means Red (Lal) Fort (Kot). Lal Kot was the capital city of Prithviraj Chauhan in the late 12th century.

9.1. The Fort Today The Red Fort is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Old Delhi, attracting thousands of visitors every year. The fort is also the site from which the Prime Minister of India addresses the nation on August 15, the day India achieved independence from the British. It also happens to be the largest monument in Old Delhi.

After the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, the fort was captured by Britain and the residential palaces destroyed. It was made the Headquarters of the British Indian Army. Immediately after the mutiny, Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried at the Red Fort. It was also here in November 1945, that the most famous Court Martial of three officers10 of the Indian National Army was held. On the independence of India in 1947, the Indian Army took control of the fort. In December 2003, the Indian Army handed the fort over to the Indian tourist authorities.

10 Colonel Prem Sahgal, Colonel Gurubaksh Singh Dhillon and Major General Shah Nawaz Khan: They were defended by the INA Defence Committee formed by the Indian National Congress, which included legal luminaries of the time including Jawaharlal Nehru, Bhulabhai Desai, Kailashnath Katju and others. The defence was based on the argument that they should be treated as Prisoners of War as they were not paid mercenaries but bona fide soldiers of the Provisional Government of Free India (Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind: -- ) and as such they recognized the free Indian state as their sovereign and not the British sovereign.

Lahore Gate


9.2. Important Buildings inside Fort 9.2.1 Naqqar Khana On axis with the Lahore Gate and the Chatta Chowk, on the eastern side of the open space, is the Naqqar Khana ("Drum House"), the main gate for the palace, named for the musicians' gallery above it.

9.2.2 Diwan-i-Aam (Hall of Public Audience) The courtyard of the Diwan-i-Aam was used to speak to the people and listen to petitioners. An ornate throne-balcony for the Emperor stands at the center of the eastern wall of the Diwan.

9.2.3 Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience) Diwan-I-Khas was used to receive kings and dignitaries. This finest of the pavilions is ornamented with floral pietra dura patterns on the columns, with precious stones and gilding. A painted wooden ceiling has replaced the original one of silver inlaid with gold.

9.2.4 Khas Mahal (Private Palace) The third pavilion from the south, the Khas Mahal, contains the imperial chambers. These include a suite of bedrooms, prayer rooms, a veranda, and the Mussaman Burj, a tower built against the fortress walls, from which the Emperor would show himself to the people in a daily ceremony.

9.2.5 Zenanas (Womens Quarters) The two southernmost pavilions of the palace are Zenanas: Mumtaz Mahal (now a museum), and the larger, lavish Rang Mahal, which has been famous for its gilded, decorated ceiling and marble pool, fed by the Nahr-i-Behisht. 9.2.6 Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque) To the west of the hammam is the Moti Masjid. This was a later addition, built in 1659 as a private mosque for Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan's successor. It is a small, three-domed mosque in carved white marble with a three-arched screen which steps down to the courtyard. 9.2.7 Hayat Bakhsh Bagh (Life Bestowing Garden) To its north lies a large formal garden, the Hayat Bakhsh Bagh which is cut through by two bisecting channels of water. A pavilion stands at either end of the north-south channel, and a third, built in 1842 by the last Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, stands at the center of the pool where the two channels meet.

9.2.8 Nahr-i-Behisht (The Stream of Paradise) The imperial private apartments lie behind the throne. The apartments consist of a row of pavilions that sits on a raised platform along the eastern edge of the fort, looking out onto the river Yamuna. The pavilions are connected by a continuous water channel, known as the Nahr-i-Behisht that runs through the center of each pavilion. The water is drawn from the river Yamuna, from a tower, the Shah Burj, at the north-eastern corner of the fort. The palace is designed as an imitation of paradise as it is described in the Koran; a couplet repeatedly inscribed in the palace reads, "If there is a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here".


10. QUTUB MINAR At 72.5 m (238 ft), Qutub Minar is the world's tallest free standing minaret. The Qutub complex is an array of monuments and buildings at Mehrauli in Delhi. This complex was first constructed by Qutab-ud-din Aybak, the first ruler of the Slave Dynasty, and his successor Iltutmish in his new city called the Qila-Rai-Pithora near Prithviraj Chauhan's older city. The complex was added to by many subsequent rulers, including Iltutmish and Ala ud din Khilji as well as the British.

The most famous monument situated in the complex is the Qutub Minar; other important constructions in the complex are the Quwwat ul-Islam Mosque, the Alai Gate, the Alai Minar and the Iron Pillar. Twenty-seven previous Jain temples were destroyed and their materials reused to construct the Minar and other monuments of the complex.

10.1. Iron Pillar The iron pillar is one of the worlds foremost metallurgical curiosities. The pillar, almost seven metres high and weighing more than six tonnes, was erected by Chandragupta II Vikramaditya (375414 BC). It is the only piece of the Jain temple remaining, which stood there before being destroyed by Qutb-ud-din Aibak. A fence was erected around the pillar due to the popularity of a tradition that considered it good luck if you could stand with your back to the pillar and make your hands meet behind it.

11. BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar (Urdu: also known as Bahadur Shah or Bahadur Shah II was the last of the Mughal Emperors ,(in India, as well as the last ruler of the Timurid Dynasty. He was the son of Akbar Shah II and Lalbai, who was a Hindu Rajput. Zafar, meaning victory was his nom de plume as an Urdu poet. Even in defeat it is traditionally believed that he said:

Ghzio m b rahegi jab talak imn ki; Takht-e-London tak chalegi tgh Hindustan ki

As long as there remains the scent of faith in the hearts of our heroes, so long shall the sword of Hindustan flash before the throne of London

Zafar's father, Akbar Shah Saani II, ruled over a rapidly disintegrating empire from 1806 to 1837. It was during his time that the East India Company dispensed with even the fig leaf of ruling in the name of the Mughal monarch and removed his name from the Persian texts that appeared on the coins struck by the company in the areas under their control.

Zafar was born in 1775, when the British were still a relatively insignificant coastal power clinging to three enclaves on the Indian shore. In his lifetime he saw his own dynasty reduced to humiliating insignificance, while the British transformed themselves from servile traders into an aggressively expansionist military force.

Bahadur Shah presided over a Mughal empire that barely extended beyond Delhi's Red Fort. The Emperor was paid some respect and allowed a pension, the authority to collect some taxes, and to maintain a small military force in Delhi, but he posed no threat to any power in India.


Bahadur Shah was a noted Urdu poet; he wrote a large number of Urdu ghazals11. The court that he maintained, although somewhat decadent and arguably pretentious for someone who was effectively a pensioner of the British East India Company, was home to several Urdu writers of high standing, including Ghalib, Dagh, Mumin, and Zauq (Dhawq).

11.1. Bahadur Shah Zafar Found Guilty Of Treason Bahadur Shah figured briefly, and unwillingly, in the Indian Mutiny of 185758; during the mutiny, rebel troops from Meerut Garrison seized Delhi. Seeking a uniting figure for all Indians, Hindu and Muslim alike, most rebelling Indian kings and the Indian regiments accepted Bahdur Shh as their Emperor.

When the rebellion was crushed, Zafar fled to Humayun's Tomb and hid there. However, he was captured and his sons Mirza Mughal, Khizar Sultan and grandson Abu Bakr were executed in his presence by Major Hodson and, famously, their severed heads presented to him (Hodson paid for the odium he had incurred. He was killed at Begum Kothi in Lucknow on 11 March 1858. A `memorial' to the crime he had committed still stands in India's capital. He killed the princes at Sher Shah Suri's outpost, the Kabuli Darwaza which was also

called Lal Darwaza. It became known as the Khooni Darwaza.)

The Prosecutor Major Fred J. Harriott accused Bahadur Shah of complicity in the murders and of participation in a conspiracy to revolt. After 21 days of bizarre travesty of a trial, the court found him guilty. In an abrupt finding, the court said:

The Court, on the evidence be

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