Key Highlights
- Delhi’s earliest incarnation was Indraprastha, a legendary capital mentioned in the Mahabharata.
- The name “Dilli” evolved from that of a 1st‑century ruler, and it survived through successive dynasties.
- Shahjahanabad, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, remains the preserved heart of Old Delhi.
- British colonial administration formalised the modern designation “Delhi” in the early 20th century.
Detailed Insights
Indraprastha is believed to have existed more than 3000 years ago along the Yamuna. Archaeological layers beneath the present‑day city, including the foundations of Purana Qila, hint at its ancient footprint. The term Dilli is traced back to Raja Dhilu (c. 50 BCE); successive rulers such as the Qutb‑ud‑Din and Tughlaqs added their own suburbs—Mehrauli, Siri, Tughlaqabad—yet the collective area was still called Dilli. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, in the early 17th century, forged the grand walled city of Shahjahanabad, complete with fourteen gates, the Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk. Post‑colonial India retained the name New Delhi for the capital, while the traditional “Dilli” remains popular in everyday speech.
Key Concepts
- Indraprastha – the mythic capital of the Pandavas situated on the banks of the Yamuna.
- Dilli – a nomenclature that evolved from the name of Raja Dhilu and served as a unifying label for successive localities.
- Shahjahanabad – the 17th‑century Mughal walled city at the core of Old Delhi.
- Purana Qila – a fort whose foundations likely rest upon the site of ancient Indraprastha.
- Mughal‑British transition – the administrative shift that adopted “Delhi” as the official capital name.