Executive Summary - Delhi Heritage City

IMPERIAL CITIES OF DELHI
AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
STATE PARTY: INDIA
Submission prepared by:
Name:
Indian National Trust for Art
and Cultural Heritage, Delhi Chapter
E-mail:delhiheritagecity@gmail.com
on behalf of the Delhi Transport and Tourism Department,
Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi
Address: 71, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi 110 003, India Fax: + 91 11 246 11290
Institution: Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage Telephone: + 91 11 246 92774
Name of Property:
State, Province or Region:
Id no Name of the Region(s)/Districts
component part
001 Shahjahanabad National Capital
Territory of Delhi
002 New Delhi National Capital
Territory of Delhi
Imperial Cities of Delhi
Delhi
Coordinates of the
Central Point
Area of nominated
component
Area of the Buffer
Zone(ha)
28°39’N &
673.27 ha 2,006.23 ha
77° 14’E
28°37’N &
1,967.45 ha
77° 13’E
Total Area (in hectares) 2,640.72 ha 2,006.23 ha
“Imperial Cities of Delhi”, a serial nomination comprising of two components, Shahjahanabad and the part of
New Delhi built by the colonial government, is being proposed for inscription to UNESCO’s List of World
Heritage Cities, under the category of Inhabited Historic Towns.
Description
Historical Reference: Delhi has been inhabited from the Stone-ages. As a site for settlements, Delhi possesses
natural advantages such as the presence of the perennial River Yamuna and the ridge of hills for the supply of
stones for construction; both these geographic features acted as buffers in times of war. It has a very rich
agricultural hinterland to feed a large urban population, which is still considered the ‘granary of India’. Its
regional importance stems from its crucial location on the important trade route, the Uttarapatha, which ran
along the Gangetic plain to the Silk Route.
Over the centuries, various settlements came up in the triangular area formed by the River Yamuna and the
Ridge. Archaeological findings have revealed pottery fragments that date from approximately 1000-500 BC and
continuous evidence of habitation from 3 rd -4 th C BC to the present. Rulers of successive dynasties from the 10 th
century AD who conquered Delhi built their capitals within this triangular area of Delhi, each with their distinct
fort walls and settlements, thus creating over time its various cities. Of significance in this process of city
building is the fact that these cities were built adjacent to each other instead of over one another as it is
commonly encountered to form historical layering.
As early as the thirteenth century, the idea of Delhi was internalized by its citizens and poets , who referred to it
as Hazrat-i-Dehli (revered Delhi) or the Shahr (the City). Lal Kot, the 1st city of Delhi was founded by the Tomar
dynasty in 1060 AD. The Chauhans replaced the Tomars in the mid-12th century and enlarged Lal Kot to form
Qila Rai Pithora. Thereafter, successive Muslim rulers conquered India and made Delhi their capital. In 1192
AD, the first city was further expanded to form Mehrauli. During the Delhi Sultanate, Siri, the 2nd city of Delhi

An Executive Summary
Imperial Cities of Delhi
was established. Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (ruled from 1320-24 AD), the first of the Tughlaq kings who followed the
Khaljis, built Tughlaqabad, the 3rd city of Delhi. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq linked the older cities of Lal Kot and
Siri with two walls, from AD 1326-27, to build Jahanpanah, the 4th city of Delhi. Firoz Shah Tughlaq(1351-1388
AD) built Firozabad, the 5th city of Delhi, on the banks of the river Yamuna. Unlike the other dynasties who
ruled from Delhi, the Sayyid and Lodi Dynasties (up to mid 15th century AD) did not leave behind any particular
city. The Mughal Emperor Humayun, in AD 1533, built Dinpanah, the 6th city of Delhi. After an interregnum, in
AD 1639, Shahjahan shifted the Mughal capital back to Delhi and the walled city of Shahjahanabad, the 7th city
of Delhi was built. Intermittently thereafter, it remained the capital of the Mughal Empire until 1857 when the
British government took control of the country and ruled from Calcutta. In 1911 the British government shifted
the capital of their empire back to Delhi and built New Delhi, the 8 th city of Delhi, to the south west of
Shahjahanabad, with a buffer in between; it was inaugurated in 1931. Rarely can there be found anywhere in
the world, a conglomeration of so many contiguous historic cities. Two of them, Shahjahanabad and the British
built New Delhi, are being identified and nominated as the Imperial Cities of Delhi.
Description of the area proposed for Nomination
The two settlements proposed for nomination as ‘The Imperial Cities of Delhi’ are both outstanding examples of
town planning of their time,
o Shahjahanabad , the capital city of the Mughal Empire was established by the Mughal Emperor
Shahjahan in the mid 17th century AD as an imperial gesture, it is considered the apogee of townplanning
in medieval India; and ,
o New Delhi, planned in 1912-13, and inaugurated in 1931, as the capital of the erstwhile British Empire
in India, is evidence of the extraordinary fusion of two dominant themes of the early twentieth century
city planning- the City Beautiful (vistas) and the Garden city (verdure) Movements.
Although the two imperial cities are today engulfed within what is now termed as the National Capital Territory
of Delhi (NCTD), the original urban morphology of each remains intact. Together, the nominated area is 2,640ha
out of the total area of 1483 square kilometers of NCTD. The original extent of the imperial city of
Shahjahanabad as built during the Mughal period forms the core area of the nominated area of Imperial
Shahjahanabad and the core area of the nominated area of Imperial New Delhi is the area as originally
designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Shahjahanabad
The location of the walled city of Shahjahanabad, on high land on the western bank of the River Yamuna, was a
point of convergence of important land routes of the region. The city was encircled by an 8 kilometer long wall,
pierced by a number of gates. The largest and grandest structure within the city was the palace citadel, Qila-i-
Mubarak (Red Fort), built along the river Yamuna to accommodate the imperial court and household. Chandni
Chowk, a ceremonial pathway about 1.6 kilometres long, constitutes the east - west ceremonial axis,
connecting the Qila-i-Mubarak in the east to the Fatehpuri Masjid in the west. Important public buildings and
commercial establishments were located along this ceremonial axis, among them the kotwali(main police
station), Sunehri Masjid, a mosque built in 1721-22 This ceremonial street was divided into three sections by
two historic chowks. The one nearest to the fort was originally called Kotwali Chowk, but is today known
popularly as Phawwara chowk after the phawwara or fountain, built here in the 1870s. The one inbetween the
Kotwali Chowl and Fatehpuri Masjid was known as Chandni Chowk. The area north of Chandni Chowk had a
large private royal garden and large estates of the nobility.
Another major focal point in the walled city is Jama Masjid, the most impressive structure in Shahjahanabad
besides the Red Fort. It is still the largest mosque in India, and was patronised by the emperor himself. It
continues to serve as the main congregational mosque of the city and can hold up to 25,000 people
Faiz Bazaar, an important commercial street, links the Delhi Gate of the palace to the Delhi Gate of the walled
city. In later years, this became the principal north-south route through the city connecting Civil Lines to the
north of Shahjahanabad and New Delhi to its south. To the east of this street lies Daryaganj, literally ‘the mart
2

An Executive Summary
Imperial Cities of Delhi
by the river’. Another important node of the imperial city was Chowk Qasi Hauz, the main water reservoir,
situated at the junction of four important bazaars. Today, the chowk remains as an important node, but it is no
longer a water reservoir. These elements, each connected to one of the city gates, dictated the street pattern
and spatial distribution of the population.
A basic network of five major arterials leading from the city gates to Fatehpuri Masjid, Qasi Hauz, Jama Masjid
and Kalan Masjid were built as spines of major commercial activity. Other landmarks like mosques, temples,
gurudwaras and later, churches, were built organically in the interstices of the main arteries. The junction or
crossing of two streets forms a ‘chowk’. Other streets of a lower hierarchy are access roads to residential areas.
This network created social areas or neighbourhoods, known as mohallas, katras and kuchas. Essentially, these
settlements came up in the quadrant bounded by Chandni Chowk, Faiz Bazaar, and the city wall. The residences
were of courtyard typology and the neighbourhoods they formed were introverted precincts with independent
social and functional use and character.
As the capital of a rich empire and an important centre of trade, Shahjahanabad had the most famous specialist
markets. Some that exist till today include Dariba Kalan, the gold and silver ware market; Kinari bazaar, the gilt
and sequin market; Khari Baoli, the spice market; Katra Neel, the fabrics market and many more.
As the premier trade and cultural centre, the architecture of the buildings in this imperial city displayed a
synthesis of styles which were the products of an exchange of cultural meaning across sectarian lines. The lotus
and kalash, held sacred by the Hindu tradition, became a part of the mosques and tombs of the city and the
Hindu and Jain temples of Shahjahanabad used the cusped arches and fluted domes of the mature Mughal
style. The buildings therefore represent a style that is neither ‘Hindu’ nor ‘Muslim’, irrespective of whether or
not the function of a particular building was a religious one. They consciously sought to incorporate meaningful
elements from different traditions. This syncretism is a characteristic of universal significance and can be seen
in historic buildings throughout Shahjahanabad.
The decline of the Mughal rule was followed by increasing influence of British colonial control of the city, which
resulted in a process of change. Commercial and residential sectors increased in density to cater to an
expanding colonial empire. However, the traditional urban morphology of the city did not change.
New Delhi
The city designed by Sir Edward Lutyens , redefined the architecture and urbanism of Delhi and in the process
introduced a modern idiom to this ancient city. At its core of Imperial New Delhi is the grand processional
avenue, Kingsway, now known as Rajpath. Like Chandni Chowk, it is also aligned east-west and links two
important elements of the city, the Viceroy’s House, now known as Rashtrapati Bhawan and the Capitol
Complex, and the India Gate, located in a hexagonal park flanked by the residences of native rulers. Along with
the network of diagonal tree lined avenues, which have been carefully graded in order of functional importance,
it creates the most iconic image of the former Imperial Capital fusing, for the first time anywhere in the world,
the two dominant themes of early twentieth century city planning – the City Beautiful (vistas) and the Garden
City (verdure) Movements. The main cross axis, Queensway, now Janpath, runs south from the business
district, Connaught Place. This morphology still palpably exists.
In the architecture of the buildings, Indian elements and motifs were used, drawing inspiration from Buddhist
religious complexes on the one hand, and grand Mughal buildings and the humble indigenous bungalow on the
other. The overwhelming aesthetic strategy captures the spirit of syncretism evident in Delhi for many
centuries, in this case a synthesis of Western classical geometry and Indian motifs.
No buffer zone has been designated for Shahjahanabad as the layout is inward looking, not requiring a setting
beyond the city walls for it to retain its integrity. However, a buffer has been retained towards the Yamuna as the
original concept was a city along the banks of the river. The River Yamuna has changed course over the years
moving away from the city wall. The space thus created has been retained as a buffer in order to retain the
memory of a city along the river.
3

An Executive Summary
Imperial Cities of Delhi
The central and other avenues represent the significance of the layout of Imperial New Delhi, and the vistas
along the important ones neesd to be preserved. A buffer has therefore been demarcated along their respective
axes. The city was designed by Lutyens to connect visually and symbolically to Jami Masjid along Parliament
Street to its north and Purana Qila along the Central Vista to its east. This triangle of symbolic sight lines he
created needs to be preserved. A buffer area has therefore been retained to the north and east. Further
Nizamuddin the site of the dargah of the Sufi Saint Nizamuddin Auliya and its accompanying large concentration
of tombs from various periods needs to be preserved and has therefore been incorporated into the buffer area
proposed for Imperial New Delhi. Towards the west of New Delhi, the diplomatic area,Chanakyapuri, built after
Independence, has also been included as a buffer area, to preserve the important vistas leading to the Viceregal
building. The principal street of Chanakyapuri, Shanti Path, is oriented to provide a direct view of the dome of
the Viceregal building.
Justification of Outstanding Universal Value:
The tangible urban heritage of Delhi has been a thousand years in the making. During this period many
dynasties ruled India from here, often building new cities. These historic cities became emblematic of the aura
of Delhi as a capital city. This aura is most significantly palpable in the last two of the historic cities of Delhi,
Shahjahanabad and New Delhi. Both were conceived and built as Imperial cities to rule sub continental
empires. Its sub continental role facilitated the development of cultural synthesis, which flowered into
sophisticated and mature forms and in turn exerted an influence over a wide geographical area. Each was
therefore outstanding in its time and represented unique advances in the contemporary ideas and ideologies of
town planning and architecture of those times.
Criteria considered to be met
(i) (ii) √ (iii) (iv) (v) √ (vi) (vii) (viii) (ix) (x) .
(ii)The nominated site exhibits an important interchange of human values, over a span of time, within a
cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture and town planning.
Delhi’s unique cultural landscape evolved out of the mingling and cross fertilisation of multiple streams of
cultural forces, from the Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist and European worlds. Its uniqueness lies in the hybrid
architectural styles and town planning principles which are manifest in both the nominated areas.
Developments in Architecture
o The medieval architecture of Delhi received a strong infusion of architectural styles and techniques
from Turkish, Timurid and Central Asian, and Persian sources. This led to the development of a distinct
Delhi style, characterized by an innovative mix of technologies, materials and decorative motifs. There
was also an exchange of cultural meaning across sectarian lines. Over the centuries the builders of Delhi
built in a style that is neither ‘Hindu’ nor ‘Muslim’. They used styles that consciously sought to
incorporate meaningful elements from different traditions.
o Sir Edwin Lutyens was influenced by the High Game of Classical Architecture’ and his heroes were
Palladio and Wren. In the architectural detailing of the buildings in New Delhi, however, Sir Edwin
Lutyens eclectically picked up motifs and forms from the Mughal past and that of India’s ancient
Buddhist sites and introduced these into the powerful tradition of classicism prevalent in the west at
that time. A syncretism can therefore be seen in historic buildings in both components being
nominated as part of the World Heritage City, Shahjahanabad and New Delhi.
Developments in Town Planning
Similarly an interchange of ideas led to unique town planning principles apparent in the design of the two
nominated cities.
o The Manasara, one of the Hindu texts on architecture collectively called the Vastu Shastra, prescribes a
bow-shaped form for a city on a river, and this is the plan that Shahjahanabad roughly followed. The
eastern wall of the city, parallel to the river, could be viewed as the string of the bow, and parallel to
this ran the main north-south street, linking the Kashmir gate in the north with the Delhi gate in the
4

An Executive Summary
Imperial Cities of Delhi
south. The other main street of the city could be viewed as the arrow placed in the bow, running from
the main entrance to the Red Fort westwards to the Fatehpuri mosque. The palace complex therefore
stood at the junction of the main north-south and east-west axes, where in the Hindu text a temple
would have been located. In this arrangement the main congregational mosque of the city, the Jama
Masjid, was off-centre with regard to the main streets. In terms of Persian texts such as the Rasa’il-e-
Ikhwan-us-Safa, which viewed ideal city plans as mirroring the anatomy of man, the Jama Masjid would
be the heart in relation to the Red Fort which was the head, and the east-west street which was the
backbone. The plan of Shahjahanabad therefore clearly shows both Hindu and Persian Sufi influences,
in keeping with the long Delhi tradition of synthesis, and the general Mughal policy of liberality and
inclusion vis a vis Hindu subjects.
o The sense of civic design prevalent in England in the late 17th century influenced Sir Edwin Lutyens’
designs for New Delhi. In the east of central London – an axial complex worked upon by Sir Christopher
Wren, John Webb and Nicholas Hawksmoor framed a vista towards the Queen’s House, designed by
Inigo Jones in the 1630s. As a civic ensemble this was a key influence. At the time that Lutyens was
involved in the design and planning of New Delhi, three major English developments related to the
Garden City concept – Letchworth Garden City (1904), Hampstead Garden Suburb (1905/1908) and
Welwyn Garden City (1920), were iconic exemplars. These three iconic plans and the more informal,
though sometimes, as with Hampstead Garden Suburb, geometrically precise, residential
neighbourhoods influenced the design of New Delhi. The formal clear view central vista, integrated into
the design of New Delhi was influenced by the layout in Washington and to some extent, the axial vista
of the Champs Elysées in Paris. Its deployment in city planning was powerfully enunciated as The City
Beautiful Movement by the American planner, Daniel Burnham, with whose works Lutyens was familiar.
This synthesis between the City Beautiful Movement and the Garden City concept added a verdant,
picturesque setting for the iconic buildings of the city, creating visual interconnection and adding value
to both. Edwin Lutyens amalgamated all these influences to plan New Delhi, which is perhaps the only
grandly conceived planned and built city between the two World Wars anywhere in the world.
(v)The nominated site is an outstanding example of traditional human settlements and land use, which is
representative of cultures, especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.
The various cities within Delhi were built as capitals of successive ruling dynasties in response to very specific
social, political and cultural catalysts. The nominated cities, the walled city of Shajahanabad and New Delhi
were planned as imperial cities displaying very strong imperial character which is manifested in features like the
ceremonial pathway with iconic buildings anchoring both ends of the ceremonial urban axis. The original urban
morphology of both the Imperial cities of Delhi has remained intact till today.
In Shahjahanabad, the urban morphology evolved due to inclusive cultural policies of Emperor Shahjahan and
the grand conceptualization of urban space visualised by the Persian architects employed by him to design the
city. Three Islamic empires dominated the Asian world, the Ottoman Empire in Turkey, the Safavids in Persia
and Mughals in India. Of these the Mughal Empire was probably the largest area and commanded the greatest
resources. The city built by the Emperor Shahjahan exemplifies the grandeur associated with his empire.
The town planning of Shahjahanabad was influenced by Persian ideas – as expressed in texts like the Rasail
Ikhwan al Safa, and the examples of cities such as Isfahan. But scholars believe that the plan of Shahjahanabad
was equally influenced by the ancient Indian texts on architecture – the Vastu Shastra. Moreover, the organic
growth of the city in the centuries following its establishment has reflected the assimilative tendencies in Indian
society – with various religious sects, occupational and ethnic groups finding space within the city without any
one being privileged over the others. A combination of the imperial nature of the city, manifested in features
like the ceremonial Chandni Chowk, anchored at either end by the Red Fort and Fatehpuri mosque and the
unique morphology of the city dictated by Hindu and Persian texts is still palpable today in the lanes and
bylanes of the city, making it an outstanding example of medieval town planning
New Delhi, the imperial capital saw the fusion of two dominant themes of early twentieth century city planning
– the City Beautiful (vistas) and the Garden City (verdure) Movements, concepts that had world relevance in city
5

An Executive Summary
Imperial Cities of Delhi
planning of the early twentieth century. The genius of the design lies in its integration of vista (views) and
verdure (greenery) and added to this, the imperial character manifested in features like the central vista, linking
the Capitol Complex located on Raisina Hill at one end and the India Gate at the other with the mansions of
local prices around it to create an unique and unparalleled example of town planning. The city built between
1913 and 1931, was seen by the British administration as an opportunity which had till then never occurred,
and which would probably never recur, that of building of one of the finest cities in the world.
Statement of authenticity and/or integrity
Delhi is a living city. It accommodates the remains of over a thousand years of building in different states of
preservation. The authenticity of the form and design of the nominated area varies in the areas proposed for
consideration. Location and setting of the cities has been largely retained. Form and design has remained
authentic to a very high degree in both cities. While Shahjahanabad no longer remains an Imperial capital, the
function of New Delhi as an imperial city remains as the capital of an independent sovereign Republic.
Shahjahanabad
In the walled city of Shahjahanabad, the physical morphology remains intact. The city has evolved with
time, most significantly as a result of the aftermath of historical events like the Uprising of 1857, which
changed parts of the walled city in retribution and the introduction of the railways to the north of Chandni
Chowk. In most parts of the city, the urban morphology and monumental buildings of the Mughal period
remain intact but as a living city the residential structures have been rebuilt on the original footprint. In
certain areas commercial land use has replaced the original residential land use, resulting in urban problems
which are still being addressed with a view to recover its historic character. The six nodal features
identified the ceremonial access, the fortified citadel, the congregational mosque, the bazaars and
commercial streets still retain their original form and design.
New Delhi
New Delhi has served the Republic of India since 1947 as the national capital. The Viceroy’s House is now
the Rashtrapati Bhavan, residence of the President of the Republic of India. The original form and design of
the planned city of New Delhi, together with its setting remains unchanged to this day. The synthesis of the
Garden City Movement and City Beautiful Movement, both very strong town planning concepts of the 19th
century have been almost wholly been preserved, with the exception of the commercial district of
Connaught Place where appurtenant areas have been developed with high rise buildings. The cross section
of the streets with the original avenue planting still exists. The conservation of the vistas and verdure of
Imperial New Delhi has been confirmed as urban policy in both the Master Plan of Delhi and the policy
regulating the development of the precinct.
Management strategy for the World Heritage City
Delhi as the capital of India is a State of the Federal Republic. It is called the National Capital Territory of
Delhi (NCTD) and has an area of 1483 square kilometres. Within it, the nominated areas measure 2,640.72
hectares or 1.78% of the NCTD. The NCTD is administered both by the federal government and the State
government. Both have promulgated laws to protect heritage. The federal government protects
monuments declared to be of national significance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites
and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010, and the NCTD protects monuments of State level
significance under its own Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Remains Act, 2005. In addition, the civic
governance of GNCTD is carried out by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the New Delhi
Municipal Council (NDMC). The MCD and NDMC protect monuments of local level significance under the
Building Byelaws defined under the Delhi Development Act, 1957. Together, 1208 heritage monuments are
being protected in NCTD. The nominated area of Shahjahanabad is administered by MCD and the
nominated area of Imperial Delhi by NDMC.
6

An Executive Summary
Imperial Cities of Delhi
The development within NCTD is controlled by the Master Plan of Delhi, which gets its statutory authority
by virtue of the Delhi Development Act, 1957. The first Master Plan of Delhi came into force in 1962. The
current update for the period up to 2021, contains a specific chapter on the protection of Delhi’s heritage. It
has identified six heritage precincts and three archaeological parks for protection: Shahjahanabad and
Imperial New Delhi (named as Lutyens’ Bungalow Zone in the document, but co-terminus with the
nominated area) are among them. Therefore, the nomination of the two precincts is backed by and
conformity with the provisions of the Master Plan of Delhi, 2021.
In addition, the federal government’s Ministry of Urban Development has constituted an apex heritage
monitoring body called the Heritage Conservation Committee to monitor the conservation issues of NCTD.
This Committee has all the official stakeholders, including INTACH and nominated experts, as members.
In addition, the Government of the NCTD has established the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation
(SRDC) to undertake the renewal and upgradation of urban areas all over the NCTD, including the sensitive
redevelopment of heritage precincts. The SRDC has already begun work in Shahjahanabad, such as the
placement of over head utility lines in underground trenches, streetscaping, and signage.
The National Capital Territory of Delhi therefore has a well established system of governance to conserve
the areas nominated for inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage City. Additional systems of governance to
reinforce the existing ones are under consideration, but suffice it to say that the government and citizens of
NCTD support the nomination and will ensure its success.
__________________________
7