Of course, when in India, once cannot but visit Delhi. The area has been continuously inhabited since at least 600 BCE. The city, for most of its history, served as the capital of various kingdoms and empires.
Different peoples have claimed Delhi for their own at different times. The city is the purported site of the capital of the Pandavas, five brothers who figure in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Delhi was also the center of the Islamic Delhi Sultanate as well as several other Muslim empires. It was the center of British-colonised India, and is also the current capital of the secular Indian republic. This amalgamation of different peoples, cultures, and traditions is what makes Delhi–and India–what it is: one of the greatest places in the world.
Which is why, one a side note, it is quite sad that the current government in India deemed it necessary to pass a citizenship law that virtually excludes many Muslims from Indian citizenship.
Like my previous albums, the photos here are a combination of colored and black-and-white. They were taken in April 2019. I spent a total of four days in the city, but even if I had four years, I would probably never get my fill of Delhi.
On my first day exploring Delhi, I woke up at 5am to catch the sunrise at the Red Fort. It was at the Red Fort that Indian leaders first raised the Indian national flag immediately after independence from British colonial rule.Apparently I was not the only one who had the same idea.The Red Fort served as the palace of the Mughal emperors. Considered the height of Mughal architectural creativity, the Red Fort fuses together Mughal, Persian, Timurid, and Hindu architectural traditions.
This is the main gate explorers are allowed to use to enter the complex.
The Diwan-i-Am is the public audience hall, where supposedly imperial subjects may petition the emperor.
The throne where the emperors sat in the Diwan-i-Am.
The Diwan-i-Kas is the private audience hall, where the emperor met with imperial ministers to discuss state affairs.
The Khas Mahal, which served as the private residence of the Emperor. There is a private arena where animal fights were organized for the entertainment of the imperial family.
Next, I went to the Jama Masjid. This is the entrance to the mosque grounds.
The Jama Masjid is one of the largest mosques in India, and can accommodate more than 25,000 people.
There is a pool near the building. The woman in black is ther to wash here hands and feet before starting praying.
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Jama Masjid Rd, Jama Masjid, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi 110006, India