Architecture

The architectural heritage of Delhi is predominately ancient Muslim. Muhammad of Ghor (in present day Afghanistan) conquered Delhi in 1192, and having levelled Hindu and Jain temples in the invasion, used the remnants to build the Qutb Minar Mosque. Ancient Hindu and Jain architecture is plainly visible in the pillars of the mosque, but aside from a few Ashokan relics (including the Iron Pillar), and some fortifications in Southern Delhi, there are few other traces of pre-Muslim culture in the city today.

The photographs here are presented in roughly chronological order of their construction. Through this one can see how Delhi has shifted its centre over time as new rulers came to replace the old and sought to establish an identity with new buildings. But the progression is not always linear and as the earlier cities aged, their historical, cultural and religious importance often increased, driving new construction (in particular, tombs) at these old sites.

The Mughals, who created such iconic sites as Humayun’s Tomb, the Jama Masjid and the Red Fort in Shahjahanbad, have left the most lasting impression on Delhi’s architecture, but it can be the lesser buildings, tucked into the niches of this megacity, that delight more. Armed with Lucy Peck’s wonderful book “Delhi: A Thousand Years of Building” it is possible to discover these monuments in settings that range from beautifully manicured Persian gardens to high-rise urban offices and sprawling slums. Sadly, many of these buildings are being lost to the urban advance. These photographs do not show any of the extensive British colonial buildings in Delhi, but do include some of the contemporary vernacular Hindu architecture that has flourished in Delhi since the 20th Century, and will also likely characterise its future.