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The  Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), as an attached office under the Department of Culture, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the ASI. Besides it regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972. For the maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance the entire country is divided into 24 Circles. The organization has a large work force of trained archaeologists, conservators, epigraphist, architects and scientists for conducting archaeological research projects through its Excavation Branches, Prehistory Branch, Epigraphy Branches, Science Branch...

The  Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the Ministry of Culture, is the premier organization for the archaeological researches and protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. Maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance is the prime concern of the ASI. Besides it regulate all archaeological activities in the country as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. It also regulates Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972. For the maintenance of ancient monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance the entire country is divided into 24 Circles. The organization has a large work force of trained archaeologists, conservators, epigraphist and scientists for conducting archaeological research projects through its Circles, Museums, Excavation Branches, Prehistory Branch, Epigraphy Branches, Science Branch, Horticulture Branch, Building Survey Project,...

Culture is who we are and what shapes our identity. No development can be sustainable without including culture.UNESCO ensures that the role of culture is recognized through a majority of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those focusing on quality education, sustainable cities, the environment, economic growth, sustainable consumption and production patterns, peaceful and inclusive societies, gender equality and food security. From cultural heritage to cultural and creative industries, Culture is both an enabler and a driver of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.UNESCO's programme, through the operationalization of UNESCO’s Culture Conventions on the safeguarding and promotion of cultural and natural heritage, and the cultural and creative industries, as well as joint programmes with other UN Agencies and strong cooperation with the national authorities will be key for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustai...

The conquest of India by the Muslims made an effective and distinct impact on the indigenous manifestations of life and culture, which gave rise, among other expressions of art, also to a new style in architecture. This style incorporated not only certain new modes and principles of construction but reflected also the religious and social needs of the adherents of Islam. The necessity of raising a round dome over a square construction introduced multiplication of sides and angles by providing squinches, so that a base with many sides, usually sixteen, could be obtained to raise a circular drum of the dome. A balcony was laid on cantilever brackets projecting from walls, which introduced as the 'chhajjas'(eaves or sunshades).Kiosks (chhatris), tall towers (minars) and half-doomed double portals are some of the other distinguishing features of the Indo-Islamic architecture.    The difference in the lay-out of a temple and mosque is explained by the essential difference b...

History of Delhi dates back to Mahabharata times (some 5000 years ago) when it used to be the capital of Pandavas.Since then Delhi has been inhabited continuously.Delhi has seen the rise and fall of various dynasties and empires. All of them left their impact in its culture, food, living style and all other fields. The first architectural reference of the city is found in Mauryan period around 300 BC. The excavations carried out in year 1966 have unearthed certain inscriptions belonging to Emperor Ashoka’s period at Srinivaspuri.Delhi has been destroyed and recreated 7 times. It has served as capital for Pandavas with the name Indraprastha to the modern time New Delhi as the capital of India. Delhi during Pandavas : Delhi was named as Indraprastha, the capital city of pandavas, the religious book Mahabharata support this fact.Indraprastha had beautiful gardens, wide streets, delightful palaces and innumerable mansions. Delhi as Qila Rai Pithora : Vigraharaja IV , the Chauhan prin...

Delhi has been invaded by many rulers time to time. It began in 1192 when afghan ruler Muhammad Ghori defeated King Prithviraj Chauhan iii and this laid the foundation for dominance of Muslim rulers in Delhi which lasted for six hundred years. In the year 1206 after the death of Muhammad Ghori, the Turkic slave-general, Qutub-ud-din Aibak came to power and proclaimed himself as the first Sultan of Delhi. Immediately after coming to power he started construction of Quwwat-al-Islam and Qutub Minar. He faced tough opposition from Hindus during his rule. However, his successor, Iltutmish succeeded in establishing his supremacy and consolidating Muslim power in entire Northern India. The next three centuries witnessed Delhi being ruled by various Pashtun and Turkic dynasties. These rulers built numerous townships and forts which are now part of seven cities established in Delhi. Sufism was at its peak during these rules. The famous ruler among these Kings was the second Khilji ...

Delhi is a living city. It accommodates the remains of over a thousand years of building in different states of preservation.  Urdu Language, Sufi traditions and other forms of Intangible heritage have. survived in the heritage precincts of Mehraull and Nizamuddin and continue till today.Similar to the city planning concept of Islamic cities like Lahore, Cairo and Tunis; Delhi also had a unique street layout with the primary axis leading to a central place of worship flanked by shops on either side.The Islamic city of Shahjahanabad was designed based on ideas and ideals of Persian city planning and the Indian text of Vastu Shastra. Delhi has been compared to the cities of Samarkand, Lahore, Agra, Lucknow, Cairo, Istanbul and Tunis in the broader region of Asia, Arab and European states. The architectural style and the planning principles which are the features of the above mentioned cities exhibits very rich heritage and are comparable to Delhi.    Delhi being a c...

"I asked my soul: What is Delhi?; she replied : The wold is body and Delhi it's life."- Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib. Historically, developments in Delhi took place in a triangular patch of land with River Yamuna on one side and the northern range of Aravalli hills on the other two sides. The wider regional importance of Delhi strategically stems from its location on an important trade route, the Uttarapatha that ran along the Gangetic plain and linked up to the Silk Route.Delhi is without doubt, a city of international standing and significance. Diverse historical, cultural and environmental exigencies have created the city that is today recognized globally as the capital of an important developing nation.An amalgamation of cultures also influenced the traditions which resonated within the society in the form of intangible heritage. Art, craft, religious practices and performing arts developed and was practiced profusely by the people influencing other cities wit...

Behind every historical capital there is a great big river. The route is an ode to this river that has been a silent witness to Delhi’s history and is now a recurrent victim of its excesses. Starting from the little lanes of Shahjahanabad, while the city is still sleepy in its proverbial sockspassing along the magnificently formidable walls of the Red Fort we find ourselves on the meditative quiet banks of the Yamuna at Nigambodh Ghat. Migratory birds circling above the calm waters - unravels the ritualistic devotion with which the Hindus treat the historic river. Yamuna enters Delhi at Palla village 15 km upstream of Wazirabad barrage, which acts as a reservoir for Delhi.The major reasons for high level of pollution in river Yamuna is inadequate flow, due to over extraction of surface and ground water and discharge of untreated effluent.This Ministry is supplementing the efforts of the States for pollution abatement of river Yamuna by providing financial assistance to States o...

Shah Jahan transferred his capital from Agra to Delhi in 1638 and laid the foundation of Shahjahanabad, the city of Delhi, which was completed in 1649. The city, polygonal in plan, was provided with houses in block, wide roads, mosques, and bazars, among which Chandni Chowk with a tree shaded channel flowing in its center, was one of the most enchanting markets in the contemporary East. With the Red fort at its north eastern base, the city was en girdled by rubble built high walls strengthened by bastions, circular as well as square and pierced by several gates. Of its main fourteen gates, apart from wicket-entrance, only some have escaped demolition. Among these are Ajmeri gate on the south-west, Turkmaan gate on the south, Kashmere gate on the north, Nigambodh gate on the north-east and Delhi gate on the south-east. These gates, square on plan, are pierced by high arched opening, except the Nigambodh gate, which is low, and the Kashmere gate, which was lateral double openings, ...

The Purana Qila occupies the ancient mound which conceals perhaps the ruins of the city of Indraprastha of Mahabharata story. Sher Shah Suri (1538-1545) demolished the city of Dinpanah built by Humayun and on the same site raised this citadel. It is believed that Sher Shah left Purana-Qila unfinished, and it was completed by Humayun. There are several sites associated with the story of the Mahabharata and had been dated around 1000 B.C.,its occurence here seemed to support the tradition of Purana-qila being the site of Indraprastha, capital of the Pandavas. Purana Qila originally lay on the bank of the Yamuna. The Qila was a living part of the city until 1914, when a village within the fort walls was found incompatible with the Qila’s new-found grandeur, and was cleared. Later, the fort became the site of several temporary settlements. During the second world war, there was a camp of nearly 3,000 Japanese civilians from across British-ruled Asia. After the partition of India in...

According to contemporary historians Firozabad the fifth city of Delhi built by Firoz Shah Tughluq (1351-88), extended from Hauz Khas to Pir Ghaib in the north, although no remains of any large city wall to answer to such a size have been traced. Kotla Firoz Shah, then lying along the banks of the Yamuna, and now situated on the Mathura road outside the Delhi Gate of Shahjahanabad, served as its citadel and was called Kushk-i- Firoz, i.e., Firoz’s palace.  JAMI MASJID: Among the few surviving buildings inside the citadel is the Jami Masjid, ascended by a gateway on north. It is surrounded by a large courtyard with cloisters and a Prayer Hall. The Prayer Hall now in complete ruins, was once used by the Royal Ladies. The mosque and its architecture is an example of Tughluq architecture.The Jami Masjid was one of the largest mosques in the Tughluq times. Timur mentioned having visited it to say his prayers.  TOPRA ASHOKAN PILLAR: On top terrace...

Jahanpanah, means 'Refuge of the world's in Persian. Jahanpanah was the 4th medieval city in Delhi by Mohammad Bin Tughlaq in 1326-1327. Mohammad Bin Tughlaq is best remembered as the 'mad' sultan for shifting the capital of Hindoostan from Dilli to Daulatabad near Aurangabad in Maharashtra.   The protected city of Jahanpanah was established in order to deal with the continuous intimidations given by the Mongols. Sadly neither the fort nor the city of Jahanpanah is known to have survived. Numerous reasons were cited for the cause of such a condition. Among many, one is said to be the peculiar manner ruler, Mohammed bin Tughlaq when the capital was moved to Daulatabad without any explanation and was again shifted back to Delhi just after.    One can witness , the beautiful Toghluqi pattern of architecture in this city of Jahanpanah. Any traces of the fort or the city, Jahanpanah city city can be spotted at numerous points for instance towards the northern side...

The fortress of Tughlakabad which is still standing on a rocky hill, about 8 km from the Qutub Minar on Qutub-Badarpur road was built by Ghiyasuddin Tughluq in 1320's. It constitutes the third city of Delhi, roughly octagonal on plan with a perimeter of 6.5 km. This is sometimes called the fourth city of Delhi. There were eleven rulers from the Tughlak dynasty but only the first three generations were interested in architecture- raising mosques, caravansarais, madrasas and laying canals.    On its south was a vast reservoir created by erecting bunds between hills to its east. Tughluqabad was divide mainly intro three portions. To the east of the present entrance from the Qutub- Badarpur road, a rectangular area with high walls and bastions served as the citadel.    Beyond this to the north lay the city, now marked by ruins of houses. Streets in the city, some of which can be traced even now, ran in a grid pattern from gates on one side to those on the o...

Siri is contradictorily called by many historians the second city of Delhi and also by some historians the third city of Delhi. It was built by Sultan Ala-ud-Din Khilji in about 1303, to the north of Mehrauli. In the Siri Fort complex near the Asian Games village areas, east of Hauz Khas there are still the remains of the city. Siri Fort is a magnificent piece of architecture of the Delhi Sultanate now lying in ruins still draws attention of the world to experience the glorious past of its fascinating history.Siri Fort is one of the many forts of Delhi, which were built during the time of the Delhi Sultanate (AD 1191-1526) in the medieval age. The kingdom of Delhi was constantly threatened by hoards of Mongol tribesmen who had been descending in waves to loot India since the 13th century. The Slave dynasty (AD 1193-1290), which was the first dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, also faced this threat in the later half of its reign. Balban, the last important ruler of this dynasty...

After a dramatic defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan, the rule of the Hindu dynasty over Delhi came to an end in 1191 A.D. It was caught by Qutabuddin Aibak, the slave leader of Mohammad Ghori, after numerous defeat. This was the start of Delhi Sultanate and for next 600 years Islamic dynasties won. The seat of the administer of trespassers had been Mehrauli, which was the living capital of Hindu forerunners.   After the demise of Mohammad Ghori in 1206 Qutabuddin Aibak turned into the main Sultan of Delhi and Quwwat-ul-Islam was laid on the site of Hindu fortress as Delhi's first mosque. The development of Qutab Minar (now World Heritage landmark) was begun by Aibak and proceeded by Iltutmish and his successor. It turned into the most overwhelming image and a milestone of Delhi. Nonetheless, legend says that the Rajput King Prithvi Raj raised his minarate for cosmic perceptions. His girl could see the heavenly Yamuna from its best. On the edges of Mehrauli a water repository...

Vigraharaja IV , the Chauhan prince of Sakambhari, captured Delhi from Tomars in the later half of the 12th century and his grandson Prithviraj III, popularly known by the name of Rai Pithora, extended the Lal Kot by throwing up massive ramparts around it. This enlarged city, with the Lal Kot at its south-western base, is known as Qila Rai Pithora and is the first of the so called seven cities of Delhi. Qila is a Persianword meaning a fort or castle. At that time it was either called Durg or Garh Rai Pithora. Durg and Garh are a Sanskrit words meaning Fort. It was from the fort that the Tomar, Chauhan and the Slave Dynasty ruled over Delhi from 12th to 13th century. Qutub'd-Din captured it in 1192 and made it as his capital. Lal-Kot, its ramparts are cut through by the Delhi-Qutub and Badarpur-Qutub roads.       The ruins of the fort ramparts are still partly visible in the area around Qutab Minar. During the era of Tomar and Chauhans magnificent temples...

As in my last blog, I have discussed about the glorious history of this city "DELHI" now let's go deeper into the topic. Delhi is called 'City of Cities'. It is famously said that Delhi was the site for an aggregate of seven cities between 3000 BC and the seventeenth century BC, although taking smaller towns and fortifications into account, there were as many as 15 settlements. All the prior areas of Delhi fall inside a region normally called the 'Delhi Triangle', bounded on the south and west by the Arvalli range, known as the Delhi Ridge, and to the east by river Yamuna.      It is an arguable topic that the cities of Delhi were in reality less or more than seven. However, the acknowledged number is seven ( barring New Delhi). Historians speak of the 'Seven Cities of Delhi', but between 1100 AD and 1947, there have actually been eight of them:      1. Quila Rai Pithora      2. Mehrauli      3. Siri   ...

Delhi has been perceived by different names, one of the antiquated name of Delhi is INDRAPRASTHA (City of Indra). Indraprastha, as specified in our religious book Mahabharata was the capital of the kingdom drove by Pandavas. It is likewise said as "Indapatta" or "Indapattana" in pali dialect Buddhist writings, where it is depicted as the capital of the Kuru kingdom, suitated on the Yamuna waterway. The Buddhist writing likewise implies Hatthinipura (Hastinapura), which signifies 'THE ELEPHANT CITY'. The name Delhi may be derived from "DHILLIKA". It is otherwise called Yoginipura, that is the fortress of the Yoginis(female divinities).  There were numerous head who attacked Delhi and furthermore had added to the validity of this city. The main design demonstrate of this city was found in Mauryan period around 300BC. A sublime part to Delhi's history was included as 1966 with the revelation of an engraving of the Maurya head Ashoka which...

As, Delhi is the capital of India reflects the cultural diversity and religious unity of India . It is difficult to define the culture and religion of India. There is a continuous inflow people from all the parts of India. The cultural diversity is very prominent. Delhi being an ancient city has the shadow of its past. Delhi or Dilli, also famous as 'Dilli dilwalo ki' is the capital city of India and is well known for its rich cultural heritage and lifestyle. Delhi is often reffered as 'Mini India' because of the many religion and culture prevailing in the area. Delhi being the capital is the principal foot to the beautiful nation of India to the non natives. It is well connected to all the noticeable and prominent world wide urban area as well as all major cities of India. Delhi is said to be center of all business and market exercise that goes ahead in Northern India and an innovation focus. Being the capital the majority of central station of ...

India is the multicultural and the land of many tongues. There is a popular aphorism that well depicts India's linguistic diversity: 'Kos Kos par badle pani, chaar kos par bani' means the language spoken in India changes every few kilometers, just like the taste of the water. There is co-existence of many races, languages, cultures and religions an it has become the essence of country's heritage.    Sanskrit is considered to be the oldest language in human history. Sanskrit is the mother of all languages. And today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is the official language of the state " Uttarakhand ". Hindi came to be known as 'language' only in the late 19th century.    Being multilingual and multicultural makes our country more open minded on other cultures. A multi-cultural and multi-lingual society allows one to feel a connection to different cultures. Multiculturalism and multilingualism makes the land of I...

The bewitching land of India is praised at time to time by many. India has a charismatic charm which cannot be described in few words. Indian culture is very colorful as it is not bounded within one particular culture. There are variety of culture flourishing on the heart of this beautiful country. Indian culture is also referred as 'SALAD PLATTER' : different culture on one land.      And we can say that it is the greatness of this land, that it has accepted the best from all the invaders this is visible in all aspects whether it is music, dance, painting, sculptures, architecture, clothing. From Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh one can find many variation. People adapt and modify culture according to their local needs and influences.    Mark Twain praised the rich culture and vivid tradition of India in such words:       " India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech,...

As earlier in my first blog I have briefly discussed about heritage, now getting a bit penetrated into the topic, I would likely to discuss different aspects of heritage. Expertise also divide heritage into two parts : (a) Physical cultural heritage  (b) Non physical cultural heritage Physical cultural heritage  can be better understand as  (i) Movable : Books, Vedas, Documents, Clothes and other artifacts (ii) Immovable : Monuments, Buildings.  Non physical cultural heritage includes social values and traditions, customs and practices, aesthetic and spiritual beliefs, language, expressions and some other aspects of human activity.   " It is not the honor that you take with you, but the heritage you leave behind" - Branch Rickey

Heritage symbolizes our inherited traditions, monuments,objects and culture. Heritage is the resemblance from which we belong and to whom we belong.   Heritage and culture are two different but inter-related terms. Heritage speaks about the culture of the people of that time. And culture is the idea, custom, behavior of people or group of people towards the society. It is the way of living, tradition, values, habits thus, heritage and culture are the two indispensable terms. Heritage symbolizes our inherited traditions, monuments,objects and culture. Heritage is the resemblance from which we belong and to whom we belong.   Heritage and culture are two different but inter-related terms. Heritage speaks about the culture of the people of that time. And culture is the idea, custom, behavior of people or group of people towards the society. It is the way of living, tradition, values, habits thus, heritage and culture are the two indispensable terms.