Page 85 - SST Class 08

g The seventh city was Shahjahanabad. It was The Revolt of 1857 changed the face of Delhi.
built by Shah Jahan. You have read in Chapter 6 that the rebel sepoys

Shahjahanabad reached Delhi on 11 May 1857 and declared
Bahadur Shah Zafar the emperor of India. This
Shah Jahan began the construction of
Shahjahanabad in 1639. The city consisted of a shows the political and symbolic importance of
Delhi and that of the Mughal emperor. Delhi was
fort-palace complex and a residential area. There
in the hands of the sepoys for four months. By
was a wall running all around the city. There
20 September 1857, all parts of Delhi had been
were 14 gates for entry into the city. Some that
recaptured by the British.
still stand are—Lahori Gate, Delhi Gate, Ajmeri
Gate, Kashmiri Gate, Turkman Gate, Kabuli After the recapture of the city, the British
Gate, Nigambodh Gate and Mori Gate. embarked on a reign of Loot and plunder. All
inhabitants of the city were driven out. Delhi was
The city of Shahjahanabad had many markets
completely depopulated and deserted for many
(bazaars). Chandni Chowk was the most famous
structures inside the Fort were converted into
of them. It was established by Shah Jahan’s
barracks for British soldiers. Some new structures
daughter, Jahanara Begum. There was canal
running down the center of Chandni Chowk. It were also built inside the Red Fort, for the troops.
brought drinking water to the city. The British wished to make a break from the
There were several mohallas and bazaars in the past. So, they tried to change the entire land-
scape of Delhi. The area around the Red Forst
city. The rich lived in grand mansions called
was cleared. Large areas of the city were demol-
havelis. There were also many baolis or step
ished. These included many buildings, bazaars
wells, which were used to store water. Shah
and localities.
Jahan also built the Jama Masjid in the city. The
roof of the mosque had three domes with alter-
nate strips of black and white marble, with their
topmost parts covered in gold. It was the largest
congregational mosque in India. Nearly 25,000
people could offer prayers at the same time.
Jama Masjid was the highest point in the city
then. Can you guess why? Shahjahanabad was
an important centre of the sufi culture. It had
several dargahs and khanqahs. Thousands of
people visited the dargah of Khwaja Hazrat
Nizam-ud-Din Auliya.
Delhi in the Nineteenth Century After the uprising, Delhi was not confined to the
walls built by Shah Jahan. The British wanted to
After Lord Wellesley defeated the Marathas and
expand beyond it. Towards the north, the civil
forced Peshwa Baji Rao II to sign a subsidiary
lines area came up. British officers began to live
treaty (see Chapter 2), Delhi fell into the hands of
there. The railway network was also extended.
the British. At this time, Calcutta was the capital
of the British Empire. Delhi, however, was still Delhi in the Twentieth Century
the political center of the country as the Mughal In 1911, King George V was crowned in
emperor stayed at the Red Fort. England. To celebrate the occasion, a grand

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