INDIA GATE

About India Gate

India Gate is one of the politically and historically significant places in Delhi. It is represented as an All India War Memorial as it displays its grandeur to honor the martyrdom of valor fore-taken by the India Army. It was constructed as a war memorial by the British Raj in order to pay tribute to the martyrdom of British Indian Army during the First World War. The deemed designer of this structure was Sir Edwin Lutyens. The foundation of this structure was laid in the year 1921. After ten years of planning and construction, it was finally inaugurated by the then Viceroy of India Sir Lord Irwin in February 1931. Visiting India Gate is a must as it is one of the famous places to visit in Delhi in one day, as it offers a deep insight into the country’s history and patriotic spirit.”

Now, it is seen as an honorary monument not only to the 72,000 soldiers who were martyred in the First World War, but also 13,300 servicemen who fought in the Anglo-Afghan War that later came to be known as the Bangladesh Liberal War. Within the premises of India Gate lies Amar Jawan Jyoti, or the Flame of Immortal Soldier that remains constantly flamed or lit up as a gesture of respect and honor to the martyrs. There is a huge parade that crosses India Gate on Republic Day to honor this tradition.

A canopy is situated at an area about 150 meters from the Gate. The architecture of this canopy was inspired from that of Mahabalipuram pavilions in the 6th century, thus embarking a journey of decadence. The canopy constitutes of a dome, and four pillars with ornate architecture.

However, the original structure constructed at the site of the canopy was that of King George V, the then Emperor of India. It encountered a lot of opposition after independence, and the statue was then placed with the other ancient ruins of pre-independent India. India Gate is a galore of independent India which salutes the brave martyrs for their endless sacrifices.

Amar Jawan Jyoti

The Flame of Immortal Soldier or Amar Jawan Jyoti is a black marble shrine constructed below India Gate, which has a flame burning inside it at all times. The flame pays tribute to the veteran soldiers who were martyred during the Bangladesh Liberation War between India and Pakistan in the year 1971.

The black cenotaph decorating the structure has the words ‘Amar Jawan’ inscribed on it in gold on its four walls. An inverted L1A1 rifle and a soldiers built at the top of the cenotaph honors the soldiers. This memorial is under surveillance 24/7 by soldiers from the Indian Navy, Indian Army and Indian Air Force.

History of India Gate

India Gate began its construction in the year 1921 under British Colonialism. Essentially, the idea behind its construction was to build a memoir to pay respect to British and Indian soldiers who will be martyred during the First World War.

The foundation of the war memorial was laid by the then Duke of Connaught on 10th February 1921. After 10 years, Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of India, inaugurated the memorial on 12th February 1931. Ideally, it was built to eternally represent the sacrifice of soldiers made out of nationalism and noble respect for their country.

The architecture of India Gate

India Gate poses as a remarkable war memorial, whose foundation was laid in the year 1921 and was inaugurated ten years later in 1931. The architectural style of India Gate is similar to that of a cenotaph. In the then Britain, cenotaphs were free of any form of religious association and thus were accepted as an honorary tribute to martyrdom. India Gate lies on the eastern end of the Rajpath Road and stands at a height of 42 meters.

The material used to construct this monument is Red Bharatpur Stone. The entire shape of the structure is in a hexagon and covers an area of 3,06,000 square meters. There are two danity fountains on either side of the India Gate that compliment its sense of grandeur.

There is a canopy that stands at about 150 meters from the Gate. Supported by four pillars, the dome on the canopy is said to be inspired by 6th-century architectural styles popular in Mahabalipuram. A statue of George V stands under the dome of the canopy. However, in 1960 after gaining independence, the statue was removed and placed with other architectural monuments of the British Era. The canopy still stands to decorate the surroundings.

How To Reach India Gate

India Gate is located at a distance of 18 km from the Delhi Airport and can be covered in 30 minutes. The easiest and most convenient way to cover this distance is either by hiring taxis that are available right outside the airport or getting an online cab from the airport.

DTC buses are connecting India Gate to the airport to make your journey easier. Catching a metro may be time consuming, and you will have to go out of your way for this journey. You can also catch auto-rickshaws to this war memorial.

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