India Gate, Delhi
The 42 meters high India Gate stands in the centre of New Delhi, an "Arc-de-Triomphe." It is commemorating the 70,000 Indian troops who were killed in the war in Afghanistan in 1919, almost like its French counterpart, in the First World War for the British Army. The memorial bears the names of the over 13,516 Indian and British soldiers killed on the north-west frontier.
His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught, laid the founding stone for India Gate in 1921 and designed by Edwin Lutyens. Ten years later, by the then Viceroy Lord Irwin, the monument was dedicated to the nation. After India had gained its independence, Amar Jawan Jyoti has been added much later. The eternal monument flames the people of the Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971 day and night. The soldiers are remembered in the war.
The whole arch is located on a low base of Bharatpur red stone and rises to a huge moulding in stages. The suns on the cornice are imperial, while the dates MCMXIV (1914 left) and MCMXIX (1919 right) on both sides of the arch are there. The shallow domed bowl at the top was meant to be filled on anniversaries with burning oil, but this is not often done.
The India Gate is radically floodlit during nightfall while the nearby fountains are displaying a beautiful colourful light. India Gate is located on one end of the Rajpath and is generally referred to as the Indian Gate in its surroundings. A large area of lush green lawns, a popular picnic point, is surrounding the impressive structure. Humans move around the lit area and on the lawns in the summer evenings.
The Indian Gate is among many British monuments, which were established by the Imperial War Graves Commission. Sir Edwin Lutyens was an architect who designed numerous other military monuments and was the main planner of New Delhi as well. In 1921 the Duke of Connaught, the third son of Queen Victoria, laid the foundation stone. As was originally known, the construction of the All-India War Memorial continued until 1931 when New Delhi was formally devoted to as the capital of India.
