OLD-WORLD CHARM

Delhi's Civil Lines area has many a historical imprint and continues to be the seat of power today 

- SONI MISHRA

The Civil Lines area of Delhi has a rich, layered eminence in the existence of the city. From the pre-Mughal and the Mughal era to the colonial and postcolonial growth of the city into a metropolis, the area on the northern limits of the capital bears many imprints of history.

The low-rise residences hidden behind tall gates convey a sense of old money. The broad, leafy avenues manage to remain relatively quiet despite the buzzing bylanes of Old Delhi situated not far away. It is the seat of Delhi’s power, with top functionaries of the state administration living here. The Vidhan Sabha, the chief minister’s residence and the lieutenant governor’s official abode are all here. It is also the repository of Delhi’s engrossing historical heritage.

The area had first become important in the British scheme of things when the army of the East India Company defeated the Marathas at the Battle of Patparganj in 1803 and won territory around Delhi. When the British arrived in the northern extremity of Delhi, the monuments that stood out in the vicinity included Firoz Shah’s hunting lodge in the Ridge Forest, the Chauburja Mosque built during the Tughlaq ruler’s reign and the Qudsia Bagh, a garden built by the Mughals on the banks of the Yamuna.

It was in this historical backdrop that the British built a settlement that was distinctly European but adapted to Indian conditions. The area almost became the symbol of imperial supremacy, since New Delhi, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and built further south in and around the Raisina Hill, became the seat of power.