The India Gate is located in New Delhi, India, and is a major tourist attraction among people visiting the national capital of India. It is located near Rajpath and can be reached via the Pragati Maidan Metro station.
India Gate Information
| Place | – | India Gate, New Delhi |
| Opened | – | 12th February 1931 |
| Architect | – | Edwin Lutyens |
| Height | – | 42 m |
| Timings | – | All Days (12:00 am – 12:00 am) |
History of India Gate, New Delhi (Delhi)
India Gate is also known as the war memorial in India as it was built to commemorate the 82,000 soldiers of the Indian national army who gave up their lives fighting for the British Raj in the First World War (1914-1918) and the third Anglo-Afghan war (1919).
Like the arch, the structure was built using red and pale sandstones along with granite. The India Gate is the official national monument of India. It is situated in the center or the heart of the national capital of India, New Delhi, and its design was created by the famous British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Experts have the belief that its structure was inspired by Arc De Triomphe in Paris. In the British Raj, it was known as the All India War Memorial.
When the memorial was built a statue of George V was under the canopy which was removed upon independence and now that area remains empty in front of the memorial. The statue was moved to the nearby Coronation Park along with a few other states.
After Independence, the memorial was converted into the tomb of the immortal soldier or the Unknown Soldier known as the Amar Jawan Jyoti which means the flame of the immortal soldier.
Till 1920, the only railway station was the old Delhi Railway station which went across the Kingsway, now known as Rajpath so the construction of the memorial was virtually impossible.
The construction of India Gate could only begin in 1924 when the New Delhi Railway station was opened for the public in 1926 with the train route shifted to the current Yamuna way. The arch is 42 meters tall and many important roads of the city pass through and around it.
The India Gate hexagon type area that has a diameter of 625 m and covers an area of 306000 meter square in its proximity. Every evening the area witnesses a huge number of visitors comprising of numerous local, national and international tourists.
Under the main arch-like structure is the shrine of the Amar Jawan Jyoti or the tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It consists of four continuously burning torches that reflect the spirit of the soldiers of the Indian National Army.
The central structure or the cenotaph was added to the monument in the year 1971 after the Indo-Pak war of the same year.
Each year on republic day, 26th of January, it is customary for the Prime Minister and the heads of armed forces on the occasion to pay homage to the soldiers who have given up their lives fighting for the pride of the nation. This is done before the republic day parade commences.
This custom started in the year 1972 when Mrs. Indira Gandhi, then prime minister paid homage to the soldiers who lost their lives in the war.
Besides the republic day parade passing through it, India Gate is also the venue to many other cultural events like Kite-flying events and music and educational events that take place around the year.
