India Gate
India Gate was built in 1931 and was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the renowned British architect. The 42-meter structure, built to commemorate the victory of allied forces, stands in the west end of the Rajpath. It was previously officially known as the All India War Memorial. The names of the 90,000 Indian Army soldiers, who died in the First World War, Afghan campaign of 1919 and the North-West Frontier operations, are inscribed on the walls of this grand structure. Till date, this is considered the ultimate tribute by any colonial master to its brave and loyal subjects. The foundation stone of this memrobilia was laid on 10 February 1921 by the Duke of Connaught. It was completed in the year 1931.
Amar Jawan Jyoti (The flame of the immortal warrior), is burning beneath it since the Indo-Pak war of 1971 which marks the Unknown Soldier’s Tomb. The India Gate is situated at such a point where most of the important roads in Delhi pass by it. Thus it attracted apart from tourists, regular commuters who wanted to spend some quality time with themselves. Later the innermost part was closed to the public due to terrorist threats.
The lawns around Rajpath are brimming with people during the evening, specially in summers. The best time to visit India Gate is after sunset. In the evening the structure is lit with colored bulbs. These are colored with different colors representing the Indian Tricolor. The atmosphere is usually pleasant in evening and is nice for visiting India Gate. In the evening people come here for walk and children can be seen playing on the beautiful green lawns and around the trees that surround the structure. You can enjoy boating in the pools surrounding the lawns. This is popularly known as The Boat Club. You will also find many fountains surrounding the structure. The fountains too are illuminated by colors representing the Indian Tricolor.
Every year on 26th January India gate stands witness to the Republic Day parade where latest advancements of defence technology is displayed. The parade is also a good platform to have a glimpse at the colourful and diverse cultural heritage of India as artists from all over the country perform on the occasion.
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