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Colonialism and the City The Story of an Imperial Capital
How did the Old City of Delhi change under British rule?
The British wanted Delhi to forget its Mughal past so it changed the old city of Delhi.
The area around the Fort was completely cleared of gardens, pavilions and mosques (though temples were left intact). The British wanted a clear ground for security reasons. Mosques in particular were either destroyed, or put to other uses. For instance, the Zinatal-Masjid was converted into a bakery. No worship was allowed in the Jama Masjid for five years. One-third of the city was demolished, and its canals were filled up.
In the 1870s, the western walls of Shahjahanabad were broken to establish the railway and to allow the city to expand beyond the walls. The British now began living in the sprawling Civil Lines area that came up in the north, away from the Indians in the Walled City. The Delhi College was turned into a school, and shut down in 1877.
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After 1857 no worship was allowed in the Jama Masjid for five years.
More money was spent on cleaning Old Delhi than New Delhi.
The first structure to successfully use the dome was called the _______________.
The two architects who designed New Delhi and Shahjahanabad were ______________ and _______________.
The British saw overcrowded spaces as ______________ .
In 1888 an extension scheme called the ________________________ was devised.
Identify three differences in the city design of New Delhi and Shahjahanabad.
Who lived in the ‘white’ areas in cities such as Madras?
What is meant by de-urbanisation?
Why did the British choose to hold a grand Durbar in Delhi although it was not the capital?
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