At the center of New Dilli stands the 42 m high national monument of India, the India Gate, an “Arc-de-Triomphe” like archway in the middle of a crossroad. Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and inspired by the ‘Arc de Triomphe’ of Paris, it is almost similar to its French counterpart; it commemorates the 90,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who lost their lives during the World War I. The memorial bears the names of more than 13,516 British and Indian soldiers killed in the Northwestern Frontier in the Afghan war of 1919.
The India Gate was originally known as the All India War memorial it is made of red and pale composed granite. The foundation stone of India Gate was laid by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught in 1921. The monument was dedicated to the nation 10 years later by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin. Another memorial, Amar Jawan Jyoti was added later, after India got its independence. The eternal flame burns day and night under the arch to remind the nation of soldiers who laid down their lives in the Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971.
The cornice is inscribed with the Imperial suns while both sides of the arch have INDIA, flanked by the dates MCMXIV (1914 left) and MCMXIX (1919 right). The shallow domed bowl at the top was intended to be filled with burning oil on anniversaries but this is rarely done.
After sunset, India Gate is dramatically floodlit while the fountains nearby make a lovely display with colored lights. India Gate stands at one end of Rajpath, and the area surrounding it is generally called ‘India Gate’.
Surrounding the imposing structure is a large expanse of lush green lawns, which is a popular picnic spot. One can see hoards of people moving about the brightly lit area and on the lawns on summer evenings.
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