For the love of trips....: India Gate: A tribute to the Indian Warriors

India Gate is the popular name of the war memorial located off-centre in a large hexagonal space with roads radiating from it, designed by Lutyens is similar to European Memorial arches. It is located at the heart of New Delhi and is easily accessible by DTC buses and Metro. The Nearest Metro station is Central Secretariat. While coming out of Metro station we can see the India Gate from the Raisina Hills. In the opposite direction of India Gate, we can see the residence of the President of India. Republic Day Parade follows the Rajpath and leads to India Gate.

Rajpath Leading to India Gate from Rashtrapati Bhawan

India Gate

The arch stands 42m high and is made up of Red Bharatpur Stone. The foundation stone of India Gate was laid by Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught in 1921. The arch commemorates the 70000 Indian Soldiers who had given the sacrifice of their lives in the First World War for British Army. The memorial bears more than 13500 names of British and Indian Army officers killed in North-Western Frontier in the Afghan war in 1919. After laying the foundation stone of the War memorial in 1921, the rail-line was shifted to run along the Yamuna River and the New Delhi Railway Station was opened in 1926. The arch is having a large stone with pine cones on both sides. As per Roman mythology, these pines are the symbols of death and regeneration. The cornice is inscribed with the Imperial suns. The dates MCMXIV (1914 left) and MCMXIX (1919 right) are inscribed on both sides of the arch. The shallow domed bowl at the top is intended to be filled with burning oil on special occasions which is rarely performed nowadays.

Pine Cones at India Gate

Below the word INDIA, message inscribed in capital letters at India Gate:

"TO THE DEAD OF THE INDIAN ARMIES WHO FELL HONOURED IN FRANCE AND FLANDERS MESOPOTAMIA AND PERSIA EAST AFRICA GALLIPOLI AND ELSEWHERE IN THE NEAR AND THE FAR-EAST AND IN SACRED MEMORY ALSO OF THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE RECORDED AND WHO FELL IN INDIA OR THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER AND DURING THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR"

The message inscribed on India Gate

Night View of Pine Cones

Amar Jawan Jyoti

In 1931, the monument was dedicated to the nation by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin. Below the arches, Amar Jawan Jyoti, the `flame of the eternal warrior` was erected as a tribute to Indian Soldiers bravery and sacrifice during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The eternal flame burns day and night giving tribute to the soldiers who lay down their lives to save their nation from enemies. The structure is consisting of black marble plinth, with the reversed rifle, capped by war helmet, bound by four urns, each with the permanent light (Jyoti) from (CNG) flames. Amar Jawan Jyoti is manned round the clock by soldiers drawn from the three services of the Indian armed forces. Wreaths are placed at the Amar Jawan Jyoti on 26 January, by the Prime Minister of India, and Chiefs of Armed Forces; on Vijay Diwas, and on Infantry Day.

Canopy at India Gate

East of this memorial there is a canopy which is placed in the centre of the hexagon. The canopy was designed by Lutyens as a memorial to George V, who died in 1936. It used to hold the statue of George V till 1968. After which it has been removed to Coronation Park, North Delhi. There has been a debate about placing a statue of Mahatma Gandhi under this canopy to its demolition. But it is still visible from a distance and is adding beauty to India gate.

Earlier in the British era, the area around India gate was famous as 'Princess Park'. In Jul 2014, Government has announced plans to construct a National War Memorial around the canopy and a National War Museum in adjoining Princess Park. This is one of the famous, popular and most visited places in Delhi, irrespective of age groups. One can see hordes of people moving around the brightly lit area and on the lawns on summer evenings. A large expanse of lush green lawns around this arch is a popular picnic spot. The Republic Day The parade starts from Rashtrapati Bhavan and passes around the India Gate. We can see people flying kites, enjoying evening walks, gossiping. The lawn of India Gate has one of the famous boat clubs. Flood Lighting in the evening adds to its beauty.