When babies are born, their parents put so much thought into naming them. Have you wondered how cities get their names? Why is our capital called Delhi? Is there any fascinating history behind it?
Delhi’s name has undergone many changes. During the Mahabharata, it was Indraprastha. Later, the Jat King, Raja Dhilu, named it Dhilu, and King Anangpal Tomar changed it to Dhilli. Persian and Hindustani influence may have given the name Dehli. Britishers later renamed it New Delhi.
Delhi’s name, just like the city, has a rich history. The city and the names it has been called by have undergone several transformations.
The Mystery Behind Delhi’s Name
Alexander Cunningham, the first director of the Archeological Survey of India, has written that the name of our capital city has seen many changes, from ‘Dhilu’, ‘Dhillika’, ‘Dhilli’, and ‘Dehli’ to finally becoming Delhi.
You can read more about this in Alexander Cunningham’s Four Reports Made During the Years 1862-63-64-65 (Volume I – Page 132). It has been preserved by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.
1. History of Delhi’s Name Begins With Indraprastha
As Indians, most of us are well-versed in the legend of the Mahabharata. But how many of us have wondered about its connection with Delhi?
Some believe it is based on actual events, while others call it a fable. Nonetheless, the Mahabharata does have a strong connection with Delhi.
According to a celebrated archaeologist, B.B. Lal, the Mahabharata dates back to 950 BCE.
Around this time, the eldest Pandava, Yudhisther, established the city of Indraprastha along the banks of the River Yamuna.
According to modern-day research, Indraprastha was believed to be located in the region of Purana Qila (Old Fort).
Book to Read: Read Kamala Subramaniam’s version of Mahabharata to get a fresh perspective on the tale and also learn more about the cities of Indraprastha and Hastinapur.
2. Raja Dhillu and His Association With Delhi
One of the most well-known claims of how Delhi got its present name is the story of the Jat King, Raja Dhilu. However, some historians believe Raja Dhilu to be a descendant of the Mauryas.
The Jatt Dhillons are believed to be descendants of the mighty Karna from the epic Mahabharata. Delhi was the centre for Jatt Dhillons during their reign of 500+ years (800-283 BC).
A descendant of the Jat Dhillon clan, Raja Dhilu is said to have later established a township in the southwest of modern-day Delhi.
It is unanimously believed that he laid down the foundation of modern-day Delhi after the destruction of the fabled cities of Hastinapur and Indraprastha. The timeline for it is thought to be around 800 BCE.
In modern times, this area is in the Qutub Minar complex.
In Swami Dayanand Saraswati’s (Founder of the Arya Samaj) Satyarth Prakash, he mentioned Raja Dhilu’s reign in areas of modern-day Delhi around the 8th century BCE.
Book to Read: Satyarth Prakash by Swami Dayanand Saraswati. It is also available in English.
3. The Tomar Dynasty and Their Dhillika
Delhi rose like a phoenix every time it was plundered. King Anangpal II of the Tomar Dynasty is also credited with its founding. He established and populated our capital city in 1052 AD.
Delhi was known as ‘Dhillika’ or ‘Dhilli’ during his time. Before I proceed, here’s a quick word on the Vikram Samvat. It is a Hindu calendar, still used in several Indian states.
It follows both lunar and solar cycles. It is named after King Vikramaditya, who started using it in 57 BC. A Vikram Samvat inscription of 1383 states the Tomars are the founders of Delhi.
The inscription in Sanskrit translates to:
“There is a region called Haryana akin to heaven on Earth. This city is Dhillikakhya, built by the Tomars.”
Several other pieces of written evidence point towards Anangpal II Tomar being the founder of Delhi.
Some people believe that coins made during the reign of the Tomar dynasty were called ‘Dehliwal’, from which the name ‘Dehli’ may have been coined.
4. Legend of the Loose Iron Pillar Gave Delhi Its Name
There is an exciting story about the legend of a loose Iron pillar that probably gave the city its name, ‘Dhilli’. Anangpal II Tomar ruled over his territory with an iron fist.
The centre of his rule was Lal-Kot, believed to be the forerunner for the Red Fort commissioned by Shah Jahan almost 800 years later.
In this Lal-Kot compound, Anangpal Tomar erected a Gupta Empire Iron Pillar, symbolic of the establishment of this new town. The Tomar domination of this region went on for 444 years.
There was a prediction that the Tomars would rule unopposed till the Iron Pillar stood tall. To test the prediction, King Anangpal II ordered his soldiers to dig up the foundation of the pillar.
The finding shocked everyone: the base of the pillar was covered by the blood of serpents. According to a legend, the pillar rested on the head of the Serpent King, Vasuki.
It is believed that Vasuki wrapped itself around the Earth and gave the dynasty stability. Anangpal ordered the pillar to be placed back into the ground.
Despite repeated attempts, the pillar could not be placed stably in the ground, rendering it loose or ‘dhilla’. Due to this ‘dhilla’ (loose) Iron pillar, the city may have been named Dhilli/Dhillika.
This Iron Pillar is still present near the Qutub Minar. In the epic poem ‘Prithviraj Raso’ in Braj language, Chand Bardai mentions the legend of the Iron Pillar.
You can visit Qutub Minar to experience this majestic Iron pillar.
Nearest Metro Station: Qutub Minar (Yellow line)
Timings: 7 am to 8 pm. It is open the entire week.
Cost : ₹35/- for Indian adults and ₹550/- for Foreigners. Entry is free for children under 14 years.
5. Influence of Prithviraj Chauhan and Other Languages
Many scholars and historians believe that the name Delhi is a distorted version of ‘Dehleez’, a Persian word, or ‘Dehli’, a Hindustani word, both of which mean a ‘gateway’.
Many historians believe this claim because Delhi is the gateway to the Indo-Gangetic plains. After the Tomar dynasty’s rule, Prithviraj Chauhan took over the reign of Delhi.
He had a stronghold and defeated many invaders. During his time the city was known as ‘Dilpat’.
Page 302 of the Hobson-Jobson Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases (Volume 1) talks about Dilpat and Dilli in detail.
6. The British Contribution to Delhi’s Name
The British Empire’s capital when they ruled over India was Calcutta. On 12 December 1911, King George V announced the change of British India’s capital from Calcutta to Delhi.
The capital of British India was changed to Delhi as the British wished to have a place where the Government could spend all seasons. They chose Delhi as it was closer to their summer capital, Shimla.
Another reason is the uprising against the British Empire in Calcutta. On 15 December 1911, he and Queen Mary laid the foundation stone for the new capital.
Almost 15 years later, on 15 December 1926, King George V officially renamed the capital New Delhi. Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker are credited for the architecture of this new city.
The parts of Delhi they designed include the President’s House, Secretariats, residences of council members, etc. This part of Delhi is also called ‘Lutyens Delhi’.
From that day on, the name stuck, and India’s capital became known as New Delhi. The modern Hindi pronunciation is Dilli.
Our city has been called by several names in the past, and the Hindi version may be a remnant of those names.
Today, Delhi is called mini-India but there’s hundreds of years of history behind why it’s known as Delhi.
Fun Fact: New Delhi is a district in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. It is where the administrative buildings are located, and the name is often used interchangeably with Delhi.