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India Gate - Delhi |
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India Gate is a 42 m high majestic war memorial built in commemoration of the World War-I martyrs. Thousands of Indian soldiers sacrificed their lives fighting for the British in the war. Stood right at the heart of New Delhi, this popular tourist site of the city was a creation of the great British architect and designer Sir Edward Lutyens. It was His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught who laid the foundation stone of India Gate in 1921. Ten years later the monument was dedicated to the nation by the then Voiceroy, Lord Irwin.
The war memorial stands facing the great Rashtrapati Bhavan (House of the President), from the other end of the Rajpath. Every wall of this war memorial is covered with names of thousands of soldiers who laid down their lives during the World War-I. A vast expanse of green lawn surrounded the complex. The site forms a favorite picnic spot and hoards of people come here for relaxation during summer. One can see number of local vendors selling ice creams, balloons and other food items here. At sunset the place is lit up intensely with floodlights and colorful fountains.
Another memorial-Amar Jawan Jyoti (eternal flame) was added to this site much later in the form of a flame that keeps burning day and night in memory of the Indian soldiers who laid down their lives fighting the Pakistanis in the Indo-Park War of December 1971.
The entire arch of the Gate stands on a low platform of red sandstone and rises to a huge molding. At the top is inscribed the word INDIA on both the sides of this war memorial, flanked by MCM and to the right XIX. There is a sallow dome bowl above intended to be filled with burning oil on anniversaries but it is rarely used.
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