Here are few names Delhi was known as, in earlier times.
Every place has its own legacy and a series of past identities with several names and significant incidents associated with it. National Capital Territory Delhi has a rich heritage, be it cultural, monumental or aristocratic. Delhi has been known by several other names. Let's go through those cultural street. It was formerly known as Indraprastha, Dilli/Dhillika, and Shahjahanabad- names that echo its ancient, medieval, and Mughal past, respectively.
The earliest recorded name for Delhi is Indraprastha, famously mentioned in the Mahabharata as the capital city of the Pandavas. The epic locates Indraprastha along the banks of the Yamuna River and associates the city’s foundation with Yudhisthira, the eldest Pandava. Archaeological evidence suggests that Purana Qila, one of Delhi’s oldest forts, may be built on the very site of ancient Indraprastha, rooting Delhi’s identity deep in Indian mythology and over 3,000 years of history.
Medieval Delhi became commonly referred to as Dilli or Dhillika, particularly during the reign of the Delhi Sultanate (13th–16th centuries). Historians are of the opinion that the name derives from Raja Dhilu/Dhillu, a regional king who reigned in about 50 BCE, and the term "Dilli" developed as a memorial to him. The Tomar rulers, who are also claimed to be the founders of Delhi, even named it as "Dhillika" a name supported by inscriptions and old coins known as "Dehliwal". With time, the city consisted of different localities like Mehrauli, Siri, and Tughlaqabad, yet all of them bore the name Dilli among the people.
During the 17th century, Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan built a grand walled city called Shahjahanabad, today's Old Delhi. It featured architectural wonders such as the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, and Chandni Chowk. Shahjahanabad was the centre of the Mughal Empire and was renowned as a hub of culture and business.
With the beginning of British colonial domination, "Delhi" was designated as the formal name in 1911, when the city was constituted India's capital. Following independence, New Delhi emerged as the capital of government, but people still affectionately hold on to the name "Dilli", demonstrating the strong historic continuity of the city.
Old names of Delhi- Indraprastha, Dilli/Dhillika, and Shahjahanabad are not mere tags but pages from an evolving history of a saga that spans epic myths, royal dynasties, and imperial glory. Each name indicates a different era: ancient courage, medieval mystery, and Mughal magnificence leading to the dynamic city known today as Delhi.
