India Gate Delhi

Located in the heart of the city at the Rajpath, India Gate is surrounded by lush green fields and spacious wide roads that offer a perfect view while you are on a drive along the circular pathways of that area. The lush green lawns, Children Park and the famous boat club around the place make it a perfect picnic spot. Cool evening breeze near the fountains of India gate attract hundreds of visitors daily. In the evenings, India gate is illuminated with number of lights around it that gives it a magnificent appeal. It is counted among the national monuments of our country. The beautifully lit up monument provides a splendid view of the stretch between India Gate and the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The first foundation stone of India Gate was laid by the Duke of Connaught in 1921 and was designed by Edwin Lutyens. The monument was dedicated to the nation 10 years later by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin. With the emergence of Indian independence, India Gate became the site of the Indian Army's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, known as the Amar Jawan Jyoti - Immortal Soldier. This eternal flame was lighted in remembrance of the unknown soldiers who laid their lives to serve this nation and as part of the tribute to the dead soldiers; a shining rifle crowned by a soldier's helmet is placed on a high pedestal near the flame. India Gate was built as a tribute in the memory of more than 80,000 Indian soldiers who were killed during World War I, the Afghan War and the North-West Frontier operations of 1919. The monument is an impressive 42 meters high arch and was designed by the famous architect Edwin Lutyens. Earlier, this monument was named as All India War Memorial and its design is similar to its French counterpart war memorial, the Arc-de-Triomphe.

The building is made of beige coloured stone that stand upright and ends up into a huge moulding . On top of the arch, the word, INDIA is written on both sides along with names of more than 70,000 Indian soldiers engraved on the walls of the monument in whose memory it is built. As the night falls, the surrounding ambiance of the India Gate is floodlit with fountains nearby making a lovely display with coloured lights.

Every year on 26th January India gate witnesses the Republic Day parade where latest advancements of defense technology and different culture of different states of the country are showcased. The parade is also a good platform to have a glimpse at the colourful and diverse cultural heritage of India as artists from all over the country perform on the occasion. President, president and every other person who comes as the guest of person pay homage at the site on occasions of State ceremonies, and each Republic Day.