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India Gate
India Gate
India
India Gate
Established 1921
Unveiled 1931
Location
28°36′46.31″N 77°13′45.5″Enear Delhi, In
dia
The India Gate is the national monument of India. Situated in the heart of New Delhi, India Gate was
designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Originally known as All India War Memorial, it is a prominent landmark
in Delhi and commemorates the 90,000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who lost their lives while fighting
for the British Indian Empire, or more correctly the British Raj in World War I and the Third Anglo-Afghan
Originally, a Statue of King George V had stood under the now-vacant canopy in front of the India Gate, and
was removed to Coronation Park with other statues. Following India's independence, India Gate became the
site of the Indian Army's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, known as the Amar Jawan Jyoti (The flame of the
immortal soldier).
Contents
[hide]
• 1 Site
• 2 Amar Jawan Jyoti
• 3 Canopy
• 4 Gallery
• 5 See also
• 6 External links
[edit]Site
The 42-metre tall India Gate is situated such that many important roads spread out from it. Traffic passing
around India Gate used to be continuous until the roads were closed to the public due to terrorist threats.
The lawns around Rajpath throng with people during the evening, when the India Gate is lit up. Ice cream
and street food vendors come out during this time and it becomes a popular picnic venue for families.
The India Gate hexagon complex covers approximately 306000m² in area with a diameter of about 625m.
Burning in a shrine under the arch of India Gate since 1971 is the Amar Jawan Jyoti (the flame of the
immortal soldier) which marks the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The shrine itself is a black
marblecenotaph with a rifle placed on its barrel, crested by a soldier's helmet. Each face of the cenotaph has
This cenotaph is itself placed on an edifice which has on its four corners four torches that are perpetually
Today, it is customary for the President and the Prime Minister, as well as visiting Guests of State, to pay
homage at the site on occasions of State ceremonies, and each Republic Day, 26 January, the Prime
Minister pays homage to the soldiers along with Heads of Armed Forces, before joining the annual parade at
the Rajpath.
[edit]Canopy
Standing right behind the gate is an empty canopy made out of sandstone, also designed by Lutyens, and
inspired by a 18th century Mahabalipuram pavilion, that until Independence of India in 1947 had the statue
of King George V, which now stands in the Coronation Park, Delhi. There were multiple plans and calls to
have a seated or standing statue of Mahatma Gandhi installed, which were subject to debate and have not
[edit]Gallery
(Oct, 2010)