The dawn of a new century saw Shahjahanabad poised on the verge of fundamental changes. In the course of the next half-century, it would go from being a relic of the Mughal empire, to the capital of the British Raj, and soon after, to being relegated to the status of a poor adjunct to the brand new city of New Delhi.

The death of Queen Victoria in 1901 was commemorated in Delhi with the formation of a fund, to which many citizens, particularly those of a loyalist bent, subscribed. The money raised was used to found the Victoria Zanana Hospital (now Kasturba Hospital)—a hospital exclusively for women.

But the death of the ‘Empress of India’ coincided with the end of an era dominated by loyalists. The new century would see a considerable increase in political activism in the city. In Delhi, the response to the Indian National Congress, which had held its first session in Bombay in December 1885, had been moderate in the late 1880s, and very lukewarm in the 1890s. Soon however the people of Delhi would join nationalist politics in larger numbers.

One of the first organized platforms for protest was the Ratepayers’ Association, formed in 1902 to agitate against the House Tax, which had been recently instituted. This was later renamed as the Citizens’ Union and began to concern itself with various grievances against municipal and other authorities. This, and a couple of other organizations, became the forum for discussing issues of all-India as well as local importance. The membership consisted mainly of members of the legal profession and St Stephen’s College. In 1884, self- government had come to Delhi, in the form of elections to the municipality, based on a restricted ballot. In the 1900s, an increasing number of lawyers began to be elected. This was an important sign of the times. Earlier, members had been almost exclusively bankers and merchants—who were traditionally more conservative.

The Imperial government at Calcutta, however, was still running in its old groove. It was decided that the best way to ensure the loyalty of the Indian people was another Durbar at Delhi, to be held at the end of 1902-early 1903, to announce the coronation of the new monarch, Edward VII. Though many parts of the country were still reeling under the effects of the famines of 1897 and 1900, in which millions had died, the festivities were organized on an unprecedented scale. The viceroy, Curzon, had taken a keen personal interest in the planning of the Durbar, and on his orders, parts of the Red Fort were used for the festivities. The Diwan-e-Aam was renovated and fitted with electric lights, and a Royal tea was held in the Hayat Baksh Bagh.

Months before the Durbar took place, elaborate construction schemes were underway to prepare the vast camp that accommodated the guests. A veritable tented city had been created, which included a light railway and electric lighting. This was in stark contrast with civic amenities in Shahjahanabad, which tended to lag behind even other Indian cities. A waterworks scheme had only been introduced to the city in the 1890s, after much bickering over the expense involved. Modern drainage would only be completed in 1909. Electricity came to Delhi with the Durbar in 1902, but at first would be used only in industry. The telephone lay somewhat in the future; the first manual telephone exchange was set up in Civil Lines in 1911, and one was added in the Kashmiri Gate area in 1923.

The procession of the Viceroy through the city was grander than it had been in the Durbar of 1877. Unlike the latter, it included the glittering spectacle of the ruling chiefs who had come to the city to attend the assemblage. They joined the procession, seated on their richly caparisoned elephants, accompanied by colourful entourages. Foreign guests and journalists watched the procession from the Jama Masjid, others from the fort. Most Indians, visitors as well as the residents of the city, watched from along the streets, behind a cordon of military guards. More than the Durbar of 1877, the 1903 Durbar was meant to impress the world. The large number of foreign journalists and photographers attending, succeed in conveying this.

Excerpt: 'Chandni Chowk The Mughal City Of Old Delhi' By Swapna Liddle