New Delhi is 100 years today. It was on 12th December, 1911, that the British King George V held the “Delhi Durbar” to commemorate his Coronation and announced the shifting of the Capital of British India from Calcutta to Delhi. The historical announcement restored the lost glory of Delhi as the traditional seat of power and capital of the sub-continent before the arrival of British on the political landscape. Then began the task of converting Delhi into the capital of British empire. To house the Viceroy, the British Architect Edwin Lutyens chose the Raisina Hill to build the Viceregal House, presently known as Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Parliament House, North and South Blocks and other government buildings also came up around. It took the British Raj 20 years to unveil the New Delhi in 1931. A report from our News Desk:

Four kilometres from Kingsway Camp on Burari Road in North Delhi, the Coronation Park bears testimony to the “Delhi Durbar” held by King George V on this day in 1911. Here stands a tall, white marble statue of King George V which looks aloof today. But a century ago, hundreds of tents were spread over the area to shelter the royal entourage, Army and civil officers, other dignitaries and of course, the 562 Indian Princes or “Rayyatdars” who came from all over the country to pay their respects and show allegiance to the Imperial Kingdom. And from here, the King made the historic announcement of the transfer of the seat of his government from Calcutta to Delhi. And a new city called New Delhi was born, whose imposing buildings, the architectural marvels of modern India, still continue to be the epicentre of power in Independent India.