At the center of New Delhi stands the 42m high India Gate, an "Arc-de-Triomphe"
like Archway in the middle of a crossroad. Almost similar to its French
counterpart war memorial. It commemorates the 70,000 Indian soldiers who
lost their lives fighting for the British Army during the First World War
and bears the names of more than 13,516 British and Indian soldiers killed
in the Northwestern Frontier in the Afghan war of 1919. The foundation stone
was laid by His Royal Highness, 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. Another memorial, Amar Jawan Jyoti was added much
later, after India got its independence. It is in the form of a flame that
burns day and night under the arch to remind the nation of soldiers who laid
down their lives in the Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971. The entire arch
stands on a low base of red Bharatpur stone and rises in stages to a huge
molding, beneath, which are inscribed Imperial sons. Above on both sides is
inscribed INDIA, flanked by MCM and to the right, XIX. The shallow domed
bowl at the top was intended to be filled with burning oil on anniversaries
but this is rarely done. Surrounding the imposing structure is a large
expanse of lush green lawns, which is a popular picnic spot. One can see
hoards of people moving about the brightly lit area and on the lawns on
summer evenings.
