The Durbar of 1911 marked a significant moment in showcasing the material advancements of colonial rule, including efforts to electrify Delhi. The image above shows the ‘state entry’ during the Durbar, where a procession passes an electric lamp in front of the Red Fort.
Despite the symbolic presence of electric lighting, large-scale electrification was not yet realised (and, in many ways, still isn’t). Oil lamps continued to be used in Delhi alongside newly installed electric lights, which were strategically placed from Kashmiri Gate to Faiz Bazar and from Lothian Road to the Railway Station. Oil depots were set up at the Turkoman Gate and Nigambodh Gate to clean, refill, or repair the lamps.
It was only after Delhi was announced as the capital of India that multiple lighting depots were established, with funding arriving at a critical time for political grandstanding. This, however, was a relief for the Delhi Municipal Committee, which had long advocated for an improved lighting system. Before this, oil lamps from all over Delhi had to be transported to the Turkoman Gate, where a small department of poorly paid workers maintained them.
The history of Delhi’s lighting and electrification, along with other aspects of its urban development, was shaped by political concerns—some of which continue to define the city today.
See you next Friday for more on Delhi.
No comments:
Post a Comment