• Know why the British making of Delhi as India’s capital has roots in the Partition of Bengal and other key reasons why Delhi became the capital.

On the occasion of December 12, 2025 being the 114^th anniversary of Delhi, I read an interesting Indian Express article, Why Delhi was chosen as India’s new capital 114 years ago. While reading about the reason for partition of Bengal in 1905 I had read something more so decided to compile this article.

1. Background

“Shahajanabad (old Delhi) no doubt had been the capital during Mughal rule. The new capital was carved out from undivided Punjab province and renamed as New Delhi in 1927.” 3

The new capital was inaugurated in 1931. “The last of these was the unveiling of the All-India War Memorial, now known as India Gate.” It took two decades to build the new capital. 2

The trigger was the partition of Bengal in 1905, its reversal and reforms.

2. First, what was the real reason for partition of Bengal?

One was to weaken the influence of the Bengali Hindus who had imposed an increasing burden on the Government of Bengal by the spread of higher education and advanced political aspirations that accompany it. With Calcutta no longer being India’s capital it was hoped that importance of Bengalis in national affairs would fall. Partition of Bengal would also give Dacca a central position in the relation to the rest in the new Province. 

Two, was the motive of placating Muslims and creating a separate Muslim bloc against Hindus with respect to political views.

In actual operation, the new administration openly favoured Muslims. No wonder the Nawab of Dacca Salimullah grew in strength. Perhaps, as a result the Muslim League was founded in Dacca in 1906. At its first meeting a resolution was passed upholding Partition as beneficial to the community. M Ali in 1923 referred to reversal of Partition of Bengal as an important cause for the alienation of Muslims from the British government.

Lord Hardinge arrived in India in 1910. He announced that the King and Queen would hold an Imperial Durbar in December 1911. On reaching Calcutta, he realized it could not be held there. So was prepared a plan for annulment of partition of Bengal and shifting of capital to Delhi. It would please the Muslims too because they saw Delhi as the ancient capital of the Mughals. 1 Pg. 165

Calcutta had become a less hospital city for the British so they had to move out.

3. Why Delhi for capital?

As Indians wanted a greater share in governance reforms were proposed. Here the Governor-General in Council was to be supreme with governance decentralised to Provinces. Thus, the Council should not be associated with any one Province. Calcutta was associated with Bengal so needed to remove the Government of India from Calcutta to an independent town just like the U.S. The move would facilitate growth of local self-government. 1 Pg. 164

Swapna Liddle’s 2018 book on the Making of New Delhi as quoted in the Indian Express article, gave more reasons for choosing Delhi as capital.

a. “Its advantages of location included equidistance from the major commercial centres of Calcutta and Bombay, and closer proximity to Simla. 

b. Simla was important because the upper echelons of government used to make an annual migration to Simla, where they spent the summer months.

c. Delhi was also easily accessible from different parts of the country, located at the junction of six railway lines. 

d. “Finally,” writes Liddle, “located in North India, it was closer to the majority of the princely states.””

Since am aware of Delhi’s summers, realize need for being close to hill stations of Simla, Mussourie, Kumaon. Darjeeling in Bengal was probably not the same.  

e. “There were a total of 14 walled gates that protected the city. Five of them i.e. Ajmeri Gate, Lahori Gate, Kashmiri Gate, Delhi Gate, and Turkman Gate are still standing.” 3

f. Delhi would give the British a more central seat of power in India as compared to the port towns of Bombay (now Mumbai), Calcutta, Madras and Karachi.

In which case Nagpur might have been suitable being in the centre of India. May be, the British wanted to be close to Simla and did not wish to be in Maratha territory-the Princely States close to Delhi provided comfort.

Perhaps, the British did not realize that Delhi was close to a desert (Thar) and know the region was earthquake prone  Over 100 years ago, perhaps the Aravillis protected Delhi and there were fewer vehicles.

1. The History and Culture of Indian People published by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Volume 11 Struggle for Freedom. First edition 1969, second in 1988.

2. How Delhi became the power capital of India

3. Times of India 2017 report on why Delhi as capital

4. For some old pictures of Delhi

5. How Delhi became India’s capital