Independence Day 2023: What is the history of Raisina Hill and how did the term originate?

The 76th Independence Day of India is nearing raising the patriotic feeling. As the tricolour waves with pride and signifies a long history of our country and its people, let us dig deep into the origins of Raisina Hill and its significance.

Raisina Hills is used as a metonym for the seat of the Government of India, meaning the area in New Delhi that houses the most important government buildings including the Rashtrapati Bhavan the residence of the President of India on a citadel at Raisina Hill. 

Raisina Hill: History

The responsibility to design the entire New Delhi fell on British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Inaugurated in 1931, the complex consisted of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, North and South Blocks, the Record Office, and the iconic India Gate monument. 

The heightened land offered a view of the entire city and other major monuments at a distance, a river stream flowing not very far from the area made it the ideal spot for the British to set up their official capital. 

During the project to build New Delhi city, 300 families were relocated and the land was acquired from them under the 1894 Land Acquisition Act. Originally the area belonged to 150 villages covering around 17,00 acres of land mostly inhabited by farmers which was acquired from them to relocate capital from Kolkata to Delhi. 

The land acquisition was not easy, while some of them simply surrendered their lands, others demanded compensation and after a long battle, the British government finally uprooted the villagers and began the construction of the government's palace. 

The main villages that were uprooted included--Raisina, Malcha, Kushak, Pelanjee, Dasgarah, Talkatora and Motibagh were completely uprooted from their original location. Originally known as the Raisina village later became Raisina Hill, the mainland for British rule.

Today the area has become a landmark housing the top government offices. With people visiting the legendary India Gate in memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice for their country the area, the city has a history that has been forgotten over the years.  

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