 Location : New Delhi
Famous As : All India War Memorial
Designed By : Edwin Lutyens In 1921
Height : 42m
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.
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