Delhi’s Dalhousie Road renamed Dara Shikoh Road after Mughal king Aurangzeb’s brother

New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Monday renamed ‘Dalhousie Road’, near Vijay Chowk, after Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb's elder brother Dara Shikoh.

Earlier on Monday, BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, who is a member of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), had proposed to rename ‘Dalhousie Road’ after Mughal Emperor Aurangazeb’s elder brother Dara Shikoh. The road was earlier named after Lord Dalhousie, who served as Governor General of India from 1848-56.

A special meeting of the NDMC was called on Monday morning to discuss and pass this proposal.

“It has brought to my notice that ‘Dalhousie Road’, which was named on the then British Governor General of India, is situated at the heart of New Delhi. Residents of my constituency have requested to rename this road in the name of ‘Dara Shikoh’,” Lekhi wrote in the letter dated February 3. 

Dara Shikoh, the eldest son of fifth Mughal Emperor Shahjahan has been credited by historians for promoting peace and accord between the followers of Hinduism and Islam, and prmoted the cause of universal brotherhood and humanism.

He was an admirer of fine arts and music, and took his last breath in Delhi,” Lekhi in the letter, which has been addressed to NDMC chairman Naresh Kumar, says.

This is the third road in the Lutyens’ Zone of Delhi to be renamed in recent times. Two years back, Aurangzeb Road was renamed as APJ Abdul Kalam Road after the former president. Last year, Race Course Road got a new name, Lok Kalyan Marg.

Other roads in central Delhi that were renamed in the past are Curzon Road to Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Irwin Road to Baba Kharak Singh Marg, King Edward Road to Maulana Azad Road and Kingsway to Rajpath.