Delhi was founded in the year 734 by Tomar Rajput rulers and has been the capital of various rulers of the Indian sub-continent. This has been the capital of the Chohans, the Sultans, the Lodhis and the Moguls. In 1803, the British partly occupied it. In 1857, they finally annexed it. On December 12, 1911, the British emperor George V declared Delhi as the capital of the British India. He also laid down the foundation of New Delhi between the area of Pahar Ganj and Safdar Ganj, on December 15, 1911. In 1929, the construction of the Viceregal Lodge was completed. Today, about one million Sikhs live in Delhi. In 1921, the number was only 2669, in 1971 it was 291123, in 1981 it was 393921 and in 1991 it was 455657.
THE SIKHS & DELHI: The ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib, and three Sikhs (Bhai Dial Das, Bhai Mati Das, and Bhai Sati Das) were martyred here, at Chandani Chowk, on November 11, 1675. In March and June 1716, Banda Singh Bahadur and his more than 746 companions were martyred here (at Chandni Chowk and Mehrauli). The Sikhs, under the leadership of Jathedar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Baba Baghel Singh, Sirdar Rai Singh Bhangi, and Sirdar Gurdit Singh Ladwa etc. occupied Delhi and hoisted Khalsa Blue flag on the Red Fort on March 11, 1783. The Moguls were compelled to sign a treaty with Baba Baghel Singh for 37.5% share of the octroi tax of Delhi. A place named Tees Hazari reminds of Baghel Singh and his ‘Tees Hazar’ (30000) army. Baghel Singh had built the first Gurdwaras of the city during 1783-1788. (Later, renovation was undertaken and additions were made). On January 14, 1914, the British regime demolished the outer wall of the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj. An agitation by the Sikhs, however, compelled the regime to rebuild the wall. In 1930, Gurdwara Sis Ganj was a scene of firing by the police (some processionists, who had entered the Gurdwara, during a procession, were fired at by the police). On June 12, 1960, the Indian regime put siege to Gurdwara Sis Ganj to stop a Sikh procession. On this day, several Sikhs were brutally beaten. Some of them, later, died. In 1978 too, the Janta party regime repeated the same. In 1994, the Congress-controlled D.D.A. authorities demolished a part of the campus of Gurdwara Majnu Tilla.
During ‘Black November 1984’, several killer gangs, led by the leaders of the Congress Party, butchered thousands of innocent Sikhs to death in savage manner. Rajiv Gandhi, the then prime minister, justified these killings by saying that “when a big tree falls, the earth trembles.” It is shameful that a large number of international leaders were present in Delhi at short distances from the scenes of these gruesome killings, but not a single international leader dared say even a single word of sympathy, for the innocent Sikhs.
There are several Gurdwaras in Delhi and New Delhi: (1) Gurdwara Majnu Tilla situated on the right bank of the river Yamuna, opposite Timarpur Colony (has been built in memory of the visit of Guru Nanak Sahib); (2) Gurdwara Nanak Piao, situated on the Grand Trunk Road, outside Old Subzi Mandi (built in memory of the visit of Guru Nanak); (3) Gurdwara Bangla Sahib (it was the residence of Mirza Jai Sinh. Guru Harkrishan stayed here in March 1664 and Guru Tegh Bahadur visited this place thrice, in 1664, 1665 and 1670); (4) Gurdwara Bala Sahib, situated on the Ring Road, on the other side of the Maharani Bagh Colony (Guru Harkrishan, Mata Sahib Kaur and Mata Sunder Kaur were cremated here); (5) Gurdwara Sis Ganj, situated at Chandani Chowk, near the Red Fort (Guru Tegh Bahadur, Bhai Dial Das, Bhai Mati Das and Bhai Sati Das were martyred here on November 11, 1675; and more than 740 Sikhs were martyred here in March 1716); (6) Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, situated near Parliament House (it was the residence of Bhai Lakkhi Rai Yadav Wanjara; the body of Guru Tegh Bahadur was cremated here); (7) Gurdwara Moti Bagh, situated on the Ring Road between Dhaula Kuan and Shanti Path (has been built in memory of the visit of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib in 1707).; (8) Gurdwara Damdama Sahib, situated on the bank of river Yamuna, near the tomb of Hamayun (has been built in memory of the visit of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib); (9) Gurdwara Mata Sunder Kaur, situated behind J.P.Nayak Hospital adjoining Ghalib Urdu Academy, near Turkman Gate. [Mata Sunder Kaur and Mata Sahib Kaur stayed here for several years]. Besides, there are several Gurdwaras built by local Sikhs. Some of these have very fine buildings. Gurdwara Banda Singh Bahadur has been built near Kutub Minar, overlooking Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki (in Mehrauli). It was here that the great Sikh General Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and several Sikhs were martyred on June 9, 1716.