Five Sikhs who built modern-day Delhi

Delhi: Pundit Sadhu Ram, a priest of Hanuman Mandir with a huge idol of Lord Hanuman just outside the busy Tilak Bridge, vividly remembers when it was known as Hardinge Bridge and the area was called Harding Lane. These names were changed in the 1970s. Of course, Delhi remains indebted to the Viceroy of India, Lord Hardinge, as thanks to his recommendation, India’s capital shifted from Kolkata to Delhi. In a letter dated August 25, 1911, from Shimla to the British government, Lord Hardinge wrote, “It would be a better option for Britain to rule by making Delhi the capital, as compared to Calcutta (now Kolkata).” Lord Hardinge served as the Viceroy and Governor General of India from 1910 to 1916.

On December 12, 1911, at the third Delhi Durbar held in Coronation Park near Burari, the announcement to shift the capital from Kolkata to Delhi was made. It also marked the coronation of King George V. Ironically, many who pass Coronation Park today are unaware of its historical significance. A statue of King George V can still be found in Coronation Park. This same statue stood at India Gate until 1968, when it was replaced by a statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. During Lord Hardinge’s tenure, Edwin Lutyens was appointed as the chief designer of the new capital.

Once Lutyens and his team began work in Delhi in 1913, contractors from across the country flocked to the city, eager to secure contracts for the numerous buildings under construction.

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Remarkable Sikh contractors

The construction of the new capital raised the question of sourcing contractors. The government contacted prominent contractors nationwide, resulting in a large influx of contractors to Delhi, all vying for the lucrative and prestigious projects. Among those contractors, five Sikh contractors made exceptional contributions to the making of New Delhi. Renowned author Khushwant Singh, whose father was one of the five, used to say it would not be an exaggeration to say that most of New Delhi was built by a coterie of Sardar contractors of whom five did the lion’s share of building. In Sikh circles, they were known as Panj Pyare—the five beloved—after the first five followers of the last Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.”

“Sardar Sobha Singh, who came from Sargodha (now in Pakistan), with his father, Sardar Sujan Singh. Sobha Singh constructed several blocks of Connaught Place, parts of the President’s House, Scindia House, the Regal Building, the War Memorial, Union Academy School, and more,” writes Madan Thapliyal, former Director (Information) of New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), in his book Ek Sadi Ka Safar. Sobha Singh also built a bungalow at 1 Janpath, named “Baikunth,” designed by Walter George, who also designed the now-closed Regal Cinema Hall. A nameplate on the Janpath Lane gate still reads “Sir Sobha Singh”, indicating the father of author Khushwant Singh.

Apart from Sobha Singh, other notable Sikh contractors included Basakha Singh, Dharam Singh Sethi, Narain Singh, and Mohan Singh, all of whom left their homes in Punjab seeking large-scale projects in the new capital. Basakha Singh was the main contractor for North Block and several private buildings. Narain Singh constructed most of New Delhi’s roads. Dharam Singh was responsible for supplying stone from Dholpur (Rajasthan) and Agra (UP) for the President’s House, South and North Blocks. “Mohan Singh was building houses for government employees in Gole Market. It had more than two dozen squares where single-storey houses were built,” says Pritam Dhairwal, President of the Gole Market based Rajdhani Nagrik Kalyan Samiti. Edwin Lutyens often consulted these contractors, valuing their inputs. The contractors and their families, living largely in Jantar Mantar and Kasturba Gandhi Marg, developed close relationships through their shared work.

Basakha Singh built bungalows on South End Lane and Prithviraj Road, while Narain Singh built his on Curzon Road (now Kasturba Gandhi Marg) and constructed the Imperial Hotel, one of the capital’s first five-star hotels.

Other contractors

Seth Haroon Al Rashid from Karachi was the main contractor for the President’s House. Lachman Das, known for his integrity, constructed the Parliament House. Akbar Ali and Nawab Ali, two Punjabi Muslims, also played significant roles; Akbar Ali built the National Archives, and Nawab Ali developed the Amrit Udyan (earlier Mughal Gardens) of the President’s House. The President’s House, being a massive project, was handled by multiple contractors, each given specific sections.

Khushwant Singh writes in his essay The Romance of New Delhi: “Lachman Das was a deeply humane man. He lived amongst the labourers constructing the Parliament House. Lord Irwin inaugurated the Parliament House on January 18, 1932. Lachman Das was present; his mission was complete, and he was satisfied with his work. However, he didn’t take on any more projects in Delhi and didn’t return to his home in Sindh. Instead, he became a Sadhu in Haridwar, where he eventually passed away.”

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Faceless labourers

Sadly, when discussing the making of New Delhi, the role of faceless workers is more often than not unrecognised. Most of the labourers were brought from Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bhilwara, and other parts of Rajasthan to Delhi. They came with their families. Initially, they were housed in Paharganj. They had walked all the way from their villages to Delhi. These simple labourers earned one rupee a day, while women workers received eight annas (half a rupee). The government started allotting small plots to them in the Ragaipura area of Karol Bagh. While the majority of labourers were from Rajasthan, the stone carvers came from Agra and Mirzapur, with some from Bharatpur. They were masters at stone carving and latticework. Their ancestors had built significant monuments like the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, and Jama Masjid.

‘Imperial Delhi’ and ‘New Delhi’

If you’re a resident of the capital, you would know the new capital of India, New Delhi, was inaugurated on February 13, 1931. According to D Johnson and Richard Watson’s book New Delhi: The Last Imperial City, King George V gave his approval to name the new capital “New Delhi” on December 31, 1926—well before its inauguration.

Before “New Delhi” was finalised, names like Imperial Delhi, Raisina, and Delhi South were considered. However, it was agreed that the name should include “Delhi.” After the decision, an official notification was issued. By then, the Viceroy’s House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan), Council House (Parliament House), South and North Blocks, and many of New Delhi’s roads were almost complete. Connaught Place was nearing completion and opened in 1933.

The writer is a Delhi-based senior journalist and author of two books ‘Gandhi’s Delhi: April 12, 1915-January 30, 1948 and Beyond’ and ‘Dilli Ka Pehla Pyar – Connaught Place’