In Dayal’s lifetime Delhi was just another city close to his birthplace – Meerut. Delhi though a historic metropolis is a 20th century city built on the ruins of 7 cities, each of which was the capital of a powerful empire. Modern Delhi was commissioned only in 1930 and hence images from Dayal’s collection reflect the old ruins and monuments.

The architecture of medieval Delhi is Indo Islamic with some of the monuments embodying Hindu designs and structure as in Kutub Minar and Firozshah Kotla. The Red Fort on the banks of the Yamuna was built by Shah Jehan and consists of several interesting structures within- the halls of public and private audience, the Moti Masjid etc. Nearby is the Juma Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India, its rather deserted look of 1890s now replaced by a bustling market place all around.

Modern Delhi has a lot to offer the tourist by way of its historical legacy.