India Gate

India Gate is New Delhi's great war memorial, a 42-metre sandstone arch at the eastern end of the grand Rajpath (now Kartavya Path) ceremonial avenue, inscribed with the names of tens of thousands of Indian soldiers who died in the First World War and the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Beneath it burns the eternal flame honouring the fallen. By day it's a dignified monument; by evening it becomes one of Delhi's great public gathering spaces, with families picnicking on the surrounding lawns, ice-cream vendors, and the arch beautifully floodlit.

It anchors the ceremonial heart of the capital, with the redeveloped Kartavya Path stretching toward the government buildings of Raisina Hill. Come at dusk for the lit monument and the lively, very local evening atmosphere on the lawns.

Don't miss

• The 42m memorial arch and inscribed names
• The eternal flame honouring fallen soldiers
• The floodlit monument after dark
• Evening picnics and street food on the surrounding lawns
• The ceremonial Kartavya Path axis toward Raisina Hill

Good for

How travelers rate it

Know before you go

• Evening is the time to come, floodlit arch, cooler air, and a lively local crowd on the lawns.
• Street-food and ice-cream vendors gather here at night; it's a very local scene.
• Security is tight around the ceremonial area; you can't approach the flame directly.
• Combine it with a stroll along Kartavya Path toward the government buildings.

A bit of history

Designed by Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1931 as part of New Delhi's imperial capital, India Gate commemorates Indian soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in WWI and related campaigns. After independence it took on national significance; an eternal flame for the unknown soldier burned beneath it for decades, and a National War Memorial was later added nearby.