In the six decades since the creation of New Delhi as the capital of British India, the city has undergone a sea change. Made initially to cater to a population 70,000, the total urban population of Delhi now exceeds 8 million.

The city has exploded in all directions beyond the confines of Lutyens's wide, tree-lined avenues, with an exuberance that is characteristically Indian. Several factors have contributed to this breathless pace of growth. For North India, especially, Independence also meant Partition.

In 1947, many Muslims Families of Delhi migrated to Pakistan while many Hindus and Sikhs from west Punjab sought refuge in the city. They were given land west of the Ridge and south of New Delhi. Many of these refugees also their houses across the Yamuna and north of Shahjahanabad. Since, then, the influx into the city hasn't ceased. The manpower required by the government in the capital is itself staggering.

Industrialists, entrepreneurs and migrant labor from all over India have turned to Delhi in search of livelihood and success, and made it a commercial capital as well. The cultivated fields which till recently could be seen on the outskirts of the city, have been developed into residential colonies and commercial complexes. High- rise buildings now stand chek - by - jowl with Delhi's 1300 monuments. Villagers such as Khirkee, Begumpur, Hauz khas, Sheikh Sarai and Nizamuddin which grow around mebiewal Delhi's shifting capital 'cities', have now been engulfed by the urban sprawl. Many of them, however, retain their old-world characteristics.

The line of distinction between Old and New Delhi had begun to blur- north; south, east and west Delhi are more prevalent terms of demarcation. The facilities and opportunities available in Delhi have attracted Indians from far- flung corners of the country, making it a melting pot of sorts.

On the other hand, the presence of diplomatic and trade missions, the growing number of multi-national companies and foreign investors, and the influx of tourists and visiting professionals have given the city, especially its southern and central parts, a cosmopolitan air. The coexistence of the past and the present at many levels characterizes Delhi, as it does India.

The assimilation of a specific cultural influence is expressed differently by people living in different parts of the city, a fact that offers insights into the social strata. South Delhi is undoubtedly the trend - setter, and the fashions and lifestyles introduced here become the aspiration of many.

There are however, dramatic differences in locaties, standards of living and adherence to traditions. Delhi is one of the most historic capitals in the world and two of its monuments- the Qutab Minar and Humayun's Tomb- have been declared World Heritage Sites.

It is also one of the greenest capitals for the visitor, it serves as a perfect introduction to the cultural wealth, the complexities and the dynamism of India which Jawaharlal Nehru likened to 'an ancient palimpsest on which layer upon layer of thought and reverie has been inscribed'. Delhi, too, is a may layered city, and is still changing.