ABSTRACT
In its history of over 3,000 years, Delhi has experienced the rise and fall of many empires. Its residents have seen opulence, poverty, battles and massacres, the stories of which have stayed with the memorials constructed over the ages. The history of Delhi is not limited to conquests and carnages; it also belongs to its able administrators and the common people, their cultures, ideas, creations, constructions, emotions, manners and also their interaction with the environment.
The temporal changes in urban greens are mostly neglected in urban history and particularly in the history of Delhi. This chapter touches upon some prominent periods and presents a detailed historical account of changing green spaces during the Early (Mahabharata), Mughal, British and Post-Independent periods of Delhi. The history of green spaces in this chapter include both planned and natural green spaces and their interface with the various empires, planners, policymakers and the general public.
