Delhi through the years: A story of the past and the present through images

Watch the history of the Capital unfold in front of your eyes as Yuvraj Khanna, a drummer and a lawyer, juxtaposes images from the 19th and the 20th centuries with scenes from the present.

Ever wondered how the famed Connaught Place looked in early 20th century? Or how different was the traffic at the Rashrapati Bhawan back then? Well, Yuvraj Khanna, a 24-year-old lawyer in High Court took to the lens to provide a glimpse of the Capital’s history. But his are no usual landscape shots. He captures the city’s past and present by juxtaposing old images from the early 1900s with those from the present .

In the 19th Century the Iron Pillar of Qutub Minar Complex was used as a shoulder rest. (Yuvraj Khanna)

“I had a fascination with the history, New Delhi is the 11th city we saw today. I want to show how the city has changed over centuries so I capture it the way it has evolved. I didn’t want stereotypical before and after images, therefore clicked a sync picture. Through these images I want to present the glorious side of Delhi,” says Khanna.

What traffic once looked like at Rashtrapati Bhawan. (Yuvraj Khanna)

He sources all his pictures from Internet and been working on the project for the last five months. “I sourced all the pictures online and cut them in a manner that was very monument specific so as to create a visual juxtaposition. I selected around 50 pictures but all of them didn’t turn out correctly and only 11 created picture perfect scenes,” says Khanna. For more images you can check his Instagram account.

This photo in front of Rashtrapati Bhawan shows the change in the common mode of transport from cycles to cars. (Yuvraj Khanna)