Firingi Pura(Foreigners' Town)

madhav175

Many thousands of Europeans took service in Indian Courts all over the subcontinent. They were attracted by the remarkable religious freedom of India, and also by the better prospects, and higher and more regular pay. Others were no doubt lured from Portuguese service by he delights of a society in which slavery,concubinage and polygamy were widespread and entirely accepted. At the heights of the Mughal Empire, so many Europeans took service in the Mughal army that a special suburb was built for them outside Delhi called Firingi Pura(Foreigners' Town). The inhabitants of Firingi Pura included renegade Portuguese,Englishmen and French, many of whom chose to convert to Islam, and who formed a distinct Firingi(or Foreigners') regiment under a Frenchman titled Farrashish Khan.
-excrypt from White Mughals by William Dalrymple

Is the place near Delhi still known as Firingi Pura? Are there ruins, monuments from that time? If yes, where is this place?

delhiwala

Well ! I have never heard about such a place......

But then Delhi is a city which never fails to amaze you.......

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shashank.aggarwal

I agree, being born and brought up here, I have still have not come to terms with amount on history that this city has.

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Spineless

Travelogue - Around India

madhav175

yeah, very true, even reading about the monuments in Delhi is very exciting. can't wait to get there and explore all the places and I hope I find this place, Firingi Pura. The name itself sounds so enchanting.

Cardinal Divide

I can't find Firingi Pura in my bible, Delhi, A Thousand Years of Building. It might be worth emailing William Dalrymple. There is a link on his website and it says he likes to hear from his readers. I would like to send him a message of thanks but I can't seem to think of anything to say that doesn't sound corny!
Does anyone know of any good historical documentaries on Delhi or India for that matter.
When I first went to Delhi in 2003 I thought that it might be the most unlovable city on earth. Dalrymple's books and Lucy Peck's Delhi, A Thousand Years of Building along with Delhi, A City Guide have turned it into a place of delight. A grin always spreads across my face on the first morning of each visit when I roar away from Majnu ka Tilla in an auto rickshaw to visit my next historic site. The smell of exhaust fumes and the dusty wind in my face fills my heart with joy. That must sound strange but it is true.

PeakXV

Great post CD - that giant outdoor museum is magical, mystical, strangely compelling - you suddenly become a child again within that historic stone maze. What secrets still remain buried or hidden within her .......

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Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

shashank.aggarwal

Great words, I cannot help but relate these to my feelings whenever I enter Old Delhi (And again, being a native to the city, its lot many times). Once I am into Old Delhi, god knows what takes over me, chaos becomes beautiful, my eyes start to see things in a different light, that Burkha clad lady, the chain of rickshaws, Kachori waala, phool waala, paan waala, Mithai waala, that tree, that house, balcony, crossing, gate...

I just keep on smiling, and have this mushy feeling in heart, of being lucky enough to be there.

sa_ill

Very well said mister.

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Indojingai

Another name for Pahargunj ... perhaps?

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namaste_cat

This ex-Delhiite has never heard of "Firangi Pura" either.

delhiwala

As I see, there is not enough good quality information available about Delhi Monuments/Sites......

I think we should make a separate thread with pics/info/history/how to reach etc for that...Or may be I should start a blog for that.....

livinhimalayas

I read about this somewhere but can't recall where - I think it must have been an interview with Dalrymple where he mentions the area but sorry I wasn't paying much attention so can't recall. That doesn't help much, does it??

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Hyderabadi

Same here, I seem to remember something vaguely every time I see this thread! Was it in a book or was it on one of these forums?

Jyoti da to the rescue please!

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Cardinal Divide

I Googled it and I didn't come up with anything. But Google does not know all. Only what it is told. I am constantly amazed at what I cannot find on the internet when it comes to history and archaeology.
Actually I am amazed at what is not recorded properly period. I am doing a project photographing and digitally enhancing prehistoric rock art in my region here in Canada. Although there are only around 100 sites, representing almost the only record of artistic and religious expression dating from 150 to 3000 years before present, many of them have never been photographed and many of the sites are also incorrectly recorded. So it does not surprise me at all that little is known of Firingi Pura.