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This Photographer Climbed To The Top Of India Gate To Get Some Spectacular Shots Of Delhi

This Photographer Climbed To The Top Of India Gate To Get Some Spectacular Shots Of Delhi
Aditya Kapoor

Majestically standing in the heart of the national capital, the India Gate is abuzz with people from dawn to dusk. A photographer has beautifully captured the bustle around the monument that houses the Amar Jawan Jyoti -- a tribute to the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for the country.

It is fiercely guarded by all three services of the armed forces -- the Army, Air Force and Navy on rotating duty around the clock.

"Peering up at the Amar Jawan Jyoti from behind velvet ropes, or taking an exterior picture of one side of India Gate is as close as anyone can normally get," says Delhi-based photographer Aditya Kapoor. Which is why he couldn't believe his luck when he actually got permission to climb to the very top of India Gate.

Commissioned to shoot a coffee table book for the Ministry Of Defense, Kapoor wanted access to shoot different sects of army music bands from a clear vantage point. "I was informed by the Commanding Officer that I could climb up on top of India Gate to get the aerial view I was looking for," he says, also remembering feeling overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of the view.

"There are over 300 steps that takes you right to the top of India Gate which offers a majestic view of Rashtrapati Bhawan on one side and the green pastures surrounding the canopy behind," says Kapoor. "At the top of the monument, there are two levels of giant circular halls, and smaller cells with arches similar to the main architecture along the stairwells. Meanwhile, an underground gas pipeline is connected to the Amar Jawan Jyoti to ensure it remains lit 24/7!"

Kapoor climbed India Gate at different times of the day and night to document the structure in various settings -- from "being infested with hundreds of visitors, and ice cream vendors" to the still after a thunderstorm. "Once during the day, I managed to capture the entire shadow of 'the Gate' in the foreground, with Rashtrapati Bhawan in the background -- it's quite an unusual sight," he says.

Kapoor said the entire experience left him feeling much closer to the Capital, almost like a secret no one else has. He is eshmile on Instagram.

Aditya Kapoor
A panorama of Delhi shot from India Gate just after the rains.
Aditya Kapoor
This is the a picture of the central dome at the topmost point of India Gate itself, with a ladder leading upto the top. The pattern around it that almost resembles the sun's ray is actually rain water that has trickled in.
Aditya Kapoor
A glimpse of this heritage site with the entire shadow in the foreground.
Aditya Kapoor
A view of the Rashtrapati Bhawan in the background from atop India Gate.
Aditya Kapoor
People, when shooting, are only able to capture one side of this massive arch. By placing my camera pointing upwards on the floor right next to the Amar Jawan Jyoti, I was able to capture the entire arch.
Aditya Kapoor
All these open spaces have arches which are reminiscent of the main arch itself.
Aditya Kapoor
The little mezzanine levels make for an interesting perspective when you look through them. In this case, it was the body of a guard, and this is how much I could see of him through the window.
Aditya Kapoor
A panorama of the little room that leads up to the top.
Aditya Kapoor
Crowds mill around India Gate at all times.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.