The seat of empires, and the undisputed throne of India - regardless of who rules, because for there to be a nation at all it must be ruled from Delhi. Even its earliest recorded history marks it as the foundation of a dynasty that conquered much of the subcontinent - hosting first the Delhi Sultanate, then the mighty Mughal Empire, and then falling under the control of the British, following which it lay dormant as the Raj found itself administered from Kolkata.

Yet even the most foreign rulers of India yet found themselves lured to Delhi, finally shifting the seat of power all the way west as the city once more found itself the nucleus of an empire, and transformed under their rule. Bearing the indelible heritage of its many overlords and occupants - architectural, cultural, and in demographics - Delhi as a whole is a microcosm of the mighty diversity that the Republic of India seeks its strength and legitimacy from. The British may have been kicked out, and India may be ruled by Indians - but power comes from Delhi still.

Well, almost.