India, May 27 -- When Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built Shahjahanabad as his new capital in the 17th century, he wrapped it in formidable walls and crowned it with 13 grand gateways. These were no mere architectural flourishes. The gates were the city's watchmen-marking entry points for traders and emperors, guiding pilgrims, and standing guard during invasions. Each gate led to a city beyond: Ajmer, Kashmir, Kabul, Lahore.

Today, only four stand - Kashmere Gate, Delhi Gate, Ajmeri Gate, and Turkman Gate. The rest have been swallowed by the city's relentless sprawl. And those that survive, now choked by traffic and neglect, stand as crumbling reminders of a Delhi that has all but outgrown its own memory.

"Once proud guardians of an imperi...