Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
© Jayakumar/Shutterstoc
Honouring 72 years of democracy. India Republic Day
You might never guess that this ornate, skylit building, with an exterior covered in intricate carvings and artwork, was once a military base. Perched high on a hill above the city of Jodhpur, the colossal Mehrangarh Fort—aka the Citadel of the Sun—was built nearly five centuries before its home country became a democratic republic.
India's Republic Day commemorates January 26, 1950, when the constitution of India was adopted and the newly independent nation became a democratic republic. At the time of independence, the Republic of India had a population of 370 million, making the new nation the world's most populous democracy. It remains so today, with a population nearing 1.4 billion.
Related Images
Donkeys in a valley near Rhyolite, Nevada, United States
Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile
Plaza de España, Seville, Spain
The Milky Way framed by Double Arch in Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario
Spire Cove in Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Alaska, United States
Joshua trees under the Milky Way, California, United States
Today on Bing
European beech forest in Belgium
Jan 26, 2025
Northern hawk-owl
Jan 26, 2024
The Taj Mahal for India's Republic Day
Jan 26, 2020
Rajgad Fort near Pune, India
Jan 26, 2019