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| The Red Fort | | |
| The Red Fort, with a circumference of over 2.2 kilometers, was laid out by the banks of the Yamuna
river in the 17th century. The Mughal emperor Shajahan built it with the ambition of concentrating
the Mughal power in one monument. Monument is perhaps not the right word. A mini-city is more like
it.
Unfortunately for the emperor, before he could move his capital from Agra to Shahjahanabad in Delhi,
he was taken a political prisoner by his son Aurangazeb. The fort is a delight to one's imagination.
Imagine the Naqqar Khana (Drum room) also called Naubat Khana (Welcome Room), where once drums
loudly heralded the arrival of the emperor and the Diwan-e-Am
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(Hall of Public Audience) resounded
with the incantations of the people. Amazing, isn't it? There's more to see - Mumtaz Mahal, Rang
Mahal (Palace of Colours), Khas Mahal (Emperor's Palace), Diwan-e Khas (Hall of Private Audience),
the Hammam (bathing area) and Shah Burj. The fort has two main entrances - Delhi Gate and Lahore
Gate. The latter get its name from the fact that it faces Lahore in Pakistan. It's entrance leads to
Delhi's most crowded bazaar, Chandni Chowk. A must see! |
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| Purana Quila | | |
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In 1538, the Mughal emperor Humayun laid the foundations of his city named Dinpanah, or the Refuge
of the Faithful. The inner citadel of this city is today called Purana Qila or the Old Fort. An old
fort, it is! One can almost smell the ancient stories oozing from the corners of the fort. The site
of the fort was also Indraprasta, the capital of the famed warriors of the Mahabharata, the
Pandavas. Excavations near the eastern wall of the fort reveal that the site had been occupied since
1000 B.C. Archaeologists found painted grey ware pottery and other remains, which date back to the
Mahabharata. | |
The Purana Qila has three gates - Humayun Darwaza, Talaqi Darwaza and Bara Darwaza. The
present entrance is the Bara Darwaza, an imposing red sandstone gate on the western wall. Inside the
Purana Qila is the Sher Mandal, a two-storied octagonal pavilion in red sandstone, built by Sher
Shah. Humayun used it as a library after he captured the fort. However, the Mandal is tragic, since
it was here where the emperor is said to have tripped on its tortuous stairs and tumbled to his
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| Qutub Minar | | |
| The highest stone tower in India, the Qutub Minar was built by Qutbuddin Aibak, the viceroy of
Mohammed Ghori in 1192. It was built to celebrate Ghori's victory over the Rajputs. The tower and
the victory are very significant, because both heralded the birth of a new dynasty - Slave Dynasty.
And it laid the foundations of the Delhi Sultanate. And the rest, as one would put it after
witnessing this monumental tower, was history.
The Minar is a five-storey building with a height of 72.5 metres. The first storey of the Qutb Minar
was completed in the lifetime of Qutbuddin. His son-in-law and successor, Iltumush, added the next
three storeys. |
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Within the complex, is the famous Iron Pillar which has stood for millennia without rusting,
Quwwat-ul-Islam, the first mosque built in India, and the Alai Darwaza, the gateway to the complex
erected by Alauddin Khilji. The entry to the Minar has been closed, after the tower became infamous
for the several suicides that were committed here.
Qutb Minar is a successful tribute to architecture, as it captures one's attention by its sheer mass
appeal. Even on close encounter, the attention lingers, owing to the delicate and almost ethereal
carvings. |
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| Iron Pillar | | |
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The 7.2 metre high pillar, standing within the Qutb Minar complex, is a proof of India's advanced
knowledge of metallurgy 2000 years ago. For it continues to stand, even today, rust-free. The pillar
was erected sometime between the 4th and 5th century AD as a Dhavaja-stambha (flagpole) of a Vishnu
temple.
It was erected in memory of King Chandragupta Vikramamditya who ruled from 375 to 413 AD. The
Sanskrit inscriptions on the pillar record these facts. Unbelievable, considering today, even the
spoons in our kitchens cannot guarantee this kind of an immortality after centuries of scientific
progress!
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Another thing one has to do after laying one's sight on this pillar is, to go and give it
a bear hug. Besides the metallurgic excellence, it is believed that hugging the pillar will make all
of one's wishes come true. So… go, see and hug!
Address: Qutb Minar Complex, Mehrauli, Delhi-Gurgoan Road |
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| India Gate | | |
| This solemn monument was built in memory of the 90,000 Indian soldiers who died in World War I. It
was built in 1931, designed by Lutyens, and was originally called the All India War Memorial. The
names of the soldiers are inscribed on the walls of the arc of the gate. Later in 1971, an eternal
flame was lit here in memory of the unknown soldiers who died in the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. India
Gate stands at the end of Rajpath, and is a popular picnic site especially during hot summer
evenings. At night, the Gate is brightly lit and the fountains near the Gate are lit with coloured
lights. The sight is delightful. |
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