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Places
To Visit In Delhi - India / Qutub Minar
Qutub
Minar
Delhi
- India
Historical
Construction Of A Landmark
In 1199, Qutub-ud-Din raised the Qutub Minar either as a victory tower
or as a minaret to the adjacent mosque. From a base of 14.32m
it tapers to 2.75m at a height of 72.5m and a valid reason why it took
two decades to complete this monument.
Its a red sandstone tower covered with beautiful and striking carvings
and is inscribed with verses from the holy Quran. Qutub Minar is still
the highest stone tower in India as well as one of the finest Islamic
structures ever raised and Delhi's recognised landmark. The sultan's
successor and son-in-law, Iltutmish, completed it.
In 1303, Ala-ud-Din established the second city of Delhi, called Siri,
of which nothing remains but the embattlements. He also had dug a vast
reservoir, Hauz Khas, to supply water to his city. Contemporary
historians describe the Delhi of that time as being the
"envy of Baghdad, the rival of Cairo and equal to
Constantinople".
For the sake of convenience, tourists visiting the Qutub Complex could
also see the Tomb of Adham Khan and Zafar Mahal in Mehrauli and the
Tomb of Jamali-Kamali behind the Qutub Minar. These however, belong to
a later date.
The
Damage & Restoration
From the Nagari and Persian inscriptions
on the minar, it appears that it was damaged twice by lightning, in
1326 and 1368. The first damage occurred during Muhammed Tughluq's
reign (1325-51), and was repaired by him apparently in 1332. The
second damage was attended by Feroze Tughluq (1351-88). Later in 1503,
Sikandar Lodi (1489-1517) also carried out some restoration in the
upper storeys.
Originally the minar had only four storeys, faced with red and buff
sandstone. The uppermost storey, which was damaged in 1368 during
Feroze Tughluq's reign, was replaced by him by two storeys, making
free use of marble but leaving the lower portion of the fourth storey
built with sandstone in its original condition.
The original three storeys are each laid on a different plan, the
lowest with alternate angular and circular flutings, the second with
round ones and the third with angular ones only, with the same
alignment of flutings, however, being carried through them all.
Its projecting balconies with stalactite pendentive type of brackets
and inscriptional decorative bands on different storeys heighten its
decorative effect. It has a diameter of 14.32 m at the base and about
2.75 m on the top. With a height of 72.5 m and 379 steps, it is the
highest stone tower in India and a perfect example of minar known to
exist anywhere.
The
Legend Of The Qutub
There exists a tradition that the Qutub-Minar was built by Prithviraj,
the last Chauhan king of Delhi, for enabling his daughter to behold
the sacred river Yamuna, from its top as part of her daily
worship.
A Landmark In Islamic Architecture
The Minar's entire architecture, however, bespeaks an Islamic origin,
with two of its prototypes in brick still existing at Ghazni, although
Hindu craftsmen were certainly employed for its construction, as is
evident also from certain 'Devanagari' inscriptions on its surface.
Sometimes sculptured stones from temples have been found utilised in
it.
Originally, it was surmounted by a cupola, which fell down during an
earthquake and was replaced early in the 19th century with a new
cupola in the late Mughal style, by one Major Smith. It looked,
however, so incongruous that it was brought down in 1848, and may now
be seen on the lawns to the south east of the minar.
A
Complex Of Astounding Monuments
Quwwatu'l-Islam
Masjid
Just adjacent to the tower is the mosque of Quwwatu'l-Islam
Masjid, which can become a bewildering experience for those who are
not familiar with its history. It was supposed to have been built
using the materials and masonry of the remains of Hindu Temples
and architecture.
On one hand there is the beautiful, exceptional Islamic handwriting
and brocaded designs. Then there are pillars with clearly pre-Islamic
Hindu motifs. The reason is that the pillars were taken from the 27
temples of Qila Rai Pithora, the city of the Rajput king Prithviraj
Chauhan. This in fact has been recorded by Qutub-ud-Din in his
inscriptions, who call it the Jami Masjid (Friday Mosque) in his
inscriptions. The mosque was started in 1192 by Qutub-ud-din Aibak,
the first ruler of the Slave Dynasty and was finished four years
later.
The Iron Pillar
In the courtyard of the Quwwatu'l-Islam mosque stands the famous iron
pillar, which bears a Sanskrit inscription in Gupta script,
palaeographically assignable to the 4th century, a date which is also
confirmed by the peculiar style of its 'Amalaka'-capital.
The inscription records that the pillar was set up as a standard or
dhvaja of god Vishnu on the hill known as 'Vishnupada', in the memory
of a mighty king, named 'Chandra', who is now regarded as identical
with Chandragupta II (375-413) of the imperial Gupta dynasty. A deep
hole on the top of the pillar indicates that an additional member,
perhaps an image of 'Garuda', was fitted into it to answer to its
description as a standard of Vishnu.
The pillar has been brought here evidently from somewhere, else, as no
other relics of the 4th century are found at the site. There is a
strong bardic tradition that it was brought here - wherefrom, nobody
knows - by Anangpal, the Tomar king who is credited with the founding
of Delhi.
A Notable Relic
The base of the pillar is knobby, with small pieces of iron tying it
to its foundations, and a lead sheet covers the portion concealed
below the present floor-level.
The total length of this slightly tapering shaft is 7.20m, of which
93cm is buried below the ground. The metal of the pillar has been
found to be almost pure malleable iron. Its portion below the ground
shows some signs of rusting, but at a very slow rate. The manufacture
of such a massive iron pillar, which has not deteriorated much during
sixteen hundred years of its existence, is a standing testimony to the
metallurgical skill of ancient Indians.
A traditional belief says that any one who can encircle the entire
column will have their wish granted. However, it is fenced off from
tourists so as to avoid any damage.
Alai
Minar
The ambitious rubble Alai Minar was started by Alauddin Khalji but the
sultan lived to see it only to the height of 24.5m and no body was
ready to complete his over-ambitious project. It was built to match
the enlarged Quwwatu'l-Islam Masjid. Today it is used more like an
illustration, by parents, that when you get over ambitious, the plans
remain unfinished.
Alai Darwaza
The southern gateway of the Quwwatu'l-Islam mosque, as extended by
Ala-ud-Din Khalji, is known as the Ala-i-Darwaza and among its several
inscriptions executed to form an ornamental surface, three mention the
date of its erection as 710 A.H. (1311
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