Forts & Monuments

Delhi, being the capital of many empires for centuries - especially of Mughal India, has a number of forts and monuments to boast of. The city has blended the past and the present beautifully. There are strong citadels, such as Red Fort, Old Fort, Jantar Mantar, Tombs of the royal personages and Qutub Minar, which are counted amongst some of the most luring monuments of the capital city of India.

Besides these, one can find a number of other beautiful tombs, mosques and buildings throughout the city that have interesting history and legends attached to them. The lifestyle of the people of New Delhi is interwoven with the age old traditions and customs. Some of the major and the most important monuments in the city are as follows

Qutub Minar

Qutubuddin Aibak laid the foundation of Qutab Minar, as a victory tower, in 1199 AD. Originally, it rose to a height of 72.5 m. It is undoubtedly one of the finest stone towers in India and one of the most important landmarks of Delhi. Iltutmish, the son-in-law and successor of Qutubuddin, completed its construction. Nearby, one can also see the ruins of the Tomb of Iltutmish. He built it in 1235 AD, during his own lifetime, and decorated the interiors profusely, using calligraphy. The tower tapers from a base of 14.32 m to 2.75 m at its top and took 20 years to complete.

Built in red sandstone, this tower sports the inscriptions of verses of Holy Quran and some intricate carvings. We can also see the ruins of the embattlements of the city called 'Siri' here. It was established in 1303 AD by Ala-ud-Din, who dug a vast reservoir in Hauz Khas to supply water to his city. Though nothing much of the city remains to be seen, it has been described by the contemporary historians as the 'envy of Baghdad, the rival of Cairo and equal to Constantinople'. Besides these, one can also see the tomb of Adham Khan and Zafar Mahal within Qutub complex and the tomb of Jamali-Kamali behind it.

Iron Pillar
Situated in the courtyard of the Quwwatu'l-Islam, the famous Iron Pillar belongs to 4th century. It is enclosed in the Qutub Minar complex of New Delhi. The Sanskrit inscription in Gupta script and the peculiar style of its 'Amalaka' capital confirms the date.

Qutub Minar Legends
There a number of legends related to the Qutub Minar of New Delhi. Some people believe that the monument was actually built by Prithviraj Chauhan, so that his daughter could behold the sacred river Yamuna from its top as part of her daily worship.

Qutub Minar Blues
According to the inscriptions on Qutub Minar, it was twice struck by the lightning and was damaged. The first incidence occurred in 1326, during the reign of Muhammed Tughluq.

Quwwatu'l-Islam Masjid
The mosque known as Quwwatu'l-Islam Masjid is located adjacent to Qutub Minar in Delhi. It is believed to have been built using the carved stone slabs and materials of the remains of Hindu Temples. Delicate brocade designs and Islamic inscription adorn this structure.

Tomb of Iltutmish
Built by Shamsu'd-Din Iltutmish himself in 1235, the tomb of Iltutmish lies to the northwest of the Quwwatu'l Islam Mosque of New Delhi. Though, there was a gap of only five years between the constructions of Sultan Ghauri's tomb and this tomb.

Red Fort

Shah Jahan shifted his capital from Agra to Shahjahanabad and laid the foundation of Red Fort, or the Lal Quila, on 16th April 1639. It took nine years to build this mighty citadel and it got completed on 16th April 1648. It is said that about one crore rupees, an astronomical sum in those days, was spent on its construction. Half of this sum was spent to build the exotic palaces within the fort. Built of red sandstone, it is octagonal in shape, with two longer sides on the east and west.

The perimeter of its strong ramparts is about 2.41 km. Red Fort rises to a height of 33.5 m on the town side and 18 m along the river. A wide moat surrounds the fort, which was originally connected with the river and was always filled with water. The two main gateways, known as Lahori Gate and Delhi Gate (named so, as they face Lahore and Delhi respectively), are three storeys high and are flanked by semi-octagonal towers. They are situated on the centre of the western and southern sides respectively.

The main entrance to the Lal Quila is through the Lahori Gate. Beyond the gate, there is a roofed passage, flanked by arcaded apartments leading to the palaces, known as Chhatta Chowk. These apartments are now used as shops. Besides these, there are three more gates on other sides, which are kept closed now. The master builders of the Red Fort were Hamid and Ahmad. Visitors are allowed only in a part of Red Fort, as the army occupies the rest of it. Some of the main buildings within the fort are:

Diwan-i-Am
Diwan-i-Am or Hall of Public Audience is situated in the Red Fort of Delhi. It originally had a courtyard on its front and was richly ornamented with gilded stuccowork. Heavy curtains graced the main hall, which were three bays in depth.

Hamam
Accompanying the Diwan-i-Khas, or Hall of Selective Audience, the Hamam (bathroom set) consists of three apartments interconnected by corridors. The marble floors and dados are inlaid with beautiful floral patterns of multi-colored stones.

Moti Masjid
The personal mosque of Aurungzeb, Moti Masjid or Pearl Mosque lies to the west of Hamam. Situated on a higher level than courtyards, the prayer-hall of the mosque has inlaid black-marble outlines of 'musallas' (small carpets for prayers) and is surmounted by three bulbous domes.

Mumtaz Mahal
One of the original six main-palaces situated along the river front, Mumtaz Mahal was also known as 'Chhoti Baithak'. A beautiful water channel called 'Nahr-i-Bihisht' (meaning Stream of Paradise) flew through these palaces. However, this palace has been removed, probably because it was totally in ruins.

Naubat Khana Naubat Khana, or Naqqar Khana (meaning the Drum House), is situated at the entrance of the palace area. Here music was played five times a day at the appointed hours. It housed a gate known as 'Hathi Pol' (Elephant Gate), where visitors dismounted from their elephants.

Humayun's Tomb

The second Mughal Emperor Humayun died just a year after he regained Delhi. His Persian wife, Hamida Begum, supervised the construction of his tomb from 1562-1572. It was designed by the Persian architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyuath. Situated on the bank of River Yamuna and adjoining the shrine of the famous Sufi saint Nizam al-Din Auliya, this tomb is said to have been a precedent of later Mughal mausoleums in India. The geometrically arranged gardens intersected with numerous water channels present a paradise setting.

The tomb took eight years to build and had a Char Bagh Garden style in its design, the first of its kind in the region. These were later introduced in the Red Fort of Delhi and at the Taj Mahal of Agra. Persian architectural traits are also evident in the building and its main chamber is said to be inspired from the tomb of the Persian Mongol ruler, Oljeytu, at Sultaniyya. The tomb of Timur (Tamerlane) in Samarkand is also said to be the source of inspiration for the Mughal architecture in India.

In the central domed chamber, the sarcophagus of Humayun is found. According to Islamic practice, his head is pointing south, and facing east. The vaulted chambers also contain tombs that were added later. These tombs contain symbols that provide complete information about their occupant. The sarcophagi are not usually inscribed, but these tombs are believed to be containing the remains of the wives of Humayun, along with several later Mughal emperors and princes.

The name of Humayun's tomb is found in the list of UNESCO Heritage buildings and was the first Indian building to use the Persian double dome. Its harmonious proportions are undoubtedly the work of skilled craftsmen. Set upon a platform, it exhibits certain Indian architectural features too, such as the small kiosks or 'chhatris' on the roof. The attractive inlaid tile work is carved intricately using Indian and Persian patterns and elements. Its carved stone screens are praiseworthy for their delicate look.

Isa Khan's Tomb

Isa Khan's Tomb is situated just outside the Humayun's tomb precincts in New Delhi. It was built in the honor of Isa Khan, a brave and valiant noble under Sher Shah, the Afghan ruler who had overthrown Humayun. It was built in 1547, in an octagonal pattern. It is an architectural gem in the Islamic art in India and remained a model tomb amongst the ruling families in its time. Said to be inspired by the tomb of Sikandar Lodi, which is 300 years older than the Isa Khan tomb, it can boast of having more graceful proportions. The 'chhatris' or small kiosks and pinnacles around the dome that were introduced here look quite elegant.

Jantar Mantar

Situated at Connaught Place area of New Delhi, Jantar Mantar is one of the five observatories built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler and founder of Jaipur, in India. Smaller than the one at Jaipur, it is still astonishing because of its capability to make accurate calculations of many astronomical movements. Constructed in 1724, the giant abstract masonry instruments of Jantar Mantar are the evident of the technological genius of the times in the field of astronomy. Jai Singh was a keen astronomer and a noble in the Mughal court.

He was dissatisfied by the brass and metal astronomical instruments and decided to correct and update the astronomical records with more accurate instruments. He built five Jantar Mantars in India, located at Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. Jantar Mantar of New Delhi was built with a view to help the practicing astronomers in observing the movements of the Sun, Moon and all other planets. The relevance of this science would then be introduced to the general public.

The Sun dial here dominates the par and is also known as the Samrat Yantra or Brihat Samrat yantra - the huge sundial. A striking structure in yellow on the right side, it has a 27m high arm adjusted at an angle of 27 degrees. The other yantras in this observatory are used to observe the various stars and planets. The Mishra Yantra helps to determine the longest and shortest days in the year. In December, one pillar overshadows the other and in June, it does not cast any shadow at all.

When compared to others, this observatory is the largest and the best preserved today. But, after its erection in 1724, it remained functional only for seven years. Observations made each day were noted down and later a chart called Zij Muhammad Shahi was prepared. This was then dedicated to the reigning monarch. Many experts in this field are of the view that these observatories fell into disuse, because of lack of thought on the part of the king. The original name Yantra (instrument) mantra (formula) has been corrupted to Jantar Mantar.

Old Fort

Said to be built on the site of Indraprastha, mentioned in Mahabharata - the great Indian epic, Old Fort has been the seat for administration for many emperors. Now in ruins, this citadel had the glory of being the seat of the legendary ruler, Prithviraj Chauhan. Sher Shah Suri built it after he demolished the Humayun's city, Dinpanah. There are bastions on the corners of the western wall of the fort. The 2-km long ramparts of Purana Quila boast of three double-storied main gates sporting 'chhatris' on top. They can be found in north, south and west.

The northern one is called the 'Talaqi-Darwaza' (the Forbidden Gate) and has a carving of marble lions engaged in combat with a man in its front. One can still see the remnants of the colored tiles which used to ornament its exteriors. However, it is said that Sher Shah could not complete the construction of Old Fort and it was finished by Humayun. Thus, the southern gate of the fort is known as Humayun Darwaza. There is a wide moat on the northern and western sides of the fortress and a causeway connected the fortress with the main land.

Excavations in the Old Fort area have revealed pieces of painted greyware dated around 1000 BC, said to be related to Mahabharata. Relics and remains of later period found here confirm the belief that Purana Quila was built on the site of Indraprastha, the capital of Pandavas. These artifacts range from the Mauryan to early Mughal period, such as Northern Black polished ware, punch-marked coins, human and animal terracotta figurines and inscribed terracotta seals. Sher Shah built a mosque in 1541, with traits of Lodhi to Mughal architecture style.

Sher-Mandal, a double-storey octagonal tower of red sandstone and marble, surmounted by an octagonal chhatri and decorated with glazed tiles and painted plasterwork was also built by him. The latter was said to be used as a library by Humayun. It was from here that Humayun fell down and died. Besides these, there is a Sound and Light Show at Old Fort, presenting the 5000 years of history of Delhi. Other attractions near the Old Fort are a lake with paddle-boating facility and the Zoological Park situated just adjacent to it

Safdarjung Tomb

Situated besides the Safdarjung airport in New Delhi, Safdarjung tomb was built by the Nawab of Awadh for his father. It is one of the finest examples of architecture in India. The second Nawab of the Awadh dynasty was popularly known as Safdarjung. He was born as Muhammad Muqim in Khurasan province of Persia and migrated to India in 1722. He succeeded his father-in-law and maternal uncle, Saadat Khan, to the throne of Awadh. In order to occupy the throne, he had to pay an astounding amount of money to Nadir Shah.

Later, the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah gave him the title of "Safdarjung". He was an efficient administrator and handled the administration of Awadh with great precision. Safdarjung rendered valuable assistance to the weakened Muhammad Shah. Very soon, he occupied an important place in the Delhi court. When Ahmad Shah Bahadur ascended the throne at Delhi, Safdarjung became his Wazir-ul-Mamalik-i-Hindustan or the Chief Minister of India.

The tomb of Safdarjang was built to commemorate the memory of Wazir of Hindustan. It is situated in the center and has a huge dome. There are four water canals leading to four buildings. One of the canals has an ornately decorated gateway, while the other three are pavilions, with living quarters built into the walls. There are octagonal towers in the corners. There are also four oblong tanks (canals) on each side of the tomb.