Khooni Darwaza : This gate which is one of the 13 surviving gates of old Delhi(Shahjahanabad) is situated on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg near Maulana Abdul Kalam Medical College. It was originally called Lal Darwaza and was erected in 16th century. The iconic gate got its name due to various incidents that occurred here.
Abdul Rahim Khan son of Bairam Khan was one of the Navratnas of Akbar. After the death of Akbar he supported Khusru who was the son of Jehangir to the throne which was not liked by Jehangir who ultimately become king. Abdul Rahim Khans two sons were executed and hanged in Khooni Darwaza.
Dara Shikoh the elder son of Shahjahan was declared king by Shah jahan himself. However Aurangazeb did not like this and in the succession war with his brother he killed and beheaded him and his head was hung in Khooni Darwaza for many days.
In the mutiny of 1857 the last Mughul king Bahadur Shah Zafar II after the fall of Delhi fled Shajahanabad and was captured by Major Hodson along with his family of 16 near Humayuns Tomb in outer Delhi. When they were being transported to Delhi on 22nd September 1857 a mob of 3000 Muslims surrounded them near Khooni Darwaza. In order to terrorise them Major Hodson in a fit of rage killed two sons of the king Mirza Mughul and Mirza Khizir Sultan and grandson Mirza Abu Bakht here. They were stripped and their bodies were hung here.
Even during the communal riots post independence many people were killed here. So this gate standing mute for nearly 500 years has an infamous name attached to it. Now it remains a mute witness on the busy road leading to old Delhi.
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