Khair ul Manazil Masjid, Mathura Road

Delhi Heritage  Trail  : 6

          Khair ul Manazil Masjid

       This Masjid is situated on Mathura Road opposite  Purana Qila. It was constructed in the  year  1561 by Maham Angah the  Wet Nurse of Emperor  Akbar.

        The  entrance  of  the  Masjid has a grand  red sandstone Archway  representing  Mughul  Architecture of the  period. The  entrance  is grandiose in style. The  Masjid  inside is built of rubble  stone and coated  with  white  plaster  in sultanate  architectural  style.

        As you enter  the  archway there is a octogonal water pool which the devout  Muslims use for their ablutions. The  Masjid on the  opposite  is having three arched gateways  and the  main prayer  hall has five arches  leading  to it.  On the  entrance  gate of the  Masjid  is an inscription which mentions  about  Maham Angah construction of the Masjid.

       Maham Angah was a powerful lady assertive  and autocratic.  She was the  person  who took care of Emperor  Akbar when  Humayun  died  in 1556 and Akbar  was  hardly  13 years  of age. In fact she was the defacto  ruler for  5 years.

      It is said  that once Akbar  after  hunting in the  Forest and after  visiting Nizammuddin Auliya Dargah  nearby rested  here. A disgruntled  slave tried to  attack him with an arrow  which  missed  him by a whisker  he being  of short stature.  What must have happened to the slave need  no mention.

       Sadly this heritage mosque maintained by ASI  is in a very  bad shape. The devout Muslim who  come for prayer here on Fridays consist of  a good number of  Advocates from nearby  Delhi High  Court. In winter  it is informed that the prayers are held in the courtyard in the soothing winter  sunshine.

       Situated on Mathura Road opposite  Purana Qila. Nearest  metro  station Pragati  Maidan

Hazrat Nizammuddin Dargah

Delhi Heritage  Trail  : 5

    Hazrat  Nizamuddin  Dargah

      This Dargah  of Saint  Hazrat  Nizamuddin  Auliya (1238-1325) is situated in Central  Delhi on the  road leading to Mathura Road. The  entrance  to the Dargah  is through a narrow lane with Muslim  shopkeepers selling rose petals,  Attar and  and flower basket  offering to the Saint.

        Nizamuddin  Auliyah  was a Sufi  Saint of 13th  and early 14th century of the  Chisti  order. His forefathers  were from  Bukhara  in Uzbekistan and he was born  in Badayun in Uttar  Pradesh. He shifted to  Delhi  at a young age and started teaching the easy way to realise God  through  love. For  him love of God  implied a love of humanity . His vision was marked by a sense of religious pluralism and kindness.  He was loved by the people of Delhi and their outlook on wordly matters changed.

        The original tomb  was built by Mohammed  Tughlaq in 14th century after his death.  The tomb of Amir Khusru his famous disciple and a poet of Persian  and Urdu language faces Auliyas Tomb. Tomb of Jahanara the  daughter of Shahjahan  is also their in the  complex. The  original tomb was renovated in 1562 to the present  state during  Akbars  period.

        His devotees consider the place very  sacred and Id and Urs are celebrated in a grand manner. The  Dargah is open on all days and the Qawaali  songs in the evening manifolds the divinity of the place. You  can spend  some time in meditation at the  Dargah and the  serene atmosphere  offers great   peace of mind. The  devote sit around the  Dargah  reading the  Quran  and the  wall   outside shrine  of Amir Khusru has a poem praising Nizamuddin  Auliya. It is altogether a different experience. One has to be there to realise it.

Bank of Delhi 1846

    Delhi Heritage Trail : 4

This more than 200 year old heritage building dominating the  skyline of Chandini  Chowk was acquired by Bank  of Delhi in 1846. Earlier it was being  used  by the  British  rulers as their  court. It was here on 11th May 1857 that the  Agent of the Bank  George  Beresford along with  his wife and five daughters were killed  by the  invading  mutineers from  Meerut. The  mutiny broke out at Meerut on 10th May and the sepoys marched to Delhi immediately. Beresford and his fought a valiant  battle to save themselves with  his wife killing at least two mutineers with a spear.  They  lie buried at St.James  Church, Kashmir Gate.

Imperial Bank of India  the  predecessor of State Bank of  India  acquired the building later and presently it houses SBI Regional Office.  For  sometime RBI also functioned from here.  This heritage  building with Palladian architecture epitomises European architecture of the  time.  The  corinthian columns,  balustered terrace, arched doors and windows,  spiral iron staircase and english  lifts are a class apart  justifying the  heritage character of this  building. 

Old Yamuna Bridge 1863

Delhi  Heritage Trail :  3

Old Yamuna  Bridge( Lohe Ka Pul)

          This 152 year old Bridge across the  Yamuna  behind  Red Fort is a living example of  engineering skills of  the Indians in 19th century.  The  construction of the bridge started a year after the death of the last  Mughul  emperor  Bahadur  Shah Zafar II in 1863 and was completed in 1866. It was constructed to connect Delhi from  Calcutta by Rail. Before that people  used  to  be ferried across the Yamuna by boats to  reach Shajahanabad ( old Delhi). It changed the boundaries of the city and Trans Yamuna started to develop.  The  12 span bridge cost the government around 16 lakhs  and was a engineering marvel of the time. Intially a single line was constructed which was converted into double line and the bridge was extensively renovated in 1930s and reopened in 1936.

Pictures  : Francis Frith, Hindu

Sis Ganj Gurdwara 1783

Delhi Heritage Trail : 2

Gurdwara Sis Ganj, Chandni Chowk

      This Gurdwara was originally built in the year 1783 by one Baghel Singh Sikh Military leader to commemorate the martyrdom of 9th Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur.  Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded in this place by Mughul ruler  Aurangazeb for protecting Kashmiri Pandits and himself refusing to convert to Islam. Tegh Bahadur was born on April 1621 to sixth Sikh Guru  Har Gobind as one of the five children.  Right from his childhood he had religious bent of mind and was leading a socio political movement against the Mughul rule. He became the 9th Guru in 1664 and was fighting the cause of his faith and beliefs. He was arrested in July 1675 and was tortured in jail. Since he stood steadfast in his beliefs he was beheaded by Mughul forces on 24th November 1675  in Chandni Chowk in the place where the Gurdwara stands now. His head was taken by one of his disciples to Anandpur Sahib and cremated.  The  severed body was taken to a house nearby by another disciple and cremated by putting entire house on fire. The  Gurdwara Rakab Ganj stands there now. The present structure of the Gurdwara Sis Ganj was built in 1930s. His son Gobind Rai became the 10th and last Guru of Sikhs. Had the opportunity to visit the holy place recently.

Khooni Darwaza

Delhi Heritage Trail : 1

  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.