Kos Minar, Mathura Road

Delhi Heritage Trail : 9

       Kos Minar

      Mile Pillar situated within the  premises of Delhi Zoological Park, on Mathura  Road.  These were Mile Pillars which were erected during the rule of mediavel  Afghan ruler of  Delhi Sher Shah Suri(1540-45) and later  by Mughul rulers.  They were erected  on the  main highways marking the distance. One Kos is equivalent to 3kms.

      They were solid round pillars around 30 feet in height  that stands on a masonry  platform built with bricks and plastered with lime. They were important tools of communication and travel in Mughul empire.

      Many such Kos Minars were constructed in the  highways from Agra to Ajmer via Jaipur,  Agra to Lahore/Peshawar via Delhi,  Agra to Mandu in the South and Delhi to Bengal via Kanauj in the East. Modern Indian highways have come up in  the same route marked by these Minars.

       This one of the few surviving Kos Minar is situated on Mathura Road and is well preserved.

Kutub Minar

Delhi Heritage Trail : 8

      Qutub Minar

     Qutub Minar the tallest stone tower in the  Indian subcontinent.  It is situated on the  southern suburb of  Delhi near  Mehrauli.  The  construction of the tower was started in the year 1192 by Qutbuddin  Aibak the founder  of  Slave dynasty near Quwwat ul Islam Mosque.  During his lifetime only the  first storey of the  tower was completed made of red sandstone.

       The  second,  third and fourth storey were constructed by his successor Iltumish(1211-36). It was struck by a major lightening in the  year 1368 during the period of Firuz Shah Tughlaq and the  fourth storey was damaged . It was replaced by him along with an additional  fifth  storey. Later in 1503 Sikandar Lodhi  of the  Lodhi  dynasty renovated the top stories  with  marble stones.

        The  total height of the Minar is 238 feet and there are 329 revolving steps  inside it to go to the top.  The  angular  and circular fluttings on the  lower storeys, projecting balconies and decorative inscriptions on the  walls add to its beauty.  It is said artisans  from  Samarkand and Bukhara in the  middle east Asia were brought to do the decorations.

       Another major  earthquake struck the Minar in 1803 and the  top Cupola was damaged.  The  East India  Company  Governor General  authorised Major  Robert  Smith  Garrison  Engineer stationed at Delhi to do the repair.  He replaced the top with  a Hindu style Cupola and work was completed by 1828. But it was  not  in tune with the Islamic  architecture of the Minar  and ultimately  in 1848 Lord Hardinge ordered the  removal of it and it now lies in the corner of the ground.  It used to be called Smiths folly.

      Our people are enamoured by the modern day  skyscrapers of the western hemisphere without appreciating the one in our backyard constructed 800 years back.

Mirza Ghalib

Delhi Heritage Trail : 7

        The Tomb of Mirza Ghalib at Nizammuddin.

     Mirza Ghalib  (1797-1869)  was a great poet of Persian and Urdu languages who lived in the  final era of Moghul rule in Delhi. He was born  in Agra  as Mirza Asadulla Baig Khan and started writing poetry from the age of 11. He migrated to Delhi and had his haveli at Ballimaran in Chandni  Chowk. He was a court poet of Moghul rulers.

       Ghalib married at a young  age of 13 and none of his seven children survived infancy stage.  This tinge of sadness in personal life was reflected in his poetries.  He was popular in the  Indian  subcontinent. His theme that life is  one of continuous struggle was reflected in his verses.

       He was a gifted  letter  writer and in one of his letters mentions marriage as second imprisonment after the initial confinement of life itself.  His letters paved the way for simpler usage of Urdu which was ornamental earlier.

       He took the concept of Ghazals and changed  them from expression of anguish in love  to philosophies of life. His haveli in Chandni Chowk has been converted into a  memorial.  He was given the title  Dabir-ul-Mulk by Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1850. He died in 1869.

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