If Paris has
its Eiffel Tower, Italy has Leaning Tower of Pisa we Indian boast of our Qutab
Minar which is situated at a small village in south Delhi, Mehurali. The
soaring 237.8 feet high tower was built by Qutab-ud-din Aibak as an Epitome of
victory and grandeur in 1199 AD after he defeated the last Hindu king of Delhi.
The five distinct stories of the minar is marked by projected balconies which
changes from 49.2 feet at the base to 8.2 feet meter at the top.
Qutab-ud-din
Aibak, Delhi’s first Muslim ruler, commenced the construction of the Qutab
Minar with red sand stone in 1200 AD, but could finish the basement.
His successor, Iltutmush, added two storey with red sand stone and
forth with marble. Firoz Shah Tughlak in 1338 completed the minar with
last marble storey making it the world's tallest brick minaret.
Much of
India’s reputation as a nation rich in architectural heritage would have gone
unnoticed if Qutub Minar had been absent. The Qutub complex is also
blessed with a number of other architectural marvels which includes the Iron
Pillar (which has miraculously never got rusted ever since it was built), Tomb
of Iltutmish & Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque (the first mosque to be built in
India) which displays fine Indo-Islamic architecture specimen.
The architectural
styles and even the materials used for construction since Aibak to Tughlak and
quite evident in the minar. Both Iltutmush and Alla-ud-din
Khilji made additions to Qutub Complex with shafts and pillars.
An inscription over its eastern gate defiantly informs that 27 Hindu
temples were plundered and the ruins of those temples were used to construct
the mosque and therefore, not surprising that the Muslim mosque has typical
Hindu ornamentation. The Qutub Minar is constructed on the ruins of Lal
Kot, known as the Red Citadel in the city of Dhillika.
It is highly
debated topic till today about the purpose behind building Qutub Minar. Most
historians are certain that the sky touching tower was built as victory
epitomizing the might of Islam but many other are also certain that this
monument acted as a tower inviting people for prayer in the Quwwat-ul-Islam
mosque. The name of the tower has also been in some controversy as some
historians believe Qutub Minar got its name from Qutb-ud-din Aibak, while some
are of the belief that the monument was named after Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, a
saint who was highly respected by Qutab-ud-din Aibak’s son Iltutmish.
Location:
Mehrauli, South Delhi
Nearest Metro
Station: Qutab Minar
Open: All
days
Entry Fee:
Rs. 10 (Indians), Rs. 250 (foreigners)
Guide:
Multilingual audio guide services available at nominal charge
No comments:
Post a Comment