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Delhi – a city that stirs many emotions
Delhi, New Delhi, Dilli, Dehli by whatever name you call it, is a potpourri of emotions. A city that has shaped the future of our nation for centuries and continues to do so even today. A historic city that has silently seen the rise and fall of many dynasties and emperors. It is a city that has been plundered, looted & destroyed several times in historic past. Yet it has always managed to rise from the ashes. I still fondly recollect the dialogue in the Hindi movie Dilli 6 – “Yeh shehar nahi mahfil hai”. Delhi has a rich intriguing history, amalgamation of many cultures, religions & traditions. It is a city that defines the soul of not India but Hindustan.
The celebrated Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib who spent major part of his life in Delhi writes (translated from Urdu):
“I asked my soul; What is Delhi? She replied: The world is the body and Delhi its life”
An over-view of Delhi
An outsider coming to Delhi for the first time is impressed by the roads, greenery, architecture, ancient monuments, colourful bazars and food. Delhi has been described as fabulous, irresistible, shoppers’ & foodies’ paradise. Despite that there is a small minority of people specially Mumbaiwalas who hate it. As they find it an unprofessional city! You may love or hate Delhi but you can not ignore it. Over the centuries many poets, writers, artists, musicians, architects and other creative people have been inspired by Delhi. They have eulogized Delhi in their works & creations.
The well known Historian & Professor Upinder Singh feels and I quote “Delhi’s history is etched over its landscape in stone. Magnificent forts, mosques and tombs of the Sultanate and Mughal periods evoke an era of aura of the medieval world while the stately layout and architecture of Lutyen’s Delhi bear the imposing imprint of British Imperial rule”
Delhi – a historical perspective
Before we proceed with today’s pictorial tour let us peep a bit into the history of Delhi. As per mythology, Pandavas had established their new kingdom at Indraprastha. Archaeological excavations and findings have identified the existence of a village by the name Indraprat (also referred to as Indapatt in ancient Buddhist texts) near Purana Quila and the period as 3rd or 4th century BCE. This has led many scholars to identify Indaprat as Indraprastha of Mahabharata times.
Delhi under Rajput rule
Historially, it is believed that Anangpal II, popularly known as Anangpal Tomar of Tomar dynasty (a clan of Rajputs) established Delhi in the 11th century CE. Some historians differ. They are of the view that Anangpal I, the founder of Tomar dynasty established Delhi in the 8th century. The Tomars were defeated in the middle of the twelfth century by the Chauhans of Ajmer. Delhi was under the control of Prithviraj Chauhan from 1180 to 1192 CE. Mohammad Ghori attacked the kingdom of Prithviraj but Prithviraj defeated him in the first Battle of Tarain in 1191. Humiliated, he returned the next year with larger enforcement and engaged Prithiviraj in the second Battle of Tarain. The Rajput army was outnumbered and Prithviraj was defeated. This started the long reign of the muslim rulers over Delhi for many centuries.
Delhi Sultanate
After Ghori’s death in 1206, his governor Qutubuddin Aibak declared himself as the Sultan and started the rule of the Slave dynasty (Mamluks) who ruled from 1206 to 1289. They were followed by Khaljis who ruled only for 30 years from 1290 to 1320, to be followed by Tughlaqs whose reign lasted almost 100 years (1320 to 1413). After Tughlaqs came Sayyids (1414-1451) and then Lodhis (1451-1526).
Mughal Rule & brief reign of Sher Shah Suri & Hemu
Babur defeated the last Lodhi ruler Ibrahim Lodi in the first Battle of Panipat in 1526. As a result, Mughal Rule was established in Delhi that lasted until 1757. Except for a brief period of 1540-55 when Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun and ruled from Delhi. Humayun regained Delhi in 1555 but died three months later in an accident. Akbar was crowned as the Emperor in 1556 but Hindu King Hemchandra (popularly known as Hemu) defeated Akbar’s forces in the Battle of Delhi. He was crowned as the emperor with the ancient title of Vikramaditya. Just a month’s later in the second Battle of Panipat he was wounded by a chance arrow and captured by Mughal army and executed.
After the Mughals, Delhi came under the control of Marathas (1757 to 1803) to be followed by the British from 1803 to 1947.
Seven Cities of Delhi
It is said that during this long period of 1000 years – a new capital was established in Delhi 7 times. Their names along with the dynasty/ruler are (1) Qila Rai Pithora (Tomars) (2) Mehrauli (Mamluks) (3) Siri Fort (Khaljis) (4) Tughlaqabad (Jahanpannah) – Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (5) Firozabad (Firoze Shah Tughlaq) (6) Dinpanah / Shergarh (Humayun /Shershah Suri) (7) Shajahanabad (Shahjahan). This was followed by the new city of New Delhi created by Lutyens (British Architect) during British rule. Remnants of some of the monuments built at different periods have survived ravages of time and can be seen today in different states of preservation. They are spread over a vast geographical area. Even several blogs would not suffice if one were to write about the eventful history of Delhi through the ages.
My visit to Delhi
I have never lived in Delhi but I have visited Delhi several times on personal or official visits. These short visits gave me an opportunity to explore & experience some of the many delights that Delhi has on offer. Today my travelogue brings you face to face with the historical past of the city. We visit some historical monuments which normally do not figure among the top tourist spots of Delhi. I do not cover Qutub Minar, Humayun’s tomb & Red Fort which are the most visited places of Delhi.
Instead, today we travel to Purana Qila, Safdarjung Tomb, Lodhi Gardens, Agrasen Baoli and Jantar Mantar. Someone has written this about Delhi “Tombs of emperors stand beside traffic junctions, forgotten fortresses command suburbs, the titles of lost dynasties are woven into the vernacular, if only as street names”. How true!
Purana Qila (Old Fort):
It was just before 7 a.m. on a summer morning, I was at the main gate of Purana Qila. The board mentioned that the fort remains open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The ticket counter had not yet opened. It opened by 7.10 am and I was the only person at the ticket counter. I entered the fort through the majestic imposing gate to a vast expanse of open green space. For the next one hour and half, I was the only person in the sprawling fort premises.
I was transported back in history to 1530 CE when after Babur’s death his son Humayun (real name Nasir-ud-Din Muḥammad) was crowned as the second emperor of Mughal empire at the age of 22. He decided to build a new city by the name Dinpanah. Within the walled city he built this magnificent citadel befitting the royal city. Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in 1540 CE. It is believed that he made changes to the fort, strengthening its fortifications and completing its walls. He also built another fort nearby called Shergarh. Some historians dispute the fact that Sher Shah made additions to Humayun’s fort.
The Gates of Purana Qila
The walls of the fort rise to a height of 18 metres, traverse about 1.5 km. There are three arched gateways to the fort. The first one is Bara Darwaza (Big Gate) facing west (through which entry is allowed to the visitors). The south gate is popularly known as the ‘Humayun Gate’ (probably so known because it was constructed by Humayun, or perhaps because tomb of Humayun is seen from the top of the gate). The third gate in the north is the ‘Talaqi Gate’, often known as the “forbidden gate”. All the gates are double-storeyed sandstone structures flanked by two huge semicircular bastion towers.
The gates were decorated with white and coloured-marble inlays and blue tiles. Some of it still survives. They have ornate overhanging balconies, or jharokas, and are topped by pillared pavillions (chattris). These features remind us of the architecture of Rajasthan. Despite the grandeurs of the exterior, few of interior structures have survived except the Qila-i Kuhna Mosque & the Shermandal.
Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque
Qila-i-Kuhna mosque was built in 1541 by Sher Shah Suri. This is a well-preserved beautiful mosque with a single dome. It has five arched doorways. The mosque was used by the Sultan, his family & the courtiers. There are stairs that lead to the first floor. The gallery on the first floor was meant for the female courtiers to pray. The arched doorway on the left wall with ornate jharokas was meant for members of the royal family. Marble in shades of red, white and slate is used for the calligraphic inscriptions. On a marble slab within the mosque an inscription reads: “As long as there are people on the earth, may this edifice be frequented and people be happy and cheerful in it”.
Sher Mandal
This is a two-storeyed pretty octagonal tower built in red sandstone. Though the name suggest that Sher Shah built it but historians are of the view that its construction was planned by Babur who wanted an observatory and a library to be built for his scholarly son Humayun. Babur died before it could be built. It is believed that both Humayun & Sher Shah contributed to its completion and the finished tower was much shorter than what was planned originally. The tower is topped by an octagonal chattri. It is supported by eight pillars and decorated with white marble in typical Mughal style. There are stone shelves inside the tower which was most probably used for storing books of Humayun.
This was also the spot where, on 24 January 1556 Humayun fell from the second floor to his tragic death. He was on the top of the tower when he heard the call for the evening prayer. As he hastened, he slipped on the stairs. He fell headlong down the stairs and died of his injuries two days later.
I spent almost an hour and half in the fort premises feeling like an emperor because I was the only visitor at that hour except for few maintenance staff members. I enjoyed my brush with history and capturing the various monuments on camera in the morning sunlight.
Sound & Light Show
Sound & Light show titled ‘Ishq-e-Dilli’ is organised every evening in the lawns of Purana Qila. There are two shows one in Hindi followed by English (The show is not held on Friday). My bad luck that I went there on a Friday evening.
Safdarjung Tomb
Safdarjung tomb was completed in 1754 at a time when Mughal empire was on its last legs. It pales in comparison to other magnificent tombs built by the Mughal emperors. May be that is the reason why it is not that well known and doesn’t get many visitors. It is located in the heart of the city, close to the more famous Lodhi Gardens. The monument stands forlorn and welcomes the stray visitors with open arms. I found it to be pretty quaint and well preserved – a beautiful piece of architecture.
Many of you must have heard the name of Safdarjung airport but must be wondering who Safdarjung was. The real name of Safdarjung was Muhammad Muqim and he migrated to India in 1722 from Persia. He succeeded his father-in-law and maternal uncle to become the Nawab of Oudh. At that time Muhammad Shah was the Mughal emperor. As Nawab of Oudh he rendered valuable services to the emperor. The emperor was pleased and made him the Governor of Kashmir also. He gave him the title of Safdarjung. He became a central figure at the Delhi court.
When Ahmad Shah became the emperor, he made Safdarjung as his Chief Minister. Taking advantage of this he became all powerful but the other ministers plotted against him. They ensured that Ahmad Shah dismiss him. Safdarjung returned to Oudh as a sad man where he died in 1755. In his life time he had amassed a lot of wealth. His son who had become the Nawab of Oudh built this tomb in Delhi in memory of his father.
A brief on my visit to Safdarjung tomb
As I walked inside the premises through a huge gateway, I was greeted by the beautiful sight of the tomb bathed in the sunlight. There was a pathway leading to the tomb with palm trees on both sides and water channel in the middle though it was dry. There was a beautiful garden on all sides designed like Charbagh (4 square sections) with beautiful flowers in bloom. The tomb is built on a raised platform in red sandstone and the dome is made of marble. There are some other pavillions in the premises including a mosque. I spent about 45 mins in the peaceful environs of the monument.
As I walked back towards the gate, I saw a large group of young men & women, all dressed in a blue T-shirts with cameras in their hands entering the premises. I came to know that they were members of a photography school and had come for on the spot shoot/training of architectural monuments.
Lodhi Gardens – oasis in the heart of Delhi
Lodhi Gardens located in the heart of Delhi is one of the most loved places of the city. It is acknowledged as one of the finest open public spaces of India. It is a perfect destination for the morning walkers, yoga enthusiasts, picnickers & loving couples. They throng this place in great numbers. The place also attracts few tourists who come here to see the majestic tombs of the Lodhi Kings. Only one of the tombs belong to their predecessor Muhammad Shah of Sayyid dynasty.
Brief historical account of the Gardens
The tombs have been here for more than 500 years while the garden around them came up only 90 years ago. It was developed between 1931 to 1936 by Lady Willingdon, wife of the then Viceroy of India.During the British era it was called as Lady Willingdon Garden but the name was changed to Lodhi Gardens after Independence. The Sayyids ruled from 1414-1451 and Lodhis from 1451 to 1526 but only their tombs stand as their contribution to the architectural spectrum of Delhi. I liked the caption given to the article on Lodhi Gardens in the book 100 Wonders of India so I am mentioning it here – ‘Sweeping greens around sleeping sultans’.
Tomb of Sultan Muhammad Shah
We begin our 2 kms walk around the Garden from the south-western corner. The imposing tomb of Sayyid dynasty’s Sultan Muhammad Shah on a raised mound attracts attention. The final resting place of the Sultan is inside a symmetrical eight cornered structure with a large dome surrounded by eight cupolas. Walkways with bottle palm lined around the tomb enhance its beauty.
Activities in the Gardens
There are a variety of flowering plants, shrubs & trees in the garden. Wide open spaces in the central area of the park are used for yoga congregations in the morning while it is the favourite spot of the senior citizens in the evening who sit all around it in small groups for their chats & discussions. It is also a favourite spot for the professional photographers who come early morning for the pre-wedding photoshoots. Come weekends & holidays, picnickers descend here in hordes during the day time specially during winters. Two grand monuments are located in this central space. These are the tombs of the Lodhi Sultans.
Bara Gumbad & Sheesh Gumbad
The Bara Gumbad (Big dome) square in shape looks like a cuboid with a dome on the top. Attached to the tomb are a mosque on one side and a sarai (rest house) on the other side. The main material used is grey quartzite while red sandstone is on the door. The mosque looks beautiful with three domes and five arches. One can see geometric designs and Arabic verses on the walls. The mosque has jharokas and turrets. Standing opposite to the Bara Gumbad on the other side of the pathway is the Sheesh Gumbad (Mirror dome), so called because of the liberal use of peacock blue tiles on its facade that used to shine like a mirror. Only few tiles survive today.
Tomb of Sultan Sikander Lodi
Near the north eastern boundary of the garden is another Lodhi memorial. It is the tomb of the Lodhi Sultan Sikander Lodhi who ruled from 1498 to 1517. The tomb is ensconced within a fortress like wall with gateways and a garden surrounding it. There are mini minarets that surround the dome. Inside the tomb is a painted ceiling with a high dome. The western wall in the compound was in all probability used as a mosque.
Near the tomb is an elongated lake with a fountain and little flowering islands. One can sight swans, bar-headed geese and spotbills. The large trees in the garden also attract other birds like parakeets, hornbills, woodpeckers, Indian roller, drongos, cuckoos , barbets, lapwings, spotted owlets and many other birds making it a bird watcher’s paradise.
Agrasen ki Baoli
Many of you would have visited Connaught Place in Delhi many times but if I were to tell you that there is a large ancient step well at walking distance from CP you would probably not believe me. Well, even I was not knowing it before March 2018.
I am talking about the 60 metre long and 15 metre wide historic step well on Hailey Road which is surrounded by high rise buildings. There are no historical records to prove who built it but it is believed that the original baoli was built by the mythological king Agrasen of Agroha in the ancient times. Agarwal/ Agrawal community of India claim their descent from Agrasen (also known as Ugrasen). Historical records and architectural features point to the fact that the baoli was most probably rebuilt in the 14th century during the Tughlaq era of Delhi Sultanate.
Significance of step-wells
Baoli, Bawdi, Baori, Bavadi, Vav, Vavdi are synonyms all originating from the Sanskrit word wapi or vapi. Step Wells have been built in the rain scanty regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat from ancient times as a measure towards water storage & preservation. Like other baolis it also served the purpose of community gatherings where women would gather not only to fetch water but stay back to relax in the cool environs and indulge in community gossips. The cubicles on both the sides were also used for social gatherings and religious functions.
The most well preserved step well of Delhi
It is said that once upon a time there were nearly 100 baolis in Delhi. Only handful of them survive today and among them Agrasen ki Baoli is the largest and in better state of preservation. It has 108 steps leading down to the well and the visible part has three levels and each level has arched niches lined on both sides. This step well amazes the visitor as a perfect example of ancient architecture & engineering skills. As we went down the steps closer to the well we could feel sudden drop in the temperature.
Locals believe that the place is haunted and the well has a magnetic pull.
This step-well has figured in a number of Bollywood movies including ‘PK’ & ‘Sultan’.
Khair-ul-Manzil
Very close to Purana Qila, on the other side of the road lies a mosque. It is known as ‘Khair-ul-Manzil’ which means ‘best of houses’. It is also a chronogram. The letters of the name when written in Persian script, give the numerial value 969 Hijri or 1561-62 CE. This is the year of its construction. You enter the mosque through a majestic gate. At the western end of the central courtyard is the prayer chamber of the mosque. An inscription tells us that this building was commissioned by Maham Angah, the wet-nurse of the Mughal emperor Akbar. There are colonnades along three sides that were used as a madrasa (school).
Jantar Mantar
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur constructed five astronomical observatories called Jantar Mantar in 5 cities of north India. They were built between 1724 to 1734 at Jaipur, Delhi, Ujjain, Mathura & Varanasi. Among these 5 the larger ones and more well known are the ones at Jaipur & Delhi. They incorporate several structures with unique architecture. Each one of them has been designed for a specialized function for astronomical measurement. Astronomers, architects, art historians world over have been fascinated by them.
It is amazing to realize that nearly 300 years ago , Maharaja Jai Singh II became keenly interested in astronomy. His deep study and knowledge inspired him to build these Jantar Mantars which made astronomical measurements with great accuracy and precision.
Yale University Press has published a book by Barry Perlus. He is Associate Professor Emeritus in Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning. The book’s title is ‘Celestial Mirror: The Astronomical Observatories of Jai Singh’.
I spent nearly 45 mins in the premises of Jantar Mantar.
The location outside Jantar Mantar Delhi has always been in the news for many decades. As it has been the prime site for staging peaceful protests/agitation by opposition, various trade unions & citizens forums.
In conclusion
I have restricted my blog to 6 sites of Delhi. One needs at least a week to cover all the interesting sites of Delhi and enjoy its many delights. Savouring the street food and shopping in the various markets of Delhi is a pleasurable experience. I have enjoyed doing that on different occasions in Chandni Chowk, Karol Bagh, Janpath , Chittaranjan Park & South Ex. markets.
I conclude with these beautiful lines from the poem ‘Dilli’ written by nationalist poet Ramdhari Singh ‘Dinkar’. He had written this around the Second World War time when Quit India movement was in full swing. Even though the poem was critical of those who were opposing the movement but the first stanza describes the beauty of Delhi of those times in such wonderful terms:
दिल्ली फूलों में बसी, ओस-कण से भीगी,
दिल्ली सुहाग है, सुषमा है, रंगीनी है,
प्रेमिका-कंठ में पड़ी मालती की माला,
दिल्ली सपनों की सेज मधुर रस-भीनी है।
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Delhi is during the cooler months of mid October to mid March, though winters could be severe between mid December to mid January.
References: Some of the historical references have been taken from Wikipedia, for Lodhi Gardens reference taken from Roli Books ‘100 Wonders of India’, for Jantar Mantar some reference taken from www.jantarmantar.org
Regular Updates
I have clicked all the pics and they belong to me.
I hope you have enjoyed going through this travelogue. Requesting you to leave your comment below and share the link with your friends. If you have missed reading my earlier blogs then you can go to the site www.travelindiathroughmyeyes.com and click on the heading of the respective blogs.
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Disclaimer:
I have made sincere efforts to provide you the correct information about all the places that have been culled out from various sources. I do not take any responsibility for any errors that might have crept in the narration. There is no intention to hurt the faith or religious sentiments of any person or community.
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