The travels of Bengalis in the past
Sumana Dam
(Continued from the last part)
On the way, from the Qutub Minar complex to delhi, the author saw Siri or Alai Fort built by Sultan Alauddin. There was once a palace of a thousand pillars here, but Siri has now turned into ruins. Sher Shah demolished the walls of this fort and used the stones to construct Sher-e-Garh or Sher Mandal. Near Siri is the Rowshan-e-Chiragh, the tomb of a muslim fakir built by Firoz Shah.
The next destination is Tughlaqabad, the finest of the forts constructed during the Muslim era in India. Built between 1321 and 1323, it may not match the grandeur of Lal Kot or Siri, but its security arrangements are commendable. Here lies the tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, constructed by his son Muhammad bin Tughlaq. Near Tughlaqabad is a small fort named Mohamudabad, also built by Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Then they saw Jahanpanah, another city created by Muhammad bin Tughlaq to withstand the Mughal invasions. Once a thriving city with seven forts and 52 gates, it is now in ruins. Near Humayun's tomb is the beautiful Nila burj or Blue Tomb, possibly the tomb of a Muslim religious guru, distinguished by its shiny blue tile work. Three tombs known as Tiri Burj lie two to three miles west, made of red sandstone for Chhota Khan, Kala Khan, and Bada Khan, which are now on the verge of destruction.
Numerous neglected architectural remnants scatter throughout Delhi. The author visited the tomb of Nizamuddin Auliya, next to which is the tomb of his disciple and great poet Amir Khusrau. Close to Nizamuddin's tomb is the tomb of Jahaanara, daughter of Shah Jahan. Inscribed on her tomb is the text identifying it as the resting place of Fakira Jahaanara Begum, disciple of the holy man Nizamuddin Chishti, with her wish for an open-top tomb. Then they saw the Jamaat Khana Mosque, with a bell from 1353 hanging from the dome. They also visited the well of Nizamuddin, built in 1321.
Their next destination was Firozabad, the city created by Sultan Firoz Shah. His palace and fort are known as Firoz Shah Kotla. The Jama Masjid here was once the largest mosque in Delhi but now exists in ruins. Next to the current mosque is a stone pillar, surrounded by various stories. European scholar James Prinsep read its inscription and identified it as Ashoka's Pillar. It was brought here by Firoz Shah from Khizrabad. In the biography of Firoz Shah called Sirat-e-Firozshahi, this pillar is referred to as Minar-e-Jarin or the Golden Pillar. The pillar bears Ashoka's edicts along with other inscriptions, including one detailing the conquests of the Chauhan king Vishal Dev from Himalaya to Vindhya in 1163, and inscriptions from the Gupta period. The last inscription is from 1225, commemorating Sultan Ibrahim Lodi. Firoz Shah brought another Ashoka Pillar from Meerut and erected it at his Kushak Shikar Palace (now located within the Three Murti Bhavan). It was destroyed during the reign of Badshah Farukhshiyar. The Kalam Mosque, built near Turkman Gate in 1387, is another architectural example of Firoz Shah Tughlaq. During Firoz Shah's rule, Khan-i-Jahan (his prime minister) constructed the Khirki mosque, fort, and village, characterized by extensive jali work in windows. Nearby, the seven-arch bridge known as Satpulla, attributed to Firoz Shah, is said to have been built during Muhammad bin Tughlaq's reign. Among Firoz Shah's significant projects are the irrigation canals in the Yamuna valley. Firoz Shah Kotla now lies in ruins, much like the Qila Rai Pithora or Tughlaqabad. House Khas, located 4-5 miles from Qutub, is the burial place of Firoz Shah, whose architectural legacy remains despite his tomb being completely destroyed. The current tomb may have been reconstructed with cheap materials.
After Firoz Shah's reign (1388), little architectural work occurred during the Sultanate period. The subsequent invasion by Timur led to the destruction of many structures in Delhi. Besides the tombs of Bahlul Lodi and Sikandar Lodi in Safdarjung, depicting the sculptures of Lodi dynasty, there is little left to see.
Later, architectural activities resumed during the Mughal emperor Humayun's reign, who refurbished the old fort and renamed it Din Panah. Sher Shah later renamed it Sher-e-Garh. His son, Selim Shah, established Selim Garh, which is now in ruins. The first surviving monument of the Mughal era in Delhi is Humayun's Tomb, constructed under the guidance of Akbar's mother, Hamida Banu Begum. Its white marble dome is visible from afar, and the garden surrounding the tomb is beautifully landscaped. To the left of this tomb lies Hamida Banu's tomb. After the Sepoy Mutiny, Bahadur Shah Zafar (the last Mughal emperor) sought refuge at Humayun's tomb before being captured by the British. The tomb complex also houses notable sites like the tomb of Mubarak Khan Khanan (who translated Babur's biography from Turkish to Persian), Isha Khan's Mosque (a nobleman in Sher Shah's court), and the tomb of Taga Khan (Akbar's prime minister). A remarkable example of Mughal architecture is the Hall of Sixty Four Pillars, built by Taga Khan's son Khan-i-Azim. Located near the Purana Qila are the Lal Bungalow and Kala Mahal, both examples of Mughal architecture.
After Akbar moved the capital to Delhi, Shah Jahan later brought it back from Agra, naming the city Shahjahanabad, now known as Old Delhi. This walled city had many gates (Kashmiri Darwaza, Kabul Darwaza, Turkman Darwaza, Delhi Darwaza, Farashkhana Darwaza, Rajghat Darwaza, and Kolkata Darwaza). The Kolkata Darwaza leads to the main road and railway station.
Entering the city through the Delhi Gate, one first encounters Chandni Chowk, lined with extravagant shops that offer unique items not found in Kolkata. Near Chandni Chowk stands the impressive Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in Delhi and the highest in the city, situated on a 30-foot-high hill known as Jujula Pahar. It is capable of accommodating over fifty thousand worshippers at once.
Next is the Delhi Fort, a creation of Shah Jahan, surrounded by tall red walls (with no wall facing the Yamuna River). Entering through the fort's gate, they first see the Diwan-i-Am, the public audience hall for the emperor, which is larger than that of the Agra Fort. The red sandstone pillars and intricately designed walls of the Diwan-i-Am have been whitewashed and are now used as a base for the British army. The white marble throne, which the author had heard of, was not shown to him. They then proceeded to the Diwan-i-Khas, which is 150 feet long and 40 feet wide, featuring white marble pillars. Many of the exquisite carvings once present are now missing. This hall once housed Shah Jahan's peacock throne, richly adorned and described by Bernier, but which was plundered by Nadir Shah. The author noticed the women’s quarters—Rang Mahal and Moti Mahal—but found them unremarkable. Most of the opulence described by figures like Bernier has been destroyed or looted; gold, silver, and precious stones have been stolen, fountains have dried up, and decorations have deteriorated, leaving only the stone structures behind. Next, the author visited the royal bathhouse, a large hall with a white marble dome, featuring colorful stained glass, fountains, huge bathtub and various provisions for hot and cold water. They then intended to see the Tasveer Mahal or Picture Gallery, but there were no paintings at that time, with the walls left white washed. Moti Mosque, the emperor's place of worship, now lies neglected and in a poor state, having been built by Emperor Aurangzeb. Damage occurred in the mosque during the Sepoy Rebellion, and repairs are ongoing. Shahbagh, once renowned for its beauty, now appears dirty, nearly ruined, and abandoned. Little remains here except the structures of the Diwan Khana and the harem. The fountains have dried up.
There used to be statues of two warriors on the backs of elephants at the Delhi Gate. These statues were commissioned by Akbar in memory of the Rajput heroes, Jaymal and Patta, and were placed at the entrance of the Agra Fort. Shah Jahan relocated these statues to Delhi Fort, but Aurangzeb viewed them as idolatry and moved them elsewhere. The author learned that the statues would be installed elsewhere (later, only the elephant statues were placed at Delhi Gate; the whereabouts of Jaimal and Patta’s statues remain unknown).
(To be continued)
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