The Qutub Minar complex stands at the core of an early fortified city of
Delhi – Lal Kot (red fortress) built by Angpal II of Tomar dynasty in eleventh
century.. The Tomars were overthrown by Chauhans and then Chauhans by Turks,
further followed by the Slave dynasty.
Qutub Minar
Qutub Minar, originally an Islamic monument, is a UNESCO world heritage
site. It is located in Mehrauli; South Delhi. It is a massive tower (73 m), 2nd
tallest minar of India, made of Red Sandstone, with a distinctive silhouette.
It is one of the most readily recognized visual symbols of the city of Delhi
and is one of the most visited tourist attraction of the city. It was designed
to be a symbol of the Turkish victory over North India.
This was designed and started by Qutubuddin Aibak .The first storey of
the Qutub Minar was built during the reign of Qutubuddin Aibak and rest
structure was built under Illtutmish. The word Qutub means 'the pole star around
which the heaven revolves'. Decoration on the minar consists of finely carved
sandstone and some marbles. The tower is divided into five storeys, each of
which is topped by a projecting balcony, the underside of which is richly
carved. Bands of calligraphy encircle each storey and are embellished in the
same style that is found on the screen of arches in the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque.
The inscriptions consist of verses from the Quran and about the history of its
construction and repairs.
The Qutub Minar has undergone many rounds of repairs. Originally the
tower consisted of only four storeys. Lightning struck it in 1368 causing its
damage. It was repaired by the, then ruling Emperor Firoz Shah Tuglak. In the
process of restoration certain fundamental alterations were made to the
structure. He was probably who introduced the marble. The fourth and final
storey was rebuilt as two storeys and decorated using marble. Lightning again
struck and injured the minar in the reign of Sikandar Lodhi, who restored it in
1503. These events are recorded as inscriptions on the minar. After the time it
does not seem to have received any attention until early in the nineteenth
century, when it was in a terribly dilapidated condition as the results of the
earthquakes in 1782 and 1803. In the late 1820s, under the rule of British East
India Company, Major Smith, an army engineer was assigned to carry out repairs.
Unfortunately many of the facing stones that had fallen down were put back
without regard for the original order, so that inscriptions became unreadable.
Major Smith added a balustrade in Gothic style to the projecting balconies. A new
structure was placed on the top of the tower which was widely condemned and
finally taken down in 1848.
The minar is some 238 feet high (73 m approx.), 47 feet in diameter at the bottom, and 9 feet only at the top and ascended by 379 steps. It is divided into five storeys by four balconies, the undersides of which are most beautifully carved in a design. The first storey is 95 feet high, with alternate semi-circular and angular flutings; the second and third storeys are 51 and 41 feet in height respectively, the flutings in the one being semi-circular, in the other angular; while the last two stories are 25 and 22 feet high, and have no flutings at all. Round the tower praises of the builder, Qutubuddin Aibak, and of his master Mohamed of Ghor, with texts of the Kuran and the ninety-nine name of Allah, all written in Kufic character.
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| Qutub Minar from Illtutmish tomb |
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| Fourth storey of Qutub Minar |
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| Third storey of Qutub Minar |
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| Second storey of Qutub Minar |
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Carvings at first and second storey of Qutub Minar  |
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| Panorama view of Qutub Minar from entrance |
Iron Pillar
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| Iron Pillar |
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| English translation of the inscription on Iron Pillar |
It is the oldest structure in the complex. It dates from the fourth century. The inscription on it in a language is not now in use. This inscription records the erection of the pillar by a king, whose name is read Chandra and was a votary of the Lord Vishnu. There is also inscribed on the pillar the record of the building, or rebuilding, of Delhi by Tomar king, Ang Pal in A.D 1052.
The heavy pillar 7 meters high is made of very pure cast iron and is a
remarkable piece of Metallurgy, as it has continued to be virtually free from
rust through centuries. Moreover, it shows that an immense amount of patience and
hard work must have been necessary before it assumed its present shape as there
are no iron ore repositories in neighbourhood.
Alai
Minar
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Alai Minar
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This is a large circular structure built of stone rubble masonry to the
north-east of Illtutmish tomb. This was built by the emperor, Alauddin Khilji,
who ruled between 1296 and 1316. The ambitious nature of Sultan Alauddin made
him win many battles. After such one win from one of his Deccan campaigns he
decided to build Alai Minar twice as big as Qutub Minar to celebrate his
victory. The first floor of Alai Minar was completed and measured 24.5 meter
high. Unfortunately the construction was abandoned after the death of Alauddin
Khilji in 1316 AD. The ruins of the minar are only so far interesting as to
show how it was constructed.
Aamir Khusro, the renowned Sufi poet and saint during the reign of
Khilji dynasty mentions Alauddin’s intention to extend the mosque and
constructing another minar in his work ‘Tarikh-i-alai’. This building never got
completed after the death of the great conqueror Alauddin Khilji.
Tomb of Illtutmish
Tomb of Illtutmish
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| Illtutmish Tomb |
It was built in 1230 by Shamsuddin
Illtutmish, who was originally the slave of Qutubuddin Aibak and finally
succeeded himself as the Sultan of Delhi, and ruled from 1211 to 1236. Its
architecture also reflects the mixture of Indian and Islamic architecture. The
motifs are more stylish and geometrical, indicates better understanding of the
structure by the craftsmen in the three decades. We can see the motifs of lotus
and kalash, which finally became fairly constant feature of Sultanate
architecture.
It is a square chamber and is open to the sky. Some argue that a dome
once crowned it. Illtutmish died in 1236, and troublous time followed, which
may have been the cause of the work having been abandoned. But it is also
argued that if there had been a dome, its fall would have injured the cenotaph
of the king, which does not appear to have sustained any damage.
The exterior is quiet plain and the walls are seven and a half feet in
thickness. Inside the surface of the walls is covered in sandstone carved in a
style similar to that the screen placed outside. The western wall indicating
the direction of prayer is richly decorated with the marvel carvings. Outside
the northern doorway one can see the opening in the ground, which leads towards
the grave chamber of Illtutmish. The actual grave is in the ground beneath the
tomb structure. The large marble cenotaph stands in the middle on top of the
grave.
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| Marble Carvings at Illtumish Tomb |
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| Carvings and design on the walls of Illtutmish Tomb |
