Know it all about mehrauli Archaeological park................

• Mehrauli Archaeological park, includes around 440 monuments that has rich historical culture.
• The most impressive and time-raged tombs are known to Balban and Quli khan's tomb and Jamali Kamali mosque.
• Rajao ki Baoli is known to be Delhi's finest step well which is an monument of 16th century artistery.
• At the northern end of Mehrauli village is Adham Khan's Mausoleum, which was once used as a British residence.
• Lal kot is the best example of pre-Islamic architecture.
• Zafar Mahal stands in the heart of the jungle. 

Hope you all loved this blog and will surely visit this place to get a feel of the rich history of Delhi.

A tomb with lost name.

A tomb that is now known as a love board rather than a period storyteller.

A Fort with lost Pride

A Fort with lost pride 

Khirki Masjid, where now walls are waiting to tell their story.

Red Fort, the redsand beauty.....

A residence of the Mughal Dynasty, 200 years back, Red Fort stands in the capital of India. Glorifying the beauty of it would make me write thousands and thousands of words, this fort was constructed in 1639 by the fifth Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as the palace of his fortified capital Shahjahanabad. Red Fort is known for its beautiful red sandstone architecture. This fort is interestingly connected by a water channel known as the Stream of Paradise. The Red is a true example of iconic and innovative architectural style, including its unique garden design to its dome.The fort complex is considered to represent the zenith of Mughal creativity under Shah. Red Fort is now a place where every year, prime minister hosts the national flag on the occasion of 15 August. The marble, floral decorations and double domes in the fort's buildings exemplify later Mughal Architecture. It showcases a high level of ornamentation, and the Kohinoor diamond was reportedly part of the furnishings.

Alai Minar, a minar of lost dreams

Alai Minar, may sound not so familiar because it was not completed but if it would have got completed when it is in the process of making then Delhi would have been lucky to have another big minar, bigger than Qutub Minar. Talking about this minar, Sultan Ala-ud-Din Khalji, dreamt of making it higher than Qutub Minar as a sign of victory from his Deccan Campaigns. The maps and the construction plan was ready and the building process even started and sultan was very happy  also but after the first storey at a height of 24.5 metres, unfortunately Sutan died and the construction could not take place after that because the subsequent successors could not continue the further construction as they lost the war against the Tughlaq and then this empire was taken over by Tughlaq Dynasty. So, because of these series of incidents Alai Minar became a mminar of lost dreams. Sultan while making the plans just had one thing in mind that this monument will be a masterpiece and grander and spectacular than Qutub Minar but sadly his dreams could get its way. It is also said that during the reign of the Khilji Dynasty, a very famous sufi poet named Amir Khusro makes a mention in one of his works named "Tareekh-i-Alai" of the Sultan's intentions to increase the size of the mosque and the plan to construct the  Alai Minar. 

Let's explore new, let's experience, the unexperienced- Tomb of Shaikh Yusuf Qattal

Tomb of Shaikh Yusuf Qattal, a lost monument located in khirki extension area is a monument that was built by a grandson in the memory of his grandfather. Shaikh Yusuf Qattal was a very religious man who was also a disciple of Qasi Jalalu'd-Din of Lahore. He was known to perform religioud works at Satpulla. 

Tha woh to rashke hoor-e-behesti hameen mein Mir!

Samjhe na hum to fahm ka apne qasoor tha"

(This means that hoor from the paradise was part of my being, Mir.

I did not understand and blame my utter lack of comprehension of the ultimate truth")

-Mir Taqi, Urdu poet

This magnificent tomb is equally important in history but its place and its identification seems blurred and faded. Protected by Delhi government but this monument slowly and gradually losing its historical importance. Made up of red sand, located in the heart of New Delhi but this monument couldn't make its place in the news that is why is not so famous. This brings me to a very deep thought that why do we need to know something interesting about something from another's mouth only, why don't we explore and discover new things and show the world and tell the world about our new discovery. This monument is a worth visit and you don't need to get a review to get in there, you just need to visit it and experince its beauty by yourself.

 

Zafar Mahal, A Palace of forbidden pride

Zafar Mahal, a palace of forbidden pride. I have written a lot of blogs around the various monuments that were built in various rulers era. This Mahal is a different one, indeed. This palace was built during the fading years of the Mughal era. Located in South Delhi's Mehrauli area, this monument stands as a symbol of victory.
Actually, a very interesting story is behind this palace, this monument was built twice. First  by Akbar Shah II in the 18th century and then later by Bahadur Shah Zafar II. This was rebuilt because Bahadur Shah Zafar wanted to get buried in the precincts of the Zafar Mahal but sadly this was deported along with the Dargah of Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki in Mehrauli after the First war of Independence in 1857.The building has two components located 300 feet to west of Ajmeri gate of the dargah of Khwaja Kaki. All in all this purely reflects the beauty of mughal architecture and the royalty of Delhi.

Moth ki Masjid- A visual delight

Moth ki Masjid, a mosque that is located in Delhi and was built by Wazir Miya Bhoiya in 1505. He was the prime minister during the region of Sikander Lodi of the Lodhi Dynasty. This is the first monument that was built in new type of mosque developed by the Lodis in the 4th city of the medieval Delhi of the Delhi Sultanate. The foundation stone was laid by Sikander Lodi himself and the mosque is believed to be Miya Bhoiya's private mosque but now remains a beautiful monument. This beauty is popular for its Indo-Islamic architecture. This mosque is made in red stone stands proudly and shows the strong architectural knowledge  of the Lodi Dynasty. The mesmerising floral designs are a visual delight. The unique name of this mosque means Lentil Mosque and name tag is Lentil which has an interesting legend. A must visit monument to get a visual delight. 

Rajon ki Baoli-Delhi's pride historical evidence

Rajon Ki Baoli is a famous stepwell in Mehrauli Archaeological Park of Delhi, India. It was Build in 1516 by Daulat Khan during the times of Sikander Lodi, the baoli is three storeys deep with an additional layer at ground level and you can see the enormity of it only when you have walked really close. These rooms were built for masons/travellers to rest.Like all baolis, there is a well in the back and pool in the front. On the right side of the baoli lies a staircase that leads to a small mosque on the terrace. The arched halls on all three sides are shaded, cool and bear calligraphic inscriptions from the Quran. Both these monuments are protected monuments which means that the monument is of national importance under the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Act 1951. This monument needs serious protection efforts as this is a valuable monument that marks an important historical part of Indian history. 

Experience nature like never before.

At the end of the weekend, many people love visiting malls, shopping hubs to buy some of their needs but have we ever thought to go to these archaeological parks so that our kids as well we can  get a change in the atmosphere. In our busy life, we often forget to give ourselves a visual delight, and that visual delight can be achieved by visiting this beautiful and heritage rich archaeological park located in Mehrauli. The beauty of nature, the beauty of listening to chirping of birds is what we really miss in the urban atmosphere and this is only what we can get in this park. An architecture 100 years old, birds that we have never seen before and flowers and trees makes a feel alive, this is what you feel when we experience this park. So, do visit this park and tell me about your experience in here. For more updates stay tuned.

The beauty of Khirki Masjid- an overview

Khirki Mosque- The unknown beauty

As we all know that Delhi has so many monuments that it becomes difficult to know all of them. On such mosque is Khirki Mosque which is situated in the heart of Delhi- Khirki Extension. This mosque was built by Khan-i-Jahan, the Prime Minister of Feroz Shah Tughlaq of the Tughlaq Dynasty. Talking about its unique name, according to urdu, the work 'Khirki' means "window" and hence this fort is known as 'The Fort of Windows'.
This fort can be seen as the symbol of peace as it is an unusual fusion of Islamic and Hindu Architecture. It is said to be the only monument style in North India, which is mostly covered; the totally covered fort of the Sultanate period.

The open windows and courtyards are the source light and ventilation, this is really inspiring how in earlier times when we man didn't have facilities like ACs and coolers, through architectural proficiency, they have solved their problems. The roof of this beautiful monument is been partitioned into 25 square of  equal size with 9 small domes in each square.This layout gives a fantastic view, which indeed makes this fort, a photographer's delight.
But, sadly the roof of this doom over the years have been on the verge of collapse many time. Delhi chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage(INTACH) has listed this monuments in Grade A in terms of archaeological value. We hope that this monument will be recognised and protected.

A tomb in Mehrauli Archaeological Park

This tomb is situated in Mehrauli Archaeologist Park, behind Bus Terminal. It was built in Pathan period. It is a domed chattri and which occupies the center of a raise platform containing numerous graves within the raised enclosure. Originally the walls of the enclosure were broken with arched recesses which have been restored. The tomb had an octagonal bastion a each of the four angles which have been disappeared now and one of them at south-east corner has been restored. The chattri which measures 5.96 metres square and stands on a platform, is crowned by a dome supported on 12 dressed stone pillars. There is a narrow staircase on either side of the northern wall. The main entrance is through a projected platform on the south side through a flight of stairs on a square chamber below.

Laws for protection of monuments of India

Delhi is a proud capital of India and is blessed to have so many beautiful heritage monuments standing as an evidence of Delhi’s royal history.

Many of us are not aware about the Article 49 of the Indian constitution which is to protect the monuments and places or objects of national importance.
On the other hand, we as the citizen of India, it is our duty under Article 51A(f) of Indian Constitution to value and preserve the heritage of our culture. 

Let's join hands to save our ancestor's achievements

Our monuments are the achievements of our ancestors. Every individual should work to preserve these monuments to showcase the achievements of ancestors to our future generations.

Steps an individual can follow to protect are:-

1. Prevent ourselves and others from scribbling on the walls.

2. Participating in the regular Cleanliness drives.

3. Being a part of the 'Adopt  Heritage' initiative.

4. Spreading awareness around about these monuments and their importance. 

Heritage- our pride

We all are aware about the condition and problem of heritage monument's problems in Delhi but what exactly should  be our approach to make a difference. So let us make this a practice that we would not throw any waste near monuments and we would motivate others to not litter near monuments. Also, to protect them we would make people aware that if we harm these heritage sites, we harm our nation's integrity and reputation because these sites are major tourist attractions.

INTACH's Heritage walk

The city of Delhi has a long history.
INTACH is a society to stimulate and spearhead heritage awareness and conservation in India. In pursuit to this objective, INTACH has been conducting walks in various areas of Delhi since 2005. Heritage walks is an important strategy to achieve some objectives:-

• To create awareness among citizens about the key historic areas of Delhi.
• Help citizens and tourist to relate to the historic parts of the city in a more personal and intimate manner.
• Initiate community based conservation efforts involving citizens, volunteers, and other organizations.

The heritage walks are open for public, take place every week and are conducted by experienced and knowledgeable walk-leaders.

The Reality check of Delhi

Delhi is a state which is known for the beautiful monuments spread across its boundaries. These monuments not only make Delhi a tourist hub but makes it culturally rich and historically enhancing and glorifying Delhi a state of art lovers. Recently, The scenario of these monuments have changed a lot. The picture that comes in our mind when we think of Delhi's monuments is a place where we can dump our wastage, lovers point. The ignorance to these monuments have reached such a height that it is harming the cultural integrity is being hindered.

Mosque of Darwesh Shah

This monument belongs to the Lodi period. The Darwesh is a title given to a saint or someone who is reverred in the community. There is no definite information about who Darwesh Shah was and when the mosque was built. This monument is situated in Gulmohar Park close to the Siri Fort indicates that this was a significant building. It has rectangular plan that stands on a raised platform. The wall on the West and East side has 7 recessed arches while the North and South side has 5 arches. There is a doorway and stairs at the North-East corner which leads to the raised platform. The centre of the west side wall that contains the Mihrab is slightly projected from outside and is floaked by two minarets till the parapet level.

Jahaz Mahal- The Ship Palace

Jahaz Mahal which is located in Mehrauli, New Delhi. In Urdu language, 'Jahaz' means 'Ship' and 'Mahal' means 'Palace'. It was named as Jahaz Mahal, as it looked like a ship floating on the lake. This Mahal was built during the Lodhi dynasty as a pleasure resort.The reasons for building Jahaz Mahal retreat was to provide transit accommodation to the large number of pilgrims from Afghanistan, Arabia, Iran, Iraq and Turkey who came to visit the Muslim shrines.

Heritage India

India has a varied natural and culture heritage. The main reason of it is that India is a vast nation with different geographical and physical conditions.
Heritage is a precious gift from our ancestors. Many foreigners came invaded India and settled down here. Further, the greatness of India has been in accepting the best from all the invaders with their existing music, dance, painting, sculptures, architecture. The development has taken place along with historic eras.

Heritage- A new wave

India is a land of diverse cultures. The culture of India is one of the oldest and unique. In India, there is amazing cultural diversity throughout the country. The South, North, and Northeast have their own distinct cultures and almost every state has carved out its own cultural niche. The variations in physical, climatic conditions and the extent of exposure to other cultures have greatly influenced the traditions and culture of the different regions. There is hardly any culture in the world that is as varied and unique as India. A combination of these factors has resulted into an exclusive culture- Indian culture.