Delhi Travel Guide
One
of the most fascinating aspects of Delhi is the "visibility" of its
historic past. Were it not for the demands of urbanization, large portions of
the city could well be earmarked as archaeological parks. This is because the
rulers of successive dynasties between the 13th and the 17th centuries established
seven cities in different parts of Delhi. A chronological review of these cities
fortunately also serves as a suitable itinerary for tourists and highlights
the important monuments amongst the 1300 officially listed.
Delhi's history goes much further back in
time than the 13th century. In 1955, excavations at the Purana Qila revealed
that the site was inhabited 3000 years ago. Ware pottery known as Painted
Gray Ware and dated to 1000 BC confirmed this as being yet another site
associated with the epic Mahabharata. The excavations also cut through
houses and streets of the Sultanate, Rajput, post-Gupta, Gupta, Saka-Kushan
and Sunga periods, reaching down to the Mauryan era (300 BC), thus revealing
almost continuous habitaion. The association of Emperor Ashoka (273-36 BC)
with Delhi has come to light with the discovery of a Minor Rock Edict in the
locality known as Srinivaspuri.
A clearer picture of the city
emerges from the end of the 10th century, when the Tomar Rajputs established
themselves in the in the Aravalli hills south of Delhi. The isolated, rocky
outcrop facilitated the defence of the royal resort which the Rajputs called
Dhilli or Dhillika. The core of the first of the seven cities was created by
Anangpal Tomar who is said to have built Lal Kot, which is the first known
regular defence work in Delhi. The Chauhan Rajputs later captured Delhi from
the Tomars . Prithviraj III, also known as Rai Pithora, extended Lal Kot,
adding massive ramparts and gates, and made Qila Rai Pithora the first city
of Delhi.
Today, only the ramparts are visible near the Qutub Minar , though the city
is known to have
had
several Hindu and Jain temples. Prithviraj was ruling Delhi when Muhammad of
Ghur invaded India, and died fighting the invader at the Second Battle of Tarain
in 1192. Ghur returned, but left as his viceroy, his slave Qutbuddin Aibak.
In 1206, Qutbuddin crowned himself as the Sultan of the
Slave or Mamluk dynasty, and became the first Muslim ruler of Delhi.
Qutbuddin, had however, commenced his architectural career even before he
chose to become the sultan. The mosque was essential to the Islamic emphasis
on congregational prayer, while the burial of the dead, as opposed to
cremation, introduced the tomb to India.
The earliest of these
Islamic structures are to be seen in the Qutub complex and the incorporation
of many Hindu elements is due to the ready availability of building material
and the use of local craftsmen. Qutbuddin raised the Quwwat-ul-Islam (might
of Islam) mosque, which is the earliest extant mosque in India. Within its
spacious courtyard he retained the 4th century Iron Pillar, probably the
standard of an ancient Vishnu temple. The pillar has puzzled scientists, as
its iron has not rusted in all these centuries.
In 1199, Qutbuddin raised the Qutub Minar either as a victory tower or as a
minaret to the adjacent mosque. From a base of 14.32 mtrs it tapers to 2.75
mtrs at a height of 72.5 mtrs. It is still the highest stone tower in India,
one of the finest tower Islamic structures ever raised and Delhi's recognized
landmark. It was completed by the Sultan's successor and son-in-low, Iltutmish.
The tomb of Iltutmish, which he himself built in 1235, is nearby. Its interiors
are profusely decorated with calligraphy, thought the dome has collapsed.
The
Khalji rulers displaced the Slave dynasty in 1290, and when Alauddin Khali
ordered renovations of the mosque in 1311, he also raised the impressive
Alai Darwaza, the southern entrance to the mosque. It is the first example
of a building employing wholly Islamic principles of construction, including
the true arch. In 1303, Alauddin, established the second city of Delhi,
called Siri, of which nothing remains but the embattlements. He also had dug
a vast reservoir, Hauz Khas, to sypply water to his city.
Contemporary historians describe the Delhi of that time as being the "envy
of Baghdad, the rival of Cairo and the equal of Constantinople". (for the
sake of convenience, tourists visiting the Qutb complex could also see the Tomb
of AdhamKhan and Zafar Mahal in Mehrauli, and the Tomb of Jamai-Kamali behind
the Qutb Minar. These, however, belong to a later date.) The Khalhjis were replaced
by the Tughlaq dynasty in 1321. of its eleven rulers, only the first three were
interested in architecture and each of them established a new city.
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