Survivor of ravages

Iron Pillar,Delhi

In the complex of Qutb Minar, Delhi, I felt a tryst with sublimate stories of history confined in the array of decrepit structures, the roofless colonnades and in remnants of nicely carved arches essence of sensational stories of history could be felt and enlivened many fascinating tales of bravery in my mind. Like a landmark or a juncture of history, where a sun down of Hindu rule and subsequent advent of Muslim rule in India were merged.

Iron Pillar,Delhi

In the Qutb Minar complex, Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque happened to be Rai Pithoda temple; an assemblage of twenty seven Hindu and Jain temples later ruined and renamed by Muslim rulers (Pritviraj Chauhan was also known as Rai Pithoda). Marks of destruction by the invaders were everywhere in the precincts of the complex but an upstanding iron pillar miraculously survived ravages of invasion, corrosion and pollution.

Iron, as we commonly see, when exposed in air get oxidized and thus result corrosion. As the scientists say some particles present in air are the main inducing agents for corrosion. The exceptional example of iron, where adverse components of weather could not erode its anti corrosive coating has been a cause of great curiosity to the world wide tourists’ as well as to the scientists and historians. Extensive research revealed due to high phosphorous content, the pillar sustained to withstand corrosion or other hazards of nature.

Metallurgical wonder, The Iron pillar,Delhi

Inscriptions in devnagri were engraved on the pillar. It was Gupta devnagri and the inscription elucidated, founder of Tomar dynasty Anang Pal, brought it from an unknown location, defined as Vishnupad Giri and placed it in Rai Pithoda temple. The inscriptions on Iron pillar insinuated that it was raised actually to accolade posthumously a Gupta king called Chandra. Chandra was presumably Chandragupta II of Gupta dynasty of fourth century A.D. The scientists of fourth century coated the iron with a protective film to prevent it from getting oxidised that sustained anti corrosive property notwithstanding the ravages of corrosion and pollution.

Meeting the history

Red fort,Delhi

A glimpse of the red sandstone ramparts of Red Fort beside the swarming street of Delhi elucidated its Mughal lineage and appeared like a landmark of Mughal domination in India at the apogee of power. In its unimpeded look, I was awestruck by the sight of Lahore gate; familiar face of the fort, from where Prime Minister of India unfurls the Indian tricolour every year, the sight of Indian tricolour reminded the zeal and determination of Indian freedom fighters to hoist the tricolour on the fort.

Red fort, Delhi

Besieged by Indian security, the Red Fort emerged like a symbol of power that was visibly very close but, inaccessible, where the definition of “power” has gone through a series of evolution, during the time of Mughal Monarchy, Colonial regime, and Democratic rule after Indian independence.

Ramparts of Red fort,Delhi

Built by the emperor Shahjahan in seventeenth century, the Red Fort or Laal Qila has witnessed the glamorous days of Mughal regime, witnessed a declining Mughal domination and ravages on the street of Delhi by marauding band of Nadir Shah, witnessed the end of Mughal regime and advent of Wiltshire Regiment of British to replace the Mughal army, witnessed the excruciating trial to oust Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah and nearly a century later, trial of the soldiers of Ajad Hind Fauj (Indian National Army) of Netaji Subhas at the same spot by the British government, witnessed the sun up of independent India on 15-th August 1947 with the unfurled tricolour hoisted for the first time, to commemorate Indian independence.

Inside view and British barracks inside Red fort,Delhi 

It was the Red Fort, an inexhaustible platform of hoisting historic events, where history has its ceaseless journey since medieval age to the present. With the holidaying crowd, we began our awaited rendezvous with the landmark of eternal sheen or to sate the thirst of experiencing history in the array of bereft buildings.

The landmark of conquest

Qutub Minar, Delhi

In glimmer of Sun, the array of derelict and roofless structures in the premises of Qutub Minar, Delhi took us to a voyage of history. The voyage that emphasizing on the love for art, took us thousand years back to experience how a new form of art was born with Muslim invasion in India. The tallest stone tower on earth, Qutub Minar emerged unstintingly upright with its ever spectacular semblance and immediately hypnotised us with its discriminating beauty. The architectural legacy on red sandstone, embellished with Arabic inscriptions appeared like splendid piece of art.

The frieze from the Arabic texts

The premise of decrepit roofless structures, with the thousand years old upstanding and spectacular minaret was like a reminder of medieval History of India. The assortments of decrepit structures survived through centuries are the witness of important phase of Indian history. It has witnessed beginning of a new era of art and architecture with political conquest, which evolved and attained the height of excellence.

embellished body of Qutub Minar, Delhi

It is among the top rated and most visited tourist destination and one of the top Indian monuments recognised worldwide. The impressive architecture with 238ft. height is considered as a landmark of the beginning of Muslim rule in India. Qutub Minar, Delhi. The UNESCO World heritage site was built 1192 by Qutub-ud-Din-Aibak and sultan`s successor and son-in-law, Iltutmis, completed it. In 1368 Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed the fifth and the last storey. The development of architectural styles from Aibak to Tughlak is quite evident in the minaret.

array of colonnade in the Qutub Minar complex 

I was surprised to know that Qutub Minar is not the tallest or the oldest minaret on earth. But, the aura of history associated and impressions architectural development that is imprinted on this architecture is matchless.

Qutub Minar,Delhi

India has a history of numerous invasions, apart from mass killing which also had a tremendous impact on its pre-existing art and culture but, at the end nobody acclaimed immortality except their unique impressions of love for art.

Statue of bereft grit

Purana Qila,Delhi

The panoramic lake, abutting boundary of Purana Qila, Delhi might have kept the fort insuperable from enemies is now used for boating. The breathtaking view of crowned gateway of the decrepit fort was like a reminder of a bereft grit. According to History, I was standing at Indraprastha, the capital of Pandavas of Mahabharata. Purana Qila is also popularly known as the fort of Pandavas. It was built, demolished, re-built and renamed several times and through the ages different human civilizations have kept here their impressions of existence.

Entrance of Purana Qila,Delhi

In the premises of crumbling ruins of Purana Qila, excavations have revealed the settlements and construction works during Sunga, Saka, Kushana, Gupta era dating back to even third century B.C., was like a treasure of curiosity for the History lovers and like a natural treatise of human civilizations. The area under vast stretch of derelict ramparts was a symbol of power and happened to be erstwhile capital of Rajputs, Mughals, Afghans, where the trumpets of war elephants, sound of hooves of horses of warriors reverberated or a place once it was filled with bustles of human activities now bereft of human habitation and deserted.

Qila-e-Kuhna mosque,or Sher Shah mosque,Purana Qila,Delhi

It was inexplicably ecstatic experience to share the soil for awhile, within the vast stretch of rampart, I was standing at a place where the greatest warriors of History have laid their footprint, the creepers have overrun the stone walls with their banners of existence like numerous settlements existed and vanished towards extinction. It was rather like a walk of present age, on numerous human settlements buried under the earth.

The crowned gateway of Purana Qila,Delhi

Mughal emperor Humayun, named the place Dinpanch and it served the as capital of Humayun and Sher Shah Suri during their reign. The structures survived over centuries of the decrepit fort have their own story to tell about the incidents and mishaps of History happened here. The library also called Sher Mandal where Humayan slipped from stairs and died or the spectacular Qila-e-Kuhna mosque built by Sher Shah Suri in 1541were still upright. The silent witness of many incidents it was the place where the Humayun was buried initially before his body was shifted to its existing place and it is the place where dreams of a Hindu King shattered after second battle of Panipat, or served as the shelter for refugees after partition of India.

In the approaching evening we finished our Purana Qila visit and before leaving, once again I looked back. Like mirth of destiny the gloomy desolate capital was like waiting, might be looking towards regaining its lost sheen.

A Paradise on earth

Humayun`s tomb

Second mughal emperor Humayun died in 1556 following an accident while coming down in haste, he toppled from the stairs of his personal library at Purana Qila, Delhi, the place happened to be the capital of his empire. In the library at Purana Qila, Delhi he enjoyed studying and also used to feed the pigeons on the roof. He died at the age of 48.

The library at Puraba Qila,Delhi where Humayun fell from stairs

The tomb of emperor Humayun was initially built in Purana Qila, Delhi and was finally shifted to its present position. Construction of tomb was completed in 1572 under the supervision of his Persian wife Hamida Begum. The replica or cenotaph of the emperor is built in the main building and the main tomb of Humayun lies in the basement as per their religious rule. Situated beside river Yamuna it was engineered to meet the requirement of water to run the fountains and irrigation for gardens by lifting the river water.

New look of the renovated entrance of Humayun`s tomb,delhi

The tomb clad in red sandstone, with white marbles used for ornamentations is an excellent instance of spectacular works in Persian style. It can be called a garden tomb or a tomb spectacularly surrounded by garden which was first in India and that inspired many of its later architectures. The tomb was so designed by the architect, to look like a garden of paradise as per their belief. The garden tomb was built on a geometric pattern on an area of 26 acres, is a combination of four major square garden (Char -bag) and each square was divided into nine equal parts and on the area of ninth part of each major square, the enormous platform of the tomb was built, with an array of arches. The tomb is a World heritage site awarded by UNESCO. Through the ages the tomb complex undergone serial of changes and severe damages. Serious measures of restoration for revival of the tomb were carried out to bring back its original glory and finally the tomb was inaugurated on 18 September 2013.

Humayun`s tomb,Delhi