10 Interesting Facts About the Taj Mahal

India
Taj Mahal is indeed a beautiful place. When you visit, make sure you take a picture of yourself and your spouse with
the mausoleum as the background...who knows, the love that the emperor had for his wife to dedicate this kind of
resources for her remembrance after death might rub off on you.

One of the most significant Mughal Empire architectural marvels still stands in all its beauty and finesse in Agra,
Uttar Pradesh, India. The Taj Mahal is a white marble built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third
wife, Mumtaz Mahal. In Arabic, the Taj Mahal is known as "crown of palaces". It is said to be the jewel of Islamic art
in a nation that is predominantly Hindu. As if to show case the expanse of the Mughal Empire, it combines
architectures from all the corners of the Empire including Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural
styles. Below are some facts that you may find interesting about Taj Mahal.

1. The Taj Mahal was built by a whopping 22,000 laborers, painters, stonecutters, embroidery artists.

2. Legend has it that Emperor Shah Jahan intended to build another Taj Mahal in black marble across the river but a
war with his sons interrupted these plans.

3. The changing moods of the Emperors wife are well captured by the changing hues of the Mausoleum at different
times of the day. It takes a pinkish hue in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden at night when
illuminated by moonlight.

4. It intricate work of art and architectural genius took 17 years to complete.

5. The most recognizable feature is the white dome at the peak of the mausoleum. Often called the 'onion dome', it
rises to about 35 meters (115 feet) and is surrounded by four other domes.

6. Taj Mahal is a famous Indian landmark and tourist magnet, attracting more than a million tourists every year.

7. As always, rumor mills are on the overdrive about this mausoleum. It is rumored that the Emperor ordered that all
the workers who worked on the mausoleum get their hands chopped of so that no one could make anything like it
ever again.

8. If it was to be built today, Taj Mahal would cost the Emperor about US$100 to make it as beautiful as it is.

9. The materials that were used to build Taj Mahal were transported to the construction site by a whopping 1,000
elephants.

10. Many of the precious stones on the mausoleum were ripped off from the walls of the mausoleum by the British
army during the Indian rebellion of 1857.

Taj Mahal is indeed a beautiful place. When you visit, make sure you take a picture of yourself and your spouse with
the mausoleum as the background...who knows, the love that the emperor had for his wife to dedicate this kind of
resources for her remembrance after death might rub off on you.

http://www.uniglobecarefreetravel.com/post/view/10-interesting-facts-about-the-taj-mahal
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Taj Mahal History : History of The Taj Mahal

LOVE STORY BEHIND TAJ MAHAL | INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT TAJ MAHAL 

"The interior of the building is dimly lit through pierced marble lattices and contains a virtuoso display of carved
marble. Externally the building gains an ethereal quality from its marble facings, which respond with extraordinary
subtlety to changing light and weather." ____________________ Sir Banister Fletcher. A History of
Architecture. p624, 630

The battle of Panipat laid the foundation of the Mughal dynasty in Agra. The loss of the Afghan Ruler, Sikandar
Lodhi became the turning point that piloted the nation’s forays into the world of architectural majesty. Globally
renowned as the city of the Taj Mahal, this royal Mughal city has many other monuments too that emphasise the
high point of Mughal architecture.

The founder of the Mughal dynasty, Babur, laid out the first formal Persian garden on the banks of the river
Yamuna. Akbar raised the towering ramparts of the great Red Fort and within its walls Jahangir built rose-red
palaces, courts and gardens.

However, the crowning glory of the city is obviously The Taj,a monument of an imagination turned into a "symbol of
eternal love".The Taj represents India to the world embellished by Shah Jahan with marble mosques, palaces and
pavilions of gem-inlaid white marble.

In 1631 AD, Shah Jahan, the Emperor during the Mughal Empire's period of greatest prosperity, was grief stricken
when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal died during the birth of their fourtheenth child, Gauhar Ara Begum. The court
chronicles of ShahJahan's grief illustrate the love story traditionally held as an inspiration for the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian architecture and earlier Mughal
architecture. Specific inspiration came from successful Timurid and Mughal buildings including; the Gur-e Amir (the
tomb of Timur, progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand), Humayun's Tomb and Shah Jahan's own Jama
Masjid in Delhi.

While earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted the use of white
marble inlaid with semi-preciou stones and buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement. 
The Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (sometimes called the Baby Taj ), that Nur Jahan built for her father, Mirza Ghiyas
Beg was the first Mughal structure to be built entirely of marble. This particular monument marks the transition from
the red sandstone structures to those in white marble and is believed to be the precursor of the magnificent Taj
Mahal. However, the architects evolved this masterpiece from the closest model completed some 60 years before,
at Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, by his wife, Hamida Begum.

According to Koch, who spent a decade digging to the very beginnings of the famous monument and measuring
every inch of the vast complex,this was exactly what the building-obsessed emperor had wanted to create: a
monument that would be unrivalled in beauty and grandeur for all generations to come." It will," in the words of his
court historian Muhammad Amin Qazwini, "be a masterpiece for ages to come, increasing the amazement of all
humanity".

"As a historian I was a little sceptical about the love angle," confesses Koch. But his biography,  Padshahnama,
written by a series of carefully chosen historians, goes into extraordinary detail about the emperor's broken heart,
including how his beard turned white overnight and how he shared with his begum not just passion but a meeting of
minds as well.

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Shah Jahan set about constructing his "masterpiece for ages to come", Koc says, with utmost deliberation. Just the
selection of the site, for instance, took him nearly six months. The prevailing fashion in the royal capital Agra was for
river front havelis to be turned into garden tombs. But the Taj wasn't going to be just one of the scores of garden
tombs. "Shah Jahan knew & nothing makes an impression stronger than sheer size, so he decided to build a
complex that was almost a kilometre long," Koch says. "It's the biggest mausoleum if not in the world, at least in
Asia."

Twenty thousand people were deployed to work on it. The material was brought in from all over India and central
Asia and it took a fleet of 1000 elephants to transport it to the site. According to a court historian Abdul Hamid
Lahori, a network of wells was laid down along the river line and was filled with stones and other solid materials in
order to lay a strong foundation of this grand mausoleum. The chief architect of Taj was a Persian named Ustad
Isha Khan (a well known architect of his time) who was assisted by other architects to make Taj Mahal a profound
fusion of Persian, Turkish, Indian and Islamic architecture. 

To make it most gorgeous architectural piece, as many as 28 precious and semi-precious stones were used in the
ornamentation with their best combination. But the thing, dominantly used in ornamentation was the famous snow
white marble that was found in Makrana (Rajasthan).

Other semi-precious stones were brought from distant region of India, Ceylon and Afghanistan; Jasper from Punjab,
jade and crystal from China, turquoise from Tibet, lapis lazuli & sapphire from Arabia and diamonds from Panna.
Red sand stones of different tints that constitute the base were requisitioned from neighboring quarries of Sikri,
Dholpur etc.

Over all, so exquisite is the workmanship that it is said _

“having been designed by the giants and finished by jewelers“.
Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in these words:

Should guilty seek asylum here,

Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs,
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made,
To display thereby the creator's glory!

By the late 19th century, parts of the buildings had fallen badly into disrepair. During the time of the Indian rebellion
of 1857, the Taj Mahal was defaced by British soldiers and government officials, who chiseled out precious stones
and lapis lazuli from its walls.

At the end of the 19th century, British viceroy Lord Curzon ordered a massive restoration project, which was
completed in 1908. He also commissioned the large lamp in the interior chamber, modeled after one in a Cairo
mosque. During this time the garden was remodeled with British-style lawns that are still in place today.

https://www.tajmahal.gov.in/history.html

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 A brief history of Taj Mahal, the epitome of
love
The Taj Mahal, which was constructed in 1632 by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory
of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, had been initially named 'Roza-e-Munavvara' which
means Unique Building.

Siraj Qureshi
Agra
July 19, 2018
UPDATED: July 20, 2018 10:21 IST

The Taj Mahal (Photo courtesy: Vishal Sharma)

HIGHLIGHTS
 The Taj Mahal was constructed in 1632 by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal

 It was initially named 'Roza-e-Munavvara' which means Unique Building

 Later, it was renamed by Shah Jahan as Taj Mahal as a loving tribute to his wife

The Taj Mahal, which was constructed in 1632 by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz
Mahal, had been initially named 'Roza-e-Munavvara' which means Unique Building, but was then
renamed by Shah Jahan as Taj Mahal as a loving tribute to his wife for whom his love surpassed all belief.
A total of 40 thousand labourers and artisans worked on it continuously for twenty years, the culmination
of their work now known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a dream for every loving couple
in the world. Despite the fact that there are thousands of monuments in the world that are contemporary to
the Taj Mahal and even centuries older, the Taj is thronged by thousands of tourists every day from
across the globe, who all come to see this monument, which is known as an epitome of love.
STORY BEHIND THE TAJ MAHAL
How the construction of the Taj Mahal started, has been well-documented by several historians and they
all agree that the Taj was constructed when Shah Jahan's most beloved wife Arzumand Banu Begum,
popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal, died giving birth to her 14th child near Burhanpur in Madhya Pradesh

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where she had been accompanying Shah Jahan on one of his military campaigns. Mumtaz died at the age
of 39.
Shah Jahan was so distraught upon Mumtaz's death that he confined himself in a room for a week and
when he came out of the room, all his hair had turned grey. Mumtaz's body was interred temporarily in
Burhanpur itself and was later on transferred to the Taj Mahal's central hall.
Historians believe that there is ample evidence to prove that the land on which the Taj Mahal has been
constructed, belonged to Raja Jai Singh and there was an orchard on this land, which was removed to
build the Taj Mahal. Jai Singh was compensated for the land in the form of 5 'Havelis' as the tomb for
Mumtaz Mahal could not be constructed on donated land according to Islamic tenets.
THE DESIGN
The Taj had been designed by Ustad Ahmad Lahori and Ustad Abdul Karim, which was approved by
Shah Jahan. The Taj took over two decades to be constructed and there were artisans called from as far
as Armenia, Italy, France, and Turkey working on the monument. Over 39 types of semi-precious stones
were used in this monument along with 4000-kg of gold. Consequently, by the time Taj Mahal was
constructed, the empire was in serious trouble due to lack of funds. With the Marathas and the Rajputs
encroaching into the empire's boundaries and Shah Jahan lost in his own reveries, his son Muhi-ud-Din
Mohammad, took charge of the empire's armies and suppressed the rebellions, later on returning to Agra
to imprison his own father and murder his brothers to name himself as the sixth Mughal emperor
Aurangzeb. Shah Jahan's last days were spent confined in his room in the Agra Fort, gazing from across
the Yamuna at the Taj Mahal.
Bhartiya Muslim Vikas Parishad chairman Sami Aghai told India Today that the Taj Mahal is an amalgam
of Indo-Persian architecture, which is reflected in the numerous murals and reliefs of the holy Indian flower
Lotus adorning the marble walls of the monument. Even on the pinnacle, the Islamic Moon is combined
with the Hindu 'Mangal Kalash' on which the word 'Allah' has been carved.
TAJ DECLARED WORLD HERITAGE BUILDING
The Taj was declared World Heritage building in 1983. American novelist Baird Taylor once said that if
India had no other monuments, even then the Taj Mahal would have attracted the entire world with its
beauty.
Approved Guides Association President Shamshuddin told India Today that political leaders and heads of
state from all over the world come to Agra solely to see the Taj Mahal. British military officer Colonel
Sloman's wife had famously once said, "if someone can build a majestic tomb like the Taj Mahal for me, I

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would die tomorrow." Former US President Bill Clinton had said that there are two kinds of people in the
world, one who have seen the Taj Mahal and one who hasn't.
Till the 1960s, the Taj Mahal used to open 24 hours and there was no ticket for the monument. Thousands
of people from all over India came to the Taj during moonlit nights to see the 'chamki' phenomenon in
which the Taj Mahal's stones glittered like diamonds of viewed at the correct angle under the moonlight.
Now, the Taj is one of the most heavily ticketed monuments in the country and is only open for five
moonlit nights every month for a restricted group of 400 tourists in batches of 50. The river Yamuna, which
had once been the primary reason of building the Taj Mahal on this location, has dried up almost
completely and does not have enough water year round to quench the thirst of even one-third of the city's
population. Agra, a city which was once the capital of Mughal India, has now been reduced to a Class-C
township which survives almost entirely on the tourism generated by the Taj Mahal and the other Mughal
monuments dotting its landscape.

https://www.indiatoday.in/save-the-taj/story/a-brief-history-of-the-taj-mahal-the-epitome-of-love-1290588-2018-
07-19

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Fatehpur Sikri
Fatehpur Sikri is a town in the Agra District of Uttar Pradesh, India. The city itself was founded as the capital
of Mughal Empire in 1571 by Emperor Akbar, serving this role from 1571 to 1585, when Akbar abandoned it due to
a campaign in Punjab and was later completely abandoned in 1610. [2]
The name of the city derives from the village called Sikri which occupied the spot before. An Archaeological Survey
of India (ASI) excavation from 1999-2000 indicated that there was a habitation, temples and commercial centres
here before Akbar built his capital. It was also a much-loved place of Babur who called it Shukri for its lake of water
needed for his armies. He used it for relaxation and also defeated Rana Sanga on its outskirts.
The khanqah of Sheikh Salim existed earlier at this place. Akbar's son Jahangir was born at the village of Sikri in
1569 and that year Akbar began construction of a religious compound to commemorate the Sheikh who had
predicted the birth. After Jahangir's second birthday, he began the construction of a walled city and imperial palace
here. The city came to be known as Fatehpur Sikri, the "City of Victory", after Akbar's victorious Gujarat campaign in
1573.
After occupying Agra in 1803, the English established an administrative center here and it remained so until 1850. In
1815, the Marquess of Hastings ordered repairment of monuments at Sikri.

History
Basing his arguments on the excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 1999-2000 at the Chabeli
Tila, senior Agra journalist Bhanu Pratap Singh said the antique pieces, statues, and structures all point to a lost
"culture and religious site," more than 1,000 years ago. "The excavations yielded a rich crop of Jain statues,
hundreds of them, including the foundation stone of a temple with the date. The statues were a thousand years old
of Bhagwan Adi Nath, Bhagwan Rishabh Nath, Bhagwan Mahavir and Jain Yakshinis," said Swarup Chandra Jain,
senior leader of the Jain community. Historian Sugam Anand states that there is proof of habitation, temples and
commercial centres before Akbar established it as his capital. He states that the open space on a ridge was used by
Akbar to build his capital.[3][4][5]
But preceding Akbar's appropriation of the site for his capital city, his predecessors Babur and Humayun did much
to redesign Fatehpur Sikri's urban layout. [6] Attilio Petruccioli, a scholar of Islamic architecture and Professor of
Landscape Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy, notes that "Babur and his successors" wanted "to
get away from the noise and confusion of Agra [and] build an uninterrupted sequence of gardens on the free left
bank of the Yamuna, linked both by boat and by land." [6] Petruccioli adds that when such escapist landscapes are
envisioned, the monument becomes the organizing element of the city at large, partly due to its orientation at a
significant location and partly due to its sheer size. Humayun's Tomb was one such organizing element, which at a
height of 150 feet towered over the city and is now one of the most recognizable Mughal monuments in the country.
[6]

The place was much loved by Babur, who called it Shukri ("Thanks"), after its large lake that was used by Mughal
armies.[7]Annette Beveridge in her translation of Baburnama noted that Babur points "Sikri" to read "Shukri". [8] Per his
memoirs, Babur constructed a garden here called the "Garden of Victory" after defeating Rana Sangha at its
outskirts. Gulbadan Begum's Humayun-Nama describes that in the garden he built an octagonal pavilion which he
used for relaxation and writing. In the center of the nearby lake, he built a large platform. A baoli exists at the base
of a rock scarp about a kilometer from the Hiran Minar. This was probably the original site of a well-
known epigraph commemorating his victory.[7]
Abul Fazl records Akbar's reasons for the foundation of the city in Akbarnama: "Inasmuch as his exalted sons [Salim
and Murad] had been born at Sikri, and the God-knowing spirit of Shaikh Salim had taken possession thereof, his
holy heart desired to give outward splendour to this spot which possessed spiritual grandeur. Now that his
standards had arrived at this place, his former design was pressed forward, and an order was issued that the
superintendents of affairs should erect lofty buildings for the special use of the Shahinshah." [9]

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Akbar remained heirless until 1569 when his son, who became known as Jahangir, was born in the village of Sikri in
1569. Akbar began the construction of a religious compound in honor of the Chisti saint Sheikh Salim, who had
predicted the birth of Jahangir. After Jahangir's second birthday, he began the construction of a walled city and
imperial palace probably to test his son's stamina. By constructing his capital at the khanqah of Sheikh Salim, Akbar
associated himself with this popular Sufi order and brought legitimacy to his reign through this affiliation. [10]
The city was founded in 1571 and was named after the village of Sikri which occupied the spot before. The  Buland
Darwaza was built in honor of his successful campaign in Gujarat, when the city came to be known as Fatehpur
Sikri - "The City of Victory". It was named after the Sikri village which had existed on the spot before. It was
abandoned by Akbar in 1585 when he went to fight a campaign in Punjab. It was later completely abandoned by
1610. The reason for its abandonment is usually given as the failure of the water supply, though Akbar's loss of
interest may also have been the reason since it was built solely on his whim. [11] Ralph Fitch described it as such,
"Agra and Fatehpore Sikri are two very great cities, either of them much greater than London, and very populous.
Between Agra and Fatehpore are 12 miles (Kos) and all the way is a market of victuals and other things, as full as
though a man were still in a town, and so many people as if a man were in a market." [12]
Akbar visited the city only once in 1601 after abandoning it. William Finch, visiting it 4–5 years after his death,
stated, "It is all ruinate," writing, "lying like a waste desert." [13] During the epidemic of bubonic plague from 1616-
1624, Jahangir stayed for three months here in 1619. [14] Muhammad Shah stayed here for some time and the repair
works were started again. However, with the decline of Mughal empire, the conditions of the buildings worsened. [15]
While chasing Daulat Rao Sindhia's battalions in October 1803, Gerard Lake left the most cumbersome baggage
and siege guns in the town. [16] After occupying Agra in 1803, the English established an administrative center here
and it remained so until 1850. [15] In 1815, the Marquess of Hastings ordered repairment of monuments at Sikri and
Sikandra.[17] The town was a municipality from 1865 to 1904 and was later made a notified area. The population in
1901 was 7,147.[18]

Architecture

General Plan of Fatehpur Sikri City in 1917

Fatehpur Sikri sits on rocky ridge, 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) in length and 1 km (0.62 mi) wide and palace city is
surrounded by a 6 km (3.7 mi) wall on three sides with the fourth bordered by a lake. The city is generally organized
around this 40 m high ridge, and falls roughly into the shape of a rhombus. The general layout of the ground
structures, especially the "continuous and compact pattern of gardens and services and facilities" that characterized
the city leads urban archaeologists to conclude that Fatehpur Sikri was built primarily to afford leisure and luxury to
its famous residents.[6]
The dynastic architecture of Fatehpur Sikri was modelled on Timurid forms and styles.[19] The city was built massively
and preferably with red sandstone. [20] Gujarati influences are also seen in its architectural vocabulary and decor of
the palaces of Fatehpur Sikri.[21] The city's architecture reflects both the Hindu and Muslim form of domestic
architecture popular in India at the time. [22] The remarkable preservation of these original spaces allows modern
archaeologists to reconstruct scenes of Mughal court life, and to better understand the hierarchy of the city's royal
and noble residents.[6]
It is accessed through gates along the 5 miles (8.0 km) long fort wall, namely, Delhi Gate, the Lal Gate, the Agra
Gate and Birbal's Gate, Chandanpal Gate, The Gwalior Gate, the Tehra Gate, the Chor Gate and the Ajmeri
Gate.The palace contains summer palace and winter palace for queen jodha.

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Jama Masjid, Fatehpur Sikri

Tomb of Salim Chishti in Jama Masjidcourtyard, Fatehpur Sikri

Panch Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri

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Hiran Minar, Fatehpur Sikri

Some of the important buildings in this city, both religious and secular are:

 Buland Darwaza: Set into the south wall of congregational mosque, the Buland Darwaza at Fatehpur Sikri is
55 metres (180 ft) high, from the outside, gradually making a transition to a human scale in the inside. The gate
was added around five years after the completion of the mosque c. 1576-1577 as a victory arch, to
commemorate Akbar's successful Gujarat campaign. It carries two inscriptions in the archway, one of which
reads: "Isa, Son of Mariam said: The world is a bridge, pass over it, but build no houses on it. He who hopes for
an hour may hope for eternity. The world endures but an hour. Spend it in prayer, for the rest is unseen". 
The central portico comprises three arched entrances, with the largest one, in the centre, is known locally as the
Horseshoe Gate, after the custom of nailing horseshoes to its large wooden doors for luck. Outside the giant
steps of the Buland Darwaza to the left is a deep well.
 Jama Masjid: It is a Jama Mosque meaning the congregational mosque and was perhaps one of the first
buildings to be constructed in the complex, as its epigraph gives AH 979 (A.D. 1571-72) as the date of its
completion, with a massive entrance to the courtyard, the Buland-Darwaza added some five years later. It was
built in the manner of Indian mosques, with iwans around a central courtyard. A distinguishing feature is the row
of chhatri over the sanctuary. There are three mihrabs in each of the seven bays, while the large central mihrab
is covered by a dome, it is decorated with white marble inlay, in geometric patterns.
 Tomb of Salim Chishti: A white marble encased tomb of the Sufi saint, Salim Chisti (1478–1572), within the
Jama Masjid's sahn, courtyard. The single-storey structure is built around a central square chamber, within
which is the grave of the saint, under an ornate wooden canopy encrusted with mother-of-pearl mosaic.
Surrounding it is a covered passageway for circumambulation, with carved Jalis, stone pierced screens all
around with intricate geometric design and an entrance to the south. The tomb is influenced by earlier mausolea
of the early 15th century Gujarat Sultanateperiod. Other striking features of the tomb are white marble
serpentine brackets, which support sloping eaves around the parapet. 
On the left of the tomb, to the east, stands a red sandstone tomb of Islam Khan I, son of Shaikh Badruddin
Chisti and grandson of Shaikh Salim Chishti, who became a general in the Mughal army in the reign
of Jahangir. The tomb is topped by a dome and thirty-six small domed chattris and contains a number of graves,
some unnamed, all male descendants of Shaikh Salim Chisti.
 Diwan-i-Aam : Diwan-i-Aam or Hall of Public Audience, is a building typology found in many cities where the
ruler meets the general public. In this case, it is a pavilion-like multi-bayed rectangular structure fronting a large
open space. South west of the Diwan-i-Am and next to the Turkic Sultana's House stand Turkic Baths.
 Diwan-i-Khas: the Diwan-i-Khas or Hall of Private Audience, is a plain square building with four chhatris on
the roof. However it is famous for its central pillar, which has a square base and an octagonal shaft, both carved
with bands of geometric and floral designs, further its thirty-six serpentine brackets support a circular platform

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 for Akbar, which is connected to each corner of the building on the first floor, by four stone walkways. It is here
that Akbar had representatives of different religions discuss their faiths and gave private audience.
 Ibadat Khana: (House of Worship) was a meeting house built in 1575 CE by the Mughal Emperor Akbar,
where the foundations of a new Syncretistic faith, Din-e-Ilahi were laid by Akbar.
 Anup Talao: Anup Talao was built by Raja Anup Singh Sikarwar A ornamental pool with a central platform
and four bridges leading up to it. Some of the important buildings of the royal enclave are surround by it
including, Khwabgah (House of Dreams) Akbar's residence, Panch Mahal, a five-storey palace, Diwan-i-
Khas(Hall of Private Audience), Ankh Michauli and the Astrologer's Seat, in the south-west corner of the Pachisi
Court.
 Hujra-i-Anup Talao: Said to be the residence of Akbar's Muslim wife, although this is disputed due to its
small size.
 Mariam-uz-Zamani's Palace: The building of Akbar's Rajput wives, including Mariam-uz-Zamani, shows
Gujarati influence and is built around a courtyard, with special care being taken to ensure privacy.
 Naubat Khana: Also known as Naqqar Khana meaning a drum house, where musician used drums to
announce the arrival of the Emperor. It is situated ahead of the Hathi Pol Gate or the Elephant Gate, the south
entrance to the complex, suggesting that it was the imperial entrance.
 Pachisi Court: A square marked out as a large board game, the precursor to modern day  Ludo game where
people served as the playing pieces.
 Panch Mahal: A five-storied palatial structure, with the tiers gradually diminishing in size, till the final one,
which is a single large-domed chhatri. Originally pierced stone screens faced the facade and probably sub-
divided the interior as well, suggesting it was built for the ladies of the court. The floors are supported by
intricately carved columns on each level, totalling to 176 columns in all.
 Birbal's House: The house of Akbar's favourite minister, who was a Hindu. Notable features of the building
are the horizontal sloping sunshades or chajjas and the brackets which support them.
 Hiran Minar: The Hiran Minar, or Elephant Tower, is a circular tower covered with stone projections in the
form of elephant tusks. Traditionally it was thought to have been erected as a memorial to the Emperor Akbar's
favourite elephant. However, it was probably a used as a starting point for subsequent mile posts. [23]
Other buildings included Taksal (mint), Daftar Khana (Records Office), Karkhana (royal
workshop), Khazana (Treasury), Hammam (Turkic Baths), Darogha's Quarters, stables, Caravan sarai, Hakim's
quarters, etc.

Demographics[edit]
Fatehpur Sikri has a population of 28,757. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Fatehpur Sikri
has an average literacy rate of 46%, lower than the national average of 74%; male literacy is 57%, and female
literacy is 34%. In Fatehpur Sikri, 59% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Administration[edit]
Fatehpur Sikri is one of the fifteen Block headquarters in the Agra district. It has 52 Gram
panchayats (Village Panchayat) under it.
The Fatehpur Sikri, is a constituency of the Lok Sabha, Lower house of the Indian Parliament, and further comprises
five Vidhan Sabha(legislative assembly) segments:

 Agra Rural
 Fatehpur Sikri
 Kheragarh
 Fatehabad
 Bah
In all there are 12 villages of Sisodia Rajputs near Fatehpur Sikri fort in Agra district. These are Daultabad,
Nayavas, Satha, Korai, Behrawati, Byara, Undera, Kachora, Singarpur, Vidyapur, Onera, Arrua.

Page 11 of 86
Transport[edit]
Fatehpur Sikri is about 39 kilometres (24 mi) from Agra. The nearest Airport is Agra Airport (also known as Kheria
Airport), 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Fatehpur Sikri. The nearest railway station is Fatehpur Sikri railway station,
about 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from the city centre. It is connected to Agra and neighbouring centres by road, where
regular bus services operated by UPSRTC ply, in addition to tourist buses and taxis.

In literature[edit]
In her poem Futtypore Sicri (Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1833), Letitia Elizabeth Landon associates its
abandonment with 'the revenge of the dead'.
Vita Sackville-West, in her novel All Passion Spent, places the key meeting between Deborah, Lady Slane, and Mr
FitzGeorge, at Fatehpur Sikri.
She stood again on the terrace of the deserted Indian city looking across the brown landscape where puffs of rising
dust marked at intervals the road to Agra. She leant her arms upon the warm parapet and slowly twirled her parasol.
She twirled it because she was slightly ill at ease. She and the young man beside her were isolated from the rest of
the world.[24]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatehpur_Sikri

WHY DID AKBAR ABANDON FATEHPUR

SIKRI ?
 

Page 12 of 86
“ This is Agra madam, “ said my driver with a shrug as he sped past on the highway while
we were chased literally by a group of men shouting some expletives. It was not an
incident of road rage. A moment ago, a group of men had literally flung themselves on the
car as our driver deftly swerved to the left, avoiding them and averting an accident at the
same time.  For a moment, we had no idea what hit us. But our driver remained calm and
laughed, “Be prepared for more drama. ” We were driving  towards Mughal Emperor
Akbar’s erstwhile capital city, Fatehpur Sikri and I learnt that these “highway men” were
unauthorised guides who accosted tourists on the road . They are extremely aggressive
and my driver warned me to be careful as we explored places to visit in Fatehpur Sikri.

Just as he had mentioned, we were almost mobbed the moment we reached our
destination and it took a lot of aggression to ward these men away as we walked towards
the beautiful city, clothed in legends. And that is where I got a dose of history of Fatehpur
Sikri .

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History of Fatehpur Sikri
The history of Fatehpur Sikri dates back to the Mughal era in the 16th century. . Lost and
abandoned, Fatehpur Sikri stood like a proud maiden showing off her beauty even as an
air of melancholy surrounded it.  The rich sand stone walls echoed tales of poignancy and
erstwhile glory. It was blazing hot and we were on the road from Agra to Fatehpur
Sikri  after gazing at the beauty of the Taj Mahal and the grandeur of the fort.

And yet there was something special about the 500 year old ghost town that stood like a
faded jewel  sparkling in the afternoon sun. No one really knows why Akbar abandoned
his capital city, one that he lovingly built and ruled for fourteen years.  Many  legends
echoed from these walls, as it went down in history as the court of Akbar’s legendary
courtiers. This was where Tansen sang for rains and Birbal polished his wits.  

Sikri as a village was first noticed by Babar and not Akbar, when he defeated Rana
Sangha in the 16th century. He apparently gave it a title, Shukri, feeling grateful, as a
token of  thanksgiving.

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It was also the home of the Sufi saint Salim Chisti who lived in a cavern here. Legend has
it that Akbar visited him in the 16th century to seek his blessings for a male heir. Akbar,
perhaps on an impulse decided to build his capital here which was painted red with
sandstone. And the prediction did come true as Prince Salim or Jahangir was born in this
new town.  

The name Fatehpur came much later, as it was from here that Akbar marched to a
successful victory over the rulers of Gujarat and renamed it as the City of victory. The first
thing that we saw here was the 54 metres tall Bulund Darwaaza , a gate that was built
here to commemorate the victory. It is also one of the places to see in Fatehpur Sikri

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Fatehpur Sikri Dargah
Some locals were enjoying their afternoon siesta while we visited Salim Chisti’s dargah,
one of the places to visit in Fatehpur Sikri. Loud music filled the air. Looking around at the
edifices, palaces and assembly halls sparkling in red against the blue sky, I was still drawn
to the music. Every monument glowed in the warmth of the sun. There are several places
to visit in Fatehpur Sikri.

There was the Jami Masjid and  the Imperial Palace complex with more than fifteen
monuments that included the Diwani i Aam or the public enclosure, Daulat Khanna or the
Abode of Fortune with the Dhiwani i Kaas , the Jewel House,  the Anup Talao, Jodha
Bhai’s palace, Birbal’s house among others.

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A little monument called the Ankh Michauli or the Blind Man’s Buff was believed to be
Akbar’s favourite haunt where he played the game with his harem.  

I headed to the ornamental Anup Talao where Tansen regaled the court with his music.
The water reflected the monuments as it was connected by small bridges to them. Seated
in the island in the centre of the pond, Tansen used to sing four different ragas during the
day. Suddenly history was forgotten amidst lore.

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Did Tansen charm Akbar’s daughter Mehrunissa and marry her eventually? Did he really
make the clouds melt with rain with raga Megha Malhaar? Did he really die when he was
engulfed by the fire that broke out when he was singing raga Deepaka? History does not
really answer these questions, but very often these are the stories that linger in our
minds. 

But the story of Fatehpur Sikri defies logic. Here was a king who passionately built the city
brick by brick. It was believed that he was at the quarry personally working along with the
workers. But the city that took 15 years to build was inhabited for just 14 years. When
Akbar moved his capital, he left it as a ghost town.

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One wondered if he moved because of the shortage of water or as some historians say
that he had no intention of building a permanent capital. Whatever the reason may be,
Fatehpur Sikri remains Akbar’s masterpiece as he seems to have left a piece of him in
these red walls, even though it lay abandoned. The architecture of the monuments leave a
tale behind.

https://lakshmisharath.com/places-to-visit-in-fatehpur-sikri/

Agra Fort
Fast Facts

Location: Agra, Uttar Pradesh

Built By: Akbar

Built in the Year: 1573

Purpose: Main residence of the Mughals

Area: 380,000 square meter

Current Status: The fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site

Visit Timing: Sunrise to sunset

Entry: Entry to Agra Fort is allowed through the Amar Singh Gate only

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Image Credit:

Agra Fort was built in the year 1573 under the reign of Akbar – one of the greatest Mughal Emperors. It took
more than 4000 workers and eight years of hardship to complete the fort. Knowing the significance of its location,
Akbar built the fort to make it the main residence of the Mughals. The fort remained as the main residence of the
emperors belonging to the Mughal dynasty until the year 1638. The fort houses numerous impressive structures
like the Jahangir Mahal, Khas Mahal, Diwan-i-Khass, Diwan-i-Am, Machchhi Bhawan and Moti Masjid. In 1638,
the capital of the Mughal dynasty was moved from Agra to Delhi, causing the Agra Fort to lose its status as the
main residence of the Mughal emperors. The fort is separated from its sister monument Taj Mahal by just 2.5
kilometers. Often described as the walled city, Agra Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Today, the fort is a
major tourist spot and attracts many tourists from all over the world.

History of the Fort 

Agra Fort is known for its rich history. The fort has been owned by many emperors and rulers in the past,
undergoing many changes in its appearance. It all began in the year 1526 when the first battle of Panipat was
fought between Babur and Ibrahim Lodi of the Lodi dynasty. When Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, he made the
fort and the palace of Ibrahim Lodi as his home. He then modified the fort by building a huge step well (baoli)
inside. The fort soon became an important monument to the Mughals. In fact, Babur’s successor, Humayun’s
coronation took place at the fort in the year 1530.

Soon emperors from other dynasties started eyeing the fort and efforts to win over the same began. In 1540,
Sher Shah Suri of the Sur Empire waged a war against Humayun and defeated him at Bilgram. Sher Shah Suri
took over the ownership of the fort from Humayun and made minor changes to it, so as to suit his own
architectural taste. The fort stayed with the emperors of the Sur dynasty for the next 15 years. In 1555, Humayun
managed to recapture Agra and with it the fort as well. But a year later, Hemu Vikramaditya, the general and
military commander of Adil Shah Suri (final emperor of the Sur dynasty) captured Agra. He pursued the fleeing
army to Delhi and the Battle of Tughlaqabad ensued between him and Tardi Beg Khan, the military commander
of the Mughals. 
 

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 Tardi Beg Khan lost the battle convincingly and Hemu Vikramaditya crowned himself the king. However, on
November 5 1556 and barely a month into the kingship of Hemu, Akbar, along with his army, marched into Delhi
and defeated the forces of Hemu. The fort once again belonged to the Mughals, but was fast disintegrating. Back
then, it was known as Badalgarh and was built with bricks alone. Realizing its historical and situational
significance, Akbar decided to rebuild it with red sandstone. 

During the reign of Shah Jahan, the fort was modified considerably and took the current form. Shah Jahan
destroyed some of the edifices within the fort and rebuilt it as per his own architectural taste. During the early
17th century, the fort was captured by the Maratha Empire.During this period, the fort saw many owners
including various Maratha emperors and their enemies which included a host of Mughal emperors. In 1761, the
Marathas underwent a massive defeat at the hands of Ahmad Shah Durrani, founder of the Durrani Empire. The
emperors of the Durrani dynasty made the fort their home until 1785. In 1785, the fort was regained by the
Marathas under the reign of Mahadji Shinde. The Marathas then lost their battle against the British in the Second
Anglo-Maratha War and with it the fort. The British then enjoyed the comfort of the fort until it was handed over to
the government of India in 1947.

Image Credit:

Layout of the Fort

The fort, when viewed from above, has a semicircular shape. The base of the fort faces the bank of the river
Yamuna. The Agra Fort is enclosed by a double battlemented massive wall of red sandstone. This wall is about 2
kilometer in perimeter and is interrupted by graceful curves and lofty bastions. The walls of the fort are a massive
seventy feet high. The fort stretches for almost 2.5 kilometers. It has four gates (one on each side). Out of the
four gates, the Delhi gate and Lahore gate are the most prominent ones. The Lahore gate was later renamed as
Amar Singh Gate. Akbar used the Delhi gate as his main entrance and the gate also served as a security against
the invaders. There is also an inner gateway known as the Elephant Gate. The entrances were built in such a
manner that the invaders found it difficult to enter the fort even with the help of war elephants. The Indian army
still uses the Delhi gate for security purposes. 

The fort has various palaces and halls. Among the palaces, the prominent ones are Macchi Bhavan, Khas Mahal
and Shah Jahani Mahal. The Amar Singh gate leads to the courtyard. The magnificent Diwan-I-Am (Hall of
Public Audience) is on the right hand side. A little further lay the royal pavilions, which houses the famous Nagina

Page 21 of 86
 Masjid and Mina Masjid. The fort also has royal baths made out of marbles, which were used by the princesses.
Also, places of worship and a private market place for the ladies were built within the fort. At the base of the fort,
a secret passage was dug in an attempt to access it with ease, during times of emergency. Other attractions of
the fort include a grape garden, a jasmine tower, a mirror palace (Shish Mahal), courtrooms and the ruins of
Akbar’s once magnificent palace. It is said that the fort once housed five hundred beautiful looking buildings.
Unfortunately, many of those buildings were destroyed at different time periods for various reasons.

Architecture    

Bricks formed the base of Agra Fort’s structure. Red sandstone was brought all the way from Rajasthan and that
was laid on the external surfaces. Back then, the entire fort was built using the red sandstone. This appearance
of the fort underwent a major change during the reign of Shah Jahan. Unlike his grandfather, Shah Jahan was
smitten by the beauty of white marble. Hence, he destroyed many structures within the fort, only to rebuild them
using white marble. Shah Jahan was made to spend his final days in the Musamman Burj of the Agra fort, which
was built by him.The Musamman Burj is located on the left of the Khaas Mahal. It is a beautiful octagonal tower
with an open pavilion. It is said that Shah Jahan used to view the Taj Mahal from this very place.

When the British took over the ownership of Agra Fort, much more changes were made to the fort. They
destroyed many structures and edifices with historical significances, citing political reasons and for raising
barracks. The structures that managed to survive showcase the real complexity and workmanship of Mughal
architecture. Fine examples of the Mughal architecture within the fort are the Delhi Gate, Amar Singh Gate and
the Bengali Mahal. These structures not only represent Mughal architecture, but are also fine examples of Akbari
architecture which is also known as Indo-Islamic architecture. Among these structures the Delhi Gate is
considered as the most prominent for its workmanship and architectural design. Even today, it is regarded as
one of Akbar’s masterpiece. Speaking about masterpiece, there is an interesting legend associated with the
architecture of the Agra Fort. It is said that the royal rooms of the fort were built in such a way that they would
remain cool even during the summer. The legend has it that the walls were made hollow and then filled with
water from the river, so that they would remain cool.

Image Credit:

Important Structures Inside the Agra Fort

•    Jahangir's Hauz – This is a monolithic tank, and was built by Jahangir. The tank was initially used for
bathing. It is now a part of Akbar’s Bengali Mahal.
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 •    Shahjahani Mahal – The Shahjahani Mahal is probably one of the earliest attempts of Emperor Shah Jahan
to turn a red sandstone palace into a palace of white marble.

•    Babur’s Baoli (step well) – Babur built a stone step well which took care of the water needs in the ancient
fort of Agra. This was probably one of the earliest modifications made to the fort.

•    Nagina Masjid – Nagina Masjid is a mosque which was built by Shah Jahan. The mosque was built using
white marble only and was considered a private place of worship. 

•    Diwan-I-Am (Hall of Public Audience) – This hall was built by Shah Jahan. Interestingly, the hall was first
built using red sandstone but was later shell-plastered, giving it a look of white marble.

•    Ghaznin Gate – The Ghaznin gate actually belongs to the tomb of Mahmud of Ghazni, one of the rulers of
the Ghaznavid Empire. The gate was moved into the fort by the British for political reasons.

•    Bengali Mahal –This palace was built by Akbar and was later modified by Shah Jahan. An interesting aspect
of this palace is it is said to be housing secret buildings hidden underneath the palace. 

•    Akbar’s Mahal – The ruins of Akbar’s famous palace still remains in the fort. Akbar breathed his last in this
very palace. The entire palace was built using red sandstone.

Image Credit:

The Secret Within

Agra Fort has many secret subterranean apartments and edifices. It is said that the entire fort is interconnected
through tunnels and other underground pathways. According to historians, the emperors who owned the fort
during their respective reigns are said to have contributed to the secret tunnels for obvious reasons. One such
known tunnel is located near the Water Gate, connecting the fort to the banks of river Yamuna.

https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-forts/agra-fort.html

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Agra Fort: Home of Mughals
Agra fort is the most important fort of India, The great mughals: Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jehan and Aurangzeb lived
here and country was governed from here. It contained the largest state treasury and mint. It was visited by foreign ambassadors,
Travelers and the highest dignitaries who participated in the making of medieval history of India. No other fort of India had this honor.

                                               Agra Fort : Front Gate

Agra fort stands on an ancient site just by the river Yamuna. It was brick fort and Chauhan Rajputs held it. It is mentioned for the first
time in 1080 AD when a Ghaznavide force captured it. Sikandar lodhi (1487-1517) was the first sultan of Delhi who shifted to Agra and
lived in the fort. He governed the country from here and Agra assumed the prominence of the second capital. He died in the fort in 1517
and his son Ibrahim lodhi held it for 9 years until he was defeated and killed at Panipat in 1526. Several places, Wells and a Mosque
were built in the fort during the lodhi period.

Page 24 of 86
                                     Taj Mahal's distant view from Agra fort
After Panipat, Mughal captured the Agra fort and a vast treasure –which included the diamond later named “Koh-i-noor” was
seized. Babur stayed in the fort in the palace of Ibrahim. He built a baori (Steep well) in it. Humayun was coronated here in 1530, after
the defeat at Chausa in 1539, he returned to Agra. Nizam water carrier (Saqqa) who had saved humayun from drowning was crowned
here for half a day and he issued a menial currency. Humayun was defeated at Bilgram in 1540. SherShah held it for 5 years.
The Mughal defeated the Afghans finally at Panipat in 1556.

Realizing the importance of the central situation, Akbar (1556-1605) decided to make Agra his capital. He arrived here in 1558. His
historian abul fazl recorded that this was a brick fort, known as ‘Badalgarh’. It was in ruined condition and Akbar ordered it to be rebuilt
with Red Sandstones. Foundations were laid by expert architects and it was massively built with bricks in inner core and stones at
external surfaces. Some 4000 builders daily worked on it and it was completed in 8 years (1565-1573).

                                           Jahangir Mahal Agra Fort

The fort has a semi-circular plan, its chord lying parallel to the river. Its walls are 70 feet high. Double ramparts have massive circular
bastions at regular intervals, battlements, embrasures, machicolations and string courses. Four gates were provided on its Four sides.
one " khizri gate' opening on the river, where series of Ghats (quays) was also built.
 

Abul fazl recorded that 500 buildings in the beautiful designs of Bengal and Gujarat were built in it. Some of these were demolished by
shah jahan to make room for his white marble palaces. But they were mostly destroyed by the British between 1803 to 1862 for raising
barracks. Hardly 30 mughal buildings have survived on the south-eastern side, facing the river. Of these, the delhi-gate and akbar-
gate and one palace: 'bengali-mahal', are representative akbari buildings. The delhi- gate faces the city. A draw-bridge and crooked
entrance made it impregnable. Two life-size stone elephants, with their riders were placed on its inner gate which was called "hathi-
pol" delhi-gate was monumentally built as the king's formal gate. 'Akbar gate' was renamed 'Amar singh gate' by the british. This gate is
similar to the delhi-gate. Both are built of red stone. The bengali-mahal is also built of red stone and is now split into 'akbari-
mahal' and'jahangiri-mahal'.

                     Taj Mahal distant view in the backdrop of river yamuna

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Akbar died and jahangir was coronated in the fort in 1605. The latter mostly resided at lahore and kashmir, though he
visited agra regularly and lived in the fort. Agra continued to be the capital of the Mughal Empire. Shah jahan was also crowned in the
fort in 1628. He was a great builder and its white marble palaces belong to him. He built three white marble mosques in it: moti-
masjid, nagina-masjid and mina-masjid.
 

After the battle of samogarh in 1658, aurangzeb besieged the fort and stopped its water supply from the river. Shah jahancould not
drink the well water and surrendered. Auranagzeb imprisoned him, his own father, in the fort where he lived as a prisoner for 8 years.
He died in 1666 and was buried in the Taj mahal. The barbicans around the two gates and on the river-side were built by aurangzeb to
strengthen its defenses.

                                           Corridors in Agra fort

Though shah jahan had transferred his capital to Delhi, formally in 1638, he continued to live here. But after his death,  Agralost its
grandeur; aurangzeb remained busy in the deccan conflict. Yet, time and again, he lived here and held the durbar. Shivaji came
to agra in 1666 and met aurangzeb in diwan-i-khas. He was betrayed and imprisoned, though the wily marathaultimately
escaped. Aurangzeb's death in 1707 threw the affairs of the mughal empire to chaos. The 18th century history of agra fort is a saga of
sieges and plunder. It was held by jats and marathas. The British captured it from the marathas in 1803. They garrisoned it and
converted it into an arsenal.
 

The mughal palaces have remained in a small, south-eastern portion of the fort and only this area is protected and conserved by the
archeological survey of India. Agra fort is a UNESCO world heritage site.

                                      Out of bound part of Agra Fort

How to reach: Agra fort is situated very close to Bijaligarh Bus stand and Agra fort railway station. There are frequent shared autos
from the Western Gate of Taj Mahal. You can easily locate it if you are following the road adjacent to the bank of river Yamuna. Ask
around, everyone in Agra will direct you.

Entrance fee: India (20 INR), Foreigners (300 INR)

Agra Fort Timings: Sunrise to sunset

Daily Sound and Light show at Agra fort:

India-40 INR, Student-25 INR, Foreigners- 150 INR
Hindi Show- 07:00 PM, English Show- 08:00 PM

Page 26 of 86
                                                  Plan of Agra Fort
                           Important Monuments inside Agra Fort Complex

Jahangir's Hauz (1610 A.D)

This circular bowl-shaped monolithic tank (hauz) is 5 feet high, 8 feet in diameter and 25 feet in circumference at the RIM. It has stairs
on the internal and external sides, which shows that it was not buried in the ground and was mobile. So that it could be transported and
used in the camp, as well as in the Harem Palace for bathing. It was made by order of the  mughal king Jahangir. A Persian inscription
was carved in the ten ornamental cartouches on the external side of the RIM. It has five couplets, only two are readable and mention it
as "Hauz-I-Jahangiri" which also gives 1610 A.D as the date of its construction.

                                             Jahangir's Hauz

It was first discovered in a court of Akbar's Palace in the fort in 1843 and was placed in front of Diwan-I-Am. In 1862, it was removed to
public gardens (company gardens) where it suffered much of the damage. Sir John Marshal brought it back to Agrafort and placed it
here. It is owing to this hauz of Jahangir that this palace became famous as "Jahangiri-Mahal", though it is only a part of Akbar's
"Bengali-Mahal".

Page 27 of 86
The Bengali-Mahal (1565-1569 A.D)

The Bengali-Mahal was a vast palace which originally extended from the south eastern tower walled Bengali Burj to
the Machchhi Bhawan. It overlooked the river Jamuna which provided a pleasant landscape, fresh air and constant supply of water. IT
was built by Akbar and was named as such owing to Banglauar (Curved) Chhajjas and roofs of its buildings. Underground apartments
in two storeyes are situated beneath this palace. Shah Jahan built his white marble palaces on its northern part. The remaining portion
is ar present split into two palaces. Akbar Mahal and Janagiri-Mahal. The Former has a spacious court which had mansions around it.
Only the river side apartments have now survived. There were smaller courts and complexes, toilers, service quarters and a
large Baori (Stepwell) with a well. The east India company first used it as provostergeantquarters and then as a prison. The latter
palace also has a large central court with assembly halls and living rooms around it. Most of these were in ruins and were restored by
John Marshal between 1902 and 1911 A.D.

                                       Ruins of Akbar's Mahal Agra fort

The palace is entirely built of RED sandstone. Construction is tradeated with emphatic use of designed brackets supporting
the chhajjas as well as lintels. Flat Ceilings have been used in the wide variety even on large assembly halls. Ingeniously
some ladaodar ceilings built of stone Ribs and panels are unique. Glazed-Tiling and Stucco have been used along with stone carving
for ornamentation. Designs are indigenous as well as exotic. The whole composition is unique and harmonious. This happy trend is
reflective of the composite culture which developed under the Mughals.

Page 28 of 86
                                      Bengali Mahal and Akbar Mahal
Akbar's harem was housed in this palace. Historian Abul-Fazl recorded that Akbar made a large enclosure with fine building inside
where he reposes. Though there are more than 5000 women. He has given each a separate apartment. It was a sensitive matter and
called for efficient organization. Chaste women and trustworthy officers were appointed in the service of Harem. It was carefully
guarded. Women were paid monthly salaries ranging from Rupees 1028 to 1610. Maid-Servants were kept in large numbers for
cleaning, lighting and other duties of the household. They received salaries from Rupees 2 to 51. All this was well organized and kept in
perfect order.

                                                   Shahjahani Mahal
The Shahjahani Mahal (1628-35 A.D)
It is situated in between the white marble khas-Mahal and the red stone Jehangiri-Mahal and is set transitionally in between these two
major residential complexes, of two different ages. It is the earliest attempt of the Mughal king Shah Jehan to convert an existing Red
Stone building in accordance with his taste, and it is his earliest palace in Agra fort. It has a large hall and side rooms and an octagonal
tower on the river-side. The skeletal construction of brick masonry and red stone was all white stuccoed with a thick plaster and
colorfully painted in floral designs and whole palace once glistened white. Like white marble on its face towards the  Khas-Mahal is a
large spacious white marble Dalan, composed of five 9- cusped arches supported on double pillars and protected externally by
a chhajja. Its western bay is closed to house the Ghaznin-Gate. Babur's Baoli and well are situated beneath it. The subterranean
apartments in several storeys and phansighar are also situated under this palace.

                                                 Ghaznin Gate
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Ghaznin-gate (1030 A.D)
This gate originally belonged to the tomb of mahmud ghaznavi at ghazni. He died in 1030 A.D. it was brought prom there by
the british in 1842. It was claimed, in the historic proclamation of lord Ellenborough, the governor general, that these were the
sandalwood gates of somnath which mahmud had taken to ghaznin in 1025, and the british has thus avenged an insult of 800 years
back. This false claim was made just to win the goodwill of the indian people. The gate is, in fact made of local deodarwood
of ghaznin and not of sandalwood. The style of decoration bears no resemblance to ancient gujarati Wood work. There is also an
Arabic inscription carved on the upper side. It mentions mahmud with his epithets. Sir John marshall had placed here a notice-board
which described the whole episode and this gate.
 

It is 16-1/2 feet high and 13-1/2 feet broad and its weight is about half a ton. It is made up of geometrical, hexagonal and octagonal
panels which have been fixed, one with the help of the other, into the frame, without rivets.
 

The idea to restore it at somnath was ultimately given up and the gate was abandoned. Since then, it is stored in this room. In no way is
it relates to this fort, or the mughals, and it is lying here either as a war trophy of the British campaign of 1842 A.D, or as a sad reminder
of the historic lies of the east India co.

                                     The Khas Mahal Aramgah and Anguri Bagh

Subterranean apartments and phansighar (11569 1658 A.D)

An underground  complex of  stairways, corridor, tunnels and rooms. In two storeys, exists beneath the palaces, all along the river side
originally. It extended from the baori (step-well) near bengali-Burj to the machchhi bhawan and had entrances from the baori. Eastern
court of jehangiri-mahal. Anguri bagh and muthamman-burj. In fact Akbar built his palace, Which originally covered this area, on the
existing structures which were converted and used to serve as its foundational basement with which every quarter of his palace was
secretly connected. This is also how it assumed such a gigantic height from the river. It housed his harem (seraglio) which had 6000
women (including maids). As historian asul fazl recorded, and ' notwithstanding the great number of faithful guards". Akbar kept his own
vigilance "through this complex all entrances as also the original stairways tunnels and corridors have been enclosed up from time to
time and it can now accessible only by this window.
 

An octagonal room in its first floor had a phansighar (execution chamber : with a 18.5 feet long wooden beam across ft for private
execution of offenders of the harem chastity babur baori and well a tank with cascade and series of rooms are also there. Slits for
ventilation are given in the corridor chruns all along the fort wall. There is also a jharokha the second floor below it is more spacious
and has larger apartments and a more complex network of halls, rooms and corridor. Agra fort contained the largest treasury of
the mughal empire and this floor probably reserved for storing treasures in gold silver coins and jewelry. These underground
apartments have now been closed for security ‘reasons. They remain as great a mystery today as they were during the mughal times.

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                        Way to Zanana mina bajar and Mandir Raja Ratan

Babur's baoli and overhead tanks (water-works) (1527-1573 A. D.)

This is the spot where babur's baoli and water-works were situated. Babur recorded in his memoirs that he built a stone baori(step-well)
in agra fort. It had three-storeys, the bullock turned the water- wheel (rehant) for raising water. In the second storey all these opened on
the stairs which descended down to water. It was completed after the battle of khanwa in 1527 a.d. and babur placed there an
inscription. A well was attached to it at a higher level and water from the  baoli was first raised to this well. A 'rehant' also worked in it
"by- means" of which water is carried along the ramparts to the high garden", as baburrecorded.

                                        Distant view of Diwan I Am

Shahi - hammam & water supply system (c. 1570-1658 A.D.)

The shaw hammam, also called ghusl-khanah, was originally built by akbar and was renovated by shah jehan. It is a closed complex of
octagonal halls and rooms, interconnected by corridors, with only a few jali openings on the river-side. The instrument room above the
furnaces had two large deghs (pots) of brass and copper, clay and copper pipes, sunk mysteriously in the masonry walls, were
conducted to other rooms some of which also had miniature tanks hidden in corners at dado-height the secret of this mechanism is not
known to us today. Construction is in brick masonry but pavements and dados were originally finished in white marble. Walls
were stuccoed and painter. Every room is connected by a hypocaust-system. A ventilator is provided at the apex of each cupola
shaped domed ceiling. Some backyard quarters served the purpose of imperial toilet. Its mechanism shows that some sort of air-
conditioning was worked and this was mainly used as a summer palace for conducting business of confidential nature, as foreign
travelers name observed. It ranks among the finest hammams of the mughals.
 

There are three deep tanks on its roof. These were filled by the river-water, drawn by rehant (water-wheel) near the khizri or water-gate.
From these overhead tanks, water was supplied to the fountains, water-falls and tanks of nagina-masjid, machchhibhawan, shish-
mahal ano- muth amman-burj through water-tight clay and copper pipes and open nalis. River water in mughaltime s was clean pure
and fully potable. King Shah jehan used it for drinking. Aurangzeb besieged the fort after the battle of samogarh and stopped its water
supply from the river forcing the king to surrender on 8 june 1658 thereafter, aurangzebsecured the fort gates by additional barbicans.

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                                                 Nagina Masjid
The Nagina masjid (c. 1635 A.D.)

It is a private mosque built entirely op white marble, by the mughal king shan jehan, c. 1635 A.D, for use by the ladies of the harem with
court on its three sides. It is open and airy though it has been adequately enclosed for purdah. It is two aisles deep with a three-arched
facade. Piers have been used to support the cusped arches, the central one being larger than the side ones. The chhajja protecting the
facade is curved in the middle above the central arch and so is the parapet. Three bulbous domes, crowneo by lotus-petals and kalash-
finials, constitute the superstructure : the central one is higher than the side domes. The bangladar feature : the circular curve of
the chhajja and parapet, gives prominence to the nave and the elevation and |ns is its distinctive characteristic. Both ceilings of the
nave are also triangular bangladar. A miniature water-tank with cascade is provided in the eastern wall, for ablution (wuzu). Of the
private harem mosques of shah jehan, this beautiful masjid is excelled only by its younger sister: the moti-masjid, red fort Delhi (c.1658-
53).

                                                    Diwan-I-Am

The Diwan-I-Am (The Hall of Public Audience) (1628-35 A.D)

This palace was built by the mughal king Shah Jehan who later commissioned similar halls in the forts of Lahore and Delhi, Originally
there was no stone and mortar. Diwan-I-Am building in this fort and the assembly was held in a cloth tent and then in a wooden hall as
recorded by the historian. It is places in the middle of the eastern sides of a large chowk, with arcaded dalanson all sides, which is the
basic design of Shah Jehanian Diwan-i-AM. It is pillared hall which measures 208*75 Feet and has 9 broad semi-circular, 9
cusped engrailed arches on the facade and 3 arches on each side, supported on grand double-columns. It is 3- aisles deep and is
composed of symbolic 40 pillar sites (Chihil-Situn), making 27 auspicious astronomical bays. Though built of red sandstone, the whole
of it has been while shell-plastered, looking like marble. The imperial charokha (throne) chamber in the middle of the eastern walls is of
white marble with inlay ornamentation. Historians noted that there was a silver balustrade and the nobles stood here in perfect order.
Humility and submission, in attendance to their king who transacted day to day state business here.

It is noteworthy that unlike the fatehpur sikri Diwan-I-Am of akbar which faces east, it faces west, the direction of the holy Kabah. It was
converted into an arsenal by the British East India co (1803-87) and was restored by archeological survey of India.

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http://www.thinkingparticle.com/articles/agra-fort-history-pictures-information

Amber Fort
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 Fast Facts

Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan

Built By: Raja Man Singh

Built in the Year: 1592

Materials Used: Red sandstone and marble

Purpose: Main residence of the Rajput Maharajas

Current Status: Amber fort was declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site

Visit Timing: 8am - 5: 30pm 

Also referred to as the Amber Palace, the fort is located on a hill in Amer, Rajasthan. Just eleven kilometers from
the city of Jaipur, the Amber fort is a major tourist attraction. Built by Raja Man Singh, the fort, which is also spelt
as Amer fort, is a scenic marvel. It stands on top of an easily scalable mountain, which is situated right next to
the beautiful Maota Lake. The fort’s majestic appearance and its geographical advantages make it a special
place to visit. The fort presents a fascinating blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture. It is built using red
sandstone and white marble. The palace complex of the Amber fort has very attractive apartments. This complex
was built by Raja Man Singh, Mirza Raja Jai Singh and Sawai Jai Singh over a period of about two centuries.
This palace complex was used as the main residence of the Rajput Maharajas for a long period of time. Amber
fort is associated with rich history which involves treachery and bloodshed.

Image Credit:

History of the Amber Fort 

Raja Alan Singh, who once ruled the Chanda clan of the Meenas, was probably the first king to ever set foot on
Amer. He set up his palace on top of the hill, which currently holds the Amber fort, and started to rule over his
subjects in the new town. He named his town Khogong. One day, an old woman with a child approached Raja
Alan Singh, seeking refuge in his kingdom. The king took them in openheartedly, and even raised the child who
was named Dhola Rae. Dhola Rae was then sent to Delhi to spread the legacy of the Meena kingdom. Instead of
obeying his king’s orders, he came back with a small army of his own, which comprised of Rajputs. The Rajputs

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 then slayed everyone belonging to the clad of Meenas, without showing them any sign of mercy. It is said that
the massacre took place on the day of Diwali, when the Meenas were conducting a special ritual known as ‘Pitra
Trapan.’ Back then, it was customary for the Meenas to set aside all their weapons while performing ‘Pitra
Trapan.’ The Rajputs, who were aware of this practice, took advantage of the situation and made Khogong their
own. This act of theirs was considered as coward and despicable. The town along with the beautiful hill which
held the palace like fort now belonged to the Kachwaha Rajputs.

Raja Man Singh of the Kachwaha house took over the throne from his predecessor in the early 1600s. He then
started building the Amber fort after destroying the structure that was already built on top of the hill. The fort was
further developed by the successor of Raja Man Singh, Jai Singh I. Over the next two centuries or so, the fort
underwent continuous renovations and improvements under the reign of various Rajput Maharajas including
Mirza Raja Jai Singh I. The present fort was completed in the late 16th century. In 1727, the Maharajas of Rajput
decided to shift their capital from Amer to Jaipur, leaving no further changes to the appearance of the fort.

Image Credit:

Construction

The construction of Amber Fort was started in 1592. It was modified on regular intervals by several rulers and the
trend continued up until late 1600. The fort was mostly constructed using red sandstone and white marble.
Though basically a fort, it also served as the main residence of the Rajput Maharajas. Hence, in its subsequent
modifications, the fort was deliberately made to look more like a lavish palace. There is also another palace,
which was constructed before the construction of Amber fort. The older palace rests on a valley behind the fort.
This palace is one of the oldest in India.

Layout of the Fort

Four different sections combine to form the fort or the palace. Each section has its own gate and courtyard. The
first gate, which is also the main entrance, is called Suraj Pol or Sun Gate. The gate faces east, witnessing the
sunrise every morning and hence the name. This gate leads to the first courtyard named Jalebi Chowk. When
the place was still being ruled by the Rajputs, the soldiers used to assemble and celebrate their victory in this
very courtyard. This was a visual treat and was often viewed by women through windows. Since the royal
dignitaries used to enter through the Sun Gate, the place was heavily guarded. The front courtyard of the fort
complex is adorned with the splendid, pillared hall of the Diwan-i-Am, and the two-tiered painted gateway,
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 Ganesh Pol. The entrance of the Amber fort is through the Dil-e-Aaram Garden, which is laid out in the traditional
Mughal style. An impressive flight of stairs leads to the Diwan-e-Am (hall of public audience) which has latticed
galleries and double row of columns, each having a capital in the shape of elephants on the top. This hall is laid
on the second courtyard. To the right are steps that lead to a small temple of Goddess Sila Devi. The temple has
massive doors made of silver. 

There are two magnificent buildings laid out in the third courtyard. The buildings are situated opposite to each
other. On the left, the beautiful Jai Mandir, which is also called Sheesh Mahal (palace of mirrors) is situated. As
the name suggests, Jai Mandir was used to celebrate victories. Other celebrations too, were held in this building.
The building opposite to Jai Mandir is called Sukh Mahal (Hall of Pleasure). This place was used by the royal
family whenever they felt like they had to rest or spend some quality time alone. Towards the southern region of
this courtyard, lies the famous palace built by Raja Man Singh I. This is the oldest structure in the entire fort as it
stands today. The exit route from this palace leads directly to the town of Amer. The fourth courtyard is rather an
interesting one. The royal women including the mistresses lived in this part of the palace. They were collectively
known as the Zenana. Even the queens and queen mother lived in this part. This part of the palace was
extremely secluded as the kings used to visit the queens or their mistresses without getting noticed by anyone.

Image Credit:

Architecture 

The architectural style of the fort is a blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture. One of the best examples of this
style within the fort is the Ganesh Pol. Mirza Raja Jai Singh, who ruled the place from 1621 to 1627, was
instrumental in building the Ganesh Pol. The gate is embellished with mosaics, which makes it look colorful and
grand. Among the main attractions of the fort are Jai Mandir and Sheesh Mahal. While the Sheesh Mahal has
walls inlaid with exquisite mirrors, the Jai Mandir, hanging on the upper floor, is a superb blend of Mughal and
Rajput style of architecture. This is evident from the elegantly carved Jali screens and stucco work. Jal Mandir
has a huge opening which is covered with sandalwood doors. A special feature of this structure is the flow of
water through the building, making the entire hall air-conditioned. Sheesh Mahal too, has a special feature. Back
then, the entire edifice would glow even at the light of a few candles, such was the architectural brilliance of this
specially designed structure. The mirrors used in this palace are convex in nature. It was built during the reign of
King Man Singh in the late 1600s. 
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 Other major architectural attractions of the fort include the magic flower, palace of Man Singh and the garden.
While the magic flower depicts two hovering butterflies, the palace is known for its pavilion. The garden
resembles the Chahar Bagh or the famous Mughal Garden. Also, there is a pool which is star-shaped at the
center of the garden. Another interesting architectural design of the fort is the fourth courtyard. Since the kings
had to visit their queens and mistresses in secret, the courtyard demanded a special design. It was built in such
a way that no one could guess which room the king would enter as the courtyard, with multiple rooms, had a
common corridor. The walls of Amber fort are adorned with paintings of hunting and war along with precious
stones and mirrors set into the plaster. The Maota Lake at the forefront of the fort gives spectacular and beautiful
reflections of the magnificent Amber Fort-Palace.

Conservation of the Fort

The fort, along with five other forts of Rajasthan, was named as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the
year 2013. The ADMA (Amer Development and Management Authority) has so far spent around 40 crore rupees
to safeguard the fort from threats and external damages. However, commercialization of the fort is proving to be
a huge threat. It is said that a team of a Bollywood movie damaged an old canopy belonging to the fort. The team
had also damaged edifices like Chand Mahal, a courtyard named Jaleb Chowk and other ancient buildings by
drilling holes as part of fixing a set for the movie. The Rajasthan High Court had condemned this act and stopped
any further damage by cancelling permission to shoot the movie within the premises of the fort. Following this
incident, no movie is allowed to be shot anywhere near the Amber fort. 

https://www.culturalindia.net/indian-forts/amber-fort.html

Hawa Mahal
When was it built: 1799

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 Who built it: Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh

Where is it located: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Why was it built: For the royal women to enjoy the events and festivals in the street

Architectural Style: Blend of Hindu Rajput architecture and the Islamic Mughal architecture

Visit Timing: Daily, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm

How to Reach: The city of Jaipur is well-connected with other Indian cities by air, rail and road and also with
some international cities by air. The Jaipur International Airport is situated at Sanganer, a southern suburb at a
distance of 13 kilometres from Jaipur.

Image Credit:

Hawa Mahal or the 'Palace Of The Winds' located in the heart of the beautiful Pink City of Jaipur in Rajasthan,
India, is one of the most famous tourist attractions and a prominent landmark of the city that is renowned for its
rich cultural and architectural history. Built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh of the Kachhwaha Rajput
dynasty, this beautiful structure is predominantly a high screen wall made of pink and red sandstone that
facilitated royal women to get an eyeful of the street festivals and busy city life while remaining out of the view of
public. This five-storey building in the shape of a crown of Lord Krishna with 953 jharokhas or windows and a
beautifully decorated façade resembling a honeycomb of a beehive that gives one a feel of the rich heritage of
the Rajputs.

Image Credit: fpinfo.in

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 History & Later Developments

Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of the great Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh who built Jaipur, constructed the
Hawa Mahal in 1799. He was so impressed with the Khetri Mahal built by Maharaja Bhopal Singh in the town of
Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan that he embarked on constructing the Hawa Mahal that today stands as a remarkable gem
of Rajput style of architecture. It was built as an extension of the Royal City Palace and leads to the zenana or
women's chambers. One of the main reasons of constructing this beautiful mahal decorated with fine lattice
windows and screened balconies was to facilitate the royal Rajput women, who otherwise followed the strict
Purdah system and refrained from appearing in public, in  getting a glimpse of the daily events, royal processions
and festivals taking place on the streets. This way they could enjoy their sense of freedom while maintaining their
customs. 

Image Credit: indian-gk.in/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Hawa_Mahal_2011.jpg

Architecture & Design of Hawa Mahal

The architect of this unique five-storied pyramidal palace with a height of 15 m from its elevated base was Lal
Chand Ustad. The design of the building showcases an excellent blend of Hindu Rajput architecture with that of
the Islamic Mughal architecture. The former style is palpable from the fluted pillars, floral patterns and domed
canopies while the arches and stone inlay filigree work are manifestations of the latter style.

Keeping in line with other famous landmarks of the city, which is aptly tagged as the ‘Pink City’, this monument
was built with red and pink sandstones. Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh’s devotion towards Lord Krishna is
manifested from the design of the structure of the palace that resembles the crown of the Lord. Although not
exactly a palace, it looks like one from the street. The façade of the building intricately carved with beautiful
motifs is cognate to that of the honeycomb of a beehive. Several potholes of the structure each having small
lattice windows, chiselled sandstone grill and decorated domes give the building a look of a mass of semi-
octagonal bays. There are a total of 953 elaborately carved jharokhas or windows, some of which are made of
wood. These jharokhas were build in such a manner that air circulates naturally through them creating Venturi
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 effect (doctor breeze) thus air conditioning the entire structure during the hot summers. Each jharokha has a
small chamber where one can sit and view the street. Fountains at the middle of each chamber complimented
well with the light wind flowing through the jharokhas thus enhancing the cooling effect of the chambers.

Image Credit:

The brilliantly conceived design, style and construction of the mahal made it the favourite resort of Maharaja Jai
Singh and became famous as his masterpiece. An imperial door from the city palace side leads to the entrance
of the Hawa Mahal. Three two-storied buildings enclose a large courtyard on three sides with the Hawa Mahal
located on its eastern side. The courtyard presently houses an archaeological museum. The interior of the mahal
consisting of chambers as also passages and pillars leading to the top storey is however quite plain and simple
compared to the ornamented exterior. The width of the top three storeys is that of a single room while the first
two storeys have courtyards. There are no stairs in the building and top storeys can be reached only by ramps.

          
Image Credit: travdiary.com

A Visit to the Hawa Mahal

The Hawa Mahal that attracts national and international tourists visiting Jaipur is located in the southern part of
the city on Hawa Mahal Rd, Badi Choupad. It can be visited on all days from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, however it is
best viewed early in the morning when the golden rays of the Sun fall on this royal building giving it a more
elegant and gorgeous look. The ancient artefacts preserved in the museum of the mahal give one a glimpse of

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 the rich past, the cultural heritage and the exuberant lifestyle of the Rajputs. One can avail a taxi or book a car to
reach the destination. As summers in Rajasthan are too hot, the best time to visit Jaipur is from October to March
when the weather of the city becoms pleasant.

https://www.culturalindia.net/monuments/hawa-mahal.html

Jaipur History

Jaipur history dated back to 18th century.  Jaipur, the current capital of Rajasthan, was built in 1727 AD
by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. Maharaja Bishan Singh was demised and his son Jai Singh came to power at the
age of 11. The Kachwaha Rajput faced with the rivalry with Sisodia, ruler of Mewar, he allied with the Mughals. With
the help of he Mughals, Jai Singh had secured his throne and the kingdom flourished in his reign.
Jai Singh first had the capital in Amber, which is 11km away from Jaipur. As the city grew, water supply became a
problem in Amber. Finally he decided to move the capital to Jaipur. Jai Singh was a talented ruler. When he moved
the capital, he appointed Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya, an architect from Bengal to make a complete city plan according
to Shilpa Shastra, the science of Indian architecture. From residential area, parks, markets, palaces to roads, water
system and fortification of boundary, everything was meticulously planned. It took four years to plan and it was said
that Jai Singh actually laid down the foundation of the city himself in 1727. He continued to monitor the construction
of the city to make sure it followed the traditional Rajput architectural design. Thus, Jaipur has the privilege being
the first planned city in India. The Royal City Palace was also built in this period with the Hawa Mahal as a
continuation by the later ruler.

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With the death of Jai Singh in 1744, the city was constantly attacked by the Rajputs and Marathas. Throughout the
history, Jaipur was mostly under the rule of Rajputs. This includes Sawai Pratap Singh (1764 – 1803) who built
Hawa Mahal, Sakai Ram Singh II (1835 to 1880), Madho Singh II (1861 – 1922) and Sawai Man Singh II (1911 –
1970). Even when the British. came, Jaipur is one of the very few parts of India which was never rule by the British.
The Pink City
Jaipur gained the name of Pink City in 1853 when Sawai Ram Singh ordered to paint all royal and government
buildings in sandstone colour to welcome the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) to the city.
After India’s independence, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Jaipur merged to form the new Rajasthan state with
Jaipur being the capital city.
 
Related post:
 History of Hawa Mahal (why did they build Hawa Mahal?)

Information About Hawa Mahal

Situated at Badi Choupad, Pink City of Jaipur, Hawa Mahal was built in 1799. It has 953 windows on the outside
walls. The honeycomb shaped and beautifully carved windows allow breeze to blow through the palace and makes
it a perfect summer palace. It was built as an extension to the City Palace nearby. See below for more information
about Hawa Mahal.

Hawa Mahal in the 1890s

History
In 1799, the Kachhwaha Rajput ruler, Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh ordered Lal
Chand Usta to construct an extension to the Royal City Palace. The Purdah system at the time was strictly followed.
Rajput royal ladies should not be seen by strangers or appear in any public area. The construction of Hawa Mahal
allows the royal ladies to enjoy from every day street scenes to royal processions on the street without being seen.
Architecture
The five-stores palace was built in the form of Krishna’s crown because Sarai Pratap Singh was devoted to Krishna,
the Hindu god.
The mahal has a total of 953 small casements each with small lattice worked pink window, balconies and arched
roofs with hanging cornices. This allows cool breeze blow through the mahal and keep it cool and airy in summer.
Despite the large number of windows, each of them are size of a peep hole such that the royal ladies were not to be
seen by the public.
The top three storeys are a single room thick, namely Vichitra Mandir, Prakash Mandir and Hawa Mandir. The
Maharaja worshipped the Krishna at the Vichitra Mandir. while the Prakash Mandir provides an open terrace to both
sides. Worth noting is that there are no steps to the upper floors but ramps. They are for the palanquin of the royal
ladies.
The autumn celebrations took place on the Sharad Mandir on the first floor. Don’t miss out on the colourful
glassworks on Ratan Mandir on the second floor.
Contrast to the rich decoration of the exterior, the interiors of the mahal is much simpler. But it is also where you will
find the best view of the city of Jaipur.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Hawa Mahal is in the early morning when the sun enters the rooms from the windows. The
mahal is illuminated with golden sun lights.
http://www.hawa-mahal.com/information-about-hawa-mahal/

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The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
The Jantar Mantar, in Jaipur, is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century. It
includes a set of some 20 main fixed instruments. They are monumental examples in masonry of
known instruments but which in many cases have specific characteristics of their own. Designed
for the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye, they embody several
architectural and instrumental innovations. This is the most significant, most comprehensive, and
the best preserved of India's historic observatories. It is an expression of the astronomical skills
and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period.

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis
The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur, is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century. It
includes a set of some twenty main fixed instruments. They are monumental examples in
masonry of known instruments but which in many cases have specific characteristics of their own.
The Jantar Mantar is an expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the
court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period.
The Jantar Mantar observatory in Jaipur constitutes the most significant and best preserved set of
fixed monumental instruments built in India in the first half of the 18th century; some of them are
the largest ever built in their categories. Designed for the observation of astronomical positions
with the naked eye, they embody several architectural and instrumental innovations. The
observatory forms part of a tradition of Ptolemaic positional astronomy which was shared by
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many civilizations. It contributed by this type of observation to the completion of the astronomical
tables of Zij. It is a late and ultimate monumental culmination of this tradition.
Through the impetus of its creator, the prince Jai Singh II, the observatory was a meeting point for
different scientific cultures, and gave rise to widespread social practices linked to cosmology. It
was also a symbol of royal authority, through its urban dimensions, its control of time, and its
rational and astrological forecasting capacities. The observatory is the monumental embodiment
of the coming together of needs which were at the same time political, scientific, and religious.
Criterion (iii): The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is an outstanding example of the coming together of
observation of the universe, society and beliefs. It provides an outstanding testimony of the
ultimate culmination of the scientific and technical conceptions of the great observatory devised in
the Medieval world. It bears witness to very ancient cosmological, astronomical and scientific
traditions shared by a major set of Western, Middle Eastern, Asian and African religions, over a
period of more than fifteen centuries.
Criterion (iv): The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is an outstanding example of a very comprehensive
set of astronomical instruments, in the heart of a royal capital at the end of the Mughal period in
India. Several instruments are impressive in their dimensions, and some are the largest ever built
in their category.
Integrity and authenticity
The observatory of Jantar Mantar in Jaipur has been affected by its outdoor situation in a tropical
area, and then by its temporary abandonment in the 19th century, which has resulted in frequent
maintenance interventions and then various restorations over a period of more than a century.
Nevertheless, the general integrity of the site has been essentially maintained and partially
restored.
On the other hand, establishing the authenticity of each individual instrument is more complex, as
a result of the many interventions which have taken place. While authenticity is generally
unquestionable with regard to the astronomical function, it is more difficult to establish with regard
to plasters, instrument graduations, some architectural interpretations and the immediate
landscape environment of elements of the property.
Protection and management measures
The Jantar Mantar is protected under the Rajasthan Monuments Archaeological Site and
Antiquities Act, 1961, under Sections 3 and 4. It was designated a monument of national
importance in 1968.
The main challenges for the property, which could potentially represent a threat, are controlling
the development of tourism, and allowing for urban development in the immediate vicinity of the
Jantar Mantar. Major projects to upgrade the district and modify traffic have been announced, and
these may affect the buffer zone, and more generally the landscape and cultural environment of
the property. It is in particular necessary to specify the measures taken to protect the buffer zone,
and to include these measures in the upcoming Master Plan of the municipality of Jaipur. The
system for the management of the property is appropriate, provided that it includes a genuinely
overarching management body and provided that the Management Plan is promulgated.
Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen the scientific expertise of the bodies in charge of
managing the property.
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1338

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Jantar Mantar Jaipur: The World’s Largest Sundial

 Sukanya Sen

Built by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh II in 1734, Jantar Mantar, Jaipur is an astronomical observatory, which
features the world’s largest stone sundial. India has five of them, and the largest one is in Jaipur.  This Jantar Mantar
observatory is also a UNESCO World Heritage site that every tourist must add to their itinerary. Here’s all that you’ll
ever need to know about the observatory before visiting it.

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Jantar Mantar, Jaipur History

Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is a fascinating astronomical observatory, located at the heart of the city. This is one of the
largest observatories in the World, comprising of interesting stone structures that help to interpret position of
celestial bodies and calculate local time. Enumerated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Jantar Mantar in
Jaipur attracts architects, mathematicians, geographers and historians.

History of Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, and he built 5 such observatories in  different
parts of the country: Jaipur, Mathura, Delhi, Ujjain and Varanasi. The one in Jaipur is the largest of all, whereas the
one in Mathura is almost in ruins, now.
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II is the founder of Jaipur city and a potential ruler of Amber region. Along with his
political expertise, he was also a scholar in physics, mathematics and astronomy. During his reign, he was
commissioned by Emperor Muhammad Shah to rectify astronomical calculations in Islamic zij tables. To accomplish
this task, he gathered astronomical data from European and Persian nations and studied and interpreted the same.

After extensive research and studying the gathered data, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II constructed stone made
instruments to determine the position of planetary bodies and measure time. Jaipur Jantar Mantar was built between
1728-1734 and its stone instruments are considered to be more accurate than others.

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When to visit Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

Best time to visit Jantar Mantar: The best time of the day to visit Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is noon. During mid-day,
the Sun is vertically above and it is easy to understand the process of interpretation of the readings of each
instrument.

Jantar Mantar Jaipur timings and entry charges: Jantar Mantar in Jaipur remains open from 9:00 Am to 4: 30
Pm, on all seven days of the week. Generally, one can see the whole of Jantar Mantar in 30 to 45 minutes of time.

Jantar Mantar, jaipur entry fee is INR 50/person for Indians and INR 200/per person for foreigners. The entry cost
for Indian students is INR 15/person and that of International students is INR 25/person. Students get this discount
on showing valid ID proof.

https://traveltriangle.com/blog/jantar-mantar-jaipur/

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India Gate
Type : War Memorial

Construction Started : 10 February, 1921

Construction Completed : February 12, 1931

Where is it Located : New Delhi, India

Why was it Built : Memorial to Undivided Indian Army soldiers who died during World War I

Dimensions : 42 m in height; 9.1m in width; the complex is 625m in diameters and 306,000 m² in area

Materials Used : Yellow and red sandstone and granite

Architectural Style : Triumphal Arch

Designer : Sir Edwin Lutyens

Visit Timing : 24 hours a day, all days of the week

Entry Fee : None

How to Reach : India gate is easily accessible from all parts of New Delhi by road and can be reached by bus,
taxis and autos. The nearest metro station is Central Secretariat on the yellow and violet line junction.

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Image Credit:

The India Gate is located at the heart of India’s capital city, New Delhi.  About 2.3 km from the Rashtrapati
Bhavan, it is located on the eastern extremity of the ceremonial boulevard, Rajpath. India Gate is a war memorial
dedicated to honor the soldiers of the Undivided Indian Army who died during World War I between 1914 and
1921. War memorials are buildings, installations, statues or other edifices dedicated either to celebrate victory in
war, or to pay tribute to those who died or were injured in war. Delhiites and tourists alike throng the India Gate
Lawns surrounding the monument for a leisurely evening, enjoying the light show at the fountains along with
snacking on street food. A National War Memorial to honor all armed forces members killed after 1947 is under
construction at the ‘C’ Hexagon of India Gate. 

Image Credit: tripgully.com

History of India Gate

The India Gate, originally named All India War Memorial, was built to pay homage to the 82,000 soldiers of the
Undivided Indian Army who lost their lives fighting for the British Empire in World War I (1914-1918) and the
Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919). It was undertaken as part of the Imperial War Graves Commission (IWGC)
initiated by the British Imperial Mandate in 1917.The foundation stone was laid by the visiting Duke of Connaught
on 10 February 1921, at 4:30 PM, in a military ceremony attended by members of the Indian Army as well as the
Imperial Service Troops. The Commander in Chief, and Frederic Thesiger, 1st Viscount Chelmsford who was the
Viceroy of India at the time, was also present. The ceremony hounored the 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force),
3rd Sappers and Miners, Deccan Horse, 6th Jat Light Infantry, 39th Garhwal Rifles, 34th Sikh Pioneers, 117th

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 Mahrattas, and 5th Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force), with title of " Royal " in recognition of their gallant services in
combat. The project was completed ten years later in 1931 and was inaugurated on February 12, 1931, by the
Viceroy, Lord Irwin. Every year on 26th January, the Republic Day parade starts from the Rashtapati Bhavan
(the President House) and progresses around the Gate. The parade displays the latest achievements in the field
of defense technology as well as the rich cultural heritage of the country.

Image Credit: gotoholidaytrip.com

Design & Architecture

All India War Memorial was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, a leading war memorial designer at that time. A
member of the IWGC, he designed sixty-six war memorials in Europe, including the Cenotaph, in London, in
1919. Cenotaph is the first British national war memorial erected after World War I and was commissioned by
David Lloyd George, contemporary British prime minister. Although it is a memorial, the design is that of a
triumphal arch, similar to the Arch de Triomphe in Paris, France. Situated at the centre of a hexagonal complex
with a diameter of 625m and a total area of 360,000 m2, the India Gate is 42m in height and 9.1m in width. The
building material is primarily Red and yellow sandstones sourced from Bharatpur. The structure stands on a low
base and rises in asymmetrical steps crowned with a shallow dome at the top. There is also a vacant canopy in
front of the monument under which once stood the statue of George V in his coronation robes, Imperial State
Crown, British globus cruciger and scepter. The statue was later shifted to Coronation Park in 1960 and the
empty canopy symbolizes the British retreat from India.

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 Image Credit: wikimedia

Inscriptions

The cornices of India Gate are adorned with the inscription of sun which symbolized the British Imperial Colony.
The word INDIA is inscribed at the top of the arches on both sides flacked by the dates MCMXIV (1914) on the
left and MCMXIX (1919) on the right. Below this the following passage is inscribed – “TO THE DEAD OF THE
INDIAN ARMIES WHO FELL AND ARE HONOURED IN FRANCE AND FLANDERS MESOPOTAMIA AND
PERSIA EAST AFRICA GALLIPOLI AND ELSEWHERE IN THE NEAR AND THE FAR-EAST AND IN SACRED
MEMORY ALSO OF THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE HERE RECORDED AND WHO FELL IN INDIA OR THE
NORTH-WEST FRONTIER AND DURING THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR”. Inscribed on other surfaces are the
names of 13,218 war dead including that of a female staff nurse from the Territorial Force who was killed in
action in 1917.

https://www.culturalindia.net/monuments/india-gate.html

A History of India Gate in 60

Seconds
The history

The Imperial War Graves Commission (now called Commonwealth War Graves
Commission) was established in 1917 as an organization responsible for burying and

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commemorating First World War dead and missing soldiers. An All India War Memorial
was commissioned as part of this project. The name was later changed to India Gate.

On February 10, 1921, the foundation stone for India Gate was laid down by Prince
Arthur, Duke of Connaught in a military ceremony. The memorial was completed 10 years
later and was inaugurated on February 12, 1931 by Lord Irwin, who was the Viceroy of
India at the time.

The architecture

Sir Edward Lutyens, who played an all-important role in designing the city of New Delhi,
was appointed the chief architect of India Gate. The entire complex is hexagonal in shape
and covers about 306,000 meters squared of area.

The arch stands on a base of red stone from Bhartapur, Rajasthan and ascends in steps
to form a vault at the top. The cornice has inscriptions of the British Imperial suns and on
either side of the arch, there is an engraving of “INDIA,” along with the dates MCMXIV
(1914) on the left and MCMXIX (1919) on the right. Below this the following words have
been inscribed:

“TO THE DEAD OF THE INDIAN ARMIES WHO FELL AND ARE HONOURED IN
FRANCE AND FLANDERS MESOPOTAMIA AND PERSIA EAST AFRICA GALLIPOLI
AND ELSEWHERE IN THE NEAR AND THE FAR-EAST AND IN SACRED MEMORY
ALSO OF THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE HERE RECORDED AND WHO FELL IN INDIA
OR THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER AND DURING THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR”

An additional structure in the complex is the 73-feet-tall chattri, or canopy, visible through

the arch of the India Gate. Constructed in 1936, the canopy sheltered the statue of King
George V, who had passed away the same year. In 1968, the statue was relocated to
Coronation Park in North Delhi and the site has been left empty ever since.

Beneath the India Gate arch is the Amar Jawan Jyoti, or Flame of the Immortal Soldier. It
is a simple structure with a black marble base, over which is a reversed L1A1 self-loading
rifle crowned by a war helmet. Four eternal flames surround this installation. It was
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erected in memory of the Indian soldiers who fought and died in the Bangladesh War of
Independence in 1971.

India Gate, Rajpath Marg, New Delhi, India

Image Credit: geekstroke.com

Amar Jawan Jyoti

Situated below the India Gate arch is an installation of reversed L1A1 Self-loading rifle, capped by war helmet on
a plinth made in black marble. Four urns surround the structure with permanently burning flames fueled by CNG
and each face of the cenotaph has the words "Amar Jawan" inscribed in gold. Named Amar Jawan Jyoti or
Flame of the Immortal Soldier, it was erected in the wake of Liberation of Bangladesh in December 1971 to pay
homage to Indian soldiers killed in the action. 

Image Credit: photodivision.gov.in

The memorial was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi on 26th January, 1972. The burning
flame is manned by members from the three Indian Armed Forces 24×7. Honorary wreaths are placed at the
Amar Jawan Jyoti on 26 January, Vijay Diwas and Infantry Day by the Prime Minister of India and Chiefs of
Indian Armed Forces

Page 53 of 86
 https://theculturetrip.com/asia/india/articles/a-history-of-india-gate-in-60-seconds/

Qutub Minar
When was it built: Construction started in 1192 and completed in 1220. Restoration works/additions were made
in 12th century, 14th century and 19th century

Who built it: Qutb ud-Din Aibak, Iltutmish added 3 storeys, Firoz Shah Tughlaq carried out restoration work

Height: 73 m

Where is it located: Mehrauli in South West district of Delhi, India

Why was it built: As victory tower/ As minaret to the muezzins

Architectural Style: Indo-Islamic architecture

Visit Timing: Sunrise to Sunset

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 Entry Fee: Indian citizens: Rs. 30/- and for foreign nationals: Rs. 500. Entry is free for children up to 15 years of
age.

How to Reach: By Metro - board from any DMRC station and reach Qutb Minar station and then follow rail map
to reach the minar; by DTC buses; by Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Bus Service offered by Delhi Tourism.

Image Credit:

Qutub Minar or Qutb Minar, a 73 m (240 ft.) high tower made of red sandstone and marble is not only the highest
brick minaret in the world but also one of the most famous historical landmarks of India. The construction of this
tower of victory was started by the founder of the Mamluk Dynasty in Delhi, Qutb ud-Din Aibak and completed by
his successor and son-in-law Iltutmish. Located in the heart of Delhi, India, this UNESCO World Heritage Site,
visible from different parts of the city attracts thousands of visitors every day. It is one of the most popular tourist
spots in India and a must visit tourist spot in the itinerary of first time visitors to Delhi, both national and
international.

History of this Colossal Tower

Qutb ud-Din Aibak, the founder of the Turkish rule in north-western India and also of the Mamluk Dynasty in
Delhi commissioned the construction of this monument in 1192 AD. Aibak dedicated the minaret to the Muslim
Sufi mystic, saint and scholar of the Chishti Order, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki. Different beliefs surround the origin
of the minaret. While some sources believe it was constructed as a tower of victory marking the beginning of
Muslim dominion in India, some others say it served the muezzins who called the faithful to prayer from the
minaret. Uncertainty hovers around naming of the tower with some suggesting it was named after the Sufi saint,
Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki while others believe it was named after Aibak himself.

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 Image Credit: easytoursofindia.com

The tower was completed by Aibak's son-in-law and successor Shams-ud-din Iltutmish, regarded as the founder
of the Delhi Sultanate, in 1220. Iltutmish added three more storeys to the monument. This historical monument
faced a few natural disasters. A lightning hit the top storey of the minaret in 1369 AD, knocking it off entirely. The
then ruler of the Sultanate of Delhi, Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq took charge of its restoration and constructed two
more storeys to the minaret made of marble and red sandstone. Again when an earthquake damaged it in 1505,
the then Sultan of Delhi, Sikandar Lodi, reconstructed the top two storeys of the minaret with marbles. Parso-
Arabic and Nagari characters engraved in various sections of the minaret speak about the history of its
construction. The minaret faced the wrath of nature yet again when a major earthquake on September 1, 1803
damaged it severely. In 1828, it was renovated by Major Robert Smith of the British Indian Army, who installed a
cupola atop the tower. However in 1848, as instructed by the then Governor General of India, Henry Hardinge,
1st Viscount Hardinge, the cupola was uninstalled from the tower and placed in the east of it where the cupola
remains situated.  

Image Credit: wlivenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Qutb-Minar-1.jpg

Architecture of the Minaret

The 73 m (240 ft.) high tapering minaret has a base with diameter 14.3 m (47 ft.) and diameter of 2.7 m (9 ft.) at
top. There are six storeys in the minaret with the first three constructed with red sandstone and the next three
with sandstone and marble. A circular staircase of 379 steps allows one to reach the top of the tower to witness a
panoramic view of the city. Verses from the Qur'an are etched on the bricks of the minaret that are covered with
elaborate iron carvings. Each storey of the tower has a projected balcony surrounding the minaret and supported
by corbels that are ornamented with Muqarnas or honey-comb vault, a type of architectural ornamented vaulting.
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 The architectural styles developed over different eras starting from the time of Aibak till that of Tughlak as also
the materials used in construction of different stages of the tower are conspicuously varied. The tower is tilted
from 65 cm above the ground.

Image Credit: historicaltimeofindia.blogspot.com

The Qutb Complex

A number of monuments and buildings that are historically significant and associated with the minaret surround it
and the whole area forms part of the Qutb complex. The structures inside the complex include the Quwwat-ul-
Islam Mosque, the Iron Pillar of Delhi, the Tomb of Imam Zamin, the Tomb of Iltutmish and Major Smith's Cupola
among others. 

Of these the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque located at the north-east foot of the minaret holds significance as the first
mosque that was constructed in India. Commissioned by Aibak, the construction work of the mosque started in
1193 and completed in 1197. This magnificent structure consists of an inner and an outer courtyard ornamented
with shafts, most of which were taken from the 27 Hindu temples demolished to build the mosque. A provocative
inscription carved over the eastern gate of the mosque records such information manifesting the presence of
typical Hindu ornamentation in a Muslim mosque.

Another notable attraction inside the Qutb complex is the 7 m (23 ft.) Iron Pillar, a rust-resistant iron column that
not only attracts tourists but also draws attention of archaeologists and materials scientists. This pillar from
Gupta Empire has Brahmic inscriptions. It is commonly believed that if one can embrace the pillar with both
hands while standing with one's back facing the pillar then his/her wish gets fulfilled.  

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 Image Credit: armchairlounge.com

A Visit to the Historical Monument

The monument complex located in Mehrauli, Delhi, India, remains open to visitors all day from sunrise to sunset.
Entry fees per person for Indian citizens is Rs. 30/- and for foreigners is Rs. 500/-. Entry is free for children up to
15 years of age. Although visitors were allowed to climb the staircase inside the minaret to reach its top, a severe
accident on December 4, 1981, that killed 45 people and injured several others led authorities to restrict such
access to general public. A masterpiece of the medieval age India, the Qutub Minar has over time remained one
of the most popular tourist spots in Delhi, India and a recent collaboration with Archaeological survey of India has
made it possible to have a 360o walkthrough of the tower.

https://www.culturalindia.net/monuments/qutub-minar.html

Delhi's Qutub Minar: The Complete Guide

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BY SHARELL COOK

Delhi's Qutub Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world and one of the most popular
monuments in India. Its rather dizzying height of 238 feet (72.5 meters) could be the size
of a modern 20 story high-rise residential building! The monument's stark, soaring
appearance evokes a sense of mystery, as do the extensive Hindu and Muslim ruins
around it. The ruins reflect the violent end of Hindu reign in Delhi in the late 12th century
and takeover by the Muslims. In recognition of its historical importance, the Qutub Minar
complex was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Find out more about it and how to visit it in this guide.

History

It's widely stated that Qutab-Ud-Din-Aibak, the first Islamic ruler of north India and founder
of the Delhi Sultanate, commissioned the Qutub Minar when he came to power in the
early 13th century. However, the monument's true origin and purpose have been the
subject of much controversy among historians. This stems from the fact that the site
where it's situated previously belonged to Hindu Rajput rulers. Raja Anangpal I of the
Tomar dynasty established the fortified city of Lal Kot there in the 8th century.

It's regarded as the first surviving city of Delhi.

Numerous Hindu and Jain temples originally covered the place where the Qutub Minar
stands. Early Muslim rulers partially destroyed them and converted them into Islamic
structures, using materials from the razed temples in their mosques and other buildings.
As a result, the structures (including the Qutub Minar), curiously have carvings of sacred
Hindu motifs or gods on them. This has created ongoing debate as to whether Hindus or
Muslims actually built the Qutub Minar. And, if Muslims did, who exactly?

And why?

According to common belief, the Qutub Minar was either a victory tower to mark the start
of Muslim rule in India, or an Islamic minaret for muezzins to call the faithful to prayer at
the mosque. Yet, researchers have multiple issues with these theories. They argue that
the monument lacks appropriate inscriptions, it's too tall to have been built for call to
prayer (the muezzin wouldn't be able to climb the 379 narrow spiral stairs to the top five
times a day and his voice wouldn't be heard at the bottom), and its entrance faces the
wrong direction.

Nevertheless, the Qutub Minar's design looks undeniably like some minarets in other
countries—particularly the Minaret of Jam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western
Afghanistan that dates back to the early 12th century.

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In 1964, one researcher (Professor M.S. Bhatnagar of Ghaziabad) went to the effort of
hiring a helicopter to do an aerial survey of the Qutub Minar to validate his theory that it
was originally a Hindu structure. Among other things, he claimed that the projecting edges
of the tower looked like a 24-petaled lotus flower, with each "petal" accounting for one
hour. Ultimately, he concluded the monument had been the central observation tower of a
Vedic astronomical observatory. Some other researchers support this idea.

The Persian inscription on the eastern entrance of Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, next to the
Qutub Minar, also adds to the mystery. Historians associate the inscription with Qutb-ud-
Din Aibak, and it records that the mosque was built with materials from demolished Hindu
temples. However, there's no mention anywhere of the Qutub Minar's construction.
Apparently, it's also not mentioned in the first official story of the Delhi Sultanate, Tajul
Maasir, written in Persian by historian Sadruddin Hasan Nizami.

He began compiling this important work at the time Qutb-ud-Din Aibak came to power. It
focuses on his brief four-year reign and early reign of successor Shams ud-Din Iltutmish
(also known as Sultan Altamash), up until 1228.

Consequently, some historians think the inscription really belongs to Iltutmish, along with
the construction of the Qutub Minar.

Whether the Muslims built the Qutub Minar from scratch or converted it from an existing
Hindu structure, it's certainly undergone various alterations over the years. Inscriptions on
the monument indicate that it was struck by lightening twice in the 14th century! After its
top floor was damaged in 1368, Sultan Firoz Shah carried out restoration and expansion
works, and installed an Indo-Islamic cupola on it. Sikandar Lodi undertook further works
on the upper floors during his reign in 1505. Then, in 1803, a severe earthquake
destroyed the cupola.

Major Robert Smith of the British Indian Army carried out necessary repairs, completing
them in 1828. He ambitiously replaced the cupola with a Bengali-style
Hindu chhatri (elevated domed pavilion), which was an architectural disaster. It was taken
down in 1848 and placed to the east of the monument, where it's called Smith's Folly.

Location

The Qutub Minar is located in Mehrauli, in South Delhi. This neighborhood is about 40
minutes south of the Connaught Place city center. The closest Metro train station is Qutub
Minar on the Yellow Line. It's about 20 minutes walk from there to the monument. The
distance can be covered on foot during the cooler winter months. In summer, you'll want to
take an auto rickshaw (about 50 rupees), bus (5 rupees) or taxi though.

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How to Visit Qutub Minar

The Qutub Minar complex is open daily from sunrise until sunset. The best months to visit
are between November and March, while it's cool and dry, with February being ideal. The
complex does get crowded during the day, and especially on weekends. Hence, those
who arrive early in the morning will not only get rewarded with the monument being
illuminated sun's first rays, but also relative peace.

Ticket prices increased in August 2018 and a discount is provided on cashless payment.
Cash tickets now cost 40 rupees for Indians, or 35 rupees cashless. Foreigners pay 600
rupees cash, or 550 rupees cashless. Children under 15 years of age can enter for free.
The ticket counter is situated across the road from the complex's entrance. Indians may
have to wait up to an hour to be served during busy times. To avoid this, it's possible
to buy tickets online here. Fortunately, there's a separate dedicated counter for foreigners,
which reduces waiting time.

You'll find toilets, parking and a baggage counter near the ticket counter. Do note that food
isn't allowed inside the Qutub Minar complex.

Authorized tourist guides can be hired at the complex but they narrate varied, and often
concocted, tales. Many visitors choose to rent inexpensive audio guides instead and
explore at leisure. Alternatively, a handy free audio guide app is available for download
here. Boards with information, including a map, are also strategically placed at key sites
throughout the complex. If you're interested in history, allow a couple of hours to see
everything. Unlike many tourist attractions in India, the complex is refreshingly well-
maintained.

Do be aware that security guards may approach you and offer to take your photo. They
will expect payment for doing so (100 rupees) but they know places for some great shots
that you probably won't have thought of.

If you'd like to visit the Qutub Minar as part of a tour, there are a few options. Delhi's Hop
On Hop Off Sightseeing Bus service stops at the monument. Delhi Tourism also operates
cheaper full and half day sightseeing tours. The monument is included on both.

Delhi Heritage Walks conducts guided walking tours of the Qutub Minar complex on
certain days of the month, as well as on a bespoke basis. INTACH runs heritage walkson
weekends at different areas of Delhi, including Qutub Minar, on a rotational basis. Also
check out these custom walking tours offered by Delhi Walks and Wandertrails.

What to See

The Qutub Minar is part of a larger complex incorporating several other related historical
monuments, including a collection of tombs. The most significant of these is Quwwat-ul-
Islam (the Might of Islam) mosque, which is considered to be the first extant mosque in
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India. Even though it's in ruins, its architecture is still magnificent, especially the Alai
Darwaza (formal entrance).

The Iron Pillar is another baffling monument in the complex. Despite historians and
archeologists intensively studying it, no one really knows why it's there. Scholars have
determined that it was constructed during the early period of Gupta reign between the 4th
and 5th centuries, based on an inscription on it. It's thought to have been made for a king
in honor of Hindu god Lord Vishnu and originally located at Vishnupadagiri (modern-day
Udaygiri) in Madhya Pradesh, where it may have been used as a sundial.

Vishnupadagiri is on the Tropic of Cancer and was a center of astronomical studies during
the Gupta period. What's particularly unusual about the pillar is that it hasn't rusted, due to
the unique iron-making process of the ancient Indians.

The tombs in the complex are those of Shams ud-Din Iltutmish (who died in 1236), Ala-ud-
din Khilji (regarded as the most powerful ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, who died in 1316),
and Imam Zamin (an Islamic priest from Turkestan who died in 1539). The remains of a
madrasa (and Islamic college) belonging to Ala-ud-din Khilji can also be seen.

The other notable monument is the unfinished Alai Minar. Ala-ud-din Khilji started building
it to be a tower twice the height of the Qutub MInar. However, works came to a halt after
his death.

Unfortunately, it's no longer possible to climb up to the top of the Qutub Minar. The
monument was closed after a lighting failure resulted in a stampede, killing nearly 50
people, in 1981.

What to Do Nearby

Mehrauli is away from Delhi's other popular tourist attractions but there's plenty worth
doing to fill in a whole day there. The neighborhood is dotted with an array of relics from
Delhi's oldest city and the many dynasties that ruled it. Many of them can be found within
Mehrauli Archeological Park, next the Qutub Minar complex. It contains the remains
palaces, mosques, tombs (one of which was converted to a residence by a British official),
and step wells. It's open daily from sunrise until sunset, and there's no entrance fee.

The degenerated remnants of Lal Kot lie inside Sanjay Van, a thick forest bordering the
Qutub Minar complex, starting from Adham Khan’s tomb. The forest is best explored by
those who like trekking. It has multiple entry points, with Gate 5 near the complex being
preferred.

Still haven't had enough history? Take a trip to Tughlakabad Fort, about 20 minutes east
of Qutub Minar. It dates back to the 14th century.

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The 20-acre Garden of Five Senses, 10 minutes drive from Qutub Minar, is popular with
nature-lovers. Its manicured grounds are decorated with sculptures.

For an offbeat experience, head to hipster hangout Champa Gali. This up-and-coming
street is lined with cafes, design studios, and boutiques. It's in Saidulajab, an urban village
close to the Qutub Minar complex and Garden of Five Senses.

Hauz Khas urban village is a cool Delhi neighborhood about 15 minutes north of Mehrauli.
It's one of the city's best food and beverage destinations. Plus, there are yet more ancient
ruins and a deer park that's fun for kids.

Finally, those who are interested in Indian handicrafts must visit Dastkar Nature Bazaar,
about 10 minutes south of Mehrauli in Chattarpur. It's one of the top places to buy
handicrafts in India because the products aren't the usual run-of-the-mill items. There are
new themes and artisans every month (see calendar of events), in addition to permanent
stalls. Do note that it's closed on Wednesdays.

https://www.tripsavvy.com/delhis-qutub-minar-the-complete-guide-4172571

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Humayun’s Tomb
Type : Royal Mausoleum

Construction Started : 1565 AD

Construction Completed : 1572 AD

Cost of Construction : 15 lakh rupees

Maintained By : Archeological Survey of India (ASI)

Built by: Hamida Banu Begum

Where is it Located : Delhi, India

Why was it Built : Tomb to house the mortal remains of Humayun, the second Mughal Emperor of India

Dimensions : 47 m in height; 91 m in width

Materials Used : Red Sand Stone

Architectural Style : Mughal

Architect : Mirak Mirza Ghiyath from Persia

Other Tombs in the Complex : Isa Khan Niyazi’s tomb, Afsarwala tomb, Barber’s tomb

Visit Timing : Sunrise to sunset, all days of the week (best time to visit is between 8:00 am to 6:00 pm).

Entry Fee : Rs. 10 per head for citizens of India, visitors of SAARC and BIMSTEC Countries. Rs. 250 per
head for foreign nationals. Children up to 15 years do not require entry fee.

How to Reach : Easily accessible by road as well as by Delhi Metro. The nearest railway station is
Nizammudin. Nearest Metro stations are, Jorbagh and Race Course stations (both on the Yellow line) are the
nearest. AC/non AC buses can be availed from Rajiv Chowk/ISBT/Nizamuddin to reach Humayun’s Tomb
Complex. Autos plying all over the city can also be availed.

Image Credit:

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 The splendid mausoleum built in the memory of Emperor Humayun, the second Mughal ruler to ascend the
throne, stands as a magnificent testament to the style of Mughal royal mausoleums. It is the first of the grand
dynastic garden-tombs commissioned in. The tomb was commissioned by Bega Begum, Humayun’s Persian
wife and chief consort in 1565 AD, nine years after the Emperor’s death. It was completed in 1572 AD under
the patronage of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, the third Mughal ruler and Humayun’s son. Located in
Nizamuddin, East Dehli, Humayun’s tomb or Makbara-e -Humayun is one of the best preserved Mughal
monuments and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993.

Image Credit: askideas.com

History

Humayun died in 1556 AD following a fall from stairs. He was laid to rest at his palace at Purana Quilla in
Delhi. Following his death, Delhi was attacked by Hemu, the Hindu general and Chief Minister of Adil Shah
Suri of Suri Dynasty. To preserve the sanctity of their Emperor’s remains, the retreating Mughal army
exhumed Humayun’s remains and took them to be reburied at Kalanaur in Punjab. 

Following her husband’s death, the grieving queen Bega Begum set out for Mecca to undertake the Hajj
pilgrimage and vowed to build a magnificent mausoleum in his memory. She employed the services of a
Persian architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, hailing from Herat region of Afghanistan and having an impressive
repertoire. Bega Begum not only commissioned and paid for the construction of the tomb, but supervised its
construction as well.

Image Credit: Archnet.com

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 The grandeur of this spectacular edifice gradually diminished due to lack of maintenance as funds dwindled in
the royal treasury of the declining Mughal Empire. In 1880, after the establishment of the British rule in Delhi,
the surrounding garden was redesigned to accommodate an English style garden. However, it was restored
to the original style in a major restoration project between 1903 and 1909. The complex and its structures
were heavily defiled when it was used to house the refugees during 1947 Partition of India. The most recent
phase of restoration started in 1993, after Humayun’s tomb was named as a UNESCO world Heritage Site, by
the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) – Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).

Design & Architecture 

The Humayun’s tomb is the starting point of the Mughal architecture in India. This style is a delightful
amalgamation of the Persian, Turkish and Indian architectural influences. This genre was introduced during
the reign of Akbar the Great and reached its peak during the reign of Shah Jahan, Akbar’s grandson and the
fifth Mughal Emperor. Humayun’s tomb heralded the beginning of this new style in India, in both size and
grandeur.

Image Credit: designpublic.in

The grand structure is situated in the center of a 216000 m2square garden complex on a raised 7 m high
stone platform. The garden is a typical Persian Char Bagh layout, with four causeways radiating from the
central building dividing the garden into four smaller segments. The causeways may also be adorned with
water features. This Persian Timurid architectural landscaping style symbolizes the Garden of Paradise,
which according to Quranic beliefs, consists of four rivers: one of water, one of milk, one of honey, and one of
wine. The garden also houses trees serving a host of purposes like providing shade, producing fruits, flowers,
and nurturing birds.

Built primarily in red sandstone, the monument is a perfectly symmetrical structure, with white marble double
domes capped with 6 m long brass finial ending in a crescent. The domes are 42.5 m high. Marble was also
used in the lattice work, pietradura floors and eaves. The height of Humayun's Tomb is 47 m, and its breadth
is 91 m. Two double storeyed arched gateways provide the entry to the tomb complex. A baradari and
hammam are located in the centre of the eastern and northern walls respectively.

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 Image Credit: Wikimedia.org

In the central burial chamber a single cenotaph aligned on the north-south axis, as per Islamic tradition
demarcates the grave of Humayun. The main chamber has eight smaller chambers branching out from them.
All in all, the structure contains 124 vaulted chambers. Many of the smaller chambers contain cenotaphs of
other Mughal royal family members and nobility.

The Tomb Complex

The Humayun’s tomb complex comprises of several buildings, tombs, mosques, and a lodging place.
Important buildings in the complex are: Nila Guband, Arab Sarai and Bu Halima. Tombs of Mughal royalty
and nobility like Bega Begum, Hamida Banu Begum, Isa Khan and Dara Shikoh are present within the main
mausoleum building and the whole complex is said to be dotted with over 150 tombs earning the complex the
name of “dormitory of the Mughals”.

The tombs and buildings are centered around the shrine of 14th century Sufi Saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya,
located just outside the complex. The Mughals considered it an auspicious site to be buried near a saint’s
grave, and thus generations of Mughal royalty has chosen to be buried near the site.

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Humayun’s Tomb
Top choice monument in Sunder Nagar, Nizamuddin & Lodi Colony
Humayun’s tomb is sublimely well proportioned, seeming to float above its
symmetrical gardens. It's thought to have inspired the Taj Mahal, which it
predates by 60 years. Constructed for the Mughal emperor in the mid-16th
century by Haji Begum, Humayun's Persian-born wife, the tomb marries
Persian and Mughal elements, with restrained decoration enhancing the
architecture. The arched facade is inlaid with bands of white marble and red
sandstone, and the building follows strict rules of Islamic geometry, with an
emphasis on the number eight.
The beautiful surrounding gardens contain the tombs of the emperor’s favourite
barber – an entrusted position given the proximity of the razor to the imperial
throat – and Haji Begum. This was where the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur
Shah Zafar, took refuge before being captured and exiled by the British in 1857.
To the right as you enter the complex, Isa Khan’s tomb is a fine example of Lodi-
era architecture, constructed in the 16th century. Further south is the
monumental Khan-i-Khanan’s tomb, plundered in Mughal times to build
Safdarjang’s tomb.
As part of a huge ongoing restoration project, a new state-of-the-art visitor centre
is being built just outside the entrance, and will have underground walkways
linking the complex with neighbouring Sunder Nursery and Hazrat Nizam-ud-din
Dargahacross Mathura Rd.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/delhi/attractions/humayun-s-tomb/a/poi-sig/1146650/356220

Taj Mahal Architecture: Origins in Humayun’s Tomb (Video)

in Asia & Oceania, Delhi & Agra, India, Videos /by David Raezer

Humayun’s Tomb was built by the Islamic Mughal dynasty in Delhi from 1562-71, 85 years before the
Taj Mahal. By comparing the two structures, you will see how the Mughals refined and perfected their
original design to create their masterpiece: the Taj Mahal. Approach Guides’ founder David Raezer
explores the how the design similarities between the first tomb built by the Mughal dynasty in India,
Humayun’s Tomb, and their masterpiece, the Taj Mahal. It is produced as part of our Insights Series
in conjunction our guidebook on the subject “Highlights of India: Delhi & Agra.”

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Taj Mahal Architecture: Origins in
Humayun’s Tomb

Comparison: Humayun’s Tomb and the Taj Mahal

Facade Comparison
Similarities in the architecture of Humayun’s Tomb and the Taj Mahal
Let’s begin by looking at the similarities between the architecture of Humayun’s Tomb and the Taj
Mahal. Both have large, rectangular pistaq entrances the tops of which break above the rest of the
facade. They frame pointed-arch iwan niches. You can see this pistaq-iwan niche combination
repeated on both facades. There’s a clear prototype for this arrangement in the earlier Timurid
Madrasa of Ulegh Beg, which was built between 1417-1420 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Timurid Madrasa of Ulegh Beg. Samarkand, Uzbekistan

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Additionally, both Humayun’s Tomb and the Taj Mahal have large bulbous domes that rise above the
tomb at the center, they feature Hindu-inspired chhatri pavilions, and they have chamfered corners
that give the impression of depth. Finally, they sit on elevated platforms, symbolic of their importance.

Differences between the architecture of Humayun’s Tomb and the Taj Mahal
This is where things get interesting! The Taj has Quranic inscriptions that communicate a clear
narrative to the visitor. In the video, we zoom in so we can see them more clearly. They convey an
apocalyptic message focused on judgement and the potential for salvation. Another difference is the
color scheme. In Humayun’s Tomb, white marble is used exclusively to highlight key features, while
at the Taj, entire tomb is white. The facade of Humayun’s Tomb undulates, with octagonal wings that
flank the entrance projecting forward. These projections are eliminated at the Taj. Finally, the dome
changes form. You can see how the Taj’s dome is more elevated and significantly more bulbous.

Layout Comparison
Both tombs employ what is called a nine-fold plan, in which eight rooms surround a central chamber.
The tomb sits at the absolute center. In both the rooms are octagonal. The octagon represents a
middle state between a circle (symbolic of the divine world) and square (symbolic of a human world)
and is used to designate sacred areas. As for differences, Humayun’s tomb encourages visitors to
move outward from the center, while the Taj encourages a rotation around the central tomb.

Comparing the flow of movement: Humayun’s Tomb and the Taj Mahal

And finally, to illustrate the most important point, we have overlaid the floor plans on the elevations.
You can see that the Taj is significantly more balanced. It is a perfect cube with a 1:1 ratio between
plan and elevation.

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Comparison of the floorplans and elevation of Humayun’s Tomb and the Taj Mahal

Tags: Architecture, Art, History, Religion & Philosophy

https://www.approachguides.com/blog/taj-mahal-humayun-tomb-delhi-agra-india-video/

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Humayun's Tomb
A Masterpiece of the Mughal Era

Aerial view of Humayun's tomb. Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture

Since the beginning of the eleventh century, massive tombs have been a part of the
Muslim architectural world. Red sandstone and white marble structures dating back to the
fourteenth century can be found in various parts of India. The Timurid dynasty contributed
to many radially symmetrical buildings—tombs and palaces—in many parts of Iran and
Central Asia. However, before the construction of Emperor Humayun's tomb, no structure
incorporated all these elements in a single monument . Documented as the first ever tomb
built for a Mughal emperor, this structure is considered to be an inspiration for the most
well-known example of Mughal architecture, the Taj Mahal.
But the significance of Humayun's tomb goes way beyond than just being a prototype for
the Taj Mahal. This tomb was the first structure in which the slightly bulbous and double
dome, a feature borrowed from Persia and Samarkand, was introduced in India. It is also
the first example of a tomb set within a cross-axial garden in India. Its enormous scale and
radially symmetrical plan makes the building stand out as one of the greatest examples of
the Mughal royal mausoleum building style.
There has been a lot of debate about the identity of the builder of the tomb. Scholars have
argued that it was Haji Begam, Humayun's widow who had commissioned this
mausoleum. However, according to Akbar Nama (2: 367), written by Emperor Akbar's
official biographer Abu'l Fazl, Haji Begam was on a pilgrimage to Mecca during much of
the construction period of the tomb. This is confirmed by both Abu'l Fazl and Father
Monserrate, a Jesuit priest who resided in Emperor Akbar's court during the early-1580s.
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Although, there are various reports regarding the construction period of the tomb, the
common belief is that construction began in 1565, nine years after Humayun's death. The
work was completed in 1572, at a cost of 1.5 million rupees at the time. Given the
magnificence, the huge cost and innovation in planning of the mausoleum, it was evident
there was a patron involved—this was none other than Humayun's son and successor,
Akbar.

The Mughal Emperor Humayun, Mughal India, 18th century. Gouache heightened with gold on paper, framed and glazed- folio 10¾ x
7¼in. (27.5 x 18.5cm.). Source: columbia.edu

A combination of Persian architecture and indigenous building styles is perhaps another of

the many striking features of this grand mausoleum. One contemporary historian, 'Abd al-
Qadir Badauni, mentioned that the structure was designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, an
architect of Iranian descent, who was brought from Herat in northwest Afghanistan.
The location of the tomb also happens to be on an incredibly significant archaeological
setting; the shrine of the 14th century Sufi Saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya is located just
outside the main complex of the tomb. The tomb itself sits on a flat plain of Delhi, near the
banks of the Jamuna, surrounded by a series of Sultanate and Mughal monuments. Due
to the widespread belief that it was auspicious to be buried near a saint, the location has
turned out to be the densest ensemble of Islamic medieval buildings in India, thanks to all
the tomb constructions, spanning seven decades.
The tomb stands on a large plinth, which, at a height of 6.5 metre and width of 99 metre, is
a terraced platform with two deep vaulted cells on all four sides. In spite of the fact that the
tomb is basically a square structure, it appears to be octagonal in shape due the
chamfered edges. Four distinct octagonal units separated by four recesses make up the
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mausoleum, with the entrance through the recess located in the centre of the southern
facade.
Topping off the mausoleum is the 42.5 metre high Persian double dome, flanked by
pillared kiosks, or chattris, which is a distinctly Indian architectural feature. This
combination of Persian and Indian architectural styles work beautifully together, thus
making Humayun's Tomb a great example of a hybrid of styles of two separate cultures.

Elevation of Humayun's tomb.

Contrast is one of the key elements the architect had in mind when designing the
mausoleum. The exterior dome is made of purely white marble, while the rest of the
building is of red sandstone, with white and black marble and yellow stone detailing.
Additionally, the symmetrical and simple exterior design is distinctly the opposite of the
complex interior floor plans. Two radially symmetrical floors make up the interior of the
building. A central domed chamber with the emperor's tomb in the middle and four corner
rooms comprise the first floor. The second floor consists of a complex system of halls and
passageways surrounding the tomb's central chamber. The large corner rooms as well as
the numerous cells at the plinth level are a clear indication that the structure was originally
designed to accommodate several graves. As a result, Humayun's tomb is also referred to
as the "dormitory of Mughals", since over 150 Mughal family members are buried there.

First floor plan of Humayun's tomb. Source: Hidden Architecture

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Persian style is once again evident in this complex in the Char-Bagh (Four Gardens), a
quadrilateral garden layout inspired by the gardens of Paradise mentioned in The Holy
Quran. Causeways divide the gardens into four sections, with shallow water channels
connected to pools, located at the centre of each causeway. Each of the four sections in
the 30 acre garden is further divided into smaller squares with pathways. With the
synthesis of garden and mausoleum, Humayun's tomb became one of the unique
ensembles of Mughal garden-tombs. As a matter of fact, this style was so much favoured
that it was repeated fifty years later at the tomb of Itimad al-Dawla (Agra, 1626-28) and the
Taj Mahal (Agra, 1632-43).
For Humayun's son and the patron of this tomb, Akbar, there were two purposes behind
building this great structure: to commemorate his father's legacy as well as to make a
political statement. By building the tomb at such a large scale, Akbar wished to represent
the range and scope of the empire, as well as establish his personal goals and alliances.
Akbar's dynastic origins are defined by the symmetrical plan and double dome, while the
red sandstone and white marble represent his Indian origins.

Perspective view of Humayun's tomb. Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture

By late 20th century, the magnificent tomb had fallen into a state of dilapidation. The
masonry and stonework were broken and the gardens were run down. Additionally,
vandalism and illegal encroachments were taking place, which posed a serious threat to
the preservation of the mausoleum. In 1997, research for restoration work was taken up
by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey
of India (ASI). Restoration began in 1999 and was completed in 2004, with the gardens
fully restored as well.

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Although Humayun's Tomb stands as a precursor to the Taj Mahal, the most widely
celebrated of Mughal architecture, for many historians, as well as myself, this building
deserves to be known for what it is, rather than what it inspired. Perhaps art historian,
Glenn Lowry has described it best in his dissertation titled The Tomb of Nasirud-Din
Muhammad Humayun, “....its combination of boldness and refinement, energy and
strength gives the building its power. That its parts vary in the degree of their success
does not detract from the monument's forcefulness or its attempt to create an entirely new
approach to architecture in India.”

https://www.thedailystar.net/in-focus/humayuns-tomb-1560025

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Now, Humayun’s Tomb will glow in the Delhi night
The historic Mughal monument’s famous white marble dome will be lit up at
night through the year

As the sun goes down behind Nizamuddin, you can now watch Humayun’s Tomb come
aglow and imagine you’re in a time gone by. “From the late 16th century, travellers who
came to Delhi up the Yamuna knew they had reached the historic city when they saw
the iconic dome of Humayun’s Tomb,” says Ratish Nanda, the CEO of the Aga Khan
Trust for Culture, which has been responsible for the painstaking, sensitive restoration
of the exquisite Mughal monument, the larger Nizamuddin area and other major
projects in India and around the world. “But then, with rapid construction, that was no
longer the case.”
Now, the UNESCO World Heritage site will once again shine like a beacon for Dilliwalas
and those coming into the city. The monument’s massive white marble dome will now be
lit up every night, thanks to a partnership between the AKTC and HAVELLS India. The
latter, as part of its CSR programme, has provided LED lights (90 percent more energy-
efficient than the halogen ones that were earlier in the monument) that mimic the
moonlight and enhance the city’s skyline. Now illuminated, the dome will be visible at night
from all directions: Nizamuddin Bridge, the Barapullah elevated road, the Zakir Hussain
Marg flyover and the Lodi Road flyover.

Shining a light on Humayun’s Tomb

This does not mean the tomb is open for visitors at night; the focus of the illumination is
purely the dome. Nanda explains that they were careful not to compromise on the
character of the monument. So the lights are placed 100m away from the site, and all
wires and cabling are outside the garden walls. “We are very clear that there should be no

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daytime penalty for nighttime benefits. Humayun’s Tomb gets around two million visitors
annually, and we absolutely do not want their experience to be compromised. So these
new lights and the wiring are not visible to them when they visit by day, yet the dome will
showcase the city in a new way by night,” he says. “And it is a way of going back to what
the monument meant to the city and its visitors, centuries ago.”
https://www.cntraveller.in/story/now-humayuns-tomb-will-glow-delhi-night/#s-cust0

Page 78 of 86
Delhi's Lotus Temple: The Complete Guide
BY SHARELL COOK
Updated 12/24/18
 

Delhi's distinctive Lotus Temple belongs to the Baha'í faith and is one of the city's top attractions. It's
estimated that an average of 15,000 people visit the temple every day. Most come to admire its
unusual architecture, resembling a floating lotus flower. The award-winning design has been widely
acclaimed and featured in numerous publications, documentaries, and even on a postage stamp. The
teachings of the Baha'í faith are also of interest to visitors. The religion, which originated in Iran,
promotes oneness and aims to create world unity by eliminating all prejudices including race and
gender.

Read on to find out all you need to know about the Lotus Temple in this complete guide.

History

The Baha'í faith is a relatively new religion that grew out of the Shi'ite branch of Islam in the mid 19th
century. While Iran was experiencing widespread instability and turmoil, a 24-year-old merchant
named Siyyid Ali Muhammad Shirazi claimed to be a messenger from God and a direct descendant
of the prophet Muhammad. He called himself The Bab (The Gate) and started spreading a
revolutionary message that paved the way for the foundation of the Baha'í faith. His main point was
that a new prophet would appear after him to transform humanity.

This contradicted a key a tenet of Islam, whereby Mohammad is the final prophet, and led to The
Bab's execution in 1850.

Subsequently, while persecuted and imprisoned, one of The Bab's followers had the revelation that
he was the manifestation of God that The Bab talked about. He called himself Baha'u'llah (the Glory
of God) and went on to write the scriptures that form the basis of the Baha'í faith. After he died in
1892, his eldest son Abdu'l-Baha became the interpreter of his teachings and served as the head of
the religion until 1921. He was succeeded by his grandson, Shoghi Effendi, who became the
Guardian of the Baha'í faith and helped spread it worldwide.

India now has the world's largest population of Baha’i devotees, with a third of the religion's 6 million
followers living there.

A goal of the Baha'í faith is to build Houses of Worship (Mashriqu'l-Adhkar) all over the world. These
will be central to its community and activities but where everyone is welcome to come and connect to
the divine regardless of religion. Although the Baha'í faith has its own scriptures, it believes that the
religious teachings of all "prophets" (including Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Buddha, and Krishna) are
valid and thus there is underlying unity of religions.

The Lotus Temple in Delhi is one of eight Houses of Worship that currently exist, on every continent
except Antarctica. The Baha'í community privately purchased the land for the Lotus Temple in 1953.
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Later, in 1976, its governing body chose renowned Iranian-born Canadian architect Fariborz Sabha to
build the temple. Construction started in 1980 and the temple opened to the public in January 1987.

Location

The Lotus Temple is situated amid 26 acres of landscaped gardens on Lotus Temple Road in
Bahapur, near Nehru Place, in south Delhi. It's 30-45 minutes from the city center. The closest Metro
train station is Kalkaji Mandir on the Violet Line (see Delhi Metro train map), a five minute walk away.

How to Visit

The temple complex is open daily, except Mondays, from 9 a.m. to sunset. It closes at 5:30 p.m.
during winter, from October until the end of March. In summer, from April to the end of September, it
stays open until 7 p.m.

Everyone is welcome to visit the Lotus Temple. There's no cost to do so and donations are not
required. However, the temple's growing popularity as a tourist attraction means it does get very
crowded! This is the case particularly on weekends and national holidays. When it's busy, you can
expect to wait in line for an hour (or more) to go inside the Prayer Hall. Therefore, if you're not
intending to meditate or pray, you may want to skip it. The interior is notably plain and unadorned,
without altars or religious idols, and photography isn't allowed.

A paved pathway will take you from the main gate of the temple complex to the base of the temple.
You'll need to remove your shoes there and carry them in the bag provided. Follow the flight of stairs
up to the platform, from where you can enter the Prayer Hall. Volunteers will guide you inside and
provide a brief overview of the Baha’i faith.

Short prayer services, involving the chanting or reading of prayers from various religions, are held
periodically throughout the day at 10 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Other than this, there are no
religious sermons or rituals, and visitors must remain silent while in the hall. It's a serene experience.

Upon leaving the Prayer Hall, collect a free pass to the Information Center and stop by it on the way
back to the parking lot. Do note that children under the age of 12 aren't permitted to enter.

What to See

If you think the Lotus Temple looks similar to the iconic Opera House in Sydney, Australia, you're not
alone! It's an extremely common observation. Yet, unlike the Opera House, the outer shells of the
temple form the petals of a lotus. There are 27 of these "petals", made out of concrete and covered in
marble pieces. The lotus design was chosen because of its symbolic importance to many world
religions, including Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam.

In accordance with Baha’i scriptures, the Lotus Temple is a circular shape with nine sides and nine
entrances. The Baha’i faith reveres the mystical properties of the number nine (nine is associated
with perfection because it's the highest single number. It's also the numerical value of Baha in the
Arabic alphabet). The temple is encircled by nine ponds as well. You'll be able to see them after
climbing the stairs at the base.

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Many visitors agree that the temple's beauty is best appreciated from the outside due to the stark
interior of the Prayer Hall. However, what's remarkable about this cavernous white enclosure is that it
has no pillars or beams. There is seating for up to 2,500 people and a glass roof that lets in natural
light.

The temple is particularly captivating at sunset, when its exterior is evocatively illuminated.

Those who are curious about the Baha’i faith and Lotus Temple can learn a lot from the educational
exhibits at the expansive Information Center. This building, which opened in 2003, was specially
designed by the temple's architect to address the many questions visitors have. It's like a museum
and it's worth spending some time there to gain a deeper understanding of the religion. In addition to
the photos and text that are on display, insightful short films are screened every 20-30 minutes.

What Else to Do Nearby

The Lotus Temple is ideally visited along with other attractions in south Delhi. Trendy Hauz Khas
urban village is one of Delhi's cool neighborhoods, and is a popular place to eat and drink. Its
modernity contrasts with some fascinating medieval ruins dating back to the 13th century.

Dilli Haat is a famous tourist market where artisans come and sell their wares. It also has cultural
performances and Indian cuisine from various states. If you're keen on shopping, there are other top
local markets in the area. Head to Nehru Place for electronics, Sarojini Nagar for designer export
surplus clothes, and Lajpat Nagar for inexpensive Indian clothes or to get mehendi (henna) applied to
your hands.

Further south in Mehrauli, Qutub Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world and a 13th century
UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are hundreds of monuments from the 10th century to the British
era dotted throughout the forest at sprawling 200-acre Mehrauli Archeological Park, adjacent.
Nearby Dastkar Nature Bazaar is one of the best places in Delhi to buy unique handicrafts.

North of the Lotus Temple are Humayun’s Tomb and Lodhi Colony (where you can check out the
funky street art). Love fine dining? Have a meal at award-winning Indian Accent, which recently
relocated to The Lodhi boutique hotel.

https://www.tripsavvy.com/delhis-lotus-temple-the-complete-guide-4172007

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Interesting facts about the Lotus Temple
 2 Years Ago

The Lotus Temple, located in New Delhi, India, is a Bahá’í House of Worship completed in 1986.

The Bahá’í Faith is a monotheistic religion which emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind.
The Bahá’í faith is one of the youngest of the world’s major religions. It was founded by Baha’u’llah
in Iranin the 19th century.
The Bahá’í laws also stipulate that not only the holy scriptures of the Bahá’í Faith but also those of
other religions can be read and/or chanted inside the House of Worship regardless of language; while
readings and prayers can be set to music by choirs, no musical instruments can be played inside.
Like all other Bahá’í Houses of Worship, the Lotus Temple is open to all, regardless of religion, or any
other distinction, as emphasised in Bahá’í texts.

No sermons can be conveyed at the Lotus Temple, as there is no spot for formal functions specific to
any one religion inside the Bahai House of Worship.
The Bahá’í House of Worship in Delhi is one of seven such places of worship. The other six are
in Sydney in Australia, Panama City in Panama, Apia in Western Samoa, Kampala in Uganda,
Frankfurt in Germany and Wilmette in USA.
The Lotus Temple is made up of pure white marble, the architect Furiburz Sabha chose
the lotus as the symbol common to India’s religions.

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Fariborz Sahba spent 10 years in designing and project management, and with the help of a team of
about 800 engineers, technicians, artisans and workers brought to realization one of the most
complicated constructions in the world.

It looks just like a lotus flower with all the petals meeting at the top, some longer than others and
some of them staying at the base, on the sides.

The architectural style of the temple is called Expressionist.

Like every other Bahāʾī House of Worship, it is characterized by a nine-sided construction, in
keeping with the Bahāʾī belief in the mystical properties of the number nine.
The building is composed of 27 free-standing marble-clad “petals” arranged in clusters of three to
form nine sides, with nine doors opening onto a central hall with height of slightly over 40
meters and a capacity of 2,500 people.

The surface of the House of Worship is made of white marble from Penteli mountain in Greece,
the very same from which many ancient monuments and other Bahá’í Houses of Worship are built.
More than 10,000 different sizes of marble were used in the construction of the Lotus Temple.
Bahá’í scripture states that no pictures, statues or images be displayed within the House of
Worship and no pulpits or altars be incorporated as an architectural feature.
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The interior of the structure is revealed in true Expressionist fashion, with the precast ribbed roof
exposed in the worship spaces.

The top of the structure appears open but actually contains a glass-and-steel roof that admits natural
daylight.

All around the Temple are walkways with beautiful curved balustrades, bridges and stairs that
surround the nine pools representing the floating leaves of the lotus.

Along with its nine surrounding ponds and the gardens, the Lotus Temple property comprises 10.5
hectares (26 acres).
The outer coating of white marble makes the building visible from a distance and highlight with
sunlight, turning purple at sunset.

http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-the-lotus-temple/

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The lotus represents the Manifestation of God, and is also a symbol of purity and tenderness .
Its significance is deeply rooted in the minds and hearts of the Indians.
The Lotus Temple derives its name from its design.

The Temple has been recognized as “one of the masterpieces of 20th-century”, and has received
wide range of attention in professional architectural, fine art, religious, governmental, and other
venues.
“The most visited building in India, surpassing even the Taj Mahal with some 4.5 million
visitors a year.”
“The most visited religious building in the world,” according to Guinness World Records, 2001.
“The most visited building in the world,” according to a 2001 CNN report.
₹6.50 postage Stamp featuring Baha’i House of Worship, New Delhi, India.

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