Tughluqabad (1323 A.D.) - The Legacy of Delhi Vol 5

(In this edition of Delhi-iteful Tuesdays I am bringing to you the fifth part of this historical series The Legacy of Delhi.)  The city of Tughluqabad was the fourth city of Delhi. Emperor Ghiyath ud Din Tughluq (also known as Ghazi Malik) (cor. 1320-25) built this fortified city which had battered walls of grey rubble and was perched upon a desolate hill from where its position gave it a natural advantage against opposing armies. The city...

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Siri Fort - A Symbol of Strength and Barbarism

The Black and White Thursday photos of the week which I am posting today depicts the Siri Fort (The third of the seven cities to be built in the area of New Delhi) which was the seat of the Delhi Sultanate of Ala ud din Khilji and his Khilji dynasty. The word Siri is derived from the Hindi word Sir (Head). Read on to know how the fort earned its name 'Siri Fort'. It was built around 1303 AD keeping the strengths of the strong Mongol Army and their...

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Siri (Darul Khilafat) (1303 A.D.) - The Legacy of Delhi Vol 4

(In this edition of Delhi-iteful Tuesdays I am bringing to you the fourth part of this historical series The Legacy of Delhi.)  When I was in school, me and my father often used to discuss about the various capital cities of Delhi. The capital city which always used to attract my attention was the one from whose ramparts 8000 severed heads of Mongol warriors were hung in demonstration to remind the Mongol invaders about the consequences of...

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Statue of Lord Shiva from Kingdom of Vijaynagar (16th Century)

After a short sabbatical I am returning with my popular series of Black and White Thursdays, thanks to positive reactions from my readers. Black and White Thursdays are a series which is not only meant to highlight the beauty of the human civilization but also to provoke thought amongst readers.. The thought being 'WHY' is this place or monument so magnificent ? How much work might have gone into creating it ? What has that place or monument gone...

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Qutb Minar

The Black and White Thursday photos of the week which I am posting today shows the Qutb Minar which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in New Delhi, India. The Qutb Minar was constructed with red sandstone and marble, and is the tallest minaret in India, with a height of 72.5 meters (237.8 ft), contains 379 stairs to reach the top, and the diameter of base is 14.3 meters whereas the last store is of 2.7 meters. The Construction was commenced...

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Rumtek Monastery - Seat of the Karmapa

The Black and White Thursday photos of the week which I am posting today shows the Rumtek Monastery also known as the Dharmachakra Centre. It is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located in the Indian state of Sikkim, 24kms from the capital Gangtok and at an altitude of about 1500metres above sea level. Originally built by the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje in 16th century, Rumtek served as the main seat of the Karma Kagyu lineage in Sikkim for some...

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