Clicked from the minaret of one of the largest mosques in Asia, the 'Wazu Khana' of Jama Masjid is dotted with people getting ready to say their prayers before they open their roza's (fast)..
Showing posts with label Delhi Tourism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Delhi Tourism. Show all posts
Friday, March 27, 2015
Wazu Khana, Jama Masjid (New Delhi) (Const 1656 CE) - Picture of the Week #128
Clicked from the minaret of one of the largest mosques in Asia, the 'Wazu Khana' of Jama Masjid is dotted with people getting ready to say their prayers before they open their roza's (fast)..
Friday, March 13, 2015
Friday, February 13, 2015
Friday, January 18, 2013
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Qutb Minar
Qutb Minar (pronounced Qoot-ub Minar), a UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in Delhi, India. The Qutb Minar, constructed with red sandstone, marble, lime mortar and rubble masonry, is the tallest brick minaret in the world, with a height of 72.5 metres (237.8 ft). It contains 379 stairs to reach the top, and the diameter of the base is 14.32 m while it is about 2.75 m on the top. It is surrounded by several other ancient and medieval structures and ruins, collectively known as the Qutb complex.
Their are many reasons cited for the construction of the Minar. The most commonly accepted reasons are that In order to celebrate the advent of Muslim dominance in Delhi (and India), the first ruler of the Delhi sultanate, Qutb-ud-din Aibak, inspired by the Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan and wishing to surpass it, commenced construction of the Qutb Minar in 1199 A.D. Qutb ud din Aibak also wanted it for the use of the mu'azzin (crier) to give calls for prayer (in the city of Qila Rai Pithora). The minar was completed by his successor Shamsu'd-Din Iltutmish.
The Entrance into the Minar
A snapshot of the Kufic inscriptions on the first floor of the Minar. This floor was constructed while the first Slave (Mamluk) King Qutbuddin Aibak was alive and majority of these inscriptions praise Mohammed Ghori (Qutbuddin's master)
The Minar, made with numerous superimposed flanged and cylindrical shafts in the interior, and fluted columns on the exterior, which have a 40 cm thick veneer of red and buff coloured sandstone; all surrounded by bands of intricate carving in Kufic style of Islamic calligraphy, give the Minar the appearance of 'bundled reeds' from a distance. Also marking a progression in era, is the appearance of inscriptions in a bold and cursive Thuluth script of calligraphy on the Qutb Minar, distinguished by strokes that thicken on the top, as compared to Kufic in earlier part of the construction.
View of the honey comb like designs under the balcony of the First Floor of the Minar. The Minar represents an excellent example of Indo-Islamic architecture
The Qutb Minar and the Quwwat ul Islam Mosque are built on the ruins of 27 (demolished) Hindu and Jain temples, which were built by the Tomars and the Chauhans, who were amongst the last Hindu rulers of Delhi.
Many historians believe that the Qutb Minar was named after the first Slave King Qutb-ud-din Aibak, but others contend that it was named in honour of the Sufi Saint Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiyar Kaki, from the Middle East who came to live in India and was greatly venerated by Sultan Iltutmish.
Observe the distinct top two floors (covered with marble) of the Minar which were constructed by Emperor Feroze Shah Tughlaq
As the Qutb Minar was a tower of immense height quite a few times it got struck by lightning and so, had to be repaired time and again. According to the inscriptions on its surface the Minar was repaired restored by Emperor Feroze Shah Tughlaq (AD 1351-88), Emperor Sikandar Lodi (AD 1489-1517) and Major R.Smith in 1829.
The Iron Pillar and the Qutb Minar
The nearby Iron Pillar is one of the world's foremost metallurgical curiosities, standing in the famous Qutb complex. Tradition assigns the erection of the Pillar to Anang Pal Tomar, whose name it bears, with the date 1052 C.E. According to the traditional belief, anyone who can encircle the entire column with their arms, with their back towards the pillar, can have their wish granted. Because of the corrosive qualities of sweat the government has built a fence around it for safety. The quality of Iron used in the pillar is an excellence of technology. The smoothness of the pillar surface makes it rust proof. The amalgamation of different metals with Iron produces such high quality of smoothness.
The minar as seen from the ruins of the Quwwat ul Islam Mosque. Observe the tilt of the minaret towards the right.
The Qutb Minar has a tilt of 25 inches to the southwest. This is considered
to be "within safe limits", but experts have stated that the monument
needs regular monitoring in case rainwater seepage further weakens the
foundation.
The No-Nonsense Travel Advice
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|
Name of the Monument
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Qutb
Minar
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Constructed By
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Emperors
Qutb ud din Aibak and Iltutmish
|
Year of Construction
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1199
A.D.
|
Location
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Mehrauli,
New Delhi
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How to Reach
|
(By
Metro) Get down at Qutub Minar Metro Station (on the Yellow Line) and walk
the short distance OR take an Auto Rickshaw from your Starting Point OR take
a Hop-On-Hop-Off sightseeing bus which is run by Delhi Tourism. Fare is Rs
300 for Adults and Rs 150 for children. Checkout Delhi Tourism
website
for details.
|
Entrance Fee
|
.
Citizens of India and visitors from Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka,
Pakistan, Maldives, Afghanistan, Thailand and Myanmar - Rs. 10 per head
.
Visitors from other countries -
Indian
Rs. 250/- per head
.
(Free entry to children up to 15 years)
|
Suggested Reading
|
|
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(From this bi-weekly edition of Delhi-iteful Tuesdays
you would be presented a fresh and acutely informative series christened as Destination Delhi.
This series would cover the beautiful and historical city of Delhi in
detail and present you every 'landmark' worth visiting. So, Discover and
Enjoy..)Thursday, March 15, 2012
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 repeated invasions of India in mind. It was the first fort in India to be constructed entirely by Muslims. The structure of the fort was in an oval shape and was modeled over the large Turkish forts.
Targhi, a Mongol ruler besieged the Siri Fort following Khilji's retreat during the Mongol invasion of India. The siege was not successful and Targhi retreated to his Kingdom in Central Asia (Afghanistan). In the next Mongol attack which Khilji repulsed with the help of his Generals Ghazi Malik and Malik Kafur the captured soldiers were brought to Siri and trampled upon by elephants and their severed heads were hung from the walls of the Siri Fort (this is the incident from where the name Siri origins)
(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 through in all this time ? It is somewhere in questions like these that we find the true reasons which make these destinations wonderful. As I say all the time, 'Every destination, every monument, every artifact, every stone has got a story to tell'. Whether we listen to it or not makes the difference.)
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Severed heads of thousands of Mongol prisoners were hung from these walls to serve a reminder to the Mongols as to what would happen to them if they invaded India again !
Observe the protected passageway between the walls (to the left) for movement of the soldiers during action and the gaps in the wall for archers to shoot down at the invading armies
Observe the protected passageway between the walls (to the left) for movement of the soldiers during action and the gaps in the wall for archers to shoot down at the invading armies
Targhi, a Mongol ruler besieged the Siri Fort following Khilji's retreat during the Mongol invasion of India. The siege was not successful and Targhi retreated to his Kingdom in Central Asia (Afghanistan). In the next Mongol attack which Khilji repulsed with the help of his Generals Ghazi Malik and Malik Kafur the captured soldiers were brought to Siri and trampled upon by elephants and their severed heads were hung from the walls of the Siri Fort (this is the incident from where the name Siri origins)
The only other portion of the rampart of the fort which stands intact revealing the height of the walls. The Siri Fort had seven gates to enter and exit.
The strong fort got reduced to its current ruinous state because of local rulers especially Sher Shah Suri in around (1540-1545) took away building materials to built his own city nearby.
A view from atop the battlements. The ruins of the fort are spread over 1.7 square kms or 0.7 sq miles
(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 through in all this time ? It is somewhere in questions like these that we find the true reasons which make these destinations wonderful. As I say all the time, 'Every destination, every monument, every artifact, every stone has got a story to tell'. Whether we listen to it or not makes the difference.)
Join us on our Facebook Page as we take a trip to beautiful and historical places around India and the world
Monday, October 31, 2011
Diwali Part 2 - Temples of Delhi
New Delhi (or Delhi as it is commonly called as) is a large and populous city. The city is extremely rich in history and legacy. At the location where the city is situated, on the banks of the River Yamuna, there stood 7 capital cities of various kingdoms spanning across the age. Starting from the mythological Indraprastha (5000 b.c.) to the current New Delhi (founded 1929). So, an area which has been inhabited since the dawn of time will certainly possess some of the oldest and holiest shrines of Hindu faith apart from other invaluable monuments (whom I shall cover soon). I went around the city traveling, enquiring and taking pictures of the most important Shrines or Temples which a traveler or pilgrim must visit while in Delhi. These temples are one of the major attractions of Delhi and attract thousands of devotees during the Hindu festivals of Diwali, Janmashtami and the Navratra’s. I have christened these series of temples as the part of ‘Delhi’s Temple Circuit’.
We start with the temple visited by 70 percent of tourists who visit Delhi, The Akshardham Temple:-
Akshardham Temple
The 'shikhara' or peak of the Temple
Front View of the Temple (Courtesy Juthani, Source Wikipedia)
The primary deity of the Akshardham Temple is Swaminarayan and the architecture of the temple is as per Vastushastra and Pancharatra shastra. The temple was built and consecrated on 6 November 2005. The Akshardham temple complex displays the history of traditional Indian and Hindu culture, spirituality, and architecture.
The temple complex features a large central monument crafted entirely of stone, exhibitions on incidents from the life of Swaminarayan and the history of India, a musical fountain, and large landscaped gardens. Akshardham temple holds the Guinness World Record for being the World’s Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple
Hanuman Temple (Connaught Place)
Main Idol of Bal(Baby) Hanuman (Courtesy Nwchar, Source Wikipedia)
Hanuman Temple (Connaught Place)
As I have revealed to you earlier that Delhi has seen habitation by people since the year 5000 B.C. (as per the epic Mahabharata the city was known as 'Indraprastha'). Hanuman Temple in Connaught Place, New Delhi, is an ancient Hindu Temple and is claimed to be one of the five temples from the days of Mahabharata in Delhi.
Said to be constructed by Pandavas in honor of Lord Hanuman the temple, which has a self manifest idol of Hanuman, has a unique feature fixed on the spire or top (Viman) of the temple in the form of a crescent moon (an Islamic symbol) instead of the Hindu symbol of Aum or Sun that is commonly seen in most Hindu temples. This became particularly important during the sacking of Delhi by various Islamic invaders (for example Nadir Shah in 1739) who spared it from vandalism.
The current structure is said to have been built in 1724. The idol in the temple, worshiped with devotion as “Sri Hanuman Ji Maharaj” (Great Lord Hanuman), is that of Bala Hanuman namely, Hanuman as a child.
Kalkaji Temple, New Delhi
Kalkaji Temple (The main idol of the deity)
This very old temple built atop a hill is in honor of Goddess Kali. It has been considered to exist since the days of the epic Mahabharata(5000 BC). Current structure has got some parts which were built in 2 BC and modifications which were done in 1734 and mid-19th century. In the vicinity is the ISCKON temple and an edict of Emperor Asoka dating 3rd century BC. One particular incident which is associated with this temple is that the noise of the powerful bells of this temple (during early morning prayers) used to disturb the sleep of the extra alert Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and were eventually pulled down. (His palace the Red Fort was situated 10 miles away).
Laxmi Narayan Temple
The Laxminarayan Temple is a temple dedicated to ‘Laxminarayan’. The temple is built in honor of Goddess Lakshmi (Hindu goddess of wealth), and her consort Narayana (Lord Vishnu) by B. R. Birla from 1933 and 1939, when it was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. The side temples are dedicated to Lord’s Shiva, Krishna and Buddha. The temple spread over 7.5 acres, is adorned with many shrines, fountains, and a large garden, and also houses a ‘Geeta Bhawan’ for religious discourses.
The architecture of the temple is based on the Northern or Nagara style.The entire temple is adorned with carvings depicting the scenes from Hindu mythology. A visit to this informative temple is a very good experience.
Information at the entrance
Chattarpur Temple
Chattarpur Mandir (Main Temple in the complex)
This is the second largest temple complex in India, and is dedicated to Goddess, Katyayani (Durga). It is located at Chhatarpur, and is just 4 km (2.5 mi) from Qutub Minar, off Mehrauli-Gurgaon road. The temple was established in 1974. This temple was considered as the biggest temple in India and second largest in the world, before the Akshardham Temple was created in 2005 in Delhi. This temple is totally constructed from marble and on all the facets there is 'jaali' (perforated stone or latticed screen) work.
Temple featuring Dravidian(South Indian) Architecture in the complex
Some other pictures which I clicked while traveling are -
A pujari (priest) of Hanuman Temple(Connaught Place). (The gentleman yelled at me for being clicked without permission)
This huge statue of Lord Hanuman(more than 40 feet high) dwarfs the landscape of Central Delhi is at Jhandewalan, Karol Bagh
A pujari (priest) blessing a new car at Laxmi Narayan Temple
Kali Mandir at Bangla Sahib Marg. A temple thronged by Bengali devotees. Notice the depiction of certain incidences from Indian Mythologies right above the gate.
This is all about the Delhi Temple Circuit from me. In the month of November I will be back with a completely new series of posts over Delhi which would cover Old Delhi and its invaluable forts and monuments, complete with lots of pictures and narratives. Moreover I will also go on a tour to cover a completely new destination for you. Till then TC
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Note:- The pictures 'Front view of Akshardham Temple clicked by Juthani' and 'Bal Hanuman by Nwchar' are separate pictures clicked by photographers who hold their(pictures) rights and permit conditional free use. They do not endorse the author or the blog.
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