The
Qutub Minar was commissioned by Qutbuddin Aibak in 1206 CE and
completed by Sultan Iltutmish in 1236 CE. This minaret is believed to
have been named after Hazrat Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, a Sufi saint
of Chistiya Silsila. He was revered by Sultan Iltutmish and his
shrine/dargah is close to the Qutb Complex.
The Qutb Minar is the
tallest brick minaret in the world (at 72 metres). As per various
historians this UNESCO World Heritage Site is believed to have been
inspired by the Minarets of Jam, Ghazni, Bukhara e.t.c. But Historian
Ziyauddin Desai believed that the Qutb Minar is inspired by a minar in
Khwaja Siyaposh in Sistan (S-W Afghanistan).
Qutub Minar has a
total of 5 stories and it was topped by a chattri (installed by
Ferozeshah Tughluq). The lowermost, and the tallest floor has 24
flutings. The architecture of the Qutub Minar is such that from a
distance it would appear like a bundle of reeds ! Inscriptions on the
minar have been found in Perso-Arabic and Nagari Scripts which shed
light on its history and the repair works done over it.
Being so
tall in height the Qutub Minar has often been prone to lightning strikes
across the ages. It has been damaged and subsequently repaired quite a
few times across its 816 years old existence by various sultans like
Ferozeshah Tughlaq (14th Cent CE), Sultan Sikandar Lodi (1489 - 1517 CE)
and the Britishers (in early 1800's CE).
.......
Sources -
1. Indo-Islamic Architecture by Ziyauddin Desai
2. ASI Sources (Website/Information Board)
2. Wikipedia
