Skywatch Friday.. Qutb Minar, Delhi

I was randomly sorting through the folders in my HDD when I came upon a folder titled Images and I spotted quite a few taken during my earlier trips across the country. And then there was this folder within it that contained some pictures shot during a visit to Delhi few years ago with mom and sis. I remember on evening we headed to the Qutb minar and my uncle had promised to join us later for dinner. We got out of the car and my sis exclaimed " ma, that is a tall tower, what is that?" 

The Qutab Minar I discovered is 73 mts high  and is a tower of victory. It was built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak right after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom. The tower has five floors or storeys, each one distinctly marked through a projecting balcony. The tower tapers from a 15 mt diameter at the bottom to a mere  2.5 mt at the top. When you stand below the tower and look up, you can only see 3/4th of it, to see it all you either have to step back or lie down at a distance :) 

The first three floors are made of red sandstone; but the 4th and 5th made of marble and sandstone. As I walked around, I noticed the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque near the base of the tower. I overheard a guide tell a group of people that this is the 1st mosque to have been built in India.  I read an inscription that said the building was built with material obtained from demolishing '27 Hindu temples'.

At a distance I noticed a crowd of people around what looked like an iron pole. Upon closer inspection I learnt that it was a 7 mt high iron pillar. It is said that if you can wrap your hands around the pole, whatever you wish for will come true.. What the heck, we tried it as well.  

The one mystery around this place is why the Qutb Minar was built. Some say it is to display the victory and beginning of Muslim rule in India, but there are others who speak differently. Either ways, it is a beautiful place to visit, especially on a cool winter evening.  I could hear my mom screaming my name, we then headed to a small cafe nearby.

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Skywatch Friday- Where Mughals rest...

I hopped off the bus and began looking for the entrance gate.. It had been 6yrs since i had visited this place last...Back then i was travelling with college, and it was my visit to this Monument. This time, i was on my own and looking fwd to exploring the place on my own... I was at Humayun's tomb in Delhi... 

This is probably the 1st monumental that showed the world what Mughal imperial architecture was. The tomb was constructed to mark the grave of the Mughal Emperor Babur, Humayun's father, the Ruler who founded the dynasty and one who had requested he be buried in a garden.  

The design is attributed to  the Persian Architects and poets who were associated with the Mughal Courts.  I walked the length of the gardens, along the water fountains in the center towards the South of the Purana Qila to where the main Tomb was located. Like many others, it is also set in the midst of a beautiful garden created in the Mughal char bagh pattern. Around the complex are tall raised walls, it is said that on one side   the River Yamuna flowed by, but now it has been averted...  

I noticed the gardens were divided into four parts by water channels that had paved walkways all through the length.. I overheard a guide tell a couple from Spain that the walkways are called khiyabans. 

The entire monument has been created with red sandstone with white marble engravings and ornementations. Apparently the top of the dome is over 140ft from the ground.  There are numerous high arches and intricately carved windows which add to the beauty of the place.  As i made my way inside Humayun's tomb, i noticed that each of the main chambers has within them eight smaller chambers. When i enquired on the total number of chambers i was told there are nearly 124 vaulted chambers in total.

Humayun's sarcophagus was in the central domed chamber.. His head was pointing south, and the grave was facing the east based on Islamic practices. There were other sarcophagi inside the vaulted chambers, which were added on later- his wives, Princes and so on... There was a Box of writing instruments on top of the grave which indicated it was a male body held within and a slate for the woman. How cool was that! 

I heard a sharp whistle, indicating it was closing time and quickly made a beeline for the gate... I was amazed at how clean and well maintained the Monument and surrounding gardens were... My only regret was not having a digital camera[i had to get the film developed before i could see the images.. sigh]

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