GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

AKOIDEOLOGICAD SURVEY OF INDIA

CENTRAL
ARCHiEOLOGICAL
LI BRARY

ACCESSION

CALL No. 9/T.

2-^2 C

—
&*~~t C'

/Ig^
^2,%'SC
 PREFACE-

Tee following pages contain a description and hisidxy

of every object of archaeological or monumental interest in, ctr
about, Shahjahdnkbad or Modem Delhi beginning with the
:

site of the semi-mythical Tndra-prastha, the capital of YudiA-

thira, which dates back to the year 1450 B. C., and conclndS%
with the tomb of the Emperor Akbar II. who died in the
1837 A. D. ;

The order of description is, essentially, one of chrenc

but where an important building has been locally
—
with others of a later period, not being specimen’
—
any school or style of architecture I have grouped themite^^
ther for the advantage of travellers who may visit these
For example, the description of the tomb of Nfz4m-u4<|tai »
immediately followed by those of the tombs of
Begam, the Emperor Muhammad Shah and Mfrzd Ja
son of Akbar II.

The labour of collectiniT materials for such a

this, will be duly appreciated by those wbo know the
state of the authorities where they are to be sought;,
injpossible, however, to write the archseology of
India, without being under deep obligation to the-
able researches of General Cunningham ;• and hfr
undertakes to write the archaeology of Delhi must <
seek for light in the pages of Syed Ahmed Khan’s ini
work on that subject. To both these gentlemen, I a:
' great obligation. To Rdi Jiwan L^l, Honorary
Delhi, I have to Sffer my warmest acknowledgments ;;
kindly placed at my disposal his rare collection of
sketches, and but for hw continued and Suable
this .work wpuld never have been written. \

- t';f

22nd
 —

. . , To the ever increasing number of travellers who annually

1^ ^ the following diary of itinerancy will prove useful ;

day. "Visit the Jam’a Masjid of Modern Delhi, (p. 250 post), the
KaK Masjid, (p. 149 post), L^l Qil’ah, (p. 216 post), and
the imperial buildings in it (pp. 220-237 post),the
Zinath-ul-M asajid, (p. 261 post), the Sonehri Masjid of
Roshan-uddaulah in Chandni Chauk (p.266 post), and
. the tomb of Gha24-uddin Khan (p. 263 post).
I
iud day. Visit Asoka’s pillar, (p. 129 post), the ruins of Firozabad,
-,(p2l23 post), Pur^a Qil’ah, (p. 24 post), its mosque, i^p.
'
-
• I .
’
- 190 post), and tower (p. 193 po.st), the tomb of
Nizkm-uddin and the adjoining tombs, (p. 102 post), the
Mausoleum of Humaytin, (p. 202 post), and the tomb of
*
Khan Khanan, (p. 214 post). If possible the traveller
'V*'
should visit Tughlaq^lbdd, (p. 89 post).

Zrdday. Visit the Jantar Mantar, or the Observatory, (p. 269 post),
the Mausoleum of Safdar Jang, (p. 278 post), and from
here ride out tu Hauz Khas, (p. 83 post), and thence to
the Qutb Minar, (p. 58 post), the tomb of Qutb Sahib,
(p. 174 post), of Balban,(p; 79 post),, and the mosque and
tomb of Jamtili, (p. 171 post).

^V,4^fc day. Visit the tomb of Sultan Ghdri, (p. 70 post) in the morn-
ing, and in the afternoon, the mosques of Khirki, (p.
154 post), BegampAr, (p. 156 post), and the tombs of
vff ..
the Sayyad Kings, (pp. 159-161 and 196).
“•liiJi"'' t’
 /
V

4 '

2- ^2836
.'lo, '
os

LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHS.

page. page.
-
1. The Iron Pillar, 16 24. Moth ki Masjid, ... ; .. 166
2. Kalkaji, 28 25. Tomb of Zdman, ... 176 ,, */. ••

3. Masjid Quwat-ul-isldm, 40 26. Pardna Qilah 184 *:.ij

4. Qutb-ud-din’s Arches, 44 27. Sher Mandal. ... ... 194

5. Altamsh’s 50 28. Tomb of Adham Kbdn, 200
6. Aldi Darwdzah, 64 29. Tomb of Hamdyfin, ... 202 • ;•

7. Qatb Mindr, 58 30. Tomb of Khan Khdndn, 214 •

8. Unfinished Mindr, 68 31. Ldhore Gate, Port, 2l8

9. Tomb of Altamsh, 74 32. Delhi Gate, Port, 220
10. Tughlaqdbdd, 90 33. Kakar K^dnab, ... 222
11. Tomb of Taghlaq, 92 34. Diwdn Am, 224"
12. Adilabad, 98 35. Diwdn Khds, 228 :'

13. Tomb of Nizam-uddin, 102

|
36. Moti Masjid, 23*
4. Jamaath Khanah, ... 112 |
37. Mnsamman Burj,
5. Tomb of Azam Khdn, 116 38. Kashmir Gate, ...
|

V). Firozdbad, 122 39. Jama Masjid,

|

]. Asokd’s Pillar, ISO 40. Patehpuri Masjid,

‘
Pit Gaib, ... -. ... 140 41. Zinath-ul-Masdjid
^
Tomb of Chiragh Delhi. 146 42. GhA^-uddin’s
|
*1 148 J 45 XK
Sharif,
 INTRODUCTION.

I.v the forty-five square miles of comparative wa,ste which

is now enclosed bjthe villages ofTuglilaqdbad, Mahrauli, Ghaad-
raonandthe left bank of the river Jumna, thirteen capital cities
have appeared and disappeared, the sites of whicli, with but one
exception, are either marked by ruins or indicated by tradi-
tion. About fifteen centuries before the Christian era, Yudish-
j
thira founded the great Panda va Empire and built his capital
t on the left bank of the Jumna and called it Illdraprasth^{p. 1 -

*>1 For thirty generations imperial authority continued in

his family and the dynasty, which followed that of the traitor-
I Visarwa, held sway in the capital of the Pandavas for 500 years,
I and was succeeded by the Gotama-vansas. One of the Grotanaas,
; Sardp Data by name, supposed to be a lieutenant of the
> ruler of Kanauj, founded a city which he called Dilli (p. 10
L post) after his superior lord, Paja Delu. The Gotamas
V were succeeded by the dynasty founded by Dharmdhdj, or
Dharnidhar. The last king of line was defeated by the Kohi .feja,
'

!
who in his turn was overcome by the ruler of Ujain, whose au-
thority passed hands of the Jogi dynasty -of
into the
Samandar Pal, Jogis were succeeded by the
The
Baraitch Rajas (Oudh), and the Baraitchis were followed
by the Fakir dynasty. The Fakirs gave way to
Belawal Sen, and the power of the Sens was crushed
by Deb Singh Kohi, of Siwalik, who was expelled from DiiliC
by Anang Pal I., the founder of the Ton- war family. Anang
Pal I. rebuilt Dilli in 731 A. D., and Anang P^
'
II one of his successors, re-populated that city in 1052
A. D. For a period of nearly 792 years Dilli ceased to '

be the capital of Northern India, and this period is supposed

=
to extend from the conquest of that place by the ruler of Ujain
to its re-peopling by Anang Pdl II.

The Chohans defeated the last of the Ton-war Rajas in

1151 AD., and when the last of the Chohans, Pritiiirs^,'
otherwise known as Rai .Pithora, became the pailP
mount power in Northern India, he built a fort which is
ifter him as Qil’ah Bai Pitiiora, (p. 30 pest). In tlm ?•
 w »

'l D.
iM’i!^.' Anally conq^red by the Muhammadans
.' Qutb-u||pt Afb.eh, and the Hindu Empire in North-
imiler
ern' Hihdust%S^(^s f<)r ever extingaished. The first eight
soveteigns who succeeded Qutb-uddln Aibek reigned in Qil’ah
'

3[^i Pithora, whicii they adorned with a .mosque and

palatisd buildings, of which we still possess more or less credible
accounts (pp. 37-39 pcsl). But Kai Qubad, the tenth king and
. 'gtiuidso& of the illustrious Balban, built a palace atKilokheri,
alra' known as Naia Shahr (p. 82 post), to which place he
'removed his court, and which his successor Jalal-uddln Khilji,
for .political reasons, fortified and improved (p. 82 post). ’Ala-
Khilji, the Jalal-uddin, who succeeded his
nephew of
.'.iio^e bn of Delhi after a short residence
the throne
in'QiTah R^ii Pithora, built a fort at Sill which became the
of the Delhi Em])iro. In the year 1321 A. D. Qutb-
•iiadin Mubarik Shah, the younger son of ’Ala-uddi'n Khiljf,
‘yrafi asfeassinaled by the infamous Khusrau Khan, who assumed

1^. insignia of royalty in the palace of Hazd,r Sathfin, in Siri.

'Khusrau however, was defeated, and' killed by Ghids-uddm
. Tuj^hlaq Shsih, who removed the seat of his government from
^^?ri to Tuglaqabad (p. 89 post). His son and successor built
b.vV-.' Tp 98 post) within a short distance of the capital of
tv* Vi: and a few years later he enclosed Qila’h Rai Pithora
h^<--
and gave the new city the name of Jahanpanah (p.
*
^
3 . ,His cousin and successor, Fi'roz Shah Tughlaq,
^Iimdoacd the old capitals of his ancestors and built the city
.

,
;^lRrozabad (p. 123 post). The invasion of India by Timur
^^ a death-blow to the prosperity of Firozabad, and the in-
jfjin...Sayyads, who succeeded to the authority of the warlike
.^a^hs, were not wanting, in their humble way, in the ambi-
•iioh which leads Eastern Kings to commemorate their names
fer founding new cities. The first Sayyad King built Elizra-
' pJW Xp- 159 post), and his son and successor
give his name to Mubarikabad (p. 159 j)ost). The
.
Lpd^, who succeeded the Sayyads, have left no memo-
bf their rule in Delhi. Bahlol, the founder of
tbe Lodf dynasty, lived in Siri, and his sqn, the famous Sikan-
^ ite,i.‘j.after-. ,a short reign in the old capital, removed
4)^,1 Agira. .When Babar ovet^eame the Lods at Panipat,
.

bia. left Delhi itt>.chMge of a lieutenant and retained'

,
of hts government at Agra, His sbn, fimndydn
'.''WM': defeated by; -the. A%han* uaader Sfeer
-
Sbdb.
\'mt
 —
INTRODCCTIOK. V

"was expelledfrom India and lived in exile for 14 years. Before

his expulsion from India by the Pathans, Hum
iyun commenced;
the building of the city of Din Pa!ia.h (p., 184 po'ft). When
Sher Shah took possession of Delhi, he followed the example
I
of his predecessors, and founded a new city which he called
I
Shergarh or Delhi Sher Shahi (p. 187 post). In the year
1546 A. D. his son, Salim Shah Sur, built the fort of Salim-
garh on an island in the Jumna.
(

In 1555 A. D. Humyadn Pathans and- re-

defeated the
covered the Empire of Delhi. About months
six after Ms
victory over the Pathans Iluraayun. died at Din Pauah and,
was succeeded by his son Akbar I., who lived and died at
Agra. His son, Jahangir, continued to reside in Agra, and
after his death Shah Jahan removed to Delhi and
built Shahjahanabad (p. 24 1 post), which continued to be
the capital of the Empire till its conquest by the
British on the 11th September 180^1.

There is hardly another forty-five square miles of ground ou"

earth of more interest to the students of history than that

which has supplied the materials of this work. It includes
the site of an Empire which rose and fell before the dawn of
history and here also stand the pillars of Asoka, with inscrip-
;

tions over two thousand years old ;

here may also be seen tKb
renowned Iron Pillar, the precise age of which may not bet

known, but the antiquity of which is undoubted ;

here was
made the permanent conquest of Hindustan by the Muham-
madans, and from Delhi, whether as Qilah Bai Pithora, ^Nai^
Shahr, Sfrf, Tughlaqabad, Ffrozabad, Sher-garh or Shah-
iahanabdd, the Muhammadan Emperors of Hindustan issued
their commands, and with the name of
that city the name
of their Empire was for ever identified.
most approved
A few words are necessary to explain theIndia so far as
grouping of the Archaeological remains of
-

they relate to Delhi.

I must dispose of the Hindu Period” with the remark,'
now
that no entire specimen
of ancient Hindu architecture
And as regard, the
^
different
extant in or about Delhi.
Muhammadan architecture they may be ^cla®ed in
styles of
the following order
:
 ISTRODUCTTON.

t. The Gliori Pathan, from A. D. 1191 to 12S9, with

.
course, ogee pointed arches and high front
' y-itWfls to niasjids; specimens Masjid Quvvat-ul-isiam, Al-
:

t'
'taimsh’s Tomb.
II. The Khilji Pathan, from A. D. 1289 to 1321, -with
ItMBe-shoe arches and elaborate decorations ; specimen the :

Darw^ah. I

III. The Tughlaq Pathan, from A. D. 1331 to 1450, stucco'

^ ten pointed arches with sloping walls of great
^^^^ .ifeckness, plastered domes on low necks ; specimens Tomb of* :

||f TtigWaq Sh&, and the Masjids of Khdn Jahan.

'

IV. The Afghan, from A D. 1450 to 1555, with thin

J .fi^pendiciUar walls, domes on tall octagonal necks. “ Colour,”
Cunningham, “ was extensively employed for both inside
“ ^.(mtede decorations, glazed tiles were also used afterwards

3^ tibe reign of the Sur family. The stucco ornamentation

i^ven up and a much richer and more lasting efiect was
'
by the use of different coloured stones.” Specimen :

Eohnah Masjid.

> .
V. The early Moghal, from A. D. 1556 to 1628, with
domes on tall cylindrical necks. “ A peculiar charac-
'teiistic
‘’lerisfac of this period,” Cunningham, “ was the
neriod.” writes Cnnnincrham mnro
+1ia more
use of glazed tiles.” Specimens Humayiin’s Tomb.
«» Nflf Buij.

_VI. Thelate Moghal, from 1628 to 1750, with decorations

ceomBting of mosaic pattern in stones and glazed ties.

f
' • f >'

V S.'f? '-'.

-
:

«»-

/4
 Indraprastha or Indrapat.— The earliest archaeology
of Dellii carries us back to the heroic but semi-mythical
age of King Yudishthira which, by the consent of the learned,
is supposed to belong to the fifteenth century before the
Christian era. No memorial of Delhi, or of the cities 'w’hich
successively bore that name, can be complete without some
account of that ancient city with which its history is so
intimately connected — of Indraprastha, the city of Yudish-
thira, sometime his capital, then the second city of the
early Pandu dynasty, and subsequently the capital of North-
ern India.

The
history of Indraprastha, or whatever reliable there
is in will be found in the Indrapat Mah^tam and in
it,

the great epic of Mahd, Bhdrata, which has immortalised the

wars of the Panclavas and the Kauravas, the “ cousins,” who
at one. time held paramount authority in Hindustan, and then
divided the chivalry of their country in the internecine struggle
which they carried on for supremacy in Bharat- varsha.
Once upon a time there lived a Baja Duslnm.nta, who
married Sokuntald, the daughter of a sage the issue of this
;

marriage was Bhdrat, who conquered the regions of Hindus-

tan, which were long afterwards called Bharat- varsha, or tho
country of Bharat. Hastin, the founder of Hastinapur, was the
son of Bharat, and Hastin was the father of Kuru, and Kunl
was the father of Sdntand, who “ was the groat grandfather of'
•

the men who fought in the war of Bhdrata.” ISdntand had -4

sou by the goddess Ganga, and his name was Sdntanava. He
also had two sons by Satyavatf. On the death of Sdntand, he
was succeeded by the children of his second marriage, because
Sdntanava had taken a dreadful vow (hence called Bhfshma,
“ the dreadful”) that he would not deprive them of their right
to inherit the Rdj. The elder of Bhishma’s half-brotherS
succeeded his father, and when this Rdja fell in a war against a
hill tribe of the Himalayas, he was succeeded by his younger
brother whose name was Vichitra-vfr3^a. Vichitra-vjrya ipar-^^
ried the daug;hter of the King of Kasi, but died childless. Ajiii
 TOMfrastha ob indrapat.

1vl»eaB ^ 'WBS d^Mi, Yydsa,

a kinsman of the queen mother,
scms for the royal bouse of Hastinapur. Vyasa had
: by the first widow of Vichitra-vfrya he had a son

-^ho. VBs blind, and was called Dhritarashtra, and by the

widow ho had a son who was pale, and was called
BBd he had a son by a maid servant, who was called
'Vidtt®#. Dhritarashtra was set aside because he was blid,
l?idura because he was slave born, and Pandu succeeded to
the Baj.

; Pandu had two wives and

their names were KuntI* and
Jfadri Kunti had three sons, viz., Yudishthira, Bhima
;

and Arjuna ; and Madri had two sons, viz., Nakula and
Sahadeva.

"When Pandu
died, Dhritarashtra became the ruler over
^
BMiat-varsha he married the princess Gandhara, and had a
;

fejshly of sons who were called Kauravas after their ancestor

. Buru; ana the suns of Pandu were called Pandavas after
their' father.

,
The eldest son of Dhritarashtra was called Durjodhana,
and chief among his brethren was Duhsasana, and the Kau-
ravas and the Pandavas lived at Hastinapur. It came to pass
that owing to family feuds, Dhritarashtra advised the Panda-
Jras to go^ to Varanavata “ for some time,” and he said, “
after
that, 1 will recall you and in course of time they were recall-
;

ed to Hastinapur. But “ after many days” Dhritarashtra

desired the Pandavas to go to Khdndava-prastha, and
take
{^ss^sion of their share of the Rdj, and Yudishthira went to
the country on the baifks of the JumUa, “ and collected such
Amumber of inhabitants that the city resembled the city of
Indra, and the city was named Indraprastha.”t

But the
origin of this name has been differently accounted
according to some, the city was dedicated to Indra
for:
and
c^ed after him, while according to others, it indicates the
where Indra gave a prastha (forty-eight double hand-
ftfa) to the poor on the other hand, philologists, who
;

prefer to follow Professor Wilson, maintain,

that Indra-
j^astha signifies the- plain of Indra, the word prastha,
means
^ supposed to have been the daughter of Sura,
the grandfather

+ ^ JamaaBowflpwBovOTaoaefrtaBthesnHWBedaitarf IirfiaprasBia, /
 INDRAPEASTHA OR INDRAPAT. a

anything “ spread out and extended,” and hence an open

space. This interpretation is popular with the common
people who, to this day, continue to call the walled city of
Indrapat, Indra-ka-Kher d or the plain of Indra.

Indraprastha is supposed to have been founded abmit

the year 1450 B. G., a date which receives the sanction of
General Cunningham’s authority, who, on grounds which I
need not reproduce here, considers it “ more worthy of' credit
than any other Hindu dates of so remote a period.”

Authorities are again divided as to the probable date

when Indraprastha succeeded Hastinapur as the capital of
Northern India. Hastinapur,* having been submerged by the
Ganges in the reign of Dastwdn, the seventh king from Yudish-
thira, Dastwdn went in search of a capital in the South country,
and established himself there for a time ; he, however,
returned afterwards to Indraprastha, and made it the capital
of the Pandu empire. According to the Vishnu Purdna,
Nichakra, the sixth king from Yudishthira, removed the capital
to Kausambi, “in consequence of Hastindpur being washed
away by the Ganges,” but tradition inclines to the opinion
that the transfer of the seat of the Pandu empire from Hasti-
napur to Indraprastha occurred some time in the thirteenth
century before the Christian era, in the reign of Bdja Dast-
wan, also known as Kdja Ndmi.

For thirty generations, in direct descent from Yudishthira

to Kashimaka (i. e., from the 15th to the 7th century, B. C.),
Indraprastha continued the capital of the Pandava Baj, and
it is not unlikely that when Visarwa, the military minister
j

I of the last Pandu Raja, with whom he was “connected by

blood,” usurped royal authority, that Indraprastha lost the
ascendancy which she had acquired in the affairs of Northern
India. But she still continued the capital of three successive
dynasties of the Visarwas, who numbered fourteen persons ;
;

of the Gautamas, who were fifteen, and Mayuras, who were

nine, the last of whom, Raj Pdl or Rangpdl, invaded
Kumaon and was slain by Sukwanta, the Rdja of that
place, and Indraprastha was annexed to the Raj. Twelve
years later, Sukwanta himself was overcome by Vikramaditya,

\
* According to Wilfoid, between the 6th and the 8th generation t^
Bh^ta.
 niDBAFBASTHA OB IKDBAPAT.

Eaja of TJjain, who overthrew “ the P4ndu sovereignty

the era ot Yudhisthira.”*

conquest hy the Kumaon Edja, Indra-

Long before its
prastha had probably ceased to exist as a city of any import-
imce. During the reigns of the powerful Guptas, Palibotbra
was the capital city of the paramount state in Northern India,
t^reek writers, more or less conversant with Northern India,
Were ignorantofthe existence of Indraprastha. Arrian notices
-Mathura by precisely the same name it bears noAv, but
he knew nothing of Indraprastha, nor does Fabian mention
.

.her name, although he traversed the country from Kabul to

Mathura in 400 A. D.t
Colonel Tod’s references to “Indraprastha or Delhi,” which
Bp constantly occur in bis notice of the Pandavas, would lead
.one to suppose that the writer entertained no doubt of the
identity of the two cities; he even goes the length of calling
,S^tanu “ sovereign of Delhi,” regardless of the fact that the
name of Delhi does not occur for centuries after Simtanu
had ceased to reign.
Whatever might be the weight of the doubts attaching
to the origin of the name or the date of the foundation of
Indraprastha, the probable site of this ancient city is less
open to question. But the certainty on the subject is due,
“
not to the presence of any ruins or architectural remains,
jor to the authority of any record —
but to tradition, and to
.teadition alone. J

Mr. Wheeler believes that the site of Indraprastha is

inore distinctly indicated than that of Hastinapur ; on the road
to the Qutb, he says, there are “ a number of desolate heaps, the
debris of thousands of years, the remains of successive capitals
which date back to the very dawn of history ; and local
tradition points to these sepulchres of departed ages as the
sole remains of the Edj of the sons of Pandu, and their once '

famous city of Indraprastha.” I have not been able to find

j

;
* Colonel Tod evidently refers here to the founder of the Samvat.

t Elliot’s letter to the Secretary, Archaological Society, Delhi, Part 2.

^

- c-rdfld' a paper read before the Literary Society of Delhi, Pandit Basheshar
expressed bis opinion that Indraprastha extended from the village of Okla
 1NDRAPR\STHA OR INDRAPAT. 5

any authority for this statement, either in tradition or history.

Equally without authority does Colonel Tod write of the
monuments of Indraprastha,” of “ the memorials of (her)
former grandeur,” or, when residing in the mausoleum
of Safdar Jang, describes it as standing “ amidst the ruins
of Indraprastha, several miles from inhabited Delhi.”
Of Palibothra, though its site is hopelessly lost in
the mist of Grecian names and Grecian geography,
we seem to know more in other respects than of the
city of Yudishthira. We are told that it was 80 fur-
longs long and 1 5 broad, that it was surrounded by a ditch
which took up six acres of ground and was .32 cubits deep,
that the walls of the city were adorned with 570 towers and
64 gates, and that the “ ditch was for the defence of the city,
and the reception of all the filth issuing from thence.”

No ruins or “ the debris of thousands of years” mark

the ground where Indraprastha once flourished ; even on
its si pposed site, cities have since appeared and disap-
pears 1 and althougli tradition points to the walled village of
;

Indrj )at as the inheritor of the name and a portion of the site
of III' raprastha, the extent of this ancient city cannot now
be as ertained. It is generally believed to have occupied the
exten. ive piece of ground which covers the site of Indrapat,
and s retches northward to the Delhi gate of modern Delhi.
Geno il Cunningham would fix its southern boundary at or
about Huniayun’s tomb, and its northern at the Kotlah of
FirozJiah ; these limits have the disadvantage of not including
the sacred ghat ot N igambodh, so intimately connected with the
city of Yudishthira. 1 am disposed to place thanorthern boun-
dary of Indraprastha between tjie northern and southern boun-
daries of modern Delhi ; and to fix it, on the authority o^
tradition, at the north-eastern end of the street called Dariba,
— almost in the very heart of the modern city. The subject,
however, is completely involved in fables and doubtful
tradition, and it is impossible to write on it with greater
confidence ; with so little of reliable materials before us, it
would be idle to answer the questions, as some writers have
endeavoured to do, as to whether Indraprastha was equal in
size to Lai Kot or smaller than the Fort of Prithirdj 1

Mr, Wheeler’s description of Hastindpur might, without

any objection, be applied to Indraprastha that, it wag a city of
:
 tnaAMSolvH.

l«riek built houses, with a palace of similar construc-

with some pretension to strength, all occupied by a
jftotod^eiipt population” of herdsmen, mechanics, cultivators,
shopkeepers and retainers.

: Of the festivities which took place in I ndraprastha, we have

,

^mndin^ and elaborate accounts in the Maha Bharata, but we

lukve no description of the city itself We read of splendid
dohble-storied pavilions provided for the Rajas who attended
the ceremony of Rajasdya (the inauguration of an independ-
ent R^ja), exaggerated descriptions of the walls and the orna-
Uaents of the pavilions ; we are told that, on this occasion,
" the whole city of Indraprastha resounded with the chanting
—
of Vedic hymns” we hear of the “ wonders” that were seen in
the city on that occasion, but we learn nothing of the city
itself

During the short but prosperous reign of Yudishthira,

Indraprastha might have eclipsed “ the glories of Hastinapur,”
neverthOless it was the second city of the empire. After the
war of Mdhil Bharata, Yudishthira made his triumphal entry into
jSastindpur as the capital of Bhdrat-varsha ; it was there that
he performed the horse sacrifice, Aswamedha, and it was there
also that he divided his empire, giving Hastinapur to
Parikshit, the son of Arjuna, and Indraprastha to Jujutsu, the
<rtly surviving son of Dhritarashtra.

—
Ni^unbodh. Tradition assigns to two spots, on the
banks of the Jumna, the honor of being the only
t^ntemporary memorials of , Indraprastha : wz. the ghat
,ot Nigambotlh and the Hindu temple known as NihchatrL
The size of the ghat, as it existed at the time of Yudishthira,
we have no means of knowing ; but we may safely accept
the tradition which places it in the vicinity of Fort Salim-
garh, and in front of the gate of the modern city
of Delhi,
wl^ih bears its name. It was here that Yudishthira, after
gerfo^ng the horse sacrifice, is said to have celebrated
the and fite thousand years ago, according to mytho-
kor,n,

logy, that Brahma^ having suddenly lost the

memory of
 NILICHATRI. If

the sacred books, recovered it by plunging into the waters of

the J umna ; hence, the origin of the name which consists of
two words, Nigam, signifying the Ved, and Bodak, knowledge.
The buildings which now stand on the grounds of this gh&t
do not go farther back into antiquity than a period of
about a hundred and thirty-seven years. It was in the year
1737 that the Hindus were permitted to erect rooms here,
buildings which still exist and extend in front of the Nigam-
bodh Gate, to the north, in the direction of the Kela
Ghdt Gate to about twenty yards, and to the south
down to the bend of the Jumna, in front of what was once
known as the Calcutta Gate of Delhi. The nt)w ghats con-
sist of low, open-pillared stone built rooms, sometimes with
walls only on two sides, and with stone steps leading to the
water ; the rooms are irregularly built, both as regards their
dimensions and the distance to which they extend into the
river, or at which they stand from the walls of the modern
city.

The Marghat, or the place of cremation, is to the south of

the Nigambodh Gate a wall still marks the spot where the
;

Hindus used to burn their dead before the Hatiny of 1857.

It is now closed for purposes of cremation.

There a gathering of Hindus at the Nigambodh every

is

morning ;
fairs are held here on Sundays, on the first
and the fifteenth of every Hindu month, every vday while the
sun continues in the sign of Virgo, and durino the whole of
the month of Katak at full moon,
; and the O' lipses ; at the
festivals of Dewali, the two Daseras, the Rath ’Jathra, Janam
Ashtami and Narsing Chaudas.

Nilichatri. —
The temple known as Nilichatri stands on
the Jumna and is about five minutes walk to the south
of the Nigambodh, and within thirty paces of the North
Gate, and the Bahddur Shahi gate (both now closed) of
fort Sahmgarh, Near this spot Yudhisthira, after celebrat-
ing the horn, had erected a temple of which the memory alone
'

lives. The present temple is generally believed to have been

built in the year 939 Hijri, (1532 A. D.) by Humdyfin,

ii
i
Emperor of Delhi, who used it as a pleasure house. He is
also said to have ornamented its roof with the enainelled stones
I
!
of a more ancient building. I am disposed, however, to agr^
 !!

$ . NILICHA.TRI.

Paadit Baslieshar N4tb, who is supported by no less an

Aatbority tbart General Cunningham, that the temple, as it
1K>W stands, was built by the Mahrattas
during their short
occupation; of Delhi. In 1028 Hijri, (1618 A. D.) Jahdngir
arrived at Delhi on his way to Kashmir, and pu(||pp an
inscriptaon on stone in some conspicuous part of the temple,
as it then stood, and two years later, on his return from Kash-
mir, he left a similar memonal of his visit; the stones are
no longer in existence. Eng.ish translations of the inscriptions
are given below

(I) O, The Revealer !

When the Kingot the seven Climes, NAr-uJdin Jahangir Badshah

Gh^Lzi,purposed to travel in the .aradise-like Kashmir, from his capital,
Agra, this verse came to his insp.red tongue :

God is Great
The Impromptu of Jahangir Shah Akbar,
What a graceful place [tl i giver] of delight,
The seat of the Dweller ia Paradise,*
The 14th year of the reign of Jahangir, corresponding with 1028
[Hijri]

(II) 0, The Protector I

When the Emperor, the Protector of the world, returned from

— —
Kashmir the grateful to the 1 art and honored with his presence
4his place of grace, he ordered that this verse should also be engraved :

God is Great
Hum^ydn Shah son of Shah Babar,
His pure Wood is [drawn] from the Sahib Qiran. [Amir Timdr ]
The sixteenth year of the propitious reign of Jahangir, corres- ;

ponding with 1030 [Hjrl] I

That the present temple stands on the site of soine|

more ancient building, may or may not be true-; if it I
was at one time the pleasure house of Humayiin, we know I
nothing of the date or the means of its subsequent posses-
sion by the Hindus, unless, indeed, it was made over to them
by the Maharatta conquerors of Delhi, as it is generally sup-
posed to have been.

* The title of Homdjhn after his death.

 miCHATBI.

From the road whicli runs between Salimgarh and Nili-

chatri, the spectator can only see the pyramid^ roof of the
latter, the back of the temple being completely lost in the
bed of the new road, and the roof has the appearance of a small
enamelled pyramid placed on the northern side of the road.
The base of this pyramid is about 14 feet square, resting on an
ornamental band about two feet wide, and covered with ena-
melled stones representing flowers, grotesque forms, half-human
figures, with the wings and tail of a peacock; the stones,
however, are so arranged as to join the tail of a bird to a flower,
or the upper part of a human figure to some other object with
which it could not possibly have been associated by the
original The band on which the pyramid stands
builder.
is not seen round it, as with the back of the temple
all
a fourth of the band is lost in the road. The side of
the pyramid which faces the road is covered with small blue
enatnelled stones ; on its opposite, or the river side face, there
are bright coloured enamelled stones representing ornamental
designs of flowers and leaves. The greater portion of the
eastern face of the pyramid is covered with blue enamelled
stones relieved, here and there, with stones of a brighter colour;
and the western face is covered with stones representing
flowers and ornamental designs, but chiefly flowers.

Seven steps from the road take the visitor down to the
floor of the temple. I'he temple itself, which consists of a
single room, is 14| feet square and, to the apex of its
pyramidal roof, about 50 feet high it is built of the comraon
;

stone of the country, with plain granite pillars marking

off the two doors in the north wall, the only entrances into the
shrine ;
the doors are about 5 feet 7 inches high, and 2
feet 9 inches wide. On the right of the temple, there is a side
room for the use of the priest. In the centre of the temple,
there is a ling covered with cloth ; there are also several small
marble idols ; a couple of bells hang from the centre of the
roof, and are rung during prayers. A
niche on the back wall
of the room is lighted up in the evening with small earthen
lamps.*

* “ Lina ” in its primitive acceptation means a sign, a mark ; the peas^t^

of atone
3f the wilder parts of iMia still use rounded blocks ^
Divinity. J. D. Cunningham, Jmmal A»atie
Society Bengal, 1847.
 10 DILLI.

IMllL*—We are treading on speculative grounds,

still
and the solution of the difficulty suggested to the Delhi
Archaeological Society by Sir Henry EUiot, as to “ when
Delhi succeeded to Indraprastha,” is still involved in
doubts, which all the learned labor that has since been
devoted to the question, has not helped us in clearing
up. No contemporary record of this succession exists ; but
we may accept it as historically true, that in the first
century after the Christian era, Vikramaditya of tJjain
invaded the .territory that once went by rhe name of
—
Indraprastha, then occupied by its Kumaon conqueror,
—
Sukwanta and annexed it to his own kingdom.t Whether
the name Dilli was then substituted for that of
Indraprastha, or by a course of events unknown to history
itsuperseded that of the capital of Yudishtbira, it is impossible
to decide. Accepting it as a fact, that there is no mention
of Dilli till its occupation by Vikramaditya, that is about 78
A. D., then it is not possible that its name was known to any
of the Grecian historians who have given an account of India.
Neither is it mentioned in the later records of the historians
of the Muhammadan invasions, which bring us down to the
eleventh century of the Christian era. It was not the capital
of Vikramdditya who came from Ujain it was not the capital ;

of the powerful Guptas (78 to 319 A. D.i nor of the great ;

kings of Kanauj (550 to 650 A. D.) it was not known to the

;

Chinese pilgrims Fa Hian and Hwen Thsang who visited

the country and its neighbourhood (600 to 640 A. D.) nor ;

was it famous enough to attract the cupidity of Mahmud

of Ghazni, or the notice of the historians of his Indian
conquests. Al Biriini, who has the credit of “ presenting a ,

picture of the Mussulman knowledge of India at the end of the

tenth century,” who “ lived many years in India and learnt
|

|
'Sanskrit in the time of Mahmiid’s invasion,” never men- V
tions Dilli.| He had heard of Kanauj, Mahiira (Mathfira) and I

Thanesar, and in giving the distances of several important 1

* :^own aa Dilli to Hindu writers, and DehU

as to the Muhammadan.
.The authonzed spelling, under Punjab Government Notification 1942, 1st Hecem-
W74, is Delhi
t Aeeording to Mr. Talboya Wheeler, it ceased to be a royal abode for eight
centones on its conquest by Vikramfiditya from the Kumaon Efija, but
wto it WM re-established by Anang P41, the name of Delhi superseded that I
(B Indzape^ha. I prefer to follow General Cunningham, whose opinion is
I
Chl^Fted by all reliable native authorities. I
X BHii^s Qihtcny.of India, VoL 1, p. 42. ^ |
 DILLI 11

Cities from Kanauj, lie notices Mirat,

Pdnipat, and Kaithal,
but does not notice Dilli. ’Utbf, the author of the
Tdrikh
Yamini, par excellence the historian of Mahmiid, was not
aware of the existence of any such place, although four
great cities in its neighbourhood had been sacked by the
Ghaznavi conqueror. ’Utbi describes the passage of the
Jumna, the capture of Mathdra, the conquest of Kanauj,
but he had evidently not heard of Dilli. With so much of
historical neglect to account for, it is impossible to resist the
inference that when Mahmiid of Ghazni invaded India, Dilli
was an obscure town.

Before I proceed to determine the site of Dilli, on

which authorities of great weight are at issue, I purpose to
give an account of the traditions connected with the origin
of its name, and with the history of its supposed founders.

The accounts which ascribe to Baja Dalip are discard-

it
ed by all
; admitting, as we do,that Indraprastha was more
ancient than Dilli, the latter could not have been founded by
one of the ancestors of Yudishthira.*

Equally apocryphal is the well known tradition, that it

was built by a member of the Ton-war family in the year 919
B. C., and was called Dhili from the Hindi word dhili
(loose), the soil of the place being too soft to hold tent pegs.

There is yet a third account of the foundation of this

city, one which native writers who disbelieve the first two,
'
' - Consider more rehable, but which in my opinion is hardly
^ore credible. It is said that one RAja Delu, king of
iKanauj, who held Ddli as a subject kingdom, had a Governor
^here of the name of Sariip Data, who built a city on the
deserted site of Indraprastha, and called it Delu after his pa-
I
Oramount Lord, the King of Kanauj. In support of this
opinion, it is stated that Dilli was also called Delu, and the
poet Amfr Eihusrau is quoted as an authority on the subject :

Either grant me a horse, or order a baggage horse from the stable.

Or command me, that I may sit iw a cart and go to Delu.
2 ^

* Mr. Beglar’s speculations tending to shcnr that the city (rf Delhi exkted
 '

12 mUiL

appears that King Delu lived in the year 328

it also
B. C., and that he was a contemporary of Porus, that he was
overcome by him, and that Dilli was held by the conqueror
who was also the king of Kumaon.

That the was founded by some Rdja of that

city of Dilli
QMn ft is probable, but it is useless to speculate for
highly
Miy . greater amount of certainty either on the date or the
exact circumstances of its foundation.

According to General Cunningham, the name of Dilli

about the time when a Raja of Kumaon, having
first occurs
cmiquered the place, was in his turn overcome by Vikrama-
ditya of Cjain, and of this event we are told that, there are
four different versions ; firstly, in the conquest of Delu
by king Porus of Kumaon ; secondly, in that of Raja Pal of
Dilli by Rdja Sukwanta of Kumaon, both of whom fell under
the arms of one Vikramd,ditya. General Cunningham considers
.
the two stories exactly the same. Thirdly, in that of Raja
Kilaghpati of Dilli by a Raghuvansi Raja named Sonkh-
. dhwaj, who again is overcome by Vikramaditya of Ujain; and
fourthly, in the deposition of King Rasal of Hind by a rebel
who in his turn is conquered by Barkamarys.*

Of the several dates given by different authorities of the

foundation of DUli, the only one which it is necessary to
notice is that of General Cunningham, but I must confess
that the grounds of his opinion do not appear to me
altogether satisfactory, nor does the General himself regard
them as such.

He adopts Abu Rihan’s opinion that the Vikramaditya

who conquered the Hill Raja lived about 135 years after*
Vikramdditya who founded the era, (i. e. in the year 78 A. D.) ; j

identifies theformer with Sdlivdhana, the founder of the j

Era, who, like Vikramaditya the conqueror of theff

'

Sak^, is said to have reigned for ninety years, and finally

fixes the date of the defeat of the Saka conqueror of
•DiBi in 78 A
D., which is the initial year of the Saka era.

* Fad describes Delhi as “ one of tiie

ancient cities, the capital m-l
author of Mimth-&ftSb-num& idatea the stoiy (d king Foros aa. I
 blLLl.
18
General Cunningham then considers it safe to place
the foundation of Dilli, at some earlier
period, and that
perhaps the date of 57 B. C. or contemporary
with
yikramiiditya, as recorded by Ferishta, may not
be far from
the truth."

As regards the site of Dilli, the difference of opinion

between native authorities and General Cunningham is
equally remarkable. The former believe, and tradition is
decidedly in their favor, that ancient Dilli was built on
the ruins of Indraprastha, and that when it was re-peopled
by
Anang Pil, the founder of the Ton- war dynasty, it occupied
the present site of Purana Qil’ah. According to General
Cunningham, ancient Dilli and Indraprastha were two dis-
tinct cities, and about five miles apart the former he places
;

on the ridge, near the celebrated Iron Pillar, which he believes

to be one of the memorials of ancient Dilli.

It is not easy to determineon which side the advantage

of argument those who rely on tradition lose little as
lies ;

regards the weight of authority. It is by no means unlikely

that ancient Dilli was founded on the site of Indraprastha,
once the capital of a powerful empire, and that Anang Pdl, I,
thought it better suited his ambitious views to restore this
ancient city than to found a new one this opinion is supported
;

by Abul Fazl, and it has since been followed by every native

historian of reputation. That in the accounts of the early
Muhammadan kings, Purdna Qil’ah is also called Qil’ah
Indrapat, is in support of the theory adopted by the tradi-
tionary party. /

On the other hand, General Cunningham’s position is

one possibly of greater strength. It does not appear tP me,
however, a matter of “tolerable certainty that the Iron
^
Pillar must have been erected in some conspicuous position,
either within the old city, or close to it.” I am taking it
for granted that General Cunningham is here speaking of the
city which was occupied by Sukwanta for thirteen years and
which was eventually conquered by Vikramdditya.

Whether or not the Iron Pillar occupies its original, posi-

tion, it is impossible to say ; we know nothing of its - makeir,
 :U i>ms.

but wbatI consider the strong points of General

Onnninghatn’s theory may be observed in reasoning back
from the recent to the more distant past. There can be no
donb4 that Anang Pdl, II, re-peopled Dilli in Sam vat 1109,
(A. D. 1052) this ;
fact is recorded on the pillar and it may
justify the inference that the city he “ re-peopled ” must have

been the Dilli of Anang Pdl, I ; admitting this, it would

be difficult to argue that the Iron Pillar which bears this in-
scription could have been placed at any considerable distance
from the city of which it was a memorial. Again, if Anang
Pal, I, is justly entitled to the credit of having refounded
Dilli, this could hardly be the case if he had founded a city
five miles from the site ot the older city which bore the same
name.

If we believe General Cunningham’s theory, we must set

aside all that tradition says on the subject, and the authority
of the most eminent of native historians, who have
followed tradition. If we discredit his theory, we must be
prepared to deny that Anang Pal, I, “ re-founded” Dilli ; that
Anang Pal, II, “ re-peopled ” the same place, and that the
Iron Pillar which bears the record of the latter event
man-ks its site, and that the history of Rai Pithora’s
capital is in any way connected with the history of that city.

The well known tradition that after the defeat of the Saka
Bdja by Vikramdditya, Dilli was abandoned for 792 years is
explained by most writers alike, audit is supposed to be the
term of years during which Dilli ceased to be the capital of the
Pindu Rdj.* According to native historians, Anang Pal, I,
removed his from Kanauj, and established himself at
capital
Indraprastha about 676 A. D., and in course of time his new
capital was known as Dilli; according to General Cunningham
the city of Dilli was re-built by Anang Pal, I, about 731 or
736 A. D.

* According to Colonel Tod, Indraprastha remained without a

sovereign,—the
mmctme authority having been removed from northern to southern
India,—
tillthefoarth or according to some authorities, the eighth century after VikramMi^
udhim the throne irf Yudhisthira was once more occupied by the Ton-war tribe
l^sta, daiming descent from the Pdndus. To this ancient capital thus reformed,
M
' was,giy^ and dynasty of the founder,Ana^
L laded to
Ipopqaoii Prim
^ 12th cmtory, whm*’ Anang P4I, HI, abdicated infevou^
otb^wise known as Htkora.
of hii
 DILLI. 15

As regards General Cunnipgham’s opinion that during

this interval of
792 years, Dilli ©nee at least the seat of Go-
vernment, on the authority of the inscription of Raja Dhdva,
or that it was temporarily restored to some importance
by an usurper of that name, I am inclined to accept Dr.
Bhau Daji’s translation of the inscription, and Mr. Edward
Thomas’s opinion, that King Dhdva has not been identified
“ with any potentate named in local annals, or with any so-
vereign whose place in history might be determined approxi-
mately from associations.”

AbulFazl’s mistake in placing the re-foundation of Dilli

by the Ton-war in the fourth century of the Christian era is
satisfactorily disposed both by General Cunningham^ and
of,

Syud Ahmed Khan. General Cunningham accounts foi* it on

the supposition that the author of the Ain-i-Akbari had
accepted the Balabhi Samvat 429 for that of Vikramaditya ;
the initial year of the Balabhi era is the 319th of that of
Christ, and the Balabhi Samvat 429, would, therefore,
be
D. Similarly he explains that the date of the
747 A.
re-build'ing of Dilli Iron Pillar refers to Samvat
on the
419 of the Balabhi era, which, with the addition of 318
years, would give the year 737 A. D. He also quot^ from
Nuh Sipihr of Amir Khusrau, a reference to Anang Pal, 1,
who is described as “ a great Rai who lived five or six hundred
years at^o,” which, with reference to the date
when the poet
700 and
wrote, gives the date of Anang Pdl, I, between
800 A. D.

Both General Cunningham and Syud Ahmed

Khdn
but while the
quote the following anecdote from Nvh Sipihr,
in the neighbourhood of the Iron
former gives the lions a place
Pillar, the latter locates them at Purin^ Qil’ah :

“ entrance of his (Anang Pal’s) palace, he

At the
h^
)laced two lions, sculptured in
stone. He fixed a bell by the
dde of the two lions, in order that those who sought justice
the Rai would listen to their
night strike it, upon which
jomplaints and render justice.” Syud
in 1318 A. U. nut
idds that the stone lions were in
existence ;

iheirsubsequent fate is not known to history.

That Dilli was the coital o^fenang Pfil, II,

who re-bo^
very likely to be
I more ancient city of the same name, is
 bat I have already sh^n that when Mahmiid Ghaznavi
lErae,
invaded India in the elevefitn century of the Christian Era,
it an obscure city of which the Muhammadans either
hi^rd noting or were content to spare for its insignifica^e.

cv - Pillar or Loha-ki-Lat .*—1 consider this the

The Iron
Vf most appropriate place for an account of the celebrated Iron
I Pillar which Mr. Prinsep ascribes to one Raja Dhava, a prince
i“ ? of unknown lineage and descent. Of the original location of this
7 Pillar or its age, we have no trustworthy account, but tradition,
" silent as to its maker, attributes its erection to Anang Pal, I,
3: and places it in the tenaple of Rai Pithora. that temple When
f r was converted mosque by Qutb-uddin Aibek, the pillar
into a
. ^Was permitted to stand where it was, but neither tradition nor
I history
'
discloses the name of its maker or his object in making
'
lit

The Pillar itself is a solid shaft of wrought iron

Syud Ahmed calls it cast iron, but the majority of travellers
and others who have written about the pillar describe its
material as “ mixed metal,” “ brass,” “ bronze,” “ composition,”
bni Jacquemont calls it “soft iron.” Dr. Murray Thompson,
,
> llvho analysed a small bit of the pillar for General Cunningham

j
:yas of opinion that the metal was “ pure malleable iron of 7*G6
'i
f' Specific gravity.” Dr. Bhau Daji however persists in his
j. Statement that “ iron forms no portion of the monument, and
'-•‘
that it is a compound of several metals.”
I
'
'The total height of the pillar is exactly 23 feet and 8
m^es, of bb^e
the present chahiitra or platform was
which,
^O.QStructed, about 2^
feet were above and about fourteen
inches, below ground. “ The base is an irregular knob in shape,
j^ting on several little pieces like bits of bar-iron, let intoi
the- stone underneath, and secured with lead.”.

* It is univers^y known to the natives as Loha-ki-Ldt or the Iron Pillar.

+ I^, Shan Daji, evidently does not l)elieve that the Pillar stands where it did J

. , .
pada-girr were situated, although in ,

the buiidiiigs ^oaBd, there ate ston^ which originally belonged to v

^
Vaiahnave* Kith or 1 1th cpntury of the Christian era."
(
• “ lie Ek^Lnjotded lOO spers of iron and had it hammered
k>ng."-,£raiiio /. Prm-

7‘y:- C
 THE IRON PILLAR OR lOHE-KI-LAT. 17

The capital of the pillar is about three and a half feet

long ; the smooth portion of the shaft is fifteen feet long, the

rest is rough, and shows defective welding. The lower

diameter of the shaft is 1 6 4 inches, and the upper diameter is
12 '05 inches. The pillar has evidently been fired at with match-
locks, and twice marked with cannon balls, which grazed the
side but did not touch the centre of the pillar.

the Iron Pillar are numerous

The legends connected with
but pretty generally known. General Cunningham has col-
lected all that is worth preserving. As already stated,
the pillar w^as erected by Anang Pal, also kiio.wn as
Belan Deo, the founder of the Ton-war dynasty. ‘•He
was assured by a holy Brahman that, the pillar
having been firmly driven into the head of Sat^s
Ndg, the serpent kinof, his empire wmuld be as permanent
as the pillar ;
the Baja, however, was incredulous and
anxious to test a prophecy of such deep importance to his
dynasty, he ordered the pillar to be removed, when, to his
horror, the foot of the pillar, which had pierced serpent’s

head, was found wet with blood. All attempts again to fix the

pillar proved of no avail it stood

;
loose in the ground, the
serpent was gone, and the event is remembered in the well
known verse ,•

Killi to dkilli bhai,

Tomdr bhaya mat him
The pillar has become loose.
The Tomar’s wish will not be fulfilled.
variously related, bat its
The same legend is
in the several versions ihe
essentials are retained _

his Fnthirm
poet Cliand devotes a whole book of
Rayma to KilU-Dhilli-Katha,— story of the Loose Pdlar ;

been given a ove,

but his account is substantially what has
of Anang
although Chand places the occurrence in the reign
refers to a date as
I
Pdl II. ;
Kharg Bai, the Gwalior Bhat, it

Khan have us
early as 736 A. D., while Syud Ahmed
would
e
believe that it occurred in the rei^ of Bai
Pithora, t

Hindu King of Delhi.

—^ —- —
* Mr. Wheeler calU it “ the Pillar of the PAudaras.”
 18 THE IRON kLLAR OR LOHE-K1-LA.T.

According to Chand, Anang Pdl IT., consulted the sage

Vyas, as to an auspicious hour for holding a great festival
in honor of the birth of his grandson ; the sage replied :

" Now is
the lucky time, your dynasty will become immoveable,
and itsroot will strike into the head of Sahes Nag. But the Raja was
incredulous, when Vyas, taking an iron, drove it down 60 fingers deep
until it reached tue sei'pent’s head, and drawdng it out, he showed it to
the Raja covered with blood. Then addressing Anang Pal, he said :

“ Your Kingdom, like the spike, has become unstable :

“ So said Vyas Jagjoti, these things will come to pass,

Tomar, then Chohans, and presently Turks.”*

The Iron Pillar may be said to be more remarkable for

the inscriptions which
bears than as a successful
it
work of art. Of these inscriptions, the most ancient and the
best preserved dates back, according to some authorities, to
the fourth, and according to others, to the sixth century of the
Christian era Even so late as in 1828, Captain Archer, who ac-
companied Lord Combermere on his tour in the “North-West,”
describes the inscription as one of unknown antiquity, and
which
“nobody can read.” In 1844, Lieutenant William Elliot made
a copy of the inscription at the request of Dr. Mill,
of
Bishop s College, but the work was so “ ingeniously
misman-
aged that not a single word could be made out !”
Four
years later. Captain Burt, of the Bengal
Engineers, was more
successful and the greatest of oar
Indian Antiquaries, the
late .Mr. James Prinsep, published the original inscription
with a modern ^agri transliteration and an
Englishtransla-
tiou, in the seve^h volume of
the Journal of the Asiatic
Society of Bengal. To Mr. Prinsep’s transliteration and
toansl^ation objections have been
taken by Dr. Bhau Daii of
Bombay in a paper of “ Remarks” read by that learned aen-
onT
on the Jmb
13th of April 1871.
place,

* A
writer in the CdJcutta Journal, who
visile^ TlpUii t wa
told b} the natives of the place that
twk succes^M
the pillar.Nddir Sh4h ordered the eartri^^vi destroy
but
I which
tL workmen could not proceed with thek^work
^hJspnf’^T n®
caused a violent earthquake
•
®®ipent shook its head,
I The «
I Maharattas, who brought
1 than leave a mark
npou it.
rhX 4noSb^ uLTh hut did no other damage
 IHE IRON PILLAR OR LOHE-KI-LAT. 19

The character of the inscription is ancient Nagri, the

date of which Mr. Prinsep, who is followed by General
Cunningham, refers to the third or fourth century of the
Christian era. Mr. Edward Thomas, however, considers this
“ too high an antiquity for the style of writing employed on
the monument.” General Cunningham considers the charac-
ter of the letters “ to be exactly the same as those of the
Gupta inscriptions,” but Dr. Bhau Daji, whose opinion is
adopted by the best Sanscrit scholars of Delhi, gives them a
later date than the time of the Guptas

“ The cross line across the top of each letter,” he writes,

only “ is

seen after the time of the Guptas. The letters CDrrespond most to the
incriptions of the Mankhari dynasty on two viharas or caves in
Behar, viz., those of Ananta Varma at Nagarjuna and Barabara.
The alphabet belongs in my opinion to the end of the fifth or be-
ginning of the sixth century of the Christian era.”

The composition of the inscription is poetical, ,,consisting

of six lines or three slokas the first line of which is in much
smaller hand than the rest. For a copy of the inscription
we are indebted to Major Burt’s “ Excursion,” a valuable
itself,
work, now out of print
20 this ikon pillar or LOHE-KI-LiT.

transliteration of
The following is Mr. Prinsep’s Nkgri
the inscription :
 — .

THE IRON PILLAR OR LOHE-KI-LAT. 21

The following Ndgri transliteration of the same inscrip-

tion is extracted trom Dr. Bhau Daji’s “ Bemarks ” already
referred to :

V ?

' ' 1^.

Vi 'I''
«• *»

T»
i\‘. ‘,. 'itftJ ; . - •;
. ;
, ;

'
, ; i ’T' ‘'t

''rtTi •
"ran t^

M M 5,4 1 iTj t J •

;4-SR^; POlftR:
 —— .

22 THE IRON PILLAR OR LOHE KI LAT.

The following is Mr. Prinsep’s translation of the inscrip-

tion:

1st Slok. —
“ By him, who, hearing the warlike preparations and
entrenchments of his enemies, with their good soldiers and allies, a
monument [or arm] of fame engraved by his sword on their limbs who, —
a master of the seven advantages, [same as the seven limbs of Govern-
ment] crossing over [the Indus ?] so subdued the Vahlikas of Sindhu,
that even at this day his disciplined force and defences on the south
[of the river] are sacredly respected by them.”

—
2nd Slok. “ Who, as a lion seizes one animal on quitting hold of
another, secured posse.ssion of the next world when he abandoned this —
• whose personal existence still remains on earth through the fame of
his [former] deeds the might of whose arm even though [he be] now
;

at rest, [deceased] and some portion too of the energy of him who was
the destroyer of his foes still cleave to the earth.”
—
Si'dSlok. “ By him, who obtained-^th his own arm an undivid-
ed sovereignty on the earth for a long period, who [united in himself
the qualities oi] the sun and the moon, who had beauty of countenance
like the full moon, by this same Raja Dhava having bound his head
to the feet of Vishnu, and fixed his mind on him, was ihis very lofty arm
[pillar] of the adored Vishnu caused to be erected.”

Dr. Bhau Daji’s translat€s the same inscription as

follows:

“
He, on whose arm glory is written with the sword, when he re-
peatedly turned back his combined enemies in the battle field in the
Vangas (Bengal ?) who, having swam across the seven mouths of
;

the Sindhu (Indus), conquered the Balhikas iu battle, the breezes of

whose prowess still waft incense to the South Sea who, having left
;
the earth as if in sorrow, resorted to the other (heaven) who
;
went to the land of his deserts (^actions) with his (bodily) form, but with
his glory remained on this earth who destroyed the remnant of
;
his enemies ; whose heroism, like a great smouldering fire in a great
jungle, does not yet leave the earth and who, by the prowess of his
;
arms, secured iu this world an incomparable empire for a loim time
;
whose countenance was beautiful like the full moon this Lord of the
;
earth, named Chandra, having by means of faith
in Vishnu, fixed his
niind, erected this tall flag-post of Bhagavana Vishnu in Vishnupada-
gin (the hill of Vishnu’s feet.}”

^^Py> adds Dr. Bhau Daji, “ of the inscription

j
differs m ^ery line from the copy published in Prinsep’s
jounial. What is read as ‘ Dhavena’ is really ‘ Bhdvena.’
^
‘
Bhuja,’ and what has been read
Chandrarkena is Chandrdvhena.’ The mistake arises from
 THE IRON PILLAR OR LOHE KI LAT. 23

adding a curved stroke to the letter Vha on the left side at

the middle.’ ” The learned gentleman then continues “ There :

isno such name as Dhava, who has hitherto been supposed to

be the prince, who erected the pillar in commemoration of his
powers. * * I have no doubt that the name of the Eaja
who constructed the pillar is Chandra Raja. He appears to
me to be ot the Nerwar kings, whose coins are described by
General Cunningham in the Journal of the Bengal Asiatic
Society {No. Ill of 1865). Amongst the coins delineated
is one which has the name “ Chandra” on it. General Cunning-

ham, however, supposes this “ Chandra” to be Chandragupta

of a later date. But among the coins of the Chandraguptas
there is none bearing any great similarity to this coin. And
as the name is simply “ Chandra,” there are no good grounds
for adding “ Gupta” to it.”

Syud Ahmed Khan ascribes a greater antiquity to the

Pillar than the 3rd century of the Christian era as regards
;

the inscription, he is of opinion that as it bears no Saravat,

it is at least older than 57 B. C. when the era of Vikramd-

ditya came into gene'raluse. According to him, the pillar

Was constructed by Raja Medhava, who was one of the
descendants of Yudishthira, and reigned in the year 895
B. C.

I have little hesitation in adopting, on philological grounds,

the opinion of JDr. Bhau Daji that the character of the letters
ot the inscription belong to a later period than that of the
Guptas. On the side of this opinion are arrayed the learning
of the Delhi Pandits and the critical acumen of Mr. Edward
Thomas.

Of the other on the pillar. General Cunning-

inscriptions
ham justly remarks, that they are more numerous than im-
portant. W
e have already referred to the inscription of
Anang
In
Pal II “
; Samvat Dihali 1109 Ang
Samvat 1109 [1052 A. D.] Ang Pal
P^l
peopled
bahi,
Dilli.”
i.
^
There are
two records of the Chohdn R6ja Ckatra Sinha, both dated in
Samvat 1883 [1826, A. D.l, whods said to have been descended
from Eai Pithora. The date of Rai Pithora himself is
given as Samvat 1151 [1094, A. D.,] which is 99 years too
f early. There is another modem Ndgri inscription oi sk
lines dated in Samvat 1767 1710 A. D.j of the Bandeia
1

Rajas of Chanderi; below this there are two Persian mscnp-

I^
24 PUEANA QIl’aH —LALKOT.
tions,dated in 1060 and 1061 A. H., [1651-52 A. D.J
which merely record the names of visitors.

Purana Qil’ah. —
I have already expressed opinion on my
the value of the tradition which points to the walled village
of Puri,na Qil’ah as the Dilli of Anang Pd,l I. There
can be no doubt however, that there is not a stone
there v'hich can confidently be said to belong to the city of
the Ton-war. Of Purana Qil’ah, I shall have to speak at
greater length as the Din Pandh of Humayfin and the citadel
of Sher Shah’s Delhi

Lalkot. —We do not know the exact number of the succes-

sors of Anang P^l I, who reigned in his refounded Dilli, but
General Cunningham states, on the authority of two Hindi
manuscripts, that after Anang Pal II, the successor of Kumara
Pala, had “ peopled Dilli,” in the year 1060, A. D,, he
built a fort near the eity which he called Ldlkot. The
Pandits of Delhi are unable to discover any trace of Lalkot
in the writings of their Bhdts. Rai Jiwan L41, one of the best
informed native gentlemen of Delhi, is inclined to believe^
that, like the Koshak Ldl of a later date, Ldlkot was
a royal residence of which neither Chand, nor the historians
of the Muhammadan conquest of Delhi have taken any
notice.* Curiously enough, however, the natives of
Mahrauli, the village to which these grand ruins belong,
seem also to be of opinion that there was a building
of some importance close to Pithora’s temple which was
known in the neighbourhood as Lalkot. t

The Muhammadan historians is a considerable

silence of
General Cunningham’s way, and it is especially so
difficulty in
when we bear in mind that some of these writers were
men of eminence, the chroniclers of a successful invasion

General Cunningham remarks, that : “ LSlkot has hitherto remained unknown

always described by Musalmans as a part of the fort of Ji4i Pithora.”
f According to Chand, Anang Pal “ having heard and considered the words
cC^ylsa, commenced building a palace.” Oan(o I, Priihiraj-rayasa.
0, Jlr. C. J. Campbell’s excellent
“ Notes” on the Ancient cities of Delhi :

rAsMite Society of Bengal. Vol 35, Part L 206.

 ANANQ TAL —ANEKPUR.
and of the permanent occupation of the country by
the conquerors. Local tradition vaguely asserts the exist-
ence of a royal palace called Lalkot, but the comparative
silence of Hindu writers on the subject is a suggestive fict
against General Cunningham’s identification of a portion of the
fort of Rai Pithora as the Lfilkot of Anang Pal II. Mr. Beglar
has robbed General Cunningham of his best arguments
in support of this theory, by excluding from the supposed
boundaries of Lalkot the temples destroyed by the Muham-
madans, the Iron Pillar, and the dry tank known as Anang Tal.
The Lalkot of Anang Pal was very likely a palatial building
of red sand stone, which was either improved out of existence
by the Chohans, or perished under their neglect.

Anang Tal. — According to tradition, the tank of Anang

P^l II, at one time a place of general resort, but now it
was
is deserted. It may yet be seen as a deep hollow to the north
of the Hindu temple of Yogd, Maya, and about a quarter
of a mile to the north west of the Masjid of Quvvat-ul-islani.
According to General Cunningham’s measurement, it is
169 feet long from north to south, and 152 leet broad from
east to west, with a depth of 40 feet.

Syud Ahmed Khan the water of this tai^

states, that
^

was used for the mortar of the unfinished minar of Ala-uddin

Khiljf, (A. D. 1296-1316), and the drains which carried the
water to the workmen may yet be seen in some places. The
tank is now dry, and even in the height of the rains there is
not enough of water to keep the dry soil of its base wet for
any length of time.

Anekpur. —This village which is renowned for its bund

or dam, is situated in the sub-district of Balabgarh, about three
miles from Tughlaqabad. The bund of Anekpur, considering
its age and the neglect to which it has been consigned
for cen-

turies, is about the most remarkable work of its

kind in

Northern India. It is built across a gorge

289 leet

wide, and to the north of this massive and imposing wall,

is

the village of Anekpfir with its population of a thousan

souls.According to Syud Ahmed Khdn, the viUage with m
bund was founded by Anang PH I., in Samvat 733, (A. i/.
26 STOAJ KCm
676.) General Cunningham, who refers the
According to
Sam vat was founded by Anang Pal II.,
to the Balabhi era, it
in A. P. 1051, On the crest of the hiU to the N.-W. of the
village are the ruins of a small fort.

The bund wall

a gigantic piece of stone work about
is
150 wide base and about
at the 20 feet high ; in
the centre of this wall, there is a semihexagonal recess about
60 feet deep and about 215 wide at the base ; the wall
opposite to the base contains three drains about 8 feet
high. These drains run through the whole width of the
w^l ; the grooves on their sides show that the drains were
worked with trap doors. On either side of this recess
there is a wall about thirty-seven feet long, and
covered with a flight of steps ; on the opposite side of the
wall, there are no steps. Considering the age of the bund
and its abandoned condition, it has suffered comparatively
little for the 825 years that it has been in existence.

Suraj Kund. —
Syud Ahmed Khin, who follows the
authority of Hindu Bhkts, attributes the construction of this
pperb tank fifth son of Anang Pdl I.,
to Suraj P5.1, the
in Samvat 743, (636 A.General Cunningham refers this
D.),
date to the Balabhi era and makes it correspond with 1061
A, D.

This is a splendid work, and even in its decay, it retains

much of its past grandeur. That a work of such importance
was constructed in the desert where it now stands, is perfectly
incredible, and the ruins which still surround it, attest
a once populous locality. The tank occupies about six acres
of land, and is situated between the villages of Baharpiir and
Jjakkarpdr, in the hilly grounds of Delhi, and about twelve
miles from its modern town. The shape of the tank is not
round, its west side, to use Mr. Tremlett’s W’ords, is
^
‘‘a straight line for nearly its whole length.” The tank
is surrounded by a series of stone steps, the highest row
pt which is on the level of the adjacent country ; the
steps are formed by large blocks of worked stone “ these steps,
;
^6r a height of nine or ten feet, are about the ordinary width
pf tank steps, but higher up, the space between successive
“ '
' -

V,' - Jr
 '

KALKAjr, OB THE TEMPLE OF KALI DAVI. 27

steps becomes much wider, and the floor betweeu is covered

with cement, so as to form a succession of spacious terraces,
running one above the other round the water.”*

In the centre of the western side of the tank are the ruins
of a temple, to which the visitor is conducted by a flight of
about fifty steps, flanked by heavy stone walls. The steps
of the temple meet the steps of the ghat at about the
middle of the distance between the ruins and the level of the
water. On the eastern side, there is a corresponding
ghat, in every respect similar to the first ; but the
ruins on this side, though visible, give one no idea of the
original building. In the centre of the northern wall of the
tank, there is a smooth ghat for cattle ;
between this slop-
ing way and the ruins on the western wall, the tank steps are
interrupted or perhaps were intentionally abandoned, and the
passage here allows the drainage of the neighbouring hills
to pour into the tank. The ruins of towers are scattered
on the N.-E,, S.-E. and N.-W. corners of the tank. On
the S.-W. corner, where a tower must have once stood,
the ground is perfectly clear ; the ruins of the other towers
are at a distance of about eight or nine yards from the tank.

a short distance from the ruins on the N.-E. and S.-E.

At
corners of the tank, there are two abandoned wells and the
remains of other ancient buildings now levelled with the
ground. On the 21st of Bluidon, an annual fair is held here ,
a Pipal tree which stands on the south-eastern coi’ner of the
tank is held sacred, and the offerings made to it are appropriated
by tha Brahmans of the villages of Anekpur and Lakkar-
pfir.

worship
Kalkaii, or the Temple of Kali Devi—The
of Kali Devi dates beyond history and is^^even an-
“ Millions of years ®
cient for Hindu chronology.
present ®
gods who dwelt in the neighbourhood of the
were compelled to preter
were troubled by two giants and

^Tremlett’a “ Notes on Delhi.” Jounvd If.

Part II, p. 71. I regret that my did not extend hia
as ancient Delhi. To the “ Notes "^fcJMessrs. Campbell and Tremlett, so full ot
valuable suggestions, I am much indeotfed.
28 KALKAJI, OR THE TEMPLE OE KlLI DEVI.

“ the god of all.” But Brahma

their complaint to Brahma,
declined to interfere, and referred them to the goddess Parba-
thi. Out of the mouth of Parhatbi sprung Kushki Devi,
who attacked the giants and slaughtered them, but it so
happened, that as their blood fell on the dry-
earth thousands of giants came into life, and the
battle was maintained by Kushki Devi against gieat odds.
Parbathi took compassion on ber offsI)ring and out of the eye-
brows of Kushki Devi came the monster Kali Devi, “ whose
lower lip rested on the hills below and her upper lip touched
the sky above she drank the blood of the slaughtered giants
as it poured out of their wounds ; and the goddesses obtained
a complete victory over their enemies. About 5,000 years ago.
Kali Devi fixed her abode here, and she was worshipped as
the chief divinity of the place. It is generally believed
that the most ancient portion of the present temple was built
in the year 1764, A. D., but the antiquity of the -w'orship of
Kdli Devi is believed to be “ at least as old as the reign of
Kaja Pithora.”

The temple of Kalka or Kirli Devi stands on the boun-

dary of the historic village of Baharpfir, and about nine miles
from modern Delhi, on the road to Tughlaqabiid. Originally,
it was a twelve-doored masonry room. The stone which is
worshipped as the Kali Devi is placed in the centre of the
room, and screened off on three sides with red sand stone and
marble railings about six feet high on the left side of the
;

screen, there are two inscriptions, one in Persian and the other
in Hindi, which record the names of the goddess to whom the
temple is dedicated and of the builder of the screen :

S>-i Durga Singh par sawdr — 1821 Fasli.

^ri Durga is mounted on a lion — 1821 Fasli.

Dm^ Singh was the name of the individual who built

the screen, while Durga, the goddess Kali, is generally repre-
sented as ridii^ a lion,

In. the year 1816, the Pujaris (priests) proposed the

^

addition of a dome to the temple ; but public spirit ran rather

low the time and the promoters of this work referred
it to the decision of Kali Devi. The names of the most
opulent Hindu gentlemen of Delhi were written on slips
<« paper and placed before the goddess, who was then called
 THE TEMPLE OP TOGA MAYA, 29

upon to select the man on whom the work was to devolve.

The choice justified the expectations of the priests the goddess
;

selected Mirza Raja Kedarnath, the Peshkar of Akbar the

Second. The Raja added twelve outer rooms to the
temple and surmounted the whole with a lofty Hindu
pyramidal dome each of the rooms has one inner and two outer
;

doors. In front of the temple, there are two tigers of red

stone, over the heads of which is hung a bell, which the
votaries ring when returning from wmrship. A
large trident
of red sand stone stands close to the tigers. Within the last
fifty years, rooms have been built in the vicinity of the temple
by the Hindu bankers and merchants of Delhi.
At eleven in the morning, sweetmeats are placed in front
of the stone and the goddess is believed to partake of them.
The stone is completely covered with brocade and red cloth, and
at night a small bed is placed before it. A
lamp fed with yhi
burns night and day in the shrine. Punkahs, umbrellas and
cloth awnings are still offered to the goddess. A weekly laii
is held here on Tuesdays, and on the 8th of Cbaith and the
^

8th of Asauj the temple is visited by crowds of people from

Delhi and the neighbouring villages.

The temple of Yoga Maya —About 2G0 yards from the

Iron Pillar, and within a high walled enclosure, stamU
the

temple dedicated to the Yoga Hay.i,^ or the Pure (ao

dess. Accordiunf to the Bh.igavata Funiu;i, she was

the
believed to liavo been ,nu t
of Krishna. Her ori<:inal temple is

although the present build-

in the time of Yudi.shthira.
erei u ous
ing is barely fifty years old, Those who are not over
'

Maya leastyix huudie

believe that the woiHiip of Yoga is at
authorities, it is impos»i e
yedrs old, but in the absence of
to ascertain from what period it dates.

The enclosure within which the temple stands is about

400 feet square square there is a small
at each corner of the
;

enclosure, of whicn
tower ;most of the buildings within the
inclusive of the temple there are twenty-two, were erecte y
the order of Sed Mai, an Amfr of the time of Akbar the oecond.
0
The temple itself, which was built by Sed Mai, has not
slightest pretension to beauty. It stands against a
looking building which does not appear to be older
an

f
30 QILA’h BAI PITHOEA.

the temple itself. From the floor of the temple which was —
paved with red stone twenty years ago, and is now covered with
—
marble to its copper gilt pinnacle, it is about 42 feet high.
The room where the black stone is placed is about seventeen
feet square the flat roof is surmounted by the usual truncated
;

pyramid with slightly curved sides ; the frame of the door of

the room is made of marble. The sacred stone is placed in a
marble well about two feet wide and a foot deep it is tenderly
;

concealed in tinsel and cloth, and two small pankahs of

the same materials are suspended over it from the ceiling; a
four legged marble table, about eighteen inches square and
nine inches high, is placed in front of the idol on the
floor of the room, and otferings of flowers and sweetmeats
are placed on it. Wine and meat are not acceptable to the
Yoga Maya she even discards bells to which most ol the
;

Hindu gods are so partial.

About eight feet in front of the temple there is an iron
cage containing two stone tigers. The cage is about five feet
square and ten feet high ; the passage between the temple
and the cage is roofed over with planks and is covered
with a light coating of bricks and mortar. From the ceiling
of this cover hang four bells for the use of the wor-
shippers.

The goddess has the reputation of being unusually

exacting ;
she from the good things of the
abstains
world and will not allow her temple to be desecrated by
the use of wine and meat, neither will she permit the use of
bedsteads within the enclosure of her sanctuary.*

QU’ah Rai Pithora.—This fort was built by Prithiraj

otherwise known as Rai Pithora, the son of Someswara and —
grandson of Visala Deo, the Chohdn conqueror of Delhi by
the daughter of Anang Pal III. According to General Cun-
ningham, Pithora reigned for a term of 22 years, from the

S li70 to 1191 A. D. but according to Syud Ahmed

;

n, from the year 1141 to 1191 A. D,, which gives him

* From time to time additions and improvements have been made to this temnlo
^^
Ijy Barfbi4n Singh of Delhi.
 qil’ah EAI pithora. 31

a reign of 49 years and some months,* Syud Aimed

Khdn, on the authority of the Kholdsat-ut-tawdrildi, dates the
building of this fort in the year 1143 A. D., while General
Cunningham places that event about the year 1180 or 1186
D., and relies on his Hindi manuscripts for his date ; he also
suggests that the fort was intended to protect the city against
the aggressive attitude of the Muhammadans in Northern
India. The descendants of Mahmud Ghaznavi had for some
time established iheir rule in the Punjab, and after the
accession of Pai Pithora, Muhammad of Ghori had destroyed
the Ghaznavi empire at Lahore, and was threatening
Hindusthan proper.

The most imposing view of Qil’ah P^ai Pithora is that pre-

S'-ntedby its north-western side the most complete view may
;

had from the top of the Qutb Miuar. I can have no bet-
starting point for my description of the fort than the tomb
\dham Khan, where the fort wall meets the enclosure
of the tomb. From this point, the fort wall runs due c

for about 400 feet, meets a gate, and after a short

where it

jd runs in a north-westerly direction for about a quarter of

I
* mile here, it takes a north-easterly direction passing the
;

—
for about two hundred yards, and runs for the
—
njit Gate
same distance more nearly due north-east, where it ends
at a large bastion still in a fair state of preservation.
This, according to General Cunningham, is the Avcstern
wall of Lalkot. The ramparts are about 30 feet in
thickness, and about 60 feet in height from the bottom
rf a ditch, which varies in width from 18 to 3.o feet. The first
gate, to which we have already referred, requires no further
description ;
the Ranjit Gate which General Cunning-
ham identifies with the Ghazni Gate of j\Iuhammadan
hostorians, must have been a formidable position with three
rows of out works. It is 17 feet wide, and a stone
shaft seven feet high for directing the ascent and descent of a
portcullis is still in existence. This line of wall ends at the
Fateh Burj, a bastion with a diameter of about 80 feet.t

According to CJolonel Tod, Edi Pithora was only eight years of age when he
was proclaimed successor to the Delhi throne.
+ To the north -Tvest of this wall, near the Hauz Khds, as stated by
Mr. Beglar, are the rums of the Id-gdh, once “ a lofty and extensive building” where
Amir Tim^r established his Court and Camp before the sack of Delhi TimWt —
Autobigraphy.
32 qil’ah rai pithora.

At this point the fort wall ramifies, a lower line of ram-

parts takes a northerly direction to enclose the city of Rdi
Pithora, and a higher line runs due east to form its citadel.
The latter terminates at a second bastion called the Solian
Burj, a larger tower than the first, and about two hundred feet
from it. There was apparently a gate between the Fateh
Biirj and the Sohan Bhrj, of which no ruins exist ; like the
gate near Adham Khan’s tomb, it is a deep gap in the fort
wall. About 300 feet from Sohan Bhrj is the Sohan Gate,
also a gap, and from here the ruins of the old wall may
be traced, running in a southerly direction down to Adham
ELhdn’s tomb, a distance of very nearly half a mile. The walls
between these formidable bastions were manned with smaller
towers “ well splayed out at the base, and 45 feet in diameter
at top, with curtains of 80 feet between them. Along the
base of these towers which are still 30 feet in height, there
is an outer line of wall forming a raoni or faussebraie, which is
also 30 feet in height.”*

At the Sohan Gate, the higher wall divides in

a line of ruins marks its southward course to A dham Khdn
tomb ; the second branch runs south-east for about a hundre’
yards, and then forming an irregular quadrant, with 'a
radius of three hundred yards from a centre which may
be placed at the unfinished Minar of ’Ala-uddm Khilji, it
crosses the road to Delhi at about the middle of the arc, and
terminates close to the road leading to Tughlaqabad. We
have here a gap of about a third of a mile between this point and
Adham Khan’s tomb. General Cunningham considers this
quadrant as a portion of the eastern wall of Ldlkot, but his
Assistant, Mr. Beglar, confines Lalkot between what has
a,lready been described as its western wall, and the ruins of a
line of wall which lies between the Sohan Gate and Adham
Khdn’s tomb. Having already expressed my opinion, dissent-
ing from General Cunningham’s identification of Anang Pal’s
Lalkot with the citadel of Rdi Pithora ’s city, his objection
that Mr. Beglar is in error in not including the tank of Anang
Pdl in Ldrlkot, and Mr. Beglar ’s opinion that the irregular
quadrant was not a portion of Bdlkot, need no further notice.
On the other hand, in my opinion, Mr. Beglar has satisfac-

* G«ieral Cunningham’s ArchKological Eeports. Vol I. p. 181.

 QIl’aH &4I PITHOEA. 33

torily established that the quadrant was comparatively a more

modern extension of the older and that it was not a
walls,
part of the fortress of which the western and the inner ramparts
he has so elaborately described. The grounds of Mr.
Beglar s opinions are irresistible ; the difference in the material
and construction of the two walls is enough to justify the
opinion farmed by him that the quadrant was not a part of
the old fort. Mr. Beglar calls it ’Ala-udch'n Khilji’s extension,
and in this opinion I agree.
Zi'auddfn Barm relates in his TurlUi-i-Firoz Shdhi, that
when the Mughals invaded Delhi in 1297, ’Ala-uddm Khilji
found the fortifications of Old Delhi in ruin, the consternation
in the city was indescribable, and when the Mughals?
abandoned the city without even attempting an assault, .

its deliverance was considered an act of .special Providence.

Alive to the danger of his positioir ’Ahi-uddi'n Khilji ordered
the repair of the old walls and the enlargement of the old fort.
In 1316, when Qutb-uddin Mubarak Shah succeeded his bro-
ther Shahdb-uddin ’Omar, he ordered the completion of
the city and fort of Delhi, which his father ’Ala-uddin had
left in an unfinished state.”*

That ’Ala-uddfn Khilji and Mubarak Shah’s additions were

on a large scale may be inferred from the remark of Tbn Batuta
who visited Old Delhi in 1333 A. D. he states, that “ the
:

lower part ot the walls” of the citadel, “ is built of stone, the

upper part of brick.” The former was undoubtedly the work
of Hindus and the latter of Muhammadans.

Starting again from the Fateh Biirj where the rampart

branches off into two, one branch turns to the east to form the
citadel of the city, and the other runs due north the latter
;

wall, which has the ruins of a gate in the centre, maintains

this direction for very nearly half a mile, where it meets
the ruins of the northern wall of Jahanpanah the wall
;

then runs due south-east for a little over three hundred yards
and ends at a gate. Still following a south south-easterly
course for half a mile, we come to another gate, and after
runnino- for half that distance in the same direction, the wall
of Old Delhi meets the second wall of Jahanpanah, and

# JS'uh Slpihr of Amir Kushrau.

 — ,

34 qil’ah RAI PITHOEA.

changes its course due south, leaving spaces for two gates, one
of which may with certainty be called the Badaon Gate.

The wall then abruptly takes a south-westerly direction

for a distance of a little over half a mile —
there is a gate in its
—
centre it then turns to the west for about three hun-
dred yards to the ruins of a gate. Here occurs a gap three
hundred yards wide, and at a distance of four hundred yards
from Jamali Masjid, which is the off end of the gap, the
wall of Rai Pithora’s fort meets that of the tomb of Adliam
Khan and complete its circuit. The ditch round the fort used
to receive the natural drainage of the hilly country to its north
and retain the water all the year round.*

I have made an attempt to determine, if possible, the sites

of the different gates, which according to the most approved
authorities belong to Old Delhi, premising here that some of j

the gates h.ad changed their names during the subsequent Mu-
hammadan occupation of Rai Pithora’s city. Amir Khusrau
allots twelve gates to Old Delhi, but I accept the authority of
Timhr, since verified by excavations made by Mr. Beglar,'
that the city had ten gates,
•

At present I am only concerned with Mr. Beglar’s

iaentification of the gates, to the N. E. and S. W. of
the Badaon gate with the “ Haiiz Rani and the Burkah
gates ” respectively. A
reference to his sketch map of Rai
Pithora’s fort, which I have re-produced, will convince,
the reader that the village of Hauz Rani was nearer the southern
wall of J alntnpanah than the eastern wall of Rai Pithora’s city.
According to the Malfuzat-i-Timuri, which has been drawn
upon so largely and not seldom copied verbatim by Sharaf-
—
uddin Yazdi in his Zafarndmah Mr. Beglar ’s authority
Sultan Mahmhd and Mallu Khan left the fort of Jahanpanah
and fled toward the mountains, the former going out of the
Hauz Rdni Gate, and the latter out of the “ Baraka Gate.” On
turning to the Zafarnamah, I find that Yazdi expressly states

* Ibn Batuta who visited old Delhi, in the reign of Muhammad Shah Tugh-
laq thus describes the fort waU: “ it is eleven cubits thick chambers are con-
;

structed in it which are occupied by the night watch, and the persona charged with
the care of the gates. In these chambers also there are stores of provision^ maga-
2ute8 of munitions of war. Grain keeps in these chambers without change or the
least deterioration. * * Horse and foot can pass inside this wall from
one end of the city to the other.”
I
 plate II

sketch
.“V
QILAH RAI PITMORA.

\
^cfUe ^ vTvc^es = -/
fooo
Loeo ipC9
toao
 qil’ah bai pithora. 35

that the Hauz Rdni and the Baraka gates were “ to the south
of Jahanpanah.”

We canwith some certainty fix the sites of the Ghazni

'iid the Baid )n gates, but it is aim jst impossible to identify
the otliers. I have already referred to the Ghazni Gate
In my
descinption ot the walls of Qil’ah Rai Pithora. When
heretics” attacked the Jam’a Masjid ot Old
ertaia
Delhi in 1237 A. D., one party “ passing by the Port
j
of Nur,” the locality of which is unknown, readied the gate
if the Mu’izzi,
«
“ which resembled a mosque.” This occurred
in Old Delhi, but the history ot the Mu’izzi Gate is unknown.
That it was called Mu’izzi ” may probably be iue to
I'lie of two circumstances, viz. it was either a Hindu 'Mte
,ia the possession ot the “.\luizzi nobles,’* or it
was built by them in the VIn’izzi quarter of the city.
The gate of “ Bhandar Kal ” is also unknown, but it
probably stood in the neighbourhood of the Red
Palace, and the Jam’a Masjid. It is related, that the party of
Malik Hami'd-uddin who suppressed Haji Manias rebellion
against ’.lla-uddin Khiiji, “opened the Ghazni gate and
went into the fort,” and after some skirmishing with tlie
.ioters in the city, they entered the place at the gate of
“ Bhandar Kal.” Tins gate must have been built in the wall
common to the fort and the city.

The Baddon Gate has quite a history of its own. Ibn

Batuta calls it“ the principal gate,” and it has some claim to
that distinction ;
it was reached by a populous street
occupied by the cloth merchants of Old Delhi. In front of the
walls of this gate, “ holes were made for tha incarceration
offenders ” against the law prohibiting the u.^e of in-
‘^oxicating drinks. In front of this gate ’Ala-uddi'n Khiljf
.wice raised pyramids of skulls of the Mughals, whom he
lad routed in the plains ot Hauz Rani, that they might be
a warning and spectacle to futura generations.”t It was also
‘

at the Badaon Gate, that, when he had eschewed the use of

wine, ’Ala-uddfn destroyed his banqueting cups and jars ot
* The nobles of the Court of Sultan Mu’izz-udd!u Muhammad, also called
Shahdb-uddfn Ghorl, are known to Muhamm.idaii histvirians as the “ Mu’izzi nobles.”
” has been the scene of the most dreadful acts of
t “ The plain of Hauz Rani
revenge recorded in a history abounding in royal recrimination. Mughals, rebels
“ either cast under the feet
and “ heretics” were here massacred in cold blood ;

“ met their death at the hands

of elephants,” “ cut in two by the fierce Turks,” or
—
of the flayei-s, being skinned from head to foot.” Tahixqat-i-Natirt
 ;

36 QIL’aH BAl PITHORA.

wine, “ so that the ground was muddy as in the rainy season.”

The Badaon Gate was also the scene of contention between
rival factions, of deadly contest between for eign enemies and
the kings of Delhi ; and the grand entrance for the processions
of Kings and foreign ambassadors. From the time of the
abandonment of Qil’nli Ifai Pithora as the capital of the Delhi
empire, we trace the decline and eventual disappearance of this
historical gate.

Of the other gates we simply have the names. The

gate of Llauz Khas is seldom mentioned ; tlie Baghdad Gate
occurs oli.ener in liistory, Imt it is best known as the spot
wh ."re ISuluui Ibrahim Lodi put up a brazen bull which he had
brought from Gwalior, but its site cannot be identified.

The circuit of Rai Pithora ’s Qil’ah and his walled city is

very nearly five miles. Prince Timiir describes Old
Delhi as having ten gates, “some opening to the
exterior, and some towards the interior of the city,” i. e., of
Jahanpanah. Yazdi, in his Za'anidvnth, gives eighteen gates
to Old' Delhi, five of which opened into Jahanpanah. General
.

CunninghaiU adopts Timur’s account, but there is no reason

for wonder that in the present state of the walls of Pithora’s
fort We are unable to trace the sites of the ten gates.
1-iy following the course or' the walls of the city described
by me, the reader will discover tlie ruins of ten gates, though
in the case of the gaps on the north-tastern wall, or in that
portion of it that was common to Old Delhi and Jahanpanah,
the discovery is a matter of difficulty.

In the year 1191 A. D. Rai Pithora’s capital submitted

to the Muhammadans, and on the banks the Ghaggar fell the
gallant Lhuhan Prince, with the whole of his chivalry
Qutb-uddin Aibek was the first Muhammadan King of
Delhi who made it “ his residence and capital,” and the
Foit of^Rai Pithora continued the place of enthronement
of the Kings of Delhi and the capital of the Delhi empire till
foundation of Kosbak Lai in Kilokherf by Jalal-uddm
Firoz hhah Khilji, when the city of Pithora was called Furanfi
Delhi, and the city of Jalal-uddm was known
as Kaia 6hahr.
Within this circuit of five miles will be found some of
the most remark able memorials of Delhi
here stands the 1
 KASB SAPED. 37

Iron Pillar which still vexes the minds of our antiquarians ;

here also stood the temples of Hindu Kings which were des-
troyed by the Muhammadans to turiiish the materials for
their Mosque here also was the capital of the early Muham-
;

madan Kings of Delhi, and the renowned palace of

Qutb-uddin Aibek, where six of his successors ~^re en-
throned. To this
locality also belongs the famous Qutb
Minar, which bears testimony to the ambition of Muham-
madan warriors, and the skill of Hindu workmen. The
memories of great atrocities, of great tieachery of kings ;

imprisoned, deposed and as';:!,s,-,inated (if ininistors mur-

;

dered in open court of massacres, pillage, and fire, are

;

associated with the name of Old Delhi.

Easr Safed. —
In the year 1205 A. D. about sixteen
years after tlie death of lid,i Pithora, Qutb-uddi'n Aibek built
a palace in this fort, which is known to history as Ku'ir Surt'd*
Nothing now remains of this once famous royal residem^e,
not even a guess can safely be ma,de as to its probable
site Malik Bakhtiyar Khiljf, a lieutenant of Sliahab-uddm
Ghorf and tiie conqueror of Bengal, foug-lit an elephant in
the ground-- of this palace ; within it.s waiis weie enthroned
the greatest of the’Slave kings, Sultan Shains-uddi'u Altanish,
his grandson Nasr-uddin Mahtniid Shall, the illustri-
ous Balban and others more or less known to fame. Jalal-
uddhi Firoz Shall KhijH, who occiqiied the city of
Kilokheri after the a.ssassi nation of ir.s founder, Kai-
Quhad, was brought to the Kasr Safed to he enthroned
“ according to the time-honoured custom of hi- predeces-
sors” and his example was followed by bis nephew and suc-
cessor 'Ala-uddiii Khiljf. According to FerLslita Ndsr-uddfn ,

Mahmud Sluih received (1259 A. D.) the ambassador of

Halaku Khan in the palace of Aibek with great pomp and
ceremony. Muhammad Shah Tughlaq ascended the throne of
Delhi at Tughluqab;id, but forty days later he was re-en-
tbroned at the Kasr-Safed and “ sat on the throne of the old
Sultans.” The palace, however, was not altogether devoted
to such pageants as enthronements and the reception of fo-
reign ambassadors ;
it was occasionally used as a prison, and

* Ibn Batuta'a White Palace, ami I believe it is the ‘‘

Mfi’izzi Palace of
’

Ziduddin Barul. According to Batuta, the palace stoud^' close to the chief mosque.
38 KTOHAK FIROZI —KUSHAK SABZ.

bloodshed Malik
not unfrequently it was the scene of
:

Ikhtiydr-uddin, the Wazir of Mu’izz-uddln Bahrdm Shkh, was

“ Turks ” at the instigation of
murdered by two inebriated
audience hall of
the king, in front of the royal seat in the
Kasr Safed {1241 A. D.) When the empire was in danger,
the king convened public meetings here and sermons
were preached in this place to excite the populace
to take arms against the enemy.* The successor of Bahram
Shah was taken from his prison in this palace, and was en-
throned at Kiishak Firozi by the title of Sultan ’Ala-uddin
Mas’aud Shah.
Kasr Safed lost its importance as a royal residence when
the Court was removed to Naia Shahr.

Kushak Firozi was evidently built by Shams-uddm

Altamah it is described as the “ chief royal palace,” and the
;

residence of Begam Kaziyah’s mother, the wife of Altamsh.*

As already stated, Sultan Ala-uddin Mas’aiid Shah was brought
here from Kasr Safed and enthroned as the successor of
Mu’izz-uddin Bahram Shah (1239 A D.), and within its walls
Sultan Nasr-uddin Mahmiid Shdh, the successor of Ala-uddin,
held his first court. The situation of this palace is not known ;
Mr. Beglar’s excavation at the back of the Masjid Kuvvat-
ul-islam yielded several baskets full of green enamelled tiles
with Arabic inscription and ornaments, and he identifies these
ruins with those of Kushak Sabz, of which we shall speak
immediately, but as General Cunningham describes the tiles
as “ unmistakeably blue, although they have a greenish
tinge,” it is not at all unlikely that the ruins belong to the
Khshak Firozi or the Turquoise Palace.

—
Kushak 3abz. The Kushak Sabz or Green Palace was
probably built not long after the Firozi Palace. The first
mention made of this Palace in history occurs in the reign of
Nasr-uddin Mahmud Shah, son of .Vltamsh, who ascended the
throne in the Kushak Sabz, and subsequently received here the
ambassador of Halaku, when a street of soldiers, twenty deep,
was formed from the village of Kilokheri to the door of the
 CHABUTRA NASIRA —MASJID JAm’a OR MASJID KUWAT-UL-ISLAM. 39

palace. Both these occurrences Ferishta places in Kasr

Sated (White Palace), but I prefer the more reliable authority
of Minhaj-us-Siraj, the author of Tahaqdt-i- S usirl.

Half a century later, Rukn-uddm Ibrahim, the youngest

son of Sultan Jalal-uddin Khilji, was raised to the throne
in the Kushak Sabz, after the assassination of his father by
’AH-uddm Khilji, the cousin of Ruku-uddin.
In later times, it was also used as a public place for the
reception of Amirs, and when Zafar Khan visited Khdn-i-
Jalian at Old Delhi, in the reign of Firoz Shdh Tughlaq, he
was entertained and lodged in this palace.

—
Chabutra Nasira. ^Judglng from its name, this terrace

was built by Sultan Nasr-uddin Mahmiid Shah.

WhenJalal-uddin rose in open rebellion and fortified
himself at Baharpur, near Kilokheri, the infant son of
Kai Qubad was declared king of Delhi, and he held his court
here for a few months.

When ’Ald-uddin Khilji returned from the c uiquest of

Arangal, the spoils ivere displayed “on the terraco of Nasr-
“ the
uddin,” where the chiefs and nobles had a.s.sembled, and
Malik [’Ald-uddin] was duly honored.” hi that occasion, the
(

nobles also raised, “a black pavilion in the Nasira, for a durbar.”

These are about all the palaces which were erected within
the fort of Rai Pithora by the Mu’izzi, or the Slave kings of
Delhi. Of the palace of Hmnayun, we know nothing beyond the
unimportant fact that it was built in the neighbourhood of the
Badaon gate. Sometimes it is described as a jialace in Jahdn-
panah, but as “several palaces were destroyed” in Old Delhi
when Timur sacked the place, it impossible to say wrhich, if
i.s

any, of those we have described was spared by the conqueror.*

Masjid Jama or Masjid Kuwat-ul-islam.— We have

no authentic account of the temple of Rai Pithora, which made
room for this Masjid, and tradition offeis us nothing
satis

factory on the subject. We have vague descriptions of the

• Zafarndmab: i
4
 —
40 laSJID jam’a or masjid kowat-ul-islam.

grandeuf’ of this temple with its rows of cloisters, three and

four deep, surrounded by other buildings both lofty
and roomy.
Immediately after the conquest of Delhi by Qutb-uddin
Aibek, the favorite lieutenant of Muhammad Ghori, he com-
menced building this mosque on the site of Rai Pithora ’s
temple which he had previously demolished. According to
Muhammadan historians who are followed by some European
authorities, Aibek is said to have pulled down only the western
wall of the temple, where he built a mosque, and allowed the
rest of the temple to stand as it was. But General Cunning-
ham conclusively establishes the facts that the superstructure
of the temple was pulled down, with the exception of a few
pillars to which reference shall be made later ; that
the Masjid stands on the raised terrace or platform oi the
temple which also marks its site, and that the lower portion
of the surrounding walls of this platform was the original un-
disturbedwork of the Hindus. The destruction of the Hindu
temples was so complete, that in the reign of Shams-uddin
Altamsh, practically the successor of Aibek, “ not a vestige
of them was to be seen.”*

The mosqueof Kutb-uddin Aibek, as seen from outside,

is heavy looking square stone building. The
a sombre,
main entrance is an arched gateway in the centre of its
eastern wall seven heavy stone steps, entirely covered
;

by the arch of the gateway, take the visitor into the cloisters
of the mosque.t The outer eastern wall of the mosque is 147
feet long and is pierced with four windows.

The eastern gateway has a false horizontal arch recessed

on its outer face, the upper part of which is decorated
with engraved scrolls and other ornamental designs, and
on its lower face is the following important inscription :

“ This mosque was built by Qutb-uddin Aibek. May God’s mercy

be on him, and on him' who prays tor a blessing on the faith of the
founder of this blessed Jeditice].

* ZafarnAmah.
t Mr. Beglar’s excavations show, that the ground level of these steps and
the walla of the Masjidis very different from what it was that the present steps
;

continue down below it till they terminate at a large stone platform.

 MASJID JAm’a or MASJID KU WAT- UL- ISLAM. 41

“ lu the name of God, the merciful and benevolent he who entered :

it [mosque} has found salvation for [the favour of] God it is incumbent
;

on all men who have the means [to defray the expenses] of the road, to
make a pilgrimage to the House [Kabah.] [For him] who has disbelieved
[this command], there is no doubt that God is independent of
[all that he has] created.

“ This fortwas conquered, and this Masjld-i-Jam’a was built on the

date, the monthsof the year 587 [Hijri], by the Amir of high dignity,
great and glorious, the axis of wealth and faith, the Amir of Amirs, the
Sultan Aibek. May God give honor to his allies I* He made [use of] twice
a thousand times a thousand diliwals [the property of] the idols of 27
temples* in the construction of this mos(pie. God, tlie”^great 'and the
glorious, have mercy on him, and on him who invokes a blessing on the
faith of the builder of this noble edifice.”]*

The eastern wall of the mosque has a plinth of 4| feet t/ ;

two walls about 12 feet lon^, staiidin<r out at riofht anomies to

the main wall, contain the steps which lead into the mosque,
and act as supports of the arched gateway. The gate itself is
about eleven feet wide, but not lofty. On entering the mosque,
the visitor finds himself under a small dome to his right and ;

his left are rows of pillars and in front a court yard - once
completely and now more than half enclosed by pillared
cloisters —
142 long and 108 feet wide. The dome is curiou.-ly
formed by stones projecting over one another, all fixed by a
stone on the top it springs from an octagon resting on a square
;

supported by pillars in groups of fours these pillars are thir-

;

teen feet high, two and a hfdf feet wide at the base, and one and
a half feet in the shaft j; The outward appearance of the dome
is conical.

On the spectator’s right, there are fimr rows of jfillars

extending to the northern and southern extremities of the

* Ibn Batuta dates the conquest of Delhi in 5^-4 Hijrf on the authority of
this iuscriptioii " I read the same date upon the Mehrdb of the great mosque of
:

the city,” evidently a mistake.

t According to General Cunningham who agrees \yith l\tr. Edward Thomas,
these temples mu.st have cost £4000 "each, in all £10S,000 a diliwal being equal to
;

»ne fiftieth part of a rupee.

J Fergus.son, writing on the construction of the cloisters of the mosque hy a
re-arrangement of the pillars of Eai Pithoras temple, rein irks :
“ It may be neces-
sary to explain that there would be no difficulty in taking down and re-build-
ing these erections, because the joints cf the pillar.s are all fitted with the precision
that Hindu patience alone could give. Each compartment of the root is com-
—
posed of nine stones four architraves, four angular and one central slab, all
so exacUy fitted, and so independent of cement, as easily to be taken down and put

Vol. II., p. 638.

Si'
up again. The same is true of the domes, all which bei.ng houestly and fairly
fitted, would suffer no damage from the process of removaL” History
j Architecture.
.y of
42 MASJID JAM*A OE MASJID KCWAT-UL-ISLAM.

wall on the two extremities are galleries ; the first

;
row
consisting of seven pillars stands
,
right against the
wall ; the second '•ow about six feet from the
first and consists of six pillars ;
the third row is at the same
distance from the second and also consists of six pillars,
while the fourth stands on the court yard, about five feet
from the third and consists of seven pillars. These pillars
and the pillars on the left of the dome, are most elaborately
ornamented some of the capitals are embellished with human
;

figures which spring at the waist from the pillar, and are
covered with bracelets, armlets and chains. The shafts
are tastefully decorated with cable and link chains which
either terminate in bell or tassel-rosettes chaplets and
; gar-
lands are also profusely used in ornamenting the shafts and
the bands of the pillars. On each corner of the eastern
cloister, there is a gallery about 20 feet square, under
domes similar in form and construction to the dome on
the eastern gateway steps in the wall of the mosque lead
;

to the galleries. The dome of the gallery springs from an

octagon, which rests on a square supported by eight pillars,
four corner and four middle pillars there ;is a ninth
pillar in the south-eastern gallery which is used as a
prop. The dome is in the centre of the gallery, and round the
pillars wliicli support it there is an open space six feet wide.
The eastern ai.d southern sides of this gallery are formed
by the eastern and southern Avails of the mosque, pierced
with narrow windows the remaining sides are formed by
;

small pillars about half the size of the cloister pillars the ;

floor of the gallery rests on similar pillars on the ground floor.

These pillars are more or less ornamented. A
peculiarity worth
remarking here, and Avhich proves beyond all doubt that the
superstructuve of the hlindu temple Avas demolished, is tlfe
presence in these galleries of capitals projecting from the side
walls Avithout any supporting pillars. Inthe north-eastern gallery,
there are quite as manj^ as six such capitals ; there are also in
some of the roofing slabs of these galleries representations
of Buddhas Avhich Avould never have been tolerated in a
temple dedicated to Vishnu. This description of the south-
eastern gallery would apply to the gallery on the north-eastern
corner.

Starting from the north-eastern corner of this cloister

we enter the northern cloister, which also forms the northern
 —
MASJID jam’a OE MASJID KUVVAT-UL-ISLAM. 43

boundary of the coiu tyard. In this cloister there are only three
rows of pillar.^ inste.-id !>f to ir, nor are the pillars in the same
state of preservation as those in the eastern cloister. The colon-
nade consists of forty- nine pillars, seventeen of which are built
against the wall —
which I shall call the first row the second —
row consists of seventeen pillars and is about seven feet
from the first, while the third, which stands on the court yard,
consists of fifteen pillars, and is about eight feet from the second.
In the middle of the northern cloister there is a conical dome,
smaller than the domes on the eastern gateway and the gal-
leries already described. In front of this dome is the north
gate of the mosque, and on either side of it the wall is pierced
with three large windows ; the gate is reached by two stone
steps. In some respects the northern gate way is similar to that
on the east ; its arch however has suffered more from the
effects of time and on the recessed surface of its face is the
following inscrq^tion :

“ In the name of God, the merciful and the benevolent. God invites
[you] to heaven he directs whomaver he pleases on the 6rm path [of
;

faith]. In the months of the year [5] 92 Hijri, this building was com-
menced by the higli command of the great king, great in the world and
in faith, Muhammad Bin Sam, ally of the Amir-ul-Momenin.”*

As I have already remarked, neither the northern wall nor

the northern cloister is complete there is a gap of about
;

thirty feet in the north-western end of this wall, and the ruins
of the north-western gallery, in the north-Avestern corner of
the cloister, are still in e.xistence.

The southern cloister, which is also the southern bound-

ary of the court of the mosque, Ls even less complete ;
on .its south-eastern end there is about sixty feet of wall,
with a colonnade of fifteen pillars still standing. These
pillars have neither the finish nor the ornaments of those in
the other two cloisters.t Of the fifteen pillars, six stand
against the wall a second row of five
;
pillars stand

* Title of the Khah'faha of Baghddd.

t This colonnade and its back wall were, “ with a strange want
of di.scritni-
nation, reconstructed” by Alajor E. Smith, the then Executive Engineer of Delhi, who
used the pillars of Altam-h's “ extension,” in front of the eastern gate of the
Mosque, for the purpose. Mr. Campbell, Dte Executive Engineer of Delhi, remarks,
that even the windows of Qutb-uddiu’s work did not escape “ re-arrangement at the
same time.’’
 —
44 MASJID JAm’a or MASJID KCVVAT-UL-IStAM.

about eight feet from the first, and about the same distance
from the second are the four pillars of the third row. The
south-western gallery and the domes of this cloister have
disappeared altogether.

In the middle of the southern side of the mosque, and

at about the end of what now' remains of its walls, is the
southern gate of the mosque, corresponding to the gate on
the northern side seven stone steps lead into the court-yard on
;

this side. The window s on the south-eastern side of the gate

are in existence, those on the south-w'estern side have dis-
appeared with the w'all.'’'^

I believe there was another gate in the w'estern ex-

tremity of this wall ; five broken steps still mark its site.

On
the west of the court-yard are five lofty arches, but
I shall speak of them in the order of time in which they
were built behind
;
these arches was “ tlie hall of wor.ship ” —
the mosque of Qutb-uddiu Aibek. This hall w'as built in
the fashion of the other cloisters it had a dome ;
in the
centre, corresponding to the dome on the eastern gateway, but
there was no entrance to the mosque through its back wall,
which contained the three high arched niches which con-
stituted the mosque, t The hall of the mosque w'as 147 feet
long and 40 feet wdde, and its roof was supported on five
rows of the tallest and finest of the Hindu pillars.

mosque is now' a complete ruin. Partly behind,

'fhe
the northern pier of the middle arch of Qutb-uddin
Aibek’s magnificent arches, just referred to, and
partly behind its southern pier, stand the only pillars
left of the mosque. Of the first group there are
twelve pillars in four row's the capitals and shafts
;

of these pillars are gorgeously ornamented— there is

only one pillar here that has a clean square shaft
some of them still support projecting half-broken
stone beams, evidently the remains of roofs now no
more, but portions of the roofing are still seen in two

Mr. Beglar’s excavations under the southern gate of the mosque disclosed
Jy the bases of pillars resting on a platform at the same level as the platform discover-
ed under the steps of the eastern gate.
+ Nawab Ziauddiu of Loharu mentiona five arches. I have been able to
trace only three.
 MASJID JAm’a or MASJID KCVVAT-UL-ISLAJI. 45

places. The second group of pillars stands behind the

second pier of the central arch, in four rows they are ten ;

in number almost in the sime state of preservation as the

;

pillars behind the northern pier. According to General

Cunningham, these pillars were not disturbed when Aibek
built his mosque, and it i.s necc.ssary to notice here a fact, to
which reference will be made hereafter, that on one of these
pillars occurs the following important inscription; ‘‘In the
time of Fazl Ibn Abiil Ma’ali Muta wall.”

About a third of the western vrall of the mosque towards

the north is still visible that towards the south is gone. In the
;

centre of this wall were th.e arched niches the remains of two
of which majyvet he so .-n; the base of the centre niche, which
is also the Centre of the wall, is .-till above .the level of the
ground, the rest has fallen d >wn the niche to its north is still
:

entire, but that to the soutli no longer exi.-ts. About half of the
northern wall is still above tbe ground it is a continuation of ;

the wall of the northern cloister, hut itdoes notmeet the western
wall of the southeni wall nothing is visilde.
:
About thirty
feet from the mosque stands the Iron Pillar— probably as it
stood when the iM<is.|uc was built, dheru are lour graA'es in
the court-yard of the mosque, with high masonry plinths and
the usual bier-like The mosque, as
masonry sarcophagus. it

will be seen, was approached through a cloistered court.^'

Thedescription of the Masjid Kuvvat-ul-isldm as

it existed in .59:2 Hijii is now
conqilete those magnificent;

arches, so out of place where they stand, were built later.

* Describiiis; the mo-fni*’ .i- it stfim! iu the time ef Ailx'k — t reni;uks ;

“ pwelv .Jaina, th.it it shoiilil have -peaking of tliat

lieeu iiieutio:.eil in
It is so
. . .
of tlie -.line oidcr a- tho-e n-'‘il on .Mount Abu,
The jiillais ;iie
excejit that those at Delhi ari- iini--h lach.-i ami
more el.O'orate. ihey belong pro-
hahlv to the lUh or Igtli rei.tiirv, ami are among the
few specimens to be found
India that seem to be ovei-1 Miled with oni.iment— there not lieing one inch of
in
iilaiu suiface from the tapit.d to the base."' Ih^turii uf V ol. IL
observes “ The
anthontv history of this
p. 64S. Further on, the same ;

in construction, is as curious as any thing about it. It seem.s that

mosque, as told its
]iointed arches were the
the Afghan conquerors had a tolerable distuicC ide.i that
true form for architectura o]iening- but benig
without science -iitricieut to con-
;

.struct them, they left the Hindu aivhiteels and

builders whom they employed to
out the forui. ihe Hindus
follow then own tlevices as to the mode of c.u r\ ing
had up to this time never built arches nor did they —
for centuries afWrct ards.
principle upon
Accordingly, thev proceeded toniaketh.- point -d o|).?U'ii'g on the same
riz'iutal courses as far
which they built their domes. They carrieil them up in h
as they could, .and then closed tliem by long slabs meeting at the top. Ih.storn '•!

An-hittcture. Vol. II., p. CoU.

 46 MASJID jam’a or MASJID KUVVAT-UL-ISLAM,

The floor of the court-yard is higher than that of the cloisters ;

as regards the level of the floor of tlie mosque, there appears
to be a fall of about eight inches per hundred feet, from the
—
western wall which is its highest position to the eastern —
—
wall which is its lowest —
thus making a total of about
seventeen inches from end to end.

When Qutb-uddm Aibek returned from Ghazni, which

he had the request of his Sovereign, Muham-
visited at
mad Ghori, he built the superb arches which stand in
front of the mosque.* The wall of these arches is eight
feet deep, and may be divided into three parts a lofty centre :

wall and a smaller wall on either side of it. The wall of the cen-
tre arch is about 53 feet high and 31 feet wide, and when all the
smaller arches were in existence, each of the wing walls was
about 25 feet high and 35 feet wide. This wall was pierced
by a line of five arches “ without the least trace of
any intention to construct a vault or roof of any
sort. Indeed, a roof is by no means an essential part
of a mosque ; a wall facing Mecca is all that is
required, and in India is frequently all that is built, though
an enclosure is often added in front to protect the worship-
pers from interruption. ”t The arches are built with red
and yellow sand stone, the latter colour predominating
they are slightly ogee in shape. The centre arch is 43 feet
* high, and 22 feet wide of the four side arches only
;

three are now standing viz., two on the north and one on the
;

south of the centre arch they are about 24 feet high, those
;

immediately on either side of the centre arch are 11^ ^

feet, and the off ones are 10 feet wide. The piers of the
centre arch are 9^ feet square ; of those immediately on its
right and left are 8 feet square, and of the further ones are
oblongs of 8 feet by 5.

These arches have no niches in their piers, the supports

are left uncut there are no imposts| and the engraved
;

ornamentations are extremely pretty. The first band consists

of verses from the Quran, and is of the shape of the arch,
the rest are square bands which run over the three

*
calls these arches “ the glory of the mosque
Fergusson .”— ’ Archi-
^ of
tecture. Vol. II., p. 649.
t History of Architecture. Vol. II., p. 649.
® impost to t^ centremost [arch] is an addition of
^
TV should
It be removed. — Campbells ’'Notes.”
Captain
^ Wickhams.
 MASJID JAm’a or jVIASJID KUVVAT-UL-ISLAM A7

sides of the walls and are covered with scrolls of fancy-

designs, and precepts from the Qurdn. The spandrels are
covered with elaborately’^ engraved ornaments. These arches
were finished in the year 594 Hijn', and on the left pier of
the centre arch, about 8 feet from the ground, the date is
given, as the “ 20th Zikad, th.- ymar 594,” (1197 A. D.) It
was the last work of Qutub-uddlu in connection with this
mosque.

Besides the ornaments on the arches and the pillars, the

walls of the mosque were covered with flowers and
precepts from the Quran, to conceal Hindu decorations.
“ When the mosque w’as completed,” writes Amir Khusrau,
“flowers and extracts from the Qunln had been either engraved
on stone or written in plaster.” The plaster has disappeared
and the objectionable figui’es which the crescentaders did
so much to conceal are once more exposed to the light of the
day ; it is only on well-sheltered spots that it is possible for
us to discover the plaster which once concealed these
beautiful sculptures.

There are several narrow slabs of stones in the walls

and the roof of the mosque which represent scenes in the life
of the infant Krishna, and the Council of gods. The best
preserved of these memorials are the two noticed by General
Cunningham, and which refer to the former of the two subjects :

that on the northern outer wall of the mosque represents

two rooms with a half opened door betwmen them. In each
room there is a female lying on a couch with a child by her
side, a canopy over her head and an attendant at her feet ;
in
the left hand room two females are seen carrying children
towards the door. In the right hand room twm other females
are carrying children towards the principal figure in the room.
On the stone in the north-eastern angle of the corridor, and
close to one of the window's in the north-eastern gallery, there
are six figures : Vishnu, ludra, Brahma, Siva and two others
Avhich have not been recognised. There are several figures
of seated Buddha in the two galleries, some of them in very
Oofood condition.
General Cunningham reckons the decorated pillars in the
cloisters around the Iron Pillar at 340, but when the clois-
ters were complete there must have been 450 such pillars of ;

the plainer pillars, General Cunningham counted 376, and

 48 MASJID JAm’a or MASJID KUWAT-UL-ISLAV.

believes that to complete the cloisters the builders must

have required 1200 more.*

The following instructive and elaborate description of

the pillars is taken from General Cunningham’s Archceological
Reports :

“
A
curious confirmation of the average size of those temples has been
afforded by a discovery which I first made in 1853, and which I completed
during the present year 1863. Iii the south-east corner of the cloisters of
the Great Mosque, the pillars, with bases and capitals complete, are nearly
all of one style and size, and quite different from the other columns.
Now, the bases, shafts and capitals of these pillars are numbered, the
highest number discovered being 19. 1 found 15 numbered shafts,
of which No. 13 is in the north cloister, far away f7om its fellows,
I found also 13 numbered bases and 7 numbered capitals ; but
only in one instance, that of No. 10, do the numbers of base, shaft and
capital, as they now stand, agree. Here, then, we have a direct and
convincing proof that these particular pillars have all been re-arranged.
The total number of shafts discovered was only 15 but they were all
numbered. Of the bases I discovered 19 of which 4 wei’e square and
15 had the angles recessed like all the .shafts. Of the capitals, all of
one uniform pattern, I found 20, of which one was inscribed with the
No. 19. From all these facts, I conclude with a probability amounting
almost to certainty, that the temple from which these pillars were
obtained consisted of 20 columns only. On No. 12 shaft there is the
word kichal in Nagari letters on one face, with the date ot 1124 on
another face, which, referred to Vikramaditya Samvat, is equivalent
to
A. D. 1067, at which time Anang Pal II, the founder of
Lalkot, was
reigning in Dilli.

But the masons marks on the stones of this temple were not
con-
fined to the pillars, as I discoveredthem on no less than 13 diflferent
portions of its entablature. Thesemarks are more than usually detailed
but unfortuuately in spite of their length and apparent
clearness, I am
still unable to make them out completely.

The marks are the followinor

O
A. Chapa Vida 3. Upper vida No. 3.
(?)

(?) No. 4.
C. F<LchuU 4. Bear No.
(?) 4.

,h. AiUk-. «rk ,

and yellowish sandstone ; the pillars differ in^

h^o-ht and th\”
of parts of which they are compose 1 and
L rL?!
thickness, m the number
which the piU^ arranged, also indicate the working
the remains of older buildings. See Campbell’s “ Motes,” design of
 THE EXTENSIONS OF ALTAMSH. 49

D. Ptichuki o. Pachhim Rear Ni/. 5 west.

E. Vi Chaothe Vida (J) fourth.

F. Vi panchama Vida ft) fifth.
Q. Prathama DdsJien First Architrave.

H. PachchMm Raki Ddsken West side „

K. Purab Prathama East first.
L. Purah 3 East No. 3.

M. Pachchhim Ra 3, A— (ye ?) West side No. 3, front (?)

N. „ Raki pachckhe. „ „ back.

O. „ Raki G „ „ „ No. 6 back.

There is a peculiarity about the numbers of the pillars which is

worthy of note. Each cypher is preceded by the initial letter of the
word for that number, L’uus 3 is preceded by ti for tin, 10 by da^ for
das, and IG by so for so'-ah. Toe .same style of marking would appear
to have been used fur a second temple, as I found a pillar of another ..

pattern with the number da 2, and a pilaster of the same kind with i 19.
Sixteen bases of the fir.st pillar have recessed angles, and four are plain
squares. In this case the temple would have had 4 pillars (probably
an outer row) of one pattern, and 16 of another kind, but all of the
same height.

The dimensions of the-se inscribed pillars are as follows t

ft. in. ft. in.

( Upper member, with brackets.., , 0 10

Capital 0 6
1 Lower
ditto .

1 4

Shaft — ... • • • 4 111

Base (
Upper portion ornamented 1 n
.
Lower „ plain 0 9
I
1 111

Total height... 8 .
8*

of an addition
Altamsh consist of
The Extensions
ot Qutb-uddin Aibek, and
of two wings to th.e arches
southern
new cloistered courts on the eastern, northern and
sides of the mosque. Altamsh extended the western
either side, thus making
wall of the mosque about 115 feet on
about 380 feet of this
the whole length of the wall ;

extension very little now remains. On the north-western angle

Archfeotoffical Reports, Vol I., p. It?.

 50 THE extensions OF ALTAMSH.

of Qutb-uddm’s mosque, about fifty feet of Altamsh’s

•wall is still standing, and about twenty feet more is in ruin ;

the rest of the -walls on this side can only be traced

by its foundation under ground. The northern cloister was
about 280 feet long, and may now be traced under the level
of the ground with great difficulty. The southern wall, also
about 280 feet long, is, with a short gap, in a fair state of
preservation. At the south-western corner of the Altamsh
extension of the mosque thei’e is a gap of about 70 feet, but
here the foundation of the wall may be easily traced. At the
end of this gap, the back wall of the court-yard is in ruin
for about thirty feet, but a colonnade of three rows of pillars
which terminates at a gate, corresponditig to the southern
gate of the mosque, is still in existence. The arch of this gate
is down, but the jambs are still standing and the pillars are
sixteen feet high ; there are five double pillars on the line
I
where the wall once stood, and this I call the first row ; the
second row of seven pillars, .stands about six feet from the
first, and a third row of seven pillars stands at
the same distance from the second. Groups of four pillars
support a flat roof formed with over-lapping stones.
From the gate, where the colonnade was interrupted, there is
a wall about 100 feet long, extending to the gate- way of ’Ala-
uddin Khilji, but for about twenty feet of the wall the pillars
have disappeared. The height of the pillars, their
distances from one another, and the construction of the roofing
are similar to those of the colonnade already described the
;
pillars stand as before, in three rows there are
; fourteen pillars
against the wall, sixteen in the second row, and
fifteen in the
third. There are seven lofty windows in this
wall, the first five
of which arc roughly finished and without any
screen ; the
remaimng two are^ larger in size, and covered with red
stone screens of lattice work like the windows
of the ’Alai
gateway. Within ten feet of the pillars in front of the last
the smaller windows, stands the magnificent
Minkr of
Qutb-uddin Aibek. It is generally believed that the
extension of Altamsh did not go beyond
the Minar and
that- the two larger windows in the
Avail are the work of
Ala-uddm Khiljl. I am however, of opinion that
although^ any doubt that these windows were
built by Ala-uddm, that the square of
Altamsh’s extension is
carrying the line of the
southern wall to
the Alai gate. It is not unlikely that
’Ala-uddin built his
 THE EXTENSIONS OF ALTAMSH. 51

windows after pulling down a portion of the southern colonnade

of Altamsh.

Leaving the ’Alai Gate to our right, and turning duo

north, we walk over the buried ruins of Altamsh’s eastern
cloisters, till we arrive at the Eastern Gate of the mosque of
Aibek whichis at a distance offully200 feet from the ’Alai Gate.
A bout thirty feet from the Eastern Gate are the only remains of
the eastern colonnade of Altamsh. This colonnade consits of 34
pillars of which 19 are standing, and 15 are down ; the pillars
stand in four rows the first, which consists of nine pillars,
;

stands on the road between the mosque and the colonnade ;

there are eleven pillars in the second row, eleven in the third,
and only three in the fourth. The pillars are about
six feet apart and the roof, wliere it does exist, is in every
;

respect like the roof of the southern colonnade. Beyond this

colonnade there is nothing to mark the line of Altamsh s
eastern cloister.'®^

Altamsh, as has been already remarked, not only added

cloistered courts to the mosque, but also extended the arches of
Qutb-uddm Aibek. arclies, tlioiigii lottier than those
The new
of Aibek, stand on a lower level ; their 2 )iers have arched
niches, and tlie jambs are cut into octagons and ballnsteis ;
the arch springs from one ot these latter, which does duty as
and is pointed in the head, while the orna-
impost
ment is later in date and more elaborate. Between
Qutb-uddin’s arches and those ot is a
Altamsh, there
passau’e about eight feet wide. Altamsh built three arches on
either side of those of Aibek’s. The first arch of the exten-
existence, tire top ornauieuts are
sion on the north is still in
gone but the arch is entire, and is about 2G_ feet high
the southern pier of this arch is
rnd 13 feet wide ; ^

broad its nortbern pier,

-
out 6 feet deep and 4 feet ;

arch, is about loi

vcnichisthe southern pier of tlie centre
24 i feet wide, but only two lofty
^eet wide ; the centre arch is
been a magnificent archway ;
piers do work for what must li.ive
gone.
the third arch on this line of extension
is

The southern extension of Qutb-uddin’s arches is

also m
centre arch, are on y
ruin ;
the near small arch as well as the

ilie.e rillars, I am of Mr. Campbell'-s opinion

^ After a careful examination of
tliat they are standing in situ.
 52 THE EXTESSIOSS OF ALA-UDDlN KHILJI. i

indicated by
their piers ; the extreme southern arch retains
appearance, but the arch is formed by a thin slab
its original
of sand stone which threatens to come down ; and it seems
almost a wonder that the fate which has overtaken the other
two arches has spared the third so long.*
/
The extensions of ’Ala-uddin Khilji.— Tn tlfe year
695 A.H. (1295 A. D.), Sultan ’Ala-uddin Khilji ascended the
throne of Delhi, after the murder of his uncle Jalal-uddin
Firozshah, the founder of the Khilji dynasty. He then pro-
jected a further extension of the Masjid by adding to it, what
Amir Khusrau calls, “ the fourth part.” Of this addition,
magnificent alike in its extent as in its finish, very little remains,
but that little justifies the praise lavished on it by the courtly
poet, Khusrau. The few pillars that still stand in the south
eastern wall of this extension will not appear remarkable to
those who have been previously accustomed to the cloisters of
Aibek and Altamsh, but the magnificent gateway of ’Ala-uddin
would have perpetuated his memory as the (jreal wyal builder
even if he had not added another stone to the mosque.
J

_To complete ’Ala-uddin’s extension, we have, instead

of
turning to the noith from the south-eastern
extremity of
Altamsh s eastern colonnade, to proceed due south and at
ri'^’ht
angles to its eastern wall. (The line of the pillars
of Altainsh
IS slightly ditferent from that of the pillars
of ’Ala-uddin,
and the pillars themselves are of different pattern
pass the famous ’Alai Gate, but the jiillars
now We
which formed a
''' front of its inner door
have disappeared ; for about
^O teet the ground here is perfectly clear at
the eastern end of
;

this
pp, the colonnade again begins and extends for about
120 teet from the Alai Gate to the
end of the second
extension of the cloistered courts
of the Mosque ” The
wall of this colonnade is pierced by four doors and
three lofty window.s, the ktter covered
with red sandstone
screens of lattice work. Twelve pillars stand against the
wall of the covered colonnade,
fifteen in the second and
* Having finished my description
of Alt.imdi’s addition to
I a few remarks to uli'er on the peculiarities thTTkve-o ' „i
i
'

of his work for wl

dehted to Mr. Camphell’s “ AVc i I
I am in-
the n, liars of the i
stone, they are of ditferent heights,
no or.ler is ohseived r"'
them and these vary as they' do in the cloistei-s
;

of tlie mosque, belonged to older

!.f Aibek The n
buildings, hut they were evidently
the same .source. The ornament
'of dm
elaboiate m ^ archefml'riXTTn^'rll™'^?
design and
execution than those of Aibek’s. more
 THE EXTENSIONS OP ’aLa-UDDIN KIIIUI. 53

eleven in the third row ; the distances of these pillars from one
another and the roof theysupport,aresimi]arto those in the south-
ei'n colonnade of A Ituinsh. Having reached the south-eastern
corner of ’Ala-uddfn’s extension, we turn due north to trace its
eastern side here we follow the colonnade for about 20 feet,
;

and then lose it altogether whence it can only be seen as

detaHted mounds of ruin. The eastern colonnade, or rather so
much of it as is still extant, consists of only eleven pillars ;
four standing against the wall, four in the second row and
three in the third, with a door in the southern corner of tho
twenty feet wall. Hecent excavations leave no doubt in my
mind that ’Ala-uddin’s additions to the mo.sque extended
much beyond the northern extension of Altainsh that ho
;

included his unfinished Hinar in this addition, and eiudosed

the mosque in a cloistered court 700 feet long and 400 feet
wide. He nearly doubled the length of the mos([ue after
Altamsh’s extensions, and added about half as much ground
to its breadth.

The mosque of Qutb-uddi'n was an oblong with the

long sides on the north and south xVltamsh’s additions made
:

the mosquo an obhmg with its long .sides on the east and
west, a plan which was not altercrl by ’Ala-uddin.

Amir Khusrau’s de:'eription of ’Ala-uddin’s additions

to ne iMosquo is rather dilncult to follow “ Ills majesty” says
1 :

Khiisrau “ added a fourth part to the Masjid, which was built

beyond the three old gates and courts, with lofty pillars, and
upon the surface of the stones he engraved verses of the Kurau
in such a manner as could not be done even on wax ascending
;

so high that you would think the Kuran was going up to heaven
and again descending, in anotlier line, so low that you would
think it was coming down from heaven he goes on to add
that the “ whole work was completed Irom top to bottom.”
Of those lofty pillars nothing remains above ground. Mr.
Thomas believes that these are the existing arches of the
mosque, but General Cunningh.am sucee^sfully maintains that
the latter belong to the time of Qutb-uddin and AltamGr, and
although in my opinion General Cunningham is hardly justified
in his remark tiuit Amir Kliusrau rnn.-t have referred to the
engraved lines of Tughra on the ’Alai Gate which ascend
and descend in the same wav as those on tho great arches
of the mosoue,” I believe that ’Ala-uddin’s “ eig'ht arches’
54 THE ’aLAI DARWAZA, OR THE GATE OF *ALA-t7DT)IN’ KHILJI.

stood on the north of Altanish’s northern colonnade. Mr.

Beglar’s excavations on that side of the mosque have exposed the
remains ot walls of great thickness, which were a prolongation
of the western wall of Altainsh’s addition ; these walls are com-
pletely hidden by the jungle, although in some places they
stand fully ten feet above the pre&ent ground level. The
foundation of six arch-ways have been discovered in
this’Avall, and, for aught we know to the contrary, there
might have been eight arches in the wall, and the ruins appear
to me
to belong to the arches to which mir Khusrau refersA
in his discription. I must also notice here that a line,
drawn from the unfinished Alindr of ’Ala-uddm, would divide
the line of ’Ala-uddin’s arches as described by me into two
equal parts.*

The Darwaza, or the Gate of ’Ala-tiddin Khilji

’Alai
—
This superb domed gateway was built by ’Ala-uddm Khilji,
and is declared by General Cunningham to be “ the most beau-
tifulspecimen ot Pathan architecture that I have seen,”
while Fergusson remarks, that it “ displays the Pathan
style at its period of greatest perfection when the Hindu
masons had learned to fit their exquisite style of decora-
tion to the forms of their foreign masters.” This gateway is
in the south cloister of ’Ala-uddin’s extension, a little beyond
the line of that of Altamsh’s, and was probably the city
gate of the mosque. The date of the building is given
on the eastern, western, and southern doors of the gateway:
“ On the 15th day of Shavval, 710,” (A.D. The
1310.)
building is a square of 341 feet inside and 5Gi feet outside,
the walls being 11 feet thick; from the inner floor to the
domed ceiling, it is about 47 feet high. The mode in which

Caiiipbell, to 'whom I have already so often referred, thus distinguishes

we work of Altinash from that of ’Ala-uddin in the former the stone is discoloured
;

^ plain course runs along the outer wall just beloiv the spriu>dao’ wall
£
of the window arches ; in the latter the stone has
a fresh look about it, and the
spring course is omitted. The windows in the former
are covered with lintels
restin" on corbels, a false horizontal arch being recessed
on the centre fac-e those
;
rn the latter, have regular arches with voussoirs
running through° the whole thickness
of the wall.
Whilst Qutb-uddln and Altamsh h.ad to rely for the details of the design
and their constnictioii to Hindu workmen, 'Ala-uddin was iudeuendent of them
i ^ Muhammadan
 —

THE ’aLAI DARWAZA, OR THE GATE OP ’aLA-EDDIX KHILJI.

the square plan of the building is changed into an octagon

which supports the dome, “ is more simply elegant and appro-
priate,” says Fergusson “than any other example I am
acquainted with in India the corners are ornamented with
a series of arched niches which cut off the angles of the square.
On each side of the gateway there is a lofty door, but the
doors in the eastern and western sides of the building are
low^r than those in its northern apd southern sides. On
the southern side the building has V. plintli^'TeryTiTreaj-ly
ten feet high, with seven steps in the pentri' leading
into it. The door ways are most elaboratelfy ornamented ;

each door is formed by a pointed horse shoe artfh, of which the

outer edge is panelled ; the inner edge, whijbh goes a few
inches deeper into the arch, is decorated xrith stone spear
heads ; the arch springs from slender ornainoiited pillars
with plain imposts. The outer lace ol the arch, as
W'ell as the inner arch, which is formed after a recess of four

inches, and the rectangular bands which eiiclo.^e the arched

doorways, bear inscriptions which in some irlaces have been
injured by time.’'’ The whole face of the Iruildiiig is elabo-
rately ornamented with delicate chissehng i J which not the
least attractive features are the band.s ot inscription. On each
side of the doorway there are two windows, about a third ot
its size but of the same shape and style Tii|.'se windows are
;

covered with marble screens of lattice work the off windows

ij

are a little smaller than the near one-; and tbtir lattice wau’k is
closer and finer. .A-bove these windo\\s, the wad is decorated
with small ornamental false arches m
panels, which from a dis-^

tance have the appearance of small windows in groiqi- of

the English ti.iUsUtion of the in.-.cr;pt ion, on the dooi-s u£
• The following is

the gateway ;

Of that on the western door :

phis [wi-h.jJ] to
When the Alniightv, great is his gre.itness, and exalted of the D.pne [hej
of Faith and to raise the banuer.s
revive the observances
elect-’dlfor that purpose] the
Lord of the world ; so that the foandat ion of tip faith
e\ ory
of Muhaminail nii.y he
strengthened [more and more] everv nimnem, pid tha
get [m-are and inop] him For
moment the found.C on of the haw of Ahmad may
of his goveruim.pt [the king] ouud- nia^ji-L
for
the perpetuation of his kingdom and
who alone is the l ieservp- verily
worship according to the command of him :

"-to knows him .. AhiU Muzaliar Muhammad

Tp hidiC^^
.

the Khelifat, ally of the Amir-nl-Momenin, u.av God

ShAh Sdtim rinhtarm of Eesiirrection. [that he may exalt the
nerpetuate his kingdom to the day of j

preserve him I mg. [that he m.a] .-liread

foundation of the ALaajids of Islam, and The
in the year 710 [Uijn]
Scfrover tVe worl^ On the 15th of Shavval Mustofa [in di^onu] ( )
and the Lord over Princes like into
.

Hazrat ;
merciful
humbly submitting to the command of God ; the chosen by the mercy of the ;

(a) One of the titles of Muhammad.

 —

66 THE ALAI DARWAZA, Of THE GATE Of ALA-GDDlN KHILJI.

fours, thetwo vertical arches of each group, being enclosed in

oblong marble bands. The rectangular bands of red sand-
stone and marble which enclose the arches of the windows,
and the small false arches above them, are covered with
verses from the Quran and the Hadis of Muhammad artis-
tically engraved. The spandrel, as usual, is a mass of fret
work, wreaths and ornamental bosses in red sand stone. The
upper portion of the southern face of the gateway was repaired
by Major Smith, but no attempt was made to restore the
stone ornaments. The interior walls of the gateway are pro-
fusely decorated with the most perfect specimens of elaborate
carvings the chequered pattern is simply elegant, or as
;

Fergusson calls it, “of unrivalled excellence.” The large dome

is remarkably plain Fergusson considers it “ by no means
;

great in the world and in faith the redresser of laMm and the Moslemin the giver
; ;

of honor to kings and princes firm with the help of the merciful Abril Muaaffar
;

Muhammad Shdh Sultfin, second Sekander [Alexander the Great] right arm of the
;

Kheldfat, ally of the Amir-ul-Momenin, may God perpetuate his kingdom the :

foundation of this at^icious [place] for the Sunnath Jamd’ath was built by him.
^
*
Thia Masjid, which is as familiar to the lips of mankind as the Baith-nl-m’amiir
[a shrine in heaven] with pure faith [which faith] is according to the command
[of God] ; he of the exalted Presence ; Lord over the kings of the world
;

great in the world and in Faith ; king of land . .. helped with the help
of God : Abril Muzaffar Muhammad Shdh Sultan, the right arm of KhelAfat,
ally of the Amir-ul-Momenin, may God preserve hia kingdom to the day of
Faith [Resurrection],
Of that on the Southern doorwav :

By the grace of the unequalled God, and with the help of the giver of this
command verily the foundation of a mosque is laid iu piety. Great is
,
his command
and his pi-estige, countless are his justice and peace. According to the Hadis
of him [Miiliamm.ad] who was commanded to, “ turn your face
to the Masjid of
dignity” [the Kiabali] Muhammad, the messenger of God, to him
be greeting as it is ;
by him, he who builds a mosque for God, God has buill: a simiTar hou&e
for him in Paradise ;’ he of the exalted Presence Lord of the kings of the
;
world ; JEmperor, like Moses in -splendour, like Solomon in dignity
; protector of the
commands of tl.e law of Muhammad ; helper of the observances of
the religion of
Ahmad strengtheuer of the pulpits of place of learning and religion stren^hener
;
;
"”1 of worahip ; increaser of the foundation of the
rastoms of Musalmans ; builder of the foundations of
the faith of N’oman [Abii
Hanifah] uprooter of the roots of evil doers the
;
; cutter of the branches of
the observances of infidels; destroyer of the
foundations of places of idolatry
and the exalter of the foundations of the Masjid of Islam the ;plac^
of infidels and benefactor of ^ the
FaPMul
±anhtul Tnroof^
•
of 'evV
ujirooter “of evil doers
rl
from the face of the earth conaueror of
•
strong forts; conqueror of cities with stronv foundations. .^oii- *i:
strength of the merciful God
^X
’
Abiil Muzaffar Mutammad Shah
:

arm of Khelafat ; revealer of the faith^ SMtan the right

of
m.ay God increase the shadow of his dignity on
t^ Sads of a
Faith [^unection] [he] biiUt this Masjid, the
!
MasjiM Jaiffa of thi*s
the faith of men of piety ; the place of a4emW v of iL
the place of the presence of the souls of the Chief ’
famous tfel

’Ala-uddunid-uddin, suggesting the name oi Sultan ’Ala-uddm.

 THE ALAI DARWAZA, OR THE GATE OE ALA-TJDDIN KHILJI. 57

worthy of the substructure,” but its interior view is by

no
means disagreeable, its plainness notwithstanding from outside, ;

the dome looks rather low. The outer walls of the gateway
were crowned with a battlemonted parapet that on the ;

southern wall was removed during Major Smith’s repairs.

1827 when Major Burt visited the gateway, he

In
described it as in “a state of dilapidation and destruction”
and prophesied that “none of it will stand two years later it
was repaired by Major Smith, as already stated.

Hazrat ;
king of the Kings of the worhl great in the world and in Faith
; ;

exalted by a victorious army Abul JMuzalf.ir iluhammud Shiih Sultan ri'dit

;

arm of Khelafat ally of the Aim'r-ul-Momeuiu

; may God increase the shadow
;

of his kingdom on the heads of mankind to the day of Faith [Resnriection]

!

this mosque has this quality, that whoever h.as entered it, has acquired
Salvation . . thi.s mosque the extent and the height of which are as
.

well known as those of B.dt-ul-Mokaddas [or] rather it is a second Bait-ul-

m’amur, the exalted Hazrat, the Lord the ditfuser of grace and the giver of plenty
;
;

helped with the help of the Kin<g of Benevolence great in the world and in Faith
;
;
the conqueror Abul Muzaffar Muhammad Sli.ih Sultan the right arm of Khelafat
; ;
•

ally of the Amfr-ul-Momenin, may God preserve the shadow of his glory to the day
of Faith [Resurrection] was built [by him] with pure faith and good intentions.

On the Eastern doorway :

The building and the foundation of this eminent edifice

of this noble house
was in the reign and during the kingship of the IjOrd of the Kings of the world ;
[a] king like Darius ; king of perfect justice abounding in benevolence
; emperor full ;

of goodness, who has his orders obeyed ; exalter of the pulpits of I-liiin reviver ;

of the strength of the commandments [of God) builder of pulpits and of mnsjids for
;

worship ; exalter of the foumlation of places of w-u-vhip ; founder of the ciiiei

for the guide [to Faith]; deWroyer of the oouiitries of ptidf . . .

the throne of royalty e.xpouuder of the laws o:' the Holy War; the clucidator
;

of the arguments of the Ijteli.id ; admiuisirator of cuuniiies . . ,

Kings; exalter of the found, diou of the arches of the iiiilpitn of Ll.iin ;
destroyer of the foundations of the place of worship of id ds foiiuder of th” rules
;

of charity ; the destroyer of drliikiug-houses ; King, conquer ^r of c 'Un; ic.s ah alow i

;

of the mercy of God; heliied xvith the help of Go<l Ahiil .Miiz,iiiet Muham-
:

mad Shah Sultan, right arm of Khehifat ; ally of the Am'r-uI-Moinein'n ; may God
preserve his kingdom [that he may coutinue] to build isjids. an help his kingdom1

[that be may continue to] light up places of wor.shi|) ; .iiid pre-erve limi [in] his
kingdom, and his rule to the end of the xvorld, as loiu' as this oH/m; is read
[in the world] Pure is the Almighty who [niadel his .s rvant travel in one night
:

from the Sacred Ma.sjid [Ka’liah] to the Alasjid-ul-as.s.i [the Teniol.' of Jenisahuu] ;

. . . By the order of the elect of the luercirul, the ll.iziat ; conqUfror

of the countries of the world ; King like Solomon ; 'er iii the world and
in F’aith ; redresser of Islam ajid the Mosleniin ; giver of honor to Kings
and Princes ; the collector of the foundations of goodne.-s of ...
the intidels ; exalter of the arches and of pulpits, Ahiil Muzaffar Muhammad
Shah Sultau, right arm of Khelafat, ally of the .Am'r-iil-Monieiifu. May God
preserve his Kingdom to the day of the Assembly [Resuriectioii] [he] built this I

famous Masjid . . this famous Jum'a Masjid

. ...
by order of the elect
of the merciful the Hazrat ; the Sekandar [Alexander the Great] of his reign and
of his time ; great in the world and in the faith ; King of the Kings of the world ;
companion of the moon . . Abiil Muzaffar
. Muhammad Shah Sultan,
right arm of Khelafat ; manifeater of mercy and justice, ally of the Amfr-ul-
Momenln.
 58 QUTB MINAK.

Qutb MiTiflT . —The controversy which has for some time

been carried on by two parties, one of whom ascribed this magni-
ficent pillar to the Hindus and the other to the Muhammadmis,
may be said to have been brought to an end, and the better
opinion is decidedly in favor of the Muhammadan origin of
the Minar. General Cunningham’s arguments in favor of this
view of the question are unanswerable, but I am unwilling to
reiterate them, as the general accord of opinion on the subject
leaves no necessity for such a course. I am tempted, w
however, to quote the remarks of Nawab Zia-uddm of Laharu, |
in a paper read to the Archaeological Society of Delhi about g
25 years ago; after adducing historical proofs in support of
“No
^
the Muhammadan origin of the Minar, he concludes
stronger proof can be adduced, except, the builder were to
:
^
rise from the dead and attest his own work on oath,”

This Minar is a tapering shaft, 23t feetand^ l inch high, %

with a base diameter of 47 feet and 3 mHies, and an upper
diameter of 9 feet, divided into five storeys or balconies and
'
decorated with ornamental bands.

The base of the Minar- is a poh^gon of 24 sides, each side

‘

measuring 6 six feet 1^ inches, standing on a plinth about 2 feet

from tbe ground, from which to the base of the dismantled cupola
of Fi'roz Shah Tugfilaq, the Minar is 238 feef and 1 in ch high. ;

The basement storey is 94 feet 11 incbes^higli it is built of fine

;

red sand stone and is a polygon of 24 sides like the base the ;

faces of w'hich are formed by alternate angular and semi-

circular flutes, the shaft being decorated with six ornamental
bands. General Cunningham happily remarks, that “ the
history of the Qutb Minar is written in its inscriptions.” The
lowest band w^hich has been much injured by time and
“ignorant restoration,” I have carefully examined, but I
have not been able to add to the information which Syud
Ahmed Kluin has furnished on the subject, nor have I been
able to verify his reading. According to him the inscription
runs as follows ; — '

“ Amir of Amirs, Commandervin-Chief, the glorious, the Chief

in the State, Qutb.”

The next band contains the name and praises of Mu-

In repairing the bauds containing the inscriptions, much
damage has been
done to the lecord ; letters have been misplaced or altered ; in
some daces the
ongmal letters have been badl/ imitated, and the sense has been lef
t d^b§ul
 — — —
QCTB MlNAH. 59

liammad Bin Sam, better known to history as Muhammad

Ghori :

The great King the exalted Emperor ; Master of the necks of the
;

people Lord cf the Kings ot Arabia and ’Ajm ;* sustaining the Kings
;

of the world great in the world and in faith ; the redresser of Islam and
;

the Moselmin; the Crown of Kings and Princes the spreader of justice ;

and peace in the two worlds ; the shadow of God from one corner [ of
the world ] to the other ; the shepherd of God’s servants the defender ;

of the countries of God ; the helped from the sky; the conqueror of his
enemies ; great among the conquering powers great among the people ;

of Light ; the firmament of the creed of the Pure ; the King of land and
water ; the refuge of the countries of the Earth the revealer of the ,

glorious words of God ; a second Alexander Abul Muzaffar, Muhammad :

Bin Sam, ally of the Amir-ul-Momenin, maj God perpetuate his reign
and his kingdom, and exalt his power and his prestige !

The third band contains a verse from the Quran ;

The fourth band contains the following inscription :

The great King the exalted Emperor master of the necks of the
; ;

people Lord of the Kings of Arabia and ’Ajm King of the Kings of
; ;

the earth redresser of the world and faith ; a glory to Islam and the
;

Moslemin ; reviver of justice in the world ; great among the conquering

powers the firmament of the creed of the Pure great among the people
; ;

of Light bright star of Sovereignty ; spreader of peace and mercy in

;

both the worlds ; shadow of God from one corner [ of the world ] to the
other defender of the countries of God
;
shepherd of the servants of ;

God the refuge of the countries of the earth the revealer of the
; ;

glorious words of God Abfil Muzaffar Muhammad Bin Sam ally

:
;

of the Amir-ul-Momenln, may God perpetuate his kingdom !

The fifth band contains the ninety-nine Arabic names

of the Almighty.

The sixth band contains some verses from the Quran.

On the entrance doorway of this storey is the follow-

ing inscription ;

The Prophet, on whom be God’s blessing and peace, says; He

who builds a mosque for God, God will build for him a similar
place in Paradise. This auspicious Minar — of the Hazrat King ;

of Kings the sun of the world and of faith ot [those who have
; ;

received] mercy and forgiveness; may God make his dust sacred may ;

Paradise be appointed his place of repose was injured. In the reign of —

the great, the illustrious, and the exalted Sekandar Shah, the son of

* Although generally translated aa Persia, the 'Ajm applies to all countries Dot
included in Arabia,
 ; —
60 , QUTB MINAB.

Bahlol Shab, Sultan, may God perpetuate his reign and his kingdom,
and exalt his power and prestige, [and] [also] under the superintendence of
Fateh Khdn, the son of Masnad All, Khevas Khan, Jona, the dome and
the breaches of the upper storeys which required repair were repaired,
on the new moon of !^bi-ul-sani, 909 [ 1503 A. D. ]

Near the doorway, there is also another inscription to

which I shall have hereafter to refer, and which has also
evidential importance in reference to the date of this portion of
the Mindr
Fazl, son of Abtil Ma’dli, was the Mutawali of this Minar.*

is surmounted by a pro-
The top of the basement storey
jecting gallery, encircling the tower, supported by large
stone brackets, decorated with honey-comb work, the finish
and elaboration of which is not surpassed by any thing of its
kind in Delhi.t The balustrade round this gallery is 3^ feet
high ; like the balustrades of the other four storeys, it is the
work of Major Smith ; the original balustrades, which were
battlements, were removed and the present “ flimsy style of
garden-house architecture” was substituted in their place. "That
they are not in keeping with the massive elaboration of
the brackets which supports them, will be evident to the
most uninitiated eye.

The second storey, which is 50 feet inches high, is

decorated with semi-circular flutes crossed with two bands of
inscriptions. The upper band contains verses from the Qurdn,
and the lower, the following in praise of Altamsh :

* This doorway was twice repaired, since the British occupation of Delhi in
1803 ;the first time in 1829, by Major B, Smith of the Engineers, and again
in 1873, when the doorway was renewed, the entrance repaired, the basement
floor raised and flagged under the auperriaion of Mr. J. H. Lyons,
the Executive
Engineer of Delhi.
General Cunningham justly complains of the alteration made by Major
Smith. Instead of adhering to the original design— which by the way, Major
Smith purposed doing, as in hia remarks on the “ Bootub Repairs,” he endeavoured
“to assimilate the repairs as much ai possible with the old work,”—
in this instance, at least, he “ improved (the doorway) with new mouldings, frieze
and repair of the inscription tablet.”
i" According to General Cunningham, “ these decorations seem to
be purely
Hindu, and just such as may be seen in the honey-comb enrichments of the domes
of most of the old Hindu temples.” (Archoedogical Reports, Ist
Vol 190) Mr
Campbell, who has written little on Delhi, but whatever he has written is so well
worth study, remarks that “ the honey-comb work under the balconies of the same
fracture (the Mmar) diflers mno perceptible degree from that in the Alhambra at
Granada. Jowaal of the Asiatic dociety of Bengal, Vol, 35, part I, page 201.
 QUTB MINAR. 61

The great King ; the exalted Emperor ; master of the necks of the
people; the pride of the Kings of Arabia and ’Ajm God’s shadow on ;

earth ; the sun of the world and of faith ; redresser of Islam and the
Moslemin the crown of Kings and Princes
;
the spreader of justice ;

among mankind ; great among the conquering powers ; the light of the
people of light ; the helped from the sky ; the conqueror of his enemies ;
the bright star of the firmament of sovereignty the spreader of justice ;

and mercy ; the refuge of the countries of the earth ; the revealer of the
glorious words of God Abut Muzaffar Altamsh, Sultan, ally of the
:

Amlr-ul-Momenin, may God perpetuate his country and his reign, and
exalt his authority and his prestige !

On
the doorway, with its
“ arrow battlements,”
a pecu- —
liarity which is also noticed in the third storey, occurs the —
following inscription ;

The completion of this building was ordered by the helped from

the sky ;
the sun of truth and faith : Altamsh, Sultan, defender of the
F aithful.
The top of the second storey is also surmounted, like that
of thefirst, by a gallery which goes round the pillar, with the

same offensive three and a half feet high balustrade of Major

Smith’s construction. The brackets which support the gallery
are not so massive as those of the basement storey, but are
just as elaborately decorated.

The third storey, which

is 40 feet 9| inches high, is cased

in angular fluting, ornamented with two bands the

and is ;

upper band contains a scroll, and the lower the following ins-
cription :

Thegreat King ; the exalted Emperor; master of the necks of the

people ; chief amongst the Kings of Arabia and ’Ajm; King of the
Kings of the earth ; the protector of the countries of the world ; the
helper of God’s servants conqueror of liis enemies the helped from the
; ;

sky ; the crown of Islam and the Moslemin ; the redresser of Kings and
Princes protector of the countries of God
;
shepherd of God’s people ; ;

the right arm of soveroigiiiy spreader of mercy and justice

;
Abul ;

Muzaffar Altamsh, Sultan, ally of the Amir-ul-Moinenin ; may God

preserve his kingdom and his reign and exalt his power and prestige !

On the door of this storey occurs the following inscrip-

tion ;

The great King the exalted Emperor ; master of the necks of the
;

people last of the Kings of Arabia and ’Ajm ; the helped from the sky ;
;

the conqueror of his enemies ; King of God’s earth the protector of ;

God’s countries and helper of God’s servants ; the refuge of God’s coun-
 —
62 QtTS MtNAB

tries ; the revealer of the glorious words of God ; the terror of the
conquering powers ; the administrator of the faith and of light ; bright
star of the world and of faith ; redresser of Islam and of the Moslemin
;

God’s shadow among mankind ; crown of the people and of sovereignty ;

master of justice and mercy ; King of Kings.

On one side of the door, the inscription gives the name

of the architect ;

This building was completed during the superintendency of the

slave and sinner, Muhammad Amir Koh.*

The top of the third storey is stfrrounded by a gallery

and balustrade like those of the second storey ; but the balus-
trade is only three feet high.

_
The shaft of the fourth storey, which is 24 feet and 4 inches,
is high, round, devoid of flutings and is faced with marble and
insome places with red sand stone ; it is decorated with four
ornamental bands, one of which bears the following inscrip-

exalted Emperor master of the necks of

;
the TOople chief among the Kings of Arabia and
, ’
Ajra ;
King of
protector of the countries of the
servants; the conqueror of his enemies
;

Princes ; protector of the countries

Shenherd of God of God and
shepherd s servants the right arm of sovereicrntv
;
spreader of
•

ally of the Ariiir^l-Lmenin

mfv GoT'? ;
'^eign, and increase his authority
and Ss prSg^

inscription on the door contains an order of

Altamsh : —
the age and the reign of the great Kincr;

JSLr of
SXvof
the£7ofth^t“
^ the Moslemin; master of
chief among the
;

the world and laith;

peace and bounty;
 QUTB MINAR. 63

The balcony on the top of this storey is slight in

structure ; the balustrade is three feet high.

The fifth or the last storey is 22 feet and 4 inches high,

the shaft is circular and is decorated with ornamental bands
of marble and red stone on the top of it there is an iron
;

railing fixed with iron cramp and lead, with brass kerb set on
the railing. On the door is the following inscription :

This Mitiar was iniured by lightning in the months of the year

770. [Hijrl 1368 A. D.] Firoz [Shah Tughiaq] Sultan, with the grace
;

of the Protector; the elect by the mercy of the Pure, repaired this build-
ing with great care. May the Unknown Creator preserve this building
from all dangers.*

General Cunningham gives the purport of the two

Nagri inscriptions in this storey the first inscription consists
;

of two lines, and is dated in the Samwat 1425 [A.

D. 1368,^ in the reign of Piroj Shah, or Firoz Shdh,'
Tughiaq. The second inscriptioil is found on the south jamb |

of the doorway, cut partly in the white marble and partly ini
the red sand stone ; this also gives the name of Firoz Shah,
j

but the Sam vat is 1426. General Cunningham considers this i

''

inscription a very important one, but it was not easily read.

“ I can make out,” says be, “ the words Sri Visiva Karma
'

prasade ruchita, and tow'ards the end I find the title silpi or
“ Architect,” applied to the son of Chahada Deva Pala named
Nana Salha, who repaired the Mindr.” In the middle of this
inscription there are five numbers given in figures.

The cupola of Firoz Shah which was in existence in 1794,

added 12 feet and 10 inches to the height of the Mindr.
In 1803, it was thrown down by an earthquake, but I have not
been able to procure a sketch of the pillar old enough to give
me an idea of what the cupola was like. In 1829, the
report of the Committee which assembled at Delhi to examine
the repairs done to the Qutb Mindr preserved the history, so
far as it can be known, of the cupola and of the “ grotesque
ornament,” which Major Smith substituted in its place.
The cupola is said to have been, in the form of a harp,
“ I have ” says Major Smith, ‘‘ neither adopted the very
extraordinary superstructure which covered the top of the

The stump of Ffroz Shdh’s cupola, about 2 feet high, ptauda on the fifth storey.
 »

64 qctb minab.

pillar ; nor have I followed the plain square top on four stone
pillars which some of the oldest inhabitants about the Kootub
state it to have been told them, w'as on it.”

Major Smith’s additions to the Minar are described by

him and seventh storeys. The former consisted of
as its sixth
a red sand stone dome, supported “by an enriched cornice,” on
eight stone fluted pillars, each 6 J feet in height, with a 3 feet
high red-stone railing and a parapet of spear head blocks of
the same material. His seventh storey was less pretentious ;

it was “a pavilion of sissoo wood, supporting the flag staff

the carved pillars of the pavilion were 8 feet in length and
the flag staff was of “ saul wood, 35 feet in length.”

In 1848, by the order of Lord Hardinge, the “grotesque

ornament was removed from the top of the Minar and
’

pitched on tha small mound where it now stands, bereft

of its flag staff!

The first three storeys are built entirely of red sand stone,
though not evenly of the same colour in the first and the ;

second, the stones are pinkish buff, and in the third,

dark-red. The shafts of the upper two stories are incased
in marble and red sand stone, although the former is the
preponderating material, ffhis distinction is just as re-
markable as in the spiral staircase inside it : in the
lower stories, the central pillar and the steps round
itare made of granite; the steps are carried
upon corbels projec-
tinw from the walls, the doorways and the opeiiino's for light
and have Hindu horizontal arches in the two°uppermost
air
;
storeys the central pillar, the inner wnalls
and the steps are made
of red sand ^one, the steps have no
corbels, and the arches have
voussoira. That the fourth storey was altered and re-built, or
as Mr. Campbell has it, “ newly
designed,” by Firoz Shah, is
evident from the style of the work,
although he used the
doorway of Altamsh and retained its
inscription.! The
"W iiGxv (iovibt wixs Ctist on tlic clioiop of smol. 01+^ f ^
staff, Majbr Smith, among other things, apfaled =
to me nmg ot llelhi’s approbation
t e
of his work “Tie kino- Koo
Tisits atrhe Lat conveyi^To^e^rhrouXL&ml^l^^'^i Tif deliberate
Majesty’s satisfaetiou at the work as it stands ° Guards, His
com'pleW.
+ To the readers of Abiilfeda, there can he 00 rlnnKi-
Campbell’s opinion. A bdlfeda, describes
long before the repairs of Ffroz Shdh
the Mindr^nl
as contiii,iT„y aca
that is fto say
steps, we must take 21 steps from "P
the fifth storev
the fourth Btoreyof the
Wasitstoodinth^^^^
 QUTB MINAR. 65

difference between the three lower and the two upper storeys
of the Minar is so marked, as to preclude the possibility of
O the work of the same builder or of the same aQfe.
their bein^ O
The spiral staircase consists of 379 steps, 3 of which
belong to Major Smith’s pavilion. Tt is amusing, however,
to notice the discrepancies which exist in the reckonings of these
steps by some remarkably intelligent men, who visited the
Minar and must have examined the place with care Thorn :

makes out 345 steps Franklin, 308 Von Orlich, 383 Syud
; ; ;

Ahmed Khan 388 while visitors of less note are not more
;

precise.

The Minar was never more than five storeys high ; in

1300 A.D., the work of Altamsh had been completed, and the
Minar is said to have had then 3G0 steps this number would ;

carry us into the 21st step of the fifth storey. Sixty-eight years
later, 1368 A. D., when the Minar was struck by light-
ning and repaired by Firoz Shah, he appears to have re-built
both the fourth and the fifth storeys, although in the case of
the former he retained the doorway and inscription of the older
shafts and, as stated by the King himself, he “raised it higher”
by surmounting it with a cupola. Syud Ahmed Khan does
“ Haft Manzan',
not give his authority for calling the Minar
—seven storeyed— it never was, in my opinion, more than five
storey high, although Firoz Shah added to the height of
the pillar.

regards the founders of the IMindr, there cannot now

As
be any difierence of opinion. 1 have very good reason to
believe that Qutb-uddin Aibek wa.sthe founder of the basement
storey fir-stly, the inscriptions on it undeniably contain the
:

name of Ids suzerain, -Muhammad (Ihori according to Syud ;

Ahmed Khan, they also contain the name of Qutb-uddin him-

self, and lastlv, they record the important fact that Fazl, son of
Abul Ma’ali, was the }Iutmrali of the IMinar we have already- ;

seen, that he wns also the 3lutmrali of the Quvval-ut-lslam

mosque in the reign of Qutb-uddin. Mr. Campbell remarks
that the position of the Minar as the Maznah of Qutb-uddin’s
"
mosque is not out of place.

Abulfeda, in his Tdriih MuJchtasar, calls it “ the Maznah of the

Juraa [Masjid]
of Delhi.” [
A Maznah is a minaret or a tower on or near a mosque whence the
crier summons the faithful to prayer. ]
66 QCTB MINAR.

I attach no importance to the fact that Abulfeda,

Shams-i-Sirdj and Ami'r Khusrau ascrib.e this pillar to
Altamsh ; it was not an unusual practice in this country,
certainly not unusual at Delhi, to name a building'
after one who had repaired, altered or added to it, but in the
case of the Qutb Mindr, a popular and erroneous description
of its founder cannot be allowed to over-ride the evidential
force of the contemporary records which the column itself
bears.* The inscription of Altamsh on the door of the
second storey, ordering the completion of the building,
is also a proof that he did not commence it. On the other
hand, the inscription on the door of the fourth storey which —
contradicts the earlier inscription on the door of the second
—
storey makes out Altamsh to be the founder of the Mindr,
and so does the most recent inscription of all, that of Sekandar
Lodi, on the door of the basement storey. As regards the
first of these inscriptions —
that on the doorway of the
third storey —
there can be no better solution of the discrepancy
between that and the inscription on the second doorway
than that suggested by General Cunningham that the —
former referred only to the fourth storey and not to
the whole column ; as regards the Lodi inscription, 1 think
the mistake is due to the error of the earlier inscription,
which it repeats. I am, therefore, satisfied with the evidence
which allots the basement storey of the Mindr to Qutb-
uddin Aibek, and the rest of it to Shams-uddin Altamsh
not forgetting the alteration made by Firoz Shah. The date
of the commencement and completion of the building of the
Mindr as it stands at present, may be said to extend over a
space of 21 years from A. D. 1200 to A. D. 1220.t
:

* it “the Minar of Sultan Mu’iz-uddln Sam” in Futfihdt-i-

rv TIT?
^rozShanp -AuA Ibn Batuta states that “ the Minar
was built by Muiz-zuddfn
Kai Qubdd,” •'

^ entirely dissent from General Cunningham’s

opinion in favor ’Ala-uddi'n
TTk-r
Bhihi,
'
whom he calls ‘ a new claimant.” He quotes the following fromofthe Tdrikh-
(’Ala-uddin) also “ directed that a new casing and cupola
c'd ni 1 added to the old one, ’ and then General Cunningham
f
adds “ that the whole
‘i
1*°“? facing was added by ’Ala-uddin Khiljf,” and that “
«1 f the design
Aibek.” I am also aware of the fact that
’Ala-uddin Khiljl,” but those who have studied
tli^cL. inter of 'af" a}! have read his interminable inscriptions in the ’Alai
Harwazah would hardly believe, that if he had
re-covered the Minkr, he would have
renewed Its older inscriptions without placing
pillar, as itoccurs so often in the
Harwich
his own name aomewnere
’Alai.
somewhere on tL
tnis
 ;

TfiE tTNUNlSHEb MllJAft. 67

The Unfinished Minar. — This is the last object of

interest in theMasjid Quvvat-ul-Isl&,m it stands at a;

distiince of about a quarter of a mile from the Minkr of

Aibek. Amir Khusrau thus describes the projected Minar
of ’Ald-uddi'n Khilji He then resolved to make a
:
“
pair to the lofty Minar of the Jam ’a Masjid, which
Minar was then the single (celebrated) one of the time,
and to raise it so high that it could not be exceeded.
* * He ordered the circumference of the new Minar
to
be made double that of the old one, and to make it higher
in the same propoition.”* As a Native Historian tenderly
puts it, “ his days did not help him the King finished his
;

life before he could complete his design.” The Minar,

as it now stands, has more the appearance of an unfinished
than of a ruined building. It was designed after the Qutb
.Mhiitr, and is the skeleton of what would have been a
grand column covered with elaborate flutings. It is un-
necessary to speculate as to the probable character of its
casing, but the necessity for it is evident at first sight.
The outer wall is divided into 32 faces of 8 feet
each, and the whole column is not inappropriately des-
cribed by General Cunningham, as “being exactly like a
gigantic cogwheel.” It is built of rough grey stone, on a
plinth about 4^^ feet in width and the same in height
the plinth itself stands on a terrace about 7^ feet in
height, and about 22 feet in breudth. The unfinished
column, according to General Cunningham, is 257 feet
in circumference according to my measurement, it is 254
;

feet in circumference, and according to Franklin, who

visited the Minar over 80 years ago, 252 feet; the thick-
ness of the outer wall is about 19 feet, and the whole
column, inclusive of the plinth, is about 80 feet high. The
central column, round which steps were to have been
built, is 2G feet in diameter ; and the passage which
was intended to hold the steps, is 9 feet 9 inches wide. The
Minar was commenced in 1311 A. D., but was abandoned
on the death of ’Ala-uddln Khiljf.
Such was the famous Masjid Quvvat-ul-Islam. It was
builtby Qutb-uddfn Aibek, who “ adorned it with the stones
and gold obtained from temples, which had been demolished

• Elliot’s Uiitory of India, Vol.

3, p. 70.
 v

68 HAUa SHAMSI, OR THS TANK OF SHAMS-T7DDIN ALTAMSfl.

by elephants.” In the front ot this mosque, Shams-uddln

Altamsh placed, “in an ignotninioun position, ” the statue of
Vikrarndditya, which he had brought from the temple of
Mahakal ; and later still ’Ala-uJdin Khilji “ paved the
entrance of the Jam’a Masjid with fragments of the idol of
Somnat for which he had refused a thousand pieces of gold.”*
In 1237, the Masjid wa.« attacked by the " heretics of the city”
of Old Delhi ; and when, during the first three days of
Timiir’s occupation of Delhi, the persecuted Hindus sought
shelter and prepared to defend themselves here, Timdr
attacked the mosque, and the three cities which then consti-
tuted Old Delhi were sacked one after another. When Ibn
Batuta saw the mosque, in the reign of Muhammad Shah
Tuohlaq, he declared that “ it was unequalled in the world
either for its size or beauty. ”t

Hans Shamsi, or the Tank of Shams-uddin Altamsh.—

Khwajah Qutb-uddln Bakhtyar. better known as Qutb bdhib,
was one of the most renowned Muhammadan saints of
India. He was the contemporary of Sultan Shams-uddfn
Altamsh, and was much respected by that monarch. It is
related that ’Ah', the nephew of Muhammad, appeared in a
dream both to the saint and the king, and the former
was called- upon to explain the dream. The King was
advised by Q itb Sahib to build a tank where ’All had’
appeared. The advice was taken, and in the year G27 A. H.
(1229 A. D.) Altamsh built this tank which has ever since,
been known as Hauz Shamsi. The sides of the tank were
built with red sand-stone ;
ot this material, however, nothing
now remuins the tank covers fully a hundred acres of land,
;

but its bed has risen with the accumulations of years, and
it is only during the height of the rainy season that it ever
retains water. In the year 711 A. H. (1311 A. D.) Sul-

* Mr. Beglar discovered two images in black slate in his

exeavatious at the
northern gate of thw mosque.
t “ Even in situation, these ruins [which surround the Masjid] are siufrularl
beautiful, tor they stand on the gent, e slope of a hill, overlook d
in a plain tha't
had once apparently been a lake but which afterwards became the
site of three
successive capitals of the Bast. In front are the ruins of Toghlakabad,
the gigantic
fort of aa old Pathau chief ; and further north the plain is
still covered w1 h thA
rums of Old Delhi, the capital of the late Pathaus and eastern Movhals”
Fero^^!
Wasson eSy
I
 fluvz SHAMSI, OR THE TANK OP SHAMS-UDDIN ALTAMSH. 69

tan ’Ala-uddin Khilji', finding that “ the tank 'was occasion-

ally dry, cleared it out, repaired it, and built a dome in the
middle of it.”*

This dome or pavilion stands on a masonry terrace,

about 2^ feet high and 52 feet square it is built of
;

masonry and is supported by sixteen stone pillars, about 8 feet

high, enclosing an open room 24 feet square. The pavilion is
believed to commemorate a visit of the prophet Muhammad
to the spot, and the print of his horse’s hoofs is supposed
to be in its centre. About two centuries later, Muham-
mad Shah I'ughlaq also repaired the tank “ it had been ;

deprived of water,” says the King, “ by some graceless men

who stopped up the chambers of supply,” the offenders were
punished and the closed up channels were opened for use.t

The Hauz is about a mile from the Iron Pillar, and is sur-
rounded by the graves of Muhammadan saints and warriors and
of other worthies, who had followed them to India. A walk
round the tank takes the visitor over historic grounds over the :

last resting places of men who had devoted themselves to a re-

ligious polity before which the unaggressive but chivalrous
Hindu seldom held his own. It was a proud saying of the
Muhammadan conquerors of Delhi that the bones of a hun-
dred thousand martyrs were the price of their success these ;

martyred warriors were men of stron<g convictions who came

from a distant land under renowned leaders, who had a duty
to perform and had performed it right well. Such was
the spirit of devotion that had consolidated an empire
in India which, although it bad undergone dynastic
changes, continued essentially a foreign government
for a period of over six hundred years Saints
! and wairiors,
poets and preachers, are laid in their graves round the spot
wdiere the Prophet and his nephew bad appeared and by ;

the side of its water stands the Aulfa Ma.sjid where two
of the greatest leaders of religious thought in the Muham-
,

madan world, viz. Mu’ln-uddin Chi'stf and Qutb Sahib, re-

turned thanks to the Almighty for the success which had
attended the arms of the Faithful.|

On the south of the Plauz are the Andherdd Bdgh and the

* TdHih-i-’Aldi. t Tdr'M-i-’Aldi. X FutHh&t-i-Firoz Shdhi.

70 THE TOMB OF STTLTAS OHARl.

burial ground of the Kambohs of Panipat ; and on the east are

the Aulfd Masjid, and the Lai Mahal, otherwise known as the
Jahaj, a house built by some merchant for the comfort of the
Fakirs of the place.* On the west is the tomb of ’Abdul
Haq Dehlawf, the author of Akhhdr-ul-Akhidr, and on the
north is a neglected garden.
During the rains the water of this tank flows down to the
hollow round Tughlakabad.

The Tomb of Sultan —

Gharit. Nasr-uddm Mahm dd
Sb^ was the eldest son of Sultan Shams-uddin Altamsli,
and was Governor of Lakhnauti. “ All the nobles and
gentlemen turned their eyes towards him as the heir of his
father’s kingdom, but the decrees of fate did not accord with
the wishes of the people.” The Prince “ fell sick and died.
When the news of his death reached Delhi, all people were
greatly distressed.”! This event occurred in the year 6:26
AH. (1228 A. D.) during the life time of Altanish, whobrought
the body to Delhi and buried it in the village of Malikpdr,
about three and a half miles to the north-west of the Qutb Mi-
ndr ; three years later, in 629 A. H. (1231 A. D.), he built a
vaulted tomb over it. The ciypt is decidedly pre-Muhamma-
dan, but whether it was built by Hindu workmen or was a
Hindu building appropriated by the Muhammadans, it is not
easy to decide. Strictly religious Mahammadans scout the
,

idea that Altamsh would have buried his son in a chamber

which had been dedicated to idolatrous worship.
The tomb has
the appearance of a fortified square enclo-
sure, built of stone and mortar, and covered with plaster
now black with age. It stands on a high plinth, about 14 feet
from the ground, with a circular tower, surmounted with a

* The Aulfd Masjid deserves more than a passing notice it is situated in

:

an enclosure about 54 feet long and 36 feet broad, the walls of which are remarkably
low, being scarcely 3 feet high in some places. In its westeru wall is the Masjid,
which consists of an arched recess about 6 feet high. In front of the Masjid
are two slabs of s^d-stone which are supposed to mark tlie spots where the two
saints offered their prayers. The western wall of the mosque
was a*'' 0Ut 14 feet
from the dry bed of the Hauz when I visdted the place in February last.
t So named from the vaulted crypt, or Ghdr, in which the Prince is buried.
X Tabaq&t-i-NiUirl.
 :

THE TOMB OF SULTAN GHABI. 71

conical dome, on each corner, and is entered by an arch-

ed gateway in its eastern wall. The gateway stands forward
about three yards from the wall of the enclosure, and about
four feet from its narrow wings, each of which is pierced
with an over-lapping arched window. The gateway is
about 30 feet high and 12 feet wide, but its wings are about
four feet lower. The lower half of the piers of the arch
are of red sand-stone and the upper half of marble ; the
piers and the rectangular bands enclosing the arch are covered
with verses from the Qoran. The plinth, the wings of the
gateway, the walls and the towers are covered with plas-
ter. The entrance is reached by two flights of steps ; the first,
of eight steps, leads to a landing the second, of fourteen steps,
;

takes the visitor into a room about 14 feet from the ground
— through which he enters the court-yard of the tomb.
On either side of the gateway the main wall is pierced with
two over-lapping arched window.s, and at each end of the wall
is a tower with two such openings; the latter are now blocked
up with stones. The whole of this side of the tomb is about
100 feet long. The northern wall of the enclosure is also
covered with plaster it has the usual corner towers,
;
and
the wall is similarly pierced with six overdapping arched win-
dows, which are divided into two groups of three each by a dead
wall, which is a third of the whole length of this side of
the building. The western side of the tomb is like its northern
side, but as the centre of the wall is the western wall
of the mosque inside, it stands a little beyond the lin^
of the rest of the wall. The southern wall of the tomb
is partly injured, and some of its windows are also built
up with stones, but in all other respects it is like the
northern wall.

The inside view of the tomb is more interesting. The

inner door of the arched gateway is profusely ornamented
with scrolls and inscriptions on marble. The inscriptions on
the gateway are to the following effect

“ The order for the construction of this auspicious building was

given by the great King, the exalted Emperor, master of the necks of
the people, the shadow of God over the world ; master of peace . . .
the King of Kings the sun of the world and faith the elect by the mercy
; ;

of the Almighty; Abul Muzafifar Altamsh, Sultan, the ally of the Amlr-
nl-Momenin. May God preserve his country. Abul Fateh Mahmiid.
 ;

72 THE TOMB or SCLTAN GHAW.

May God protect him with his forgiveness, and give him a place in the
gardens of Paradise. In the months of the year 629 [Hijri.]”

Through this doorway the visitor enters a room

which leads to the court-yard ; its flat ceiling is of red
sand-stone, and its walls are coated with marble. What
appear from outside as the wings of the gateway, are the
eastern outer walls of two small rooms, one on either side of
the room last mentioned, but the side rooms have marble floors
and the roofs, which are formed with projecting stones, rest
on groups of four marble pillars each.
As the visitor enters the courtyard, he stands under
a covered colonnade consisting of six stone pilasters and six
pillars about six feet apart. This colonnade does not extend
the whole length of the wall, being only 24 feet long.
On the opposite side, that is, the western wall of the court-
yard, there is a colonnade which runs from the northern to
the southern wall of the enclosure. Both the colonnades
are of fluted pillars. The western colonnade consists of
twelve pilasters ; its roof is raised into a low dome, lined
with projecting rows of carved stone in the Bindu fashion,
and in the centre of the wall is a mosque, consisting of three
arched recesses. On either side of the mosque there is
a marble pilaster ; the rest of the pilasters are of red sand-
stone. In the corresponding row ot twelve pillars, those
which are immediately on either side of the mosque are of
marble, and the rest are of red sand-stone. Beside this colon-
nade, there is a third row of four marble pillars, put
nearer together, forming a sort of small portico on the front
of the mosque. Thus the room of the mosque is enclosed by
seven marble pillars three in front of the arched recesses
:

and two on either side of them the back of the room repre-
;

senting the sacred Kablah. The mosque is a square of ten feet

the roof is a dome of ornamental over-lapping red sand-stone,
supported by an octagon resting on the pillars of the colon-
nade already described. The dome is about 14 feet from the
floor and is covered with mortar. TheMasjid wall is faced
with marble, the arches are also covered with marble and
profusely ornamanted with scrolls of beautiful designs and
verses from the Qordn. The windows in the western wall
are open.

In the centre of the inner southern wall there are pigeon

 the tomb OI' SHAMS-tJDDiN ALTAMSH 78

holes for lamps ; the northern wall has nothing deserving of

notice. The conical masonry domes of the corner towers are
built in the Hindu fashion, with layers of over-lapping
stones. In the centre of this enclosure is the tomb of Nasr-
uddin Mahmiid. It is a flat octagonal vault about 4 feet 7^
inches from the level of the court yard, each of its eight
sides being about 10 feet long and covered with marble ; on
its eastern side seven steps lead to the top of the vault.
To^the south of the vault there is a small door 4^ feet high ;
there is no other opening in the vault for light. Thirteen
steps lead the visitor into an octagonal w^ell, about 25 feet
deep and about 1 8 feet wide, which “ was originally finished
in granite.” Its roof, which is strengthened with fourteen stone
pillars laid on their sides, is supported by 8 double pillars
standing against the wall of the well, and four single pillars
which stand a little way from it. These pillars are of the style
of Altamsh’s work. In each of the eight sides there are two
niches. The graves are made of mortar and stone in the
usual bier style, and are periodically painted with whitewash.
The grave of Nasr-uddfn is near the west wall of the crypt,
and is the largest in size, being about 10 feet long, 7 feet wide
and 4| feet high. There is a smaller grave in the centre of
the crypt, a still smaller one on the left of the second grave,
and at its foot is the grave of a child. The roof of the well is
built of substantial masonry.

—
The tomb of Shams-uddin Altamsh In the year 633
A,H. (1235 A,D.) the most illustrious of the Slave Kings of
Delhi, Shams-uddin Altamsh died, and was buried, out-
side the north-western corner of the Masjid Quvvat-ul-islam.
Syud Ahmed Khdn believes, though on what grounds he
does not state, that this tomb was built by Sultan Raziyah
Begam, the daughter of Altamsh. Mr, Campbell, on the other
hand, is of opinion that it was built in the king’s lifetime ;
he adds that the peculiarities observed in Altamsh’s ex-
tensions of the Masjid Quvvat-ul-islam are repeated here,
and remarks that the reigns of his two immediate suc-
cessors were too short and troubled to have permitted them to
undertake a work of such cost and labour.* General Cunning-
ham has no decided opinion on the subject, but observes
that the tomb is of the same age as the Qutb Minar.
• N»tet on Delhi.
 74 THE TOMB OF SHAMS-CDDIN ALTAMSH.

The tomb consists of a single room, the interior of which

isa square of 29| feet, with walls 7^ feet thick ; its present
height is only 28 feet. It has an arched entrance in its
eastern, northern and southern wails ; the entrance to the
north was closed up with stones, but this temporary obstruc-
tion is already half down. In the western wall ot the tomb
there are three niches which officiate for the mehrdh of a
mosque. The centre niche is 9 feet high and 7^ feet wide ;
the side niches are 5 feet high and about 2^ feet wide.
The three doors are 16 feet high and about 7 feet wide, and
to a depth of about two feet the outer walls are pierced with
false arches. These arches are about 1 feet wide and about 27
feet high. The outer walls of the tomb are faced with sand-
stone, and the inner with red stone, the latter are also or-
namented with marble bands and panels. The entrances are
richly decorated with engravings ot texts from the Qoran and
with scrolls in great variety. The outer arches of the doors,
as already described, are lofty and cut into the face of the
walls ; the lower arches, which are the doors of the tomb,
are about two-thirds the size of the outer, or the false,
arches. On either side of the inner arches are octagonal pil-
lars, tall and slim, and of great beauty, out of which the
arches spring the jambs of the lower arches are covered with
;

inscriptions from the Q>rdu. The inner walls are decorated

with ornaments of exquisite finish and beauty. The centre
niche in the western wall, is ornamented with marble and is
of a richer finish than the rest of the tomb ; the other
niches are faced with red sand-stone. In the corners of the
room are beautifully carved pilasters, like those which sup-
port the false arches of the doors. The monument over the
grave consists of a marble plinth 2i feet high, 14 feet long and
9 feet wide ; on this form is fixed a block of marble, shaped
like a casket,
3^ feet high, 10 feet long and 6 feet -wide.
Over the casket is placed the usual bier-shaped sarcophagus
so common
in Muhammadan burial grounds ; it is about
1|
about 7 feet long and 3 feet wide. The whole
feet high,
monument is 7 feet and 7 inches high.
Fergusson doubts that there was a roof to this tomb to
j
use his own words ^itj “was never completed if ever commen-
ced.” General Cunningham has “good reason to
believe that
it was originally covered by an over-lapping
Hindu dome. A
 —
THE TOMBS OF RUKN-UDDIN FIROZ SHAH, ETC. 75

single stone of one of the over-lapping circles with Arabic

letters on it, still remains.” From the remains on the top of the
southern wall of the tomb, which 1 examined, I am perfectly
satisfied that there was a roof on the tomb. The following
extract from the Fatu-hdt4-Firozshdhi is rather puzzling
“ The columns of the tomb, which had fallen down, I restored
better than they had been before. W
hen the tomb was built,
its court had not been plastered, but I now made it so. I en-
larged the hewn stone staircase of the dome, and I re-erected
the fallen piers of the four towers,” From the above, it
would appear that the tomb had a dome in the centre and a
pavilion on each of its four corners but beyond the ruins
;

over the southern walls, there is nothing to help me

in verifying the description of Sultan Firozshah Tughlaq.
Of this tomb Fergusson writes :
—
“ Though small, it is one of
the richest examples of Hindu art applied to Mahomedan
purposes that Old Delhi affords, and is extremely beautiful,
though the builder still displays a certain degree of inaptness
in fitting the details to their new purposes.” According to
the same authority, it is the oldest tomb in India.

The tombs of Rukn-uddin Fmoz Shah, and Mu’iz-

—
uddin Bahram Shah. Rukn-uddm Firoz Shah was the son
and successor of Altamsh he Avas deposed by his nobles in
;

favor of his sister Kaziyah Begara, and died in prison in 635

A. II. (1237 AD.) and was buried under the walls of the
tomb of Sultan Nasr-uddin Mahmud Shah, his eldest brother
in the village of Malikpur. Five years later, his younger
brother, Bahram Shdh, was buried beside him. Although, ac-
cording to Syud Ahmed Khan, there is an interval of about a
year between the dates of the two tombs, it is perfectly impos-
sible to distinguish the tomb of Rukn-uddin from that of his
brother Bahram Shah, and I have therefore considered it
advisable to describe them together. According to Syud Ah-
med Khan, a tomb was built over the remains of Rukn-uddin
by Raziyah Begam in 638 A. H. (1240 .A. D.). Mui’zuddin
I Bahram Shah Avas a younger son of Altamsh he succeeded ;

his sister Raziyah Begam but his nobles, Avho rebelled against
;

I him, besieged him in Qil’ah Rai Pithora, took him prisoner

and murdered him in the year 639 A. H. (1242 A. D.)
 ;

76 THE TOMBS OF EOiN-UDDIN FIEOZ SHAH, ETC.

According to Syud Ahmed Khan this tomb was erected in

the year 639 AH.
(1242 A. D.) by Sultan Ala-uddin Mas’iid
Sh4h, the son of Bahram Shah. I have not been able to find
any authority for the Syud’s description, either as regards the
biulders or ^e dates of the tombs.

The two tombs are similar in shape and construc-

.

tion they are covered with small rubble masonry domes sup-
;

ported on eight stone pillars ; each tomb has a small enclo-

sure of low rough stone walls, with a narrow gateway on its
east side the sarcophagus on the grave is missing.
; There is
no inscription on either of the tombs, and although the guide
from the village of Mahrauli is ready to distinguish them, I
am content to believe that they contain the graves of two of
the younger sons of Altamsh, without venturing, however, to
allot to each his proper resting place. There can be little
doubt that the domes of the tombs belong to a later age than
the pillars which, in my opinion, are parts of the original
buildings. “ The domes,” writes Mr. Tremlett, “ as they
exist at present, I have no doubt are the work of Firoz
Sh4h. . a.s their shape and size
. points to a much later
era than the Hindu-like domes of their brother’s tomb hard by
and the rubble masonry of which they are constructed, while
quite in the style of Firoz Shah’s time, contrasts unnaturally
with the massive stone slabs by which the columns are sur-
mounted. ”*

Sultan Firoz Shah’s repairs to the tombs are best des-

cribed in his own words —
“Tomb of Sultan Muiz-uddin, son
:

of Sultan Shums-uddin, which is situated in Malikpur. This

had such ruin that the sepulchres were undistin-
fallen into
guishable. I re-erected the
dome, the terrace and the enclo-
sure wall. Tomb of Sultan Rukn-uddin, son of Shams-uddin,
in Malikpur —
I repaired the enclosure wall, built a new dome
and erected a monastery.”

Mr. neglar takes no notice of the repairs done

to the tombs by Ffroz Shdh
Tughlak.
 THE GRAVE OP BAZtYAH SULTAN BEGAM. 7?

The grave of Raziyah Sultan Begam. The empire of —

Delhi does not form an exception to the rule that, under
despotic governments, the blandishments of the softer sex
have not seldom superseded the influence of Ministers of State.
But Bazlyah Begam has the sad distinction of being the first
and the last Queen of Delhi. The historians of her reign
prefer her to her two brothers ; she was remarkable for courage
and audacity, but she had little of that discretion which alone
can redeem whatever there is dangerous in the other qualities.
She had not been long on the throne before her unpopularity
raised a rival to her in the person of her brother, Mu’iz-uddin
Bahram Shah who, with a strong aristocratic coalition of
which he was then a tool, overcame his sister on the 25th of
Rab’i-ul-avval 638, A. H. ( 1240 A. D.) According to Min-
hdj-us-siraj, Baziyah was killed by the Hindus at Kaithal.
According to Ibn Batuta she was killed by “ a man engaged
in cultivating the ground, who after murdering and burying
her, carried some of her garments to the market for sale
the murderer was caught and taken before the Magistrate ; he
confessed “ that he had killed Baziyah and told his guards
where he had buried her. They exhumed her body, washed
it, and wrapping it in a shroud, burned it again in the
same place. A
small shrine was erected over her grave,
which is by pilgrims and is considered a place of
visited
sanctity. It is situated on the banks of the Jumna, about
. one parasang [5^ miles] from Delhi.” Batuta is so often
inaccurate in his description of places he had not seen, and
is so ready to rely on hearsay, that it is not easy
to decide whether his description of the shrine on the
grave or its distance of one jmrasong from the river should
be accepted or not. I do not, however, share Mr. Beglar’s
doubt as to the identity of the grave. Although Ibn Batuta
is silent as to the name of the builder of the shrine,
Syud Ahmed Khan believes that the grave of Baziyah
was built by her brother and successor, Mu’iz-uddin Bah-
ram Shah, in the year 638 A. H. (1240 A. D.)
The grave, which is situated in the modern city of Delhi,
near the Turkman gate, and in the quarter known as Bulbuli
Khanah, is identified by local tradition, and
no reason to
I see
reject its authority.It stands inside an enclosure about 35 feet
square, the wall of which is of red sand-stone, and, with the
78 THS GRAVE OP SHAH TURKMAN ALIAS SHAMS-UL-AARAFIN.

balustrade, about 8 feet and 3 inches high ; the entrance door

is also of red sand-stone, and is 6 feet 3 inches high. In the
western wall of the enclosure is a mosque, consisting of an
arched recess about 3 feet 8 inches wide, 3 feet 3 inches deep,
and 6 feet high. On a red sand-stone chahiltrah, to the
north of the enclosure, there are two bier shaped graves, built
with stone and mortar. At the head of one of the
graves is a small masonry pillar, eighteen inches high,
used as a lamp stand :this is said to be the grave of
Razfyah ; the other grave is said to belong to her sister
Saziyah Begam, who is unknown to history. The graves
are about 3 feet 5 inches from the level of the floor of the
enclosure, and are about 8 feet long. The chabutrah is about
16 feet by 13. On the south-east corner of the enclosure
there are two other graves, which even tradition has failed to
identify.

The grave of Shah Turkman alias Shams-ul-’Aarafin,

—Shah Turkman was one of the many pious men, who fol-
lowed in the track of the Muhammadan conquerors of India,
and who drew to themselves crowds of earnest followers
not less eager to follow the religious commands of their
spritual advisers than to be led to battle by their
military leaders. Shah Turkman was a man of considerable
local influence.He is believed to have settled close to the
spot where he was interred, and the river is said to have
flowed under his house ; I am afraid, however, that there
is very little truth in this account. He was a desciple of the
saint Sohrwardi, and was 78 years of age when Qutb Sahib
began his career as a great religious leader. The Turk-
man gate of modern Delhi is named after the decea.sed. He
died on the 24th of Rajab, 638 A, H. (1240 A. D.) in the
reign of Mu’iz-uddln Bahram Shdh. The bier-shaped tomb
which covep his grave is built with stone and mortar;
a small portion of the floor round it is covered with marble,
and it is fenced oS* with a low marble railing. The other
graves within the walled enclosure are those of some of his
disciples.

On the anniversary of the death of Shah Turkman a

held in the neighborhood of his grave,
fair is
and the first
day of spring is celebrated here with great dclat
 KDSHAK LAL OB QIl’aH MARZQAN. 79
\

Eushak Lai or Qil’ah Marzgan, or Dar-ul-aman, and

the Tomb of Balban.— The history of the palace and of the
tomb are so intimately connected with each other, that it is
necessaiy to treat them together. The Red Palace, or Kushak
Lai, was built by Ghias-uddin Balban, in the year 654 A. H,,
(1255 A. D.) ; this date, however, is only a conjecture of Syud
Ahmed Khdn. Very little of the history of this palace is
known Jalal-uddin Firoz Shah Khiljt is said to have visited
:

it, after his coronation at the Kasr Safed he dismounted

;

in front of the palace to mark his respect for the memory

—
of Sultan Balban next to Altamsh, the most illustrious of
the Slave Kings of Delhi. Fifteen Royal refugees attended /
Balban’s Court at the Kushak Lai, and the most eminent
men of science and literature of his time flourished
here under his liberal patronage. The two other 1

noteworthy events connected with this palace, relate to the bu- j

rial of Balban and of’Ala-uddin Khiljt. The corpse of Sultan f

Balban, says Barnt, was taken out of the Red Palace /

at night and was buried in the Dar-ul-aman.” The same /

author adds further on that :
“ On the sixth of Shavval,
towards morning, the corpse of ’Ala-uddtn was brought out of
the Red Palace of Strt, and was buried in a tomb in front of
the Jami Ma^jid.” I am of opinion that Kushak Ldl was
a palace within the city of Hai Pithora, and must set aside
the speculations of Syud Ahmed Khan that it was built
near the giave of Nizain-uddin Auh'a, and that the ruins
of Lai IMalial (which see) mark its site. We are also told by
Baini, that Balban’s grandson, Kai Qubad, built a new fort at
Kilokheri, “ that he gave up residing in the city and quitted
the Red Palace.” By “ the city,” the writer means Old Delhi,
and when Balban had provisioned the fort of Rai Pithora, it is
not likely that he would have built his own residence outside
the defences of the fort. W e have no mention of a Red Palace
in Si'ri, while references to the Red Palace of Old Delhi are
of constant occurrence. If Ave are to believe Ferishta, that I

’Ala-uddi'n Khiljt lived in the Red Palace before he

built Strt, the Red Palace from where his corpse was remov-
ed for interment must have been the Palace of Balban
which, in my opinion, was in the city of Rai Pithora, otherwise
known as Old Delhi.
Again, as Syud Ahmed Khan has it that the fort of
Marzgan was built close to Kushak Lai and Balban was buried
80 KUSHAK LAL or QIl’aH HABZOAir.
I

here, there can be little doubt as to the site of the Red

Palace. The tomb of Balban and the Red Palace were within
the city of Rdi Pithora, and so undoubtedly was Marzgan.
That Marzgan was miscalled a Qil’ah (fort) I do not doubt,
and my opinion has the authority of Amir Khusrau and Ibn
Batuta.

Marzgan is supposed to have been built by Balban in 666

A. H. (1266 A. D.), when he was raised to the throne of
Delhi. Syud Ahmed Khdn cannot account for the name, but
the earlier historians call it a “ house,” and it is generally
known as the Dar-ul-aman, the Abode of Safety or the
House of Rest :
“ because.” says Batuta, “ whenever any
debtor entered this place his debt was adjudged, and in
like manner every person found justice every man-slayer
;

deliverance from his adversary ; and every person in fear

protection.” This place was in existence when Batuta
visited Delhi in the thirteenth century writing of Bal-
;

ban he says “ He built a house to which he gave the

:

name of Abode of Safety .. The Sultan was buried in the

building and I have visited his tomb.” Babar also visited the
Palace and tomb of Balban ; he does not mention the fort.
Abhl Fazl was the first authority of importance who magnified
the palace into a fort, and he has been scrupulously followed by
all subsequent writers on the subject Amir Khusrau and
Ibn Batuta describe it as a “house.”

In the year 684 A. H. (1285 A. D.) the eldest son of Bal-

ban, who was then governorof Multan, fell in battle against the
Moghals near Lahore. “This calamity,” says Barni, “ caused
great and general mourning in Multan. . From that time
.

the deceased Prince was called the Martyr Prince’ ” [Khan

‘

Shahid]. The King’s grief was great “ he held his Court by

;

day, but at night he poured forth his cries of grief, tore his
garmeiits, and threw dust upon his head —
he was an old
man with the burden of eighty years on him, —
the reign
of Balban now drew to a close, and he gradually sank under
his sorrow ” in the year 685 A. H. (1286 A. D.), and was
buried in the Dar-ul-aman.

The tomb of Balban is within a few minutes walk of

the Qutb Mindr, and about a hundred yards from the ruins of
a village now completely deserted. It stands within
a ruined
enclosure of low and heavy stone walls,
with small arched
 I can find no authority' that
for the popular opinion
Ghias-uddm Balban was the founder of a city of the name of
Ghidspur, or that that city had ever acquired the renown or
importance of Old Delhi, K.ilokkeri, Siri or Tughlaqdbad.
82 THE FORT OF KILOKHEEI OB KILUGHERI.

The Fort of Kilokheri, i^ugheri, Kasr Mu’izzi, or

yfaia. Shahr. —
This fort was built by Sultan Kai Qubdd, the
grandson of Balban, in the village of Kilokheri in the year 685
A. H. (1286 A. D.). That Kilokheri was a place of some
importance, and a royal residence even before the time of
Kai Qubad, is evident from the history of Minhaj-
us-Sirdj, who published his Tahaqdt-i-Nns'ni, in the reign
of Balban. It is related that when Nasr-uddin received the
ambassador of Haldku Khan, the soldiers formed a street
from the palace of Kushak Sabz to the “ new city of
Kilugheri, at the royal residence.”

KaiQubild, however, raised the city to greater importance.

He “ laid out a beautiful
garden at Kilughari on the banks
of the Jamna. Thither he retired, with the nobles and
attendants of his Court, and when it was seen that he had
resolved upon residing there, the nobles and officers also built
palaces and dwellings, and taking up their abode there,
Kilugheri became a popular place.”'*'" When Jahil-uddin
Firoz Shdh Khilji rebelled and established himself at Bahdrpdr,
Kai Qubad was “ kicked to death in his palace at Kilokheri.”
Jalal-uddin was, by popular consent enthroned here in
the year 688 A.H. (128.9 A.D.). Not being able to march into
Delhi, Jdlal-uddin finished the fort of Kai Qubad, made
Kilokheri his capital and lived in it. In the course of a
few years, Kilokheri came to be known as Nald Shahr,
or N ew City, and Qil’ah Bai Pithora as Purdna Delhi or
Old Delhi

Kushak Lai of Jalal-uddin Khilji. — Syud Ahmed

Khan calls the palace of Jalal-uddin, Kushak Lai or Naid
Shahr, but I am unable to follow any authority nor ;

is it historically true, as stated l»y the Syud, that Naid

Shahr was ever called Naia Delhi. According to Ibn Batuta,
Jalal-uddin Khilji “ built the palace which bears his name
but for this statement he alone is responsible, for it is
not repeated by any other historian. Nothing remains
of Kushak LdL Syud Ahmed Khdn further states that

BamL
 HAUZ ’alai or HAUZ khas. 83
Jalal-uddin built a palace called Kushak Sabz, and
that it
stood close to Kushak Lai ; but, as he identifies it
with the
palace where the son of Jalal-uddin was enthroned,
the
learned Syud is obviously confounding it with the
palace of
that name in Qil’ah Kai Pithora. Kushak Lai was built in
the year 688 A. H. (1289 A. D.)

—
Hauz ’Alai or Hauz Khas. This magnificent tank,
covering over 70 acres of laud, was built by Sultan ’Ala-uddm
*
Khilji, in the year 695 A. H. (1295 A. D.,) and was
enclosed by a stone and masonry wall. In the reiocn
of Firoz Shiih Tughlaq (about 755 A. H. 1354 A, D.)
‘‘
it was filled up and there was no water in it. People carried
on cultivation in it and had dug wells, of which they sold
the water.” Firoz Shah cleared it out, “ so that this great
tank might again be filled from year to year.” The repairs
then done to the tank were so extensive, that Timur ascribes
the tank itself to Firoz Shilh : “This is a reservoir,” writes
Timur, “ which was constructed by Sultan Firoz Sh4h and is
faced all round with cement. Each side of that reservoir is
more than a bow-shot long, and there are buildings round it.
This tank is filled by the rains in the rainy season, and
it supplies the people of the city with water throughout
the year.’

In the year 753 A.H. (1352 A.D.) Firoz Shah “ built a

college (Madrassa) at the top of this tank.”t Almost the en-
tire length of the southern side of the Hauz consists of old
buildings. The Madrassa of Firoz Shdh is a range of low
masonry rooms, and now partly in the occupation of villagers,
who use them for the ordinary purposes of a residence. The
Mutawmli of the Madrassa, Sayyad Yusuf Bin Jamdl died in
790 A, H. (1388 A. D.) and was buried in the court of the
college.

Siri or Delhi ’Alai.— -According to Syud Ahmed Khd,n,

the fort of Siri was built by ’Ala-uddin Khilji in the year
703 A. H. (1303 A. D.) in or near a village of the same
name. It is about two miles to the north-east of

* Yazdi -who copies, and not seldom distorts, Malfuzat-i-Timiin, calls the Hatiz
**
a wide and deep well, one of the works of Firoz Shah.’*
f Tarikh-i-Mubdiak ShdhU
84 SIKI OE DEHLI ’aLAI.

Qil’ah Eai Pithora, and is now the site of the village ot

Shdhpiir or Shdhdbad. Old Delhi having twice escaped
destruction from the hands of Mos[hal invaders, ’Ala-uddin
repaired Qil’ah Rai Pithora, and built a new fort which he
called Sirl. As
an act of signal revenge, eight thousand
Moghal were buried in the foundatioiis, or built into the
skulls
walls of the new fortress. The walls of Siri were built of stone
and masonry, but enough has been written on the splendour of
the new fort to lead us to believe that it was a place not only
of military, but probably of architectural importance. In the
year 948 A. H., (1548 A. D.) the fort of Sirf was destroyed
by Sher Shah, who used the materials of ’Ala-uddfn’s citadel for
building his own city, Shergarh, on the banks of the Jumna.

Timur thus describes the city of Sm : — It is a round

city. Its buildings are lofty. They are surrounded by forti-
fications built of stone and brick, and they are very strong.
Old Delhi also has a fort, but
similar it is larger
than that of Sfri. Fromthe fort of Siri to that of
Old Delhi, which is a considerable distance, there runs a
strong wall, built of stone and cement. Sfri has seven
. .

gates, four towards the outside and three on the inside

towards Jahanpandh.” Yazdi mentions in his Zaforndmah,
that “ from the wall of Sfri on the north-east to the wall of
Old Delhi on the south-west, a wall has been erected on both
sides, and the space between is called JahanDand,h.”

Sfri was the third capital, in succession, of the Muhammadan

Empire of Delhi. The Slave kings, with the exception of Kai
Qubad, the last member of that dynasty, held their court and
issued their commands from Qil’ah Kai Pithora Jalal-ud- ;
dm Khilji completed the city-fortress of Kai Qubad at Kilo-
kheri, which was subsequently known as
Naia Shahr his ;
nephew and successor, Ald-uddin built the fort of Sfri, which
continued to be the capital of the empire till the year 1321
A. D. when Sultan Ghias-uddfn Tughlaq Shah built a new city
and a citadel which he called Tughlaqdbad.
General Cunningham questions Burgess,
Lewis, Cope
and Campbell s identification of the fort
of Sirf with the
citadel around the Qutb.”
On Lieutenant Burgess’s
work, I have nothing to say.
Colonel Lewis and Mr.
Cop^e have written some very
interesting papers on the
arch^logy of Delhi, but they have
aleo® ge^Sy of bZ
 SIRI OR DEHLI ’aLAI. 85

some hasty writings on the subject, which do not add to

their weight as authorities. Mr. Campbell, on the other
hand, is a precise and instructive writer, for whose
opinion I entertain great respect but in the question raised
;

by General Cunningham, the credit of sound argument is

altogether on his side, and an inquiry, which I may be per-
mitted to say has exhausted all available authorities, leaves
no doubt in my mind that those who are opposed to him in
the discussion have completely failed to establish their case,
11 the village of Shalipiir does not mark the site of ancient
Sirl, we must give up all attempts to identify its locality.

From Timdr and Sharaf-uddln Yazdl’s description of the

three cities which then constituted Delhi, we are led to inter
that to the north-east of this group was Sirl, that to its north-
—
west was Delhi which was larger than Siri and that in its
middle was Jahanpanah, which again was much larger than
Delhi. General Cunningham’s identification of Sirl with
Shahpiir has also the support of Muhammadan authorities,
according to whom Delhi lies to the south-west of Shahpiir ;
Jahanpanah, between Shalqiiir and Delhi, while Shahpiir is
described as being smaller than Delhi.

The following abstract of all that is historically known

of Sirt will satisfy the reader that, in the controversy be-
tween General Cunningham and Mr. Burgess and those who
follow the latter, General Cunningham has the advantage both
as regards arguments and facts :

1. Sirt was a village outside the walls of Qil’ah Bdi

Pithora, and the plains of Siri, like the plains of Hauz Rani,
were used as encamping grounds. When Kai Qubad (687 A. H.
1287 A. D.) fixed his head quarters at Stri, we are told that
the rio'ht wing of his ai’my was at Tilpat and the left at In-
drapat”; the centre of an army so encamped would be at
Shahpiir. It is therefore a perfectly justifiable inference
that Sirt was outside Qil’dh Rai Pithora, and that it was
between the villages of Indrapat and Tilpat.

2. Stri either as a city or a fort, in *703 A.

was founded,
is in 605
H. (1303 A. D.) ; but, before its foundation, that
H. (1205 A. D.), there were two rival cities on the right
A.
banks of the Jamna, namely. Old Delhi and Naia Shahr. When
Rukn-uddtn Ibrahim, the cousin of ’Ak-uddtn, was raised to
“
thethrone in Old Delhi, ’Ala-uddin was encamped at Stri”
86 KASR BAZAR SATHTTX.

There was no fort of that name at the time, and the reference
isevidently to “the plains of Siri.”*

3. In 697 A. H. (1297 A.D.), ’Ald-uddin “marched out

of Delhi with great display and pitched his tent in Siri.”
The encampment must have been at some distance from
Delhi ; at all events it could not possibly have been inside that
city.t

4. another occasion, Mla-uddin is said to have “ left

On
the capital and encamped at Si'rl.” This again refers to Old
Delhi, and therefore its identity, or any part ot it, with Siri is
impossible.

5. Two
formidable incursions of the Mosrhals into nor-
them India compelled ’Ala-uddin to repair the old forts of
Delhi and build a new one. It is hardly necessary to add that,
had the new fort been built in Old Delhi, it would not have
been named after Siri.

If Abul Fazl’s description of Siri is not grossly in-

accurate, and I have no reason to believe that it is, we
must set aside the idea that it was built in one well-known
locality while it bore the nameof another If the new fort
!

was called Siri, it was certainly not built within the walls of
the city of Rai Pithora. We
have already given Timur and
Yazdfs accounts of the three cities which then comprised
Delhi; Ibn Batuta writes of “ four neighbouring cities,” which
went by the name of Delhi the first he calls the “ old city
;

built by the idolaters,” and Siri, according to him, was the

“seat of the Khalifat.” Unless the idolatrous city was twice
its known size, we must find room for the “ Khalifat” else-
where than in the city of Rai Pithora.

Kasr Hazar Sathun or the Palace with a Thousand

^When Ald-uddi'n Khilji entrenched himself in Siri,
m front of the Moghal encampment, (703 A. H., 1303 A. D.),
built on the site of his entrenchment
^
thousand pillars, otherwise known as Kasr
a palace of a
Hazar Sathiin.
According to the usages of the time, the heads
of thousands of

* Bami.

t Bami.
 k:asr hazar sat.hun. 87

Moghals were buried in the foundation and built into the walls
of the new palace. General Cunningham hasfixedthe locality of
this palace inside the western half of the fort of Shdhpiir, which,
as I have already remarked, he identifies with Sm; Mr. Beglar,
hoAvever, has recognised its ruins “ a short way outside the
south walls ot it.” Timur confounds it with the Hazar Sathiin
of Muhammad Shah Tnghlaq, alias Malik Jauna “some of :

the ladies of my harem,” writes the Prince, “expressed a wish

to go into the city and see the palace of Hazar Sathiin, which
Malik Jauna built in the fort called Jahanpanah.”
The
ruins of this palace suggest no idea of the building
as it once existed. According to Amir Khusrau, the display
of plunder from Arangal by Malik Kafiir, a distinguished
general of ’Ala-uddin Khilji, was “made in front of the Golden
Palace,” but the Tarikh Flroz Shdhi gives a more detailed
account of the event, and states that it occurred in the Palace
of Hazar Sathdn.
Thirty-five days death of ’AM-uddin Khilji
after the
(1317 A. D.), Maiik the valued counsellor of
Kaffir,
’
Ald-uddin, was treacherously murdered by the slaves of ’AH-
uddin’s successor, Qutb-uddm Mubarak Shah, in his room in
the palace of Hazar Sathun.

In 1320 A. D., Khusrau Khan’s Hindu followers assas-

sinated Sultan Qulb-uddia Mubarak Shdh on the terrace of
this palace, and, a few months later, Khusrau Khan was exe-
cuted by the order of Gbias-uddi'n Tughlaq Shah, “ on the
very spot where he had killed Qutb-uddin. His head and
body were thrown from the palace, as he had done with the
head ot his predecessor.”
In the same year, Tughlaq Shah “seated himself in the
Hazar Sathfin, and in the presence of the as.sembled nobles,
wept over the unhappy fate which had befallen Qutb-uddin
and the other sons of ’Ala-uddin his patron.”
Such are the historical associations which surround the
memory of this famous palace ; of its architectural pretensions,
we can say nothing beyond what may be conveyed by its

name.
88 THE TOMB OF ’aL4>UDDIN EHIUI.

The Tomb of 'Ala-nddin Khilji— “On the 6th of

Sharvdl, (7 15 A. H., 1315 A. D.) towards morning, the
corpse of ’AM-uddin was brought out of the Bed Palace of
Siri, and was buried in a tomb in front of Jam’a Masjid.”
This is exactly where the grave of ’Ala-uddin is popularly
believed to be, and where it is also placed by Syud Amed
K-hdn.* Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq, in the list of repairs
done to ancient buildings by his orders, mentions the follow-
ing ; “ Tomb of Sultan ’Ala-uddln : I repaired this, and
furnished it with sandal wood doors. I repaired the walls
of the abdar khanah, and the west wall of the mosque which
is within the college, and 1 also made good the tesselated
pavement,”
The grave of ’Ald-uddfn stands on the southern side of
a court yard, about 400 feet long and 200 feet wide, the
western and southern sides of which were finished by ’Ala-
uddin’s successor. The northern wall was perhaps never
finished about a fifth of the eastern wall is formed by the
;

hack wall of Altamsh’s extension of the western wall ot the

Masjid Quvvat-ul- Islam.
The court yard of the tomb is entered from all sides. Its
present main entrances are on tlie east and the west on the east :

through the wall of Altamsh’s extension already referred to

;
on the west the entrance is on the continuation of the road
from the Qutb Mindr to Adham Khan’s tomb. The western
entrance is a Pathan gateway of stone and masonry, and the
rest of the buildings within the enclosure are of the
same mate-
rials. The arch of the gateway is about 14 feet high and 11
feet wide, and the masonry wall over it is about
4 feet high ;
on the right of the spectator, as he faces the gate from inside,
there is a dorned room about 8 feet higher than
the aateway,
adjoining which there are three rooms about
14 feet” by 11,
with arched doors. Next to this, there is a
second domed
room a little wider than the first, and apparently a second
gateway. On its right there are three rooms like those on its
* Mr. Beglar believea, that a “ fine marble tomb-stone
at Slrl velW with
 THE FORT AND CITY OF TDGHLAQABAD. 89

left, but the last room is now levelled with the ground.
We
have now finished the western wall of the court yard on its
;
north, even the ruins, if any did exist, have disappeared and
;
we now turn to the south. On this side, the wall consists
of the ruins of three domed rooms, the grave of ’Ala-uddi'n
K.hilji being in the centre room. The tomb is about 50 feet
long and 32 feet wide ; on either side of it there is a passage
which divides it from the side rooms, which are half the size
of the room in the centre. These rooms are domeless ; the
stone and mortar of the walls are bare, the red sandstone facing
having been removed years ago.
Behind these rooms,but forming a part of the tomb, are the
ruins of a row of flat-roofed rooms, about 24 feet wide and of
the length of the southern wall of the enclosure. There are
six niches in the southern wall of these ruins and a doorway
in its centre in the south eastern wall there are steps which
;

conducted the visitor to the top of the building. The walls of

the tomb and of the rooms attached to it, are completely bare.

The eastern wall of the enclosure is formed by a row of

three flat roofed rooms w'ith arched doors, corresponding with
those on the west adjoining this is a gateway facing the one
;

on the opposite side, and this, 1 believe, was the city entrance of
the tomb. Beyond tliis is the wall of the western exien-
sion of the Masjid Quvvat-ul- Islam. On the south-eastern
outside corner of ’Ala-uddin’s tomb, are the ruins of the
Masjid which belonged to it. Both the college and the
dbddr Khdnah, which Fi'roz Shah says he repaired, were in
the rooms in the eastern and western walls of the tomb.

The Port and City of Tughlaqabad.— Tughlaqdbcdd is

about twelve miles south of Modern Delhi.
to the According
to Syud Ahmed Khan the building of this fort and city
was commenced in 721 A. H. (1321 A. D.) and completed in
723 (1323 A. D.)* Fergusson appropriately describes it as
“ the gigantic fort of an old Pathan Chief.” It is an irregular
half hexagon in shape, with three short sides facing the east,
west and north, of rather more than three quarters of a mile
* This was the fourth city which, in succes»ion, became the capital of the
empire of Delhi. It is described by Ibn Batata as one of the four cities which
constituted Delhi ; the first was Old Delhi or Qil’ah Rai Pithora, the second
Kilokherior Naii Shahr, the third Siri, and the fourth Tughlaiiabdd.
90 THE FORT AND CITY OF TUGHLAQABAD.

in length each, and a base of a mile and a half on the south ;

the former is protected by a deep ditch, and the latter by a
large sheet ot water, held up by artificial embankments at the
south-east corner. The whole circuit of Tughlaqabdd is only
a furlong less than four miles. The fort stands on a rocky
height surrounded by ravines, with a piece of low ground,
,

probably the dry bed of a lake, on one side of it.

The walls of the fort are built of massive blocks of stone,
of -extraordinary thickness, and contain two storeyed
domed rooms. The largest stone which General Cunningham
observed was 14 feet in length by 2^ feet 2 inches, and
1 foot 10 inches in breadth, and must have weighed rather
more than six tons.
The rock on the southern face is scarped, the walls
above-^se to a mean height of 40 feet, with a parapet pierced
with low sloping loopholes and crowned with a line of rude
loopholed stone battlements of 7 feet. Behind this rises
another wall of 15 feet, the whole height above the low
ground being upwards of 90 feet. In the south-west angle
is the citadel, which occupies about one-sixth of the area of
the fort, and contains the ruins of a large palace. The ram-
parts are raised on d(»med rooms, which. General Cunningham
believes, were the quarters of the troops garrisoned in the
fort. Some of the bastions are still in a fair state of preserv-
ation. “ The walls slope rapidly inwards, even as much as
those of Egyptian buildings.” But the vast size, the great
strength, and the visible solidity of the whole give to Tugh-
laqilbad an air of stern aud massive grandeur, which is
striking.* “ One of the grandest sights I ever witnessed,”
writes Captain Archer, of the general appearance ot Tugh-
Idqabad, and wonders how these enormous blocks of stone
were fashioned aud put up as they are ; while the writer
in Thornton’s Gazetteer believes that “ walls so massive”
can only be destroyed by an earthquake.
“ The citadel,” writes
Franklin, “ is strongly defended by
ranges of towers and bastions, within which were the private
apartments of the emperor ; here, in times of danger he was
perfectly secure, as the ascent even at this period is winding
and difficult, the naked rocks form the glacis of the place, the

'Archoeological Reports. 1 VoL, p. 313.

 THE POET AND CITY OF TUGHLAQABAD. 91

approaches to which were thus rendered almost impracticable.

At the foot of the citadel is a tank of great magnitude and
depth, lined with stone, from which the garrison were sup-
phed.”

The general plan of these ruins, according to Mr. Beg-

lar,suggests a “court-yard surrounded on three, and sometimes
on all, sides by rows of rooms ; there was only one entrance
to each such enclosure, and facing the side on which the en-
trance was, is the hall, an oblong of about 15 or 20 feet by
12 feet wide ; on either side of this were small rooms commu-
nicating with the hall and with the court-yard. Sometimes,
the hall had also a range of small rooms at the back ; all the
rooms are furnished with numerous small arches, but never a
window opening outwards.”
Theascent to the main gateway is steep and rocky, and
now that the ruins of some of the inner rooms have tumbled
into the passage which leads to it, it is by no means an agree-
able undertaking. The gateways are formed “ of masses of
granite of huge dimensions, hewn out of the rocks at the foot
of the wall.”
“ The Fort of Tughlaqabad has 13 gates, and there are
three inner gates to the citadel.” According to Syud Ahmed
Khdn, w’ho follows tradition, there were 56 bastions and
52 gates in the fort and city of Tughlaqabad but General ;

Cunningham’s statement is decidedly more trustworthy.

“ It contains seven tanks for water, besides the
ruins of
several large buildings, as the Jama Masjid and the Birij
Maudir.”*
“ There are three extensive baolis [springs] in perfect
order ; there are apartments under ground from thirty to
eighty feet, on a level with large wells or tanks of water
faced with stone. The emperor’s consist of a suite of eight cir-
cular rooms with arched roofs and a space of two feet Tn dia-
meter at top for the purpose of admitting light. The rooms
are twenty feet in diameter and were used in the hot

* General Cunningham does not give his authority for placing

the ruins of
the tower known as Birij JVJaodir in Tughlaqabad, For reasons stated in the proper
place, I agree with Syud Ahmed Khan that this tower belonged to
Jahaupandh.
92 THE TOMB OE GHIAS-UDDIE TBGHLAQ SHAH.

weather. . . The third baoK is situated near the citadel.

There are tanks to each of these ranges of rooms, 40 by 30
feet in length and breadth, all lined with free stone.”*

The upper part of the fort is full of ruined houses, while

the lower appears never to have been fully inhabited.

The sense of grandeur, which a distant view of the fort so

strongly impresses on the spectator’s mind is not sustained when
he finds himself within the walls of the fort and amidst its
piles of ruina The desolation which here surrounds him has
no special claim to his attention ; he has to walk out of the
view of the debris of ruined walls and compartments, and once
more to look at the lofty walls and the commanding height
of its massive bastions, . before he can realise the majestic
solidity of this magnificent fort.

Tughlaqabdd belonged to the principality of Balabgarh,

but was annexed by the British Government for the compli-
it
city of its Baja in the rebellion of 1857. It is now
an insignificant Gujar village, the importance of which is
entirely due to its ruins. Nizam-uddfn Aulfd, the saint of
whom we shall have to speak at greater length hereafter, and
who carried on a secret war against Sultan Ghias-uddm
Tughlaq Shah, prophecied of thjs fort, that it shall

Either be inhabited by Gujais

Or be abandoned.
Tdh base Gujar
Ydh rahe ujar.

The Tomb of Ghias-iiddin Tughlaq Shah—Tughlaq

Shdh was gifted with some originality of character,
but with
great and untiring energy.
courage He repulsed four
Moghal invasions with such slaughter, that for the rest
of his life he established for himself the reputation of
being the most successful general of his time. In 725 A.
H. (1325 A. D.) while returmng from a successful invasion
of Bengal, one of the Governors of which country, Bahadur

* Franklin,
 THE TOMB OF QHIAS-UDDIN TUQHLAQ SHAH. 93

Shah, he had “ sent to Delhi with a rope round his neck,’*

he was informed of the seditious predictions of certain
“ wise men and astrologers,” that he would never see Delhi
again ; “ but the king replied by threats against them.”
Chief among these offenders was the saint Nizdm-uddin
Aulia, who had long been at war with Tughlaq Shah, and who
was apparently in league with his son Muhammad Shah
against the king. Tughlaq Shih, indignant at the defiant atti-
tude of the Saint, ordered him to quit Delhi. " Let me but
reach Delhi,” said Tughlaq Shtih, “ and this fiend priest
shall be humbled.” When news reached the capital that
Tughlaq Shdh was within a few miles of the place, the friends
of Nizdm-uddin importuned him to leave the city and visit
Multan. The Saint, however, was not to be intimidated ;
he had only one answer to all friendly importunities Dehli :

—
d4r ast Ddhi is still far of*
When Tughlaq Shah arrived at Afghanpur, about
six milesfrom bis capital, he was accommodated by his
son in a temporary wooden palace, built in three days,
“ where,” says Zia-uddin Barnf, the author of Tarikh-i-Firoz
Shdhi, “ the Sultan might stay for the night and take
rest, before marching on the following day into the city
with pomp and triumph. The Sultan Tughlaq Shah arrived
in the afternoon and stopped. The Sultan’s table had been
spread, and he took food ; the nobles came out to wash
their hands. A
thunderbolt from the sky descended upon
the earth, and the roof under which the Sultan was
seated fell down, crushing him and five or six other persons,
so that they died.” I bn Batuta gives the popular account of
the death of Tughlaq Shah, and it is more likely to be true
than the story of the “ thunderbolt from the sky.” After des-
cribing the construction of the temporary palace, Batutd goes
on to say, that “ the object with which it was built was this,
that it should fall down with a crash when the elephants
touched it in a certain part. The Sultan stopped at this build-
ing and feasted the people, who afterwards dispersed. His
son asked permission to parade the elephants before him
fully accoutred. The Sultan consented. The Sultan’s
favorite son, Mahmud, was with the king, when the elephants
* “This,” says Mr. Frederick Cooper, “is now a proverb over the East,
equivalent to our, ‘ there is many a slip between the ev,p and the lip.’ It is pro-
bable that the saint had some understanding with the son in his plans and the
murder of his father.”
94 THE TOMB OF GHIAS-HDDIN TUGHLAQ SHAH.

passed along that side, the building fell down upon the
Sultan and his son Mahmud, The Sultan’s son Muham-
mad [the heir- apparent] ordered pickaxes and shovels to
be brought to dig and seek for his father, but he made
signs for them not to hurry, and the tools were not brought
till after sunset. Then they began to dig, and they found the
Sultan, who had bent over his son to save him from death.
Some assert that Tughlaq was taken oat dead ; others, on the
contrary, maintain that he was alive and that an end was
made of him. He was carried away at night to the tomb
which he had himself built near the city, called after him
Tughlaqabad, and there he was interred. It was to the
skilful management of the wazir, Khwaja-i-jahan, in con-
structing the edifice which fell upon him, Tughlaq, that he
owed the position he held with Sultan Muhammad, and the
partiality which the latter had for him.”

There is no longer any doubt as to Muhammad Shah’s

complicity in the death of his father ; and the testimony
of Ibn Batuta is about the best evidence it is possible to have
on the subject. Hardly less convincing are the inferences to
be drawn from the conduct of Muhammad Shdh and Nizdm-
uddin Aulia. The heir-apparent was a devoted admirer of the
Saint he used to visit Nizam-uddin when the Aulfd was
;

under the influence of ecstatic fits, and it was in one of these

inspired moments that he got Nizdm-uddin to promise him
the throne of Delhi. "When Muhammad succeeded his
father Ghias-uddin on the throne, he paid the Saint the most
profound respect and when the death of the latter occurred,
;

Muhammad “ bore his bier on his shoulder.” On the otiier

hand, Nizam-uddin was constantly at war with the late king,
and was sometimes in dread of his life. He also knew that
Tughlaq Shah had heard of his prophecy, and that the king
would keep his promise to humble the priest. His assurance
—
under the circumstances ^expressed in a phrase now household
words throughout hterate Hindusthan was the result of —
implicit confidence in the success of the conspiracy against the
life of the king.* Ghias-uddin Tughlaq iShah died in Kabf’. I.
725 A. H. (1324 A. D.)
* Even Abul Fdzl, the great Minister of Akbar, a profound
advocate of accom-
plished results, while acquitting Muhammad Tughlaq Shah
of being the cause of
^ fathers death, is rather disconcerted by the facta, that the wooden palace should
have been put up in such wonderful haste, and
that Muhammad Sh4h should have
pressed ius father to occupy it.
 f
THE TOMB OF GHIAS-HDDIN TUGHLAQ SHAH. 95

Although Ibn Batuta states that Tughlaq Shah had built

his own tomb — as he is supposed to have built one at Multan
—
while governor of that place the better opinion is that the
tomb at Delhi was the work of Muhammad Sh^, and that
it was built within a year of his father’s death.

We have already described one Dar-ul-aman —House of

reit — where
the great Balban lies buried, but the same ho-
noured appellation was applied to Tughlaq Shah’s tomb and its
enclosure. Firoz Shah Tughlaq, the grandson of Ghias-uddm
Tughlaq, describes it in the following words “ This is the bed
:

and resting place of great men. I had new sandal wood

doors made for it, and over the tombs of these distinguished
men 1 had curtains and hangings suspended.”
The following description of the tomb, I have re-
produced from General Cunningham’s reports, with occasional
addition it is situated in the midst of an artificial lake, fed
:

by the overflowing of the Hauz Shamsi and by a lot of

natural drains which flowed into the base of the tort,
and which at one time must have formed one of its natural
defences. It is surrounded by a pentagonal outwork,
which is connected with the fortress by a causeway
600 feet in length, supported on 2? arches. “ In plan, the
tomb is a square ot 38^ feet interior, and 61^ feet exterior
dimensions. The outer walls are 38^ feet in height to the
top of the battlement, with a slope of 2 333 per foot. At this
rate the whole slope is 7h feet in 38^ feet. The walls at
base are 11^ feet thick, and at top only four feet but the ;

projecting mouldings of the interior increase the thickness of

the wall at the springing oi the dome to about 6 or 7 feet or
perhaps more, for I had no means of making measurements
so high up. The diameter of the dome is about 34 feet inside
and about 44 feet outside, with a height of 20 feet the dome ;

is of marble, striped with red stone. The whole height of

the tomb to the top of the dome is 70 feet, and to tbe top
of the pinnacle [which is made of red stone,] about 80 feet.

“ of the four sides has a lofty doorway in the mid-

Each
dle, 24 feet with a painted horse shoe arch, fretted
in height,
on the outer edge. There is a small doorway only 5 feet 10
inches in width, but of the same form, in the middle of the
great entrances, the archway being filled with a white mar-
96 THE TOMB OF GHIAS-UDDIN TUG0LAQ SHAH.

ble lattice screen of bold pattern. The decoration of the ex-

terior depends chiefly on difference of colour, which is effected
by the free use of bands and borders of white marble on the
large sloping surfaces of red stone. The horse shoe arches
are of white marble and a broad band of the same goes com-
pletely round the building at the springing of the arches.
Another broad band of marble in upright slabs, 4 feet in
height, goes all round the dome just above its springing. The
present effect of this mixture of colours is certainly pleasing,
but I believe that much of its beauty is due to the mellowing
hand of time, which has softened the crude redness of sand-
stone as well as the dazzling whiteness of the marble. The
building itself is in very good order.”*

The entrance to the outwork of the tomb is a high and

massive gateway of red sand-stone, which is reached by a flight
of 32 steps. There are rooms in the enclosure walls, which were
intended, as we are told, “ for the accommodation of the poor
and the angles of the pentagon are supported by towers which
are surmounted by pavilions. There is a sort of double tower
in the extreme left angle of the gateway, containing graves
which have not been identified, but judging from Fi'roz Shah
Tughlaq’s description of the place, it is by no means unlikely
that they were in existence when Sultan Firoz repaired and
adorned the tomb.
Inside the tomb there are three graves that in the middle :

is undoubtedly the grave of Tughlaq Shah, but of the two

others, one on either side of it, it is impossible to speak with
confidence. The marble monuments which once covered these
graves, were either removed or destroyed. One of the two
smaller graves is supposed to belong to Makdum-at-Jahan,
the wife of Tughlaq Shah, and the other to Muhammad Shah
Tughlaq the son, successor, and murderer of Ghias-uddfn
Tughlaq Shdh, who died of fever in Sindh in the year 752
A. H. (1351 A. D.)

* Archmological Reports. Vol. I, p, 216.

v still bears hia name, warrior Tughlaq Sh4h (1321) founded the new Delhi,
which he built a tomb, not in a garden as was usually the case,
but in a strongly fortified citadel in the middle of
an artificial lake. The slop-
ing walls and almost Egyptian solidity of this
mausoleum, combined with the bold
and massive towers of the fortifications that surround
it, form a nicture of a war-

S:n:SnTLw“tr‘^^‘^'^’
-d ^th the e'St -d™
 THE TOMB OF OHIAS-UDDIN TUGHLAQ SHAH.
97
I
If it were necessary to establish what, perhaps, is now
an admitted position, that the education of Oriental princes
never aimed at the formation of character, the career of
Muhammad Shah Tughlaq would be an incontrovertible argu-
ment in its favour. Accomplished above all his predecessors
in the empire of Delhi surpassed by none of his successors,
;

so far as we have the means of judging their accomplish-

ments, his knowledge of “ arts and sciences” drew the admira-
ation of men of culture and of students who had made special
subjects the studyof their lives. But Muhammad Shah
was a wanton, and an unprincipled tyrant he was cursed ;

with unbridled passions ; and his reign of 26 years was

remarkable for a series of disasters.* When political
troubles and disease put an end to his career at Tatta,
the empire was on the brink of dismemberment. His
coitsin and successor, the amiable but weak prince Firoz Shah
Tughlaq, who had witnessed with sorrow the cruelties of
Muhammad Shdh, adopted a primitive method for the salvation
of the deceased king’s soul. According to the Muhammadan
sacred laws, every offence has a double aspect, viz., in its
relation first to God and then to man ; in the latter case, a
pardon is believed to reduce some portion of its punishment.
Actuated by pious and kindly feelings towards his royal cousin,
and “ under the guidance of the Almighty,” Sultan Firoz Shah
obtained “ deeds of satisfaction duly attesled by witnesses,”
from “ those who had been deprived of a limb, nose, eye,
hand or foot” by his “ lord and patron Muhammad Shah.”
These records were put into a chest, and buried in the Dar-ul-
aman at the head of the tomb of the late Sultan, “ in the hope
that God, in his great clemency, would show mercy to my
late friend and patron, and make those persons reconciled to
him.”

* Ibn Batata’s description of Muhammad’s character, if not very complete, is by

no means uninstructive ;
with other eccentric qualities, Muhammad possessed
great “ fondness for making presents and shedding blood.”
98 'auilabad or mxthammadabad.

’Adilabad or Muhammadabad. —To the south of Tugh-

laq^bad are its two pendent forts the one built on small rocks
;

on- its south-eastern corner is known as Muhammadabd.d, after

Mubammad Shdh Tughlaq, or ’AdiUbad from ’adil—just for —
it was one of Muhammad’s weaknesses to consider himselt the
ideal of a just man. It is strange to notice that, after
giving him the blackest possible character, Ibn Batuta
does not hesitate to add, “ in spite of this, he is one who
exhibits the greatest equity.” The fort to the south west of t

Tughlaqabad is known by such a variety of names as would

lead one to suppose that it has the advantage of a periodical
change in its nomenclature by some it is called the Emperor’s
:

Fort, by others the Washerman’s Fort or the Eight Fort.

Both ’Adilabad and the second small fort are miniatures

of Tughlaqabad, having been built in the style of the fort of
Tughlaq Shah, with sloping walls, huge blocks of stones, and
enclosing both a citadel and a city. The circuit of ’Adila-
bad does not extend beyond half a mile ; that of the second
fort is even less. In both forts the citadel is built on an
elevated position, and commands a suburb enclosed by a line of
wall. In Adildbdd the main gateway is also the entrance to the
citadel ; the outer wall encloses the “ protected suburb”
which is to the south of the citadel, here it meets the
eastern wall of the citadel, and is connected withTughlaqabdd
by a double wall along the causeway, which crosses the
intervening low ground. In the citadel of this fort was the
’

famous palace of' Hazar Sathun, the palace with a thousand

pii ars, being the second building
of that name the first ;
was built by
Ala-uddin Khilji on the grounds wbich were
“atterwards the enclosed suburbs known as Jahan-
panah. Syud Ahmed Khan’s description of this Palace is
hardly correct the pHars are said
;
to have been cut out of
marble and the building was “ not uni
ikeh three-storeyed
however, Ibn Batuta’s authority who describes
the u
hall of audience as an immense
chamber of a thousand '

Mlumns. These pillars are of varnished

woo,!, and support n
wooden roof, painted in the most admirable ^
style.”

smaller in size, resembles

dated wTpv respect; Its grounds are
covered with
its asso-

^he ruf^ Vf
of a citadel and of a
bazar or cantonment These
runta are mtarspersad with
worked fragments
indJtae! oS
 JAHANPAKAH. 99

—
Jahanpanah- The suburbs of Qil’ah Rai Pilhora
grew in the reigns of the later Slave Kings of Delhi
to be the cause of anxiety to the residents of the Fort
and of interest to the Mewati robbers, who infested
them during the weak reign of Kai Qubiid. The depre-
dations of this marauding tribe became a matter for the
serious consideration of ’Ala-uddm Khiljt when he came
to the throne ; and with his usual energy he carried fire
and sword into the country of Mewat. “ Girls at the well,
and water carriers at the Hauz, were constantly assaulted
by these robbers and stripped of all their clothing, so that
it was necessary for the gates of the city to be carefully
guarded after the evening prayer.” When the Moghals
invaded Delhi, the outskirts jf the city suffered heavily ;
and after ’Ala-uddm Khiljf had founded Sfrf, the suburbs of
Qil’ah Rai Pithora spread still further in a south-easterly
direction, till the opposite boundaries of the two cities became
conterminous, and the villages of Hauz Rani, Tiitf Sarai and
Khirki formed the more important links of the connecting
chain. It then occurred to Muhammad Shah Tnghlaci to
enclose the whole of the suburbs lying between Old Delhi
and Siri— not more for the purpose of protecting them against
Moghals and Mewatis than to perpetuate his name as the
founder of a new city. In 728 A. H. (1327 A. D.) this task
w'as accomplished, and the cities of Old Delhi and Siri were
united by two lines of fortifications. The wall on the north-
west is about 2 miles in length, and those on the east and
south are two miles and a quarter long, the whole length of
the three walls being about 5 miles. The north eastern wall
is irregular and in ruins ; so is the best part of the eastern
wall, which, however, is perfectly straight ; the southern wall
which was also built in a straight line has more than a third
of it in ruins.

There were thirteen gates in the new’ city of J ahanpanah

— exclusive of those which belonged in common to Old Delhi
and Sfrf. Of these thirteen gates, six were on the north-
west, and one of these is named by native iiistorians the
“
gate of the Maidan (plain), and according to Yazdf it opened
towards Hauz Khas;” it was also called the gate of Hauz
Khas the rest of the gates were on the south-east

* Tarikh-i-Muharak Bhahi,
 —

100 BUI MANDAL OB BEDI MANZAL.

two of the latter are known to history as the Hauz Rani and
the Bardka gates. Within this new enclosure was a famous
tower known as Bijf or Bedi Manzal, of which a description
is given further on.

Ibn Batuta describes Jahdnpanah as " specially designed

for the residence of the reigning Sultan of India, Muhammad
Shah ; he built was his intention to connect all these
it, and it
four citiea (Old Dellii, Sin, Jahdnpanah and Tughlaqabad)
together by one and the same wall. He raised a portion of it,
but abandoned its completion, in consequence of the enormous
expense its erection would have entailed.”*

Biji Mandal or Bedi Manzal As 1 have already re- —

marked, General Cunningham seems to he in eri'or when he
places the ruins of this tower in Tughlaqabad unless, indeed, ;

* After describing Jahanpanah as the seventh fort of Delhi, General Cun-

ningham proceeds to account for “ the pithy [native] desLri)ition of sat-kila bainin
Darwaza or seven forts and 52 gates’' which then comprised Della. He enumerates
the seven forts as follows :
“ 1. Lalkot.
2. Eai Pithora.
3. Siri or Kila Alai.
4. Tughlaqabad.
5. Citadel of Tughlaqabad.
6. Adilabad.
7. J alianpanah.”
He makes up the “ 52 gates” by allotting
3 to Lalkot,
'
10 to liui Pithora’s fort.
7 to Siri.
23 to Jalianpaiiah.
13 to Tughlaq.djad.
3 to citadc'l of Tughlaqabad.
2 to ’Addabad.

52 Total number of gates.

The natives, however, regard their f.amiliar phrase
“Sat Kih
Bawan Dnrim~a'
as m-.re suggestive of the grandeur of Old Delhi, than a description
of the then
tiug state of that city. Similar phrases, which have had currencv elsewhere, make
believe truit the popular explauation of this description
is correct Besides
both Finch and de Laet give Delhi “ nine” iu-stead of “ .seven forts,”
an.j this I sup'
^se wa^ prohab v the ca.se, for Ge..eral Cunningham has left out of
his list both
Kilokheri and Ghia..p6r vhieh tl,e native- believe were
fortified cities, and has
included Lalkot ('f which they appear to know iiotliinrf. ^

Agibn, native hist()nans allot ‘‘52 gates and .56 bastions”

to Tughlaqabad alone,
but although I have rejected this account and jireferred that
of General CuimiiK'-
bam, which gives only 16 gates to the city and Fort of Tiighlaq
Sh^h I see no reisofl
why he not include m
h.s account the second small
fort near TuoKbhd
as one of the Forts of Delhi, and its gates as some
of the gates of that ^-^2
 SATUPALAH. 101

by Binj Mandir he refers to some building, the history

of which I have not been able to ascertain.* ’Abdul Haq Mu-
haddis, a man of considerable reputation as a philosopher
and divine in the reigns of Akbar and Jahangh, the author
—
of AhhMr-ul-Akkiar, a history of Muhammadan saints, who —
lived in Delhi, and died there in the year 1052 A. H. (1642
A. D.) describes Biji Mandal as a tower of Jahanpanah, and
states that Shaikh Hasan Taher, a pious man who visited
Delhi in the reign of Sekandar Lodi, resided here by the order
of the king. When Taher died in 909 A. H. (1-503 A. D.), he
was buried outside this tower in Jahanpanah ; and the group
of graves in its neighbourhood belongs to members of his
family who settled in Delhi.

The tower stands on a high mound, faced with stone and

masonry, about 83 feet from the ground, with steps leading to
its top the steps and the masonry sides of the mound have
;

suffered much from the effects of time. This terrace is sur-

mounted by a octagonal room over which, Syud
roofless
Ahmed Khan of opinion, though I have not been able
is
to satisfy myself of its correctness, there was a twelve-
doored room whence the king reviewed his troops. The room
now in existence has four doors it is built of stone and
;

masonry, and the corners are protected with red sandstone.

It is 20 feet high and about 38 feet square the walls
;

slope downward to the base, where they gain in width about

4 feet in a height of 20 feet.
Not
far from the grounds of this tower is a domed pavi-
lion,about 37 feet high and 50 feet square. It is built of
stone and masonry, and is in very fair order.

There is a wall-mosque close to the grave-yard. The

whole place has an air of desolation which its neighbourhood
to the village of Begampiir has not changed. I cannot quite
understand the object of a building like the tower of Bijf
Mandal, and Syud Ahmed Khan gives us no authority for his
opinion that it was used as a royal stand on gala occasions.

Sathpalah — This
bund for regulating the force of a
stream which ran through Jahanpanah was built in the eastern

Archeological Reports, Vol. I, page 213.

 ;

102 THE TOMB OF NIZAM-TTDDIN AULIA.

wall of that city by Muhammad Shah Tughlaq, in the year

727 A. H. (1326 A. D.). The bund consists of seven stone
and masonry arches about 38 feet high the three centre
;

arches are 11 feet, and the rest are 9 feet wide the bund ;

itself is 1 77 feet long and each of its two flanking towers

is 39 feet wide, which together gives the whole building a
width of 255 feet.
The towers have the appearance of Pathan gateways
they are 39 feet wide, 47 feet long, and a little over 20 feet
hisfh there is a small octaafonal room in each corner of the
:

tower, and between these rooms there is an arched recess, the

arch in the eastern wall has a 7 feet wide entrance in its centre.
This door is covered by a gateway, about 16 feet wide with
arched recesses in its side walls. Each of the towers on the
corners of the bund, has a level piece of ground in front,
about 57 feet square. This is the level of the top of the bund,
and it is about 64 feet from the level of the ground. Over
the seven arches of the bund there are seven other arches
which are 14 feet high and 11 feet wide.
Almost on a level with the ground and on either side of
the bund, there are arched openings which contain steps lead-
ing to the top of the building.

Tii -weekly fairs are held here in the month of October,

viz.,on Sundays, I'uesdays, and Saturdays, till the celebration
of the festival of Dewalt.

The tomb of Nizam-uddin Aulia There were Mu- —

hammadan saints in India who are still reckoned as superior to
Nizani-uddin in piety and in “ the secret knowledge of the
future but none equalled him in the hold he acquired on
;

such varied classes of his co-religionists. Of his own frater-

nity, the well known Chistis, there are three names before
whom royalty has humbled itself, and which still hold a
place in the daily thoughts and feelings of thousands
of believer’s.^ The first being that of M’uin-uddln, the founder
of the Chisti sect in India, who has made the place
of his burial famous as the “ Sacred Ajmer then comes
^at of his friend and successor, Qutb Sahib,
who has given
his n^e to all that is interesting in the
and lt)s environs; ^ ruins of Mahraulf
the third, but not the least, that of i
 the tomb of NIZAM- UDDIN ABLIA. 103

the disciple of Qutb Sahib and a workfer of miracles, the

famous Farid-uddin Shakr Ganj of Pak Patan, who con-
ferred the gift of divination on Shaikh Nizam-uddin Aulia.
Last, but in many respects the greatest, of the more renowned
Chistl saints was Nizam-uddi'n, who combined the piety
of a saint with what, in those days, was considered the wisdom
of a politician. His knoAvledge of human nature was not
derived from the study of books ; it W’as the result of ex-
periences of human life acquired under favorable circumstances.
This experience earned for him many a dubious compliment
from some of possessing a knowledge of sorcery, and from
others of being a member of the Secret Society of the Assassins
of Khorasan, while, according to Colonel Sleeman, at times a
somewhat precipitate thinker, he Avas the organiser of Thag-
gism in India. He had the advantage of being all things to all
men ; he was the friend of ’Ala-uddln K.hilji and Muhammad
Shah Tughlaq, both of Avhoni succeeded to the throne of
Delhi the first after the murder of his uncle, and the second
;

after that of his father. He appears to have learnt in one of

his ecstatic fits the exact time of the death of Jalal-uddin Firoz
Shah Khiljf, and declared it to his bewildered disciples w’hen
it occurred at ilanikptir of the death of Tughlaq Shah, he
;

also seems to have acquired a prophetic knowledge, and he

gave his friends to understand that the King would never see
Delhi again this prophecy came to pass, and the King was
;

killed at Alghanpiir Avithin four miles of Tughlaqabad. In

703 A. H. (1303 A. D.) when the Moghals invaded the
territories ot Ala-uddm Khilji, the prayers of Nizam-uddi'n
dispersed them ;
it is generally belicAmd, however, that his
emissaries had assassinated the Moghal chiefs in their tents.

Among his less noble but perhaps more valued friends,

Nizam-uddi'n reckoned the Avell-knoAvn recluse Sayyad
Mahmud Behar, the renoAvned saint Chiragh Delhi, and
the courtly and gifted poet Khusrau. While living, he drew
I
the pious allegiance of eager multitudes, and after his death,
down to the very date of our description, pilgrimages are made
to his tomb from all parts of India, and miracles are still
worked there for the believing.'"
* One of the Amirs of the Court of Akbar, Husain-udJiu, suddenly changed
his mind, “ and though a young man, he expressed to the commander his wish to
resign the service, and live as faqir at the tomb of Nizam-uddin Aulia in Delhi.
Akbar permitted his resignation. Husain lived for thirty years as an ascetic in
Delhi.” Blochmann’s A'm-i-Akbarl, Vol. I, p. 441.
104 THE TOMB OF NIZAM-UDDTN AULIA.

When Niz^m-uddin first arrived in Delhi, he settled in the

then well-known village of Ghiitspur his house is still in
;

a very fair state of preservation, and forms part of the

south-eastern enclosure wall of the tomb Humayhn.
Nizam-uddin was born in the year 633 H. (1232 A.
D.) and died at sunrise on Wednesday, the 18th of Eabi’. II.
in the year 725 A. II. (1324 A. D.). Ibn Batuta calls
him Nizam-uddin Badaoni, and states that he was often visit-
ed by Muhammad Shdh Tughlaq, and that the saint “ in one
of his inspired fits gave him the throne of Delhi.’'

Nizam-uddin was buried in the small enclosed village

which bears his name, near the Chabutrah Yarani, the
platform of friends, where he used to discourse with
his disciples, and friend, and where the ashes of Amir
Khusrau, one whom he loved best, share with him the
sacred ground. Since it was honoured with the bones of
this holy man, the little village has been selected as the
last resting place of an Emperor, who bad tasted most
of the adversities which accompany a crown of generals
;

not unknown to glory even when success was won only

under the royal prestige ; of queens, princes and princesses
not more known to fame than to misfortune. While
silence surrounds the graves of the men and women
of quality, the tomb of the saint, who is suspected of com-
plicity in at least one murder, is attended by pious men
who chaunt sacred hymns and read holy books within its vene-
rated walls.

The village of Nizdm-uddm is within five miles of Modern

Delhi ;
it is entered by a lofty stone and masonry gate-

way, on either side of which there are rooms now occupied

as a school. On the right of the visitor, as he enters the
village, is the mausoleum known as the Chausat Khambah ;
further on, still on his right, are the graves of the
queens, the daughters and nieces of Akbar II. Turning
to his left, the visitor arrives at a low gateway through
which he enters a stone paved enclosure about 6 0 feet square ;

on his left, is a room now occupied as a school with a grave in

it, and on his right is the tomb of Khusrau. On the north of
this court is another walled enclosure, pa^d with marble,
which contains the tomb of Nizdm-ud^n. IThis enclosure is
 THE 10MB OF NIZAM-UDDIN AELIA. 105

about yards long and 194 yards broad, and within its
walls are the graves of Jahanara Begam, Muhammad
Shah and Mirza Jahangir, and the mosque known
as Jamda’th Khanah. It is entered by a small
square door in its northern wall ; about 20 yards
from this is the tomb of Nizam-uddin which is about 30
feet square, with five arched openings on each side, supported
by 20 marble pillars. Asix feet wide verandah surrounds the
room which contains the grave this room is 18 feet square,
;

has only one door, and its sides admit

.
light through
w'indows of marble lattice work, the frames of which
are made of red stone. The pavement round the grave is
of marble ;the arched openings of the verandahs are
protected by deep sandstone ledges or weathering, and
are covered with red cotton pardahs, while the windows
of the room are covered wfith pardahs of red-cloth. The tomb
is surmounted by a white marble dome ornamented with
vertical stripes of black marble, and a copper gilt pinnacle ;
on the four corners of the tomb there are small marble dome
pavilions with pinnacles of the same materials. Between these
pavilions the roof is protected by a parapet wall which con-
sists of solid masonry domes, about 20 inches high, with small
gilt pinnacles underneath these domes are small arcades,
;

the open spaces being about 20 inches high the domes and the
;

arcades together stand on a dwarf wall about 2 feet high,

the three together forming a wall about 6 feet high and
18 feet from the ground.

On a cloudy day the light in the room is not suflScient

to shew the walls and the grave to advantage. At the head
of the grave the wall contains three screens of marble lattice
work, the centre screen being larger than those on its
sides ; in the centre of the western wall there is an arched
recess ornamented with gilt work which ofliciates for
the ordinary wall-mosque, and on either side of it light and
air are admitted through a lattice screen. In the eastern wall
there are three such screens, the centre one being larger than
those on its sides. In the centre of the southern wall is a door
which admits the visitor into the room, and on either side
of it there is^a marble screen.

A cotton canopy hangs over the grave, and plated glass

balls are suspended round it as ornaments. The grave is
 —

106 THE TOMB OF NIZAM-UDDIN AULIA,

enclosed by a wooden railing’, about 2 feet high and about

3 feet from the walls of the room ; at the corners of this
railing are wooden staves, about lO feet high, which support
the canopy already described. The canopy is about 7 feet
wide and about 10 feet long, and is lined with red cloth
printed with gold.

At
the head of the grave a Qoran is kept open on a
stool,and behind this is a slab of marble let into the latticed
screen which bears an inscription in embossed gilt letters.
.

The inner pillars of the room are made of red stone and the ;

inner face of the lattice screens are ornamented with gold

and colour.
The history of the tomb^ ^^y be thus shortly told.
The grave was originally in a' room with walls of lattice
work surmounted by a masonry dome; Ffroz Shah Tugh-
laq ornamented the inside of the tomb “ I also r^aiied :

the doors of the dome and the lattice work of the tomb
of Shaikh-ul-IsUm Nizam-ul-haqwa-din, ^hich were- made
of sandal wood. I hung up the golden cups with chains
of gold in the four recesses of the dome, and I built
a meeting room, for before this there was none.”* In 970
A. H. (1562 A. D.) Sayyad Farid Khan put up the
marble screens under the dome, and a marble slab, with
an inscription containing a chronogram, at the head of
the grave t In the reign of Jahangir (1017 A. H. 1608
A.D.) Farid Khan, better known as Murtaza Khan, made an
offering to the grave of a curtain inlaid with .mother-o’-pearl

* Futahdt-i-F'iToz Shdhl.

"I English translation of the inscription :

There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his prophet.

[Ood be] praised this mausoleum of the Lord, [Nizdiu-ucldml who listens
!
to
the prayers of all—
He resolved to build [who is] a Khdn of the dignity of the sky
The glory of the Sun of [noble] descent; the star of the height of ;honour
;
Sayyad of exalted blood [itndj a lord of the firmament of reaper tnbility
;
cause of this [mausoleum] was a Hashrai [a Sayyad, i.
* 1, e., Nizim-uddin],
the builder of it was [also] a Hdshnii
;
He in whose age [the beauties of] the language acquired streuf^th.
When to [discover] the date of this building I turned my thoucrht
The pen of knowledge WTote The loi-d of all, (Qablagahe khiSl-o-’am)
:

TV. t K
1 tot ^ your face to his mausoleum with truth [in youi
by the mercies of the Saint your ways may be rioht
'
heart]
Writer Hosen Ahmad Chistf.
;
 ;

THE TOMB OF NIEaM-ODDIN AULIA. 107

whicli also contained an inscription.* In 1063 A. H.

(1652 A. D.) Khalil-ullah Khan, a noble of the Court of
Shdh. Jahan, built a verandah of red sand-stone pillars round
the gr^ve and put up inscriptions over two of its arches.f

1169 'A. H. (1755 A. D.) Alamgir II. put up

In
inscriMions On mai'ble inside the dome ; in 1223 A. H.
(1808^. D.) Nawab Ahmad Baksh Khdn of Firozpiir,
replaces the red sand-stone pillars of the verandah with pillars
of marble ; in 1236 A. H. (1820 A. D.) Faiz-ullah Eihdn
Banofash covem^Pb ceiling of the verandah with copper
gilt and orn: it with blue enamel. In the year 1239
A. H. •|%23 A. Dj^Akbar II. removed the masonry dome
and replaced it with one of marble, topped with a copper
gilt pinnacle.

The anniversary of the death of Nizam-uddin and the

first day of spring are observed here with great pomp and
ceremony.

* English translation of the inscription

3Tie Shaikh of Delhi, Nizam fmhh'n] and two Farids,
Who made for him all tls it [is required] in this world and in the next
One Farid [Khiin] gave liim [a] transitory’ building,
The other Farid [Shakr-ganj] made for [liimj an everlasting residence ;

Murtazd Khan, over hi-^ grave.

Built a dome [lofty] as the sky.
A blue cloud rose from the earth.
And a peerless pear [itl tlropt into the [oyster] shell.
On the earth his square built Ka’bah
Has thrown open four d; ts [for worship] on its four sides ;
The roof over his sacred jrave
Has done for the earth the work of a high firmament ;
The sky itself, within its four walls.
Four times spontaneously repeated the taJebir [God is great].
Who ever turned his face away from his liouse [the grave],
Has turned his back on the Great Kabah ;
Who ever in devotion has turned his face towards it.

Has made his face as cle. r as a clear glass ;

If you are the sweeper

of this house,
You may do the work
of a hundred Messiahs.
When I searched for the date of this building,
Thought put [into my heart the words] ; The dome of the Shaikh.
May the honour of the builder of this tomb be increased.
By him who built the seven green terraces [of Heaven.]
t In the reign of the Exalted Majesty, Sfihib Qiran Sfinl [Shfih Jah4n.]
The worst of men, Khalil-ullah Khdn, son of the noble [and], of [the blood of]
Hasan, N’amath-aldhi
“ Governor of Shdjah.andbdd in the year 1063 [A. H.] this building was
;

erected round this glorious mausoleum.”

108 TfiETOMB OS' JAHANARA BIGAM.

The Tomb of Jahanara Begam.. Within the court —

of Nizam-uddm’s tomb there are three marble monuments,
each enclosed by four walls of marble screens. The monument
near the gate-way is that of Mirzd Jahdngir, a prince of royal
blood ; opposite to it is that of Muhammad Shah, em-
peror of Delhi and on its rear is that of Jahanara
;

Begam, the favorite daughter of Shah Jahan. Jahdn4ra,

Muhammad Shah, and Mirza Jahangir illustrate three
different epochs in the history of the Moghal dynasty ;

Jahanard saw the Moghal empire in the zenith of its glory,

and when she was gathered unto her fathers, its
decline had set in ; in the reign of Muhammad Shdh,
the invasion of India by Nddir Shah sealed the fate of
Moghal ascendancy in India ; and when Mtrzd Jahangir took
part in the public affairs of the king of Delhi, the authority
of the king was exercised under a protectorate, its glories
had departed, and the titular empire was precipitating to its
disgraceful close.

The events
of Jahandra’s life, such as they are,
have suffered on
the one hand from sentiment which
adorns her with every virtue that a woman possesses
and on the other by the court-tattle of Bernier which
I need not repeat here. Enough, however, is known of
her life to attach a melancholy interest to the grave of
the unfortunate Princess. When Aurangzeb practically
deposed his father, after defeating his eldest brother,
Ddra Sheko, his two Jahanara and Rushanara, divid-
sisters,
ed their sympathies between their ill-fated father and
their successful brother. Aurangzeb detained Shdh Jaban
a prisoner at Agra, and Jahandrd shared with her father
his life-long captivity ; on the other hand, Rushanard was
staunch to the cause of Aurangzeb ; she advised him to avoid
the court of Shah Jahan, advocated the capital punishment of
her captive l^rother, Dara Sheko, and shared with her more
fortunate brother his long term of success. Jahdndra was re-
markable for wit and beauty, as well as for those gentler quali-
ties which in a woman recommend themselves
to the reo-ard
and respect of the sterner sex. She hated Aurangzeb wth
all the energy of a warm nature, and she
seldom failed to
give expression to her feelings. Aurangzeb resented
the insult,
and partially disestablished some of her religious endowments.
Shah Jahan died m 1076 A. H. (1665 A. D.) five
;years later
 THfi TOMB OF JAHANARA BEQAM. 109

died Kushanara ; and sixteen years after the death of her

father,Jahdndra died in Delhi (1092 A.l£., 1681 A. D.). It is
doubtful whether she left Agra by the order of Aurangzeb or
ot her own accord but with some writers, Aurangzeb’s un-
;

popularity is sufficient to suggest a cause which would blacken

his character.

Jahanara built her tomb in her life time her grave is

;

covered by a casket- shaped marble monument, fami-

liar to English tourists. It is ornamented with embossed
traceries “ and is hollow at the top and exposed to the
;

—
sky the hollow is filled with earth covered with green grass.”
The grave is inside an enclosure of four marble walls, about 16
feet by 12 feet, and over 8 feet high there is onl} one
;

entrance to the enclosure, and the folds of the door are made of
wood. Each of the walls consists of three panels, covered with
marble screens of lattice work the wall containing the
;

door has only two panels, the door itself occupying the place
of the centre one. The top of the w'alls is ornamented
with a perforated marble balustrade, but of this ornament
only a small piece is left on one of the w^alls. The four angles
of the enclosure were surmounted by small marble minarets,
out of which two are down and only two in existence.

The grave of Jahanara is in the centre of the small marble

court ;
head is a narrow slab of marble about 6 feet high,
at its
which bears an inscription which English travellers have invari-
ably misrepresented in some important particular. The I'lonu-
ment bears no inscription ; the inscription is on the head-
stone and is inlaid with letters of black marble. The
inscription, some verses of which are believed to have been
written by the Begam herself, is to the following effect “ Let
;

nothing but the gieen [grass] conceal my grave. The grass is

the best covering for the tombs of the poor in spirit ; the
humble, the transitory Jahanara, the disciple of the holy men
of Chist the daughter of the Emperor Shah Jahan ; may
;

God illuminate his intentions. In the year 1093.”

On the right of the grave of Jahanara is that of IMirza Nfli,
the son of the Emperor Shah ’Alam, and on its left that of
Jamal-ul-nissa, the daughter of Akbar II.
110 THE TOMB OF MUHAMMAD SHAH.

The Tomb of Muhammad Shah.— Few reigns have

proved so disastrous to the Moghal Empire in India as that
of Muhammad Shah, and the decline which had set in on
the death of Aurangzeb, reached its climax in the reign of this
emperor. Muhammad Shdh ascended the throne amidst
the troubles of a wide spread rebellion feudatories threw
:

off their allegiance fresh disturbances arose where even a

;

murmur of discontent had not been heard before, but the

crowning calamity came with the invasion of India by Nadir
Shah. Even the semblance of suzerainty was now des-
troyed, and the massacre of Delhi announced to the Indian
world the political death of the Moghal empire. Muham-
mad Shdh acknowledged the independence of more success-
ful rebels than had fallen to the lot of any of his pre-
decessors ; but his greatest affliction was to accompany
NMir Shah to his capital, to practise forced hospitality
to a hated guest, and after witnessing the massacre of Delhi
to accept at the hands of his ruthless conqueror the sad satis-
faction, that
“ the city was spared for the sake of Prince
Muhammad.” Hardly less galling to his pride was it to
amuse his unwelcome guest with slavish attention, to give
a daughter in marriage to his soti, to recite jwetry in his
presence, and regret the departure which he could not
hasten. Muhammad Shdh survived this, the greatest
disaster of his reign, fully eight years, and after his death, his
remains were brought to the village of Nizam-uddm that
they may rest close to those of the saint.

The marble enclosure of this tomb is an oblong of 20 feet

by 16 feet ; the walls are a little over 8 feet high and its
four corners are ornamented with small marble minarets
;

the door and the panel opposite to it are also surmounted

with the same style of ornament. The walls consist of panels
of marble lattice work, and in the middle panel of the front
wall is the door with folds of marble. The long sides of the
enclosure have five and the short sides have three panels
each ;
the screens are 5 feet long and 4 feet wide.

The large grave within the enclosure is that of the

Emperor Muhammad Shah ; on its right is the grave of his
wife, Nawab Sdhibah Mahal, and at the foot of the latter is
that of the wife of Nadir Shdh’s son, and on its rio-ht that
of her infant daughter.
°
 tflK TOMB OF MIR2A JAHANGIR. Ill

Two unknown princes of the Timur dynasty rest beside

their better known but more unfortunate relatives.

This tomb was built in the life time of Muhammad

Shah.

The Tomb of Mirza Jahangir. The third marble enclo- —

sure contains the grave of Mirza Jahangir, the son of Akbar
II a dissipated and turbulent youth, who was long treated
;

with extreme indulgence by our Government, but whose overt

act of rebellion in 1808 rendered his removal to Allahabad a
matter of urgent necessity. This enclosure is about 4^ feet
from the ground ; it is an oblong of 20 feet by 16 feet, and is
reached, by a flight of four marble steps. It is entered
through a marble door, the marble folds of which are
covered with exquisitely wmrked fancy patterns. In the
wall opposite to the door is a corresponding opening.
On the corners of the enclosure, and on either side of the
doors, are small marble minarets. There are four graves
within this tomb; the one nearest to the wall is that
of Prince Bdbar; next to this grave is that of Mirzk
Jahangir, the monument over which is decorated with leaves
and flowers beautifully chiselled. The monument, as may
be noticed by anybody accustomed to such memorials,
belonged to the grave of a woman, but it was put over
the remains of the Prince on a dispensation being granted
for the purpose by Muhammadan lawyers. Jahdngir died at
Allahabad ; his body was removed to Delhi and buried here
in the year1248 H. (1832 A D.) by Nawab Mumtdz
Mahal, the mother of Jahangir, who tomb over it.
built this

tJama’ath Khanah, or the Mosque of Nizam-uddin.--

Almost the whole of the western side ot the enclosure of
Nizam-uddin’ s tomb, is formed by the Masjid known as
Jama’ath Khanah. It was built by Firoz Shdh Tughlaq and
probably in the year 754 A. H. (1353 A. D.) as stated by
Syud Ahmed Khan. specimen of the “ severe style”
It is a fine
of Pathan architecture of which the number, round and about
Delhi, is not small. The mosque, which is built throughout of
red sand-stone, is about 94 feet long, 64 feet wide, a.nd
112 - JAKA’atH XHANAH, OB THX MOSQUE OP KIEAH-UDDIN.

about 48 feet high 36 feet to the top of the roof and 12

:

feet more to the top of the centre dome. The side domes are
6 feet from the roof of the mosque. The body of the
mosque consists of three rooms ; the centre room, which sup-
ports a low dome about 52 feet in diameter, is about 54 feet
long from E. to W., and 46 feet broad from N. to S. ;
the side rooms, which are covered with two domes each,
are- about 54 feet long from E. to W., and 20 feet
broad from N. to S. The domes are built of stone
and masonry, and are covered with plaster, the inside being
faced with red sand-stone. The centre room of the mosque
is entered through an arched gateway about 15 feet high;
from the floor about two-thirds of the entrances of the side
rooms are covered with red sand-stone lattice screens, in the
centre of which are the doom. The main entrance to the
mosque is differently constructed ; the recessed arch itself is
covered with a screen of red sand-stone lattice work containing
a wide door-way. On either side of this door is an arched
window covered with stone lattice work, which admits light
and air into the rooms of the mosque ; to the right of the
southern window an inscription which gives the date of
is

Nizdm-uddm’s death ; but it is comparatively modern and

possesses no historical value. The roof of the mosque is pro-
tected by spear head stone ornaments instead of the more
common battlemented parapet.

Three lofty arched recesses in the inner western wall of

the building point to the sacred side to which prayers are
offered ; they are built entirely of red sand-stone ; the pulpit
stands between the centre arch and the arch on its left.
The bands round the arches are ornamented with inscriptions
from the Qor^n. From the centre of the middle dome hangs
an inverted cup held by a thin chain. The cup is supposed
to be made of gold, but for this statement 1 am unable to
vouch.

j
The Spring or Baoli of Nixam-uddin.—Walking out
of the enclosure of Nizdm-uddm’s tomb through a door in its •

northern wall, the visitor enters another enclosure within

which this spring is situated. The building of this Baoli
was the cause of the troubles of Nizdm-uddin with Ghias-
 TBC TOMB OB AMIR EBTTSRAU. 113

uddfn Tughlaq Shah. While the Emperor was forcing on

the works of his fort, the saint was providing pure water
for his neighbours. The Emperor having prohibited the
workmen from going to Nizam-uddin during the day,
they worked for him at night ; the Emperor then prohibit-
ed the sale of oil to Nizdm-uddin, but the workmen found
water answer their purpose equally well. Nizam-uddfn went
with his complaint to another local worthy Sayyad Mah- :

miid Behar. The Sayyad listened to Nizam-uddfn as he

'

•
worked away at a mud-wall which he was then building.
Angered by the story of persecution he had heard, Mahmdd
Behar levelled the mud-wall to the ground, exclaiming' at
the same time: “ I have destroyed his Empire.”

The spring was finished in the year 721 A. H. (1321

A. and Nizdm-uddfn “ blessed its water and it is still
D.),
supposed to work wonderful cures.” The spring is about
180 feet long and 120 feet wide; it is enclosed by heavy
and lofty stone and mortar walls on the south, east
and west the steps being on the north. These steps are sup-
;

posed to go down to the very bottom of the spring, but

very seldom more than 40 of them are above the water.
On the walls of the spring, buildings have been con-
structed at different times on its southern and eastern
;

sides there are low and narrow arcaded passages and rooms.
In the year 781 A. H. (1379 A. D.) Muhammad Maruf, son of
Wahid-uddfn, built the southern arcade. On the west of
the spring are certain tombs ; from the tops of the sur-
rounding buildings, trained swimmers plunge into the water of
— —
the spring a drop fully of 60 feet for a small consideration.

The Tomb of Amir Buhusrau. Abfil Hasan, better —

known by his nom de plwme of Amir Khusrau, by far the
greatest Muhammadan poet of India, lies buried within a few
paces of the grave of the friend he loved best. In the outer
enclosure of ..Niz4m-uddin’» tomb is the last resting place
of the most cherished of his disciples the “ Peerless” :

Khusrau, the “ sugar-tongued Parrot," * the favorite of

Kings, the friend of pious irea and philosophers, and
the admiration of his contemporaries. Although the

* So called in an inscription outside his tomb.

114 •THE TOMB OF AMIR KHOSEAU.
“
shadow of four hundred years surrounds his tomb, his popil-
lar songs are still the most popular and he is one of the fa-
;

vored few who live through ages in the every day thoughts
and feelings of many millions.”*
Khusrau was born in India but ofTurki parents, and
while yet a boy he became a disciple of the saint Nizam-uddm
Aulia. He entered the service of Sultan Balban as an
attendant on his son, then Governor of Multan. On the Khil-
jis coming to power, Sultan J alal-uddin Firoz Shdh appoint-
ed Khusrau an of his Court, and Khusrau con-
tinued to enjoy the favor and confidence of his successors till
the overthrow of the Khiljis, and the rise of the Tughlaqs. Al-
though bitterly hostile to Nizdra-uddi'n and the Chisti frater-
nity, Ghias-uddin Tughlaq Shah extended his patronage
to Khusrau, and conferred on him honors and emoluments
which must have amused his persecuted master. When
Muhammad Shah succeeded to the throne of Delhi, Khus-
rau’s good fortune rose higher than ever. The King was
lavish in his attentions to Khusrau; he put Khusrau in charge
of the royal library and took him to Bengal as a favorite
companion. While present with the Court at Lakhnauti,
Khusrau heard of the death of Nizam-uddin at Delhi ; this
news struck him down; he sold all he had, and travelled to
Delhi in a state of great mental distraction. On his arrival
there his friends, among whom the most notable was the
famous Nasir-uddin Chiragh Delhi, tried to console him,
but Khusrau gave himself up to despair. It is related that he
robed himself in a suit of black, and for six long months he sat
beside and watched the grave of Nizam-uddin, until the
morning of the 29th of Ziqad, 725 A. H. (1324 A. D.) when
death released him from alibis troubles.

His friends, remembering the often expressed wish of the

Aulia that Khusrau should be buried beside him, proposed to
carry it out, and a place was appointed for the purpose on the
right of Nizam-uddm’s grave. It so happened, however,
thai; among the Amirs then in power at Delhi was a eunuch,
a disciple of Niz4m-uddin, who resented the intended burial
of Eihiwrau in such close proximity to the grave of the Aulia
as an insult to the memory of the saint. Khusrau was,
therefore, buried in the Chabutrah Y4ranl, where Nizam-uddin
used to converse with his friends and favorite disciples.
 —•

THE TOMB OP AMIR KHUSRAIT, 115

The enclosure of Khusrau’s tomb is 111 feet long and

51 feet broad, and is paved throughout with red sand-stone.
The grave and the wooden railing round it were built in 937
A. hi. (1530 A. D.) by Syyad Mehdi who also put up a
head-stone of marble outside the tomb, about 8 feet long and
1 foot wide, with an inscription on it in embossed letters.*

The grave, which is kept covered with gold printed cloth is 8

feet long, 3 feet broad, 1 foot high at the foot of the grave is ;

buried Kh,usrau’s nephew, the son of a sister. The present

tomb was built in 1014 A. H. (1605 A. D.) by Amad-
uddin Hasan in the reign ol Jahangir and this date occurs in
an inscription under the dome and over the red sand-stone
screens.! The outer room of the tomb is 30 feet long and
* English translation of the inscription : —
There is no other G<»il but God, and Muhammad is his Prophet.
This tablet conferred honour on Earth,
In the reign of the Emperor Babar, Ghdzi.
Mi'r Khusrau, Ki«g of the kingdom of words ;

The limits of [all] knowledge and the river of plenty ;

His prose draws the heart tif men, even more than the water of Eden ;

His poetry is clearer than the purest [of pure] water ;

He is] Better than the Bulbul, the,singerof thousand songs /

A] Parrot, sugar tongued [and] unequalled.
To learn] the date of his death
I put my head on the knees of thought ;
One date [occurs] in [the word] Feerlens ;
Jhe other in. Parrot Hugar-tongited !

tablet of my dust-made body does not bear the record of [a] meeting with
iny beloved. •

Myunwritten tablet is the sign ofMlJ' 1“''® [which is yet] pure.

Mehdi Khwuiah is a 3.ayyad of power and dignity,
fAnd) the founder of this unequalled and un.approached [edifice.]
To [the question] that was put [to me] regarding the date of the foundation of
this [tomb]
J said [this is due to] the great energy of Mehdi Khwfijah.
:

“ The sweet drink of love is ill your cup,

Your friend is constantly sending messages to you.
The line of Farid [Shakr Ganj] is arranged by you,
And hence you are called Nizlni. (a)
Immortal is thy servant Khusrau,
Because he is a thousand times your slave."
M y name is pure, O great Khwajah,
[It consists of] two two lams, two gd/s, twojfm* (b)
shins,
If you can discover my name in these letters,
I will regard you as a man of wisdom.
The writer of the above is the grandson of Shaikh Farid Shakr GanJ.
t English translation of the inscription :

0 Khusrau, thou art peerless among men !

1 am a supplicant at your tomb,

(a) The arranger.

(b) Two shins are equal to a the, two lamt to a sin, two qaft to a re ; two jims
to a wau ;
the second letters in Persian spell Khusrau.
116 THE TOMB OF ’aZAM KHAN.

22 feet broad ; the inner room is an oblong of 15 f3et by 12

feet ; on each of
its four sides, there are three windows covered
tvith screens of marble lattice work with the exception of the
centre panel of the northern wall in which a slab-of marble is
put. In the centre of the southern wall is the door-way,
about 5^ feet high and 3 feet wide. The roof of the
tomb is surmounted by a bier-shaped dome of stone and
mortar, with a masonry pinnacle at each end.

The tomb of Kliusrau is tenderly cared for by the people

of Nizam-uddfn, and although the Qoran is not read here as
in the tomb of the Aulia, the grave of the poet is approached
with much reverence, and offerings are made to it by the
pious.

The anniversary of the death of Khusrau, and the 5th

day of Basanth (spring) are celebrated here by large gather-
ings of people from Delhi, and the neighbouring villages.

—
of ’Azam Elhan On the south-east of Nizam-
The tomb
uddin’stomb is the mausoleum of Shams-uddfn Muhammad,
surnamed Atgah Khan, who received the title of 'Azam Khan
from Akbar on the occasion of his victory over Bairam Khan
near Jullunder. He Avas present with the Moghal army when
Humayun was defeated by the Pathans at Kanauj (947 A.H.)
and helped the Emperor in his flight from the field of battle.
Humdyun rewarded Shams-uddin, and appointed his wife
wet-nurse to Prince Akbar. WhentheMoghals recovered Delhi
from the Sur Kings, fehams-uddm received the title of Atgah
(foster-father) Khan. After Bairam Khan’s fall, Atgah
Khan was appointed Governor of the Punjab after a short stay ;

Which was built by Tdher ;

Eternal blessing is found here !

The date of its foundation was given by wisdom :

Say to the tomb. It is a place of secrets.

The author of this writing and the founder of this building, T4her, Muham-
mad ’Am&d-uddin Hasan, son of Sultan’Ali Sabzwari, Hijri lOl-f
May God forgive him his sins and conceal his faults.
Engraver Abdul Nabi, son of Hi-rib.
:

O God O God
! !

Muhammad,
and
Ntir-uddin
AM MuzaffarBadshah-i-AdU the
to rergn, and
in
Jah4n|ir Ghizf. Ma^God
reign
the Emperor of

extend over mankind his peace and

Prot^At,.*

benevtonw.
^
to W
m,ntind
“oJ
 THE TOMB OF ’aZAM KHAN. 117

at Lahore, he returned to Agra and acted as the Vakil

Chancellor of the Empire, superseding M’unirn Khan, lan, f 3^
minister of vast experience and one of the most influential
nobles of the Court of Akbar. At the instigation of M’umm
Khan, the Atgah was assassinated by Adham Kh4n, a brave
but turbulent man, who had more than once incurred the
displeasure of Akbar. On tlie 12th of Kamzan 969 [A. H.”l
(1566 A. D.) when M’unim Khan, Atgah Khan, and several
other grandees, were transacting business at night in the
state hall of the Palace at’ Agra, Adham Khan attended by
some followers suddenly entered the room. All rose to greet
him, when Adham Khan struck the Atgah with his dagger,
and told one of his companions to dispatch him with his
sword. Adham Khan was killed by the order of Akbar for
the murder of his foster-father. The body of Atgah Khan was
removed to Delhi and buried in the village of Nizam-uddln
within 20 yards of the tomb of the AuHa. In the year 974
A. H. (1566 A. D.) a tomb was built over the remains of
Atgah Khan by his second son, Mfrzd Aziz Kukaltash Khan.
The following inscription on marble is put over the door of.
the tomb :
—
“ This noble edifice was finished in the year 974
[A. H.] under the superintendence of Ustad Ahmad Quli.”
Although small in size, as regards the general effect of the
colours used in its decoration, it is one of the prettiest tombs
in Delhi ; but it is little known to European travellers, and,
^
so far as I am aware of, has never been noticed by any of
them. The tomb is about 30 feet square ; from the floor
to the top of the roof it is 30 feet high, and from the top of
the roof to the top of the dome 24 feet more, thus giving the
whole building a height of 54 feet. The four sides of the
tomb being alike in every respect, a description of one
would apply to the rest. In the centre of the wall is a
two feet deep recessed arch, about 30 feet high and
11 feet broad; in the wall of this arch is the door of the
tomb, about 7 feet high and 4 feet wide ; just over the door is
a slab of marble almost yellow with age, containing the inscrip-
tion which I have already translated. The rest of the wall is
ornamented with fancy patterns, inlaid with red and blue-stone
on white and yellowish marble. The rectangular lines which
enclose the arched recess are double bands of white marble
and red sand-stone, and the spandrels are profusely decorated
with fancy bosses and foliage inlaid with coloured stones.
* Blochmann.
 ;

118 THE TOMB OF ’aZAM KHAN.

Parallel to these bands is a broader band of marble, and the

two enclose a space about eighteen inches wide, engraved with
verses from the Qoran. On the two corners of the broader
bands, which rise to the roof of the building there were small
marble minarets. The bands, however, do not spring from the
floor of thetomb but from a height of about 5 feet from it
a blocking-course, about 5 feet from the floor, which goes round
the building gives the lower portion of the tomb the appear-
ance of a platform supporting a superstructnre. 'Ihe bands
spring from this blocking-course, under which the wall is cut
oS in panels and ornamented with coloured marble and stone,
like the rest of the building.

The centre of the tomb is surmounted with a Moghal

marble dome which springs from a 6 feet high cylindrical mar-
ble neck inlaid with red sand-stone. The pinnacle of the dome
was destroyed by a storm not long ago.
On either side of the centre arch the w^alls are about two
feet lower than the roof of the arch and are about half its
width the top of the roof is protected by a narrow orna-
;

mental balustrade, underneath which is a narrow oblong

panel, which adds to the effect of a small recessed arch standing
on the blocking-course. The arched recesses are of red sand-
stone, here and there inlaid with marble the rectangular
;

bands which enclose these arches are of marble. In the

lower portion of the building marble crnaments preponderate
and a free use is made of black slate and red sand-stone.
The four corners of the tomb are recessed and each contains
two slim but elegant marble pilasters one standing over the
other, Ihe floor of the tomb is paved with white marble, inlaid
with stripes of black slate the pavement in front of the
;

tomb, for a distance of 6 yards round it, is of red-stone, inlaid

with white marble bands in the form of pointed octagons.

The present condition of this tomb is very unsatisfactory ;

it ishardly possible to believe that its inner walls were left
in theii present bare state, exposing to view a
rough surface of
stone and mortar. The care which provided the roof with
marble water spouts, would not have so thoroughly
neglected
the inside of the tomb. The mausoleum contains
three graves ;
that mthe centre belongs to Atgah Khdn.
on its left the
is
 THE CHAUSAT KHAMBAH OR THE TOMB OF AZIZ KUKALTASH. 119

The Chaus&t Ehambah, or the tomb of Mirza Aziz

Kukaltash —
About 20 yards from the tomb of ’Azam
Khan is buried the body of his son Mirzd Aziz Kukal-
tash, the foster brother of the Emperor Akbar, and one
of the most influential members of his Council. After
the murder of his father by Adham Khan, the Emperor
took charge of Mirza Aziz. The career of Aziz Kukal-
tash was a chequered one ; he was remarkable alike for
the eminence which he had attained and the disgrace
which he had endured. He governed the foremost
provinces of the empire, and was successful in suppressing
a formidable rebellion, but he had also experienced the infamy
of penal servitude and political degradation. On the death of
Akbar, he joined the cause of Khusrau against that of his
father, J ahangir, and although he was reconciled to Jahangir
and was even honoured with official advancement, his early
misconduct was never forgotten. Aziz Kukaltash was
appointed Atiiliq to one of the grandsons of Jahangir, whom
he accompanied to Gujrat, and died at Ahmedilbdd in the
year 1033 A. H. (1624 A. D.). His body was brought to
Delhi and buried in the villaofe
O of Nizam-uddin, near the
'
» • ^
graves ot his father, and of the Aulia.
The tomb of Mirzd Aziz is popularly known as the
Chausat Khambah. It is a 69 feet square hall of sixty-four
pillars, stands 22 feet high, and was built by the Mirza
during his life time. The pillars, screens, floor and ceiling of
the tomb are all of marble. The pillars are erected in the
following order : on each corner of the hall there is a group
of four pillars, closely put together between the pillars on the
;

corners, on each side of the tomb, there is a row of four double

pillars, supporting groined marble arches, and making a total
of 48 outer pillars. There are sixteen inner pillars in four
rows of four each ; they stand in the same line with the double
pillars. The inner pillars are twelve feet apart, and the 64 pil-
lars, in groups of fours, support twenty-five small domes
which cover twenty-five very elegant groined arches. The
capital and base of every pillar is decorated with very simple
foliage, while the shaft is beautifully polished. The outer
pillars are connected by marble screens ten feet high, some
pierced with lattice work, and others divided into 18 inches-
square panels. The arches above the screens are open.
X20 THE CHATTSAT KHAMBAH OR THE TOMB OP AZIZ KUKAETASH.

There are four entrances to the hall through the middle

arch on each of its four sides ; a skeleton iron door, through
which the whole of the inside of the tomb may be seen, was
put in by the local Executive Engineer. The roof is protected
% a perforated parapet, underneath which is a deep weather-
ing resting on plain corbels. The pandrels of the outer arches
partake of the simple character of the rest of the building,
having no more elaborate decoration than a plain flat boss on
a polished marble surface.

A
very small portion of the floor of the tomb is covered
with red-stone in some places the marble screens which
;

had sufiered from decay were repaired with whitish sand-

stone.

Entering the tomb through its eastern door, we have the

hall before us divided into five open compartments by four
rows of pillars. The first and second compartments are not
occupied ;
the third are the graves of Mfrzfi Aziz’s elder
in
brother, Yustif Muhammad Khdn, and his nephew ; in the
fourth is the grave of Mirza Aziz Kukalt^sh, and at his feet
that of his second nephew ; in the fifth compartment is the
grave of the widow ot Mirza Aziz, and in its northern corner,
railed off from the rest of the graves, is that of another
nephew of the Mirza. The rest of the graves belong to
members of the Kukaltash family. Altogether, there are ten
graves in the Chausat Khambah. The inscription on the
monument over Mirza Aziz records the name of the Mirza,
and the date cf his death, “ 1033 Hijri,” but the monument
itself is quite a work of art ; it is casket-shaped, and its
foliage decoration is almost peifect ; leaves, buds, flowers and
tendrils are blended together with exquisite taste. Although
not superior in this respect to the monument over the
grave ot Mirza J ahdngir, but, being protected from the incle-
inency of the weather, it is in a better state of preserva-
tion, and its embossed ornaments will last longer.

The exterior view of the Chausat Khambah is by no means

very striking, but the interior of the tomb is very effective the :

ch^te style in which the pillars are ornamented, the well-

finished groined arches, and the beautiful screens which
enclose
the whole, form an uncommonly beautiful sight. The
 THE TOMB OP SHAIKH SALLAH-UDDIN. 121

appearance of the interior of the building is soft and de-

licate, and in this stands unrivalled, and loses
respect it
nothing when compared with the magnificent elaboration of
the halls of Shah Jahdn in Modern Delhi. Under the shadow
of the Chausat Khambah, are the graves of the daughters
and wives of Bahadur Sh^, the last king of Delhi.

The tomb of Shaikh Sallah-uddin.— Shaikh Sallah-

uddin, one of the disciples of Shaikh Sadr-uddin, died at
Delhi and was buried within a mile of the village of Khirki.
The tomb which now stands over his grave was built in the
year 754 A. H. (1353 A. D.) Sallah-uddin was a man of
learning and piety, and had the. reputation of being a stern
moralist. He was the contemporary and neighbour of Nasir-
uddin Chiragh Delhi. He lived in the reign of Muhammad
Shah Tughlaq, to whom the moralist used to administer
severe rebukes. The king is said to have taken the lec-
tures kindly, and, considering the character of the man, the
forbearance was not unlikely due to fear.

The tomb of Sallah-uddin stands in the midst of the

ruins of buildings, which were once attached to it ; it is a
single domed room, 19 feet square and 25 feet high, built of
stone and mortar, and faced with red sand-stone. It stands on
a platform 33 feet square, and about 4 feet from the ground.
The dome on the grave is supported by twelve pillars of

stone, about 10 feet high and are connected with red sand-
stone lattice work. Between the two centre pillars on
the east is the door of the tomb. The grave is built
of marble and is 8 feet long, 4 feet broad, and 1 foot high.
It is enclosed by red-stone railings 1 foot high, and
from the centre of the ceiling an inverted cup is suspended
over it. The dome, which stands on the, roof of the tomb, is
of the Tughlaq style, it is built of sand-stone covered with
plaster ; it springs from a three feet high cylinder and is sur-
mounted by a 4 feet high copper gilt pinnacle. The Ma.sjid
attached to the tomb is now in ruins ; and so are also its
Majlis Khdnah, or the assembly rooms. In two other domed
rooms, near this tomb, are the graves of the descendants of
Farid Shakr Ganj and Sallah-uddm.
122 KUSHaK AKWAB/BOLI bhatiahi-ka-mahal, and firobabad,

—
Kushak Anwar or Mehndian. Close to the district jail
of Delhi, and between its Turkman and Delhi gates, are
the ruins of a building, which have much exercised the minds
of local antiquarians. This Kushak stood within the walls of
Firozd,bad. It is not easy to assign any object in the
construction of such a building. For the purposes of a resi-
dence it must have been perfectly useless ; that it could have
answered any other useful purpose it is difficult to say. On a
chabutrali, about 118 feet long, 88 feet broad, and 12 feet
from the level of the ground, there were five pavilions, one
on each corner of tjie platform and a fifth in the centre. The
masonry floor of the chabiitrah may still be seen in some
places. Of the corner pavilions only one now remains ;
the rest may be noticed from their ruins. These pavilions
were round, with a circumference of about 60 feet, and were
about 20 feet high.

Syud Ahmed Khdn does not assign this building to

Ffroz Shah Tughlaq, but he does not think it unlikely that it
was built in the reign of that king, in the year 755 A. H.
(1354 A. D.). This Kushak is not generally known, and the
authorities who notice it do not account for its names.

—
Euli Bhatiari ka Mahal. For an account of this curious
building I have to rely entirely on tradition. 1 1 is about 2 miles
from the Aj tner gate of Modern Delhi. The house which
gives its name to the locality is an oblong of 148 feet by
92 feet, and was occupied by one Bfl’alf Khan Bhattf, whom
the natives of the place have converted into Bflli Bhatidri.
The house stands on a bund still in fair order although not
used. It is 518 feet long, 17 feet broad and 22 feet
high. The date of the Vjuilding of the bund as given by
Syud Ahmed Klidn, is 755 A. H. (1354 A. D.) in the reign
of Ffroz Shah Tughlaq.

The City, FoA and Palaces of Firoaabad-The city of

Fir^abad built lu the year 755 A.
U. (1354 A. D.)
by Firoz Shah Tughlaq, The buildiog
malerials used in
the construction of the new citv and Ita

Q ah Bdi Pithora, Sm and Jahdnpanah were

all ^ually
 THE CITY, FORT, AND PALACES OF FIROZABAD. 123

known as Delhi at that time, it is not e^sy to say which of these

cities contributed most towards the building of the new capital.
“ In this old city,” says Shams- i-Siraj, “there -were seven
fortifications, builtby famous sovereigns but these buildings
;

were old and falling into decay, and they furnished an

inexhaustible supply of bricks. The trader’s animals were
sent to this place for a day by the government officials, and
had to convey one load of bricks from thence to Fi'rozabdd.”
“ I’he Sultan,” continues Shams-i-Siraj, “ having selected a
site at the village of Gawin [Gadipur on the banks of the
Jumna, founded the city of Firozabad before he went to
Lakhnauti the second time. Here he commenced a palace
...and the nobles of his court having also obtained houses
there, a new town sprang up, five kos distant from Delhi [the
city of Rai Pithora, that is Old Delhi]. Eighteen places
were included in this town, the Kasha of Indrapat, the
sarai of Shaikh Malik Ydr Paran, the sarai of Shaikh Abii
Bakr Tusi, the village of Gawin, the land of Khetwara,
the land of Jdhramat, the land of Andhauali, the land of
the sarai of Malik, the land of the tomb of Sultan Raziya,
the land of Bhari, the land of Mahrola, and the land of
Sultanpur. So many buildings were erected that from the
kasha of Indrapat to the Kushak-i-Shikar, five kos apart, all
the land was occupied. There were eight public mosques,
and one private mosque The puldic mosques were each
large enough to accommodate 10,000 supplicants.”

There are no ruins to indicate the shape of the city of

Firoz Shah but, like most of the capital cities in its neighbour-
hood, it Avas very probably a half hexagon, with the base
facing the river ; the extent of the city is very fairly described
bv Shams-i-Siraj It wa^ more than
. double the size
of Modern Delhi, or Shahjahanabad, that is, about six miles
from Indrapat to Kushak-i-Shikar, and over two miles from
the river to the village of Hauz Khas, including a very
considerable portion of Modern Delhi, viz, the Mahalahs
known as Bulbuli Khanah, Turkman Darwazah, and Bhojla
Pahar. We may have some idea of its grandeur from the
number of palatial buildings Avith which it Avas adorned by
the king and his nobles ;
it contained eight mosques, three
palaces, a hunting box (Shikargah), numerous large buildings,
and out of the 120 rest houses which Firoz Shah built in
*

‘.-s
 THE CITT, TORT, AND PALACES OP FIEOZABAD. 123

known which of these

as Delhi at that time, it is not e^sy to say
cities contributed most towards the building of the new capital.
“ 111 Shams-i-Siraj, “there -were seven
this old city,” says
fortifications, builtby famous sovereigns but these buildings
;

were old and falling into decay, and they furnished an

inexhaustible supply of bricks. The trader’s animals were
sent to this place for a day by the government officials, and
had to convey one load of bricks from thence to Fi'rozabdd.”
“ The Sultan,” continues Shams-i-Siraj, “ having selected a
site at the village of Gawin [Gadipur 1] on the banks of the
Jumna, founded the city of Firozabad before he went to
Lakhnauti the second time. Here he commenced a palace
...and the nobles of his coui’t having also obtained houses
there, a new town sprang up, five kos distant from Delhi [the
city of Rai Pithora, that is Old Delhi]. Eighteen places
were included in this town, the Kasha of Indrapat, the
sarai of Shaikh Malik Yar Paran, the sarai of Shaikh Abii
Bakr Tusi, the village of Gawin, the land of Khetwara,
the land of Jdhrkmat, the land of Andhauali, the land of
the sarai of Malik, the land of the tomb of Sultan Raziya,
the land of Bhari, the land of Mahrola, and the land of
Sultanpfir. So many buildings were erected that from the
kasha of Indrapat to the Kushak-i-Shikar, five kos apart, all
the land was occupied. There were eight public mosques,
and one private mosque The public mosques were each
large enough to accommodate 10,000 supplicants.”

There are no ruins to indicate the shape of the city of

Firoz Shah but, like most of the capital cities in its neighbour-
hood, it Avas very probably a half hexagon, with the base
facing the river ; the extent of the city is very fairly described
by Shams-i-Sirdj It wa^ more than
. double the size
of Modern Delhi, or Shahjahanabad, that is, about six miles
from Indrapat to Kushak-i-Shikar, and over two miles from
the river to the village of Hauz Khas, including a very
considerable portion of Modern Delhi, viz, the Mahalahs
known as Bulbuli Khanah, Turkman Darwazah, and Bhojla
Pahar. We
may have some idea of its grandeur from the
number of palatial buildings with which it was adorned by
the king and his nobles ; it contained eight mosques, three
palaces, a hunting box (Shikargah), numerous large buildings,
and out of the 120 rest houses which Firoz Shah built in
124 THE CITY, FOET, AND PALACES OP FIROZABAD.

Delhi and Firozabdd we may safely suppose that more than

halfmust have been erected in the capital.
“ During the forty years of the reign of the excellent
Sultan Firoz,” says Shams-i-Siraj, “ people used to go for
pleasure from Delhi to Firozabad, and from Firozabad to
Delhi, in such numbers, that every kos of the five kos between
the two towns swarmed with people, as with ants or locusts.
To accommodate this great traffic, there were public carriers
who kept carriages, camels, which were ready for hire
horses,
at a settled rate, every morning after prayers palankin
, ,

bearers were also ready to convey passengers There . .

was also plenty of porters ready for employment by any one

and they earned a good livelihood.” The same authority
tells us that, “ so many buildings were erected that from the
Kasha of Indrapat to the Kushak-i- Shikar, five kos apart, all
the land was occupied.” General Cunningham considers it
“ very improbable that the entire space was actually occupied,”
hut those who have had experience of overcrowded Indian
cities would hardly share the General’s doubt. “ But even
if thinly inhabited,” writes General Cunningham, “ the
population of Firozabkd could not have been less than that
of Shahjahdnabad, as it was more than double its size. The
number of inhabitants would, therefore, have been about
150,000.”

Of the palaces, Shams-i-Siraj gives the following names

and description: —“One was the Mahal-a-sahan-i-gilm [the
palace of the clayey-court.] It was also called Mahal-i-dikh,
i. e. the Mahal-i-Angur or palace of grapes.
The second was
called Mahal~i-chhaja-i-chohin [palace of the wooden gallery j.
The third Avas the Mahal-i-bar-i-am, or palace of the public
court, and it was also called Sahn-i-miyanagi,
the central
quadrangle. The first palace was appropriated to the reception
of the ILhans, mcihks, amirs, officials and distinguished
literarv
men. The Alahal-i-chhaja-i-chohin was for the reception of
^

principal personal attendants. The palace of the

Sahn-i-Miydnagi was used for general reception.” The
rums of these palaces have not been identified. Firozdbdd
continued to be the most important city on
the right bank of
ttie Jumna till the foundation of Shergarh by
Sher Shah,
the destroyer of cities and palaces.”
When Timiir invaded
the main gate of the city of
fJoz SharTF-
iirozShah, and in front? of this gateway,
Ibrahim Lodi
 THE CITY, FORT, AND PALACES OF FIBOZABAD. 125

put up the figure of a brazen bull which he had brought from

Gwalior, after the conquest of that lort. The site of this
gate is not known.
Of the palaces enumerated by Shams-i-Siraj we have lost
all meansof identity, but of the building called the Kushak
Firoz Shah, which is also known as Kotlah Fift)Z Shah, we may
mark the site with confidence, but we have neither the help of
history, tradition, nor of architectural remains to indicate its
exact size or shape. " The citadel was probably a parallelopi-
pedon, with a circular bastion at each angle and a gateway in
the centre of each line, with two round towers pierced with
loopholes for purposes of defence ; the height of the walls
wherever they still exist is 60 feet, and in the centre of the
citadel are the Jam’a Masjid of Firozabad, and the pyramid of
cells on which Firoz Shah erected Asoka’s pillar. In
18.50, the following ruins were noticed on the site of
—
Firnzabad: 1st, the palace f. e., the Kotlah or the Kushak
of Firoz Shah 2nd, a raas^of ruined buildings, nearly to
;

the south of the palace. 3rd, 4th, and 5th, three ruined
buildings, of which two are tombs and the third part of some
edifice Gth, the Kushak Anwar or the Mehnditin
;
7th, a ;

small mosque 8th, apparently a dwelling house, the property

;

of some person of consequence 9th, the Kalan or Kali

;

Masjid; 10th, the lime kiln mosque, and 11th, a doubtful

building, wdiich probably was not within the precincts of the
city.

“ of Firozabjid,” says Cunningham, “ which

The palace
formed also the citadel of the new city, was strongly fortified
with massive stone walls and towers of more than Egyptian
slope. One of the gateways, which still exists, between the
well-known Lai Darwaza and Firoz Shah’s pillar, is a fine
specimen of this bold, but rude architecture^
Avere three tunnels in this citadel wide
“There enough to
allow' the ladies of the Sultan’s family to travel through it

in conveyances. One communicated with the river and

was five zarib long, another with the Kushak-i- Shikar and

* Shams-i-Sir4j describes this palace in one place “ as the Kushak of Firozd-

b4d,’' and in another as *• the Kushak in the middle of that town.”
126 THE CITT, FORT, AND PALACES OP FIROZABAD.

was two kos long, and the third in the direction of Qilah
Rai Pithora, about five kos long.” Witiiin a few yards
on the north of Hindu JRao’s house on the ridge, is a deep
hollow, and on its northern side there are two low openings
together forming one entrance, which seem to lead into a tunnel.
The people in the neighbourhood also point out an air shaft
about 150 feet to the north of the entrance. All attempts to
explore the tunnel have hitherto failed.

In the palace of Firoz Shah there are two objects of more

than ordinary historical interest the first is the Jam’a Masjid
:

of FirozabM, and the second the column of Asoka.

The mosque was built in the year 755 A. H. (1354 A.

D.) by Firoz Shdh, and must have been a building of great im-
portance and beauty, as Timur had not only his khutbah read
here, but he took a model of it home to build a similar mosque
in his own capital. The mosque was built with the materials
commonly in use in the reign of Firoz Shfih quartzose;

sandstone and mortar forming the walls, all cementing is done

with chunara and the whole edifice is plastered over with
the latter material. It is of the sloping style of architecture,
with the simple style of column which accompanied it.
The following is an epitome of the [report of a Committee,
appointed by the Archaeological Society of Delhi in the
year 1847, to conduct investigations into the supposed Jam’a
Masjid of Firozabad.'"'
The mosque, having had to be built with regard to the
Eiabah of Mecca, is out of the square as regards the rest of the
buildings in the citadel. The entrance to the mosque is to
the north and not to the east as is usual with such entrances,
on account of the proximity of the river to its eastern wall.
Although this was the principal entrance to the interior of
the mosque, access could also be had to its upper storey from
without by four staircases in the wall, and running upwards
from the lower storey or taikhanah which could be entered
through arched openings. Two of these staircases were in
the northern wail, east and west of the main entrance, and
two in the southern wall, corresponding exactly with the
* I legret to add that the valwablo plans which accompanied this report were
destroyed in the mutiny of 1857.
 THE CITT, FORT, AND PALACES oP FIROZABAD. 127

others. It is believed from the ruins which once covered

the ground in front of the gateway of the mosque, that it was
connected with the building of Asoka’s pillar by a bridge.

The gateway a square domed projecting tomb-like

is
building with three exterior and one interior doorways ; these
are believed to have been narrowed and shortened by stone
side pillars and lintels, supported by brackets, certainly not
elegant. This part of the building may be said, as compared
wi^ the rest, as in the most complete state of repair, though
the carved stone work of the doorways has been removed by
the men of the neighbourhood. On proceeding through the
inner doorway into the main body of the room, nothing was
to be seen but the western, northern and southern walls,
with recesses proving the previous existence of arches, sepa-
rated by windows along the whole length to the north and
the south ; the northern and western walls were complete to
the roof, and in their whole length the southern is broken off
;

at the eastern or river extremity to the extent of about 20

feet ; this has a breach from top to bottom, about 25 feet
wide at the western extremity, adjoining the western wall.
The piece corresponding with this breach in the northern
wall is entire, or much that is now clear mthat part of the
building would have been inexplicable. In this corresponding
piece are the remains of the arches supporting the roof pro-
jecting farther than in any other part ; and in one or two
places are the usual round plaster ornaments of the time, with
the creed in the centre. When this report was made, the
whole area was covered deep with debris. Awell was found
nearly in the centre of the court of the mosque open to a
depth of about 25 feet
Between the arches and the windows that pierced the
northern and southern walls, were traces of the previous exis-
tence of pilasters, and in one or two places the semi-pedestals
were still to be seen.
In the N. W.
angle was found a staircase, turning round
from the floor of —
the secondary corner apartment to be ex-
—
plained hereafter into the northern wall, and on to the roof;
and also a few steps to the left leading into a narrow passage,
carried along the whole length of the western wall to the
south-east angle, where it terminated in steps, leading to
the upper apartment in that corner. Under the upper storey
128 THE CITY, rOET, AND PALACES OP PIEOZABAD.

is a series of apartments, complete to the north and west, and

nearly so to the south ; these are connected with the exterior by
arched doorways, and with the upper storey by the four stair-
cases already mentioned. The apartments to the east, facing
the river, have been broken ofF, some altogether, some only in
part. From these, in the southern and northern waUs, under
the upper flight to the east, a second set of steps leads down
into a large verandah, quite entire, and nearly on a level with
the river at high water, but which seems not to have been
c^ried round the other three sides.
The Committee seem to have entertained some doubt as
to whether the well referred to in their report was a well
after all, and not a shaft sunk to support the foundation
of the dome erected over it. This was the octagonal
dome on the eight sides of which Firoz Shah had put
marble slabs, on which was engraved a precis of Fatuhdt-i- Firoz
Shahi, or the victories of Firoz Shah. No inscription of any
sort or kind was discovered by the Committee of the ArchcB-
ological Society ; if marble inscriptions were really ever put up
in the dome over the well or shaft, they have been removed,
as well as the square pillars on which the dome rested. Of
the existence of the dome there can be no doubt, as six of the
eight capitals peculiar to pillars supporting domes were found
lying around the mouth of the well. When the lower arches
of the western wall were cleared out, it became evident that
there had been in either angle to ^e westward an upper
apartment raised about six feet above the main floor. These
two rooms had been accessible by a flight of steps in the wall,
and that occupying the space of three arches on either side,
they left five in the centre as the western termination of the
main body of the mosque. On the walls of some of the arches
were found writings, evidently the work of visitors, of various
dates of the early part of the reign of Akbar, several bearing
reference to the writer having come to see this “
mosque.”
It is very likely that in the reign of either
Akbar or his
grandson, Shdh Jahan, the mosque was put into
a state of
complete repair, and that the walls were not only
whitewashed
but carefully plastered over. From the date
discovered under
a coating of whitewash on a support to one of
the roofs, it was
evident that the mosque was used as a
place for worship
m the year 1741 A. D. ^
 asoka’s lat. 129

Asoka’s Lat. —The next object of interest in the palace

of Firoz Shdh is the pillar on which Asoka, king of Magadha,
published his tolerant edicts to the world. It was put up here
by Firoz Shdh, in the year 757 A. H. (1356 D.) It standsA
on a pyramidal building of rubble stone, with domes of rubble
stone irregularly set in mortar of admirable quality, and
arches with ribs.*

The pyramid on an exterior

consists of terraces standing
platform, on the top-most of which the pillar stands ; these
terraces have cells with arches all round.! I agree with Mr.
Beglar that there was not another storey over the highest
storey now in existence ; the presence of two stumps of pillars
near the edge of the upper-most storey does not argue, as a
matterof even strong probability, that they were parts of pillar-
supports, but I am of opinion, that the addition of another
stcrey which would serve to dwarf the size of the pillar would
be an ill advised addition for men "who were setting up a lofty
monument to the glory of their king. The fact that the domes
over the four corner towers of the third storey are on a level
with the present main roof, is decidedly in favour of the
theory that the building was never higher than it is now.
“ Vertically beneath the base of the pillar, a gallery has been
broken through in the top-most storey, disclosing a sort of
rough chamber, covered by a rubble dome 4 feet in diameter,
on which consequently, the entire weight of the pillar rests.

Asoka, king of Magadha, subsequently known as Dham-

masoka, was the son of Bindusara, and grandson of Chandra
Gupta, “ the king of Hindusthan, from Kash m ir to
Kanauj.” He was born in the orthodox faith, and was a
worshipper of Shiva, but became a convert to Bhuddism,
and a powerful propagandist of his new faith. He com-
memorated his conversion and his desire that his new faith
should be spread over his empire, by the promulgation of

* Beglax.
+ Muhammad Anfm Razi in his Haft-i-Kalfm, describes the pillar, as it was in
the time of Akbar, as standing on a house three-storeyed high, being “ a monolith of
red-stone tapering upwards.” “ The three storeys,” says Franklin, “ were partly
a menagerie, and partly an aviary.” From where this idea was got hold of, I am
unable to say.
J Beglar.
130 asoka’s lat.

edictswhich still stand as undying memorials of his faith,

on granite pillars which were erected from Kabul to Orissa.
Asoka is the Piyadasi of the pillar inscriptions and Pali
records ; the contemporary of Antiochus Theos, and his age
—
may be placed between 325 200 B. C.
The pillar under notice is a sand-stone monolith, 42 feet
7 inches high, of which the upper portion of 35 feet is polished
and the rest is left rough ; the buried portion of the pillar is
4 feet 1 inch long.* Its upper diameter is 25*3 inches and its
lower diameter 38*8 inches, the diminution being *39 inches
per foott The pillar is supposed to weigh 27 tons. The
colour of the stone is pale pink, having black spots outside,
something like dark quartz. The usual amount of inaccura-
cies has found its way in the measurements of this pillar :

Major Burt, who examined it in 1837, gives its length as

about 35 feet, and diameter as 3^ feet ; Franklin gives 50
feet as its length; Von Orlich, 42 feet; William Finch, 24
feet ; Shams-i-Siraj, 24 gaz or 34 feet, and its circumference
10 feet. As regards the material of the monolith and the in-
scriptions it bears, some very curious mistakes have also been
made the Danish Councillor, de Laet, describes it as “ a
:

very high obelisk (as some affirm) with Greek characters

and placed here (as it is believed) by Alexander the Great
the eccentric Tom Coryat also ascribes the pillar to Alexan-
der and describes it as “ brazen the confiding Chaplain
Edward Terry, who was so charmed with Coryat’s impro-
bable stories, improves on his informant and calls it a " very
great pillar of marble” of Alexander the Great but strange
;
to say, that the observant Bishop Heber describes it as a
pillar of “cast metal,” and, that the description was
not an
ordinary slip of the pen, is evident from the fact that the
Bishop refers to it, to explain the material of the Iron Pillar,
both being, in his lordship’s opinion, of “ cast metal”

When Timur visited Firozdbad andsaw the pillar in Firo-

zdbdd pd in the Kushak Shikar, “he
declared that of all the
countries he had traversed he had never seen any
monument
TOmparable to those,” and the praise lavished on them
by contemporary writers is equally warm and extravagant
Beglar..

+ CmudDghaia.
 \

it
 asoka’s lat. 131

The transport of the pillar from Nahera, a village on the

bank of the Jumna, in the vicinity of Khizrdbad, about 120
miles from Delhi must be given in the words of the historian,
Shams-i-Sirdj, who was 12 years of age when tlie pillar was
erected in Ffrozabad,*

“ After Sultan Firoz returned from his expedition against

Thatta, he often made excursions in the neighbourhood of
Delhi. In this part of the country there were two stone
columns. One was in the village of Tobra, in the district
(Shikk) ot Salaura and Khizrdbdd, in the hills (koh-payah) ;
the other in the vicinity of the town of Mirat. These
columns had stood in those places from the days ot the Pan*
davas, but had never attracted the attention of any of the
kings who sat upon the throne c4 Delhi, till Sultan Firoz
noticed them, and, with great exertion, brought them away.
One was erected in the palace (Kushk) at Firozdbdd, near the
Masjid-i-Jdm’a, and was called the Mindra-i-Zarin, or golden
column, and the other was erected in the Kushk-i-Shikar, or
Hunting-palace, with great labor and skill. The author has
read in works of good historians, that these columns of stone
had been the walking sticks of the accursed Bhim, a man of
great stature and size. The annals of the infidels record that
this Bhim used to devour a thousand rnan of food daily, and
no one could compete with him. In his days all this part
of Hind was peopled with infidels, who were continually
fighting and slaying each other. Bhim was one of five
brothers, but he was the most powerful of them all. He was
generally engaged in tending the herds of cattle belonging to
his wicked brothers, and he was accustomed to use these two
stone pillars as sticks to gather the cattle together. The size
of the cattle in those days was in proportion to that of other
creatures. These five brothers lived near Delhi, and when
Bhim died, these two columns were leftfstanding as memorials
of him. When Firoz Shah first beheld these columns, he was
filled with admiration and resolved to remove them with
greater care as trophies to Delhi.”

“ Khizrdbkd is 90 kos from Delhi, in the vicinity of

the hills. When the Sultan visited that district, and
• The village where the pillar originally stood is variously called Salira,
Jawdra, Tahera, Tobra, Tapera and Nahera. I have followed Syud Ahmed Khliii-
132 ASOKa’^3 lat.

saw the column in the village of Tabra, he resolved to

remove it to Delhi, and there erect it as a memorial
to future generations. After thinking over the best means
of lowering' the column, orders were issued commanding
the attendance of all the people dwelling in the neigh-
bourhood, within and without the Doab, and all soldiers, both
horse and foot. They were ordered to bring all implements
and materials suitable for the work. Directions were issued
for bringing parcels of the cotton of the Sembal (silk
cotton tree). Quantities of this silk cotton were placed round
the column, and when the earth at its base was removed, it
fell gently over on the bed prepared for it. The cotton was
then removed by degrees, and after some days the pillar lay
safe upon the grourxd. When the foundations of the pillar
were examined, a large square stone was found as a base,
which also was taken out. The pillar was then encased from
top to bottom in reeds, and raw skins, so that no damage
might accrue to it. A carriage, with forty-two wheels, was
constructed, and ropes. were attached to each wheel. Thousands
of men hauled at every rope and after great labor and diffi-
culty the pillar was raised on to the carriage. A strong rope
was fastened to each wheel, and 200 men pulled at each of*
these ropes. By the simultaneous exertions of so many
thousand me'n, the carriage was moved, and was brought to
the banks of the Jumna. Here the Sultan came to meet it.
A number of large boats had been collected, some of which
could carry 5,000 and 7,000 maunds of grain, and the least of
them 2,000 maunds. The column was very ingeniously trans-
ferred to these boats, and was then conducted to Firozabad,
where it was landed and conveyed into the Kushk with infinite
labor and skill.”

“ At this time the author of this book was twelve years of

age, and a pupil of the respected Mir Khan. When the pillar
was brought to the palace, a building was commenced for its
reception near the J am’a Masjid, and the most skilful architects
and workmen were employed. It was constructed of stone
and chunam, and consisted of several stages or steps (poshish).
When a step was finished the column was raised on to it,
another step was then built and the pillar was again raised,
and so on in succession until it reached the intended height.
On arriving at this stage, other contrivances had to be devised
 asoka’s pillar I. 133

to place in an erect position.

it Ropes of great thickness were
obtained, and windlasses were placed on each of the six stages
of the base. The ends of the ropes were fastened to the top
of the pillar, and the other ends passed over the windlasses,
which were firmly secured with many fastenings. The wheels
were then turned, and the column was raised about half a
gaz. Logs of wood and bags of cotton were then placed
under it to prevent it sinking again. Tn this way by degrees,
and in the course of several days, the column was raised to the
perpendicular. Large beams were then placed round it as
supports, until quite a cage of scafiblding was formed. It was
thus secured in an upright position, straight as an arrow,
without the smallest deviation from the perpendicular. The
square stone, before spoken of, was placed under the pillar.
After it was raised, some ornamental friezes of black and
white stone were placed round its two capitals {do sar-i-an)
and over these there was raised a gilded copper cupola called
in Hindi kalas. The height of the obelisk w'as thirty-two
gaz eight gaz was sunk in its pedestal, and twenty-four gaz
;

was visible. On the base of the obelisk there were engraved

H indi characters. Many Brahmans
several lines of writing in
and Hindu devotees were invited to read them, but no one
was able. It is said that certain infidel Hindus interpret
them, stating that no one should be able to remove the obelisk
from its place till there should arise in the latter days a
Muhammadan king, named Sultan Firoz.”
When
William Finch saw the pillar in 1611 A. D., it
had “on the top a globe surmounted by a crescent.” Its gilt
pinnacle, which Shams-i-Siraj also mentions, gave the pillar
the name of Mindr Zar'm or the Golden Pillar. The
top of the pillar has since been injured by lightnino- or
cannon balls. Besides several minor records of pilorims and
travellers, ranging from the first century of the Chnstian Era
to the present century, the two most important inscriptions
on the pillar are, first that of king Asoka, containing his edicts
which were promulgated in the middle of the third century
before Christ, and are engraved in the ancient Pali or the
spoken language of the day ; the second, records in Sanskrit,
the victories of the Chohan Prince Visala Deva, who ruled
over the country lying between the Himalayas and the
Vindhya hills ; this inscription was engraved in Samwat 1220
134 asoka’s pillar I.

(1163 A. D.) in modern Nagri character. Ot the first Cun-

ningham remarks, that it is the longest, the most important
of all the pillar inscriptions of A soka ; he then continues:
“ The alphabetical characters, which are of the oldest form
that has yet been found in India, are most clearly and
beautifully cut, and there are only a few letters of the whole
record lost by the peeling off of the surface of the stone.,.. The
record consists ot four distinct inscriptions on the four sides
of the column facing the cardinal points, and of one long
inscription immediately below, which goes completely round
the pillar..,. The last ten lines of the eastern face, a§ well as
the whole of the continuous inscription round shaft are peculiar
to the Delhi pillar. There is a marked difference also in the
appearance of this part of the inscription. The characters
are all thinner and less boldly cut, the vowel marks are
generally sloping instead of being horizontal or perpendicular,
and the letters,/, t, s and h are differently found from those
of the preceding part of the inscription.”*

The first four inscriptions are enclosed in frames and each

* English translation of the inscription on the East face of the column ;

“ Thus spake king Devanampiya Piyadasi —

In the twelfth year of my anoint-
:

ment, a religious edict was published for the pleasure and profit of the world ;

having destroyed that document, and regarding my former religion as .sin, I now, for
the benefit of the woi ld, proclaim the fact. And this among my nobles, among my
near relations, and among my dependants, whatsoever pleasures I may thus abandon
I therefore cause to be de.stroyed ; and I proclaim the same in all the congre-
gations ; while I pray with every variety of prayer for those who diflfer from, me
in creed, that they, following after my proper example, may, with me, attain unto
eternal salvation wherefore, the present edict of religion is promulgated in this
;

27th year of my anointment.

“ Thus sp^e King Devanampiya Piyadasi —
18 Kings of the olden time have
;

gone to heaven under these very desires. How

then, among mankind, may religion
or growth in grace be increased, yea, through the conversion of the humbly born
shall religion increase ? «
**
Thus spake King Devanampiya Piyadasi —
The present moment and the past
:

have departed under the same ardent hopes. How by the conversion of the I’oyal-
born, may religion be increased ? Through the conversion of the lowly-bom, if
religion thus increaseth, by how much more through the conviction of the high-
born, and their conversion, shall religion increase Among whomsoever the
? (a)
name of God resteth, verily this is religion or verily virtue shall there increase.
*
Thus spake King Devanampiya Piyadasi Wherefore, from this very hour
I have caused religious discourses to be preached I have appointed religious?
;

(a) The last word in the 11th line is^a part of the following
sentence :

ye atikata
ataraon rkjannd, hesa hevam ichh 4su.
Cunningham reds atiiata as atHantam.
 asoka’s pillar I. 135

is complete in itself. The four edicts are repeated verbatim

observances, that mankind, having listened thereto shall be brought to follow in
tlie right path, and give ghry unto God Agnz 1*
South face.
“ Thus spake King Devanampiya Piyadaai —
In the twenty -seventh year of
:

my anointment. The following animals shall not be put to death ; the parrot, the
maiua (or thrush), the wild duck of the wilderness, the goose, the bull-faced owl, the
vulture, the bat, the Ambaia, Ptliiia, the raven, and the common crow, the
Vedaveyaka, the adjutant. Son Kujamava, the Kadhat asyaka, the I’anasaiesimala,
the Sandaka, the Okapada, those that go in pairs, the white dove and the domestic
pigeon. Among all fiur- footed beasts the following shall not be for food, they shall
not be eaten the she-goat of various kinds, and the sheep, and the sow, either when
:

heavy with young or when giving milk. Unkilled birds, birds of every sort for the
desire of their flesh, shall not be put to death. The same being alive shall not be
injured, whether because of their useles-sness, or for the sake of amusement they
shall not be injured. Animals that prey on life shall not be cherished.
“ In the three four monthly periods (of the year) on the evening of the full
moon, during the three (holy) days, namely, the fourteenth, the fifteenth, and the
first day after conjunction, in the midst of the Uposatha ceremonies (or strict
fasts) unkilled things (or live fish) shall not be exposed for sale. Yea, on these
days, neither the snake tribe, nor the feeders on fish (alligators) nor any living
beings whatsoever shall be put to death.
“ On the eight days of the pakuha (or half month), on the fourteenth, on the
fifteenth, on the days when the moon is in the mansions of tirska and Punarva-
,• on these several days in the three four monthly periods, the ox shall not be
tended the goiit, the sheep, and the pig, if indeed any be tended (for domestic use)
; ;

shall not be tended. On the thsha and the Punarvasuna of every four months,
and, of every paksha or senii-lunation of the four months, it is forbidden to keep
(for labour) either the horse or the ox.”

West face.
“ Thus spake King Piyadasi, beloved of the Gods —
In the twenty-seventh
:

ye.ar of my anointment, 1 have caused to be promulgated the following religious

edict. My devotees, in very many hundred thousand souls, having (now) attained
unto knowledge I have ordained (the following) fines and punishments for their
;

transgressions. Wherever devotees sh.all .abide around, (or circumambulate) the

holy tig trees for the performance of pious duties, the benefit and pleasure cf the
country, and its inhabitants shall be (in making) offering and according to their:

geuero.sity or otherwise shall they enjoy prosperity or adversity, and they shall give
thanks for the coming of the faith. Whatever villages with their inhabitants may
be given or maintained for the sake of the worship, the devotees shall receive the
s.aine and for an example unto my people they shall follow after, or exercise
(solitary) austerities. And likewise, whatever blessing they shall pronounce, by
these shall my dev'otees accumulate for the womhip (1) Furthermore the people
shall atteud in the night the great myrobalan tree and the holy fig tree. My
people shall foster (accumulate) the myrobalan. Pleasure is to be eschewed
as intoxication (i)
“ My
devotees doing thus for the profit .and pleasure of the village, whereby
they (coming) .arouud the beauteoiw and holy tig tree may cheerfully abide in the
performance of pious acts. In this also are fines and punishments for the trans-
gression of my devotees appointed much to be desired is such renown According to !

the measure of the offence (the destruction of viyo or happiness) sh.dl be the measure
of the punishment, but (the offender) shall not be put to death by me. Banishment
The last line ends thus :

Etam jane suta anupati pajisati

aguim namisati.
Cunningham readsagnim as abhyum.
136 asoka’s pillar. I.

on the pillars at Allahabad, Mattia, Radhia aud the Kushak-

Shikdr on the ridge near Delhi.

shall be the punishment of those malefactors deserving of imprisonment and execu-

tion. Of those who commit murder on the highroad (dacoits i) even none
whether of the poor or of the riclj shall be injured (tortured) on my three special
days (.(). Those guilty of cruelly beating or slaughtering living things, having
escaprf mutilation (through my clemency) shall give alms (as a deo-dand) and shall
also undergo the penance of fasting. And thus it is my de.sire that the protection
of even the workers of opposition shall send to (the support of) the worship ;
and (on the other hand) the -people whose righteousness increases in every respect
shall spontaneously partake of my
benevolence.”
North face.
“ Thus spake King Devanampiva Pyadasi —
In the twenty- seventh year
:
of my
anointment I have caused this religious edict to be published in writing. I ac-
knowledge and confess the faults th.at have been cherished in my heart. From
the love of virtue, by the sale of which all other things are as sins, from the strict
scrutiny of sin, and from a fervent desire to be told of sin by the fear of sin and
:

—
by very enormity of sin by these may my eyes be strengthened aud confirmed (in
rectitude).
“ The sight of religion and the love of religion of their own accord increase and
will ever increase, and my people whether of the laity, (grikist) or of the priesthood
(aaretics) —
all mortal beings are knit together thereby, and prescribe to themselves
the same path and above all having obtained the mastery over their passions, they
;

become supremely wise. For this is indeed true wisdom. It is upheld and bound
—
by (it consists in) religion by religion which cherishes, religion which teaches pious
acts, religion thatbestows (the only true) pleasure.
“ Thus spake king Devanainpiya Piyadasi —
In religion is the chief excellence,
;

but religion consists in good works : —

in the non-omission of many acts mercy and :

charity, purity and chastity ;

—
(these are) to me the anointment of consecration.
Towards the poor aud the afliicted, towards bipeds aud quadrupeds, towards the
fowls of the air and things that move in the waters, manifold have been the benevolent
acts performed by me. Out of consideration for things inanimate even many other
excellent things have been done by me. To this purpose is the present edict promul-
gated let all pay attention t<j it (or take coguiz.ince thereof)
: and let it endure for
;

ages to come and he who acts in couh)rmity thereto, the same shall attain eternal
:

Mppiuess, (or shall be united with sugato.)

‘‘
Thus spake King Devanampiya Piyadasi : —
Whatever appeareth to me
to be virtuous and good, that is so held to be good and virtuous by
me, and not the less if it have evil tendency, is it accounted for evil by
me or is it named among the ashvM'e (the nine offences) ? Eyes are given
(to man) to distinguish between the two qualities (between right aud wrong) ;

according to the capacity of the eyes so may thev behold. The following are
accounted among the nine minor transgressions mischief, hard-heartednes.s, anger,
:

pride, envy. These evil deeds of nine kinds shall on no account be mentioned,
^ey should be regarded as opposite (or prohibited). Let this (ordinance) be
impressed on my heart, let it be cherished with all my soul.”

Hound the Column.

“ Moreover along with the increase of religion, opposition will increase : for
which reason I have appointed sermons to be preached, and I have established
ordinances of every kind ; through the efficacy of which, the misguided, having
acquired true knowledge, shall proclaim it on all sides (?) and shall '’become active
in upholding its duties. The disciples too, flocking in vast multitudes, (many
hundred thousand souls) let these likewise receive my command in such wise do
ye too address on all sides (or address comfortably) the people united in relimon
—
King Devanampiya Piyadasi thus spake Thus among the present generation
 — ,

ASOKA S PILLAR I. 1S7

The second inscription belongs to the year 1 T 61 A. . T>.

and records the victories of King Visala Deva of Sakamoiian,

have I endowed establishments, appointed men very wise in the faith, and
done . for the faith.
. .

“ King Bevanampiya Piyadasi again spake a.s follows —

.\long the highroads
:

I have caused tig tree^ to be [jlanted, that they may be for shade for animals and
men I have (also) planted mango trees and at every half
: : I have caused
wells to be constructed, and (resting-places 1) for the night to be erected. And how-
many taverns (or serais) have been erected by me at various places, for the enter-
tainment of man and beast 1 so that as the people, finding the road to every species
of pleasure and convenience in these places of entertainment, these new towns
(nu^a/iurij rejoieetli under my rule, so let them thoroughly appreciate and follow
after the same (sy-tem of benevolence). Tins is my object and thus have I done.
Thus spake King Bevanampiya Piyad.rsi —
Let the priests deeply versed in the
;

faith (or let my doctrines !) penetrate among the multitude of the rich capable of
granting favors, and let them penetrate alike among the unbelievers, whether of
ascetics or of householders: aud let them penetrate into the assemblies (1) for my sake.
Moreover let tlieiu for m>- sake ti ml their way .among the hruhnians and the most
destitute aud among those who have abandoned domestic life, for
: sake, let my
them penetrate : aud ammig various uubelievei-s for my sake let them find their
way : yea, use your utmost eiideavoui-s among these several classes, that the wise
men, these men learned in religion, ',or these doctrines of my
religion) may pene-
trate among these respectively, as well as among all other unbelievers.
“Thus spake King ltevan,:m|uya Ph'adasi ;—
And let these (priests) and others
the most skilful in the .sacred ofRces penetrating among the charitably disposed of
my queens, and among all my secluded women discreetly aud re.spectfullv use
their most persuasive efforts (at conversiou), aud acting on the heart and on the
eyes of the children for my sake penetrate in like manner among the charitably
disposed of other Queens and Princes for the purpose (of imparting) religious
enthusiasm and thoroiiglily religious instruction. And this is the true religious
devotiou (viz.) that it shall increase the mercy aud charity, the truth and purity,
the kindness and honesty of the world.
“ Thus spake King Bevanampiya Piyadasi —
And wh.ateversoever benevolent,
;

acts have been done by me, the same shall be prescribed as duties to the people
who follow after me aud in this (manner) shall their influence and increase be
;

manifest, by doing service to father and mother; by doing service to spiritual

pastors; by respectful demeanour to the aged aud full of years— and by kindness
aud condescension to brahmans and sramanas, to the orphan and destitute, to
servants and the minstrel tribe.
“ King Bevanampiya Piyailasi again spake ; —
Aud religion iucreaseth among
—
men by two separate processes, by performance of religious offices, and by
security against persecution. Accordingly that religious offices and immunities
might abound among multitudes, I h.av'e ob-served the ordinance myself as the
apple of my eye (1) as testified by all these animals which have been saved from
slaughter, and by manifold other virtuous acts [>erformed on my behalf.
“ Aud that the religion m.ay be free from persecution of men, increasing through
the absolute prohibitiou to put to de.ath living beings, or to sacrifice ought that
draweth breath. For such an object is all this done, that it may endure to my sons,
aud their sons’ sons -as long as the sun and moon shall last. Wherefore let them
—
follow its iujunction.s and be obedient thereto and let it be had in reverence and
respect. In the tw'enty-seveuth year of my reign have I caused this edict to be
written so sayeth (Bevanampiya)
;
: Let stone and pillars be prepared and let
this edict of religion be engraven thereon, that it may endure unto the remotest
aesg."
Five detached short lines.
“ By the mandate of Bev.anarapiya, at all times the great truth (Mahamata) is
appointed to he spoken. These also, (namely) mango trees and other things are the
gift of the second princess (his) queen. And these for of Kichhigani, the
138 asoka’s pillar I.

and is said to have been engraved by the order of Rai Pitbo-

ra, who professed to be a descendant of the Chob4n conqueror
of the Tuars. This inscription consists of two portions, the
shorter one is above and the longer one below the edicts of
Asoka. The upper portion is engraved in much larger cha-
racters than the lower, and is on the south-west side of the
pillar ; and in the translation of the inscription given below in
the foot note it is the first paragraph. The second portion of
the inscription, which consists of two stanzas, is very defective.
The two first hemistichs are wanting in seven, and the two
last in five syllables. Cunningham ^suggests that the render-
ing of chdhumdnatilaka into “ Chief of the Chohans” is more
forcible than that of Colebrooke’s into “ most eminent of the
tribe which sprang from the arms” [of Brahma]. He further
believes, that there is an error in referring the origin of the
Chohans to Brahma, preferring the version of Mukji, the
Bard of the Khichi Chohdns, who derives them from the
Anal Kund, or the fire-spring on Mount Abu. Agreeing
with Mr. Edward Thomas, General Cunningham suggests
that the name of the Prime Minister should be read
Sri SaUakshana, and not Sri Mad Lakshana*
third princess the general (daughter’s ?). Of the second lady thus let the act
redound with triple force.”
* English translation of the inscription
“ In the year 1220 or [A. D. 1 163] on the loth day of the
bright half of the month
of Vaisakh (this moon :) of the fortunate Visala Deva, son of the fortunate Vella Deva,
king of Sakambhari.
As far as the Vindhiya, as far as the Himadri, having achieved conquest
in the course of travelling to holy places; resentful to haughty kings, and
indulgent to those whose necks are humbled making Aryavarta once more
;
what its name signifies, by causing the barbarians to be exterminated; Visala-
Peva, supreme I’uler of Sakambhari and Sovereign of the earth, is victorious in the
worid. This conqueror, the fortunate Vigraha Kaja, King of
Sakambhdri, most
eminent of the tribe which sprang from the arms (ot Brahma) now addresses his own
descendants By us the region of the earth between Hiniavat and Viiidhva
:
has been
made tributary let not your minds be void of exertion to subdue the remaimler.
;
‘

Tears are evident in the eyes of the enemy’s consort blades of grass
; are perceived
between thy adversaries’ teeth ; thy fame is prednminent throindiout the
space ;
minds of thy foes are TOid (of hope) their route is the desert where men are
;
hmdered from passing O Vigraha Baja Deva in the jubilee
; !
occasioned by thy
march. May thy abode, O Vigraha, sovereign of the earth be
fixed, as in reason it
ought, in the liosoms (akin to the mansion of dalliance) of the
women
pbrows who were married to thy enemies There is no doubt of with
!
beautiful
thy being the
highest of embodied souls. Didst tlio.i not sleep in the lap
of Sri whom thou didst
® the fortunate Vikraraaditya
1220, on Thurad^ the 15th day of the bright half of
the month Vaisakh This
was written m
the presence of and by Sri-oati, the son
Ganda at this time the fortunate L.okshmn Mahava
of ^ Akhvastha
Akhjastha,
of a family m Poi * Eajaputia,
ia prime minister. Siva the Terrible, and the universal Monarch ^
 asoka’s pillar I. 139

The less important inscriptions are, however, of different

a^es, the more ancient must have been on the pillar before it
was removed by Ffroz Shah. One of the oldest is the name
of Si'i Bhadra Mitras or Subhadra Mitra, this and two other
inscriptions of the Gupta period are in very small letters.
In larger letters, of a somewhat later date, are several short
inscriptions of which the most legible is Surya Vishna Subar-
nakakana. A second begins with Hara Singht Subarna
Kakana, the remainder being illegible with the exception of
the word Kamdra. A
third reads Charma Subanak, the
second letter being somewhat doubtful This record is ex-
tended in another place to Charma Sabana shara. Of a
much later date is the name of Siddh Bhayan Karnath Jogi.
On the northern face of the pillar there are two inscriptions in
modern Nagri, both bearing date Wednesday 13th, waning-
moon of Chaitra Samvat 1581 ^1524 A. D.] The longer
inscription contains the name of Suritan Ibrahim, being
Sultan Ibrahim Lodi.’''

From the top of the pyramid, on which the pillar of Asoka

stands, may be seen the ruins of Firozfibad they present a ;

scene of desolation which has not been surpassed, even in a

tract of country where seven different capitals have been
successively abandoned to decay, or entombed in their own
ruins. To the east of this site flows the Jumna, on the old
bank of which river Ffrozdbad was built to the west, north, ;

and south the ground is covered with dismantled buildings ;

half of a wall, two sides of an enclosed square, a detached
domed room and a cluster of five or six such buildings
surround the pillar of Asoka. Further on, a round enclosure of
cells, more or less complete, stands close by a corner tower of
the citadel, and another tower which lies in a heap of debris.
The foundations of a series of buildings, running in parallel
lines, cover several acres of ground, and mark the most
crowded part of the citadel. The ruins are heaped up close
together nearer the river, but are less numerous as they extend
further in-land.

Cuninghani’s Archceolojical Reports, Vol. I., page 167.

140 K17SHAK-I-SHIKAB AND ASOKA’s PILLAR II.
^
'

Zushak-i -Shikar or Jahaimuma and* Second

Pillar.— This palace was built Jiy Firoz Shdh Tughlaq in the
year 755 A. H. (1354 A. D.) on the top of the hill to the
north-west of Modern Delhi, and outside the city of Flrozdr-
bad. It was the hunting palace of Firoz Shah, and its site is
now identified with the ground round and about the .two
half-dilapidated buildings known as Chdr Biuji and Fir
Gaib, and where the second pillar of Asoka has since been
put up. Prince Timur, who plundered the palace, describes it
as “ a fine building on the top of a hill by the banks of the
Jumna.” “ Firoz Shah,” says Yazdi, the obsequious histo-
rian of Prince Timur,
“ had given the name of Jahannuma
by inspiration, as it was to become illustrious by the visit of
the Sovereign of the world.”

The second pillarof Asoka “ was removed by Sultan

Firoz,” says Shams-i-Siraj, “ with similar skill and labour,
and was re-erected on a hill in the Kushak-i-Shikd,r (amid
great feasting and rejoicing.) After the erection of the pillar,
a large town sprang up and the nobles of the Court bulit
houses there.”

The hunting palace, or “ hunting seat” as Finch calls it,

has been identified by tradition with the half-ruined building,
popularly known as the Pir Gaib, used as a Gi’eat Trigonome-
trical Survey Station. The portion of the palace that is still
standing is an oblong of 66 feet by 58, but I have no doubt
that it extended to the east as far the crest of the ridge,
— for fully over a hundred and ten feet, —
on which may yet
be seen the ruins of walls “ resembling those still existing in
material, workmanship, and in the great slope or batter which
appears to have been a characteristic of the period.”*

The approach to the building, which is double-storeyed,

is from the north, and you enter it thro’ what looks like a gate-
way, but which is evidently the remains of an arched, square,
but roofless room in front of which are the remains of the
floor of some building, an oblong of 50 feet by 30. To the
right of this dismantled room is a buttress, which is
carried up to the roof of the upper floor, and over it are the
walls of a square room with arched openings ; on its east is a
 KUSHAK-I-SHIKAE. 141

stone pillar and on its west the upper half of the buttress sup-
porting the arch. Behind the roofless room is a second
room, of the same size as the first, but completely covered.
The eastern wall of the front room, which forms part of the ex-
treme north-eastern face of the building, indicates, as remarked
before, the extension of the building on that side and on
;

the west of the room is the buttress already mentioned. The

front room, which resembles a gateway, stands out three or
four feet from the line of the northern wall of the building.
This wall, so far as it belongs to the lower storey, rises to the
level of the supposed gateway, and is about 18 feet wide at
the base, but loses about three feet when it reaches the roof
of the lower storey. The wall has no window or door in it.

On the corner of the wall is an octagonal buttress, which,

as reaches the upper storey, becomes circular.
it The eastern
face of the tuilding is hardly more intelligible ; its northern
face here assumes the appearance of a small two-storeyed
tower attached to this, in the lower storey, are three arched
but roofless ; openings, 3 feet wide and 10 feet high. On the
upper storey, surmounting these openings, are a square and an
arched doorway the rest of this side of the building presents
;

a dead wall. Turning round to the south, we come to a low

but broad and arched doorway now walled up, but when
open, it formed the southern entrance of a passage through
the whole building from the north to the south. To the
west of this doorway, there are two flights of masonry steps
with a ten feet wide dead wall between them ; these steps
conduct the visitor to the top of the building and are
divided into two flights, the first consisting of 14, and
the second of 18 steps. The western face of the building
is remarkable for nothing more interesting than a very
heavy gateway with a low arched entrance ;
above this
entrance, there is a dead w'all with buttresses flankinor the
gateway and the corners of the wall. Standing under this
gateway, we can see through the whole building from the
west to the east, the distance being made up of the two
passages and two rooms. Through a hole, about a foot in
diameter, in the centre of the roof of the room nearest to
this gate and the room above it, the sky is visible.
142 asoka’s pillar II.

Returning to the northern entrance, which I ha^^e sup-

posed to be the main entrance of the building, on our right, as
we enter the place, is a flight of 25 steps which takes us to the
second storey. As we reach the second floor on our right
is a masonry monument, the grave itself being under the right
hand wall of the staircase. To the left of the monument
are the mehrabs of a mosque, with this peculiarity worthy of
notice, that while the centre Mehrdh and its right arch are in
the western wall, its left arch is in the northern wall and
at right angles to the wall which contains the centre
mehrdh. The second storey consists of two rooms. On the
roof of these rooms, which is protected by a plain parapet
2J feet high reached by the steps already described on the
south of the house, there are the remains of the walls of a
third storey. On the roof of the southern room there
is a hollow masonry cylinder, about 4 feet high and 2^ feet in
diameter, with an arched hole on either side of it, and covered
by a slab of granite a little over 4 inches in diameter, through
which the sky may be seen from the ground floor. Whether
the hole in the upper roof, and the corresponding hole in the
roof of the lower storey, were intended for scientific purposes
or not, it is impossible to say.

Asoka’s Pillar II.— At a short distance to the south of the

Pir Gaib, on the ridge, stands the second pillar of Asoka, which
was put up by Firoz Shah in his Kushak Shikar, about four
miles from the first Lat. It was thrown down by an acci-
dental explosion of a powder magazine, in the reign of
Farokhsir, and was broken into five pieces, an occurrence which
is no longer accepted on the sole authority of tradition. Padre
Tiefienthaler, who resided in India between 1743 and 1776,
corroborates the native account ; he was informed by the
people of Delhi that it was standing erect not long before his
visit to that place. When Burt, who visited Delhi in 1833,
put the five pieces in order for a sketch, the monolith measured
33 feet long, and about 3 feet 2 inches in diameter. Burt
believes that about two feet of stone w^as lost at the top of
the pillar. Although smaller than the pillar in the palace of
 asoka’s pillar h. 143

Fi'rozdbad, it is larger in diameter. The following measure-

ments are taken from General Cunningham’s reports the ; —
whole length of the five pieces is 32| feet, the portion of the
shaft below the inscription measures 18 feet and that above it
12 feet, upper diameter 29^ inches and lower diameter 35 82
inches the rough thick end is about 38 inches in diameter,
;

the diminution of the pillar is lust one-fifth of an inch per

foot

In 1838, Hindu Rao, who seems to have purchased the

pillar with Mr. Fraser’s house, in the grounds of which the
broken pieces were lying, made it a present to the Asiatic
Society of Bengal. The Executive Engineer of Delhi, who was
requested to remove the pillar, found it too expensive to send it
down to Calcutta, and at the suggestion of Burt, and with the
sanction of the Asiatic Society, he sawed off the inscribed
portion of the pillar and sent it to that learned body, by whom
it was placed under the bust of the lamented Mr. James
Prinsep, the greatest antiquarian of India. In 1866, the
inscription was returned to Delhi, and a year later, the broken
pieces were joined together and the restored pillar was again
put up by Mr. Campbell. It now stands on a granite
plinth of two terraces, the first is 10 feet square and three feet
high, and the second 7j feet square and feet high. The five
pieces in which the pillar was broken may be easily distin-
guished ; on the fourth piece from the bottom is the
inscription, which however is hardly visible,v but when
examined by Mr. Prinsep was found to be^xthe exact
duplicate of the other inscriptions. The following is
engraved in English on the granite plinth of the pillar ;

" This pillar was originally erected at Meerut

In the third century B. C. by
King Asoka.
It was removed thence and set up in the Koshuk Shikar Palace
near this, by the Emperor Firoz Shah, A. D. 1356.
Thrown down and broken into five pieces by the explosion of a
—
powder magazine, A. D. 1713 17 19, it was restored and set up in this
place by the British Government, A. D. 1867.”
144 CHAE BCEJI OE FOTTE TOWEES.

—
ChaF Burji or Four Towers. Tradition ascribes this
building to the Kushak Shikar of Suita,n Firoz Shdh. It is
evidently a mausoleum, although the name of the dead is un-
known. It is undeniably a Firoz Shdhi building, possessing
all the characteristics of that period, and stands close to, if
not within, the hunting palace of Firoz Shdh. The building
is an oblong of 61 feet by 56 ; it is double-storeyed, built
of stone and mortar, and covered with lime plaster. It is
entered through a small masonry doorway facing the south,
the wall above which is pierced by three square openings ;

on each side of the door is an arched entrance not more than

five and a half feet high. On the eastern face of the
building there are three arched doors, the centre one being
larger than those on its sides ; above these the wall is
pierced by seven loophole-style openings, each protected
by a small but heavy looking and pointed weathering.
The northern face of the building is like its eastern face ; on
the western inner wall of the ground floor is a mosque, which
consists of a single mehrdh or an arched recess, which
represents the qiblah. The ground floor of the Wilding
consists of nine rooms, the largest is in the centre and
contains a grave ; on each comer there is a small room and
a middle room on each side. The middle room on the west
was used as a mosque, as already mentioned ; the monument
over the grave has been so effectually removed, that there is
not the slightest sign of the room having ever been used for
a mortuary purpose ; but the second monument on the ropf
of the upper storey is still in existence.

On either side of the main entrance, in the southern

wall of the building, there are two staircases which lead to
the upper floor. On each corner of the upper storey is a
small domed room, or burj ; three of these rooms are standing ;

that on the N. W. corner is believed to have been struck

down by lightning, which is also said to have laid bare the
bones in the grave. Connecting the towers on the S. E.
and the S. W. corners of the tomb, and right over its main
gateway, is a small, narrow, room with three arched openings
facing the north and corresponding with the three square
openings in the back wall Between the S. E. and N. E.
towers, and the N. E. and N. towers, there are bare
walls pierced by openings like those described in the eastern
 THE TOMB 0? NASIR-UDDIN MAHMCD CHIRAGH DELHI. 145

wall.
^
Oh the west, corresponding with the mosque below,
there is a small room ; in the centre of the roof of the upper
storey is a masonry monument corresponding with the grave
in the ground floor.

The Tomb of Nasir-uddin Mahmud Chiragh Delhi —

Shaikh Nasir-uddin Mahmud, the last of the great Chisti
saints of Delhi, was the chief disciple and successor ot Nizam-
ud(hn Aulia and a man of learning and benevolence. He
was renowned as an author and a preacher, and was
successful in spreading the faith of Muhammad. Both in
force of character and intellect, he was inferior to his
great master, but he bore his troubles at the hands of
Muhammad Tughlaq Shah with great patience. When
Makhdum Jahanian Sayyad Jalal visited Mecca, he was
asked by the Sharif ot K’abah, “ Now that all the great
saints are gone, who
considered the most renowned man
is
of piety in Delhi 1” the Makhdum replied “ Nasir-uddin ;

“
Mahmfld adding that Nasir-uddin was the lamp Chiraghl 1
;

of Delhi.”

On Friday, the 18th Ramzdn, 757 A. H. (13'G D.) A

Nasir-uddin was stabbed to death by a fanatical liilandari
fakir who had come to him for alms. Nasir-uddin died in the
82nd year of his age. He was buried close to the village
of Khirki, in the room in which he had lived. dome A
was built over it by Firoz Shdh in the year 749 A. H.
(1350 A. D.) during the life time of the saint in the ;

grave of Nasir-uddin was also buried all that he most

valued in life the cloak, the staft', the cup, and the carpet for
;

prayer which were bequeathed to him by his master N izam-

uddin Aulia.
The tomb of Chiragh Delhi stands within an irregularly
built oblong enclosure of 180 feet by 104, the walls having an
average height of 12 feet. The greater portion of this
enclosure was built by the Emperor Muhammad Shdh in the
year 1142 A.H. (1729 A
D.) ; its main entrance, which
was built 12 years after the death of Chiragh Delhi, is on its
north-eastern corner it is a domed
; gateway of stone and
masonry, with an arched door, over which is an inscription
1 46 THB TOMB OF NASIR-TODIN MAHMUD CHIEAGH DELHI.

on white marble.* The room of the gateway is 31 feet

square, exterior, and inside about 19 feet square ; with
masonry chabiitrahs, about 2^ feet high, on either side.
From the ground to its embattled roof the tomb is about
27 feet high and the dome stands about 15 feet from
the roof ; thus making the whole height of the tomb about
42 feet. The parapet over the door is flanked by two
small masonry minarets.

About 35 feet to the north-west of the' gateway is the

tomb of Chiragh Delhi. It is a single room, about 30 feet
square and 40 feet high, and surmounted by a masonry dome
with a gilt pinnacle on each corner of the roof there is a shm,
;

eight feet high minaret; the roof is protected by a plain

parapet ; under the parapet is a deep stone weathering,
which was built by one Eibwajah Muhammad Khan. Under-
neath the weathering there are twelve arched openings, three
on each side, supported by twelve red- stone pillars; with
the exception of the door, which is in the middle arch on
the south, the rest of the arches are covered with
pierced screens of red sand-stone. Inside the room is the
grave of Chiragh Delhi, surrounded by a dwarf railing.
Under the dome an inverted gilt cup is suspended over the
grave. To the west of the tomb is a mosque, and in a
room in the north-western comer of the enclosure is the
wooden seat which was offered to the shrine by one Dakhni
Beg it is 7 feet long, 4 wide and 3 feet high ; it is
;

cut out of one piece of wood, is elaborately carved and

bears the following inscription
“ God is gi-eat
This throne of wood is an offering made by Dakhni
To the worthy Nasir-uddin Mahmud.
May God purify his cherished secrets, 1143 Hijri,
In the 12th year of the reign of Muhammad Shah Ghazi.

Prince Gholam Haidar, son of Akbar Shah II., built

a verandah round the tomb of Chiragh Delhi, but it fell in
shortly after its completion.

* English translation of the inscription “ In the name of God ! auspicious is

the mention of his name. The building of this glorious dome was
the
(finished) in

flight ^ merciful, Abfil Mimaffar

P®G>etBate his Kingdom; in the year
of ihe Messenger of God, on whom be God’s bleiing.
775, date of the
Gree&ig.’'
“
 — ;

QADaM SHARIF. 147

—
Qadam Sharif. About a mile and a half to the south
of the Lahore Gate of Modern Delhi is the shrine of Qadam
Sharif, or the sacred foot-print, believed to be the impression
of the foot of the Prophet Muhammad on a small slab of
marble. In the year 776 A. H.(1374 A. D.) Fateh Khdn the
son of Firoz Shdh Tughlaq died, and was buried here by his
father the king placed the sacred marble over the grave of
;

his son, as a memorial of his veneration for the relic and affec-
tion for his child. The tomb is an irregularly constructed
stone and masonry building with seven doors and gateways of
which two are now closed. It stands on a masonry platform
about 5^ feet high, and is an oblong of 7S feet by 63 feet
the main entrance is on the east, on the east and the west
there are masonry colonnades with masonry domes at the
four corners. In these colonnades are the graves of
other members of the family of Firoz Shah Tughlaq,
and, in later times, some of the merchants of Delhi have
availed themselves of the advantage of the neighbourhood of
the sacred marble to use the place for burial. Between the
two colonnades is an irregular oblong enclosure, the walls of
which are formed by upright slabs of sand stone about 4^
feet high. This inner enclosure is entered through a small
gateway in its southern wall, and within it is a covered
space, 38 feet long and 29 feet broad, the roof of which
has sloping sides, something in the style of a thatched
house, and is supported by 26 stone pillars.* Each of
the four corners of the roof is surmounted by a small
open pavilion consisting of a low dome standing on
four pillars. Under the roof of this room is a deep
stone weathering, and on its northern side is the grave

* English translation of the inscription is over the ^doorwa7 of the inner en-
elosure :

The guide of those who have lost [their way,] Muhammad !

The preacher of preacliers, Muhammad !

Glorious is the Madrasah, the pulpit and the house

In the midst of which is read the praise of Muhammad !

For broken hearts he is a [healing] balm !

For the afflicted in the heart, Muhammad is a comfort !

The sky itself becomes only a step under the foot of him,
Who himself has become the dust of the feet of Muhammad !
I am one of the dogs of his lane,
And have become a lion [Sherwan] among the Fakirs [who follow Muhammad.!
148 THE MOSQUES Of KHAN JAHaK.

of Fateli Kh4n, over which is placed a flat marble monument

about 9 feet long-, 4^ feet broad, and feet higb. The
marble with the “ sacred foot-print” is fixed on the grave
in a small tank about 3^ feet long and 2^ feet wide, and
is supposed to rest over the breast of the deceased prince.
Bound the tank is an inscription, of which the following is
an English translation :

The earth, which bears the print of the sole of your foot.
Will continue for years to be worshipped by those who behold it
[Hafiz],
Yus4f, in the place where Muhammad [left] his foot print.
Built this tomb by the blessing of God.
As to the date of the completion of this building,
I heard what Hatbif said Well done.
:

The grave is surrounded by a marble wall about 2 feet

high ; within the walls of the inner enclosure there is a
second grave of which I have been unable to get any
account.

A mosque known as the Masjid Chaura-ydh-Qadam

Sharif, or themosque ou the cross roads of Qadam Sharil]
was built shortly after the shrine, and resembles the mosques
attributed to Kbdn Jahan.

The Mosques of Khan Jahan.* —

The declining years of
Firoz Shah Tughlaq were rendered famous by the erection of
several important mosques by his Prime Minister, Khdn
Jahan, the second Wazir of that name.

* The reputation which the KhSn Jah^ns, father and son, have acquired as
eminent builders,—second only to a King who is still famous throughout
—
Northern India for his love and patronage of architecture, appears to me harby
deserved. I agree vnth my friend, Mr. Ti-emlett, that “ it seems difficult to see
what there is to admire in low coloniK«ies, surmounted by rows of hemdspherica! domes
of small diameter, each one touching its felloiw, with one of larger size here and
thereover agateway.” It may be granted, however, that the present sombre
^pearauce of there m(^uea is entirely due to age, and that originally they must
a j j
IttT* be^ covered with a coating of coloured plaster.
 THE KALI OR KALAN MASJID. 149

The seven mosques, generally reported have been

to
built by' Khan Jahdn, the son, are, according to Mr. A. A.
Koberts, the following :

" 1. A very large one situated on the lands of Mourzah

Khirkee in the Southern pergunnah [a then sub-district of Delhi]
about eight miles due south of Delhi.
“2. Another large mosque in the village of Begumpore . .

This musjid is situated about two miles N. W. of that of Khirkee, and

may be seen about a quarter of a mile off the road on the left hand
side as you go to the Kootub [Qutb].
“ 3. A smaller mosque in Kalee Sarai, close to Begumpore.
“ 4. A mosque near Nizam-oodeen’s shrine, and bearing an ins-
cription with the date A. H. 772, or 17 years previous to the Kalee
Musjid in the cit}'.

“ 5. A very dilapidated mosque near Firoz Shah’s Kotila.

“ 6. The mosque near the city wall, and situated between the
Lahore and the Ajmere gates.
“ 7. The Kalee Musjid within the city.”

Of these seven mosques it is only necessary to describe

the three most important and best preserved specimens, viz.
the K4h' or .Kalan Masjid and the Masjids at Khirki and
Begampiir.

The Kali or Kalan Masjid. —

Among the most perfect
specimens of architectuie of the age of Fi'roz Shah
Tughlaq is the large mosque within the walls of Modem
Delhi (Shahjahandbd,d), known commonly as the Kdlf
Masjid, or black mosque ; but this designation, though
there are grounds for believing it to be one of long
standing, is in all probability a corruption of Kalan Masjid or
chief mosque. It is situated near the Turkman Gate of the
town, and in the neighbourhood of the celebrated shrine oi
Turkman Shah. It is an oblong block of building 140 feet
in length and 120 feet in breadth, and the walls are six feet
deep, built on ground somewhat higher than that which sur-
rounds it, and, with the exception of the Jama’ Masjid and
the gates of the Palace, is the most prominent structure in the
city of Delhi. It consists of two storeys, the first or base-
ment storey, the middle of which is a solid mass, forming the
floor of the Masjid, is 28 feet in height, consisting of a number
of small double apartments, which were possibly built for the
ISO 'TBE KALI OB BALAN tiASJlC.

very tkey now answer, namely, that of assisting by

the rent they yield, in defraying the expenses of the mosque,
in conformity with a practice prevailing to this day. The
apartments along the walls are accessible by doors raised one
step above the ground ; those in the towers by passages from
the neighbouring rooms. The upper storey to the top of the
battlements is 38 feet high, making a total height of 66 feet,
will be described hereafter. The mosque is built of the mate-
rials which appear to have been generally in use at the time
of its construction, viz., the common quartzose sand stone
found in the immediate neighbourhood of Delhi. This stone,
which is in masses of various sizes, some, especially those
towards the foundation, being of considerable dimensions, is
unhewn, and cemented by chunam of the best quality, indeed
80 excellent that the strength of the domed roof seems to
depend entirely on its adhesive properties, there being no
attempt at placing the stones of which it is constructed
throughout, into anything hke the arrangement now adopted
in the building of arches or domes, crowned by a centre or
key-stone. This cementing chunam in this, and it is believed
in all other buildings of the period, with a view probably of
saving the expenditure of lime, is mixed with a great propor-
tion of brick surki, of which many pieces are upwards of an
inch in diameter. The whole of the edifice, both inside and
outside, has been plastered over with chunam of the best des-
cription to judge by what remains and parts about the door-
;

way show that the outside has been at some time or other
colored of that peculiar blue-black produced by the ground
charcoal of cocoanuts, and other similar substances. Very little,
however, of the plastering remains, except in the body of the
mosque, where some care appears to have been taken for its
preservation (by repeated whitewashing), and on the roof and
domes which its durability has preserved from destruction.
The whole is in a very fair state of preservation, and where,
here and there, stones have fallen out, especially at the base
of the towers and walls, they have been carefully replaced by
brick masonry. The steps leading up to the entrance door,
which are thirty-one in number, and the pillars of the doorways
and of the arches, are constructed of square roughly hewn,
hard grey-stone, described by Captain Cautley, as only a
variety of the quartzose sand-stone more commonly
in use in
the walls, etc., which is also used for the eaves
(slabs not
 the kali oe kalan masjid. 151

above two inches thick, and about two feet square,) projecting
into the upper inner square or court of the mosque, and for
the brackets which support tbem. These brackets, as well as
the pillars at the doorways, are carved. Under the eaves and
resting on the brackets, is a ledge of red-stone, now so com-
monly in use throughout Northern India, but which seems to
have been much more sparingly employed about the time of
Firoz Shah than it was eighty or a hundred years before, in
the Qutb Minar, the Mot-ki'-Masjid and other structures of the
time of Qutb-uddin and Shums-uddin Altamsh. The red-
stone is also used (on account presumably, of its being softer

and therefore more easily carved,) in the lattices of the win-

dows, which are still open, and probably ornamented all the
thirty-three windows which surrounded the upper storey,
some of which are now blocked up with the common stone
masonry. There are also lattices of the same material be-
tween the main body of the mosque and the vaulted passage
leading on each side to the dark apartments behind, but none
to the west These lattices appear, notwithstanding their
having been very well carved, to have been all covered with
very fine chunam, after the fashion which prevailed to within
the last hundred years, when the finely carved pillars, such as
are standing in the ruins of tlie Kudsid Begam’s Palace, built by
the mother of Muhammad Shah ^outside the Kashmir gate)
were similarly plastered over. The stairs leading from below
to the upper or main storey are a flight of 29 steps, built upon
these blind arches, with a landing place, and two more steps
leading into the vestibule. The doorw-ay, which stands out
about 30 feet from the eastern wall of the mosque, is sur-
mounted by a low dome flanked by two minarets tapei'ing into
cones. It stands about 20 feet from the ground, and over
the doorway is a slab of somewhat rudely polished marble
with an inscription in the Naskh character, of w'hich the fol-
lowing is a translation ;

“ By the grace and mercy of God, in the reign and sovereignty of

the religious King, strong by the help of the Meicitul, Abiil-Muzaffar
Firoz Sbah, Sultan, may his reign last for ever this mosque was built
;

by the son of the slave of the threshold of Junah Shah Maqbul enticled
Khan Jahan, son of Jahan, may God be merciful to this slave. Any one
coming to this mosque is to pray for the benefit of the King of the
Musalman and of this slave, and remember (them) in (their) Fateha and
Ikhlds, and may God forgive (such a man) for ever. By the grace of the
 —
154 KHlRKl MASJID,

2tid. The very simple kind of column and entablature

used in this building as supports to the arches, is a point also
very worthy of notice. It consists of one, or in most instances
two upright stones, or pillars, standing on a third, with a
fourth placed on the top as an entablature. The peculiar
construction of the arches and domes, the stones of which are
held together by the wonderful adhesive qualities of the lime
used in those days, without any key-stones, has been before
remarked upon and is another characteristic of the Muham-
madan Indian buildings of the fourteenth century.
3rd. It is reasonable to infer that this mosque was
built in the midst of a considerable population, and that the
present site of Delhi was either a suburb of the then Tirozti-
bad, or if not, a portion of that town itself*

Bishop Heber w'rites of this mosque as follows :

“ The Kala Musjid is small, and has nothing worthy of notice

about it, but its plainness, solidity and great antiquity, being a
work of ihe first Pathan conquerors, and belonging to the
times of primitive Musulman simplicity. It is exactly of
the plan of the original Arabian mosques, a square court
surrounded by a cloister, and roofed with many small domes
of the plainest and most solid construction, like the rudest
specimen of what we call the early N orman architecture.
It has no minaret the crier stands on the roof to proclaim
;

the hour of prayer.”

Khirki Masjid . —
The mosque at Khirki is an enormous
structure, situated on rather high ground, and built of dark
coloured granite, cased all over with masonry plaster, now
black with age and which gives it a very sombre appear-
ance. It was built by Khdn Jahan, probably, in the
year 789 A. H. (1387 A. D.) It is a square, supported
at the four corners by sloping towers about 50 feet high, and
consists of three storeys, viz. the first, or the basement storey,
the roof of which is on a level wdth the floor ot the second storey
of the mosque, and the thii’d storey which stands over its
root. On the north, south and east of the mosque there are
three Pathan gateways, which stand out about 23 feet from
the wall of the mosque, and are entered by
doorways about 9
the Kal&. Masjid
to"
 EHIRKI KASJID. 155

feet high; the door in the northern gateway has wooden folds;
each of the gateways is surmounted by a low masonry dome,
and the roof is protected by a heavy parapet, the outer corners
of which support 8 feet high minarets. The eastern, western
and the northern walls of the mosque are pierced with windows
covered with red sand-stone screens, 6 on either side of the
gateways ; there are also similarly constructed windows in the
right and the left walls of the gateways. In the centre of the
western wall is the mehrdh of the mosque, in a room about
20 feet from north to south and 19 feet from east to west
there is no window or opening in this wall.

The mosque, as already described, consists of two storeys ;

the or the basement storey is about 10 feet high, and con-
first
tains low cells two deep ; the second storey is about 22 feet
high and is crowned with 89 small domes of plain but solid
construction. The wall of the basement storey is 7 feet thick
and that of the upper storey is a>'>out 5 feet thick and tapers
to the parapet, retaining at the top a thickness of only 2 feet.
The whole building is in excellent preservation, with the ex-
ception of the north-east angle, the roof of which has fallen in,
not however from decay but from the effects of a fire which is
said to have occurred some 90 years ago. A quantity of fodder
was stored at the time in this part of the building and the
fire is attributed to an incendiary.

The description of the Kalan Masjid applies equally to

the mosque at Khirki, as regards tlie style of architecture,
materials, &c. The Khirki mosque displays the same decidedly
Egyptian style, and is composed of materials similar to those
of the Kalan Masjid. There is, however, a remarkable diffe-
rence between the size and plan of the two buildings. The
Kaldn Masjid has a length of but 140 feet including
the corner towers, while the mosque at Khirki is upwards of
210 feet long, including the towers. The former is a rectan-
gular parallelogram ; the latter is a square. Tlie Kalan Masjid
has but one inner court, viz. in the centre of the building ;
the latter has four inner courts. As the visitor enters the
Khirki mosque, he finds himself in an extensive hall, the roof of
which is supported by, exclusive of the pilasters, fourteen rows
of pillars, fifteen abreast and about nine feet apart ; four open
156 BEGAMPUBI

eoarts, about 30 feet square, each centre of a quarter

of the mof^oe, which interrupt the continuity of the rows of
pillars.

The cloisters, the pillars, the domes, &c.are much the

same as in the Kalan Masjid. The basement storey consists
of 104 small cells with arched ceilings, each cell being about
9 feet square. There is also a cell beneath each door and one ^
in each turret, making in all 112 cells. The greater number
of these cells were at one time blocked up with filth and mud.
About 100 years ago, during the convulsions which occurred
in the time of M
uhammad Shah, the villagers of Khirki took
refuge within the mosque, and lived in it till within the last
few years, when they were turned out by the order of the
local authorities. When Mr. A. A. Roberts saw the place,
about 30 years ago, it contained “18 families, numbering 42
men, 42 women, 30 boys and 20 girls, or 134 souls in all, besides
147 head of cattle, cooped up within this building. There
are only 38 Mahomedans ; the rest are Hindoos.” It is to be
regretted that there is no inscription to inform us of the
precise period of the building of this mosque.

—
Begampuri Masjid. This mosque was also built by Khan
Jahanin the year 789 A. H. (1387 A. D.) in the village of
Begampiir its characteristics are those of the Kalan and
;

Khirki Masjids, already described, but unlike them it hasonly

a single storey, which stands on a heavy masonry plinth.
Stone and mortar are the materials used in the building of
this mosque the walls being covered with plaster now
;

perfectly black with age. The mosque is an oblong

of 307 feet, from north to south, by 295 feet, from
east to west, and stands about 31 feet high inclusive of the
plinth. It is entered by gateways on the east, north
and sout^ the chief entrance is on the east and is
;

raised by fifteen stone steps on its three sides the steps in ;

front of the other, two gateways have either disappeared
under the accumulation of earth, or were destroyed for
^

their materials. Each of the three gateways contains two

rooms. The northern and the southern gateways stand
forward about ten feet from the line of the
walls of the
mosque, and have each a doorway in its centre
; the eastern.
I

J/

V
>
 TflE Tomb op firoE shah TilatiLA^. 157

: main g-atew.ay stands about 30 feet from the east ‘Tn

the
and hna one inner and three outer entrances. Outside
all,

. le line of the walls of the mosque, each of the side gateways

-,as a room about 12 feet square, and within the walls a rouin
bout 25 feet squaie. The outer room of the eastern gate-
fay is about 25 feet square, and the inner room is an oblong
^25 feet by 12 feet.
The mosque is paved with sand-stone, and has an open
jurt in the centre, aiiout 247 feet long, from n irth to
)uth, and 223 feet broad, from east to west. R mnd this
3 UTt there are arched cells, about 12 feet high ; those on the
ast, north, and south are 16^ feet wide, but the width of the
ther arches vary from 6 feet to 12 feet ; on either side of the
atewaya there are 7 cells, thus making 45 rooms on three
ides of the court, inclusive of the inner rooms of the gateways,
.’he cells on the vf estern side are three deep, there being
cells on either side of the centre arch, thus making in all
5 rooms. The Mehrubs in the western wall are lofty ;
he mosque proper being in the centre open room, which is
bout 30 feet square.

There are 64 domes on the roof of the mosque the ;

arger ones, being about 9 feet high, are built in the style of
he domes of the Khirki Masjid.

The Tomb of Firoz Shah Tughlaq. —This monument,

vhich is one of a long range of building.s, was built, according
to Syud Ahmed Khan, in the year 792 A. H. (1389 A. D.)
Dy Nasir-uddin-Tughlaq Shdh in the village of Hauz Khas.
It is a square of about 40 feet, is very lofty, and built of stone
ind masonry. The principal entrance is on the south, where
i stone wall, about two feet high with a broad coping, forms
1 diminutive court, by w'hich the dwir is approached. The
loor is raised by three steps it is wide and oblong, and built
;

tan arch, and the panel over it is filled in with stone lattice
flork ; the lintels and side-posts are made to project a
little, and are carved slightly. The east door resembles
the one just described at
;
the west and north are recesses
in the wall, resembling those in which the opposite doors are
set. At the side of the north recess is a narrow pointed arch
which led into the jMadrasah. “ At a considerable height
168 THE TOMB OF FIROZ SHAH TXJGBLAQ.

above the floor, the shape of the walls is changed from a

square to an octagon and then to a sixteen-sided figure, and
so on, by filling up the corners with masonry worked into a
beautiful honey-comb kind of pattern, and richly painted.”
The roof is protected by a low battlemented parapet. “ The
dome, a hemispherical one, is of considerable diameter, with
a large circle painted in an elegant pattern at the top, from
which Belts cutting each other are drawn down to the bottom
of the dome. In the intersections of the belt are three rows
of medallions of different sizes and figures the belts and
:

medal lionsmeing all painted on the white ground of the tomb.”

Outside th^outh door is an inscription engraved on fine
plaster, which has been much disfigured by decay.*
“ Round ’l;he top of the square building, and around the low
cylinder’irom which the dome springs, is a naraow band of
red-stoRB, carved in a graceful pat term Inside are three
marble, and one masonry tombs, all much injured.'’t
Adjoining the tomb, to the north, is a range of low’ masonry
buildings, probably the Madrasah of Firoz Shah. Syud
Ahiped Khan states that within the tomb of Firoz Shah
are also buried Nasr-uddin Mahammad Shdh, the son of
Firoz Shdh Tughlaq and ’Al4-uddin Sikandar Shah, the son
of 'Nasr-uddin.

Around the royal tomb are numerous open monuments

of the common form of domes resting on pillars ; in one of th Isa
tombs are the graves of Shahab-uddin Taj Kh^n and Smlin
Abus’aid, amirs of the time of Sikandar Lodi, and an insc po-
tion, of which the following is an English translation :

“ This building was erected in the time of the sovereignty of the-

great king, Sikandar Shah, Sultan, may God perpetuate his kingdom,
his sovereignty, and exalt his command and his prestige. This dome
(wa^uilt by Shaikh Shahab-uddin Taj Khan and Sultan Abd-s’aid
on the 9th of Ramzan, 906 tHijri).”

* Euglish ti aiislation of the inscription . . “ God, Muhammad is his pi lohet

. . ordered ; (and) was built in ten months, in the time of the reign of the
of kings, Sultan Sikandar, son of the king of kings, Bahlol 3h4h. May God prt
his couutry and his sovereignty, exalt his command

. . as (it was) order^ so was (the order) carried out.”

. . the king of I
Sultan Firoz Shdh, may his dust be sanctified, and Paradise be his rating 4
If my reading of this inscription Ls correct, and at the best it is doubtful
the tomb of Firoz Shdh must have been repaired by Sikandar Lodi, the se^n i
Bahlol Lodi.
t Tiemlett.
 -1

- ^ ss

i..
**
m- ri
t i

,in i

'£*1
s, (if
MFP '37
 KHIZRABAD, AND THE TOMB OF MUBARAK SHAH. 159

Khizrabad and Khizraki-Gninti. In the year 82 A.—

H. (1418 A. D.) Khizr Khdn, the first of the Sayyad
Kings, the weakest dynasty that ever ruled the Empire of
Delhi, founded a city on the banks of the Jumna about one
mile to the south-east of Kilokheri, and about twice that
distant, in the same direction, from the tomb of Humayun.
No memorial of this city is now in existence, and its very
site is open to doubt. It is probable, and Syud Ahmed
Khan Is of the opinion, that the city of Khizr Khan stood
at or near the village of Khizrabad.

In the year 824 A. H. (1424 A. D.) Khizr Khan died

at Delhi, and his son and successor, Abul Fateh Mubarak
S'aah, built a tomb over the remains of his father, which is
popularly known as Khizr-ki-Gumti. Khizr Khan was
buried “ on the bank of the Jumna,” near the village of
Okla, about eight miles on the south of Modern Delhi. The
identification of this grave with that of the founder of the
Sayyad Dynasty is due entirely to tradition, and Syud
Ahmed Khdn has adopted its authority. Within a walled
enclosure, more than three-fourths of which is now in ruins,
stands a very common looking square room with an arched
door on each of its four sides at a short distance from this is
;

a solitary domed cell the former is supposed to contain the

;

remains of Khizr Khdn.

Mubarakabad and the tomb of Mubarak Shah.--“ The

Sultan [Mubdrak Shah] had determined to build a city on the
bank of the Jumna, and on the 17th of Eabi I. 837 A. H.
(31st October 1432 A. D.) The name given to that ill-omened
city was Mubarakabad..." He devoted much time and care
to the direction of this building... After staying there
[Tabarhindh] a few days, he returned in good health and
spirits and went to the city of Mubarakabdd...When a large
army was assembled, the Sultan left the city to begin his
march to Hindusthan, and he encamped for a few days at the
chabutrah of Sirgah. Thence, he proceeded with only a small
escort and without ceremony to Mubdrakabad, in order to
see the progress of the buildings.”* His Hindu Minister,
Sarwar-al-Mulk, conspired against the Sultan and Mubarak

Tirikh-i-Mubarai SAdhi.
160 MtJfiAftAKABAt) AND THE TOMB OE MUBARAK SHAH,

Shah -was assassinated in his new city by the Hindu hireling!

of his Wazir, in the year 837 A. H (1433 A. D.). ,

The new city, as already stated, was built on the Jumna,

and not unlikely near the city of Khizrabad, but the body
of Mubarak Shdh was removed to the village of Mubarakpiir,
near the mausoleum of Safdar Jang, about five miles to the
south of Modern Delhi, and interred there in the tomb
which is now known after him,
“ This is built in the midst of a large yard, surrounded
by stone battlemented wall. The gates leading into this
a
court have the side posts and lintels of grey-stone, and are
oblong in shape except at the top, where the side posts project
in the usual fashion. About the actual doorway, is a narrow
line of plain blue encaustic tiles, and below two full blown
lotus flowers in white marble. Ashort approach from this
gate leads to the tomb itself, a massive octagonal building,
constructed of the grey-stone of the country. It stands on
a plinth, approached by an ascent of two steps with a sloping
way of stone between. The tomb is surrounded by a covered
colonnade ; the pillars, twenty four in number, stand on the
edge of the plinth. These pillars are of a highly peculiar
form, being oblong, and so cut as to present the appearance
of two oblong shaped pillars joined by a narrow belt ; at each
corner of the octagon, the outer pillar is strengthened by a
buttress of solid stone, which greatly contributes to the
general appearance of strength and solidity which characte-
rize the building. The dome springs from a low cylinder
ornamented with colour, and with sixteen finials. The dome
itself is crowned with an open octagonal lantern of red-stone,
around the dome are eight octagonal cupolas resting on low
pillars. There is only one door into the tomb, that to the
south, which is of similar construction to the one in the outer
court. In the space between the lintel of the doorway and
the apex of the arch, in which it is set, is a fan-light of lattice
work in stone. The other six apertures, except the west one,
answer to this south doorway, except that the doorway in
their case is filled up with stone lattice work, divided by two
horizontal bars of solid stone. The west side is filled up
lndth a handsomely carved quihhhgah, also in stone. Thisf-
niche wall is also carved on the reverse. Above the rang#
of the doors are four arched windows in stone open-work and
 THE TOMB OF MUHAMMAD SHAH. 161

over them springs the dome. Tliis is of ample diameter and

is painted with belts of colour running diagonally from the
bottom up to a circle of colour, which fills the centre.
Immediately under the centre of the dome is a tomb of
a man, and to the right two women’s graves ; while
in a row nearer the soutli aoor, are the tombs of two
female, and two male children. All these graves are
of stone ; but owing to the tomb having been formerly
utilized as a dwelling-house, I was unable to discover the
stone of which the tombs and the quiblaghah were constructed,
but I rather think it was marble. [They are built of mar-
ble]. At a short distance to the south-west inside the court-
yard stands a three-domed mosque, evidently of the same
period. The wall of this building is pierced with five
arches resting on low square pillars of grey-stone plainly cut.
There is a second row of columns running down the centre of
the mosque. . .

“ I think the tomb itself affords strong evidence that the

tradition [which ascribes it to Mubdrak Shah] is right, and
that the name of the site relates to the hapless Sayyad. The
shape of the dome, the limited use of encaustic tiles as a de-
coration, the fashion of the door ornaments, all point to the
early part of the fifteenth century as the date of the building,
while the costly nature of the tomb, the ample court in which
it stands, with its accompanying mosque, seem to place it
beyond the means of a mere nobleman, especially at a time
when Delhi was at its lowest point of depression. Unless,
therefore, there be strong contemporary evidence against it, I
am inclined to think that the principal tomb is that of the
second Sayyad king.”*

The Tomb of Muhammad Shah, the third Sayyad King

of Delhi the
is in village of Khairpur, and at a short distance
from the tomb of his uncle and predecessor, Mubarak Shdh.
For some time Muhammad Shdh successfully defended his capi-
tal against the treacherous attacks of his lieutenant, Bahlol
Khdn Lodi, governor of Dibalpiir but the King’s unpopula-
;

rity was such, “ that there were Amirs at 20 kos from Delhi
who shook off their allegiance and made pretensions to inde-
* Tremlett.
162 THE TOMB Oy BAHLOL LODI.

At len^h,
pendence.” in the year 849 A. H. (1445 A. D.)
Muhammad Shdh died, buried in the village
and he was
of 'Khairpur. The tomb of Muhammad Shah bears such close
resemblance to that of Mubarak Sh^, that no special descrip-
tion of it is necessary.

Fergusson gives a beautiful sketch of this tomb in his

History of Architecture, (Vol. II. p. 653.) “ It consists of an
octagonal apartment,’* says he, “ about 50 feet in diameter,
surrounded by a verandah following the same form, each being
ornamented by three arches of the stilted pointed form gene-
rally adopted by the Pathans, and it is supported by double
square columns, which are almost as universal with them as
the form of arch.”

The Tomb —
of Bahlol Lodi. This tomb was built
in 894 A. H. (1488 A. D.) by Sikandar Lodi, the son of
Bahlol Lodi, who brought the body of his fattier from Badhouli,
and buried it here. It stands outside the western wall of the
enclosure of the shrine ofN^r-uddin Chiragh Delhi, in
a garden known as Judh Baghf; it is 44 feet square, with
three arched doors on each^MC the pillars of these arches
;

are of red saad-stone,}^roout two feet square and about

eight feet high. The spandrels of the arches are ornamented
with medallions, over which projects a deep stone weathering,
the roof being protected by a heavy stone and masonry
-

embattled parapet, about 18 feet from the floor. The

floor of the tomb is paved with red sand-stone, “ but
the grave stone of carved stone is still visible ; it is now of a
dark brown colour, the result I presume of discoloration. ”t
Above the tomb is surmounted by five masonry domes,
the centre one being somewhat higher than the rest, and
ornamented with vertical flutincrs.
O
The tomb is now occupied by the Khadam of Chirdgh
Delhi’s shrine.

Within a few yards of this tomb is a 33 feet square room,

the walls of which are covered with perforated red sand-
Babar mentions in his Memoirs, that after the conquest of Delhi he visited
•the tombs and gardens of Sultan Bahbl and Sultan Sikander” Lodi it k
;
Vary likely that the present barren neighbourhood of the tomb was once a garden.
^Xtemlett.
 PANJ BURJ OR THE FIVE DOMES. 163

Stone screens, and it is believed to contain the graves of Bahlol

Lodi’s ministers. Bahlol Lodi died on his way from Etawah
to Delhi; according to the TariMiA-Khdn Jahdn Lodi,
in the village of Malawi, but according to the Tarikh-i-Daudl
in '‘ the town of Jahli.” His corpse was sent to Delhi
by his son Nizam Khan, afterwards so well known as
Sikandar Lodi.

Panj Burj or The Five Dome.;?.—The village of Kan-

chanpiir, which is about six miles to the south of Modern
Delhi, was given to one Zamarud Khan as a Jagir and
has "sometimes been called Zamarudpiir. In this villawe
is the family burial ground of Zamarud Khdn perhaps, the;

most renowned members of the family were buried in

the five tombs, which are commonly called Panj Burj
or The Five Domes. These tombs were built in the reigns
of the Lodis, and not unlikely, as Syud Ahmed Khan
states, in the reign of Sikandar Lodi, about the year 894
A. H. (1488 A. D).
The first tomb, as you enter the village, is within a
40 feet square enclosure, the walls of which are eleven
feet high ;
there are broken steps in the front wall which
lead into the court through a gateway, about 13 feet wide and
1 5 feet high, the door itself being about four feet wide. The
back wall of the court is now levelled with the ground. The
tomb, which is an open square room, stands on a plinth about
2 feet from the ground, and consists of a dome resting on
twelve sand-stone pillars from the floor to the roof, which
;

is ornamented with a false embattled parapet and surrounded

by a deep stone ledge, it is about 15 feet high and to the ;

tfj^ of the dome it is about 3 5 feet high. The dome is built

of stone and masonry the graves
;
in this tomb are in ruins.
The towers which once stood on the corners of the enclosure
are no longer in existence.

The second Burj is an open hexagonal room in a walled

enclosure, which about 50 feet square, and 9 feet from
is
the level of_ the ground. The room, which stands on a
2 feet high plinth, has a diameter of 15 feet, it is covered by
a dome on six stone pillars and is about 22 feet high from
 164 BASTl SaOrI, Oft I'm: SftRING OF BASfl.

the floor to the top of the masonry dome. The monument in

the centre of the tomb was either destroyed or removed.

The is an open square of 19^ feet, with twelve

third Biirj
sand stone supporting a masonry dome ; from the floor
pillars
to the roof it is 13 feet high, and to the top of the dome it is
fully 30 feet high. The dome is built of stone and mortar.
In the centre of the tomb is a grave which is covered by a
monument of red sand-stone about 4| feet long, 2^ feet wide
and 3 inches high.
The
fourth Burj is a more pretentious building ;
it 48 feet square, but has no plinth.
is From the floor
to the roof of the tomb, which is protected by a false
embattled parapet, it is 33 I’eet high, and from the roof to the
top of the dome it is 38 feet high ; the dome is made of stone
and mortar. There are twenty stone pillars in the tomb,
and three doors in each of its four walls. There are six
graves in this tomb a flight of steps in its south-westein
;

wall, takes the visitor to the top of the building.

The fifth Burj is also a walled building, better finished

than the rest, and in better preservation. It is a square of
41 feet, and stands on <a plinth about 7 feet from the ground.
The roof is about 31 feet from the ground, over which stands
a dome about 30 feet high. The dome of the tomb is built
of masonry and stone, and the rest of the building is of sand-
stone. There are three doors, in the northern, southern and
eastern walls of the tomb, the roof is supported by 24 stone
• pillars. There are three graves in the tomb but like the rest of
the graves, they are devoid ot inscription or ornamention.

Basti Baori, or the Spring of Basti.— Khawjah Sara

Basti Khan was a eunuch, and a man of importance in the
reign of Sikandar Lodi ; he enclosed an extensive piece
of ground near the village of Nizam-uddm, and built a large
domed gateway, a mosque, a spring and a tomb in it. Syud
Ahmed Khan gives the year 894 A. H. (1488 A. D.) as
the probable date of the building of this tomb.

The whole place is now more or less in decay. The spring

is dry, and was probably 112 feet long and 31 feet wide the ;
 BASTI BAOEI, OR THE SPRING OF BASTI. 165

rooms, whicli were once built in the walls of the spring, have
since disappeared; with the exception, however, of about three
or four rooms in the northern and southern walls which may
yet be seen partially buried under debris and earth. The
walls of the spring were about 15 feet high, and on the
corners of its eastern wall were two open pavilions, about
11
feet square and 14 feet high. The steps which once led
to the water, with the exception of about nine broken ones,
’
are now buried under earth.

On the west of the spring the mosque of Basti Khan

is
It is an oblong of 13 feet by 57 and is 14 feet high from
feet,
the floor of the enclosure, and 36 feet from the road
under its back-wall. The mosque is entered tliiough three
arched doors the door in the centre is much wider than those
;

on its sides ; in the side walls of the mosque are steps which
lead to the roof.

The gateway is built of stone and mortar ; it is a square

of 35 feet and stands on a plinth 10 feet highfrom the top
,

of the plinth to the roof it is 27 feet high, and’ from the roof
to the top of the dome it gains 23 feet more, thus givino- a
total height of 60 feet to the building. On either side of'*the
gateway is a lofty recessed arch, in w'hich a square door is set.
On the western side of the gateway, and on either side of the
centre recessed arch, is a small arched window. The western
face of the gateivay is ornamented, though sparingly, with red
sand-stone ; up to a height of about three feet from the plinth
the gateway is faced with grey sand-stone.

Within a yards of the gateway, on the east, is the

few^
tomb of Basti Khan.
It is 46 feet square and about
151 teet high; originally, there were arched cells 9 feet
deep on its four sides, five on the north, south and west
and only two on the east, one on either side of the two
flights of steps w^hich lead to the roof of the buildino-.
With the_ exception of two cells, the rest of the southern
corridor is down. The centre room, about 22 feet square,
enclosed by the cells, contains the grave of Basti Khan
;
Avith the exception of those on the east, the cells
com-
municate with one another thi'ough openings in the inner
walls.
166 MOTH-KI-MASJID.

Two flights of 12 steps each, from opposite sides, meet ia

the middle of the top of the eastern wall of the tomb. The roof
of the tomb is entered through a red ^t
9 ne^ gateway and in
its centre is a platform raised by three smps,' ove^vhich stands
an open 21 feet square room, surmounted by a dpme supported
by twelve stone pillars. The dome is about feet from the
platform and about 44 teet from the grom^ On each of the
four corners of the terrace there is ail^pen 7 feet square
pavilion, the dome of which was supported by four pillars and
was about 1.5 feet high. Of these, pavilions three may yet be
seen ; that on the south-western corner has disappeared alto-
gether. The masonry monument over the grave of Basti
Khan is now a pile of broken stone and mortar covered by
the dome of the centre pavilion.

Moth-ki-Masjid. —Thi^ mosque was built near the grave

of Mubarak Shah, the second Sayyad King of Delhi, in the
reign of Sikandar Shah Lodi, and in the year 894 A. 11.
(1488 A. D.) A
large well was also sunk close to the mosque,
and an inscription was put in it on red sand-stone, which
has suffered much from efflorescence and of which the follow-
ing is a translation in English :
—
[This] mosque
in the reign of... Majesty... Sultan [like] Solomon,
Shah, son of Bahlol Shah Lodi, may
[Si] kanclar
God perpetuate his reign
[Si] kaudar

The gateway of this mosque, which Syud Ahmed Khan

believes was a very remarkable building, is now unhappily in
d hopeless state of decay. Tradition gives a very curious
account of the origin of the name of the mosque it is said :

that, once upon a time, a poor man picked up a grain of Moth

(pulse) which he sowed in the earth and vowed to devote its
produce to a charitable purpose ; season after season this
was multiplied, till the produce of several harvests wei’e
large enough to defray the costs of this mosque.

It a good specimen of the style of architecture which was

is
common in the time of the Lodis. The mosque, which stands
on a spacious terrace about 6 feet high, is an oblong of 130 feet
by 30 feet ; its height, from the terrace to the top (rf the centre
dome, is 60 feet. It consists of a row of five rooms, each having
 THE TOMB OF LANGAR KHAN. 167

an arched entrance in front ; the centre doorway is set in a

lofty recessed arch. The pilasters of these are orna-
arches
mented with small recessed arches, there being eight such
arches, one above another, and five on those of the side arches.
The removal of the storie facings of the centre arch
from different places, in the pilasters of the centre arch,
has disfigured its general appearance. The roof of the mosque
is surmounted by three domes, one being over the centre room,
and one each over the corner rooms. The domes are neither
large nor graceful ; they are made of stone and mortar,
and stand on narrow necks in the approved Lodi style.
The side domes are in a very dilapidated state. The side
entrances are lower than the main entrance of the mosque
•which is in the centre, and are sheltered by a deep
stone ledge resting on plain corbels, but very little of
this now remains. '‘The face,” says Mr. Beglar, "was
likewise adorned by coloured plaster medallions ; the
material used is rubble and plaster, but some of the
ornamented parts, the pillars at the jambs, &c., are of
cut stone; marble was used for the bands of inscriptions in the
gateway ; these bands were both plain and coloured ; if
color was used in the interior, all trace of it is lost by a layer
of soot, but outside and in the gateway the colors used are
green, blue, red, both the red sand stone and red colour, white,
black and possibly yellow ; the enclosure wall is arcaded
in the outside and also inside.” There are steps on
the northern and southern walls of the mosque leading to
the roof.

The mosque, I regret to add, is still in the possession .of

the villagers of Mubarakpur, who have disfigured its inner
walls •with their cooking places, and the mud partitions
which have cut up the mosque into small rooms.

—
The Tomb of Langar Khan. This monument stands
near the •village of Khairpur, and was probably built, as Syud
Ahm ed Khan states, in the year 900 A. H. (1494 A, D.)
in the reign of Sikandar Lodi ; Langar Khan was an Amir
of the court of Sikandar LodL The tomb is only remarkable
for its unimpressive solidity it stands on the west of a terrace
;

about 8 feet high, and 70 feet square ; the tomb itself is about
43 feet square and 66 feet high ; on each of its four corners
168 THE BCfiJ OB THE THREE DOMES.

stood a lofty domed room, about 1 8 feet square and 40 feet

high ; the room on the north-western corner is only traced
by its ruins ; that on the north-eastern corner has lost its
dome. There were graves in the corner rooms ; one grave in
the last mentioned room is still in existence.

The room containing the grave of Langar Khan is about

33 feethigh from the floor to the parapet of the roof, and
another 33 feet from the roof to the top of the dome. It has
three doors on each of its three sides the western wall contains
;

three recessed arches in the form of the Qiblehgah of a mosque.

There are three graves in this room that of Langar Khan, the
;

largest in size, is near the western wall it is built of stone

;

and mortar, and is 13 feet long, 9 feet broad and 8 feet high.
In the centre of the terrace of the mosque is an
open pavilion of twelve sand-stone pillars, supporting a mason-
ry dome. This pavilion is about 23 feet square it is 1 6 feet
;

high from the floor of the court to the roof of the rooa7 ,
and from the roof to the top of the dome it gains another
1 6 feet. The whole of the tomb and its surrounding buildings
are made of stone and mortar, and the outer walls are cased
with plaster it is a very poor specimen of the Lodi style of
;

monumental architecture.

TinBurjor The Three Domes.- -These tombs stand

within a few yards of Moth-ki-Masjid, on the left of the road
from Modern Delhi to the Qutb Minar, and close to the
mausoleum of Safdar J ang. They are built of stone and mortar
and may be seen from the road already referred to. The names
popularly given to these tombs of Bare Kluin, Chote Khan
and Kale Khan, are inventions of some ru.stic genius which I
am not willing to accept, but I agree with Syud Ahmed Khdn
that they belong to the Lodi period and were very likely
built about the year 900 A. H. (1494 A. D.)

The centre tomb

is twice tbe size of the tombs on its
sides they are all square buildings with domes sprinodng
;

out of narrow cylinders ; the roo'fs are protected by°low

ornamented parapets, having on each of its four corners a small
open pavilion. The corner pavilions of one ofthe smaller tombs
have disappeared. On each of the four faces of the tomb is a
 —
EAJON-KI-BA-IN. 1G9

lofty recessed arch, in which a door is set. Above the range of

these [arches the walls of the tomb have smaller recessed arches,
w hicli are intended to relieve the monotony of heavy looking
plastered walls ; about two feet over the doorway the wall is
pierced by a small arched window.

Eajon-ki-Ba-in. —
This spring was built by Daulath
Khan, an Amir of the court of Sikandar Lodi, in the year
922 A. H. (1516 A. D.) it stands to the south of the tomb
;

of Adham Khan and to the south-west of the Qutb

Minar, within five minutes walk of both these places. The
spring is supposed to have been, at one time, occupied by
stone-masons (Raj), and hence called Rajon-ki-Ba-in or the
Mason’s Spring. On the north of the spring there are stone
steps which lead down to the water. I have been able to count
only 66 steps, 57 above and 9 under water, but the natives of
the place believe that there are many more. On the other three
sides of the spring there are lofty stone walls, containing four
rows of arched rooms, equal in height but unequal in number.
The walls are about 77 feet high, and those on the east and
west are 108 feet long. In February last, there was only 9
feet of water in the spring, but in the rains it is much deeper,
and the lower rooms of the side walls, I am told, have been
sometimes under water.
On a level with the top of the western wall of the spring
is the court of a mosque, paved with masonry and stone.
On this terrace also stands an open pavilion containing a
grave ; the mosque is about 77 feet long, 1 8 feet broad,
and 22 feet high ; it has three arched doors, each about 6 feet
wide and 9 feet high ; the roof which is perfectly flat, having a
deep stone ledge underneath, supported on corbels, is reached
by steps in the side walls of the mosque. The whole building
is of stone and mortar.

The domed pavilion is a square of 18 feet, and

is about 27
feet high ;
the dome, which is built of masonry,
supported byis
12 stone pillars, the capitals of which are ornamented with red
eand-stone. The monument over the grave is built of
sand-stone, is about 9 feet long and 6 feet broad, but
bears no inscription. The following inscription is engraved
in red sand stone on the southern face of the pavilion ;

“ In the reign of the gracious [King], [a] king greater than the
 170 THB TOMB OF SIKANDAB SHAH LODI.

great [kings], with faith in the Merciful: Sikandar Shah son of Bahlal
Sh^h, Sultan, may God perpetuate his reign and his kingdom [this ;

pavilion was] built by the slave, who hopes for the mercy of the Protec-
tor, Khan Daulath, son of Khwajah Muhammad, on the first of the
month of Rajah, in the year 922 [Hijri].”

The Tomb of Sikandar Shah Lodi:— On the 7th

of Ziq’ad, 923 A. H. (November 1517 A. D.) Sikandar Shah
Lodi died in Agra, and we are told by the author of the
Tarihh-i-Khdn Jahdn Lodi that “ his coffin was removed to
Delhi and deposited there, together with that of his father, in
a garden which Isldm Shah Siir had enclosed and prepared for
the purpose.” There is evidently a mistake in the latter
portion of this account, as Sikandar Lodi was not buried near
his father, and it would require a very strong imagination to
place the two graves in the same garden.

About a quarter of a mile from the tomb of Safdar Jang,

! close to an ancient stone bridge, stands the mausoleum
: of this “ the greatest of the Lodis,” and was probably built
'
in the year 923 A. H. (1517 A. D.) by his son Ibrahim
Shah Lodi. This tomb closely resembles in style that of the
Sayyad King, Mubarak Shah, but the small open pavilions
round the centre dome are wanting in the former, while
the increased perpendicularity of its dome indicates a some-
what later period.

The tomb stands in a battlemented walled enclosure,

about 264 feet square ; the corners were supported by
octagonal towers, only two of which are now in existence.
The walls are 8 feet thick and about 23 feet high, the main en-
trance of the enclosure is through a gate in the southern wall.
“ This gate is protected by a square
(sand-stone) out-
work in front (about 66 feet by 52 feet) ; the means of egress
being by turning to the right and passing through an aper-
ture in the west side of this advanced work, the south side
being a continuous wall. At each end of this last-named
wall, are two cupolas adorned with encaustic tiles
and sup-
ported on red stone pillars.’’*

* Tremlett.
 THE MOSQUE AHD TOMB OF JAMALI. 171

In the middle of the western enclosure wall is a wall-

mosque, the centre arch of which is about 65 feet high and 39
teet wide ; the side arches are comparatively insignificant.

After giving a full description of the tomb of Mubarak

Shah, it is hardly necessary to do the same with the tomb of
Sikandar Lodi I have already noticed the fact, that there are
;

no small open pavilions round the centre dome of the latter

tomb.

The Mosque and Tomb of Jamali.— Shaikh Fazl-ullah,

Khan, but better known by his nom de plume of
alias Jalfil
Jamali, was a great traveller, a man of literary fame and a
poet whom kings delighted to honour. He was the favor-
ite of four successive rulers of Delhi he was in the;

height of his fame in the reign of Sikandar Lodi, and died

in that of Humayun, still standing high in royal favour.
“ His power of debate in the assembly of religious men was
acknowledged by all, and even the learned submitted to his
authority.” In the year 935 A. H. (1528 A. D.), he built a
— —
mosque and a room afterwards his tomb in the old village
ot Qutb Sahibj and the ruins of the village may yet be seen in
their neighborhood. Jamd,li accompanied Humdyfin to Gujrat,
where he died on the 10th of Ziqa’d, in the year 942 A. H.
(1535 A. D.l his body was brought to Delhi and interred in
;

the room which he had occupied as a dwelling during his

life-time. The mosque and the tomb are in two adjoining
walled courts and in the northern wall of the mosque, which
;

is the southern wall of the tomb, is a door-way now closed

The court of the mosque about 120 feet long and 70

is

feet broad ; it is now entered through

its eastern wall, but
this entrance appears to me to be quite a modern alteration.
Its original gateway was in the southern wall, which has now
been cut off by a new wall which unites the eastern with the
western wall. The mosque of Jamali bears close resem-
blance to Moth-ki Masjid, with only this difference that,
while the former has only one dome the latter has three.
The dome of Jamdli’s mosque is in the later Lodf style.
The body of the building is 120 feet long and 27 feet
wide ; from the floor of the mosque to its roof it is 32 feet high,
and from the roof to the top ot the dome it gains 10 feet more.
 172 THE MOSQtTE AND TOMB OF JAMALI.

There are five arched doors to the mosque ; the centre arch,
which is recessed about 2 feet deep into the face of the wall,
is 30 feet high and 15 feet wide ; the capitals of the pilasters
from which the arch springs are of red sand-stone, tastefully
engraved, but whether they ever rose above the level of the
roof it is impossible to say ; the inner edge of the arch
is ornamented with fretwork, and the spandrels are
decorated with ornamental bosses. The rectangular bands
which enclose the arch are of marble and red sand-stone.
Under the apex of the arch, in the wall which contains the
centre door of the mosque, there is a small arched opening
with a stone bracket for its base. About three or four
feetunder this window is the centre door referred to ; it is
about 14 feet high and 10^ feet wide, and is also enclos-
ed by rectangular bands of marble and red sand-stone
having bosses in the spandrels.

On either side of thecentre arch there are two side

arches, about 12 feet high and 10 feet wide. The. roof over
the centre arch is fully 8 feet higher than the roofs over the
side arches. In the pilasters of the extreme side arches there
are two, 3 feet high but shallow, recessed arches ; the lower
arches in the outer pilasters are open and contain steps which
lead to the roof of the mosque. The spandrels of the minor
arches are also ornamented with bosses, and like the rest of
the face of the mosque, are cased with grey and red sand-
stone.

The mosque is paved with sand-stone. In each of

the five rooms the western wall contains a high recessed
arch with a niche in it ; these niches are ornamented
with marble bands and engravings. The centre room sup-
ports the dome of the mosque ; its ceiling is arched, while
those of the side rooms are flat. The centre room is a
square, but above a certain height from the floor it ^becomes an
octagon from which the dome springs ; the corners of this
room are cut off with beautifully engraved pendentives.
Heavy stone brackets stand out from the back wall
of the mosque, and are intended to relieve its blank expanse.

To the north of the mosque, and in the north-western

comer of a court, about 70 feet square,—with
embattled walls
about 10 feet high_is the tomb of
Maulana Jamali. The
 — ;

THE TOMB OP IMAM ZAMAN. 173

walls are built of grey stone and mortar ; the court-yard

is entered through a low doorway in its northern wall
there are small arched niches in the walls all round, those in
the western wall are generally open. In the south-western
corner of the enclosure is a room which was evidently intended
for the attendant of the tomb ;
here also is the door which
communicated with the mosque, and which is now closed.
To the east of the tomb of Jamali is an open domed pa-

vilion in which there are several graves.

The grave of Jamali is in a room; 25 feet square

1 6 feet high, and has a door in its southern wall. Over the
door, which is set in a narrow arch, and all round the
building, is a deep stone ledge supported by a series of plain
corbels underneath this, but not covered by the ledge, an ena-
;

melled band goes round the room. The parapet round the flat
roof is also ornamented with fancy designs in bright colours.
On either side of the door is a narrow recessed arch half way
;

round the top of these arches, are small niches built for
lamps.

The floor of the room is paved with white marble

bordered with bands of black marble. In the centre of the
western wall is a small recessed arch intended for a mosque. In
the northern and the eastern walls there are red stand-stone
screens for the admission of light and air. On either side of
these screens, of the door and the recessed arch in the
western wall, there are two feet square niches. The ceiling
of the room, which is flat, is beautifully, but rather profusely
painted in bright colours. The grave of Jamali is in the
centre of the room on its right is another grave supposed
;

to be that of one Kamali, a brother of Jamali, but for this

statement I have not been able to find any authority. There
is room for a third grave on the left of the grave in the centre.
The two graves are of marble, beautifully polished but flat
and without any ornament or inscription.

The Tomb of Imam Zaman, alias Imam Mtihammad-

.\li, isalso known as the tomb of Sayyad HasanPai Minar.
Muhammad ’Ali to Delhi from Turkistan, in the reign
came
of Sikandar Lodi, and is supposed to have held an official
position in connexion with the Masjid Quvvat-ul-islam. He
built this tomb during his life-time, and was buried in it after
174 THE asAVE AND MOSQUE OF QUFB SAHIB.

his death. The a very pretty domed room ; it is in

tomb is
very fair order, and within ten yards of the ’Alai Gate.
is built
It is about 24 feet square, and from the floor to the top
of the pinnacle it is 54 feet high. There are three screens
of lattice work in three out of its four walls in its :

southern wall is the entrance, the frame of which is of marble ;

and on either side of it is a screen corresponding with those
on the opposite side. The screens are of red-stone and are sup-
ported by twelve pillars, inclusive of those in the four corners.
The capitals and bases of these pillars are tastefully carved ;
over the capitals are corbels which support a stone ledge which
goes round the room. About four feet above this is the or-
namental parapet of the roof The dome is of red sand-stone
but covered with plaster and is occasionally whitewashed ; it
is low but very graceful, stands on an octagonal cylinder of a
larger diameter than itself The monument on the grave, which
is also of marble, is seven feet long, about four feet wide
and eighteen inches high ; it is of very simple construction.
At the head of the grave is a lamp-stand of red-stone
about 2 feet high. There is an inscription over the door-
way.*

The Grave and Mosque of Qutb Sahib— Bakhtyar,

surnamed Qutb-uddin Bakhtydr Kdki of (Jsh, is one of the
most revered names in the history of the religious sects of the
Indo-Muhammadan world. He was the friend and disciple
of M’uin-uddln Chisti, and next to him, perhaps, the greatest
Chisti saint of India. He followed the advanced guard of
the Muhammadan conquerors of Delhi, and accompanied

* English translation of the inscription : “^In the name of God, the merciful and
the compassionate !

The stated prayers of praise [of God] and supplication may for ever be offered
by the residents of the pure courtyard [Heaven], and the residents of the pure
tomb, [ef iiuhammsd] as a sacrifice to God. The friends of His [sacred]
house having sacrified this world and the next in His path, and made
the of life aud of the heart
treasures a] sacrifice
to the crest of His
House. [May] more praise reach the sweetly
scented grave, and the
illuminated grave of the Intercessor [Muhammad] on the day of Judg-
ment, and [over the graves] of his pure descendants and his friends. A
pure heart and the strength of Fate are friends of the Hazrath, the guide
of men, Muhammad, of the descent of Safwi Muhammad ’All of the sect of
Hasan, of the famDy of Hosain, selected from among the holy Sayyads and •

selected from among the pure ; a Jesus of the world of recluse and
’
a Moses of the Mountain.”
 THE GRAVE AND MOSQDE OF QUTB SAHIB. 175

his great master to the Masjid AuKd, to thank Providence for

the success of the Faithful over the Idolaters.*

The history of no political success or disaster is associ-

ated with the name of Qutb Sahib ; he was pre-eminently
a man of peace, and, although, on the authority of the Sair-ul-
Aqtdh, he seems to have lived on terms of enmity with Mu-
hammad Ghori, he was the spiritual guide and trust ;d friend
of Altamsh, in whose reign he achieved the greatest amount of
missionary success, and in whose reign he died at the compara-
tively early age of 52. In the reign of Qutb-uddm Aibek, he
first acquired fame as a religious leader, and such was
his sanctity, that when he died, which is supposed to have
occurred in a reverie, on the I4tli of Eabf I, 633 A. H. (1236
A. D.), his funeral rites was performed by Sultan Altamsh,
“ who was never late at a singhj prayer, nor did he
neglect
one.”

Qutb Sdhib was the son of Sayyad Musa, a native of Ush

in Mawar-ul-nahr he married at Delhi, and two of his
;

sons are buried within the walls which contain his own
remains. The saint Khawjah-Khizr, who still regulates
the weather and the price current of grains,” appeared to him in
a dream, and gave him the power of prophecy; a gift nf which,
unlike one of his proud successors, Nizam-uddin, he evidently
made no great use. B e lived and died a popular priest, and
the honour paid to his remains by the king is not to be
compared to the honours that are daily paid to his memory
by his tollowers.

From his dying bed. Qutb Sahib sent his doak and staff
to his disciple Farid Shaki'ganj, at Pak Patan, near Multan.
It is related, thet when Mum-uddm Chisti visited Pethi, fas
friend and disciple Qutb Sahib expressed a wis .i.eroin-
pr.ny M’uin-uddiii to Ajmir; but no sooner was tin.-, i-.ii -. lic- '

raily known, than the people of Delia begged of M'ujrn.'din

that Qutb Sahib may be allowed to live among them “ for
their welfare and the honour of their rii v.’’ ‘‘ Out of respect
tor the unanimous desire of such a }ar_._; body of men, the

* A. cording to Mie author of the Sair-ul-Aqtdh, Qutb Sahib arrived in DeAi

iu the je.ir 534 A. 11. (1188 A. D.) fully three years before the conquebt of that place
—
Ly the Muhammadans ; one of the mistakes iu ehionoiogy of such constant occur
reuce in native histories.
m i'HIi CtttAVS Al^£l, MOSQtE Of QtTTB SABlS.

prayer was granted/’ and Qutb Sahib lived and died

at Delhi ; and was buried among the people, who are still
so warmly attached to his memory. The grave of Qutb
Sahib has always been held in great veneration, and it
is related by Ahmad Yddgar in his Tarikh-i-Saldt'm-i-Afa-
ghdnah, that before Himun, the Hindu general of ’Adil
Shah marched out of Delhi to meet the Moghal
Siir,
army, “ he went to the sanctified mausoleum of the Qutb-ul-
Aktab, the polar star of religion and piety, he vowed that . .

if he were destined to conquer Delhi, if the throne of

Delhi were granted him and the Moghal troops put to flight,
he would become a Mussulman.”
When the news of Qutb Sahib’s death reached Pak
Patan, Shaikh Farid Shakrganj came to Delhi and covered
the grave of the saint with earth, “which he himself
brought from the Hauz Shamsi.” This is the only covering
of the grave to this day it is a mound of earth, white-
;

washed with lime, and a piece of white cloth is spread over

it. In the year 948 A. H. (1541 A. D.) in the reign of
Sher Shah, one Khalil-ullah K.hdn built an extensive wall
round the grave, and a gate on the north of the enclosure,
which bears an inscription.* Ten years later in the year 958
A. H. (1551 A. D.), in the reign of Salim Shah, one
Yusuf Khdn built another gate which is the present main
entrance of the tomb.t Through this gateway, you enter
a lane about 40 yards long, formed by the back walls of houses
and the walls of courtyards. At the end of this lane there are
six stone steps which lead to a raised but not lofty arched

* Snglish translation of the inscription :

-

“ In the reign of the sun of the world of prosperity, Sher Sh4h,

Sultan, of the crescent standard, the starlike army, and sky like excellent
slaves ;

This grand tomb, within the doors of which

Is verified, the saying ; —
This is the door of the house of prosperity.
In the year 948 of Hijri, w:is
Built, under the superintendence of the Shaikh, the cherisher of religion
Khalil-ul-Haq.”
+ English translation of the inscription on the gate
“ In the reign of the King of the world [and of] Isldm,
This gate was elevated to the dignity of the sky ;
Although there are a hundred gates in Paradise,
There is no gate like this gate.
It was birilt by a Shaikh, to whom
The title of a second Yfisuf [Joseph] was given by God j
Wh^ I asked its name and date,
(He] said [it is] The Dargah of Khwdjah Aqtdb.”
 -

THE GRAVE AND MOSQUE OP QUTB SAHIB. 177

stone gateway built by Maulana Fakbr-uddin, a man of some

consequence in the reign of Shah ’Alam ; the gateway has on
one side three rooms and on the opposite side a single room
for the convenience of the attendants of the tomb.

On the right of the visitor, before he enters this gateway,

is a walled enclosure, about 57 feet long and 54 feet broad ; on
the west of the enclosure is a small mosque with three arches,
and in front of the mosque is the grave-yard of the family of
the late Nawab of Jhajjar. The most important grave here is
that of Nijdbath ’All, the first Nawab of Jhajjar, to whom
Lord Ijake, on behalf of the British Government, granted this
principality as a Jagir. It is covered by a plain marble
tomb, about 3 feet high and 10 feet square ; the grave of
Nijabath ’All’s wife is also under this tomb. At the head of
these graves there is a marble tomb of the same size as that
over Nijabath ’Ali but with the addition of a dwarf perfora-
ted marble parapet round it, and ahead stone which bears
the date 1250 A. H. (1843 A. D.) It is built over the re-
mains of Faiz Muhammad Khdn, the son of Nijabath ’All.
On the right of this tomb is another tomb of marble
which resembles the grave of Faiz Muhammad, but wants
the marble parapet and the head stone of the others,
and it is built over the grave of Faiz ’All Khan, the
father of Abdul Rahman Khan, the last Nawdb of Jhajjar.
Abdul Rahman Khan was hanged for his complicity in the
rebellion of 1857, and his body was disposed of by the orders
of Government as that of a common felon.

As you enter the inner court of the tomb, through the

gateway of Mauldnd Fakhr-uddm, you come to an open stone-
paved court at a distance of about 20 yards in front is an ob-
;

long doorway set in a high wall, and to your right is an arched

gateway nearer to your right and before you reach the
arched gateway, is another enclosure abGut 35 feet square,
the w'alls are of red-stone, ten feet high, and surmounted by

Englisli translation of the inscription on the gate ; —

“ Mankind used to gather pearl in this Treasury of Fortune.
After all Shakar Khin threaded the pearls of supplication.
I asked [of myself] what shall I write as its date t
itizw an [gardener of Paradise] said to
Paradise.”
my heart :
—The secrets of tie gate of
178 THE GRAVE AND MOSQUE OP QUTB SAHIB.

an open balustrade about 2 feet high.* Within this enclo-

sure is the grave of Mu’atmad Khan, a eunuch of the court of
Aurangzeb his original name was Khwajah Nur, and he
;

was successively commandant of the forts of Gwalior and

Agra. The enclosure is entered through an arched doorway
having an inscription over its lintel. t The tomb over the
grave is of very plain construction, and made of marble ;

it is about 3 feet high and stands on a masonry plinth

about 3 feet from the ground. On the west of the enclosure
is a mosque with five arches, about 29 feet long and 8
feet deep, with a stone pavement in front, of the length of
the mosque and about 5| feet wide. There are four other
graves in the enclosure which belong to the family of Mir-
za Ilahi Baksh of Nizam-uddin.

Turning to yourleft and passing under the oblong gate-

way, you a stone paved lane, about 58 feet long and 6
ent.er
feet. wide, with a slope from its northern to its southern end of
fully 4 feet. On your right is the marble wall of the enclo-
sure of the grave of Qutb Sahib, and on your left is the back
wall of his mosque. At the end of this lane is a marble gate-
way, and on its right is a marble monument about 4 feet
from the level of the lane, which stands over the grave
of Mauldna Fakhr-uddfn. The marble gateway has an
inscription on it of the reign of Farokhsir.l Turning to

* The marble monument over the grave of Sir Theophilushletcalfe in St. James’
Church yard, iu Delhi, ii3 said to have been originally |)urchased for the Jhajjar dor-
mitory, but the rebellion of 18.o7 intervened, and the events which followed placed
this Muhammadan tomb over a Christian grave.
t English translation of the inscription on the gateway :

“In the reign of the Revealer of Faith, Shah Alamgir Muhi-uddfn,

Whose justice has created life and body in the cradle of peace,
Mu’atmad Khdn became the dust of the feet of Shah Qutii-uddi'u,
Whose auspicious blessing gives hope of the blessing of God ;
From the light uf his presence, every body receives light.
Ma}' the last day be like the light of the moon, illuminated by the light of his
> j =
forehead ;

0 God, forgive him [Mu’atmad Kh4n] for the sake of his [Qutb Sdhib
feet, which are near him [Mu’atmad Kh4n.]
Illumine his spirit with the light of the saint [Qutb] of God.
When I asked for the date of this building from the angels.
The answer came O God, forgive [him] on the last day [1034
;
A. H.]”
+ English translation of the inscription on the gateway :

“God. Muhammad. Abubakr. ’Omar. ’Osman.

By the command of the King of the world,
’Ali God ‘

[and] of the People,

Farokhsir, Emperor, whose slaves are the nine
firmaments •
 — —

THE GRIVE AND MOSQUE OF QUTB SAHIB. 179

your right, at a distance of about 30 feet on your right, is

the southern wall of the enclosure of Qutb Sahib’s grave ;
it is made of marble and contains four perforated screens.
Before you enter the second marble gateway, on your left, is
a small dormitory containing the graves of the family of the
Nawabs of Banda. Three of the graves are of marble, and
are profusely but beautifully ornamented with embossed
scrolls, fancy patterns and flowers. The bodies of the Nawabs
of Jianda used to be sent to Mahrauli for burial, but since
the rebellion of 1857 this practice was put a stop to.

Passing under the second marble gateway, and turning

to your right, you enter an enclosure the eastern and the
southern walls of which I have already described.* It is an
irregular oblong of 98 feet by 57 feet ; about three-fourths
of its western wall is covered with encaustic tiles, the rest of
its western and its northern walls are built of stone and
masonry in the northern
;
corner of the western wall is a wall-
mosque, ornamented with encaustic tiles, and is said to have
been built by Farid Shakr Ganj when he visited the grave
of Qutb Sahib the side arches of this mosque are irregularly
;

built, as regards their distances from the centre arch.

The grave is enclosed by wooden railings, about 21 feet

square and 2 feet high as already stated, the grave is covered
;

with earth and a piece of white cloth is spread over it to

conceal it from profane eyes. Within a few feet of this
grave are laid the remains of Taj-uddln-Ushf, of Sayyad
Ahmad and Sayyad Muhammad, the sons of Qutb Sdhib,
of Badr-uddln Ghaznavl, Imam-uddin of Abdal and many
others puritanic and severe men with whom faith was
;

a great reality.

Hound the grave of the chief of the Faith, the Polar star of the nine firma-
ments,
That the angels and mankind [may] go round his grave.
A tomb beautiful and well arianged, this wall was built.
Which is like the exalted Qablah, and is like the dignified KaTjah.”
English translation of the inscription on the gateway
“ God. Muhammad. Abdbakr. ’Omar. ’Osman.
’All. God.
By the efforts of the worst of the King’s slaves,
Firm in his confidence fin the King], tried and found not wanting ;
The Angels went into the land of the Paradise of Eden,
They found its date The fort of the Paradise of Eden.
:

Finished in the 7th year of his reign in the year 1130 HijTi,
By the lowest of the sla\ea of Faroklisir, written by 'AbduUdh Ashraf.”
 — : ;

180 MOTI MJ\SJID OF MAHRAULI.

On your right, after you have passed the first marble

gateway of Farokhsir and at a distance of ten yards from
you, are the graves of other friends and relatives of Qutb
Sahib. A
little further on is a marble platform about 4
feet high and 11 feet square, with a dwarf marble perfo-
rated parapet ; on this platform are placed two beautiful
marble monuments, one over the grave of the infamous
Zabtah Khan, wFo so effectually helped in the ruin of the
Delhi Empire, and whose son Gholam Qddir acquired a
reputation even more infamous than that of his father and ;

the other over the consort of Zabtah Khan,

As you
again turn to your right and walk over a mason-
ry almost parallel to the lane already described, you
floor,
come to the mosque of Qutb Sahib.

The Mosque of Qutb Sahib is a very ordinary looking

building, about 33 feet long and 21 feet wide. It consists
of three arches ; the back wall of the mosque, tvith the usual
recessed arches, is supposed to have been built of mud by
Qutb Sahib himself. A
row of three arched rooms was
added to this wall in the reign of Salim Shdh, 958 A. H.
(1551 A
D.), and a second similar addition was made by
Farokhsir in the year 1130 A. 11. (1717 A. D.) The follow-
ing inscription occurs on the face of the mosque :

" The object of the confidence [Mu’ataqid] and mercy of the Exalted
Majesty,*
King Farokhsir, Emperor, master of the neck [of the people]
Built, with a clean heart
and firm faith,
[This] Masjid —
beautiful in form and a place of worship [both]
for the old and the young.
The voice of the invisible whispered into the ears of thought
year and day of its building The accepted abode of
: my
Qod.

—
Moti Masjid of Mahrauli. Walking through the pass-
age formed by the northern wall of the
grave of Qutb
bahib, and the southern wall of that of
Mu’atmad Khan, you
enter another enclosure through the
western gate of the Dar-
gah. lo your left is the Moti Masjid, built in
the year 1121
* The name of the builder of the mosque was Mu’ataqid Khan,
 MOTI MASJm Of MAHRAULI. 181

A. H. (1709 A. D.) by Shah Alam Bahadur Shah, the

eldest son of Aurangzeb. The pavement in front of the
mosque is ornamented with the usual “ carpet” pattern in
black and w'hite marble ; it is45 feet long and 15 feet wide.
The plinth of the mosque is about 2 feet high ; the
mosque itself is about 45 feet long and 13 feet deep.
It consists of three rooms with arched entrances ; on
either side of the mosque there is an outer room the
;

room attached to the outer room on the north of the building

is a recent addition. The original side rooms communi-
cate with the mosque through doors in the inner walls.
The mosque is built of white marble and ornamented with
bands and stripes of black marble. The roof of the mosque
is surmounted by three marble domes, striped vertically with
narrow bands of black marble and with pinnacles of white
marble. The western wall of the mosque contains the usual
recessed arches. The roof of the mosque and the side rooms
are protected by battlemented parapets. Tapering marble
minarets, about six feet high, flank the centre arch, the side
arches, and the side rooms, thus forming a row of six minarets,
of which those on either side of the centre arch are higher
than the rest. On the back ivall of the mosque there are only
four minarets, one on each of the corners and one on either
side of the centre dome. The pinnacle on one of the side
domes is still to be seen ;
those on the remaining domes were
either destroyed or removed. There is no pulpit in the
mosque.
In the southern wall of the court of the mosque, raised
by five steps, is a masonry doorway which leads into an
enclosure formed, on the east and the west, by masonry
walls, on the south by arched rooms, and on the north
by a marble walled court which contains the graves of three
of the Emperors of Delhi. Adjoining this court is a piece

of ground partially enclosed — the burial place of some

of the consorts of the Emperors, and of other members of the
Imperial family of Delhi.

The pavement of the northern court is of marble ; it is 6

feet long and 2 1 feet Avide, and the marble wall is ten feet high ;
the entrance is in the western corner of the southern walk
 182 THE GRAVE OF SHAH ALAM.

—
The Grave of Akbar II. The nearest grave as you
enter this enclosure is that of Akbar II. The tomb over it is
of black marble covered with verses from the Quran and the
Muhammadan creed, both tastefully embossed. This tomb
once stood over the grave of one Qasim ’AH ervf, and bears H
the following inscription ;

“ The death of Khwajah Qasim AH Hervi 656 ” (Hijri.)

The white marble base of the tomb is 5 feet 8 inches long,

2 feet 3 inches broad, and 1 foot 8 inches high. The tomb itself
is 5 feet long, 1 foot 7 inches wide and 1 foot 5 inches high.

On
the top of the tomb is engraved the Muhammadan
creed,and at the head the Bismallah on the left of the
;

tomb is the following verse from the poet S’adi :

He who has come to this world shall perish Thou livest ! !

He who is destined to last and is immortal, must be God. Thou art

immortal

On the right of the grave is the following verse :

Do not fix your heart on any other being but God ! Thou art mer^
ciful!
B^ause your very limbs will (one day) be divided from one another.
The Benevolent.
At the head of the tomb is an upright head-stone of
marble, about 2^ feet long and 2 feet wide, in which the
following inscription is inlaid with black marble;
Shdh Akbar, the giver of light to the world
Was moon, by death.
eclipsed, like the full
Of the date [of his death] Zafr [Victory] said :*
The empyrean of Heaven is the resting place of the exalted in
dignity. (1253 A. H., 1837 A. D.;

The Grave ofShah Alam.— To the left of the tomb of

Akl^r II. is that of his father, the unfortunate Shah ’Alam.
Between the two tombs a place was reserved for a third grave
by Bahddur Shah, the son and successor of Akbar II,
but the events of 1857 necessitated the deposition of Bahadur
Shah, and his banishment to Rangoon, where he died.
The tomb of Shah ’Alam is of white marble, and is
erected on a slab of the same material the former is about 1
;

foot and 8 inches wide, 6 feet long and about 2 feet high the
;
latter is about 2 feet 4 inches wide and about
7 feet long.
* Zafr was the nmn deplume of his son, Bahddur Shah,
the last King of Delhi,
 —
; —
THE GRAVE OF SHAH ’aLAM BAHADUR SHAH. 183

On the head-stone of the tomb is the following inscrip-

tion ;

He is the forgiver and the rewarder May He make paradise

!

His (Shd,h ’Alam) residence ; (for) He is very benevolent.

The bestower of exalted digaity has set under the dust.
Alas !
[it has] gone down in the gloom [caused] by the eclipse of
death

Sh^h’Alam, the Protector of Mankind, has

Left this world for the pleasure-ground of Eden.
O Sayyad, my miracle-working pen has written
A verse in each line of which will be found the date of [his death :]
He was the sun r)f the earth before [his death].
He is now a sun under the earth. Alas Alas ! !

1221 [Hijrl] written by Mir Kalan Ilizvi.

On the head of the monument

is engraved the Muham-

madan cieed, on verses from the Quran, containing

its sides
some of the attributes of the Almighty ; on the top of the
tomb is a well known verse from the Qurdn, which ascribes
immortality to God and mortality to man.

The Grave of Shah ’Alam Bahadur Shah,— On the

left of the grave ot Shdh ’Alam is that of Shah ’Alam
Bahddur Shah, the eldest son of Aurangzeb, and by far the
ablest of those who contended for the empire of Delhi on the
death of the Emperor. fie inflicted signal defeats on
the Sikhs, and did more to impair the rising power of the
Mahrattas than did his father, who commanded the undivided
resources of the empire. Bahadur Shah died at an advanced
age, and his son and successor, Jahdndkr Sh^h, built the
marble walls which enclose his grave, and the graves of
three of his descendants. At the head of his grave, on
the marble wall, is the following* inscription :

the [promise of the] Prophet, may Shah ’Alam be

“ According to
rewarded with Heaven for his good intentions. GhoHm Harath Khdn,
1124! Hijri.”

The fourth grave within this enclosure is that of Mirza

Fakhrii, the eldest son of Bahddur Shdh, who died of cholera
in Delhi The monument on the grave is of marble it is ;

about 6 feet long and 2 feet broad, and is surrounded by a

marble railing about 3 feet high.
 184 THE BAOLl Of QUTB SAHIB AND FCBABA QIl’aH.

On the west of this enclosure, there are eight marble

tombs ; the following inscription occurs on the head-stone of
one of them :

“ Shaha’badf the Moon ! with a forehead like that of Venus.

I

By death her abode was made under the earth.

I searched for the date [ot her death] and the voice of the Invisible
said :

She has gone to Eden for her pure life.

The Baoli or Spring of Qutb Sahib.— About 25 yards

to the east of the mosque of Qutb Sahib is a deep spring of
water, the buildings round which were erected in the year
1846 by Hdfiz Muhammad Daud, a servant and favorite of
Bahadur Sh5,h, for the use of the Khddams of the tomb. It is
built in the style of the springs of Nizd,m-uddfn and Daulath
]^dn. It is 96 feet long, 42 feet wide and 75 feet deep; the
water in the spring is usually 40 feet deep, and sometimes
deeper, and is reached by steps on the west and south
of the building. On the west is the main entrance
of the spring, through double-storeyed arched rooms.
The walls on the east, north and south, have three tiers
of recessed arches and arched rooms 9 feet high and 7 feet
wide, varying in number and in the depth of the recessed
space.

Purana Qil’ah or Din Panah.— “ The name of Indra-

prastha is still preserved in that of Indrpat,” says General
Cunningham, “ a small fort, which
known by the name
is also
of Puvuiici hila or the old Fort. This place was repaired by the
Emperor Humaydn, who changed its name to Din Pandh
but none, save educated Musalmans, ever make use of this
name, as the common people invariably call it either Indrpat
or Purana Kila.” 1 he villagers of Purana Qila’h pretend
to believe that the old buildings, wheresoever they are to be
found in the village, except those that are decidedly Muham-
madan, are the remains of the capital of the Pdndavas. The
more popular opinion appears to be, that the walls, and the
gates of the tort were built by Humayun, and that the build-
ings insidexhe fort belong to the reign of Sher Shah Sur, and are
about the most perfect specimens of the latest style of Pathan
aichitecture. Against this opinion, however, is the authority of
 PURANA QIL AH OR HIH PANAH. 185

the writer of the Tarikh-i-Khdn Jahdn, who says, that Salfm

Shah Sur, after building the fort of Salimgarh, which was
opposite to Di'n Panah, the fort of Humayun, he ordered a
wall to be built round the citadel of the Moghal Emperor.

The following account of the building of Din Panah is

“ another
taken from the Humdyitn Ndmah of Khond Amir :

great work of this just and generous king was the city of Din
Panah, which was really the asylum of religious men.
Before building the city, he took counsel with “ his great
courtiers and learned companions,” and expressed to them his
intention to foupd near “ the capital of Delhi, a city which
was to challenge equality with Satura ; that the city
should be the asylum of wise and intelligent persons and be
called Din Pandh.” The project was highly commended, and
one of the learned men present at the time remarked that
“ the numerical value of the words Shah-i-pddshdfi Dm
Pandh,
was 940, and he said that if the city were built in that year
it would be a very remarkable fact.” From Gwalior, the king
went to Agra and thence to Delhi, and after having “taken
omens and religious advice, a rising ground adjacent to the
banks of the stream of Jumna, about three kos from the city,
was selected for the foundation of the city of Din Pandh.
“ In the middle of the month of the sacred Muharram
A.H. 940, at an hour which was prescribed by the most clever
astrologers and the greatest astronomers,” the court accom-
panied the King to the spot, and prayers were offered to the
Almighty. “ First, His Majesty with his holy hand put
a brick on the and then each person from that
earth,
concourse ot great men
placed a stene on the ground ; on
the same date, work was also commenced in the King’s
own palace. At this time, i. e., the latter part of the month
of Shavval of the same year, the walls, bastions, ramparts
and the gates of the city of Din Pandh are nearly finished.”
Thus, wdthin ten months from the laying of the founda-
tion stone of the city, a progress had been made in the work
which makes me believe that the ruins of a more ancient citv
must have helped the workmen, and that “ the rising ground”
of the historian was very probably the site of a deserted or a
ruined city.

Dm Pandh is an irregular oblong of 3 furlongs by 1^

furlongs, the long sides being on the east and the west
 186 FURANA QIl’aH OR DIR PANAH.

it has three gates ; those on the north and the south are
closed,but the gate on the west, which is still the principal
entrance of the city, is still open. Besides these gates, there
are three khUMs or wickets in Din Panah two on the side :

facing the river, one of which is open, and the 4hird in the
western wall of the Qil’ah which is now closed. On each of
the four corners of the city there is a formidable looking
bastion, and between the two corner bastions in the western
wall there are seven bastions including those which flank the
gateways. The walls of the city contain two-storeyed cells, |

which rise to tie height of its lofty gateways.*

The two gates worthy of notice are in the northern and
the western walls. The former is known as the Tallaqi or the
Forbidden Gate it is related that once
; upon a time, a
certain king sallied out of this gate to fight a rebel and vowed
he never would enter the city unless he vanquished the enemy.
The king fell in battle and the gate was closed for ever. It
is a lofty gateway, made of grey and red sand stone,
a little
over 50 feet high and 24 feet wide, and is flanked by
two huge bastions. The high arched door in the centre
of the gateway is blockaded up with earth and the debris
of the cells behind it ; the large arched window over
the entrance is also closed up. Over this window there are
two heavy brackets, each supporting an open half octagonal
pavilion , the roof of the gate is surmounted by three
open
pavilions, of which the two smaller ones are a little in
advance
of the third which is in the centre of the
roof. The
domes of the smaller pavilions stand on 4 pillars and that
of the larger on 8 pillars. The face of this gateway is.
ornamented with marble bands and bosses, and over the hal?
octasonal pavilions is a slab of marble, yellow
with the
efiects of exposure, and was obviously intended for an
inscription.

The principal gateway is not unlike the TalMqi Dar-

wazah ; quite as lofty,
it is but more massive, and the
flanking bastions are larger. Each of these bastions was
surmounted by an open octagonal pavilion
and ornamented
with encaustic tiles ; the pavilion on
the left bastion is

w portion of the facing" the river Snnm

^ *1, 1
in existence and are used by the
still
their cattle ; the top of the vraU in
vUlaffers as d Jfii-
protect^
’ ^?®
^
®®'^
 SHKR GARH AND DELHI SHER-SHAHI. 187

About four or five foet ov'er the arch of the door-way is a

row of three brackets supporting three half octagonal
pavilions there are no windows over the doorway.
;
The front
of the gateway is ornamented with grey and red stone the
;

half-pavilions were at one time covered with coloured plaster,

and a band of encaustic tiles extends under the parapet of the
gateway. The third, or the southern, gate is, in every respect,
like that on the north.

The village of Indrapat or L)in Panah is supposed to have

been at one time surrounded by the river, and there is a
causeway, or bridge, in front of its western gate, the ruined
arches of which are still in existence. The river has now
receded from its old bank, and the land between the Qil’ah and
the present bank is now under cultivation. The walls facing
the river are more or less damaged, Avhile those on the land
side are also in some places in a damaged state. If, as
it is believed, every bastion in the wall was surmounted by a
pavilion, these have unfortunately disappeared ; those on
the gateways, have been already described. Inside the Qil’ah
the villagers have built mud and masonry houses, and the
only ancient remains of Purana Qil’ah, besides the walls and
the gateways are the well known Jdm’a Masjid, or Masjid
Qilah Kohnah, and the tower known as Sher Mandal,
miscalled by de Laet and others, “ the palace of Humdyun.”
Of the palace itself, the foundation of which is so elaborately
described in the Humdyunndmah, nothing now remains, and
1 doubt if it is possible to fix its site.

Sher-g9.rh and Delhi Sher shahi.—Sher Shah is said

to have strengthened the citadel of Din Panah and called
it Sher-garh, but as I have already remarked, according to
the Tdrlkh-i-Khdn Jahdn, the walls of Humayfin’s fort were
rebuilt or repaired by S’alim Shah, the son of Sher Shah,
after he had completed the building of Salimgai-h. Sher-garh
was the citadel of the city which Sher Shahb'uilt on a portion
of the conjectured site of Indraprastha, and was long
known as Delhi Sher-shdhf or the Delhi of Sher Shat
’Abbds Khkn mentions, in his Tarikh-i-Sher-shdhi that,
“ the former capital city of Delhi, was at a distance from the
Jumna, and Sher Shah destroyed and rebuilt it by the bank
of the Jumna, and ordered two forts to be built in that city
 188 SnER-OARH AND DELin SHER-SHAfll.

the smaller fort for the residence of the Governor ;

the other, the wall round the entire city to protect it ; and in
the governor’s fort he built a Jama’ Masjid, but the
. .

fortifications round the city were not completed when Sher

Shdh died.” It is, therefore, almost a matter of certainty,
that his son Salim Shah completed the walls of this fort.
General Cunningham, who follows the authoi-ity of Pur-
chas and Mariner Finch, gives the following boundaries
of Delhi Sher-shahf The south gate of Sher Shdh’s city
:

must, therefore, have been somewhere between the Bara Pxd

and Humayun’s tomb. The east wall of the city is determined
by the line of the high bank of the Jumna, which formerly
ran due south from Firoz Shah’s kotila towards Humayun’s
tomb. On the west the boundary line of the city can be
traced along the bank of a torrent bed, which runs south-
ward from the Ajmer Gate of Shahjahanabad, and parallel to
the old course of the J unma, at a distance of rather more than
one mile. The whole circuit of the city walls was therefore
close upon 9 miles, or nearly double that of the modern Shah-
jahdnabad.”

Mr. Tremlett, who objects to the southern limits of the

city ot Sher Shah as fixed by General Cunningham, argues
as follows :

"My reason for holding this view is, that just opposite the west
gate of Parana Qil’ah stands a gate, now known as the Lai Darwazah,
in the same style, though larger and finer than the Lai Darwazah
opposite the Jail, which latter is generally admitted to be a north
gate of this city. On both sides of this southern gate, are protecting
towers and a little of the wall, and their direction is such as to
make it inconceivable, especially as Parana Qil’ah was then standing,
that they could have been part of an enceinte including Humayun’s
tomb ; this argument rests on the narrowness of the space between the
gate and the old course ot the river compared with the distance southerly
to Humayun’s tomb, and also on the fact that the wall to the east of the
gate turns northward and not southward. K too, I be right in identi-
fying the masses of masonry between the north gate of Purina Qil’ah
and the road as being a part ot the wall of Delhi Sher Sh^h, the
argument is considerably strengthened, as then the wall would be
found running more than half a mile north of the mausoleum. I
think too the authorities quoted by General Cunningham at p. Ixxix
of his paper may be interpreted consistently with the view I am taking.
Finch s statement of two kos was undoubtedly his own approxi-
mation. or else the popular distance, and I think if allowance be made
for the windings of the streets, for there seem-s no reason, from
the na-
 SriER GARH AND DELFII SHER SIIAIIF. 189

tore of the ground, for believing that the two gates which chance to
remain wore connected by a straight road, the distance between them
might be set down roughly at two kos, though undoubtedly somewhat
less. Again, it seems a somewhat arbitrary assumption, that the gate
near the jail was the chief north gate. .The bridge [Barah-
. .

pulah] might well be said to be only a short distance from Dehli,

even if the walls stopped at Parana Qil’ah, as the suburbs
would, beyond question, e.xtend some way beyond the wall along
so important a road as the Mat’hura one must then have been ;

and this con.sideration seems to meet Purchas’s statement that Huma-

ydn’s tomb waas in the city. At any rate before the southern limits be
fi.'ced below Humayun’s tomb on the authority of this writer, for the
quotations from Finch seem quite inconclusive till we know where his
north gate stood, it seems to me essential that some satisfactory account
should be given of the great gate opposite PuranJi Qil’ah and its adjoin-
ing walls, as well as of the wall opposite the N. W. corner of the just
named fort.”

Mr. Tremlett notices, between the two gates, a mosque

which is believed to have belonged to the city of Sher Shah,
and although in a fair state of preservation, of its extensive
celled- walls nothing remains but a very small portion in its
north-eastern corner of its court. Mr. Tremlett’s second gate is
tlius described by Mr. Beglar, who evidently accepts General
Cunningham’s southern boundarv of the Delhi ofSher Shah :

“ Close to Parana qilah, on the right of the pre.sent road to Hu-

niayun’s, and just beyond the Kilah is a solitary gate similar to Lai
Darwaza, noticed before. Tlie gate is ornamented by coloured or glazed
plaster medallions and devices or patterns, and flowers cut in red stone
and in coloured plaster. The battlements are ornamented by blue medal-
lions it is altogether a fine specimen of gateway.
;
I conclude ftom the
absence of all traces of rampart walls in continuation of the two enor-
mous towers flanking it (now ruined), which once must have added
enormously to the dignity of the gateway, that it, like the Lai Darwaza,
which it much resembles, is a city gate, under which once passed one
of the main streets of old Delhi. From Humayun’s tomb, in a line
almost perfectly straight, an old city road passes direct under this gate
straight on beyond as far as the eye can see the entire distance, so far
;

as the road can be traced, is covered by ruins of houses on either side,

and immediately near the gate are a series of small chambers, probably
the shops of petty trades-people, but which being regularly built and
forming as it were wings or approaches to the gate, appear very appio-
priate.

“ A kos minar is
placed exactly in the centre of the road between
this gate and Humayun’s tomb, and the road is there widened so as to
allow free passages on either side of the kos Minar * * *”:
190 MASJID isIL'AII KOHNAH.

The correctness of General Cunningham’s account of the

boundaries of Sher-garh is placed beyond all question, by ’A b-
dullah the author of the Tarikh-i-Ddudi. “ After the conquest
of Multan by Haibat Khdn,” writes Abdullah, “ Slier Shah
went (from Agra) to Delhi in the year 947 A. H. (1540
A. D.) ; and actuated by unworthy feelings, he destroyed the
fort of ’AD-uddin, which stood in Siri, * * and built on the
bank of the Jun [Jumna] between Firozabad and Kilokheri, in
the village of Indrapat, a new city about two or three kos
distant from the old one. * * The name of this fort he called
Shergarh * * but on account of the shortness of his reign he
did not live to complete it.” The village of Kilakheri extended
beyond the bridge of Barahpalah and the description of
Shergarh by Mariner Finch, which General Cunningham
adopts, is substantially correct.

In 1628, de Laet informs us, that “ the city was beginning

to fall into ruin the walls were beginning to look dilapidated,
;

and many houses were down, and about 20 handsome Pathan

monuments, in and out of the city, were more or less in decay.”

Masjid Qil’ah Kohnah.— In the citadel of Delhi Sher-

shdhi, we
are told by ’Abbds ‘Khan, the author of Tarikh-i-
Sher shdhi, that Sher Shah “built a Jjim’a Masjid of stone,
in the ornamenting of which much gold, lapis lazuli, and other
precious articles were expended.” “ Here,” says Abdullah,
the author of the Tar'ikh-i-Ddddi, “ he also laid the foundation
of a magnificent masjid, which was very quickly completed,”
in the year 94S A. H. (1541 A. D.)

The mosque is an oblong building, 168 feet long, 44|

feet wide, and about 44 feet high from the floor to the roof,
and about 1 6 feet from the roof to the top of the dome. The
mosque consists of five arches, the centre arch, which is
recessed ' into the face of the mosque, is 40 feet high
and 25 feet wide ;
it springs from marble and red-stone
pilasters, and is enclosed by bands of marble and red-
stone, containing verses from the Quran and fancy
designs elaborately carved. The spandrels contain ornamen-
tal bosses; the inner lines of the arch are omamented with
fretwork, and its supporting pilasters are at a height of about
44 feet from the floor surmounted by minarets. Under
the apex of the centre recessed arch, there is a sma.11 arched
 MASJID QIl’aH KOHNAH. 191

window having a tastefully carved stone bracket for its base.

The whole of the face of the arch is adorned with fancy
designs inlaid with marble on red and yellcw sand-stone and
black slate. In this arch is the centre of the mosque it is
;

an arched doorway decorated with rectangular marble and

red-stone bands, graceful pilasters and ornamented spandrels.
The recessed arches immediately on the right and the left of
the centre arch are 37 feet high and 20 feet wide, with an
arched opening on a bracket over the doorway as in the centre
arch the off arches are 30 feet high and 20 feet wide, but are
;

ornamented like the near side arches. In these arches are set
the doors which form the remaining four entrances of the
mosque. The mosque is flanked by two small minarets, which
rise to the level of those on the sides of the centre arch the roof
;

over the side arches are protected by battlemented parapets,

and about four feet below the parapet there is a deep stone
weathering supported by corbels ; the corbels over the side
arches, immediately on either side of the centre arch, are
massive and more elaborately engraved than those over the off
ones. There is no ledge or weathering over the centre arch.
The roof of the mosque was at one time surmounted by
three domes, out of which only one, that in the centre,
has escaped the ravages of time ; it springs from a low
cylinder, and bears a flat heavy looking stone pinnacle,
“ supported below,” as described by Mr. Beglar, “ by a
moulded shaft, and resembling the top stone of the great
towers in Hindu temples.” The domes are all flattish
inside.

The floor of the mosque is paved with sand-stone, but

restored here and there with masonry. In the western wall
of the mosque, and corresponding with its five arched doorways,
are three recessed arches, richly ornamented with white and
black marble and red sand-stone carvings, and engraved with
verses from the Quran. Over the centre recessed arch and
over the .arclies immediately on its right and left, there are
small ornamental niches standing on beautifully carved brac-
kets ; over the niche in the centre arch is a square opening
which acts as a ventilator, and above this are four
similar openings in the domed ceiling. From the centre
of the ceilings five chains are suspended wFich at one time
held cups of copper gilt.
l9^ itfASjlD qila’h kohnah.

The pendentives supporting the domes of this mosque

are greatly admired for the elaborateness of details and the
finish in their execution. In the near side rooms the angles
are filled up with a number of dimunitive arches, bracketing out,
one beyond the other, in three tiers, the lowest being a corbel
or bracket.

In the northern and southern trails of the mosque

there are which take the visitor to the roof.
staircases
The first flight of sixteen steps leads up to a half octagonal
balcony on four carved pillars of red sand-stone at the
back of the mosque ; the capitals of the pillars and
the corbels which support the stone beams on which
the dome stands, are most elaborately carved. second A
flight of 15 steps leads into a long dark gallery which
opens into a second tier of half-octagonal balconies ; besides
these there are three square balconies, one in the centre
of the wall and one on either side of it. The domes of
these balconies still bear traces of enamelling.

On the roof of the mosque there are marks of the two

missing domes. The centre dome is built on a low cylinder
of sixteen sides surmounted by sixteen five feet high narrow
ornamental pillars. The balcony in the centre of the back
wall of the mosque is flanked by two slim minarets which rise
about five feet above the parapets. The pulpit of the mosque
is built of masonrj’-, but I have no doubt that the original
pulpit was of marble.

A spring, with steps leading down to the water, was

attached to the mosque ; in the court of the mosque there is a
sixteen sided tank which is now dry. Writing of this mosque,
Mr. Tremlett remarks that —
Nothing but a painting can do
:

full justice to a result in which colour and workmanship alike

contribute to the charm which the spectator cannot but feel.”
This mosque is universally admired, and is with justice consi-
dered the finest specimen of the latest Pathan style of archi-
tecture in northern India. “ The profusion of mouldings in
the masjid,” writes Mr. Beglar, “ inside and out, and the
number of angles into which its flat walls are broken up,
give a variety of light and shade that is extremely pleasing,
and the harmony of colour, obtained on the outside by the
use of polished stone of the various colours noticed [maxble.
 fettEU MANDAL, 193

black slate, and red and yellow sandstone], and inside near
the apses by colour, is unrivalled.”*

Sher Mandal. — In 948 A. H. (1541 A. D.) Sher Shah

built this tower near the mosque just
described. The author
of the Tdrikh-i-Ddiich, informs us that “ within the fort of
Shergarh was a small palace also left incomplete, which he
(Sher Shah) called Sher Mandal,” or the tower of Sher Shah.
There is nothing palatial about this building, and both from
itsconstruction and its position in the fort, I cannot bring
myself to believe that it was intended as a flanking tower
of a palace gateway, or in any way connected with a more
pretentious building. Equally incorrect is the statement
that it was the palace of Humayun.

The Sher IMandal

an octagonal tower, three-storeyed
is

high, — the third storey

formed by an open pavilion 60^
is —
feet high, with a maximum diameter of 52 feet. It is built
of red-stone granite, and is oraamented with marble. The
plinth of the tower is raised feet from the ground,
and the tower without the octagonal pavilion is 40 feet
high. The pavilion is about 16 feet high and 20 feet in
diameter. The pavilion is surmounted by a cupola decorated
with bands of marble, supported by eight stone pillars, and
with carved bases and richly carved with chevron work; The
roof round the pavilion is protected by a plain parapet, under-
neath which is a deep stone ledge. It is reached by two flights
of stairs in the walls of the upper storey. Under the stone
ledge of the upper storey, there are eight recessed pointed
arches on the eight sides of the tower containing oblong doors;
inside the building the accommodation consists of five rooms

* •'
It may suffice,” says Mr.
Tremlett, “to point out certain characteristics of this
style of mosque. Above the doorways,
in the upper portion of the arch in which
they are set, are introduced small arched window-like apertures at the north and
:

south sides, oriel windows are constructed, surmounted with cupolas resting on.
pillars. These oriel windows are also introduced into the back wall of this mosque,
while each end of the back wall terminates in a rounded tower running to the top
of the building. Mosques belonging to this period, and exhibiting the style, will be
found in the Jamali Kamali mosque at the Qutb, in the north masjid near Miibarik-
pur, and in a nameless mosque at Khairpur, about a third of a mile from Safdar
Jacg’s tomb. This last mosque is noteworthy, as being perhaps the finest remaining
specimen of the success with which the Pathans worked inscriptions and tracery
in stones.”
19i SHEB

in the form of a cross, the centre room being larger than its
four arms ; a passage connects these rooms. Inside, the rooms
are panelled with encaustic tiles to the height of about three
feet from the floor, and the rest of the wall, up to the ceiling,
is ornamented with paintings of flowers and fancy patterns.
In the comers of the upper storey, there are narrow ornamental
arches, slightly recessed into the face of the walls ; the
upper arches are scantily ornamented with marble. The
arches of the lower storey, which is solid, resemble those
above them, and between the two storeys there is a band
of black slate. In the northern and southern walls of the
ground storey, there are about eighteen steps which lead
to the upper storey.

The interest attached to this tower is purely historical,

for itwas here that Humdyiin met with the injuries which
resulted in his death. It is popularly believed that Hum^yun
used the tower as his library ; “ one day,” says the author of
the Siydr^iil-Mut’adhhliharin, “ there was a conjecture that
Venus would rise somewhat late. In the evening in order that
he [Humdyun] might see that planet, he went on the top of
the roof of his library. There standing for a moment, he wish-
ed to descend. The muazzm called to prayers. Hum^yun,
in order to show respect to the azdn, desired to sit down on the
second step. The steps of the staircase, by reason of their
cleanliness, were very slippery. The ferrule of his staff slip-
ped, and Hum^yun falling headlong, rolled downstairs on to
the ground. His limbs and joints were much hurt, and the
right side of his head had received a great blow. He became
altogether insensible and died on the 13th Rabi’ I, 963
A. H. (19th of January 1556 A. D.) Those who have visited
Sher Mandal will see the utter impossibility of Hum^-
yun’s “ rolling downstairs on to the ground.” On this point
every description of Humayun’s death is more or less incor-
rect he fell headlong over the parapet, according to Elphin-
:

stone and Marshman ; he fell from the stairs on to the ground,

according to Ferishta and the Siydr-ul-Mut’adkhkharm, Ba-
daoni, the Tabaqdt, and Mirdt-ul- Alam.

The remains of Humdydn were removed from Din Panah

and buried in the village of Kilokheri, where a magnificent
mausoleum was built over his remains by his wife Haji Beo-am
°
and his son Akbar.
 SALIHaARH OB NCRaARH. 195

—
Salimgarh or Nurgarh. In 953 A. H. (1546 A. D.)
when Salim Sliah, son of Sher Shah heard of the approach
of Humayiin, he, according to the author of the “ Tarikh-i-
Daudf,” marched back from Lahore to Delhi, “ where he
built Salimgarh opposite to Din Panah, in the middle of the
waters of the Jumna, so that no fort should be so strong in
all Hindustan, for it looks as if it was cut out of one stone.”
It is a semi-circular fort, and at one time was protected by
nineteen towers and bastions of sizes ; it is said to have
cost Salim Shah 4 lacs in money, and five years in time, but
only the walls were finished when the king died and the fort
was then consigned to neglect. Eighty years later, Farid Khan,
otherwise known as Murtaza Khan, an A mir who flourished in
the reigns of Akbar and Jahdngir, seems to have got Salimgarh,
with other possessions along the banks of the Jumna, in grant
from Akbar, and he built houses in this fort. In 1828 these
buildings were in a complete state of ruin, but a tw’o-storeyed
pavilion and a well stocked garden were still preserved with
care by Akbar II., who occasionally used to take an airing in
this fort undisturbed by the public. In 1788 Gholdm Qadir
escaped through this fort with his followers and crossed the
bridge which connects it with Lai Qil’ah, or the fort of Shahja-
handbad. This bridge was built by the Emperor Jahangir.

The fort is now crossed by the line of the East Indian

Railway and was built, as already stated by Salim Shah,
the son of Sher Shah, in A. H. 953 (A. D. 1546.) “It is
situated at the north end of Sbdhjahan’s palace, and ’after the
building of that palace it was used as a state prison. It is
not quite one quarter of a mile in length, and the whole
circuit of its walls is only three quarters of a mile. It
stands on an island close to the west bank of the river, and
with its lofty towers and massive walls, forms a most pictur-
esque object from the opposite side of the J umna. bridgeA
of five arches was built in front of the south gate by the
Emperor Nur-uddin Jahdngir, after whom the name of the
place was changed to Nurgarh according to Syad Ahmad.
But the old name of Salimgarh has prevailed, and is the only
one that I have ever heard used by the people, either educated
or uneducated.”*

* CoimiDgham’a ArchasdogicaX Reporti, Vol. II, p. 223.

 ; — :

196 SALIHGARH AND THE MASJn) Ot KHAIBPUB.

General Cunningham’s assistant, Mr. Beglar, gives this

graphic description of “ the old bridge connecting Salfmgarh
with the citadel of Delhi The constructive features of the
arches of this bridge deserve notice ; the arch sheeting is form-
ed of rubble and mortar, and springs flush from the face cf the
abutments. It is strengthened by a series of arched ribs
springing from corbels that project from the faces of the
abutments, which gives gfreat appearance of lightness with
great strength.”*

Overlooking the road, in the river face of the fort, there

are two gates, one of which bears the following inscription
“ by the grace of God
[This gate] is built
liiis gate [is] beautiful and [is an] increaser of happiness.
Knowledge gave the date of its building : 0 Za-h.-f
[This] gate is as high as the sky [it is built on] auspicious founda-
”
tions, 1271 Hijrl [1852 A. D.]

The Masjid of Khairpur. —This mosque belongs to the

Lodf period, and is about
specimen extant. It
its finest
consists of five arches, the centre arch being loftier and more
elaborately ornamented than those on its sides. The roof is
surmounted by three domes on narrow necks, and is protect-
ed by ornamental parapets. 'I'he ornamentations of this
mosque consist of traceries and inscriptions cut in plaster. The
spandrels of the arches and the arches themselves are decorated
with engraved foliage and verses from the Quran.

* English translation of the Inscriptions on the bridge ;

[lit Jnscription.]
Gh>d is great !
[This bridge] was built by the command of Sndh fftir-uddin Jahdngfr,
the Great.
The year and the date of its building [are to be found, in the words] :
The auspicious, straight and firm road. Year 1031 [Hijrf.]
[2/icl Inscription^
(God is great.) By the command of the King of the Seven Worlds. (Great
may be his gloiy,)
[Of the] Emperor, just, equitable and politic.
(The helper)! Jahdng^r son of the Emperor Akbar. (The Revealer,)
(The beneficent) ! His sword has subdued the world. (The Livinw !)
(The ye ir 17th) When this bridge was built in Delhi. (Of the reign.)
The praise of this bridge should not to be written (of Jahdngfr.)
(Under the Superintendence.) Thought gave the date of its completion. (Of
Hosain Halbi.)
The Bridge of the Emperor of Delhi, Jahdngfr. (A glorious inscription.)
t The nom de plumt of Bah4dur Sh4h, the last King of
 THE MOSQUE AND TOMB 07 ’iSA KHAN. 197

The domes are flattish inside, resting on corbelled

pendentives, most elaborately carved and finished. I agree
with Mr. Beglar, that colour was used in the decoration
of the mosque, but its desecration by the vDlagers of the
neighbourhood, for the last many years, has left little or no
trace of the coloring.

The red-stone structure to the south of the court-yard of

the mosque is evidently a gateway ; the plan of the building
and its pendentives are si^ar to those of the ’Alai DarwA-
zah.

The Mosque and Tomb of ’Isa Khan. Near the —

western gateway of the village known as Arab 8arM, and
at a short distance from the Mausoleum of Humd.yfin, is a
large walled enclosure in which there are a mosque and a
tomb, both built by ’Isa Khdn, a nobleman of the court of
.‘'her Shih Siir. ’Isa Khdn exercised considerable influence in
that reign, and when Sher Shah’s sons fell out among them-
selves, he sided with Salim Sh4h and materially comluced
to his success in securing the throne of Delhi, (Both
the mosque and the tomb were built in 954 A. H. (1547
A. D.) in the reign of Salim Shah, the son of Sher Shdh,
The mosque is built of grey sand-stone and mortar ; it is
about 186 feet long and 34 feet wide ; from the pavement
to the roof of the centre arch it is 29 feet high, and from the
roof to the top of the centre dome it is 32 feet high. The
pinnacle of red sand-stone is 3 feet high. The doors of
the mosque are three in number and are arched ; the
arches are supported by tall and slim pilasters ; the span-
drels are sparingly ornamented ; in the centre arch are small
recessed arches which enclose the doorway, but the
stone ledge which protects the side arches is not continued
over the centre arch. The wall of the centre arch rises
about three or four feet over the roof, and is flanked by two
small minarets about 5 feet high ; the roof of the mosque is
protected by a false-battlemented parapet. In the centre
of the roof is an ugly dome, possessing neither beauty nor
solidity, but was once covered with encaustic tiles. A
pavilion, supported on eight pillars, stands on either side of
19S ARAB 6ARAL

the ceatre dome ; it is 20 feet high, inclusive of the dome,

and has a diameter of 14 feet.
There are three rooms in the mosque ; the pulpit is
wanting ; the inner floor is paved with sand-stone, the
.

mehrdbs, or recessed arches, corresponding with the three

doors, are 6 feet high and feet wide, and are ornament-
ed with red stone.
The Khan is near the mosque, and, in gene-
tom!) of ’Isd
ral appearance, it is not unlike the tombs of the Sayyad
King^ and of Sikandar Lodf; it is octagonal in shape, having a
diameter of 34 feet, with three pointed arches, about 20 feet
high and 8 feet wide, on each face. In the corners of
the tomb there are double pillars. In the spandrel of the
arches there are ornamental medallions ; a stone ledge sup-
ported by corbels goes round the building. Above fiiis the
roof is protected by a low parapet, having on each of its
angles a small mindr, and between each pair of min&rs an
open pavilion, 17 feet high, with a diameter of 10 feet, with
its dome supported on eight red-stone pillars. The pinnacles
of &e pavilion are of marble; the centre dome springs from
a sixteen sided cylinder.

The monument over the grave of Tsa Khan is built of

marble and red sand-stone, and is about 9 feet long, 4 feet
wide and 4 feet high. There are five other monuments in
this tomb, but only two are built of marble.

The following inscription occurs on one of the doors

of the tomb :

“ This tomb, which is better than Paradise, was built in the

time and sovereignty of Salim Sh4h, son of Sher Shah may God
;

perpetuate his kingdom and his sovereignty. Sajyad ’Isd Khdn, son of
’
Bar4rah Agw4n Haji Kh^. In the year 95 4 Hijri.

Arab-Sarai, miscalled Araf Sardf, is a walled village

and was founded by Haji Begam, the widow of Humdyiln and
mother of Akbar, in the yeiir 968 A. H. (1560 A. D.) She
brought with her 300 Arabs on her return from Mecca and
settled them here. The only objects worthy of notice in Arab
Sard! are the old gateways, one of which was erected in the
reign of Jahdngfr, the grandson of Humayun. The western
 KHAlR-tJL-MANAZlt 199

gate of the Sarai is too iosignificant to deserve special notice ;

the northern gate is a lofty building about 40 feet high,
25 feet wide and 20 feet deep. The two sides of this gate-
way are formed by ornamental rectangular bands which sup-
port cross bands, which in their turn support the parapet.
Within these rectangular bands is the lofty recessed arch,
the spandrels of which are ornamented with bosses ; on a
level with these ornaments are small balconies on stone
brackets. U
nder the apex of the recessed arch is a small
window, and six feet below this is the arched doorway, which
is 16 feet high and 10 feet wide. The doorway is also en-
closed by rectangular bands, and the spandrels are also orna-
mented with bosses.
The next object of interest is the eastern gate of the
Sara! ; it is protected by embattled parapets, it has no balco-
nies on the sides of the recessed arch, and enamelling is
freely used in its ornamentation. The following inscription
over this gateway ascribes it to Miharban Agh^ :

“ name of God, the me*rciful and the compassionate.

In the
There no God, but God and Muhammad is lus prophet 0 God
is ! !

[Sis] kind [Miharban] and old patron [is] JahAngir Shah.

'frba.ir -nl-TVfftnazil .
—
This Madrasah, with a mosque
attached, was built by Mdham Ankah, the wet-nurse of
Akbar and the mother of Adham Khan, in the year 969 A.
H. (1561 A. D). The Madrasah is in ruins, but the cloisters
are still to be seen here and there it
;
stands almost in front
of the western gate of Purana Qilah, and near the supposed site
of the western gate of the Delhi of Sher Shah, already describ-
ed. Mr. Beglar gives the following description of the mosque :

it “ is an inscribed Masjid of Akbar ’s period; it is built of

rubble and plaster, with the ornamented parts of gate- way and
masjid painted by the use of red dressed stone and granite ;
the gate, now partly ruined, must have once been very fine.
The Masjid inside was profusely ornamented with coloured
plaster and glazed tiles, though now most of it has been stripped
off. The fagade ofthe Masjid and gateway were also orna-
mented with coloured medallions and carved stone flowers ; the
colors used were blue, yellow, red, purple, white, green, black
 ! —
200 THE TOMB OE ADHAM KHAN

and grey. It has one central dome on a low neck, and very
peculiar pinnacle, greatly resembling that of Kila Kona
Masjid. The walls of the Masjid are plumb, but the towers
slope, and it has great projecting eaves in front as in Mo^-ki-
Masjid. A
peculiarity of this Masjid were its cloisters.

In the eighth year of the reign of Akbar (971 A. H.

1564 A. D.) an attempt was made on the life of the
Emperor from the roof of the Madrasah, which the
author of the Tabaqdt-i-AMxirx describes as follows ;

'' WhenSharaf-uddin Hosain fled from Court to Nagor,

he had a slave, by name Kokk Fulad, one of the
slaves of his father, who at all times secretly did everything
in his power to injure the Emperor. This wretched man came
into the royal camp and was constantly on the watch for an
opportunity. When the Emperor returned from his hunting
excursion and, passing through the bazaar of Delhi, came near
to the Madrasah of Maham Ankah, this blood-thirsty fellow
shot an arrow at His Majesty, but, by the mercy ot God who
watched over the Emperor’s safety, it did not inflict a severe
wound but merely grazed the akin. The attendants of the
Emperor instantly fell upon the traitor, and, with strokes of
sword and dagger, they sent him to hell.”

The inscription on the mosque is to the following effect :

“ In the time of Jalal-uddin Muhammad

[Who] is great [Akbar] among the just kings,
Maham Begam, the root of purity.
Laid the foundation [of this house] for good men ;

But the building of this gracious house was helped by

Shah4b-uddin Ahmed Khdn Bazel,
^
What blessings [there are in] this auspicious bulling,
That its date is found in the words
; Blessed among Houses

The Tomb of AdhamlSihaii, otherwise known as Bhul-

yhcH'idn,or the Labyrinth. As already mentioned in my
description of the capital of Rdi Pitbora, this tomb stands on
the south-western corner of its citadel. It was built by the
order of Akbar over the remains of Adham Khan and his mo-
ther M4ham Ankah. In describing the tomb of ’Azam Khdn,
I bave related the circumstances under which be was assassi-
nated in palace of Akbar, at Agra, by Adham
Khdn and
his attendants. « After the murder,” says
the author of the
 THB roUB or AOBAM EHAK 201

Tahaqdt-i- AkhaH,
“ trusting to the favour and kindness which
had been shown to him by the Emperor, Adham Khan went
and stood at the door of the harem. His Majesty rushed out
of the harem, sword in hand, and the assassin was bound hand
and foot and cast over the parapet in punishment of his crime.
This murder was committed on the morning Sunday, 12
Ramzan 973 According to Badaom, “ as a spark of
life was letb in the assassin after his fall, the Emperor ordered
him to be thrown over the parapet again. He was buried
one day before his victim.”
Maham Ankah on hearing of the embroilment, but not
fearing that the worst could have happened to her son,
“ repaired, though sick, from Delhi to Agra.” On seeing her,
Akbar said, “ He has killed my foster father, and 1 have
taken his life.” “ Your Majesty has done well,” replied
Maham, and left the hall. “ Forty days after she died from,
grief, and was buried with her son in Delhi in a tomb which
Akbar had built for them.”*
The tomb stands on the right of the road leading from
the Qutb Mindr to the village of Mahrauli, and within five
minutes walk of the Minar. Two flights of heavy stone
steps lead up to a landing in front of the tomb. The
court of the tomb is 17 feet above the level of the road ;
it is an octagon with a diameter of 200 feet. The side
of the court which overlooks the road is open ; in its north-
western wall, leading into Qil’ah Rai Pithora, is a small gate-
way there is a similar entrance in its south western wall which
;

leads to a mosque about 20 yards to the west of the tomb.

The wall of the court is about ten feet high and is pierced with
loopholes ; only a fourth of the original wall is now standing.
Each of the eight corners of the court is supported by a round
tower, with embattled parapets, which rise about six feet
above the wall. The walls and the towers are made of
rough hewn stone and mortar. Between the towers, but a
few feet behind the enclosure walls, there are small heaps
of ruins it is impossible, however, to say whether they belong
;

to other towers, or to Chabutrahs constructed for the use of

visitors.
The tomb, which is about 60 feet high, stands on a 4 feet
high plinth it is an octagonal budding, having all its facades
;

alike. A
verandah, or corridor, goes round the centre
* Blochmann’a
 202 THE TOMB OF HCMATUN

room. From tlie pavement of the court to the top

of the roof the tomb is 32 feet high each of its eight
;

sides consists of three lofty arches ; and the pillars from

which the arches spring consist of blocks of square stones
piled up in order. Some of the shafts of the pillars are
made of entire pieces of granite, but the capitals and the bases
are constructed with separate pieces of stone. The corner
pillars are double. The roof of the tomb is protected by an
embattled parapet 4 feet high, having at each of its angles
a minaret about 6 feet higher than the parapet.

centre of the tomb is an octagonal room, 50 feet

The
in diameter, inclusive of the corridor. In the centre of each of
its eight sides is an arched doorway, and on either sides of tne
doorway there is a niche about 2 feet high. Over the arch
of the doorway is an arched opening. From outside, the dome
of the tomb appears to stand on a sixteen sided pla tform about
12 feet high, having on each of its angles a small minaret. The
dome which is built of stone and mortar, covered with plaster,
is about 16 feet high and is surmounted by a heavy
looking pinnacle of corrugated stone. The diameter of the
dome is the same as that of its neck, that is, about 24 feet. The
lower wall of the room is 7 feet deep ; inside the wall and
above the height of the doorways, is the labyrinth or
BhilTbhalidn by which name the tomb is sometimes known.
The inside of the roof is vaulted ; over the octagonal
walls of the centre room, which are 32 feet high, the walls are
sixteen-sided, containing sixteen arches, of which, originally,
every alternate arch was open. Above this the thirty-
two sided walls support the dome.

The stone monument which once covered the grave was

removed about 40 years ago, and is now to be seen in the
verandah of the tomb. I have not been able to trace the
monument over the grave of Adham Khan’s mother, Maham
\ Ankah.

'
.The Tomb of Humajrun.— On the iith of Rab’f I, 963
A. 'H. (21st January, 15.'>5), Humaydn died at Din
Pandb* and was buried in the village of Kilokheri,
where his mausoleum now stands. Hajf Begam, his attached
and faithful wife, and the mother of Akbar, laid the founda-
 ;

tHE TOMB OP HUMATUN 203

tion of this building which was completed in the year 973, A.

H. (1565 A. D.) according to some, in the 14th year of the
or,
reign of Akbar, 977' A. H. (1569 A. D.) at a cost of 15 lacs
of rupees ; the best part of which expenditure must have been
borne by, the Emperor Akbar himself.
The Tomb of Humayiin may be regarded as the general
dormitory of the House of Timur for, although Akbar and
;

his three immediate successors are buried elsewhere, no other

mausoleum contains so many distinguished
O dead who be-
long to the Moghal dynasty. Round the grave of Huma-
yun are interred Hajf Begam, his wife, and the companion
of his many troubles the headless body of Dara Sheko, the
;

accomplished and chivalrous but ill-fated son of Shah Jahan

the Emperor Muhammad, ’Azam Shah, the brave but unwise
son of Aurangzeb, who fell in battle against his brother
before Agra the Emperor Jahandar Shdh, the grandson of
;

Aurangzeb, and his unfortunate successor, Farokhsir, who

was poisoned by his prime minister ; the youthful Raff-ud-
darjd.th and Raff-ud-daulah, each of whom in succession
assumed imperial dignity only to relinquish it after an unim-
portant reign of three months ; and last, though not the least,
’Alamgfr II, who was assassinated at the instigation of his
prime minister, ’Imdd-ul-Mulk. Other royal princes and
princesses, and their attendants and retainers sleep close
to the illustrious few whose names are preserved in history.

In this tomb of the first hereditary monarch of the

Moghal race,the last Moghal Emperor of Delhi, Bahadur
Shah, surrendered himself a prisoner to the British Govern-
ment after the rebellion of 1857. Here also were captured
the sons and nephew of Bahadur Shah, who were summarily
executed for murder and treason within sight of this
tomb.
The Tomb of Humayiin .stands on the river Jumna, in the
centre of a high walled enclosure, which is entered on the west
and the south by two lofty tower-like gateways which add much
to the grandeur of the building.*— In the middle of the eastern
wall of the enclosure is an unpretending low, flat roofed
room with eight doors and a verandah overlooking
the river ; in the middle of its northern wall stands a small
building, on a 7 feet high platform ; it has an arched room in
the centre through which the water from a huge martello
204 THE TOMB OF HUMATCS

tower shaped well behind the wall, fed the canals which
irrigated and adorned the garden,*

The
walls on either side of the two gateways, and fhlly
half of the eastern wall, contain arched cells, which are
fairly high but not deep enough for permanent human
habitation.

The gateways are built of grey stone, ornamented

with bands and bosses of red stone, and here and there, with
marble. The southern gateway has been converted into a
rest house ; masonry walls divide its centre arched room
from the side rooms, converting it into a comfortable
resting place for visitors.

In the centre of the garden is a stone and masonry

platform about 5 feet from the ground, 100 yards square,
with its comers cut off ; on this platform, at a distance of 23 feet
from its sides, stands a terrace about 20 feet high, 85 yards
square, with its corners cut off like those of the platform. In
each of the four short sides of the terrace there is an arched
door leading into a mortuary cell and on each of its four long
sides there are 1 7 such arches ; under the ninth, or the middle,
arch there are steps which take the visitor to the top of the
terrace. The platform and the terrace are paved with sand
stone ; the roof of the terrace was at one time completely,
and now partially, protected by two feet high perforated
parapets of sand-stone ; the parapets on the river face of the
terrace were destroyed during the rebellion of 1857. The cells
in the walls^f the terrace have arched doorways which are
ornamented^ with bands and panels of marble. In the
centre of the floor of this magnificent terrace is the grave
of the EmpeaPor Humayfin, and those of his widow, his
infant daughter, of some of his descendants, and of others who
were true in their allegiance to the Timfir dynasty. On the roof
of the terrace are certain monuments, the most remarkable of
which are those of the Emperor, his widow, and of such of his
descendants who either succeeded to the throne or were close-
ly related to him. Of these monuments some are within the
cover of the mausoleum, and others are exposed to the sky ;
the former are of marble, beautifully carved and highly
polished.
* In 1825, Bishop Heber^w “ one o? the canals still in use,^ and helped
^ th»
poor to cultivate a little wheat,^
 THE TOMB OP ECMATUN 205

I doubt whether after the reign of Akbar, any burial took

place, within such close proximity to the grave of Humdyun
as to come within the shelter of the tomb itself

Thecentre room is a square of 45 yards; it is built

of red sandstone, and is ornamented with marble
bands which cut off the walls into panels. “ The exterior
form of the main body of the tomb,” says Cunning-
ham, “ is a square with the corners cut off, on an octagon with
four long and four short faces, and each of the short faces forms
one side of the four octagonal corner towers... In this
tomb we first see towers attached to the four angles of
the main building... Another innovation observable in this
tomb is the narrow dome, which was afterwards
necked
adopted in all the Mogul
buildings.”"' The tomb itself is a
lofty square tower surmounted by a magnificent marble dome,
topped with a copper pinnacle which stands 140 feet from the
level of the terrace. ,
Each of its four corners is cut off so as to
admit an octagonal tower of ibur Jong and four short sides, and
between these towers, there are arches about 50 feet high.
“ Over these arches, writes Franklin, the wall is raised about
14 feet to hide the shaft or cylinder on which the dome
stands in the four smaller sides, which are formed by cutting
;

off the corners of the square towers,a double range of arches

rises to the top but here, instead of raising the wall whose
;

uniformity would destroy its beauty, a small pavilion crowned

a dome is raised at each great angle. In the northern
arch of the building is a door which admits the visitor into
the room containing the maihle tomb, corresponding with
which in the ground floor is the grave of Humiiyiin.”

The corner towers are two storeyed, and round these towers
and the centre room, in the upper storey, there runs a narrow
gallery, corresponding with which in the lower storey
are narrow passages. The centre room has two tiers of
arched windows the upper windows being smaller than the
;

lower ones.

* Mr. Beglar gives an amusing description of the dome. “ The exterior of the
great central dome is of a peculiar, but not pleasing shape, it is pointed and rests
on a neck less in diameter than itself, looking as if it were being strangulated.
According to Captain Archer it is three-fourths the size of the dome of St. Paul’s.
 206 THE TOMB OP HCMAYUH

“ The four great arches of this room,” writes Franklin,

“ rise about 20 feet in height. Above these, with the interven-
tion of a wide compartment, is another row of arches 16
feet high ; in the second tier, with the same space between, is
a square window with J^jjjgg^work of white marble. The roof
is oval, being 80 feet in height and formed bj the dome ; the
tomb is in the centre, 6 feet by 2, composed of a single
block of white marble. The floors and walls [to the height of 6
feefl are of the same material ; the doors and windows are
filled with open lattice work ; the recess of each of the
great arches is 14 feet deep, with inlaid pavement of variegated
marble.”
The inside of the dome was at one time enriched with
gilding and enamel ; and from its centre was suspended a
tassel of gold lace which the Jats fired at with their match-
locks, and succeeded in destroying ; the marks of the
bullets may yet be seen in some places.
The marble monument of Hum&yun stands on a well polish-
ed floor of the same material, about 6 inches higher than the
floor of.the room, and is paved with white marble ornamented
with narrow bands of bij^k marble the rest of the room is
;
.paved with white marble. The monument is shaped like a
huge casket but bears ho inscription.
“ The rooms at the angles,” writes Franklin, “ are octagon,
21 feet in diameter, with arched roofs, 40 feet high ; the four
central rooms are 30 by 20, the floor and lower compartments
of the eight beiiii^i of white marble... there are eight rooms
above corres^o^^^ in size with those below.”
Of theAbrM*^^ basement rooms those on the S. E. and
S. W. have ^ljr one entrance each ; they communicate with
each other itoough the arched entrance of the centre room ;
the doors of the corner rooms on the opposite side are in the
outer walls. There is no communication between them. The
floors of the corner rooms and of the room through which
the centre room is reached are of marble, orna-
mented wdth bands of red stone. In the walls of the cor-
ner rooms, there are steps leading to the top of the building,
to the gallery round the centre room and to the corner rooms
of the second storey.
^^^1® dome stands on a cylinder about 25 feet
 THE TOMB OP HCMATUN 207

high, decorated with the double triangle of the Masonic order of

the Royal Arch, having black stone medalions in the centre.
On every corner of the roof is a pavilion with masonry dome,
supported on eight stone pillars ; between these pavilions,
but only of the width of the main arches below, there are
small halls, with four stone pillars in front, supporting the roof.
Each of the halls on the east and the west has a small
room on either side, and in front a narrow verandah support-
ed on beautifully carved stone pillars. On the roof of the
hall, a little removed from the sides, there are two small open
pavilions on four pillars ; the front comers have 6 feet
high minarets. The eight angles of the roof are also omameftt-
ed with eight minarets.
The college, which is on the roof of the tomb, was at one
time an institution of some importance, and men of learning
and influence used to be appointed to the charge of the place.
It has, however, long ceased to maintain its reputation, and
for the last hundred and fifty years the once, probably, well fill-
ed rooms have been completely abandoned. Among the muta-
wallis of this tomb Mr Blochmann mentions Shaikh Husain
and Maulana Nur-ud-din Tarkhan ; it also appears, that on the
return of Haji Begani from Mecca^ she was put in charge
of the tomb of her husband, and on her death, she was buried
here under the north western comer room, where also was
buried an infant daughter of Humiyfin. There are three
graves under this room and three under the south-western
room, and two each in the north-eastern and the south-
western rooms. The monuments over Jhe graves, which
are erected on the floors of the rooms al^|pl]pi4^cribed, are
of marble. On the western terrace of thd^ft^®' are eleven
graves, of which five are covered vrith marnwlitad the others
with masonry monuments. There is a solit^y tombstone
on the opposite side of the terrace, and it is the only one which
contains any record qf historical value ; the inscription, how-
ever, does not say more than that it marks the grave of “ San-
:

gi Begam, wifeof ’Alamglr the Second, 1181.” The nameless

graves bear the y^efl-known verse from the Quran which
ascribes eternal Ijfp tp the 41naighty and mortality to man.
I have in vain endeavoured to identify these graves as au- ;

thorities on the subject, the Khadams of the shrine of Nizam-

uddm, who or4inarily officiate as guides, are thoroughly un^
trustworthy. The popular impression is that the grave
nearest the steps on the north of the mausoleum is that of
208 THE TOSIB OF HtTMATlW

Dilr4 Sheko, and on the same

in succession, side, are those
of Jah4nd4r Shah and ’Alamgir 11.
In the south-eastern corner of the garden of this
luausoleUm is a small tomb, the history of which is unknown.
According to Syud Ahmed Kb4n, it was built in the year
1131 A. A. (1780 A. D.), but the learned Syud does not
give any authority for his opinion.

This tomb stands on an 8 feet high terrace, which is 76

feet square and is paved with red sandstone. The walls of the
terrace are built of red sandstone. The tomb itself is
40 feet square and about 72 feet high from the terrace
to the top of the dome. The roof of the tomb is not
accessible, there being no steps leading to it. The interior
of the tomb is 24 feet square and the inner walls are faced
with red sandstone. There is only one entrance to the tomb,
which, like the steps which lead to the top of the terrace, is on
the south. Each of the four sides of the tomb has in the
centre a deep recessed arch ; in the southern arch is the door
which is 8 feet high and 5 feet wide. The remaining three
arches are covered with red sandstone screens. On
either side of the big rec|ped arch, the wall is ornamented
with two shallow false a^es, one above the other. Over the
arched doorway and each of the three screened arches,
there are open arched windows.

There are two ^rble monuments in the tomb, both

covered with engraviiig;s of verses from the Qurdn ; one of the
monuments is^gi|png, 2^ feet wide, and 13 inches high;
the other i^^^HHg, 2^ feet wide, and about 1^ feet high.

On Qlj^^^pRners of the roof are open domed pavilions

supported .^jHRir sandstone pillars, about 8 feet high *'the
domes dre marked with the remains of encaustic tiles.
The dome of the tomb stands on a sixteen sided cylinder, the
corners of which are ornamented with small minarets. The
dome is made of red and grey sandstone, striped with marble.
The tomb is built almost entirely of red and grey sandstone.
 BARAH PALAH. 209

—
Barah Falah. This bridge is at a short distance to
the south east ot the southern gateway of Humayun’s tomb.
It was built by Miharban Agha, a eunuch of the Court of
Jahangir, who also built the eastern gate of Arab Sarai.
According to a chronogram in the inscription on this bridge
it was built in the year 1021 A. H. (1612 A. D.), but General
Cunninorham remarks, that as Mariner Finch saw the brido-e
in 1611 A. D., it could not have been built in 1612, It is
a massive structure of stone and mortar and spans what De
Laet calls a branch of the Jumna; in 1628 the road between
the bridge and the mausoleum was “ a broad path shaded by
lofty trees,” consisting of only eleven arches. A1 though known
as Barah Palah or twelve arches, the bridge consists of only
eleven arches ; General Cunningham explains away this incon-
gruity by calling it Barah Pul or the “ Great Bridge,”
while his assistant, Mr. Beglar, is hardly more satisfactory
w’hen he “ would suggest that the name Bara Palla refers
to the 12 abutments or piers that support the 1 1 arches,
the word ixdla being often used to denote the abutments
of a bridge.” I have not been able to get any satisfactory
solution of this remarkable difference between an intelligible
name and its obviously inconsist|kt fact ; but even a wilder
explanation, than those already re^^ed to, was given by the
villagers of the neighbourhood, aUbrding to whom ‘’bar”
means a great stream of water, and “ pula” a bridge. If
we were to accept this explanation ^ would equally apply
to nine-tenths of Indian bridges during Ihe rains.
The bridge is 361 feet long, 46 feet wide and has a maxi-

mum height of 29 feet. The sides of tlfejb^)^ are protected

^

by heavy masonry walls ; the walls arches are

flanked by minars, about 10 feet high,^^g: ^V^ther side
of ^very arch. On the second northern arclq’fes nighest point
of the bridge, stands a red stone Avail, about eight feet high
and five feet wide, containing an inscription.* The heavy
“ fiod great,
is
[It \v;is] Owing
to Jahangir Shah, the son of Akhar Shah,
Whose justiee is [like unto] the wind and mankind [like nntoj flowers ;
To his friends he is a crested chief like the Hoopon,
To his enemies he is ringed like a dove ;
Hind in his reign.
Was addressed by Istambol as [I am] your servant,’
‘

Hazrath Delhi is a garden,

AVhich has taken sweet odonrs from, flowers and colour from wine ;

In the seventh year of his reign

 — ;

210 THE TOMB OF NAUBATH KHAN OR NIL! CHHATRI.

rains of last year damaged

arch and precipitated the
this
memorial stone into the Measures, we hope, will be taken
river.
to recover the inscription, and restore it to its proper place.
The road on the middle of the bridge is covered with
mascmry, and on either side of it is a foot path of sand-
stone. As already stated, the second arch on the north is
the highest arch ot the bridge, and from here the arches
decline in hei^t till they reach the road on the opposite
side.

The tomb of Naubath Khan or Nili Ghhatri.

Naubath Khan, an Amir of the time of Akbar, built this
tomb during his lite time, in the year 973 A. H. (1565 A. D.),
and was buried here after his death. It is popularly known
as Nili Ghhatri, from the fact of its dome having been origi-
nally ornamented with blue caustic tiles. It stands almost mid-
way between Purdna Qilah and the tomb of Nizam-ud-din
Aulia, and is built in an enclosure of several acres of ground.
The enclosure walls are visible here and there, but the
gateway is better preserved. It is about 25 feet square and
about 24 feet high, inclusive of an embattled parapet 2 feet
high.

Over the entrance Of the tomb is the following inscrip-

tion ; the letters are of black marble, inlaid on sand stone : —
“ The eyes of Time did not see in this
world
Sach a beautiful and lofty building.
Of knowledge, the date of its completion,
I asked, [it] repUe^ [It has] attained completion.”

Behind tW^**§i^way a
small building with three
is
doors. On ttib of this
building is a high octagonal
terrace aboui*;^^ feet from the ground and 79 feet in
diameter. In the middle of the southern wall of the
terrace there are two flights of steps, on opposite sides

Which was such [a time] that the Nightingale did not conaplain of the cruelties
of the flowers,
Miharbdn AghS, his special servant.
Chief of the King’s seraglio [who] has knowledge of aU
fits] secrets.
Built this bridge out of a kindly feeling [to others]
^at It might be of sei^ce to him on that
bridge [in the day of Judgment.]
I ^ked for the date of this [building] from the
tirmanent.
The t^e [of the firmauent] Uniked like a full
blown flower with ioy
It said lake up your pen and write
:

[He] built this bridge out of kindne* [Miharb4n].

 THE TOMB OF KHWAJAH EAQI B[LLAH 211

^hicli lead a landing on a level with the top of the

to
terrace. On the north-eastern and north-western corners
of the terrace thei’e are two graves of masonry and stone,
and the ruins of several others are still visible. On each of the
four corners of the terrace are the ruins of a tower. In the
centre of the chahutmh is the mausoleum of Naubath Khan,
which is an octagon 51 feet in diameter and about 34 feet hig-h,
inclusive of the embattled parapet the whole of the tomb is
;

built of stone and masonry and ornamented with encaustic tiles

of four colours, viz, green, blue, yellow and orange. Verses
from the Quran may still be traced in the ornamentation of the
tomb. Inside, the roof of the tomb is domed and its eight arched
entrances are about 5 feet wide and 7 feet high, and over these
doorways are open arched niches. There are steps in the wall
of the room ; the first flight of eight steps takes the visitor to
the level of the open niches over the doorways a second flight
;

of twelve steps leads to the top of the building. The roof of

the tomb is flat, but on its centre is an octagonal chahutmh
about 5 feet high and 30 feet in diameter, which supports
an octagonal chabutrah 23 feet in diameter, and about 2 feet
high. The second chahutmh bears marks of eight pillars, and
on these pillars was raised the blue enamelled dome which
gave its name to the tomb.

The Tomb of Khwajah Baqi Billah.— Baqf liillah

was a native of Kabul he arrived at Delhi in tlie
;

reDn of Akbar, died ia the year 1012 A. H. (1603

D.) and was buried about half a mile to the
west of Modern Delhi. He was a member of the Naksh-
bandi fraternity of holy men, and pretended to have
“ holy teaching” from the Prophet in a
received the gift of
dream the sanctity of this man
;
may be judged
by the veneration shown to his grave and by the number of
those who have since been buried iu this out-of-the-way and
barren spot. The grave of Baqf Billah is within an
irrecrular oblong enclosure of low masonry walls, contain-
ing several acres of ground and now completely covered
with the usual bier-shaped tombs, some few of which are
built of marble.

The monument ofBaqf Billahis erected on two low plat-

forms ;
the first is about 24 feet square with an eighteen
212 THE TOMB OE SHAIKH FARID BUKHARI

inches high sand-stone wall round it ; the second platform is 12

teet square enclosed by a foot high stone wall. On the latter
platform is a bier-shaped monument At the head ot the tomb
is a wall in the form of three arches with small square noles for
lamps ; in the centre of the wall there are two niches for
offerings.

To the right of the grave is a flat-roofed mosque, with five

arched doors; the three centre arches are large and lofty, the
side arches are smaller. In the side walls of the mosque the
windows are covered with screens of sand stone lattice "work.

The Tomb of Shaikh Farid Bukhari —Within half a

mile of the Begampun' Masjid is the tomb of Shaikh Fan'd
Bukhari, better known, in the reign of Jahangir, as Murtaza
Xhdn, of whom mention has been made in my account of
the fort of Salimgarh. Mr. Blochmann gives a full
account of Shaikh Farid in his valuable notes to the Ain-i-
Akbari. Shaikh Fan'd entered Akbar’s service early in life,
and was appointed Mir Bakshi ; on the death of Akbar, Shaikh
Farid supported the cause of Jahangir. He defeated Prince
Xhusrau on the banks of the Beas, and received from
Jahangir the title of Murtaza Khan and the government of
Gujrat. He was subsequently removed from Gujrat and
appointed Governor of the Punjab, where he died in Putlnin
in the eleventh year of the reign of Jahangir in the year’ 1025
A. H. (1615 A. D.) and was buried near the village of.
Begampiir.

The tomb, with about a hundred other such monuments,

stands in a small enclosure, now in ruins. The monument
over the grave of Faiid Khan is built of marble ; it js about 7
feet long and 3 feet 8 inches wide and about 20 inches high.
At the head of the grave is a plain head-stone, 7 feet high and
20 inches broad, containing an inscription of some historical
value. According to Syud Ahmed Khan, Shaikh FarM
died in the ninth year of the reign of Jahangir in 1033 A. H.
Mr. Blochmann corrects the Syud, an J observes that instead
of the ninth year, 1033 A. H., it should be “in the eleventh
year or 1025.” Syud Ahmed Khan’s authority, the inscription,
is to the following effect :

" 0 God Thou

: art pure and Lord [of all] and immortal.
In the reign the Hazrath, the dweller in Paradise,
ot
J^Ul-uddin Akbar Badshah Ghazi, Shaikh Farid, son of
the Syud
 THE TOMB OP FAHIM OR NILI BURJ 213

Ahmed Bukhari, wasdistinguished by the favours of the Hazrath

[the King] ;
the reign of the just Nuruddin Jah^ugir
and in
BadshAh, son of Akbar Badshah, was dignified by the title
* * in the 9th year of the reign
ot Murtaza Khan, on the date
[of Jahangir] corresponding with 1025 A. H., he received the mercy of
God.
Murtaza Khan, when he reached the, [presence of the] Almighty
The rea'm of Immortality was opened to him;
The angels said ot the date [of his death] ;

0 Lord illumine his soul with

I light.”

1 believe the year of the Hijri is correctly given and

that the mistake occurs in the year of the reign, which should
be, as suggested by Mr. Blochmann, the eleventh and not
the ninth.

The Tomb of Pahim or Nili Burj.— Outside the

eastern wall of the mausoleum, of Humayiin stands a tomb
with a damaged blue dome, which is called by some the
Barber’s tomb, but very probably it belongs to Miyan Fahim
the faithful attendant of Khan Kh&nan, Abdiir-rahfm, and
js believed to have been built by Khan Khdn^n in the
year 1034 A. H. (1624 A. D.). Before Mahabat Khan
imprisoned Khan Khanan he tried to buy over Fahim
but Fahim would not play false and betray his master,
gind fell fighting against Mahabat Khan. Khan Kban^ n
commemorated the memory of his faitliful attendant by
building over Ins remains a tomb which must have
been singularly beautiful, as it was ornamented profusely
with encaustic plaster and tiles and the narrow necked Mo-
ghal dome is still covered entirely with encaustic plaster
pf a deep blue colour.
The tomb stands on a platform or terrace, 108 feet
square and 5 feet high ; the building itself is an octao-on
pf four narrow and four broad sides, having a diameter of 62
feet. It is 70 feet high from the floor of the platform to the top
of the dome, exclusive of a red stone pinnacle of 6 feet. The
broad four sides of the octagon have four deeply recessed point-
ed arches with a door in each, and about 3 feet over the door
is a small arched window. The narrow walls, on either
•

side of the arch, and the spandrels of the arch were all orna-
mented with foliage and other patterns the narrow sides ;

pf the pctagon contain false recessed arches. The neck

 ; ,

214 THE TOMB OF KHAH KHANAN

of the cylinder on which the dome stands is ornamented

'

with low arches all round. The monument over the grave ’

is no longer in existence^ and the tomb itself is now used as a

cattle shed.

—
The Tomb of Khan Khanan ’Abdur-rahim, par excel-
lence the Khan Khdnan of Moghal historians, was the -

son of Bairam Khan, the friend, companion, and general of

Humdyhn his mother was the daughter of a Mewat
;

chief. He stood high in Akbar’s favor and held high com-

mands under him ; he suppressed a formidable rebellion in
Gujrat, conquered Sindh, and maintained the i mperial prestige
ih the Deccan under adverse circumstances till the close of the
reign of Akbar. Under Jahangir, he experienced a turn of
fortune. He was associated with Jahangir’s son. Prince
Khurram, but played false he abandoned one cause to
:

join another ; was imprisoned by Mahabat Khan, and sent,

under the order of the Emperor, to Delhi and thence to
Lahore, where he took ill and returned to Delhi only to die.
His life was such, that a history of it, says Erskine “ would b
a history of public affairs of the empire of Delhi during hah
a century;” he died in 1036 A. H. (1626 A. D.) “ with th^
highest reputation for talents, valour, generosity anu'^ .

learning.” i

"Within a short distance of the tomb of Fahfm, and on 1

the right of the road from Humayun’s Mausoleum to Barah

Palah is the tomb of Khan Khanan.
It stands on a terrace about 1 4 feet high and 166 feet
square, built of stone and mortar. Each of the four sides
of the terrace contains 17 arches, 14 of which are
recessed in the walls, while the rest open into rooms. On
^
the south of the terrace there are 14 steps, which conduct
the visitor to the floor of the tomb. The tomb itself is an
octagon, wdthfour broad and narrow sides 85 feet in diameter
the narrow sides have tvro arches, one over the other, marking
the two galleries round the centre room and the roof over the >

narrow sides is surmounted by an open domed pavilion the

;

broad sides consist of lofty recessed arches containing smaller

A arches covered with screens of stone, through one of which wa: ‘

the entrance of the centre room. From the top of the terrace tc
/

•V.-

4
 LAL MAHAL 215

that of the roof the tomb is 37 feefhigh, and from the roof to-
the top of the dome about 25 feet more. The tomb is now
in the occupation of the villagers who garner here the crops of
the adjoining fields. During the premiership of ’Asfi-ud-
dowlah this tomb was robbed of all its marble, and it is now
in a disgraceful state of neglect. The dome and the walls
of the tomb have been stript of their valuable facings and are
now covered with grass and broken mortar. The monument
over the grave has also been robbed of its marble, and is
now indicated by a small heap of debris.

—
Lai Mahal. The ruins known as such are within a short
distance of the village of Nizd,m-uddin. Of the history
of these ruins, we know nothing, but the opinion that they
belong to the Khiljr Kings and very probably to ’Ala-uddin
has received the support of Mr. Campbell’s authority. There
is nothing palatial about these ruins ; thirty years ago they
were more numerous, but red-stone having since risen in
value by the growing demand for it in the neighbourhood,
this neglected building has suffered from the rav^es. of
plundering villagers. The ruins at present consist of a “domed
room, the dome of which was once supported by an open
four-pillared-pavalion on ea^h of the 'four corners of the
building ; and of a large double storeyed pavilion “ in the
lower or basement storey of the main building,” writes Camp-
bell, “ there are several arches of the shape always employed by
’Ala-uddin and which can be easily identified as his work. The
upper storey is composed almost wholly of red sand-stone
(whence the name of Lai Mahal) and is supported on pillars, so
as to form an open hall. It has the appearance of a number of
small pavilions, covered w'ith stepped and sloping roofs, group-
ed around a central dome, which is in section a true oval
pointed at the apex.” “The style of the ornamentation, of the
battlements, and ot the mouldings so strongly resembles that
in the Alai Darwaza at the Kutb that there can be no reason-
able doubt as to the two buildings having been designed
and built at the same period; and wn have thus ample warrant
for describing the Lai Mahal as the work of ’Ala-uddin.”

The alterations made to these ruins belonged either to the

reign of Akbar or Jahangir, but whatever was once restored
of
the original building is now in a state of complete ruin.
 216 LAL QIL’aH or QIL’aH MUBARIK or QIl’aH SHAJAHANABA0.

Lai Qil’ah or Qil’ah Mu^rik or Qil’ah Shajahana-

—
bad. After the battle of Panipat and the fall ofthe Lodi
dynasty, Babar, the first Moghal Emperor of Hindusthan,
ascended the throne at Agra, the then capital of the Pathan
Kingp. On the death Babar, his son Hum^yiin continued
to reside at Agra till his expulsion from India by Sher Shah
in the year 1540 A. D. on his return to India in the year
;

1556, he fixed his head-quarters at Delhi where he died after

a short reign of ^x months. On the accession of his
son and successor, Akbar, Agra continued to be the capital
of the Moghal Empire and the government of Delhi was
entrusted to an Imperial Lieutenant. Jahangir succeeded his
father Akbar, and Agra still continued to be the seat of
Government. On the death of Jahangir, his son Shah Jahan
ascended the throne of Hindusthan in the hall of his
grand-father with great pomp and show. After a reign of
U eleven years at Agra, Shah Jahan resolved to move the
I capital of his empire to Delhi. He paid several visits to
the city of Din Panah, and, with the help of Hindu
astrologers and Muhammadan Hakims, he fixed the site
of the present fort as that of his citadel, round which
he afterwards built Sh^jahanabdd, the capital of his -

empire and generally known to later historians as Modern

Delhi. On the 12th Zilhij 1048 A. H. (1638 A. D.), the
workmen assembled and laid the foundation stone of the
fort under the superintendence of ’Izzat Khan, afterwards
(1057 A. H. 1647 A. D.) governor of Sindh, assisted
oy Ostads Ahmad and Hira the chiefs of the work-
men. On the transfer of ’Izzat Khan from Delhi, the building
of the fort was entrusted to ’Alah Vardi Khan who raised the
walls all round 12 yards high, in 2 years, 1 month and 11
days. ’Alah Vardi was then appointed to a governorship, and
the work was confided to Makramath Khan who after nine
years’ labour, finished it in the 20th year of the reign of Shdh
Jahdn. On the 24th of Rabi II. of 1058 A. H. (1648 A.
D.) Shah Jahan entered the fort through the gate facing the
river, and held his first Court in the Dewdn ’Am.*

* Writiug of Xial Qil ah ia 1663, Rernier gives the following description

;

It “is round or rather semicircular. It commands a prospect of the river,

from which it is separated by a sandy space of considerable len>Hh and width. On
these sauds are exhibited the combats of elephauts, aud there
the corpd belongiug
lal

qil’ah
 I.AL qil’ah, or qil’ah mdbarik OR qil’ah shajahanabad. 217

The is an irregular octagon with its

fort two long
sides on East (river -side), and the West (city-side)
the
and the six smaller ones on. the North and the South.
The circuit of the fort is hot over a mile and a half, being
about 3,000 feet long and 1,800 feet broad towards the river,;

the wall is about 60 feet high is built against the bank, and
;

the buildings of the fort stand on a level with the top of the
'

wall presenting to the spectator, on the opposite side, a

splendid panorama both of the fort and the city of Shdh-
jahauabad. Between the river and the wall, there is a
high sandy bank which is seldom under water. On the land
side, the fort presents a grand view of lofty and massive red
sand-stone walls with a glacis and a deep ditch underneath.
The walls tower to a height of 110 feet, of which 75 feet are
above the level of the ground and the ditch the width of the ;

walls is about 45 feet at the base, and about 30 teet where

‘
the embattled parapets stand ; the ditch is 7 5 feet wide and
30 feet deep. Of these walls, Bernier, who visited Delhi in
i the reign of Aurangzeb, remarked, that they excelled those
“
|of the city in height, width and strength. Except on the
side of the river, the citadel is defended by a deep ditch faced
with hewn stone, filled with water and stocked with fish ; but
in my opinion,” continues Bernier, “ a battery of moderate
force would soon level the walls with the ground. Adjoining
the ditch are large gardens, full of flowers and green shrubs at
all times, which, contrasted with the stupendous walls, produce
a beautiful effect.” These gardens have disappeared but they ;

might have been seen in a neglected state before the mutiny of

1857. Two superb gateways, with barbicans in front, one iu
the middle of the western wall, and the other near the south-
‘

western corner of the southern walls of the fort, from the main
and the city entrances of the palace. From the level of the
grounds on which they stand, the gates are 110 feet high.
Besides the gates on the «uty side of the fort, there are two
smaller gates, one, called the Khijri gate, under the
Musamman Burj on the river face of the fort and the other ;

to Omrahsor Lonis. aud those of the rajahs or pagau princes, pass in review
tjeforethe Sovereign, wlio witnes-ses the spectacle from the windows of the palace.
The walls of the citadel, and of their antiq^ue and round towers, resemble those
of the citv, but being partly of brick and partly of a red-stone which resemble*
marble, they have a better appearance.”

i,
f ,
 218 THE LAHORE GATE.

on the north, leading into Sallmgarh. There are t\yo KMrkis.

wickets, one close to the Asad Burj on the south-eastern
.corner of the fort, and the other on the north-eastern side,
labout half way between the gateway to the north and the
I
Shah Buij.
‘
The walls are surmounted by embattled parapets and
are ornamented with 21 small pavilions, 7 of which are round
^and the rest octagonal.

The citadel is believed to have cost 100 lakhs of rupees,

half of which sum is said to have been spent on its walls and
the other half on the buildings inside.
“ The citadel,” writes Bernier, “ which contains the seraglio
and other royal apartments, commands a prospect of the river,”
from which it was separated then, as it is now, by a sandy space
of considerable length and width. On these sands, Bernier
was once in danger of his life from the attack of an infuriated
elephant.

The —
Lahore Gate. The most frequented gate of the
Fort is entered from the Chandnf Chauk, the most
important street of Delhi. Aurangzeb protected the gate by
a barbican, for, while th« gate itself faces the west, the entrance
to the barbican, which has a deep moat underneath, is on the
north. In front of the barbican of this gate, as in
that of the Delhi Gate, there was a drawbridge, which
was re-placed with a bridge of stone and masonry, 52 feet
long and 27 feet wide, by Akbar II. who put up the follow-
ing inscription over the arch ;
“ O ! The Independent I

In the fifth year of the reicrn,

1226 Hijri.
1811 A. D.
During the reign of a king like unto Jamshaid [in dignity^, Muham-
mad Akbar Badshah, Ghazi, Sahib Qiran Sani, under the superin-
tendence of Dilawar-ul-Dowlah Robert Macpherson, Bahadur, Daler
Jang, this graceful building was erected.”

The barbican encloses a square piece of ground ; its

walls, with the embattled parapet, are about 40 feet
high ; on the
corners of the western wall are open pavilions with domes
 ,

THE LAHORE GATE. 219

surmounted by marble pinnacles. The entrance into the barbic-

an is an arched gateway, 40 feet high and 24 feet wide,
the top of which rises about eight feet above the enclosure
walls and is surmounted by an embattled parapet flanked
by two slim 10 feet high, minarets, all built of red
sand-stone.

The Lahore Gate is lofty and arched ; it is 41 feet high

and 24 contains three storeyed rooms

feet- wide, and is ,

flanked by half octagonal towers, which also afford accom-

modation to the residents of the fort.* The towers
are surmounted by open octagonal pavilions ; between
the parapets of the towers, is the parapet over the centre
of the gateway. Over the latter parapet is a I'ow of seven
small open ornamental ai'ches, about 3 feet high, of red sand-
stone ; over this there are seven minature marble domes cor-
responding with the arches, and the whole of this ornamental
balustrade is flanked by marble minarets, slim and tapering,
crowned with marble ornaments shaped like a lantern.
So far, the description of this gate applies to the gate
on the southern side of the fort, known as the Delhi Gate,
and so called after the Delhi Gate of the city which
faces the ruins of the Delhi of Sher Shah.

entering the Lahore Gate, the visitor finds himself

On
under a masonry arcade about 230 feet long and about 13 feet
wide, having an octagonal court, about 30 feet in diameter
in the middle, for the admission of light and air. On
the right and left of this little court, there are small gateways
which at one time led 'into the most crowded quarters of
I
the fort. Writing of this arcade, Bishop Heber calls it: “the
noblest gateway and vestibule which I ever saw,” “ a long
vaulted aisle like that of a Gothic cathedral entered through a
Gothic archway, a fine arched passage about 300 feet long.”
On both sides of the covered arcade, there are 32 arched rooms
on a plinth about 4 feet high, occupied as shops and once
known as the Covered Bazaar, which may be seen now
as Bernier saw it about 200 years ago.

* Tliey were occupied by the Commandant of the Palace Guard before the
Mutiny. The commaudaut of the Palace Guard was appointed in the year 181 1

when the favourite son of Akbar If. made a demonstration against the life of Mr.
Seton, the then Eesident of Delhi.
 —

220 THE KAKAR KHANAH,

The Nakar Khanah.— Passing tliron^li til

bazaar of the Lahore Gate, the visitor entered a well kept

square about 200 feet long and 140 feet broad, surrounded by
a rangeofarcade-dapartments where, in olden days, the Omrahs
had their quarters when on the King’s guard. On the south-
western corner of the square stood certain public buildings
where the Emperor’s Nazir transacted business. In the centre
of the square was a tank, fed by a canal which, divided the
square into two equal parts on either side of the canal was
;

a wide road-way which followed the course of the canal from

north to south going northward to the royal gardens and
:

southward to the Delhi Gate.'" In front of the tank and

opposite the inner entrance of the Lahore Gate bazaar,
within an enclosure of stone railing was stood the Nakar
Khanah, or the Music Hall, a two storeyed red-stone building’,
which, notwithstanding the alterations it has undergone to
meet the exigencies of a military garrison, continues much the
same as it was.
Neither the walls of this square, the tank, the public
buildings nor the stone railings of the Nakar Khanah are now
in existence, t Between the entrance of the bazaar and the
Nakar khanah the ground has been cleared and levelled, and
there is nothing to mark the site of the buildings which once
formed the right and left wings of the Music Hall of Shah
Jah4n. Five times a day the Boyal band used to strike up in
this lofty Hall ; on Sundays the music was kept up almost
the whole day, “ because it was a day sacred to the sun and the
same honour was paid to the day of the week on which the King
was born. Bernier who was “ stunned ” by the noise and found
it unbearable at first, at last grew accustomed to “ the royal
music” and discovered grandeur, solemnity and even melody
in it.

The Nakdr Khanah is built on a 3 feet high plinth

which is now extended from one end of the buildinof to

* Bernier describes these streets ua being raised about 4ij feet from the ground
and about 4 feet wide in front of a row of arched rooms, — “ closed arcade.s ”
running the entire length of the street. Here the inferior oBicials used to transact
business and the inferior Omrahs used to mount guard.
t The rooms, of the Nakdr Khdnah were originally open but now that the
;

buildihg is occupied as quarters for the officers of the garrison, some of the arches
hare been closed with masonry walls.
 THE NAKAE KHANAH. 221

the other the arched gateway in the centre of the building

;

is no longer used as such. The Music Hall is 100 feet long,

70 feet broad and 46 feet high, from the level of the floor to the
top of the-roof, exclusive of the corner pavilions which may be
reckoned at another 10 feet from the roof. The gateway
is 29 feet liigh and 16 feet wide ; on either side of it
are double-storeyed rooms, with arched doors ; over
these rootns and the gateway a row of live rooms
with arched doors forms a sort of third storey to the
structure. There are steps in the southern and western
walls of the buildimr leading to the rooms above. On
the north-western and the south-western corners of the
roof, there are square open pavilions each surmounted by a dome
on four stone pillars, with a deep stone weatheiing under the
dome. The Nakar Khanah itself was a sort of gateway which
led into the courtyard of the Lhwan ’Am, which will be
next described.

The Nakar Khanah was also known as the Hathiapol, or

the Elephant Gate, a circumstance which I have not been
able to reconcile with Bernier’s desci’iption of the elephants
at the palace gate, and the learned discussions which it has led
to. According to General Cunningham, these elephants
were put up “outside the Delhi gate of the citadel,” and
he states this on the authority of Bernier himself ; Mr. Keene,
who has also studied the subject with great care, is of opinion
that they “ once stood outside what from the description
”
was probably the Lahore Gate, and not the “ Delhi Gate
or main barbican of the Palace.” Both General Cunningham
and Ml’. Keene appear to me to be labouring under a
mistake. Mr. Keene has simply no authority for his
statement, and Bei’nier's description does not justify that of
General Cunningham. “ I find nothing remarkable at the
entry of the palace,” writes Bernier, “ but two great elephants
of stone, which are On the two sides of one of the gates
upon one of them is the statue of Jamel, the famous Raja
of Chitor and upon the other that of Patta, his brother. * *
These two great elephants, together with the two resolute
men sitting on them, do, at the first entry into this fortress, make
an impression of greatness and awful terror,” Bernier
does not mention the name of the gate, nor does he
describe the entrance of the fort, but of the palace ; his descrip-
222 THE NAKAR KHANAH.

tion would better apply to the gateway known

os the NakarKhanih or Hathia-pol, rather than to the Delhi
or the Lahore Gate of the Fort. Again, Bernier’s descriptions
of the two “chief gates ” are so far faulty that they jninble
together the features of the two gates, and the description,
therefore, is correct of neither. Uninterrupted tradition,
supported by the name of the locality, places the
elephants in front of tho gate w'hich was known after them as
the Hathia-pol.
Franklin, who visited Delhi in 1793 and made enquiry
after the statues, was informed, that “ they were removed
by order of Aurangzeb as savouring too much of idolatry, and
he enclosed the place were they stood with a screen of red
stone which has disfigured the entrance.” I have not been
able to trace this information to any reliable source, neither do
I believe that the statues stood wuthin the out-works of
either the Lahore or the Delhi Gate of the Fort. Native
accounts ascribe to Aurangzeb not only the removal of the
elephants but also their destructon, and judging from the condi-
tion in which one of them was discovered, buried under
the accumulated ruins of year-s, these accounts appear to me to
be trustworthy. I see no reason to question Bernier’s statements
that the statues were made by Akbar, and it is not unlikely
that Shah Jahan brought them from Agra, where they
originally stood in front of the river gate of the fort. The
statues represented Jamel and Patta, two Rajput warriors
who held Chitor against Akbar. The elephants and the
figures wlio rode them were semi-colossal ; each elephant
carried two Z’iders, the foremost probably represented the driver
and the second the Rajput chief ; but whether it carried more
than two figures 1 am unable to say ; from the remains now
in the Delhi Museum ’.ve can be certain only of two. Tbe ruined
fragments of one of the elephants wmre discovered in the fort
and were successfully put up by Mr. Campbell in the Queen’s
Gardens at Delhi.
The following iu-rj i|)tion, engi'aved on the platform over which tho
elephant stands, is only pm u.iily true:
—
“ This elephant^ aAvork of considerable but iinkuoM'H
anticjuitv, was brought
from Gwalior and set up outside the south gate of his new palace by the Emperor
^^hah .Tah5.li, A. G. 1645, Removed thence and broken into a thousand fragment.'?
by the Etupeior Aurangzeb, it lemaiu-ed, forgotten and buried underground for
inoie than;, century and a half, and until, having been recovered,
it was set up
^ her-.
A> 1). Ibbh,
 L.\
»-.'S 4 ^ -.1-

'.. .•;-

1.'? •

...

-=1

4
i:

m\
u

m
 •

DIWAN ’am, or the HALL OF PUBLIC AUDIENCE. 223

The statues of Jam el and Patta may be seen in the

verandah of the Museum, and the two muxilated trunks
lying beside them may probably belong to those of the elephant
drivers.

Through the gateway of the Nakar Khanah you

passed into the courtyard of the Hall of Public Audience —
the renowned Diwan ’Am. The impressive ceremonies,
which were observed on State occasions in the Court of
the Grand jMoghal commenced here. Underneath the arch
of the Nakar Khanah gateway none but Princes of the
blood royal could pass mounted ; ambassadors, ministers,
and grandees of the highest dignity, alighted here and
walked on foot. Even in the last days of a subsidised
Moghal Emperor, this entrance was jealously guarded, and
when Mr. Francis Hawkins, Resident at Delhi, (a gentle-
man whose energy went far beyond his discretion) was removed
from his appointment, the most serious charge preferred
against him w^as, that he had violated the sanctity of
the royal palace by riding under the gateway of the Nakar
Khanah.

Diwan ’Am, or the Hall of Public Audience The :

—
court witliin Avhich thissplendid hall once stood Avas about
550 feet long and 300 feet wide, its walls contained arcaded
apartments, in describing Avhich Bernier remarks, that they
Avere not unlike the Pu/aG Royal, but “ Avith this difference,
hoAvever, that the arcades of the Dewan ’Am hat'e no
buildings over them. Each arcade is separated by a Avail, yet
in such a manner that there is a small door to pass from one
to the other.” The rooms Avere two deep, raised about 3^ feet
from the ground, and Avere occupied by officers of the Court
and Omrahs on duty. The rooms occupied by the latter
were gorgeously got up on grand occasions the pillars were
;

covered Avith rich brocade, and the arches Avere hung Avith
tapestry of silk and velvet of great beauty. The w’alls of
this court Avere levelled Avith the ground after the Mutiny
of 1857. ^Yhere the great hall now stands AA'as the centre
of the eastern wall of the court. On the right of the hall
w'as a gateway which led into another court on its left AV'ere
;

certain houses belonging to the heir apparent, which disfigured

224 DIWAN ’am, or the HALL OF PUBLIC AUDIENCE.

this grand court by their inappropriate presence, but with

the rest of the court these additions of later years have also
disappeared.

The hall itself, although robbed of its gilding and stucco/

is yet a magnificent structure. It is built throughout of
red sand-stone, and stands on a plinth fully 4?feet from the
ground, 80 feet long and 40 feet broad ; from the platform to
the top of the roof, not including the corner pavilions, the hall
is about 80 feet high. It is open on three sides, and the
fourth side is a wall. There are two pavillions on the front
corners of the roof of the hall, which resemble those on the
Nakar Khdnah. The roof is flat and is set-olf by a deep
stone weathering on the three open sides. The inside of the
hall is divided into three rows of seven compartments each :

each of these compartments is formed by four pillars, about

6 feet apart, supporting scalloped arches and ranging from the
back-wall to the front of the building. The facade of the
hall is formed by a row of ten magnificent columns with
arches as above. The roof is supported by these arches
resting on pillars as already described. There are steps on
each of the three open sides of the Hall ; five steps in front,
and seven on each of the two sides. About 21 feet of the
centre of the back-wall is faced with marble and inlaid with
stones of different colours, representing trees, flowers and
birds. In front of this is a marble platform, about S feet
high and 7 feet square, on which stands a marble canopy,
beautifully inlaid with coloured stones representing flowers
and fancy scrolls, embellished with ornamental pendants like
cones and supported by four inlaid marble pillars surmounted
by pinnacles. The sides of the marble platform are ornament-
ed with embossed wreaths of tendrils and flowers. The
marble canopy and its platform do not extend over the whole
breadth of the marble wall on either side of the platform,
;

and on a level with the marble canopy, are two heavy marble
brackets which were used as seats for the King’s personal
attendants. In front of the canopy, there is a massive four-
legged marble stand, about 3 feet high, 7 feet long, and 4
feet wide. All its inlaid ornamentations are gone. Petitions
intended for the King were presented to him by the
Vazir from tins marble stand. Pound the three open sides
of the canopied throne there was a railing of
plated-iron,
 — —
diwan ’am, or the hall of public audibnce. 225

which enclosed the place reserved for the grandees of the

Empire this enclosure was about 40 feet long and 30
;

feet wide.

From the following description of the Diwdn by Bernier,

the reader will learn its history during the most glorious
days of the Moghal Empire :

“ It a great and stately hall, with many ranks of pillars high

is
raised, very airy, open on three sides, looking to the Court, and having
its pillars and ground painted and guilded. In the midst of the wall,
which separates this hall from the seraglio, there is an opening, or a
kind of great window, high and large, and so high that a man cannot
reach to it from below with his hand. There it is where the King
appears, seated upon his throne, having some of his sons on his sides and
.some eunuchs standing, some of whom drive away the flies with peacock’s
tails, others fan him with great fans, others stand there ready with great
respect and humility for several services. Thence he sees beneath
him all the Oomrahs, Rajas, and Ambassadors, who are also all of them
standing upon a raised ground encompassed with silver rails, with their
eyes downwards, and their hands crossing their stomach; somewhat
further off he sees the man-sebdars, or lesser Oomrahs, which are also
all standing in the same posture and respect as the Oomrahs do and
;

somewhat further off, in the remaining part of the hall, and in the
Court, he sees a great crowd of all sorts of people. For there it is
where the King, every day about noon, giveth a general audience to all,
which is the reason that this great hall is called Am-Kas, that is, place
of audience, or a place of meeting common to great and small.”

Its history, before the disasters of the Indian Mutiny,

willbe found in the following extract from Mr. Beresford’s
Guide to Delhi ;

“ It is a large hall open at three sides and supported

by rows of red
sand-stone pillars, formerly adorned with gilding and stucco work. In the
wall at the back is a staircase that leads up to the throne, which is
raised about ten feet from the ground, and is covered by a canopy sup-
ported on four pillars of white marble, the whole being curiously inlaid
with mosaic work behind the throne is a doorway by which the Em-
;

peror entered from his private apartments. The whole of the wall
behind the throne is covered with mosaic paintings, in precious stones,
of the most beautiful flowers, fruits, birds and beasts of Hindostan.
Most of them are represented in a very natural manner. They were
executed by Austin-de-Bordeaux, who, after defrauding several of the
Princes of Eui'ope by means of false gems which he fabricated with
great skill, sought refuge at the Court of Shah Jehan, where he made
his fortune and was in high favour with the Emperor. In front of the
throne, and slightly raised above the floor of the hall, is a large slab of
 —
226 DIWAN ’am, or the HALL OF PUBLIC AUDIENCE.

white marble, which was formerly richly inlaid with mosaic worl^
61

which the traces only now remain.”

In the midst of the mosaic paintings in the wall, on the

hack of the throne, the Frenchman was permitted to introduce
himself in a picture, also in mosaic, representing a long yellow
haired youth, Orpheus, playing upon the violin, seated upon a
rock beneath a tree with a lion, a hare and a leopard charmed
to rest at his feet. The whole picture was 8 feet high, and
precious stones were used in the colouring of its subjects.
It was taken to England in 1857 by an officer of the Delhi
Field Force, and may now be seen in the Indian Museum
at South Kensington.

Of what was donein front of this Hall, when the Emperor

sat here in State, the following description is given by that
amusing and intelligent writer, Bernier :

“ this audience ceremony continues, a certain

During the hour that
number horses pass before the throne, that the King may
of the royal
see whether they are well used and in a proper condition. The elephants
come next, their filthy hides having been well washed and painted as
black as ink, with two large red streaks from the top of the head down
to the trunk, where they meet. The elephants are covered with embroi-
dered cloth a couple of silver bells are suspended to the two ends of a
;

ntassy silver chain placed over their back ;

and white cow-tails from
Great Thibet, of great value, hang from the ears like immense whiskers.
Two small elephants superbly caparisoned, w'alk close to these colossal
creatures, like slaves appointed to their service. As if proud of his
gorgeous attire and of the magnificence that surrounds him, every ele-
phant moves with a solemn and dignified step; and when in front of
the throne, the driver wFo is seated on his shoulder, pricks him with a
pointed iron, animates and speaks to him, until the animal bends one
knee, lifts his trunk on high and roars aloud, which the people consider
as the elephant’s mode of performing the taslim or usual reverence.

Other animals are next introduced ; tame antelopes, kept for the
purpose of fighting with each other ; nilgaius, or grey oxen, that appear
to me to be a species of elk rhinocero.ses
;
large Bengal buffaloes with
;

prodigious horns wdiich enable them to contend against lions or tigers ;

tame leopards, or panthers,

employed in hunting antelopes some of the
;

fine sporting dogs from Usbec, of every kind, and each dog with a small
red covering; lastly, every species of the birds of prey used in field
sports for catching partridges, cranes, hares and even, it is said, for
hunting antelopes, on whom they pounce with violence, beating their
heads and blinding them with their wings and claws.
 DIWAN KHAS, OR THE HALL OF SPECIAL AUDIENCE. 227

- Besides this procession of animals, the cavalry of one or two Oomrahs

frequently pass in review before the King ; the horsemen being better
dressed than usual, the horses furnished with iron armour, and decorated
with an endless variety of fantastic trappings.

The king takes pleasure also in having the blades of cutlasses tried
on dead sheep brought before him without the entrails, and neatly bound
up. Young Oomrahs, mansebdars, and gourzeberdars or mace bearers
exercise their skill, and put forth all their strength to cut through the
four feet, which are fastened together, and the body of the sheep at one
blow.

But these things are so many interludes to more serious matters.

all
The king not only reviews his cavalry with peculiar attention, but there
is not, since the war has been ended, a single cavalier or other soldier
whom he has not inspected, and made himself personally acquainted
with, increasing or reducing the pay of some and dismissing others from
the service. All the petitions held up in the crowd assembled in the
’Am-Khas are brought to the king and read in his hearing j and the per-
sons concerned being ordered to approach are examined by the monarch
himself, who often redresses at the instant the wrongs of the aggrieved
party. On another day of the week, he devotes two hours to hear, in
private, the petitions of ten persons, selected from the lower orders, and
presented to the king by a good and rich old man.”

The last Moghal Emperor who used this magnificent hall

or state pageantry was the unfortunate Farokhsir.
On the right of the Diwan ’Am, in the middle of the
enclosure wall on that side, was an arched gateway through
which you entered a small square courtyard, which is no longer
in existence and of which it is not possible to give the dimen-
sions. In the middle of the eastern wall of this square was
another arched gateway, smaller than that in its wes-
tern wall, which led into the courtyard of the Dfwfin Khas, or
the Hall of Special Audience. A
red cloth awning was
stretched in front of this gateway which gave it the name
of Ldl FardaJi, or the Red Screen.

Diwan Khas, or The Hall of Special Audience. The

courtyard which the visitor entered through the Lai Pardah
was barely a fourth of that of the Diwan ’Am. The
next court was about 210 feet long by 180 feet. “A
very
handsome and stricking Court,” writes Bishop Heber, “ with
low but richly ornamented buildings opposite a beautiful
hall of
vv lute marble. On the eastern wall of this enclosure stands
the Diwan Khas ; near its northern wall
are the Baths of
228 pmAir khas, or the hall of special audience.

Sh^h JaMn and the Moti Masjid —Pearl Mosque—

of Aurang-
zeb. The western wall of was formed by the back
this court •

wall of the court just described, and on the south were the
walls of a series of apartments belonging to the seraglio and
the Kang Mahal.
On a marble platform about 4^ feet high, 240 feet long
and 78 stands this hall, about the finest building
feet wide,
of its kind in India. It is simple in form and
construction, being a large marble pavilion. “ If not the
most beautiful,” says Fergusson, “ certainly the most highly
ornamented of all Shah Jehan’s buildings.” The hall is about
90 feet long and 67 feet broad, having a flat coned roof sup-
ported by scolloped arches resting on thirty-two pillars in
double files. Of these pillars 24 are 4 feet square and the re-
maining eight are 4 feet by 2. The eastern wall of the hall, to
the extent of two arches, is covered with a marble screen. The
platform on which the hall stands, as well as the hall itself,
is of white marble. On each of the four corners of the roof is
an open square pavilion, with a dome surmounted by copper
gilt pinnacle resting on four pillars.

The hall is an oblong in shape ; the pillars on the short

sides, ofthe hall are narrower than those on the long sides,
but in richness of decoration, they yield nothing to the other
pillars. Of the outer pillars only the three inner sides are
decorated ; the inner pillars are decorated from the base to
the capital. Each pillar is divided into three panels, the
lower two being about equal, and the upper is about
a third of the size of the lower panel. The lower panels repre-
sent flowers, and trees with long leaves ; the upper panel con-
tains inlaid fancy designs. The inner face of the arches, the
spandrels and the pilasters Avhich support them, are profusely
decorated with flowers, leaves and tendrils in mosaic ; the
stones used for the purpose being green serpentine, lapi-'i
lazuli, blue, red and purple porphyry.

Through the Diwan Khas ran a stream of water in a

marble canal about 12 feet wide and covered with flag’s of the
°
same material.

The inner room of the hall is formed by twelve

pillars it is 48 feet long and 27 feet wide,
;
and here
may yet be seen the square marble
platform on which
 : -

DIWAN KHAS, OR THE HALL OE SPECIAL AUDIENCE. 229

stood the world-renowned Peacock throne of Shdh Jahan.

Under the cornice of this room, and directly over the
corner arches of the narrow sides, in small oblong panels,
may he seen the famous inscription of S’a-ad-ullah Khan, sup-
posed to be in the hand-writing of Rashid, the greatest caligra-
phist of his time Acjar Firdaus bar rue zamin ast hamin
: —
ast to, hamin ast to, hamin ast If there is a paradise
on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this. Bernier’s des-
cription of this hall is rather meagre “ the hall is, however,
;

very handsome, spacious, gilt and painted, and raised four or

five French feet from the pavement, like a large estrade.
It is in this palace that* the King, seated in a chair, his
Oomrahs standing round him, grams more private audiences
to his officers, receives their reports and deliberates on impor-
tant affairs of state ” The following description is taken from
Franklin’s contributions to the Asiatic Society of Bengal ; —
“ Oa entering the third and last square, the Dewan Khas, or hall
of Nobles, -bursts upon the view with all its splendour, forming the river
face of the Court, and raised on a terrace four feet above the level of
the pavement the whole building, inside or out, and the open terraces
;

and pavements, are of white marble the roof is supported on thirty-two

;

square columns, ornamented to the height of six feet, vfith rich inlaid
flower-work of red cornelians and other precious stones the remainder, ;

as well as the cornices, being decorated with a profusion of golden orna-

ments. The hall is fifty feet by twenty-four, with an open verandah all
round, ten feet wide; in this is a beautiful crystal, eighteen inches high
and four feet in diameter. His Majesty usually occupies a temporary
throne the ceiling is of wood painted red, and richly decorated with
;

gold; it was formerly encrusted with a rich silver foliage inlaid with gold,
at the expense of thirty-nine lacks of rupees the Maharatas took it
;

down, and on sending it to the mint to be coined, it produced twenty-

eight lacks. On a compartment over the cornice on the outside are
these lines in the Persian character, in letters of gold “ if there is as
:

Paradise on earth, this is it, ’tis this, ’tis this.” The roof is surmounted
at the angles with four pavilions ;
the ornaments of brass on the cupolas
being richly gilt. On State occasions, the hall is adorned with an awn-
ing of scarlet cloth of gold, fastened by cotton ropes of various colours;
Kanauts or screens of the same description enclose the open terraces
which are forty-four feet by thirty-five on one side the terrace leads to
;

a painted room, through which the King retires to the harem on the ;

other to a small but beautiful mosque of white marble, -with domes of

brass so richly gilt as to give it the appearance of pure gold.”

The Peacock throne was broken up and all that was of

value in it was taken away by Nddir Shah after his occupation
of Delhi in 1739. Bernier, who saw the throne in the reign
230 DTrAF KHAS OR THF HALL OF SPECIAL ArDIESTOft

of Aurangzeb, tiius describes it, and the festive occasions when

itwas displayed to the world :

“ The throne was supported by six massy feet, said to be of solid

gold, spriuked over with rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. I cannot tell
tell you with accuracy the number or value of this vast collection of
precious stones, because no person may approach sufficiently near to
reckon them, or judge of their water and clearness but I can assure you
;

that there is a confusion of diamonds, as well as other jewels, and that

the throne, to the best of my recollection, is valued at four crores of
rupees. I observed elsewhere that a lac is one hundred thousand rupees,
and that a crore is a hundred lacs; so that the throne is estimated at
forty millions of rupees. It was constructed by Shah Jehan, the father
of Aurenorzebe, for the purpose of displaying the immense quantity of
precious stones accumulated successively in the treasury from the spoils of
ancient Rajahs and Patans, and the annual presents to the Monarch
which every omrah is bound to make on certain festivals. The con-
struction and workmanship of the throne are not correspondent with the
materials ; hut two peacocks, covered with jewels and pearls, are well
conceived and executed. They were made by a workman of astonishing
powers, a Frenchman by birth, who, after defrauding several of the
Princes of Europe, by means of false gems, which he fabricated with pe-
culiar skill, sought refuge in the great Mogul’s court, where he made his
fortune. At the foot of the throne were assembled all the omrahs in
splendid apparel upon an estrade surrounded by a siver railing and
covered by a spacious canopy of brocade with deep fringes of gold. The
pillars of the hall were hung with brocades of a gold ground and flower-
ed satin canopies were raised over the whole expanse of the extensive
;

apartment, fastened with red silken cords, from which were suspended
large tassels of silk and gold. The floor was covered entirely with car-
pets of the richest silk, of immense length and breadth. A
tent, called
the aspek, was pitched outside, larger than the hall, to which it joined
by the top. It spread over halt the court, and was completely enclo.sed
by a great balustrade covered with plates of silver. Its supporters were
pillars overlaid with silver, three of which were as thick and as high
as the mast of a barque, the others smaller. The outside of this
magnificent tent was red, and the inside lined with elegant Masulipatain
chintzes, figured expressly for that very purpose with flowers so natural
and colours so vivid that the tent seemed to be en- compassed with
real parterres.

As to the arcade galleries round the court, every omruh had

received orders to decorate one of them at his own expense, and there
appeared a spirit of emulation who should best acquit himself to the
Monarch s satisfaction. Consequently all the arcades and galleries were
covered from top to bottom with brocade, and the pavement with rich
carpets.”

Tavernier “that rambling jeweller, who had read

nothing, bnt had seen so much and so well,”
valued the Pea-
 ;

amm khas, or thb ball ob special audixnci. 231

cock throne at “ two hundred millions of livres,” but in spite

of the laudatory accounts we have of this precious piece of
court furniture, it appears to me, that its best claim to fame
was its vahie, and that it did not pretend much to beauty of
design or excellence in execution.
“ Mr. Jieresford’s description of the throne is evidently
taken from native sources : —
“ Inthis hall was the famous Peacock Throne, so called from its
having the figures of two peacocks standing behind it, their tails being
expanded and the whole so inlaid with sapphires, rubies, emeralds, pearls
and other precious stones of appropriate colours as to represent life. The
throne itself was six feet long by four feet broad it stood on six massive
;

feet which, with the body, were of solid gold, inlaid with rubies,
emeralds and diamonds. It was surmounted by a canopy of gold,
supported by twelve pillars, all richly emblazoned with costly gems,
and a fringe of pearls ornamented the borders of the canopy. Between
the two peacocks stood the figure of a parrot of the ordinary size,
said to have been carved out of a single emerald. On either side
of the throne stood an umbrella, one of the oriental emblems of
royalty they were formed of crimson velvet richly embroidered and
;

fringed with pearls — the handles were eight feet high, of solid gold,
and studded with diamonds. The cost of this superb work has been
variously stated at sums varying from one to six millions of pounds
sterling. It was plannefl and executed under the supervision of Austin
de Bordeaux, already mentioned as the artist who executed the mosaic
work in the ’Am Khas.”

During the reign of Akbar II. the son and successor of

Shdh ’Alam, the neglected state of this grand hall struck visi-
tors with surprise. Mr. Elliott, the Resident at Delhi, remark-
ed to Bishop Heber, that the ruinous state of the palace “was
not due to absolute poverty,” but that “ the men had lost all
idea of cleaning and keeping in repairs” the memorials
of their departed glory. In the reign of Bahadur Sh^h,
the son and successor of Akbar II., matters got worse
the Diwan Khas “ w'as full of lumber of descriptions,
broken palanquins, and empty boxes, and the throne was so
covered with pigeon’s dung that its ornaments were hardly
discernible.” Since the rebellion of 1857, the hall has been
carefully looked after. The gilding has been very successfully
restored, and the wooden ceiling has been renewed with red
paint and gilt in a very creditable manner.
Strange vicissitudes have befallen this imperial hall : it
S32 HAHUAM OB THK BATHS.

was the favourite resort of Shah Jahan, who built it ; and

from here Aurangzeb issued his imperial commands which were
obeyed by his lieutenants all over the vast Moghal Empire.
After Nddir Shdh had destroyed the Delhi Empire on the plains
of Panipat, it was in this hall of the Moghals that he exchanged
turbans with his vanquished host, Muhammad Shdh,
and parted with his serviceable pagri for the be-jewelled
taj of the Emperor of Delhi. In 1760 the Diwan
Khas was despoiled by the marauding hordes of Satara,
and a quarter of a century later, the last independent
Moghal Emperor of Delhi, Shah ’Alam, was blinded here
by an audacious soldier of fortune. About twenty years
after this daring assault, the same sovereign received the
English General, Lord Lake, in his Hall of Special Audience
and thanked the British Government for his deliverance from
the hands of the French hirelings of Scindia. A little over
half a century after this event, in 1857, the grandson of Shah
’Alam, as the titular King of Delhi, received the native officers
of the British Indian Army who had assembled here to offer
him once more the Empire of India. The Diwan Kh4s is
famous alike for the historical associations which surround
it, and for the elaborate decorations which once gave it the
title of a Paradise on earth.

—
HamniEiii, or The Baths. On the north of the Diwdn
Khas are the Royal Baths ; the two buildings are united by a
marble-paved floor about 46 feet wide. In the centre of the
southern wall of the baths, facing the Diwdn Elhds, there is a
hall with three arched doors which is the recognised entrance to
the baths. On either side of this hall there are two rooms and
through the centre of the hall the visitor enters the baths,
which consist of three beautiful roomy apartments, paved with
white marble. The pavement throughout these rooms, the walls
up to the waist, “ the reservoirs, and the vapour slabs were
originally inlaid with rare and precious
stones of various
colour, representing flowers and branches, executed
with great
There are three reservoirs for water in the apartment
which overlooks the river ; and in its eastern wall there is a
8^1 nmrble balcony, on either side of which the wall is
pier^ by a wi^ow covered with marble
lattice work,
n secon apartment there is only
one such reservoir, and
 Valf^MASJlD, OB THI raABL HOSQXTK OP LAL QIL’aH. 233
f'W

in the centre of the third apartment there is a vapour

slab of great beauty. Behind this is the stove which used
to supply the bath with hot water; '* fountains were placed in
the centre, with passages to carry the water into the different
apartments,” and the light was admitted by windows of stained
glass.

Moti Masjid, cr the Pearl Mosque of Lai Qil’ah.—This

Masj id was built by Aurangzeb, in the year 1070 A. H.
(1659 A. D.) in the Lai QilaTi of Shdh Jahan at a cost of
160,000 rupees of the time; it is most exquisitely finished and
is built throughout of marble. It was used as the private
ehapel of the Emperors of Delhi, and was damaged by a gun-
shot during the mutiny of 1857, but has since been repaired
with great success. Though very small, it is a hmit, the pret,t,iesf.
building of its kind in India, _ The entrance of the mosque is a
smalTmarble gate-way Laving two doors at right angles to each
other. The court of the mosque, which is 40 feet by 35 feet, is
paved with marble and enclosed by walls about twenty feet
high the outer face of the walls is covered with red sandstone,
;

and the inner with marble they are divided into broad panels,
;

and ornamented with pilasters surmounted by beautiful marble

minarets.

In the northern wall of the enclosure there is a passage

intended for the use of the ladies of the Imperial household who
attended prayers at the mosque. In the centre of the court
there is a marble tank, about ten feet by eight, which was filled
by the canal which once flowed through the garden of Haiy^t
Baksh.

The body of the mosque is about 40 feet by 30 feet ; it is

about 25 feet high from the floor to the roof, and about
12 feet more from the roof to the top of the centre
pinnacle. It is entered through three low but very pretty
scalloped arches, raised by four steps in front the pHnth,
;

which is very elegantly inlaid with black marble, is about

3^ feet high; the four pillars which support these arcbes have
polished shafts and engraved bases and capitals. The side
arches are about eight feet wide, while the centre arch is about
double their size ; behind these arches there is another row of
three arches supported by elegant pillars, Ihus giving the
234 KBIHAB, EmriBeAH AH1> BAITAK.

ZBOSijtte a, set of six rooms

in two rows. In the back
wall of the mosque are the usual arched recesses, one in each
room; the centre arch is deeper and wider than those
on ite sides. The arches in ^nt
are flanked by small
minaret^ and over each of the side arches is a marble
ledge. The parapet over the roof is narrow but orna-
mented ; that over the centre arch is arched ; those on the
two sides are flat. The domes are of white marble and boldly
ribbed ; they are more bulbous than the domes of earlier Mo-
ghal buildings, and are surmounted by richly copper-gilt
pinnacles.

Tasbih TChatiah, Ehwabpih and Baitak.-;-Correspond-

ingto the Royal Baths, and on the south of the Diw^n £h4s, is
a suite of rooms, built throughout of marble and divided into
two equal parts by the marble canal already described. Be-
tween these rooms and the Diwan Khas, the pavement is of
marble and is about 46 feet wide.

The Tasbih Kh4nah, Khdwbgah and Baitak form one

building ; the former consists of a row of three rooms facing
the Diw^n Khds a second row of three rooms behind this is
;

known as the Khawbgah and the adjoining hall, which is

about half the width of the Khawbgah, was indiscriminately
called the Baitak or the Toshah Khanah. The three apartments
together may be equal in size to the Diwau Khas. There is
nothing particular to notice either in the Tasbih Khanah or
the Baitak ; the Khdwbgah, however, deserves more than
passing attention. As already stated, it is the name of the
three rooms in the centre of the building ; the mid-
^e room is about 45 feet by 18 feet, those on its east and on
itswest are about half its size. The three rooms communi-
cate with one another through arched doors in the centre room ;
the walls were at one time inlaid with precious stones
which were pillaged by the attendmits of the court and have
recently been repaired with great success. In the
northern and the southern walls of the centre room there are
archettdoors covered with marble screens, and under the arches
^ereare,inscriptions of historical fame—the work of Sa’ad-uUah
Kh&iy the W^azlr of Shah Jahan. On the outer eastern face- of
 TASBIH KHANAH, KHWABQAH AND BAITAK. 235

the door of this room there is another inscription, which is also

said to he the work of the same author.*

the northern screen of the centre room, there is an

On
embossed symbolical representation of justice : the scales of
justice are held over a crescent, in the midst of stars rising out
of clouds.

* [English translation of the Inscription on the Southern Arch.]

God is Great.

“ God i.s how beautiful are the.se i^aiuted mausions and charming residen-
holy !

ces. part of the high heaven. I may say the high-souled angels are
[They are a ]
desirous of looking at tnem. If people from different parts and directions [of
the world] should come here] to walk round them as [they walk] round the old house
j

[Kabah], it would be right ; or if the beholder.s of the two worlds should run to kiss
their highly glorious threshold as [they kiss] the black stone [of Kabah], it would be
projier. I’he commencement of this great fort, which is higher than the palace of the
heaven.s and is the envy of the wall of Alexander ; and of this ch j-uv. wiifice and of :

the garden of Haiy&t Baksh, which is to these buildings .as the soul is to the body,
and the lamp to an assembly and of the pure canal, the limpid water of which is
;

to the person possessing sight as a mirror and to the wise the unveiler of the se-
cret world and of the u ater-falls. each of which you may say is the whiteness of
;

the morning, or a tablet of seciet taken from the Table and the Pen [of Fate]; and
cf the playing fountains each of which is a cloud of l’ ;,h',.

[English translation of the Inscuiot: n ou nir Isoi.teiLun Arch.]

Ilising to meet the inhabitants of he.aven and raining bright pearls to reward the
inhabitants of the earth and of the tank, full of ih" water of life, [and] owing to its
;

purity the envy of the light and the sun, was auuotinced on the 12th Zilhij in the
12th holy year of the ascension, corre.spondingto 1048 A. H., the tidings of happiness
to men. The completion 'of it at the expense of 50 lacs of rupees, by the power of
the bles.sed feet of the sovereign of the earth, the Lord of the world, the originator
of these buildings. Sliahabnddin Muhammad, the second lord of felicity. Sfeh Ja-
htin the victorious Emperor, opened on the 24th llahi-ul-Avval in the 21st blessed
year of the ascension, corresponding to 1058 A. H., the door of blessing to the
world.

[English translation of the Verses on the wall.]

May the Emperor of the world, Shah Jahdn, by his good fortune, the second
lord of felicity, live magnificently for ever in his Kingly palace as the sun [lives] in
the sky. May the palace of his good fortune touch the highest heaven as long as
this building cannot stand without a foundation. Wonderfully charming is this
adorned palace, being like a paradise adorned with hundred beauties. Greatness
is like a text from the Scriptures in its praise. Blessedness is in the embraces of its
hall [word missing.] Whosoever with sincerity bows down to it. his honor increases
like that of the rivei’. When time erected this palatial hall, it set a mirror before the
face of the sun. The face of its wall is'so decorated, that it demands from the pain-
ters of China a tribute. Time has stretched its hands of protection over it ; the sky
borrows its height from it. In its river-like fountains and tanks tlie sky washes its
face with the water of the earth. It being the seat of the first of Kings, it is the
King of all other buildings.”
I am indebted for the translation of these three inscriptions to Pydre L41,
Curator of Government Booksj Lahore, .
236 MUSSAMMAN BTTEJ —BANG MAHAL,
Musanuiiail Buij — A.djoimng the eastern wall of the
Khwdbgah, and overpoking the domed balcony
river, is the
with which Bernier, who however had never seen it, was so much
charmed. It is an octagonal room surmounted by a dome,
which was once cased in copper-gilt, and is now covered
with lime plaster. Three out of the eight sides of this room
are cut off by the Khwdbgah, and of the remaining five
sides which overlook the are covered with marble
river, four
screens; in front of the filth, which
is the middle of the
Burj, there is a small covered balcony which was added by
Akbar II. who also engraved two inscriptions under its arches *
‘'The Eunuchs,” says Bernier, writing of the Mussamman
Biirj, “ speak with extravagant praise of a small tower, facing
the river, which is covered with plates of gold in the same maii-
ner as the towers of Agra and its azure apartments are de-
;

corated with gold and azure, exquisite paintings and magni-

ficent mirrors.”

—
Rang Mahal Is now occupied as the Mess-room of
the officers ot the European regiment quartered in the Fort.
It is an oblong building, with a fiat roof and arched doors in
the style of the Diwan Khiis. The roof is protected by
a plain parapet, and, on each of its four corners, there is an
open square pavilion supported by four stone pillars. With
the exception of the inner walls of the rooms, which are, “ up to

* [English transl^vtion of the first inscription :]

Oii tho face of _\rus-'; LiLi;iu I.uilt aaow.

Such a seat that tlu* suii ami the moon turned their eyes to it.
Sayyad-uI-ShOni was oniered to ascertain its date,
[In order] that the hlack record may reiuaiu on the white ["round],
rht‘ Sav va I 'j;ivc lli** date of the Imildiug in the following sentence :

tlu?. hi- ;i with an exalted foundation [the work] of Akbar Shah,

i'sai^e and tUaukatiuess are worthy of the Lord of the world,
\\ ho has made a King of thej\ge, of such an Emperor
;
One who is deseondetl from a royal father and grand father, [even] from Tiniiir,
The pi\>tector uiaukiud, the dweller in sky-like mansions ; ftlie iua?iler] of
atar-like soUUeis :

Muin-uddhi Ahu uinasiir Akhar, Ghazi,

King of the world conqueror of the age
;
; shadow of God.

[English translation of the second insckiplion:—

OTThou -who V>i«] fetters on your legs, .and a padlock on vour heart, beware !

Thou art hound towards the west but tbnn barf

• i .i r i .t
O TraveUer Thon bast turned thy back on ttj
!
beware !
 ASAD BURJ— -SHAH BUEJ. 237

the waist,” covered with marble, the building is constructed of

grey sandstone. The deep stone ledge under the roof, which
is common to the other buildings in the Fort, is not missed
here.

Asad Burj —Is

a tower on the south-eastern corner of
the Fort and now
occupied by the officers of the garrison.
is
^\heu Hamath Chela attacked Delhi in 1 803, and Ochterlony
made his gallant and successful defence of the place, this Biirj
was much damaged; but was repaired at the expense of Akbar
II.

Shah Burj — Is the last of the three important towers

of Lai Qil’ah. It stands on the river, at a short distance on
the north of the Hammain and not far from Fort Sah'mghar.
It is three-storeyed, and presents a fine view from the opposite
side of the river. In 1784, Jawan Bakht, the eldest son of
iSluih ’Alam, made his escape from tliis Burj by a ladder
of turbans, and eluded the vigilance of his fatlier’s ministers.

Lai Qil’ah in the reign of Aurangzeb.— I proceed to give

a short account of the citadel of Shah Jahan during the reign
of Aurangzeb, wlien it might bo said to be in tlie Iteight of its
glory. For purposes of security, Aurangzeb built a barbican
before each of the two main gates ( Lal)ore and Dellii) of the
fort: and he added to the marble buildings of the citadel the ex-
quisite mosque, known as INIoti Masjkl. Since then, nothing has
been added to the Lai Qil’ah which did not dotract from its
glory. I purpose to describe the interior of the fort before ^
neglect anJ despoliation had done so much towards its ruin.
Enteringthefort at the Lahore Gate. you passthrough a covered
vestibule in the centre of which there is a large sky-light,
and on either side of it there were tw’o narrow' lanes, at right
angles to the vestibule. The lane on the right of tlie vi.«itor
led into a garden beyond which there were two blocks of
building.s, the one stretching southward towards the Delhi Gate
for over 300 yards, and the other from the western wall of the
fort towards the east for about 1
50 yards. Those buildings
were occupied by minor officials, either as private residences or
for the discharge of public business. To the left rif the visitor
the lane led into a broad street, from which branched off other
2S8 tAt QIL^AH iS ffiE liElGfT Of ACRANGZfiS.

lanes anddross-lanes, towards the northern wall of the fort ; the

•tv^hole of the ground here was covered with buildings
which were used as Imperial workshops, and which
Bernier describes in one of his letters to Monsieur de la Mohte
le Vayer :
—
“ Large halls are seen in many places, called Kar
Khanahs or workshops for the artisans. In one hall, embroi-
derers are busUy employed, superintended by a master. In
another, you see the goldsmiths in a third, painters; in a fourth,
;

varnishers in lacquer ; in a fifth, joiners, turners, tailors and

shoemakers ; in a sixth, manufacturers of silk brocade and
those fine, muslins of which are made turbans, girdles with
golden flowers, and drawers worn by females, so delicately
fine as frequently to wear out in one night. * * The artisans
repair every morning to their respective Kar Khanahs, where
they remain employed the whole day ; and in the evening re-
turn to their homes.” Walking down the vestibule, due east,
the visitor entered the court-yard of the Nakar Khanah in ;

the centre of the eastern wall of this enclosure was the Na-
kar Khanah, while the courtyard itself was divided into two
small squares by a road which ran from north to south. To the
south, the road extended to the Delhi Gate of the fort, and to
the north into the garden so well known as the Mehtdb Bagh,
and thence to the northern wall of the fort. This
road was fully 700 yards long and is thus described by Ber-
nier, — the reader, however, should bear in mind that
Bernier’s description refers specially to that portion of the
road which extended from the court of the Nakar Khanah
to the Delhi Gate>

“ The other principal gate of the fortress also conducts to

a long and tolerably wide street, which has a divan on both
sides bordered by shops instead of arcades. Properly speaking,
this street is a bazar, rendered very convenient in the sum-
mer and the rainy season by the long and capacious arched
toof with which it is covered. Air and light are introduced
by several large and round apertures in the roof.”
Through the Nakar Khdnah, the visitor had access to the
TOurt-yard of the Diwan Am. To the north of this was the
imperial kitchen, and further north again were
the gardens of
MehtabBagh andofHaiyatBaksh. Beyond this was ano-
ther branch of the canal, which ran
due east, to the Shah
 LA.L QUIL’aH in THE REIGN OF AURANGZEB. 239

Burj, and from here to the northern wall of the fort

the ground was occupied by the imperial stables. To
the south of the Diwan ’Am, there were a series of Mahals be-
longing to the imperial seraglios, and the residences of the no-
bles of the Imperial Court, which stretched to the south-
ern wall of the fort. “ Besides these two streets,” writes Ber-
nier, “ the citadel contains smaller ones both to the right
and to the left, leading to the quarters where the Omrahs
mount guard during four and twenty hours in regular rotation
once a week. The places where their duty is performed may
be called splendid, the Omrahs making it a point to adorn
them at their own expense. In general, they are spacious
divans or alcoves facing a flower garden, embellished by small
canals of running water, reservoirs and jets d’eau.” Of the
seraglio, which Bernier had not seen, the following descrip-
tion occurs in his Travels: “You must be content therefore
with such a general description as 1 have received from some
of the eunuchs. They inform me that the seraglio contains
beautiful apartments, separated, and more or less spacious and
splendid, according to the rank and income of the females.
Nearly every chamber has its reservoir of running water at
the door; on every side are gardens, delightful alleys, shady
retreats, streams, jets d’eau, grottoes, deep excavations that
afford shelter from the sun of day, lofty divans and terraces
on which to sleep coolly at night. Within the walls of this
enchanting place, in fitie, no oppressive or inconvenient heat
is felt.”

To the north-east of the Diwan ’Am courtyard, was

an arched gateway through which the visitor entered a small
square, and through a gateway in its eastern wall he found
his way into the court of the Diwan Khas. To the north
of the courtyard are the Moti Masjid and the imperial baths,
and further north the garden of Haiyat Baksh, the
Shah Biirj and the canal; beyond which again private dwell-
ings extended to the northern wall of the fort. Immediately
to the south-west of the Diwan Khds and behind the
Diwan ’Am was Imtiaz Mahal, and Bang Mahal and
—
;

to their south between the southern wall of the fort

—
and the walls of the two mahals the ground was covered with
private mahals of more or less pretension, and at the corner of
this block of buildings was the Asad Burj. The buildings we
Irave just described form the river face of the fort
 240 IiAL QTTIl’aH in THK REISN OF AURANGZEB.

The general appearance of the interior of the fort

much altered during the reign of Muhammad Shah, and after the
troubles which sucpeeded the massacre of Delhi by Nadir Shah,
this memorial of the most glorious period of Muhammadan
ascendancy in India, which the polished taste and the abundant
treasury of a vast empire had called into existence, was permit-
ted to sink into ruin and decay. Squalid huts stood cheek and
jowl with royal apartments, while more pretentious, though
hardly less objectionable, buildings, the additions of later days,
filled up some of the open spaces which had served
to show to advantage those noble buildings with which
Shdh Jahan had adorned his capital. Disfigured walls,
pillars robbed of their ornaments, royal seats incumbered
with the dust of years, pavilions and towers dismantled
and in ruin, met the eyes of those who had read and wondered
at the accounts which the curious travellers and the more
trustworthy writers of history had furnished of the Palace of
Shdh Jahan.
One traveller in Franklin,
particular, thus writes
of the desolation he witnessed in Lai QiFah “ The
:

remainder of the public buildings are in a ruinous state.

The etiquette of the Court is still kept up, as much as possible,
as it was in the time of Shah Jahan ; but, alas, how much
fallen, from the splendour and opulence which distinguished
that reign ! Wood and some coarse karwa cloth have
supplie d the place of those pillars of gold and silver, that
^lormely supported awnings of embroidered cloth or velvet
which went round every apartment. The ceilings of massive
silver gilt have made room for more modest ones of
painted wood ; in short, every step one takes in the palace
shews what it was once and how fallen it is at present ;
even the very walls have not escaped the depredation of
mischievous, avarice ; they are of fine white marble (par-
ticularly in the garden) in most of the public apartments ;
inlaid with onyx, agate, and cornelians, almost [everywhere
the marbles have been picked for the small pieces of the
precious stones.”

After the mutiny of 1857, the fort was adapted to the

wants of a European garrison. Two-storeyed barracks have
been built within the fort walls, and the
rooms over the
Lahore and the Delhi Gates, the
Nakar Khanah and
 t

modern DELHI, OR SHAHJAHAKASAD. 241

the towers known as the Asad and the Sh4h Burj are occu-
pied by the officers of the garrison.*

Modem Delhi, or Shahjadianabad. —

The city of Shah
Jahan was founded ten years after the building of its citadel,
or Lai Qil’ah, in the year 1058 A. H. (1648 A. D.) The
shape of the city is semi-circular ; according to others an irre-
gular quadrant, the rectilineal lines of which face the
east and the north, or, as Polier describes it, a bow
with the string towards the river. About half of its eastern
face is formed by its citadel, and the circuit of its walls is
nearly 5J miles.

Von
Orlich calls the capital of Shah Jahan the “ Indian
Rome,” and dwells with admiration “ on the mosques, palaces,
pavilions, halls, gardens and mausoleums of the Emperors and
their consorts and the great men of the Empire.” Writing of
Shahjahanabdd and its environs, Franklin remarks, that “ the
best point of view from whence the city and circumjacent
buildings and ruins appear to the greatest advantage is from
the liver Jumna, immediately in front of the palace, and
about three miles distant ; this spot commands in all directions.
The splendid ruins of the forts of Shere Shah and Feroze ;
the mausoleum of Humayoon raised on its noble terrace, and
towering above innumerable mosques, some with marble, others
adorned with enamelled domes ; the lofty pillar of the Kutb,
bounded by a range of bleak hills ; the uneven ground on
which the capital is built, the white aspect of its marble
buildings, the gilt domes, the magnificent walls and gateways
of red stone, broken by the towering height of the minarets
and domes of the J uma and Zeenut mosques, present views at
once interesting and magnificent,”

* Mr. Fergusson, in his invaluable History of Indian and Eastern Architecture,

indignantly protests against the military occupationof Ldl Qil’ah. He disbelieves the
military excuse for “ this deliberate act of Vandalism,” and thinks it ‘‘ ridiculous
to fancy that the diminished and unarmed population of the city could ever dream ”
of a sudden rising. Mr. Fergusson commits himself to other opinions which, in
a learned treatise on Architecture, are much to be regretted, even if it were possi-
ble for us to endorse them.

t Colonel Polier gives the circumference of the city as 10 miles ; Franklin as 7

miles,and Captain Archer as “ about 5 miles ; the two ends finis h at the east and
west ends of the palace.”
242 MODERN DELHI, OR SHABJAHANABAD.

Native authorities allow only seven years for the build-

ing of the city, and the extent and nature of the work do not
render their calculation untrustworthy,

Bernier
gives the following description of the city
as he saw it the year 1663
in ;
—
“ It is about 40 years
Shah Jdhan, the father of the present Maghul
ago that the
Aurangzehe, conceived the design of immortalizing his
name by the erection of a city near the site of the
ancient Delhi. This new capital he called after his own
name, Shahjahankbad, or, for Jahandbad
brevity, that ;

is to say, the colony of Shah Jahan. Here he resolved to

fix his court, alleging, as the reason of its removal from Agra,
that the excessive heat to which that city is exposed during
summer rendered it unfit for the residence of a monarch.
The materials for the new city were furnished, in great
measure, by the neighbouring ruins and hence foreigners
;

confounded both cities under the general appellation of Delhi,

though, in India, the new capital is most frequently called by
the name which it received from its founder. For the sake
of convenience, however, I chose rather to comply with the
custom of Europe.”
“ Delhi, then, is an entirely new city, situated in a
flat country on the banks of the Jumna, a river which may be
compared to the Loire, and built on one bank only, in such a
manner that it terminates in this place very much in the form
of a crescent, having but one bridge of boats to cross to the
country. Excepting the side where it is defended by the
river, the city is encompassed by walls of brick. The
fortifications however are very incomplete, as there are neither
ditches nor any other kind of additional defence, if we except
flanking tow'ers of antique shape, at intervals of about one
hundred paces, and a bank of earth forming a platform
behind the walls, four or five French feet in thickness.
Although these works encompass not only the city but the
citadel, yet their extent is less than is generally
supposed. I have accomplished the circuit with ease in the
space of three hours, and notwithstanding I rode on horse-
back, I do not think my progress exceeded a French league
per hour. In this computation, I do not however, include the
 MODERN DELHI, OR SHAHJAHANABAD. 243

suburbs, which are considerable, comprising a long chain of

buildings on the side of Lahore, the extensive remains of the
old city, and three or four smaller suburbs. By these addi-
tions the extent of the city is so much increased, that a straight
line may be traced in it of more than a French league and a
half ; and though I cannot undertake to define exactly the
circumference, because these suburbs are interspersed with
extensive gardens and open spaces, yet you must see that it
is very great.”

In 1803, after the occupation of Delhi by the

British troops under General Lake and the defence
of that city against the Mahrattas by Colonel Ochterlony,
the walls of the place were considerably improved and
strengthened. The weak, old round towers were en-
larged and rendered capable of mounting nine guns each ;
as the curtains were a little too extensive, in 1811, small martello
towers were erected to bring the foot of the walls under the fire
of musketry a regular glacis was formed all round the
;

land-faces of the walls, and a ditch was made under them.

The tomb and college of Gh^zi-uddin, which were outside the city
walls and in front of the Ajmer Gate, were taken in, and in
the year 1811 the enclosure was completed and the whole of
that block of buildings came within the city of Modern
Delhi.

The original walls of the city were built, we are told, at a

cost of a lacand a half of rupees, and were fortified with a parapet
with loop holes for musketry. The old walls are said to have
been finished in four months, but were very soon destroyed by
rain, and new masonry walls were subsequently built in seven
years and at a cost of four lacs of rupees. The masonry walls
were G664 yards long, 4 yards wide and 9 yards high, w'ith
twenty-seven towers about thirty feet in diameter. The city
"'
ijates and fourteen wickets.
has fourteen O

* Franklin reckons, from the garden of Slial.irnar on the north-west and tlie Qutb
Alinar on the south-east, and from the Ajniir Gate to' TugLlai)abad, a circumference of
20 miles. Of the ruins covering this interesting tract. Bi.-hop Heher ^ay.s ;
‘‘
A
very awful .scene of de.solation. ruins after rums, tonihs after tombs, fiagment.s of
brick-work, fieestone, granite and marble scattered everywhere over a soil
naturally rocky and barren, without cultivation except in one or two small .spots,
and without a single tree.”
 —
244 MODSBN DELHI, OB 8HAHJAHANABAD.

Starting from the Kashmir Gate —

on the north of the city,
and rendered famous since by the assault and capture of Delhi
—
by British troops in September 1857, we go round the city of
Delhi and pass the other gates in the following order — :

n. Mori Gate, to north ; demolished in 1867, and the

grounds behind the gate opened out.
IIL Kabul Gate to west ;the rest of the above remark applies
to this gate.
, IV. Lahore Gate, to west.
.
Y.
. Ajmer Gate, to south-west.
_ VI. Turkman Gate, to south.
VII. Delhi Gate, to south.
'-'VIII. Khayr4thi Gate, to east.
IX. Raj Gh4t Gate, to east, on river face.
X. Calcutta Gate, to north-east, now no longer in e^sistence ;

built in 1852.
XI. KeM Ghat Gate, to north-east, on river face.
XII. Nigambodh Gate to north-east, on river face.
XIII. Pathar Ghati Gate, destroyed.
XIV. Badar Rao Gate, to north-east.
The Khirkis, or wickets, which were constructed for the
convenience of the residents of the different muhallahs, may be
enumerated in the following order :

I. Khirki Zinath-ul-masjid, under the mosque of that name,

II. Khirki Nawab Ahmad Baksh Khan.
III. Khirki Nawab Ghazi-uduin Khan.
IV. Khirki Nasirganj.
V, Khirki Nai4
VI. Khirki Shahganj,
VII. Khirki Ajmer Gate.
VIII. Khirki Sayyad Bhola.
IX. Khirki Baland Bagh.
X. Khirki Farash Khanah,
XL Khirki Amir Khan.
XII. Khirki Khalil Khan.
XIII. Khirki Bahadur ’All Khaq.
XIV. Khirki Nigambodh.

The city of Shd,hjahdnabad is built on two rocky eminences

known as the Bhojla and the J ugla pahars, the former beino"
nearly m
the centre of the city, and the latter near
its north-
western waUs; the whole of the ground
on which it
stands slopes gently from the west to
the east-from the
rocky ndge to the bed of the Jnmna.
The canal of ’Ali Mar-
ddn enters the erty near the Kabul Gate,
flows, with very little
 ;

MODERN DELHI, OB SHAHJAHANABAD. 245

variation in its course, through the city and the citadel, and
then empties itself into the river.

Under the walls of the citadel there were several gardens,

although in Bernier’s time there was only “ one large garden,
filled at all times with flowers and green shrubs, which, con-
'
fronted with the stupendous red walls, produce a beautiful
efiect.” The garden described by Bernier was in front of the
Lahore Gate of the Fort, and adjoining it was the Chauk
Shahi or the Royal Square, built by S’a-ad-ullah Eihan, the
Prime Minister of Shah Jah^n and of which Bernier has pre-
served the following history in one of his letters from Delhi ;

“ Nest to the garden is the great royal square, faced on one

side by the gates of the fortress, and on the opposite side of
which terminate the two most considerable streets of the
city.* * The tents of such rajahs as are in the king’s pay, and
whose weekly duty it is to mount guard, are pitched in this
square. * * In this place also, at break of day, they
exercise the royal horses, which are kept in a spacious stable
not far distant ;and here the Kobat Khan, or grand muster
master 6f the cavalry, examines carefully the horses of those
who have been received in the service, * * Here too is
held a bazaar or market for an endless variety of things ;

which, like the Pont-Neuf at Paris, is the rendezvous for all

sorts of mountebanks and jugglers. Hither, likewise, the
astrologers resort, both Muhammadan and Pagan.” This
square is no longer in existence, but, I believe, it extend-
—
ed on either side that is to the north and to the south of —
the Lahore Gate of the citadel.

The two principal streets of the city, which terminated

at the Royal Square, are thus described by Bernipr
" They run in a straight line nearly as far as the eye can re&h ;
but the one leading to the Lahore Gate is much the longer.”
The other extended from the Delhi Gate of the city to the
Royal Square. “ In regard to houses,” writes Bernier, " the
two streets are exactly alike, * * there are arcades on both
sides ;
* * they are built of brick and the top serves for a
terrace and has no additional building * • they have not an
uninterrupted opening from one to the other, but are general^
separated by partitions, in the spaces between which are
open shops, where during the day, artisans work, bankers sit
for the despatch of their business and merchants exhibit their
246 MODERN DELHI, OB SHAHJAHANABAD.

wares. * * The houses of the merchants are built over these'

warehouses, at the back of the arcades they look hand-
;

some enough from the street, and appear tolerably commodi-

ous within ; they are airy, at a distance from the dust, and
communicate with the terrace, on which the inhabitants sleep
at night the houses, however are not continued the whole'
;

length of the streets. A few, and only a, few, other parts of

the city have good houses raised on terraces, the build-
ings over the magazines being often too low to be seen
from the street.”

Another square which was called after S’a-ad-ullah Khan

himself has also disappeared, but its site may be placed, on
one side, between the Delhi Gate of the fort and the Soldiers'
garden ; and, on the other side, between the Sonehri Masjid
and the old burial ground, now marked by a Memorial Cross.
The southern side of the square was entered by two streets :

the Faiz Bazaar street extended due north from the Delhi Gate
of the city to the Delhi Gate of the citadel, and the Khds Ba-
zaar street, with a very short break in the middle, joined the
Jam’a Masjid of Shah Jahan with the Delhi Gate of his fort.

Of the two streets described by Bernier, the longer

extended from the Lahore Gate of the city to the Lahore Gate
of the citadel, and the other from the Delhi Gate of the city
to the Lahore Gate of the fort. Both these streets were divid-
ed into several sections, each of which was known by a different
name. The section between the Lahore Gate of the fort and the
entrance of the street called the Dariba, known as the Khani
Darwazah, was called the Urdi or the Military Bazaar ;
owing, very probably, to the circumstance of a portion
of the local garrison having been once quartered about the place.
Between the Khunf Darwdzah and the present Kotwali, or the
Head Police Station of the city, the street has the name of
Bhiil ka Mandi or the flower market. The houses in
front of the Kotw^ali were built, at a short distance
from the line of the rest of the houses in the street, so
as to form a square. Between the Kotwali and the gate
known as the Tardiah, was the Jowhri or the Jewellers’ Ba-
zaar; between the Tardiah and the neighbourhood known as
Asharfi ka Katra, was, pareoccellence^the Chdndnl Chauk. There
was a tank in the centre of the Chauk the site of which is now
occupied by the Municipal Clock Tower, and beyond this to the
 MODERN DELHI, OR SHAHJAHANABAD. 247

Fateh piiri Masjid was the Fatehpun Bazaar. The houses

round Chandni Chauk were of the same height, and were orna-
mented with arched doors and painted verandahs. To the north
and south of the square there were two gate-ways, the
former leading to the Sarai of Jahanara Begam, and the latter
to one of the most thickly populated quarters of the city.
Round the tank the ground was literally covered with vege-
table, fruit and sweetmeat stalls. In the course of time the
whole of this long street came to bo known as the Chandni
Chauk.

This grand street was laid out by Jahanara Begam,

daughter of Shah Jahan, in the year 1600 A. D., and several
years later she built a garden and a sardi on it. From the
Lahore Gate of the fort to the end of the Chdndnf Chauk the
street was about 40 yards wide and 1520 yards long. Throuo-h
the centre of tliis street ran the canal of ’Ah' Mardan, shaded on
both sides by trees. On the eastern end of the Chandni Chauk
stands the Lahore Gate of the Fort, and on the opposite end
the handsome mosque of Fatehpuri Begam.

The second street of Bernier’s narrative extended from the

Lahore Gate of the fort to the Delhi Gate of the city. Of
this the least important portion lay between the Lahore Gate
and the Chauk of S’a-;'id-ullah Khiin. The rest of this street
will be described with the Chauk, which formed its northern
extremity.

Another street of some importance was that which con-

nected the Lahore Gate of the fort with a group of buildino-s^
one of which was converted into the British Residency after
the conquest of Delhi by General Lake. This street was
about half a mile long and 30 feet wide, and for almost the
A-hole of its length it was beautifully shaded by an avenue of
jrnamental trees.

Of the Khas Bazaar nothing now remains. After the

nutiny of 1857, the Chauk of S’a-ad-ullah Khan and the Khas
Bazaar were included in the clearance of the fort grounds.
Both these places were once packed with rich shops and
.-ere thronged by busy crowds from day-light to dark.
Jirough the Khas Bazaar the Emperor proceeded in state to
he Jam ’a Masjid on feast days.
248 MODKRN DELHI, OR SHAHJAHANABAD.

About two-thirds of the Faiz Bazaar still remains.

Shops still stand on either side of this royal street ;
the canal still flows through it, and the ruins of several well
built and once well endowed mosques still attest the past magni-
ficence of this favourite thoroughfare ; but its glory has departed,
and its neighbourhood is now the least popular part of Modern
Delhi. This street was laid out by Akbarabadi Begam, the wife
of Shah Jahan ; she also built here a mosque which was called
after her. The Faiz Bazaar was about 1100 yards in length
and 30 yards in breadth ; it was built about the
same time as the Urdi Bazaar, immediately after
the foundation of the city, and some years before
that of the Chandni Chauk by Jahanara Begam.
The aqueduct which runs through this street is 4 feet

wide and five feet deep, and was constructed by the order of
Shah Jahdn. TheFaiz Bazaar was remarkable for shops which
contained goods from Europe, “ the treasures of Yarak and
Khorasan, and the good things from the Sea ports.”
“ Of the numberless streets which cross each other,”
writes Bernier,
“ many have arcades but having been
;

built at difierent period by individuals who paid no regard

to symmetry, very few are so well built, so wide, or so straight
as those 1 have described.”

Thecity consisted of 36 miihallahs, or quarters, the majority

of which were named after the most renowned nobles of Delhi.
“ Amid these streets,” writes Bernier, are dispersed the
habitations of mawsa6c?drs, officers of justice, rich merchants
and others ; many of which have a tolerable appearance.”
”
Bernier then gives a description of a model “ fine house
in Delhi, and proceeds to say ;
—
“ The dwellings of the
Omrahs, though mostly situated on the banks of the river and
the suburbs, are yet scattered in every direction. * * A
good house has its court-yards, gardens, trees, basins of
water, small jets d’eau in the hall or at the entrance, and
handsome subterraneous apartments, which are furnished
with large fans. * * A house to be greatly admired must
be seated in the middle of a large flower garden, and should
have four large divans, raised to the height of a man from the
ground, and exposed to the four winds, so that the coolness
may be felt from any quarter; indeed, no handsome dwelling
is ever seen without terraces on which the family may sleep
 MODERN DELHI, OH SHAHJAHANABAD. 249

during the night. They always open into a large chamber

into which the bedstead is easily moved in case of rain. * *
The interior of a good house has the whole floor covered with
a cotton mat. Five or six feet from the floor tlie sides of the
room are full of niches, cut in a variety of shapes, tasteful
and well proportioned, in which are seen porcelain vases
and flower pots. The ceiling is gilt and painted, but without
pictures of man or beast, such repi’esentations being forbidden
by the religion of the country.”

Of the palaces of the nobles, the best known were

those of Qamr-uddin Khan, and ’All Marddn, and in later
times, those of Ghazi-uddin, S’a-ddath Khan, and Safdar
Jang. Colonel Polier lived in one of these palaces in 1793 ,
during his short service under the King ot Delhi, and the
description of his house is worth preserving as a curiosity which
may not be noticed again “although in ruins, it bore the traces
:

of grandeur and taste and attested the opulence and

magnificence of its founder ; it was surrounded by
high walls and took considerable quantity of ground,
having lofty arched entrances into the courtyard To each of
such palaces was attached an enclosure for horses and elephants,
for visitorsand their retainers. A
Zanan Khanah (Seraglio),
distinct from the Dewan Khanah, with private communications
between them, were parts of a nobleman’s residence, and each
such residence was accommodated with a sot of baths and
under-ground cells furnished with every sort of convenience.”
The marble baths of S’a-adath Khan, with their glazed
sky-light, and the under-ground rooms of Safdar Jang’s palace,
covered Avith inlaid marble, and ornamented with foliage
in gold, were the admiration of the Indian world.

With all that Avas so grand and costly, there was associ-
ated that form of undisguised poverty Avhich results from
despotism and an unequal division of puAver and wealth
in a country. “ Intermixed Avith these houses,” Avrites
Bernier, “ is an immense number of small ones, composed
of earth and straAV, in Avhlch lodge the common
horsemen and all that vast multitude of servants and settlers
who follow the court and the army. It is owing to these
thatched cottages that Delhi is subject to such frequent
250 THE JAM’a MASJID OE MODEHS DELHI.

conflagrations. It* *
is because of these wretched
ciay and straw houses that I always represent to myself
Delhi as a collection of many villages, or as a military
encampment with a few more conveniences than are generally
found in such places.”

The Jam’a Masjid of Modem

Delhi. The two prin-
cipal buildings in the city,” according to General Cunnino--
ham, “ are the Jam’a Masjid and the Zinat
Masjid. The
former was built by Shahjahan in A. D. 1648, and is one of
the largest and finest mosques in India.”
Accordino- to
all native authorities, its foundation was laid on the loth
Shavval 1060 A. H. (1650 A. D.) It stands on a high
rocky ground commonly known as the Bhojla Pahar,
on the western extremity of the Khas Bazaar and at a
distance of about a thousand yards from Lai Qil’ah. The
masjid is built on a red sand-stone terrace, about 30 feetfroui
the level of the ground and about 1400 square yards in extent ;
and w^as finished under the superintendence of S’a-kd-
ullah Khan, the Prime Minister of Sbah Jahan and Fazl
Khdn. Native authorities state, that six thousand men worked
daily for six years in building this mosque, and that it cost 10
lacs of rupees. The court-yard of the mosque is reached on three
sides, —E. N, and S. —
by three flights of steps, all built of red
stone, well raised and very broad. The northern gate of the
mosque is reached by a flight of 30 steps in olden days
;

these steps were occupied by stalls kept by cooks and bakers,

juggiers and attentive groups which listened to professional
relaters of popular tales. The southern gate is reached
by a flight of 33 steps, which is still covered with
rugs on which cloth-merchants spread out their wares.
^

On this side of the mosque, was a Madrasah, and a large

bazaar which was pulled down after the mutiny
The eastern gate of the mosque, still considered the
royal entrance, is reached by a flight of 35 steps, which in
the evening is still converted into a bazaar for poultry and
birtis in general.

On the w est of the terrace stands the mosque, three sides of

which are formed by open arched colonnades, havino-
in the
centre a lofty tower-hke gateway, through
which the u^osque is
 ;

THE JAMA MASJID OF MODERN DELHI, 251

entered from the different parts of the city. The mosque

is a perfect specimen of the Byzantine Arabic style ; it is
ibout 261 feet long and 90 feet wide, and its roof
is surmounted by three domes, ornamented with alter-
nate stripes of black and white marble, and gilt pin-
nacles. The domes are flanked by two lofty minarets
longitudinally striped with white marble and red-stone,
about 130 feet high, and containing 130 steps. The
minarets are divided by three projecting galleries and are
surmounted by open twelve-sided domed pavilions. On
the back of the mosque, there are four small minarets crown-
ed like those in front. Under the domes of the mosque,
is the hall with seven arched entrances facing the w^est
the walls of the mosque, up to the waist, are covered with
marble. Beyond this is a hall about twenty feet w'ide,
W'ith eleven arched entrances ; the centre arch is wide and
lofty, and in the form of a massive gateway, on either
corner of which is a slim minaret, with the usual octagonal
pavilion surmounting it. Over these arched entrances there
are tablets of w'hite marble, four feet long and two and
a half feet Avide, inlaid with inscriptions in black marble.
These inscriptions gh'e the history of the building of the
mosque, and glorify the reign and tbe virtues of Shah Jahan.
The slab over the centre arch contains simply the words
‘‘
The Guide !”

The mosque stands on a plinth about five feet from the

pavement of the terrace, and three flights of steps lead
to the interior of the mosque from the east, north and south.
The floor of the mosque is covered with white and black
marble ornamented in imitation of the moshalla, or thd carpet
for prayers a thin black marble border marks off each
;

carpet, 3 feet long and feet wide there being in all

;

899 such carpets in the floor of the mosque.

“ says Bernier, “ is cased over
The back of the mosque,”
to the height of the rock wdth large heAvn stones which hide
inequalities and tend to give a noble appearance to the build-
ing.” I he mosque may be said to be built of red
sand-stone, for marble is used for ornamenting the domes,
the floor and the arches of the mosque.
Near the Keblah is an arched niche, adorned with frieze
work Close to this is the pulpit, which consists of four
 —
252 THE JAM’a MASJID OF MODEBIT DELHI.

baloatrated steps, the whole of which is supposed to ha ve been

cut out of one block of marble.
The court of the mosque is enclosed, as already
described, by open arched colonnades, about 20 feet
wide and as many feet high. At the corners of the
cloisters thereare open pavilions with twelve sides,
surmounted by marble domes with gilt pinnacles. The
northern and the southern gateways are alike ; they are
two storeyed half octagonal towers, having the base towards
the ourt of the mosque while the remaining five sides
face the city. These gates are about 50 feet high, 50
feet wide and about 30 feet deep. In the centre of the
tower is an arched door, on either side of which there '

are two arched openings, one in each storey. The roof of

the gateway is protected by a parapet of small narrow
open arches, surmounted by a row of small ornamental marble
domes, and at each corner of this parapet is a slim, tapering
minaret of great beauty. The main entrance of the mosque,
which is on the east of the court-yard, is a massive octagonal
tower, 50 feet high, 60 feet wide and about 50 feet deep.
The corners of the square are cut off to give the building
the appearance of an octagon. In other respects this gateway
is like the two already described. The doors of the three
gateways are made of brass
The court-yard paved with large flags of sand-stone,
is
and is 136 yards square. There is a marble tank in the centre,
about 15 yards long and 12 yards wide, with fountains, once
adorned, which have ceased to work. The tank is filled from a
well across the road on the north west of the mosque ; in 1803,
the well became dry, and was repaired by our government on
the recommendation of the then British Resident, Mr. Archibald
Seton. A small portion of the western corner of the margin
of the tank was marked off with a low marble railing by
Muhammad Tahsin Khan, a eunuch, to secure from defilement
the spot where the prophet had appeared to him in a dream in
the year AH. 1180 (1766 A
D.). The following inscription
records the auspicious event :

The Kausar [taak] of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, in the

year 1180.
The Prophet was seen here by the saints and the people
of God !
 —
THE JAM’a MASJID OF MODERN DELHI. 253

This stoae should be a place for worship ;

The year of its building, Hathif declared with joy and con-
gratulations :

Theenclosure of the seat of the Messenger of God.

Thebuilder of this place of prayer, the writer of these blessed
[words],
Muhammad Tasin Mahal i BMshahi, the year 1180.
The mosque was once repaired in 1817, in the reign
of Akbar II., and a second time in 1851 ; one of the
beams of the mosque has been seriously injured, and is in
want of repair. In the year 1833, the northern minaret of
the mosque was damaged by lightning, and was repaired by
the Executive Engineer of Delhi, under the orders of the
British Resident.

In the year 1829, Mirza Salim, son of Akbar II.,

put up a sand-stone pulpit under the central entrance of
the mosque, the congregation being at times too large to
take part in the prayers offered by the Imam inside the
mosque.

In the north-eastern corner of the court of the mosque

isa plain sphere cut upon marble, giving a map of the worl d
according to the common projection of the sphere. In the
north-eastern corner of the colonnade, in a well cared for but
dingy room, the relics of Muhammad are piously preserved.
These relics were formerly kept in the rooms on the north-
western corner of the court-yard, on the left of the mosque, and
the place was enclosed with a red-stone screen, in the
reign of Aurangzebe, by Almds ’Ah' Kh^n, a nobleman
and a eunuch attached to the imperial household, who also
put up the following inscription on the screen :

In front of this auspicious memorial of the last prophet.

In the reign of Shah ’Alamgir, King of the whole worlJ,
With pious intentions this screen of red-stone’was built.
Bythe slave, the faithful, the clean hearted Alm^s Khan.
When the year and date of this building the Mir inquired of
Thought and Intelligence,
Hathif replied He has opened
: for himself the gates of
paradise.

In the south-western comer of the court-yard, is a

marble sun-dial, corresponding to the plain-sphere on the
opposite side.
 254 THE JAm’a MASJID OF MODERN DELHI.

The following inscriptions are placed over the outer face

of the eleven arched entrances of the mosque :

Fint Tablet, on the extreme northern arch ;

“ By the order of the Emperor of the v^orld ; king of the earth and the age
;
conqueror, master of the world ; conqueror of the countries of the world a Lord
;
powerful as the sky ; founder of the laws relating to equity and punishment
;
strengthener of the pillars of state and of wealth ; the all-knowing, great genius
;
his command is like the decree of fate ; his power is like the decree of God
;
[his] in tell ;ot is auspicious; [his] appearance is agreeable; [his] foitune is
auspicious ; [his] star is exalted ; [his] ga-andeur is like the linnament [his] soldiers
;
are as [numerous as] the stars ; [his] glory is like the sun ; his dwellius is like the
sky.”

Second Tablet ;
—
“ The manifestation of the Almighty’s power
; the object
[on which] has descended the blessings of the Infinite ; the proclaimer of the command
of the Almighty ; the promulgator of the faith of Hdnifa, the illuminator, the protector
of kings and princes God’s deputy on earth ; king, just and great ; Lord, great and
;

beneficent ;Abul Muzaffar, Shah4b-uddin Muhammad S4hih Qiran-i-S4ni, Sh4h

.Jahia, Bkdsh4h, Ghd,zi, may his flag of conquest never decline. May his enemy
be destroyed. The light of his eyes [which can] discern the just is lighted up with
the hght of his [Muhammad] command He who has built mosques to God.’’
;

Third Tablet — “ Has [put

: faith in God and the
his] day [Resurrection]. The
last
mirror of his truth —loving heart has received light from the flame of the lamp of this
command: those countries ai-e best loved by the Almighty in which there are
mosques. This mosque with its foundations as firm as [a] mountain [and as] lofty
asthe firmament, is strengthened by this formula verily, the foundations of a
:

mosque are laid in piety. [The same is also] witnessed by [the command] that the
high mountains were fixed on this earth to make it firm. Its domes and pinnacles
are high, [and] have risen higher than the folds of the firmament the cornice over
;
its sky-like niches has reached [the planet] Saturn.”

Fourth tabUt “ Do you want to know what the niche

or the pinnacle, and the
mukdurah [of this masjid] are hke ? you can only say [in reply] that they are like
the
milky way and the firmament. The pinnacle would have had no equal had
not the sky
been its pair} the niche [itself] would have been only one [of its kind]
had not there
been the milky way to equal it. In its sky-light is seen the whole world
it -rives li<rht
-

tothelamjM of the firmament ; the brilliancy of the pinnacle of its

world-famous dome
increases the light of the lamps of Paradise. Its marble pulpit
is like the stone of the
masjid of Aqsa.
Fifth Tablet.-'^ Itis like a wick of the Qaba-Qausaine-4u-adna the -rlory spread
mg mehrab is lik» the wide foreheaded morning, the bringer
of
;

good news Verilv

a command has come to him from God. Its doors, which
are full of mercy
^1 aloud And God mvitys you to the abode of peace, and this command is carried
to all. Its raiiiai, which is the orbit of the heavens,
compensate the Good with goodness ; the nine folds of the
calls aloud God will•

blue-coloiired dome of
heaven have been pierced by this sound. The terrace [of the
mosque] which is clean
and elevated, the spirits of the celestial sphere [consider it] their
pleasure-ground.”
Sixth Ta6fet.— Contains the words “The Guide!” in. ToorS
° engraved on
each of the two engraved marble bosses in the spandrels.

Sev'^ath Tablet Its wide and heart-opening court-yard

is the place of worship
of the pure-born of this dust hiU [the earth];
the breeze of this^ glorious court
and Its spint, mspu-ing sweet odour, speaks within the garden of paradLe The
heart-winning pure tank, reminds one of
[spring of Par^ise] ‘X® the
On Friday, the 10th of Shavval, in the
year 106a
third-twelfth year of the auspicius reigu
SlheTSSTw.’’"^
 THE JAM’A MASJID OF MODERN DELHI. 255

—
Eighth Tablet. And under a proa|)erous star, (this mosque) obtained the wealth
of completion and the robe of firmness. Within six years, with the efficient exer-
tion of workmen, who hare knowledge of work, and who have experience in work ;
with the great application and devotion of the resoectable men who have the order-
ing of work, and the hearty co-operation of the Masters of learning and wisdom ;
and with the great exertion of the artizans w’ho are skilled and apt-handed ; and at
a cost of ten lacs of rupees, [this mosque] obtained the feature, and the form of
completion. Soon after its completion, on the I’d Fitr.
—
The Ninth Tablet. By the auspicious stej)s of the Pure King, the Shadow of God,
I good intentioned (because of) the knowledge of God, [it] received splendour and glory ;
[after he had] said the prayers appointed for the I’d, and discharged the religious
exercises of Islam, as is done in the masjid of Kabah, and (after the celebration of)
I’d iizhA, it became a place for the meeting of crowds of pco]>le, and the founda-
tions of Islam and faith were blessed with firmness ami strength. Tlio travellers
who have been round the wort .in I tho.so who have fra relied through woods and
1

over mountains, sue’,! u fine building, so large and weii built, in the uiiiror of their
sight.

—
Tenth Tablet. And in the mirror of their intellect [they] never saw, nor [was it]
figured before, nor did the relaters of the events of the age, the anxious students of
prose and poetry, the writers of the wonderful things done by the masters of countries
and wealth ; (writers) who have knowledge of the arts ; men of wealth and ability [see
such a building] a lofty building so grand and noble, never was brought on the
tongue of their pen or on the pen of their tmigue. The builder of the mansion of life,
and the builder of high and low places, [may exalt] this exalted building which
is like the pupil of the eye of intellect :aid the bestower of par adise on the things of
this world.

—
Eleventh Tablet. May perfiotuato the souml of the Tasbfh, [and the voice of] the
repeati-i’s of the Ta--bih, m.’vaddtothe ghuy of the speakers in the assembly of
the a" : :iinl the voj e oi the readeis of the Tahlil increase ]ov, in the assembly
of tin ei .11 ^e f .J abi'uth.
1 i lie he.ids of the pulpits of the world, may preserve with
the khalhah of the form of etei mil prosperity th.i.' hing; the doer of just iec. the cherisher
of faith, [and the] virtues of Ills pure and au.sjucious form, [by whom] the door of
plenty .-.lul iie.ace has been opened for the world. For the sake of God and that
of his good men ; copied by Nvir Allah.

To
the north of the Jam^ Masjid was the Imperial
Dispensary, and to tlie south was the Imperial College ; both
these buildings fell into ruin long before the rebellion of 1857,
and w’ere levelled with the ground soon after that event.
They were built with the mosque in 1060 A. H. (1650 A.

To
the north-east of the Masjid is the grave of Sarmad
and at that of Hare Bhare Shah Sahib his disciple,
its foot
Sarmad was a Jew, and was converted to Muhammadanism
during his residence in Delhi. He was an admirer and ally of
Dara Sheko, and wrote amatory odes to the Prince ;
his
impromptus are very popular in Delhi. Having given offence
to Aurangzebe by his open advocacy of the cause of Dara Sheko,
he was beheaded for heresy by the order of the Emperor, in
the year 1070 A. H. and" from that day,” says a native histo-
;

rian, " the house of Timir declined both in glory and power.”

After the execution of Dara Sheko, and the restoration

356 THE beqam’s baqh, or the queen’s gardens.

of peace, Aurangzebe sent for Sarmad and asked him if it were

true that he had promised the kingdom of Delhi to Dara :

“Yes,” said Sarmad, “ I promised him the eternal kingdom.”

On hearing of his death, Bernier wrote as follows “ I was
:

for a long time disgusted with a celebrated Fakir, named

Sarmad, who walked in the streets of Delhi as naked as he came
to the world. He despised equally the threats and persuasions
of Aurangzebe, and underwent at length the punishment of
decapitation for his obstinate refusal to put on his wearing
apparel.” Sarmad was considered “ well inspired” and a man
of sanctity ; to this day offerings are made at his grave by
the people of Delhi.

TheBegam’s Bagh,or The Queen’s Gardens. — ^The garden

of Jahandra Begam stands on the Chdndni Chauk, and was
laid out in the year 1060 A. H, (1650 A. D.) by the favourite
daughter of Shah JahtLn ; it is now called the Queen’s gardens.
The size and the shape of the garden has not been much al-
tered, but of its heavy enclosure walls very little now remains,
and of the open octagonal pavilions, which once manned them,
only four have survived the changes which this garden has
experienced since 1857. Of these pavilions two may be seen on
the northern wall of the garden ; one overlooks the quarter of the
city knoAvn as Nilka Katra, and the fourth faces the menagerie.
The pavilions are about 20 feet high and stand on a platform
about 15 feet from the ground. The Delhi canal runs right
through the garden, and at a short distance from it stood small
pleasure houses, the site of one of which is now marked by the
menagerie ; what now remains of this building is a four arched
room, 50 feet long, 20 feet wide and 19 feet high. In a parterre
of the garden the local authorities have put up a small marble
tank, cut out of one piece of marble, and which was removed to
its present place from one of the mahals in the Fort. This tank
stands on four square marble pillars, and is 10 feet long, feet
broad, 3 feet high and 2^ feet deep. According to native his-
torians, the length of the garden was 970 yards, and its aver-
age breadth 240 yards.

The site of Delhi Institute, and the grounds

the
immediately around belonged to the Sarai of Jahdnara
it,
]^gam, which was levelled with the ground soon after the rebel-
lion of 1857. The Sarai had two entrances, one on the south fa-
 ;;

FATSHPUBI MASJID. 257

cing the Chdndni Chauk, and the other on the north which
was its garden-gate. In the court of the Sarai there
were two large wells and a mosque ; the walls of the court-yard
contained two-storeyed rooms, two-deep, and here travel-
lers were accommodated and itinerant merchants warehoused
their merchandise. Bernier gives the following account of the
Sarai :
“ The caravansary
is a large square with arcades like
our Place Royale, except that the arches are separated from each
other by partitions, and have smaller chambers at their
inner extremities. Above the arcades runs a gallery all round
the building, into which open the same number of chambers as
there are below. This place is the rendezvous of the rich
Persian Usbec and other foreign merchants, who in general
may be accommodated with empty chambers, in which they re-
main with perfect security, the gates of the caravansary being
closed at night.”

—
Fatehpuri Masjid. In the year lOGO A. 11, (1^50 A.
D.) Fatehpuri Begam, one of the wives of the Emperor Shah
Jahan, built a mosque at the western extremity of the Chandni
Chauk, which still bears her name. It is about the only
single domed mosque in Modern Delhi and is a fine building
its lofty, flanking minarets and huge single dome have an
imposing effect from a distance. It was a place of great
repute at one time, and as things go, it has not lost its popu-
larity as a place of worship. Three heavy tower -like gate-
ways, with arched entrances and embattled parapets flanked
by slim masonry minars, lead into a high walled enclosure,
about 80 yards scjuare. The gates which face the north
and east are not more than 30 feet high, and about 27 feet
square. 'I'he gateway on the south is 27 feet square and
only 10 feet deep. The entrance through this gateway is
about 8 feet wide and 1 1 feet high. The western side of the
enclosure, the inner walls of which consist of shops con-
taining double rooms, is occupied by the mosque. The
nearest object, as you enter the enclosure, is the tank in front
of the mosque it is about 16 yards long and 14 yards broad
;

between the tank and the mosque is a sandstone paved and

walled court-yard, which is 130 feet long and 90 feet broad,
and is entered by two low doorways in its northern and
southern walls.
 '

258 PATEHPtJEI MASJID.

In the centre of the mosque, which stands on a plinth 3^

feet high and is an oblong of 120 feet by 40, is its main
entrance, a lofty arch recessed about 16 feet into the front
wall of the building, having in the smaller or its inner wall
a door. Over the outer main arch the roof is crown-
ed with an embattled parapet. On either side of this arch
is a pilaster supporting a minar, which rises only a few
feet above the paz-apet, and is surmounted by 4 pillared
open sand-stone pavilions ; between these flanking pilas-
ters and the arch, there are marble and red sand-stone
rectilineal bands which enclose the arch. Behind the
parapet is the solitary but graceful dome, now covered with
very fine masonry plaster, striped with black and white, and
with a pinnacle also made of masonry. On either side of
the centre arch, but about twelve feet lower, are. the two wings
of the mosque, each consisting of three scolloped arches, about
30 feet high and 10 feet broad; the I’oof over these arches
is also protected by embattled parapets, and the mosque is
flanked by lofty minars, about 80 feet high, supporting solid
block masonry octagonal pavilions in the place of the open
sand-stone pavilions which originally belonged to them. The
roof of the mosque has battlemeuted parapets on its three fa-
gades on the back of the mosque there are four minarets of red
;

stone, which do not stand over 10 feet from the roof and are ;

surmounted by ornaments resembling flow er pots. Under tiie

parapets there is a deep stone weathering, which, however,
does not stretch in front of the centre entrance
of the mosque. There are three steps in front of the
main doorway, and three each in front of the centre
arches of its two wings. 'I’he capital and base of
every pillar is ornamented in the simplest style of foliage.

The dome of the mosque is bulbous in shape, and

stands on a stone and masonry cylinder about four feet
high ;
it is built of sand-stone and is covered wdth lime
plaster, and is painted in longitudinal .stripes of black and
wliite.

The mosque has recently undergone some

inside of the
alterations. Behind the main entrance and under the dome
is the room which contains the centre Mehrab of the
Keblali, and a marble pulpit of 4 steps stands on its
left. Tills IS the only piece of marble in the mosque.
On
 UASJm SXRRANDI. 259

either side of the centre room, there used to he one row of red
stone pillars dividing the wings of the mosque into two com-
partments. About eight years ago the roofs over the wings of
the mosque were considered unsafe, and two rows of white
sand-stone pillars were added to the building to strengthen
them. The front pillars of the mosque, as already described,
are of red sand-stone, and between these and the stone pillars
of the original work, there are slim but graceful double pillars
of whitish sand-stone, and between the second row of the red
sand-stone pillars and the back wall of the mosque, there is
another row of double white sand stone pillars which belong
to the additions recently made to the mosque. In the
centre of the back wall of every side room there is a recessed
arch. The centre room of the mosque is about 40 feet
square, and its colonnaded side rooms 3 but very little

larger. In the northern and southern walls of the mosque,

there are doors which I am told were opened out about 40
years ago. The communication between the side rooms is
through an arch about 16 feet high and 10 feet wide.
The following inscription on the face of the mosque gives
the date of the repair ;

“ When this mosque, an exalted [place of] grace,

Was [first] seen by the sky, it [the sky] bent its back in veneration.
Of the date of its repair Pure Thought said ;
This lofty [and] clean mosque, [has been] lepaire'., 1289 Hijri,
By Haji Mubammed Taqi, under the superinte .('''•'ce of the well wisher*,
Hdji Qutb-ud-di'n and Cholam Muhammad.”

Masjid Sarhandi.— In front of the Lahore gate of the

city of Modern Delhi, in the year 1060 A. H. (1650 A. D.)
Sarhandi Begam, one of the wives of the Emperor Shah Jahan,
built this mosque. The mosque consists of three rooms
which are entered through three scolloped and pointed
arches. It is about 46 feet long, 17| feet wide and 22
feet high, from the floor in front to the parapet of the
middle arch; the arches are 1# feet high the roof is;

protected by a false embattled parapet, and is surmounted

by three domes with pinnacles of re^ sand-stone. The
centre dome is 20 feet high, and the -.de ones are 15 feet
high. The mosque is built of stone and mortar; the inner walls
are covered with red sandstone. The terrace on which the
mosque stands is faced with bricks and is paved with plaster.
260 BAQH BOSHANABA.

Bagh Roshanara —Or the garden

of Roshanara Begans,
the favorite sister of Aurangzebe, and the most determined
enemy of her brother Dard. Sheko. “ Less beautiful,’ says
Bernier, “ and less remarkable for understanding than
her sister Jahanara but, adds Sir Edward Sullivan, on
what authority I do not know, “ was yet cheerful, grace-
ful and ambitious and was not far behind her sister in the
pursuit of doubtful pleasure. ” Roshanard laid out this garden
in the year 1060 A. H. (1650 A. D.,) when her father, Shah
Jahdn, built Modern Delhi, and made grants of land to her
courtiers and relatives. In the thirteenth year of the reign
of Aurangzebe, Roshanara died in Delhi and was buried in her
garden.

The garden has recently beenmuch altered and improved

by Colonel Cracroft, Commissioner of the Delhi Division ; the
old ruined buildings have been removed, but a portion of the
masonry canal and the eastern gateway of the garden have been
carefully preserved. The garden no longer maintains any of
its peculiar oriental features, but the mausoleum of Roshanara
is still in existence and in good order.

The tomb, which has a flat roof, stands on a masonry ter-

race about 159 feet square, and about 3 feet high ; in the
centre of each of its four walls there are four steps leading to
the top of the terrace which is protected by a 2 feet high ma-
sonry wall. The tomb stands at a distance of 45 feet from
this wall, and is 69 feet square ; it is about 2 1 feet high,
inclusive of the four feet high parapet of its roof. The tomb
consists of four two-storeyed corner rooms, and a centre room
which connected with them by a verandah. The corner
is
rooms have an entrance on each of its four sides, and
in the upper storey, which is reached by steps in the wall,
there are corresponding openings.

Between the corner rooms, there are four heavy stone pillars,
supporting scolloped arches, which were covered at one time
with fine painted plaster ; the base, the capital and about a
third of the lower shaft of every pillar are ornamented with en-
graved foliage. At a distance of about 6 feet from the first row
of pillars there are four rows of similar pillars. On each
of the four corners of the roof, there is a four-pillared domed
pavilion of masonry, about 5 or 6 feet square, having a stone
 ZINATH-CL-MASAJID. 261

pinnacle and a heavy stone weathering under the dome.

In the middle of the building there is a square
room, which contains the grave of Roshanara the —
entrance of this room is on the south and the head
of the grave is to the north. The rest of the walls
are formed by screens of stone lattice work, covered with
plaster ; this covering is very modern and its object not quite
evident.
The room containing the grave is 10 feet square ; the
floor is paved with marble; round the inner walls there is a
deep stone weathering, but as there is no roof to the room
the grave is exposed to the light of the day and the inclemen-
cy of the weather. On the four corners of the roof of this open
chamber there are four holes which were intended to receive
the four posts of the awning that used to be put over the grave.
The monument over the grave is in the shape of a casket, but
the top is filled with earth, much in the style of the tomb
over the grave of J ahanard. The monument is 6 feet 5 inches
long and 2^ feet wide, and at its head a dwarf marble pillar
is put up for lighting the grave.

Of the different water cuts and fountains that once

adorned the garden there now remains a long tank
between the eastern gateway of the garden and the
mausoleum ; it is 277 feet long and 124 feet broad.

Ziillftth'lll-Masajid-— So far as it lay in his power,

A urangzebe rigidly enforced the observance of celebacy on his
sisters and daughters, and one of the victims of
this wretched policy was Zmath-ul-nisa Begam, the
daughter of Aurangzebe. In 1122 A, H. (1700 A. D.)
she bmlt this mosque, which partly bears her name,
and which, next to the J am’a IVIasjid, is the most important
buildii^ of its kind in Shahjahanabad or Modern Delhi The
mosque stands on the western bank of the Jamna, on an
eminence, which renders it so conspicuous to a spectator
on the opposite bank of the river. About 30 yards from
the city wall there is a terrace which rises about 14 feet from
the level of the ground, towards the river but, in-land, the
;
terrace is on a level with the city road. In the river face of
the terrace there are thirteen rooms, and on the extreme north
and south of these rooms there are two arched entrances with 17
262 *INATH-t;L-MASJlD.

steps in each, leading up to the court of the masjid. This court i

is 195 feet long and 110 feet broad, with a tank, an oblong of j

43 feet by 33, in the centre. The terrace is protected on the i

N. and S. by embattled parapets 2 feet high. The margin

of the tank is covered with marble ; is inner walls were
originally faced with stone, and now repaired with masonry.

The mosque is about 1 50 feet long and 60 feet broad, and

stands on a plinth about 4 feet from the level of the courtyard.
It has seven scolloped arched entrances in which are set
seven arched doorways facing the east ; over each doorway,
excepting the one in the centre, there is a slab of white
marble, probably intended for inscriptions. Three huge
bulbous domes, longitudinally striped with bands of black
and white marble, surmount the roof of the mosque they stand
;

on large white marble cylinders and are topped with copper gilt
pinnacles. The centre dome is 37 feet high, allowing
7 feet to the pinnacle, 18 feet to the bulbous body, and 12 feet
to .the marble neck the
;
side domes are 30 feet
from the roof, the neck being about 8 feet high, the body
about 16 feet, and the pinnacle about another 6 feet. The
domes are hollow inside. The front of the mosque is flanked
by two red sand-stone minarets, each about a hundred feet
high, supporting an octagonal pavilion of white marble. On
the back of the mosque, there are four open pavilions with
marble domes.

The inside of the mosque has been much altered by par-

titions which converted it into a private residence. The rooms
are two deep ; the front rooms with flat roofs are narrow,
the back rooms have arched roofs ; the latter support the
domes above and are of great width, in the tower-like
centre entrance, which is about 46 feet high and 35 feet wide,
there is an arch about 30 feet high and about 20 feet broad, and
recessed in it, there is another arcli 19 feet high and 12 feet wide ;
in the second arch is the door which leads into the centre com-
partment of the mosque. On either side of the chief entrance
is a tall slim minaret about 50 feet high, supporting an octago-
nal pavilion with a gilt pinnacle The roof of the mosque
between the two minars, which is about 46 feet high, is crowned
with an embattled parapet. Between these minars and the big
arch there are rectilineal bands of marble and red-stone
which enclose the latter.
 ! ;

THB MAUSOLBCH AND MADEASAH OF QHAZI-DDDIN KHAN. 263

The six side arches areopen and are about 24 feet high
and about 10 feetbroad these arches are also scolloped and are
;

supported by plain red-stone pillars. The roof above the side

arches is also embattled, and is about as high as the apex of the
outer centre arch, that is, about 33 feet from the floor of the
courtyard. Each of the arches is about 21 feet high and 13
feet wide, the ^supporting pillars being about three feet wide.

The marble pulpit must have been removed after the re-
bellion of 1857 and the occupation of the mosque as an artillery
barrack.

During her life-time, Zinath-ul-nisa Begam built her

tomb within the enclosure of the mosque, and she was buried
in it in'the year 1122 A. H. (1700 A. D.) This tomb was
destroyed immediately after the mutiny of 1857, the marble
monument was removed and the grave levelled with the
ground. The tomb stood on the north of the mosque ; it
was built of sand-stone, the room within was paved with
marble and the grave was enclosed by a dwarf marble
railing ;
at the head of the grave was engraved the
following inscription, which follows a verse from the
Quran, on a slab of marble :

For a friend in my grave, God's forgiveness is alone sufficient

The canopy of my grave, is the shadow of the cloud of God’s mercy.

In the hope of a righteous end, Fathmah Zinath-ul-nisa Begam’

daughter of Badshah Mohl-uddin Mahammad Alamgir Ghazi,

May God illuminate his works ; 1122 Hijri

The Mausoleum and Madrasah of Ghazi-uddin

Khali. -Ghazi-uddin Kban, the son of Nizam-ul Mulk, the
founder of the “ Nizam dynasty ” of Haidrabad, was one cf the
leading Amirs of the court of Aurangzeb and of his son and
successor, Shah ’A lam Bahadur Shdh. He built this mausoleum
during his life-time, and when his death occurred at Ahmeda-
bad in 1122 A. H. (1710 A. D.), his body w^as brought to
Delhi and interred here. The tomb was outsid®' the walls of
 264 THK MAUSOLIUM AND MADRASAH OF GHAZI-DDDIN KHAN.

\ Modern Delhi, but in 1803, when the British Government re-

paired the walls of that city, the mausoleum and madrasah of
Ghdzi'-uddin Khan were included in it.
)

The court of the tomb and its associated college is entered

through a lofty and handsome arched gateway in its eastern
wall Ton either side of this gateway -there is a small door which
turns into the main entrance. There are arched rooms in the
outer wall of the gateway, which are supposed to have been
used as kitchens by the students of the college. The quad-
rangle of the tomb is about 300 feet square, and is thus form-
ed ; on the west is a mosque, on either side of which is a small

piece of ground, an oblong of 60 feet by 40 feet ; the ground,

on its BibrUi, is enclosed by walls of sand-stone screen and here
isthetombofGhdzi-uddinKh^n; that on its is still unoc-,,.

cupied. On the north there are, first, a row of three arched

double-rooms of red sandstone, then follows a row of five
arched double-rooms standing a little lower than the first room,
and next to these there is a row of four two-storeyed double-
rooms of masonry, which adjoins a large gateway now closed to ;

the left of thegateway the rooms are like those already describ-
ed. The southern wall is in every respect similar to that on the
north. On the north-eastern corner of tlie eastern wall there
are tenmasonry arched double-storeyed rooms, adjoining which
is the main entrance. On the south of this gateway
the buildinars are like those on its north. Within this
quadangle there were some very fine ornamental trees,
but of these very few now remain. The Madrasah was closed
in 1793 for w-ant of funds, and, after the rebellion ot 1857, the
rooms of the quadrangle have been occupied by the local Po-
lice.

The tomb of Ghazi'-uddin Khdn is in a small enclosure

on the south of the mosque the walls are of “ brown and fawn-
;

coloured stone lattice,” about ten feet high the northern wall
;

is formed by a side of the mosque and the southern by a row of

arched rooms, corresponding to those on the opposite side of
the quadrangle. In the centre of this small court there is a
smaller court, 10 feet by 16 feet, formed by marble walls 9
feet high. The sand-stone walls of the outer enclosure have
two doors and two stone slab panels, ornamented with embos.
 -

' ^
 ghazi-uddin khan. 265
the mausoleum and madeasah of
u
which are carved to look like
sed flowers in bold Felief,
w^ls there are
closed doors; on- the top of these
high. Inclusive
ornamental pierced balustrades about 2 feet
two walls there are ten com-
of the doors in each of the
each of these com-
partments of pierced stone work ;
very graceful mina-
partments is flanked by small but
3i feet above the balustrades. The floor
rets which rise about
mner
ot the outer and the inner enclosures are of garble. The
plinth, about 2^ feet high,
enclosure of the tomb stands on a
ornamented, and the walls
the sides of which are beautifully
are about 6 feet from the plinth ;
the balustrades are of pierced
marble work about 1 foot high ;
the mam entrance is on the
south with flanking small minarets, which also may be seen
The doors of the outer screens and
on the four corners.
about 18 inches above the
those of the inner enclosure rise
One of the false doors in the western
level of the walls.
screen has been removed by violence.

of which
There are three graves in the inner enclosure,
the centre grave is that of Ghdzi-uddln
Khan.

To the west of the tomb, and on the back of the mosque,

there are two graves in a
but a few yards removed from it,

sexacronal shallow well ; this place was once covered by a pavi-

of which the pillars and dome have disappeared, but
lion
traces ot the former are still visible. The monuments over
the graves are of marble, and ornamented with engrav-
ings of verses from the Quran. These monuments
stand on a
plinth about 2^ feet high, and are most elaborately
ornamented
with inlaid patterns in various coloured stones. The floor of
sand-
the well is paved with black and white marble and red
stone.

The mosque stands about 2^ feet above its terrace,

and is built of red sand-stone, with spandrels of
marble and bands and narrow ornamental panels of the same
material with seven arched entrances. The mosque has in the
centre arch an arched door as the centre entrance of the
mosque. The centre arch, which is deeply recessed on the face
of the mosque, is about 40 feet high, flanked by two minarets
which rise about 12 feet above the gateway and support two
octagonal pavilions. The side arches are about half as high as
the centre arch and the roof of the mosque, which is flanked by
266 SONEHRI MASilD, OR THE HOLDEN MOSQUE OFROSHAN-UDDOULAH.

minarets like those on the sides of the centre arch, is pro-

tected by embattled parapets ; the top of the gateway is or-
namented by a similar parapet. On the front of the mosque
the terrace is about 6 feet high and is an oblong of 88 feet by
44 feet. A flight of about eight steps leads to the top of the
terrace. There are three rooms in the mosque, supporting its
three domes. The floor of the mosque, under the centre
dome, is paved with oblong slabs of freestone and with bands of
black marble ; the court in front of the mosque is paved with
sandstone. The pavilions on the minarets in front have corres-
ponding pavilions on the back wall of the mosque. The centre
dome stands over the centre room of the mosque, and the
side domes stand over its side rooms. The domes are built of
masonry and stand on low necks of the same material.
The tank in front of the mosque, which is very wide
and deep, is now dry.

Sonehri Masjid. or the Golden Mosque ofRoshan-

—
uddoulah. '' Some buildings,” remarks General Cunningham,
in a Memorandum, of Instructions furnished by him to the
Government of India, “maybe remarkable only for their his-
torical interest, but they are worth preserving on that account
alone, although they may be otherwise insignificant. Such,
for instance, is the small mosque of Roshan-udoulah in the
Chandni Chauk at Delhi, where Nadir Shah sat for several
hours while plunder and massacre was going on all around
him.”

This mosque is an oblong of 48 feet by 19 it ;

stands
on a masonry platform about 1 1 feet from the level of the
road which it overlooks ; the top of its unpretending
gateway is on a level with the court of the mosque,
while the entrance itself is barely 7 feet high. Eight narrotv
steps lead up to the court of the mosque which is paved
with sand-stone, and is about 50 feet long and 22
feet wide. The mosque is built throughout of masonry
and stone, but the pilasters which support the minarets
are of red sand-stone. There are three arched entrances to
the mosque leading into its three rooms ; the centre
arch is ten feet' high and those on its sides are about a foot
smaller. The centre arch is flanked by red-stone minarets, sur-
 — —
SONEHBI MAEJID, OR THE aOJ>DEN MOSQUE OFEOSHAN-UDDOULAH. 267

mounted by block octagonal masonry pavilions with, gilt

domes and pinnacles, and are about 20 feet high. The
off-flanking minarets of the mosque are about 35 feet high,
and are surmounted by four-pillared open masonry pavilions
with gilt domes and pinnacles. On the back of the mosque there
are four corresponding minarets. The three rooms of the
mosque are covered by three large gilt domes, the centre
dome being larger than those on its sides. The middle
dome is about 1 8 feet and the side domes are about 15 feet
from the roof of the mosque, and about 45 and 42 feet
respectively from the court of the mosque.*

The following account of the massacre of Delhi is summa-

rised from the history of Nadir Shah by Abdul Karim ;

“ The army of the Moghal king was so curiously attired, and the
men were of such uncouth appearance that they drew the derision of
the people of Delhi. On the third night after the occupation of Delhi
by Nadir Shah, a report was spread in the city that the Emperor
Muhammad Shah had assassinated Nadir Shah in the citadel. The
Qazlbash, or the soldiers of Nadir Shah, were attacked by the citizens
of Delhi, and it is said that 3000 of these soldiers were killed. At
midnight a report of what had occurred was sent to Nadir Sh4h. N4dir
Shah disbelieved the report till it was impo.ssible to do so, when he
seut an orderly to enquire into the matter. Those who heard the news
had no news to give. The orderlies were murdered, and N4dir Shah
ordered 2000 Jaz4rchis to occupy the gates of the fort, and fire into the
crowd. For a time the disturbance in the city abated but by day- ;

light it rose again. Nadir Shah then rode out of the fort to the
nios(]ue of Koshan-uddoulah. Fired at the sight he saw there, he
onlei'i'd his Jazaichis and three thousand men besides, at 7 in the
luorning, to draw their swords and to spare no man dressed as a Hind ;
any man so attired was to have the garment of life stript from his
body; and murder and plunder, killing and robbing, and all that is
necessary to complete hard-heartedness and violence should be exceed-
ed and no man should forbear.”

* On the face of the mos<jue is the following inscription ;

In the reign of the King of the Seven climes.

Dignified like Solomon, Muhammad Shdh, Lord.
For Shdh Bhik, the Polar Stiir of the Age,
This Ma.sjid [wm erected, and] it is unrivalled in the world for its .splendour.
O God it is not [that the masjid i-, dedicated to,] but for his good acts,
!

It is named after, Koshan-uddoulah, Zafar Khan,

IGdate, calculated from the Hijah [of Muhammad]
Is one thousand, one hundred thirty and four.
268 SONEHRIMASJID, ORTHEQOLDENMOSQtTEOFROSHAN-UDDOtTLAH.

From 7 in the morning to 4 in the evening Delhi was

given up to massacre : “the had ppople of the city
abandoned it and the good suffered.” The city kotwal reported
the death of thousands and the scene of the massacre
extended to the following localities from the Lahore
;

Gate of the city to the old Tdgah, near Jahanuma ; to the

north as far as the Pari Mosque, and to the
south, beyond the Delhi Gate of the city ; “ round
the Jama Masjid” and “ towards Pahar ganj, the root ot the
troubles,” and those who were made prisoners here
were taken to the bank of the Jumna and beheaded.
“ The quarters first attacked were those occupied by
jewellers, Sharafs, bankers and merchants.”* Some of
the noblemen of Delhi, who were well affected to the foreig-
ners and Nadir Shah, were defended by the Qazlbash,
and “ small neighbourhoods were spared in this manner,”
Muhammad Shdh, alarmed at the reports which bad reached
him, sent a messenger to Nadir Shah and begged for forgive-
ness ; the tyrant relented and spared the people of Delhi “ for
the sake of Shah Muhammad.” Another account states, that
Mirzd, Mehdi, the physician of Nddir Shah, was seated on the
steps ot the mosque, when Asif Jah, Prime Minister of Shsxh
Muhammad, brought him a long-winded petition and begged
for mercy. The Mirza remarked to Asif Jah, that before the
petition was finished the whole of Delhi would be depopulated,
and requested that the Vazir should revise it. Asif Jah,
alarmed and distracted, left the matter in the hands of Mirza
Mehdi who, advancing towards Nadir Shah, respectfully
repeated the following verse :

The Prime Minister of Hindustan, bare-headed and with eyes

full of tears,
Is anxious to know whether your victory-seeking soldiers are to
wash their hands in blood or water ?

“ I have forgiven the citizens of

Delhi, said Nadir, “for
the sake of the Vazir’s grey beard.” “ And such,” says the
historian, “ was the state of discipline in the army,
that when
the order for peace was given, even the murderer
drew
back his sword from the throat of his would-be victim.”

street, which is still occupied by jewellers.

bankers and mercliants
 JANTAR KANTAB. 269

Jantar Mantar. —“ On our way back to the camp,” writes

Thorn, “ we stopped to view the celebrated observatory called
the Genter Muntur, erected in the third year of the reign of
Muhammad Shah, inl724,by the famous astronomer, Jeysing,
or Jayasinah, Rajah ofAmbhere, and founder of the principa-
lity of J eypore. This monument of oriental munificence and
science, is situated without the walls of the city, near two
miles from the Juinma musjid but the work was never
;

completed, on account of the de^h of the projector, and the

subsequent confusions of the empire. The observatory was,
however, sufficiently advanced to mark the astronomical skill
and accuracy of the prince by whom it was designed, though
it has suffered severely from the ravages of the Jauts, who,
not content with carrying off all the valuable materials which
were portable, committed many wanton excesses upon the
finest parts of the edifice. The great equatorial dial is still
nearly perfect, but the gnomon and the periphery of the
circle on which the degrees are marked have been injured
in several parts. The length of this gnomon is one hundred
and eighteen feet seven inches the base one hundred and
;

four feet one inch ; and the perpendicular fifty-six feet nine
inches. A flight of stone steps leads up to the top of the
gnomon, edges of which as well as the arches, were of white
marble.
“Besides this stupendous instrument which, on account of
its magnitude and accuracy, was denominated by Jeysing
himself the Seinrat Genter, or ‘‘ the prince of dials,” there are
two others of a .similar construction and materials, but on a
smaller scale. The three gnomons are connected by a wall, on
which is described a graduated semicircle for measuring the
altitudes of obj ects lying due east or west from hence,
“ In a southerly direction from the great equatorial dial
are two buildings exactly alike, and adapted for the same
purpose, which was that of observing the altitude and
azimuths of the stars. It is evident that these duplicate
structures were designed to prevent errors by obtaining
different observations at the
same time, and comparing the
results. These which are of a circular form
last buildings,
and open at the top have, each of them, a pillar of the same
height in the centre, from whence proceed horizontally, at
about three feet from the bottom, thirty radii of stone to the
270 FAKHR-UL-MASAJID, OR THE PRIDE OF MOSQUES.

circumference. The intermediate spaces are equal to the radii,

so ihat each of these, with the space between, forms together a
complete sector of six degrees. Within the side of the wall are
recesses, on the edges of which are marked the tangents of the
degrees of the sun’s altitude, as exhibited by the shadow of the
perpendicular still in the centre, and numbered from one degree
to forty-five; but when the sun exceeds that height, the deg-
rees are marked on the radii, numbered from the pillar in such
a manner as to note exactly the complement of the altitude.
These degrees are even sub-divided into minutes ; hut the
opposite spaces in the wall, which are divided into six equal
parts or degrees, have no sub-divisions. By observing on
which of these the shadow of the pillar falls, the sun’s
azimuth may be ascertained at once ; and in the same manner
may the lunar altitudes and azimuths be determined, as
well as those of any star that comes upon the meridian.
Between these buildings and the great equatorial dial
is a concave of stone-work, representing the celestial
hemisphere, twenty-seven feet five inches in diameter. It is
divided by seven lines of masonry at the distance of fifteen
degrees from each other, and intended as delineations of so
many meridians.”

Fakhr-ul-Masajid, or ThePride or Mosques— Was built

in the year 1141 A. H. (1728 A. D.), by Fakhr-ul-nisa
Begam, the wife of Nawdb Shuja-’ath Khan, an Amir of the
Court of Aurangzeb. It stands near the Kashmir Gate, on a
platform about 40 feet by 24 feet, and about 8 feet from the
ground. In the eastern face of the platform there are
small shops facing the road. The top of the platform, or
terrace, is paved with sand-stone and is protected bv a dwarf
stone parapet. The court of the mosque is enclosed on
three sides, on the west by the mosque, and on the north and
the south by two arcades about 8 feet high, 8 feet wide and
23 feet long. The arcades consist of three compartments, the
middle compartment is entered through three arched doors,
and is double the size of the adjoining compartments.

The mosque itself stands on a two-feet high sand-stone

plinth. It consists of three rooms, each having a scol-
loped arched entrance. The face of the mosque is
 ;

TAKHR-UL-MASAJID, OR THE PRIDE OF MOSQDES. 27l

covered with marble, and ornamented with bands of red-

stone which' enclose the arches. The roof of the
mosque is protected in front by an embattled marble parapet
the parapet over tlie centre arch is about four feet hiurher
than those on the side arches. The mosque is flanked by
lofty minarets striped longitudinally with marble and red-
stone, and surmounted by small octagonal open pavilions, with
gilt domes and pinnacles. On either side of the centre arch
there is a minaret which rises about 8 feet above the roof of
the mosque ; it is also striped with marble and red-stone, and
is surmounted by four-pillared open pavilions. The pinnacles
of the minarets are also of copper-gilt. Behind these minarets
the roof of the mosque is surmounted by three graceful domes,,
one over each of the rooms of the mosque; they are striped
like the minarets, but with white and black marble, and are
topped with gilt pinnacles.

The floor of the mosque is paved with white marble, divid-

ed into squares with bands of red-stone. From the floor
to the height of about feet, the inner walls are faced with
marble, the rest of the walls are of sand-stone. In the back- wall
of the mosque are the mehrabs (recessed arches) of the Qib-
lah ; they are about 10 feet high. On the left of the
centre recessed arch is the marble pulpit. The inside of the
domes are of masonry. In the left side-wall of the mosque
is a door, and on the right a small room for the use of the
mulld (pi'iest) in charge of the mosque. The left wall of the
mosque, and. the colonnade on the same side suffered during
the siege of Delhi in 1857, and a cannon ball dismantled the
pavilion of the minaret on its north-eastern corner.

The mosque is entered from the north-eastern corner of

the platform some of tire steps leading up to the court of the
;

mosque are covered by the roof of the doorway.

On
the door of the mosque is the following inscription
on marble “ Fakhr-ul-Masajid
:
;
” and over the centre arch,
the following :

The Khan, the Cherisher of Faith, Shuja-’ali Khan, has obtained a

plane in Paradise.
By the will of God and the grace of Murtaza,
Chief of the ladies and slave of Fatimah, Fakhr Jahan [Pride of
the world],
Built this mosque, to his memory by the blessing of Mustafa.
2f2 THE OARDEN, AND THE GATES OF MAHALDAR KHAN.

The Garden, and the Gates of Mahaldar Khan.—About

four miles to the north-west of Modern Delhi are the gates
and garden of Nazir Mahaldar Khan, an officer of some im-
portance in the reign of Muhammad Shah ; both the garden
and the gates stand on the road to Karnal, and were built in
the year 1141 A H. (1728 A. D.) The garden occupies
several acres of land, and its main entrance is on the Karnal
road. The gate of the garden has two arched doorways about
9 feet wide, 14 feet high and 35 feet deep, being of the depth
of the two rooms on either side of the passage. Red-stone
is used only in ornamenting the arches of the gateway
and of a projecting bracket on either side of them.
About 180 feet from the entrance of the garden there is a 40
feet square building, a sort of lodge, standing on a terrace 4
feet high and 60 feet square. It has a room in each of its
four corners, and the intervening spaces are occupied by four
corridors of three arches each ; in the centre of the enclos-
ing corridors there is a square room. The best part of the
lodge is built of red sand-stone ; there are steps on each of
the four sides of its terrace. Under the parapet of its roof
there is a deep stone ledge which goes round the building.
Within a few feet of the lodge there is a deep tank of red
Band-stone, 90 feet square, which is fed by the Delhi Canal.
This garden formed the eastern boundary of the Bazaar of
Mahalddr Khan, and the ruins of its shops may still be seen.
Between the Garden and the Bazaar there was an extensive
enclosure, and in its northern and southern walls were
the gates popularly known as Tirpauliyah, or Three Gates.
The northern gate is still on the Karnal road, and gives one
the idea of the approach to an ancient city ; but the
corresponding gateway, which is avoided by the new road,
stands a good way on the left of it. The first gateway
is an oblong building about 50 feet by 38, and consists of
three arches ; the centre arch is 1 4 feet 7 inches and the side
arches are 14 feet and 3 inches wide, but they are of equal
height, being about 17 feet from the ground. From the top of
the arch to the top of the roof the wall is 1 0 feet high ; the
arches are two deep. The roof is protected by a plain parapet
wall about 2 feet high ; there are steps in the side walls which
lead to the top of the gateway.
About 250 yards from the first gate is the second gate
of the Bazaar. There is an inscription over the centre arches
 .

THE SECOND SONEHRI MASJID OP KOSHAN-TJDDAULAH, 273

of the gates ; the letters are of black marble inlaid in a

slab of white marble.* The second gateAvay resembles the first,
with this difference, however, that the rooms in the two
gateways do not communicate with one another in the same
order, and that there are two small flanking minarets in the
second gateway which we miss in the first

The second Sonehri Masjid of Roshan-uddau-

lah. —This Masjid was built in Faiz Bazaar by Roshan-ud-
daulah, in the year 11.57 A. H. (1745 A. D.), fully 24
years after the building of his first mosque in Chand-
nl Chauk. It stands on a terrace about 9 feet high from —
the level of the Faiz Bazaar road —
32 feet broad and 57
feet long. The gate of the mosque is in the eastern wall
of the terrace ; it is 11 feet high, 16 feet wide and about 6
feet deep ; two flights of steps, under the cover of the gateway,
lead to the top of the terrace. On the north and the south of
the terrace there are rooms and ddldns, or halls, for the use of
students ; on the west of the terrace is the mosque, containing
three rooms ; on either side of it is a small room about 6 feet
square for the use of the attendants of the mosque. The Masjid
is entered through three arched doorways. From the floor
of the terrace to the embattled parapet over the side arches
the mosque is about 24 feet high, and from the floor to
the parapet over the centre arch it is 26 feet high. The
centre door is 9 feet wide and the side doors about 8 feet
wide ; the doors are raised from the floor by two steps.
The domes of this mosque were covered with coppergilt
casings, which were used for the repair of the domes of the
mosque in Chandni Chauk. The stone and mortar of the

* [Esqlish translation of thb inscription.]

•'By the blessing of God and the Prophet of the age,

[This was] built by NMr Mahaldar Khdn ; such a [glorious] Bazaar with
three gates,

Thatit may be a memorial of him for ages.

From Hathif came a roice to this [effect]

May this building stand for ever.”

274 QtIDSIAH BAGH.

despoiled domes have almost disappeared. There is an inscrip-

tion on the eastern wall of the mosque.*

—
Qudsiah Bagh. This garden, which at one time contain-
ed an extensive palace, was laid out on the banks of the
Jumna at a short distance from the Kashmir Gate, in tne
year 1162 A. H. (1748 A. D.) by Qudsi Begam, the wife
of Muhammad Shah and the mother of Ahmad Shah, in
succession, Emperors of Delhi. It is not at all unlikely, as
related by tradition, that Qudsi Begam took advantage of
a garden on the river to improve it and adorn it with palatial
buildings and with splendid water works, the foundations of
which may yet be seen. Nothing now remains of the palace,
if I am to judge from the two sketches of the place that I have
seen the most prominent objects that now belong to Qudsiah
;

Bjigh are a gateway, two hdrddarls, three interrupted lines

of heavy walla, and a group of deserted shops.

The gateway, which is on the west of the garden, is a

stone and masonry structure, lofty but heavy and gloomy.
It is 39 feet high, 74 feet long and 55 feet wide. To inter-
rupt a view of the palace through the gateway, a half- wall
is erected between its two arches.

There were two minarets on two flanking pilasters of the

gateway, crowned with clumsy ornaments resembling flower-
pots. On either side of the gateway there is a row of masonry
cells which must have once completely enclosed the garden,
but which is now interrupted in several places. On the north-

* [ English translation or the inscription.

]
“Thanksbe toGi^ by the grace of the glory of the Sayyad, saved
!
by
j lua
knowledge of God :

Shah Bhik, the perfect teacher, the strengthener of the holiness of

God.
In the reign of a King like Alex.ander. [in glory] and
in dignity like Jamshid,
The spreader of justice. Muhammad Shah Ghazi, Badshah,
Boshamuddaulah Zafar Khan, the Lord of beneficence and
bounty.
Built this golden Mosque, heaveulike [in
loftiness],
dignity of its Court, that the sky made the
rays of the light of the sun sweep it
in the mornings:
Ite clear tenk, is a sample of
the spring of Paradise:

cleansed his sins.

»isali got from the voice of the Unseen
Pt il a] MisjM^l^e \he Paradise, where the
:

light of God
 SONEHEI MASJID, NEAR LAL QIL’aH. 275

western corner of this wall there are vats whence the foun-
tains of the garden were supplied with water. On the south-
western extremity of this wall there is a block of buildings,
consistinof of rooms, about a hundred feet wide and five
hundred feet long, with a court in the centre. It is
said, that there was a similar block of buildings on the right
of the gateway, and that the ground between them was en-
closed by another wail of cells, which was entered by an
outer gateway which has since disappeared. The eastern
side of the Bagh is an open space, but well covered with
the ruins of houses and water-works, and considering its
position, it must have been the most important part of the
garden and is probably the site of the pjalace. On the north
and the south of the garden there are two lines of walls contain-
ing cells, like those on either side of the gateway, having a
small unpretending har'adari in the centre. These rooms are
built on five feet high terraces, and are about 20 feet
wide and SO feet long, with three arched doors in front.
The garden was entered by three gatewaays we have already ;

described ti:3 main entrance on the west, there were two

other entrarees through the northern wall, one under the ha-
radari, ant’ the other in the western corner of the wall ; the
latter now is a shapeless gap.

The M
1 que at the —
south-eastern corner of the Bagh so
much battered by gun shots during the seiga of Delhi in
18.37 — though attached to the palace, was not included
in it.

Scnehri Masjid, near Lai Qil’ah. -q Javed Khan, a

courtier of some renown during the decline of the Delhi
Empire, wdio played a remarkable part in the reign of
Ahmad Snah and met whth a tragical death, he was the con-
fidential adviser of Xawab Qudsi Begam, the mother
of Ahmad Shah, and the wife ot Muhammad Shah. In the
year 1165 A. H., (1751 A. D.) he built this mosque within
a hundred yards of the Delhi Gate of Lai Qil’ah ; the domes
and the pinnacles were covered with copper-gilt plate.

It is one of three mosques which are known by the

name of Sonehri Masjid ; the subject of the present
276 SONEHBI MASJID, NEAR LAL QIL’aH.

notice being one and the other two being the Golden Mos-
ques of Roshan-uddaulah in Chandni Chauk and Faiz
Bazaar.
The mosque of Javed Kh^n is a small but remarkably
elegant building ; in few of the structures of the later Moghal
period is there such a wonderful combination of smallness
of size with perfect symmetry of form. Three graceful
domes, once covered with gilt casing and now with
woll finished free stone, flanked with slim and tapering
minarets of the same material lend beauty to this, otherwise,
unpretending building.
The mosque stands on the corner of a cross road the ;

road to the south is almost on a level with the court of the

mosque, but the road on the east was low enough to have jus-
tified the architect in building a handsome entrance, the em-
battled parapets of which do not rise 4 feet above the level
of the court of the mosque. This gate, a small half-hexagonal
—
tower, is built of sand-stone it has three entrances the arched
;

entrance in the centre is about 15 feet by 10, and has a door

on either side of it. On the top of the gateway is a five feet high
balustrade, the lower half of which consists of a low embat-
tled parapet, above which is a dwarf open arcade of the same
height. Under the centre arch of the gateway, which is taste-
fully ornanamented with scrolls and foliage, and consists of two
recessed arches, there are ten stone steps which lead up to the
court of the mosque. The side entrances lead to this flight of
steps and to a room on either side of the staircase. The gate-
way was flanked by two minarets which were destroyed not
very long ago.
The court-yard is about 48 feet square and is paved with
sand-stone, but, owing to neglect, grass is permitted to grow
between the flags. The mosque stands on a plinth 1 8 inches high,
is built throughout of red-stone and the ordinary sand-stone
of the country, and consists of three rooms. There are three
arched entrances to the mosque ; the centre arch is scolloped
like its side arches, but it is more elaborately ornamented
with scrolls and foliage than the others. There is a deep
stone ledge over the three arches. Behind each of
the three arches, there is a room and over each of these rooms
there is a bulbous dome, built on a cylinder about 3
feet high. Originally, the domes were covered
with copper-
 SONEHEI MASJID, NEAR LAL QIL’aH. 277

gilt plate,but tLe mosque was repaired by Bahadur Shah in

1852, when he covered the ruined domes with sand-stone,
striped longitudinally with red-stone and crowned with gilt
pinnacles. The centre dome is about 45 feet high but
the side domes are about 5 feet lower.

The centre which

crowned with an embattled pa-
arch, is
rapet, is flanked by two minarets which
rise about 8 feet
above the roof, and are topped with ornamental bosses
with gilt pinnacles. About 6 feet lower than the parapet of
the centre arch are the embattled parapets over the side
arches, and on their northern and southern extremities
there are two slim and very tastefully constructed mina-
rets, about 60 feet high, and each supporting an octagonal open
pavilion with a gilt dome. On the back of the mosque, to the
right and the left of the centre dome, there are two dwarf mina-
rets corresponding to those flanking the parapet over the centre
arch. The back of the mosque is also flanked by two pilas-
terswhich above the roof of the mosque support octagonal
open pavilions, the domes of which have either disappeared or
were never built.
The floor of the mosque is paved with sand-stone ; and
each of its three rooms has a niche in its back wall, 8 feet from
the floor. Some of the gilt and paint of the original decora-
tions may yet be seen in the walls. The side rooms are
separated from the centre room by two arches the inner ;

face of the arches must have been elaborately painted ; and

some traces of these paintings are still visible. The pulpit
has been removed from the centre room, and its site is still
marked by lines on the floor. Over the outer faces of the
arches there are five slabs of marble, which bear the following
inscription, inlaid in black letters :

“Thanks be to God in the reign of Ahnaad Shah Ghazi Badshah,

!

Protector of the People, the doer of justice, Protector of the Kings

of the world.
This Mosque was built by the Nawab of pure dignity [Qudsij. May
this all-blessed place, [fit for] Angels [to] worship, Iasi for ever.
The exertions of the NaWab Bahadur [the Lord] of mercy and
benevolence,
Built this eternal [Javed] place of the exalted Master [of] Power.
Its well, tank and court are clean and are better than [the water]
of Zamzam,
Whoever has washed with its water has been cleansed of his sins.
•278 THE TOMB OF SAFDAR JANG.

The year of its foundation, Khurram obtained from the voice

of the unseen.
[It is the] Mosque of Bethlehem ;
it is the resting place of the light
of God.”

Afew feet to the west of the mosque there is a

small enclosure containing a marble tomb, the history of which
I have not been able to ascertain.
.#•

The Tomb of Safdar Jang.— Abul Mansur Khan, better

known by his title of Safdar Jang, was the nephew and succes-
sor of Sa-’adat ’AH Khan, Viceroy of Oudh. He was a Persian
by birth and visited India at the invitation of uncle, the his
Viceroy, whose daughter he married. When order was res-
tored in Hindustan after the invasion by Nadir Shah, Mansur
Khan became a favourite at the Court of Delhi, and when
Nizam-ul-Mulk declined the Wazir-ship of the Emperor
Ahmad Shah, Mansur Khan was raised to that dignity with
the title of Safdar Jang. He was a man of ordinary ad-
ministrative capacity, but by the incapables who then advised
the king, he was regarded as a man of genius. Perhaps
less crafty, certainly less adventurous, than his rival, Ghazi-
uddin Khdn, the son of Nizdm-ul-Mulk, he was compelled to
abandon the post of honour in Delhi and lived in a hot-bed of
intrigue till his death occurred in 1167 A. H. (1753 A. D.)
He -was buried in the mausoleum which stands on the road to
the Qutb Minar, about five miles from Shahjahanabad, or
Modern Delhi. This mausoleum is in some respects not unlike
that of Humayun and is believed to have been intended as a
duplicate of that superb building. It stands in the centre of an
extensive ga^en, on a lofty terrace containing arched cells.
The roof of the tomb is surmounted by a marble dome, and is
supported by open marble pavilions on the four corners but ;

the tomb of Safdar Jang is poor and unimpressive compared

with that of Humayun, and may be considered, as
Keene justly remarks, “ the last grand efibrt of Mogul
architecture.’’

The garden in which the tomb stands is about 300 yards

square ; the gate of the mausoleum is on the east of the
^

garden and contains rooms for the accommodation of the

attendants of the tomb. In the centre of the
walls, on the
other three sides of the enclosure walls, there are
 LAL BANGLAH. ( 279

(h.^ans, whuli are used as rest-houses by visitors. On each of

the four corners of the garden there is an octagonal ^tower, the
sides of which, with the exception of the entrajice, are covered
with perforated red-stone screens. Behind the gatewa^v, and
a little to its north, there is a inasjid with three domes and
three 3irclied entrances, built throughout of red-stone.

- .The terrace on which the tomb stands is 10 feet hiffh O

from the level of the garden, and 110 feet square.
In the centre of the terrace is a vault under which
is the grave of Safdar Jang. The building over the grave is
GO feet square and about 90 feet high in its centre there is a
;

room 20 feet square containing a beautiful marble monument,

highly polished and massively carved. Bound the centre room
there are eight apartments, four of which are square and
lour octagonal. The pavement and the walls of the room,
up to the waist, are of marble. The roof of the centre
room is about 40 feet high and the ceiling is formed by a flattish

dome. The apartments above correspond with those below.

In the centre of the roof stands a bulbous marble
dome, with marble minarets at each angle. The four
faces of the tomb are alike both in constriiction and ornamen-
tation the latter consists of inlaid bands of marble.
;
A stone
aqueduct, deprived both of its fountains and water, may yet be
seen in front of the tomb.

The mausoleum of Safdar Jang was built by liis son,

Shuja-uddaulah, Viceroy of Oudh, under the superintendence
of one Sidi Balal Muhammad Kh;Iii, and at a cost of 3 lacs of
rupees.

The following inscription was placed on the eastern face

of the tomb ;
“ When the hero [Safdar] of the plain of valour
Accepted the order to leave this trau.sitory house,
The following date was given of. it- fhis departure];
May you be a resident of tl)e high Heaven !
’

—
Lai Banglah. The origin of this building is not known,
but, about 90 years ago, the Emperor Shah ’Alam buried here
his mother and daughter and converted the place into a
burial ground for his family. Lai Banglah stands at a short dis-
280 THE TOMB or MIBZA NAJAF KHAN.

tance both from Purdna Qii’ah and the village of Xizam-ucldi'n ;

it contains two domed mausoleums in an extensive wailed en-

closure. The length of the enclosure is 177 feet and its breadth
160 feet; the wall is about 9 feet high, but nine-teuths of
it are in ruins. The gate of the Banglah is on the north-eastern
corner of its court and is protected by an outer work in the
form of a barbican.

Neither of the two tombs is in the centre of the court ;

the tomb nearest the gate is that of Liil Kanwar, mother of

Shah ’Alam, and hence the mausoleum is supposed to havo
taken the name of Lai Banglah. It stands on a red-st.one pavo'.l
terrace about 52^ feet square and about a foot high the build-
;

ing itself is about .30 feet square, having on each of its tour
corners a room about 6 feet square. Between these rooms
there are dalans, or halls, each consisting of three arche<5 sup-
ported by two stone pillars and two stone pilasters. The room
in the centre of the building is 12 feet square. There
are three graves in this room and one in the western hall.
The roof of the tomb is about 20 feet high and is surmounted
by a red-stone dome in the later Moghal style. The dome is
about 25 feet high, inclusive of the pinnacle.
About 50 feet from this tomb is second tomb of Lai
the
Banglah. It is 51 feet square and is on the same plan
built
as the first tomb, having corner square rooms, oblong halls, or
dalans, and a square centre room. The dome on the roof is
also built of red sand-stone. This is the tomb of Begam J an,
a daughter of Shah ’Alam. The monument on the grave
was removed not long ago.
In an adjoining enclosure there are three tombs belong-
ing to the family of Akbar 1 1.

The Tomb of Mirza Najaf Khan.— No human effort

could have saved the Empire of Delhi after the invasion
of Nadir Shah, but with the death of Najaf Khan
vanished the hopes of even a protracted existence. The last
great name in the history of the Moghal Empire is, undoubtedly,
that of Najaf Khan, for although, w’hen his death occurred, the
Emperor Shah ’Adam was still on the throne of Delhi, and
two of his descendants lived to wear the purple, the destruction
of the Empire was complete when the successors of
Najaf
 THE TOMB OF MIRZa NAJAF KHAK. 281

Khan truckled to and bargained with rebels. “The

traitors
division of his offices Keene, “ became the
and his estates,” says
subject of speedy contests, which finally overthrew the last
fragments of Moghul dominion or independence.” Najaf
Khan was a man of great ability ; he was a Persian
by birth, a lineal descendant of Muhammad and a member
of the illustrious Safwi dynasty. “ .\t his death,” says the
historian of “ The Moghul Empire,” “ he wielded all the
power of the empire, which his energies and virtues had
restored. He was Deputy Vazir of the absentee V'iceroy ot
Oudh, and Commander-in-Chief of the army. He held direct
civil administration, with receipt of the surplus revenues agree-
abl}" to eastern usage, of the Province of Agra and the Jat
territories, together with the district of Ulwur to the south-
we^, and those portions of the upper Dooab which he had
no^ alienated in Jaeeoad”*
.
According to Mr. Keene, who quotes no less an authority
than._Warren Hastings, the Governor General ot India at tire,
‘

time,’iNajaf Khan died on the 26th of April 1783, but iKd

date on his tomb corresponds to the middle of 1781.
In a ruined but large enclosure in ’All Ganj, near
Modern Delhi,the tomb of Najaf Khan.
is It is 90 feet
square, stands on a 2 feet high plinth and is built of red sand-
stone. The roof of the building is 10 feet high, and supports
an octagonal tower, 12 feet in diameter, on each of its four
corners. The roof of the tomb is flat, but the rooms have
vaulted ceilings. On the right of the grave of Najaf Khan
is that of his daughter Fati mail. The monuments over both
the graves are of marble ; and are 2 feet high, 9 feet long and
8 feet broad. The marble head-stones contain inscriptions :

EyOLISU TRANSL-VTION OP THE INSCRIPTION ON THE TOMB OF NAJAF KHAN..

“ He [alone] is living, who will never die.
The sky with its uncertain revolutions, with its back like a bow and full of
arrows,
[Is certain] that its arrows of ri'.ihotion [iiill] never miss its mark.
It shot [an arrow] at a mark, which was one of the respected sayyads ;
The blood [of the s.ayyads] and the sayyads of the Safwi [dynasty] were honoured
by him.
He was a precious fruit of the tree of the garden of the Twelve [Imam] ;

He was a pure light of the two pearls [Hasan and Hosain], and a pearl ' of the
nine shells the sky]
| ;

Bakshi-ul-Mulk, Amir Isajaf Khan, the Lion-hearted ;

Conqueror of the countries of Hind, with the help of [the command] ‘

Be not
afraid.’

• Keene’s “ Moghul Empire.’

282 THE TOMB OF SAFDAK JANG,

He is a hero, [of such power] that if he held the |3worJ of ’Ali] Z ilfakar
in his hand,
The ^ipg LAfatha [’Ali] himself would exclaim A worthy : son.
Be tfeu the companion of the Prophet, who is the first aui't the last of the
.Prophets,
[And] of thy ancestor [’Ali] the revealer of the secrets :
‘
If it can bo reveal-
ed."
The pen of ’Ali [the writer of the epitaph] eqnal to that of the angelic messenger
wrote on his [Najaf ashes [tomb,]
Khiiii’s]
The date [of his de.ath] This is the grave of Xajaf [The
: name of the luoun-
taiii in which ’Ali was buried,] [1191 A. H. ]”

English TBANSL.moN or the inscription onthe tomb of najaf ki:.\n’s daughter.

“ O God !

He [alone] is living, who will never die.

Cries of lamentation are heard She is gone from this abode of ashes, and tho
;

foundation of grief !

[She who had] the temper of an angel ; the virtuous woman, she [who was]
of auspicious birth.
Blessed she was, [becsiuse] she bore the name of the daugliter of the Prophet ;
May she be forgiven for the sake of the soul of Fatimah, the illumined ;
"With J1 her heart she sacrificed herself to the love she bore to ’Ali ;
.

She loved and oifered herself as a sacrifice to the niane.s of the venerated
Imams ;

She was the daughter of the Mir B.akshi of Iliud, Najaf Khiin ;
May God grant her a place in the abode of the jiure.
I drew a sigh [ah !] and the date [of her death] wa.s evident in this liemi-stich :

May 'Ali and Fatima be her intercessors on the day of Eesurrection [1236 A. li.]
"Witliin twenty-five years ot the death of Nujaf Khan, the
so-called “ Empire of Delhi ” was annexed to the British Em-
pire in India,and the last vestige of its nominal independence
was extinguished. General Lake, "who saved the Emperor
of Delhi from the rapacity of Sindiah’s ministers and tlio
insults of his French myrmidons, left him in his capital,
a pensioner of the British Goverriment, On the 24ch
of September 1803, thirteen days atter Lake’s victory.
Colonel Ochterlony was put in civil and military charge
of Delhi. Since then, only three events have occurred
the memorials of which tall within the scope of this Ai ork :

the Emperor Siuih ’Alam died at Delhi in 1800, and wai

buried near the grave of (^utb Sahib in the village of
Mahrault ; in 1821, his grandson Mi'rza Jahangir died at
Allahabad and was buried close to the tomb of Nizain-uddiu
Aulia, and in 1837, Akbar II., the son and successor of Shah
Alam died at MahrauH and was buried beside Hi.s father.
Bahadur Shah, the son of Akbar II, and the last titular king
m Delhi, was convicted of treason in 1857, and transported to
Bangoou, where he died in 1862. The narrow piece of ground
"which he had reserved for himself, between
the graves of his
grandfather and father, is still unoccupied.
 INDEX,
Adliam Kluin. Tomb of, 200. Hauz Sliamsi, 68.
Aililiba<l, 98. H.azar Sathuu, 86.
Akbar, II. Grave of, 182. Humaytiu. Tomb of, 202.
’Alai D.u'waz.ab, 54.
’Ala-uddin Khilji. Tomb of, 88. Im.am Zaman. Tomb of, 173.
Altanish. Tmiib of, 73. India Prastha, 1.
Amir Khusraii. Tomb of, 113. Iron Pillar, The, 16.
Anang Tal, 25. Lsa Khau. T..mb & Mosque of, 197.
Anekpiir, 25.
Aral) S.irui, 198. Jahhnara Begam. Grave of, 108.
Asad Burj, 237. Jahau Niimah, 140.
Asoka’s Pillars, 129, 142. Jahan Panah, 99.
’Azam Khan. Tomb of, 116. Jama-a’tli Khanah, 111.
Aziz Kukaltesh. Tomb of, 1 19. Jama’ Masjid, (Qiitb), 39-52.
„ ,, (Modern Delhi) 250.
Roshau.ara, 220. - •Jamali. hlosque and Tomb of, 171.
Balilol Lodi, 162. J.mtar Man tar, 269.
Baitak, 234. Kali Masjid, 149.
B.ilbau. Tomb of, 79. Kalkaji, 27^
Baoli Nizani-iiddin, 112. Kasr Hazar Sat Inin, 86.
Qiitb Sahib, 1S4. Kasr Mu'izzi, 82.
Barah Palah, 209. Kasr Safed, 37.
Ba.sti Baori, 164. Khan Jahan. Mosques of, 148.
Belli Maiizal, lOo. Khau Khauan. Tomb of, 214.
Begam’s Ba^h 257. Khairpfiri Masjid, 196.
Begampiiri ilasjid, 156. Khair-ul-Manazil, 199.
Bigi Mandar, 100. Kliirki Masjid, 154.
Bull Bhatiiiri, 122. Khizrabad, 159.
i
Khizr ki Gdmti, 106.
Cliabutrah Niisira, 39. Kluvabagh, (Lai Qil’ah), 324.
Ohansat Khaiiibali, 119. Kliwajali Baqi Billah. Grave of, 211.
Char Btirji, 144. Kilokheri, 82.
Chiragh Delhi. Tomb of, 145. Kushak Anwar, 122.
„ Idrozi, 38.
Dar-ul-aman, 79. Lai, 79.
„
Delhi ’Aliii, 83. of Jaial-iiddin Khilji, 82.
„
Delhi Gate (Liil Qil’ah), 219. Sabz. 38.
„
Delhi. Modern, 251. Shikar, 140.
„
Delhi Slier Shahi, 187.
Delhi, 10. Lahore Gate, (Lai Qil’ah), 218.
Din Panah, 184. Lai Bauglah, 279.
Diwan ’Am, (Lai Qil’ah', 223. Lai Kot, 24.
Diwiia KhcLs, ( „ ), 227. La! Mahal, 215.
Liil Qil’cah, 216. ;

Piihim. Tomb of, 213.

), ,, in Aurangzebe’s reign, 237.
Pakhr-iil -Masajid 270.
Laugar Khan. Tomb of, 167.
Patehpiiri Ma.sjid, 257.
Pirozabad, 123.
Mahaldiir Khan’s Gates, 272.
Piroz Shah. Tomb of, 157. Marzgau. Qil’ah, 79.
Mehndiun, 122.
Ghazbuddi'n. Tomb & Mosque o' 263.
Minar, the unfinished, 67.
Ghias-uddin Tughlaq. Tomb of, 92. Mirza Jahan gir. Grave of. 111
Moth ki Masjid, 166.
Haramam (Lai Qil’ah), 232. Motl Masjid, (Qutb), 180.
Hauz ’Alai, 83.
ilauz Khas, 83. » » (Lai Qil’ah), 233,
284 INDEX.

Mubarikabad, 159, Bang Mahal (Lai Qil’ah), 2.36.

Mubdrik Shah. Tomb of, 159. Baziyah Begam. Grave of, 77.
Muhammaddbad, 98. Boshandra Begam. Tomb of 260.
Mubammad Shah (Sayyad). Tomb of, 161 Bukn-uddin Feroz Shah. Tomb of, 75

Safdar Jang. Tomb of, 278.

Mu’iz-uddin BahrAm Shdh. Tomb of, 77. Salimgarh, 195.
Mnsamman Bdrj (Ldl Qil’ah), 236. Sarhandi Masjid, 260.
Sath Palah, 101.
Naia-Shahr, 82. Shdh ’Alam. Grave of, 182.
Najaf Khan. Tomb of, 280. •„ „ BahadurShah. Grave of, 183
'Nakar Khhnah (Lai Qil’ah), 220. Shah Biirj, (Lai Qil’ah), 237.
Naubath Khan. Tomb of, 210. Shahjahanabad, 241.
Nigambodb, 6. Shah Tui'kmau. Grave of, 78.
Nil! chhatri, 210. Shah Farid Bukhar. Grave of, 212.
Kill Btirj, 213. Shaikh Sallah-uddiu. Tomb of, 121.
Nizam-uddln. Tomb of, 102. Shergarh, 187.
Ndrgarh, 195. Sher Mandal, 193.
Sikandar Shah Lodi. Tomb of, 170.
Panj Bdrj, 163. Siri, 83.
Purana Qil’ah, 24. Souehri Masjid, I'near Tail Qil’ah), 27'>.

„ „ (Chiimlui Chauk), 266.

Qadam Sharif, 147. „ ,,
(Faiz Bazaar), 273.
Qil’ah Kohnah Ma-sjid, 190. Sultan Ghari. Tomb of, 70.
Qil’ah Mubarik, 216. Sfiraj Kiind, 26.
Qil’ah Eai Pithora, 30.
Qil’ah Shahjahanabad, 216. Tasbih Khdnah, (Lai Qil’ah), 234.
Qudsiah Bagh, 274. Tin Bdrj, 168.
Qutb Miliar, 58. Tughlaqabad, 89.
Qutb Sahib. Grave of, 174.

„ „ Baoli, 184. Yoga Maya, 22.

'
I
'
Bajon-ki-Ba-eu, 169. Ziuath-nl-MasajiJ, 261.