Delhi - Qutab Minar

By Sharada Vadla

A Visit to the 73 m-high tower of victory, Qutab Minar is a pleasurable tour. As one enters the entrance gate the lush green pastures welcomes you. As you take a turn you are near the unbelievable architectural legend - The Qutab Minar.  

The manuscripts read that, this monument was built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak. With five distinct storeys, the tower is marked by a projecting balcony that tapers at the end. Everyone who enter try raising their head to reach the sight of the tip of the minar, as soon as they reach the basement of the minar. Starting with a 15m diameter at the basement to 2.5m at the top. The bottom three storeys are build out of red sand stone, the fourth and fifth storeys are built out of marble and sandstone. 

The Architectural styles are quite amazing. If you have a camera, you would wish to capture every bit of sculpture there. However, Its impossible to fix a vast gigantic art in pictures. Its a feast, even after hours of exploring the monument and the surrounding you are left with hunger to wander around with a quest inside -  did I miss any thing. 

Keen observations of the monument reveal the architectural style from Aibak to Tughlak on the minar, it is quite evident that not only the work style but also the material used differs.

 
The minar is 238 feet tall and 42 feet in diameter at the bottom. It stylishly tapers towards the sky to 9 feet high at the apex. The ornamentation by bands of inscriptions and beautifully projected four balconies supported by elaborately decorated brackets create elegance.




The mosque at the foot of the tower is a surprise. Its known as the Quwwt-ul-Islam Mosque, the sculptures, pillars and architecture depict Hindu temples. The shocking reason is that, it was built with the material obtained by demolishing '27 Hindu temples', an inscription over its eastern gate informs this fact. 

There is a 7m-high iron pillar in the courtyard of the mosque. It is a believed that if one can encircle the pillar with the back on it, their wish will be fulfilled.

Hindu style of carvings in the Mosque  




Their is a controversy about why Qutab Minar was built as some believe it was as a tower of victory to signify the beginning of the Muslim rule in India. Others say it served as a minaret to call the faithful to prayer. Keeping apart why it was built, everyone agrees athat it is the finest monuments in not only in India, but also in the world. The first muslim ruler of Delhi, Qutab-ud-din Aibak started the construction of the Qutab Minar in 1200 AD, and could only complete the basement.   Iltutmush his successor added three more storeys and in 1368, Firoz Shah Tughlak completed the monument by constructing the fifth and the last storey.

 Even though in ruins, the Quwwat Ui Islam  Mosque in the Qutab complex is one of the most magnificent which Qutab-ud-din Aibak started construction in 1193 and completed in 1197. Most of the shafts of the mosque are from the 27 Hindu temples, which were plundered to construct the mosque. It is not surprising that one can easily identify that the Muslim mosque has typical Hindu ornamentation. The main mosque has an inner and outer courtyard, decorated with shafts and surrounded by pillar.