Qutub Minar
Encompassing several sites that can be sorted out chronolically to have a glimpse of different eras and periods of Indian history, the UNESCO World Heritage complex of Qutub Minar co in New Delhi is home to a number of magnificent monuments and archeological structures including advanced engineering specimens, historically significant structures and early examples of Muslim architecture. The Qutub Minar itself is the tallest brick minaret in the world that is believed to have been built to commemorate first Islamic victory in India. Some scholars also regard it as the pivot of Justice with calligraphic inscriptions in confirmation with the existence of ‘Axis of the World’ mentioned in Hindu and Buddhist texts.
Qutub Minar was the contribution of three Muslim rulers. It was starte
d by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1193, who demolished ancient Jain Temples in the premises and used their stones and rubble to build Muslim structures and the famous Tower in the complex. Iltutmish, his son-in-law and heir, completed the tower. The topmost storey in marble, with Indian trademark chhatris on top, was added to the structure by Firoz Shah Tughlaq in 1386. One of the icons of India tourism and especially, North India and Golden Triangle tour packages, Qutub Minar received highest number of visitors in 2006, surpassing the ethereal Taj Mahal by more than 13.5 lakh visitors.Qutab Minar is 72.5 m and its base has a diameter of 14.3 m. The tower tapers to the top with its top floor having a diameter of only 14.3 m. It is believed that another tower, Alai Minar, was under construction at the complex but the project was abandoned for reasons unknown. If Alai Minar had been completed, it would have stand taller than our Qutub Minar. Mostly built in red sandstone, the tower of Qutub is now tilting to one side and efforts are being made to preserve it from falling down. The government does not allow tourists to climb to the topmost storey anymore for their own safety as well as this world-famous historical monument.
Some of the other highlights of the Qutub complex include the Quwwat-uI-Islam mosque – first mosque of Delhi, Iltutmish's Tomb, the Alai Darwaza, Allaudin's Madrassa, and the Lal Kot area. The famous 1600-year old Iron Pillar of Mehrauli dates back to the Gupta period. It is a wonder for material engineers, as it has not corroded to this day despite being located in the courtyard of the complex in open air, where it is exposed to all the vagaries of climate.
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