I have been watching Qutb Minar ever since I was a small kid. We used to live in a double storeyed apartment complex. Ours was on the first floor and we could see the Minar from our terrace very clearly, though it was about 3.75 kms away as the crow flies (measured just now on Google Earth). In summers we used to sleep in the open on the terrace and every night we will watch the twinkling red light on the top of Qutb Minar. To our queries, it was explained that it was to warn the pilots of the airplanes so that they do not crash into it. We were told that Qutb Minar used to have seven storeys and two storeys fell down when a plane crashed into it (both are not true). We used to watch the revolving light beam of the Palam Airport. And we will watch and wonder if the pilot of the plane approaching for landing (there were very-very few those days) will notice the warning-light over Qutb Minar. And they always did.
I have been to Qutb Minar several times, but viewed it largely just as a touristy monument. It is only very recently, while researching to know a little more about it, partly for this Photoblog, that I realised that questions have been raised about the origins of the Minar (who built it?) and the purpose for which it was constructed.
Prithiviraj was finally defeated and Dilli was conquered by Qutb-uddin Aibak
When Prithviraj Chauhan, known as Rai Pithora, became the paramount power in Northern India, he built a fort which is known as Kila Rai Pithora. However, in the year 1191 AD, Prithiviraj was finally defeated and Dilli was conquered by the Muhammadans under Qutb-uddin Aibak, a slave lieutenant of Mohammad Ghori. This was the beginning of the reign of the Delhi Sultans.
Several historians have attributed Hindu origins to it whereas several others attributed it to Muslim rulers. The controversy may be said to have been laid to rest and the better opinion is decidedly in favour of the Muhammadan origin of the Minar. The general accord of opinion on the subject leaves no doubt about it and it is now settled that the Minar was commenced by Qutbu’d-Din and completed by his successor and son-in-law Altutmish (Altamsh). To quote the remarks of Nawab Zia-uddin of Laharu, who in a paper read to the Archaeological Society of Delhi around 1850; after adducing historical proofs in support of the Muhammadan origin of the Minar, concluded – “No stronger proof can be adduced, except the builder were to rise from the dead and attest his own work on oath.” (Carr Stephen, 1876).
Minar was commenced by Qutbu’d-Din and completed by his successor and son-in-law Altutmish.
It is also now well accepted that the Minar was an appendage of the mosque for Muezzin to climb up and give a call for prayers. However, it is more likely that the Minar was constructed as a tower of victory but also came into use by the muezzin for the prayer calls.
Qutb Mosque
The Qutb complex in its present form started out as a big mosque, the earliest extant mosque built by the Delhi Sultans. The mosque is known as Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque. Immediately after the conquest of Delhi by Qutb-uddin Aibek, the favourite lieutenant of Muhammad Ghori, he commenced buildings this mosque in 1198AD on the site of Rai Pithora’s temples, which he had previously demolished. The mosque is erected with the carved columns and architectural members of 27 Hindu and Jain temples, as recorded in his inscription on the main eastern entrance. The mosque is now a complete ruin.
The pillars are over-loaded with ornament – there not being one inch of plain surface from the capital to the base
Describing the mosque as it stood in the time of Aibek—Fergusson remarks: “It is so purely Jaina that it should have been mentioned in speaking of that style…. The pillars are of the same order as those used on Mount Abu, except that those at Delhi are much richer and more elaborate. They belong probably to the 11th or 12th century and are among the few specimens to be found in India that seem to be over-loaded with ornament – there not being one inch of plain surface from the capital to the base.” (History of Architecture, Vol. II, p. 648).
Qutb Minar
Qutb-Minar in red and buff sandstone is the highest tower in India. It has a diameter of 14.32 meters at the base and about 2.75 meters on the top with a height of 72.5 meters. It has five storeys. There are many stories about it being seven storeys high at one time, but experts believe that it was never more than five storeys high.
The basement storey is built of fine red sandstone and is a polygon of 24 sides faces of which are formed by alternate angular and semi-circular flutes, the shaft being decorated with six ornamental bands. The second storey contains only semi-circular flutes crossed with two bands of inscriptions. The third storey is cased in angular fluting and is ornamented with two bands. The fourth storey is round, devoid of flutings and is faced with marble and in some places with red sandstone and is decorated with four ornamental bands. The fifth or the last storey has a circular shaft and is decorated with ornamental bands of marble and red stone. On the top of it there is an iron railing.
The Minar has been damaged several times
The Minar has been damaged several times and then repaired. It was damaged by lightning during the reign of Firoze Shah in 1368AD and he repaired it and even erected a cupola at the top. It was again struck by lightning during the reign of Sikandar Lodi and it was repaired in 1503AD. After this it was totally neglected and suffered considerable damage in the earthquakes of 1782 & 1803. The cupola of Firoz Shah fell down during the earthquake of 1803. It has held up well during all subsequent earthquakes.
In 1828 Britishers appointed Major Robert Smith of Bengal Engineers to carry out repairs of the Minar and the Mosque. However, the work done by Major Smith was so out of tune with the original structures and invited so much criticism and ridicule that a committee was appointed to examine them. He also made certain additions at the top, which the committee described as a “grotesque ornament”. In 1848, Lord Hardinge ordered it to be removed. It lies on the ground now, within the complex, and is known as ‘Smith’s Folly’.
Arches
When Qutb-uddin Aibek returned from Ghazni, after visiting his Sovereign, Muhammad 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.
Fergusson calls these arches “the glory of the mosque”.
The wall of the centre 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. There is no trace of any intention to construct a vault or roof of any sort. 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 sides of the walls and are covered with scrolls of fancy designs, and precepts from the Quran. Fergusson calls these arches “the glory of the mosque”.
Altamsh built three arches on either side of those of Aibek’s. The first arch of the extension on the north is still in existence, the top ornaments are gone but the arch is entire; and only two lofty piers remain of what must have been a magnificent archway; the third arch on this line of extension is gone. The southern extension of Qutb-uddin’s arches is also in ruin. While only the piers remain of the near small arch as well as the centre arch; the extreme southern arch retains its original appearance, but the arch is formed by a thin slab 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.
Iron Pillar
The Iron Pillar in the courtyard bears an inscription in Sanskrit in Brahmi script of fourth century AD, according to which the pillar was set up as a Vishnudhvaja (standard of god Vishnu) on the hill known as Vishnupada in memory of a mighty king named Chandra. A deep socket on the top of the ornate capital indicates that probably an image of Garuda was fixed into it.
It was later shifted by Anangpal in the 10th century CE from Udaygiri to its present location. Anangpal built a Vishnu Temple here and wanted this pillar to be a part of that temple. The pillar was set up as a Vishnudhvaja, standard of god.
The Iron Pillar is more remarkable for the inscriptions than as a work of art
The iron pillar is one of the world’s foremost metallurgical curiosities. The total height of the pillar is exactly 23 feet and 2 inches, of which, before the present chabutra or platform was constructed, about 22 feet were above and about fourteen inches below ground. Someone has observed that the pillar has evidently been fired at with matchlocks, and twice marked with cannon balls, which grazed the side but did not touch the centre of the pillar. The Iron Pillar may be said to be more remarkable for the inscriptions which it bears than as a successful work of art.
Tomb of Iltutmish
The tomb of Iltutmish (1211-36AD) was built in 1235AD. It is a plain square chamber of red sandstone, profusely carved with inscriptions, geometrical and arabesque patterns in Saracenic tradition on the entrances and the whole of interior. The outer walls of the tomb are faced with sandstone, and the inner with red stone, the latter are also ornamented with marble bands and panels. The entrances are richly decorated with engravings of texts from the Quran and with scrolls in great variety:. The inner walls are decorated with ornaments of exquisite finish and beauty.
One of the richest examples of Hindu art applied to Mahomedan purposes
The centre niche in the western wail, is ornamented with marble and is of a richer finish than the rest of the tomb ;. Some of the motifs viz., the wheel, tassel etc., are reminiscent of Hindu designs. 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.” Fergusson also believes that it is the oldest tomb in India.
Alai Minar
Ala’i Minar, which stands to the north of Qutb-Minar, was commenced by Alau’d-Din Khalji, with the intention of making it twice the size of earlier Minar. He could complete only the first storey which now has an extant height of 25 meters. Work on this minar was discontinued after his death.
Post Script: Kutub, Qutub, Kutab, Qutab, Kutb and Qutb; all these spellings have been used variously to name the Minar. I have used “Qutb” since it was named after Qutbu’d- Din Aibak. Similarly, different spellings have been used for names of various individuals and places. I have left them as they have been used by the authors in the texts referenced by me and reproduced or paraphrased here.
Bibliography
1. The Seven Cites of Delhi, by Gordon Hearn, 1908
2. The Archaeology and Monumental Remains of Delhi by Carr Stephen, 1876
