Location - Delhi
Best Time To Visit - October to March
All those who often complain of the neck pain are strictly prohibited to
stretch there necks to see Delhi's towering emblem, Qutab Minar. The
monument is about 239 feet and is the highest stone tower in India. Far Far
beyond our line of vision. This noteworthy monument was built by the founder
of the Slave dynasty, Qutab-ud-Din Aibak. Some believe the Minar was once
used by the muzzaein to sound the morning and evening prayer calls. Others
say it was erected as a tower of victory to signify the beginning of Muslim
rule in India. The entire Qutab complex has a truly majestic appearance and
a magical character to it.
Launch of a New Style
The construction of this tower was started as a sign of Muslim domination in
India. It brought to the whole world a new form of architecture
-India-Islamic architectural style. This style is an amalgamation of both
Hindu as well as Islamic art.
Monuments of Qutab Complex
The magnificent tower stands on one side of the Qutab Complex. Other
monuments here include the Alai Darwaza, the aborted Alai Minar,
Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque and the Iron Pillar. Nearby one can see the ruins of
Iltutmish's tomb, which he built in 1235 in his lifetime and decorated the
interiors with rich calligraphy.
Qutab Minar in Detail
The tower of Qutab dominates the countryside for miles around has five
storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony. Arabic and Nagari inscriptions
at different places on the minar reveal its history. They also reveal that
minar was repaired first in 1351-88 by Firoz Shah Tughlaq, then in 1489-1517
by Sikander Lodhi and finally in 1829 by Major R. Smith.
In the same complex is the famous Iron Pillar, a metallurgical marvel. The
iron has not rusted despite the sixteen centuries that have passed since its
construction. Themetal of the pillar is identified to be almost pure
malleable iron. Legend has it that anyone who can encircle the entire column
with his arms, with their back to the pillar will have his wish granted.
Because of the earthquakes, the Minar is not perpendicular and leans 60 cm
off the vertical. It is also monitored by the engineers of the
Archaeological Survey of India.
Lately, the Qutab Minar complex has become a cultural hub with music
festivals being organised in the vicinity.
Feather to the Cap
The great monument of Qutab Minar was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in the year 1993. It is also famous as Leaning tower and Eiffel Tower.
