#qutbcomplex

Delhi’s Qutb Complex - All Arts India

The Qutb Minar, also spelled as #QutubMinar is a minaret and "victory tower" that forms part of the #QutbComplex, a #UNESCO #WorldHeritageSite in the #Mehrauli area of #NewDelhi, India. The height of Qutb Minar is 72.5 meters, making it the tallest minaret in the world built of bricks. The tower tapers, and has a 14.3 metres (47 feet) base diameter, reducing to 2.7 metres (9 feet) at the top of the peak. It contains a spiral staircase of 379 steps. (at Qutub Minar) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGzsT9FBML4/?igshid=txqxaeis7tmc

Located within the #QutbComplex on #Delhi’s southern fringe is one of the most complex and controversial monuments of its kind, the Quwwat Ul Islam Mosque. After defeating the Rajput ruler Prithviraj Chauhan, Muhammad of Ghur (from Afghanistan) returned home leaving behind the control of Delhi and Ajmer to his army commander (also his favourite slave), Qutbuddin Aibek. Upon Ghuri’s death in 1206, Aibek became independent and laid the foundations of what later came to be known as the Delhi Sultanate. Delhi became the capital of Hindustan. One of his first and foremost tasks was to create a congregational mosque. The new conqueror chose the former bastion of the Hindu rulers, Rai Pithora, as the site. The plinth of the earlier complex was enlarged to around twice its original size to build a platform to accommodate the structure. The spolia of the temples provided the ready-at-hand material to build the rectangular open courtyard, the pillared cloisters and the qibla wall (which indicates the direction of Mecca). Pillars from 27 Hindu and Jain temples, preferably those carrying floral motifs, were used to build the colonnades. Upon a closer look, one can still see the remains of divine and human sculptures on the pillars in the prayer hall. The name Quwwat-ul-Islam means the "Might of Islam". Interestingly, this name does not occur in any inscription or chronicle of the Sultanate. Historians have pointed out that this name is probably a modern corruption of an older name, Qubbat-e-Islam that meant the ‘Axis of Islam’. Thanks to Monghol invasions around 1220s, a large number of Muslims from Afghanistan, Eastern Iran, Transoxiana and Central Asian Steppes migrated to North India. Since Iltutmish (Qutub-ud-din Aibek’s successor) had also brought people from all parts of the Islamic world to Delhi, the capital of Hindustan was described in glowing terms as “the Keeper of the Muslim faith”, “the Dais of the Muslim community" or “the Sanctuary of Islam” in the eastern world. And this mosque being the first congregational mosque of the city was referred to as the "Axis of Islam" or "Qubbat-e-Islam". https://www.instagram.com/p/B_6XOYvhdcj/?igshid=1hpzt9317aubf

#TheQutbMinar, also spelled as Qutub Minar or #QutubMinar, is a minaret that forms part of the #QutbComplex, a #UNESCO #WorldHeritageSite in the Mehrauli area of #Delhi, India. #QutbMinar is a 239.5 feet tall tapering tower of five stories, with a 47 feet base diameter, reducing to 9 feet at the top of the peak. It contains a spiral staircase of 379 steps. Qutubuddin Aibak, founder of the Delhi Sultanate, started construction of the Qutb Minar's first storey around 1199. In 1220, Aibak's successor and son-in-law Shamsuddin Iltutmish completed a further three storeys. In 1369, a lightning strike destroyed the top storey. Firoz Shah Tughlaq replaced the damaged storey, and added one more. Sher Shah Suri also added an entrance to this tower while he was ruling and Humayun was in exile. Qutb Minar was established along with Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque around 1192 by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. The mosque complex is one of the earliest that survives in the Indian subcontinent. The minaret is named after Qutb-ud-din Aibak, or Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, a Sufi saint. Its ground storey was built over the ruins of the Lal Kot, the citadel of Dhillika. Aibak's successor Iltutmish added three more storeys. #TheMinar is surrounded by several historically significant monuments of Qutb complex. The nearby pillared cupola known as "Smith's Folly" is a remnant of the tower's 19th century restoration, which included an ill-advised attempt to add some more storeys. https://www.instagram.com/p/B7DS04Mhh23/?igshid=en8djlf4olpi

The #QutubMinar in #NewDelhi is surrounded by several historical monuments which are referred to as "#QutbComplex". The complex includes: Iron Pillar of Delhi, Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Alai Darwaza, the Tomb of Iltutmish, Alai Minar, Ala-ud-din's Madrasa and Tomb, the Tomb of Imam Zamin, Major Smith's Cupola and Sanderson's Sundial. https://www.instagram.com/p/B5X7k-rhn1R/?igshid=1ilwy9ulijeu9

#QutubMinar is a minaret that forms part of the #QutbComplex a #UNESCO #WorldHeritageSite in the Mehrauli area of #Delhi India. Its design is thought to have been based on the Minaret of Jam in western Afghanistan. #TheQutbComplex was originally a site with 27 Hindu and Jain Temples. These temples were destroyed by the few invaders to obtain stone and raw material for their buildings. They were in such hurry of completing the job that they were not able to deface the statues properly. Even today the remains of temples can be seen within the Qutb Complex. Location: #Mehrauli, #NewDelhi https://www.instagram.com/p/B5P8a5ohjYB/?igshid=16r8wbgpzmlyn

#TheQutbMinar, also spelled as #QutabMinar or #QutubMinar, is a minaret that forms part of the #QutbComplex, a #UNESCOWorldHeritageSite in the #Mehrauli area of #Delhi, India. Qutb Minar is a 73-metre tall tapering tower of five storeys, with a 14.3 metres base diameter, reducing to 2.7 metres at the top of the peak. It contains a spiral staircase of 379 steps. #TheMinar is surrounded by several historically significant monuments of Qutb complex. The nearby pillared cupola known as "Smith's Folly" is a remnant of the tower's 19th century restoration, which included an ill-advised attempt to add some more stories. Before 1974, the general public was allowed access to the top of the minaret, via the internal staircase. On 4 December 1981, the staircase lighting failed. Between 400 and 500 visitors stampeded towards the exit, and 47 were killed in the crush and some were injured. Most of these were school children.  Since then, the tower has been closed to the public. Since this incident the rules regarding entry has been stringent.  https://www.instagram.com/p/B3yJcDUhGAi/?igshid=17ocx1umap2kz

#qutubminar #india #delhi #sufinid Tower of Victory commissioned by first Muslim sultan of Delhi in 1192 #UNESCO #world #heritage #site #Qutbcomplex #travels #incredibleindia (at Qutub Minar)