The history of this centre of power dates
to the first millennium BC. In 1955 excavations
within the Purana Qila revealed that the area
was inhabited morethan 3000 years ago. This
was Indraprastha, a site associated with the
epic Mahabharata.A clearer picture emerges
at the end of the 10th century. The TomarRajputs
built Lal Kot, the core of the first of Delhi's
seven cities. Later,another Rajput king, Prithviraj
Chauhan — hero of ballads and legends
—extended it to create the Qila Rai
Pithora. In 1206, Qutb ud din Aibak, aslave
of Mohammad of Ghor crowned himself the Sultan
of Delhi and occupied the Rajput fort. He
commemorated his victory by building the Quwwat
ul Islam mosque. It is the earliest extant
mosque in India and within its courtyard stands
the 4th-century standard of Lord Vishnu, the
famous, uncorroded Iron Pillar. Nearby, he
raised the towering minaret, the QutbMinar,
one of Delhi's landmarks. Other architectural
gems within this complex include the tomb
of Illtutmish and the Alai Darwaza.
Around 1311, Allaudin Khilji established Siri,
the second city and dug a vast reservoir at
Hauz Khas. Very little remains of Siri, but
Hauz Khas was extensively renovated a few
decades later. Now, ethnic boutiques and cafes
dot the Hauz Khas village and the location
is as attractive as the exclusive goods on
sale.
The great fort of Tughlaqabad wasraised in
1321 as a protection against Mongol raids
and became Delhi's third city. The fort and
tomb are characteristic of robust Tughlaq
architecture. Delhi's fourth city,Jahanpanah
has practically disappeared but its fifth,
Firoz Shah Kotla rises offBahadur Shah Zafar
Marg and is well known for its Ashokan pillar
which the Sultan brought fromMathura. Timur
devastated Delhi in 1398 and as a result the
15th century saw little growth. The tombs
of the Lodi kings date to this era and are
within the landscaped Lodi Gardens, one of
Delhi's most beautiful gardens.
In 1526, Babur founded the Mughal empire in
India. The impressive PuranaQila, Delhi's
sixth city, is a combined effort of his son
Humayun and the Afghan Sher Shah Suri who
temporarily deposed him. The fort contains
a fine mosque and what was possibly a library.
Nearby are the Zoo, the Crafts Museum, where
craftsmen work in a simulated rural setting,
andPragati Maidan, the exhibition grounds.
The magnificent tomb of Humayun, which is
a precursor to the Taj Mahal is 2 km from
here.
In Apiil 1639 the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan
laid the foundation of Shahjahanabad, Delhi's
seventh city, and it epitomised the grandeur
of his empire. This walled city has since
been continuously inhabited. It is one of
the most densely populated localities in the
world and it retains a unique vitality and
charm. The Red Fort, Shah Jahan's sandstone
citadel encompasses grand audience halls —
where the legendary Peacock Throne once stood
— and marble palaces ornamented with
exquisite pietra dura. Opposite the Red Fort
is the Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque.
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