Jahanpanah
Encyclopedia
Jahanpanah was the fourth medieval city of Delhi
established in 1326–1327 by Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1321–51), of the Delhi Sultanate
. To address the constant threat of the Mongols
, Tughlaq built the fortified city of Jahanpanah (meaning: “Refuge of the World”) subsuming the Adilabad fort that had been built in the 14th century and also all the establishments lying between Qila Rai Pithora and Siri Fort
. Neither the city nor the fort has survived. Many reasons have been offered for such a situation. One of which is stated as the idiosyncratic rule of Mohammed bin Tughlaq when inexplicably he shifted the capital to Daulatabad in the Deccan and came back to Delhi soon after.
The ruins of the city’s walls are even now discerned in the road between Siri to Qutub Minar
and also in isolated patches behind the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), in Begumpur, Khirki Masjid
near Khirki village, Satpula
and many other nearby locations; at some sections, as seen at Satpula, the fort walls were large enough to have few in built store rooms to stack provisions and armory. The mystery of the city’s precincts (complex) has unfolded over the years with later day excavations revealing a large number of monuments in the villages and colonies of South Delhi
. Due to compulsions of urban expansion of the Capital City of Delhi, Jahanpanah is now part of the upscale urban development of South Delhi. The village and the wealth of ruins scattered all around are now enclosed by South Delhi suburbs of Panchshil Park South, Malviya Nagar
, Adchini, the Aurobindo Ashram
, Delhi branch and other smaller housing colony developments. It is hemmed in the North–South direction between the Outer Ring Road
and the Qutb Complex
and on the east–west direction by the Mehrauli
road
and the Chirag Delhi road, with Indian Institute of Technology located on the other side of the Mehrauli
road as an important landmark.
consists of two Urdu words , ‘Jahan’, “the world”, and ‘panah’,“shelter”, colloquially this means “Your lordship”.
, constructed his new city of Jahanpanah between 1326 and 1327 by encircling the earlier cities of Siri and Lal Kot with 13 gates. But what remains of the city and Adilabad fort are large ruins, which leave much ambiguity and conjectures regarding its physical status as to why and when it was built by Tughlaq. Some of the structures which have survived partially are the Bijay Mandal (that is inferred to have housed the Hazar Sutan Palace, now destroyed), Begumpur Mosque, Serai Shaji Mahal, Lal Gumbad, Baradari with other nearby structures and scattered swathes of rubble masonry walls. From Ibn Batuta’s chronicle of the period (he lived in Delhi from 1333–41) it is inferred that Lal Kot (Qutb complex) was then the urban area, Siri was the military cantonment
and the remaining area consisted of his palace
(Bijaymandal) and other structures like mosques, etc.
Ibn Batuta has reasoned that Muhammad Shah wished to see a unified city comprising Old Delhi
, Siri, Jahanpanah and Tughlaqabad with one contiguous fortification encompassing them but cost considerations forced him to abandon the plan halfway. In his chronicle, Batuta also stated that the Hazar Sutan Palace (1000 pillared palace), built outside the Siri fort limits but within the Jahanpanah city area, was the residence of the Tughlaq.
Hazar Sutan Palace was located within the fortified area of the Jahnapanah in Bijaya Mandal (literal meaning in Urdu: 'victory platform'). The grand palace with its audience hall of beautifully painted wooden canopy and columns is vividly described but it does no longer exists. The Fort acted as a safe haven for the people living between Qila Rai Pithora and Siri. Tughalqabad continued to act as Tughlaq’s centre of government until, for strange and inexplicable reasons, he shifted his capital to Daulatabad, however he returned after a short period.
was provided with protective massive ramparts on its boundary around the city of Jahanpanah. The fort was much smaller than its predecessor fort, Tughlaqabad fort, but of similar design. Archeological Survey of India (ASI) in its evaluation of the status of the fort for conservation has recorded that two gates,
The fort was also known as ‘Muhammadabad’, but inferred as a later day development. The two gates on the southeast and southwest of Adilabad fort had chambers at the lower level while the east and west gates had grain bins and courtyards at the upper floors. The fortifications built, linking with the other two city walls, was 12 m (39.4 ft) in thickness and extended to a length of 8 km (5 mi). Another smaller fortress, called the Nai-ka-kot was also built at a distance of about 700 m (2,296.6 ft) from Adilabad, with citadel and army camps, which are now seen only in ruins.
Tughlaq’s primary attention to infrastructure, particularly of water supply to the city, was also well thought out. A structure (weir or tank) with seven sluices (Urdu
:Satpula
) was built on a stream that flowed through the city. This structure called the Satpula
is still existing (though non–functional) near Khirki village on the boundary walls of Jahanpanah. Similar structures had also been built at Tughlaqabad and Delhi in Hauz Khas Complex, thus covering the water supply needs of entire population of Jahanpanah.
, a vestige of the old city, of overall layout plan of 90 m (295.3 ft)x94 m (308.4 ft) size with the inner courtyard
measuring 75 m (246.1 ft)x80 m (262.5 ft), is said to be patterned on an Iranian design planned by the Iran
ian architect
Zahir al-Din al-Jayush. A majestic building in the heart of the city with a pride of place played a pivotal role of serving as a madrasa, an administrative centre with the treasury
and a mosque of large proportions serving as a social community hub surrounded by a market area. It has an unusual layout with three arch covered passages with a “three by eight” deep nine bay prayer hall on the west. Construction of this mosque is credited to two sources. One view is that it was built by Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul Tilangani
, Prime Minister
during Feroz Shah Tughlaq’s rule, who was also builder of six more masjids (two of them in the close vicinity). The other view is that it was built by Tughlaq because of its proximity to Bijay Mandal and could probably be dated to 1351 A.D., the year Tughlaq died here. In support of the second view, it is said that Ibn Batuta, the chronicler of the period (till his departure from Delhi in 1341 A.D.) had not recorded this monument. The Mosque considered an architectural masterpiece (see pictures in gallery) has three gates, one in each of the three covered passages, in North, East (main gate) and South directions. The west wall which has the Mihrab
, has Toghluqi style tapering minaret
s flanking the central high opening covered by a big dome
. The entire passageway of the west wall has twenty five arched openings. The Mihrab wall depicts five projections. The prayer hall has modest decorative carvings but the columns and walls are bland. The eastern gate approach is from the road level up a flight of steps to negotiate the raised plinth on which this unique mosque has been built with a four Iwan
layout. Stone chajjas or eaves
can also be seen on all the four arcades
. The Northern entry with 1 m (3.3 ft) raised entrance, probably linked the Mosque to the Bijayamandal Palace. The stucco plastering work on the mosque walls have lasted for centuries and even now show some tiles fixed on them at a few locations. The mosque was under occupation during Jahanpanah’s existence till the 17th century. In the later period, encroachers had occupied the mosque but were cleared by the ASI
in 1921. A shuttered by lane entry from the north has been interpreted as an approach that was used by the womenfolk of the Sultan’s family for attending prayers in the mosque.
. It cannot be categorized as a tower
or a palace. It is a typical Toghlaqi structure with an octagonal plan built in rubble
masonry
(with massive battered sloping walls on east, west and southern directions) on a raised platform with door ways in each cardinal direction. The purpose of this unusual structure and the ruins of the Sar Dara Palace was described by Ibn Battuta as the palace with multiple chambers and the large public audience hall as the famed Hazar Sutan Palace. It was also interpreted as serving as an observation tower to monitor the activities of his troops. The ambience of the place presented it as place to relax and enjoy the scenic view of the environs. The inclined path around the monument was a walkway
leading to the apartments of the Sultan. Two large openings in the living rooms of the floor were inferred as leading to the vaults
or the treasury. On the level platform, outside the building in front of the apartment rooms, small holes equally spaced are seen, which have been inferred to be holes used to fix wooden pillars to hold a temporary shamiana (pavilion
) or cover. The process of ushering people into the presence of the Sultan was devious and formal involving entry through semi–public places to private chambers to the audience hall. The debate on whether the Hazara Sutan Palace cited as existing during Allauddin Khilji reign and also during Togluq's time are one and the same palace, has not been conclusive. A plausible hypothesis is that the stone hall of the palace was built by Allauddin Khilji while the tower adjoining the stone buildings was surely built by Mohammed bin Toghluq.
Archeological excavations carried out by the Archeological Survey of India unearthed treasures from the vaults in the buildings, which date the occupation of this monument during Feruz Shah’s reign and also by Sheikh Hasan Tahir (a saint) during Sikander Lodi’s rule at the beginning of the 16th century. Also, excavations done in 1934 have revealed wooden pillar bases attributed to the Hazar Sutan Palace.
Within the close precincts of the Bijaymandal, a domed building is seen which has a unique architectural façade of two openings on each of its three sides, interpreted as an annex to another building (based on underground passages seen in the adjoining structure). However, the purpose for which this dome was built is not known.
Kalusarai Masjid
Kalusarai Masjid is located 500 m (1,640.4 ft) to the north of the Bijaymandal but it is in a highly dilapidated state (pictured) needing urgent attention for restoration in view of its heritage monument status. At present, it is occupied as a residential complex by a few families. The Masjid was built by the famous builder of Mosques Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul Tilangani
, Prime Minister during Feroz Shah Tughlaq’s reign, as one of his seven mosques; built in the same architectural style as the other six built by him. But even now the visible decorations of the mihrab appear to be more intricate than in his other mosques. When built with rubble masonry and plastered, the mosque had seven arched openings as the frontage, three bays depth wise and crowned by a sequence of low domes in typical Toghluqi architectural style.
village, which is now the present–day large city in Haryana
.
The Lal Gumbad, was built as a tomb for Shaikh Kabbiruddin Auliya (1397), a sufi saint
who lived in the 14th century as a disciple of sufi saint Shaikh Raushan Chiragh–i–Delhi. The dome tomb was built with red sandstone
. It is considered to be a small size replica of the Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq’s Tomb
in Tughlaqabad
. The gateway to the tomb has a pointed arch with marble bands. It is also called the Rakabwala Gumbad because dacoits had stolen the finial
on the roof of the tomb by climbing up over the iron rungs (called 'Rakab') on its western wall. Apart from these structures, the four walls of a mosque also are within the compound wall of the tomb.
The Sadhana Enclave are features Baradari an arched hall. Thought to have been built in the 14th century or 15th century, it is in a fairly well preserved condition. A Lodi period tomb is also seen nearby.
Further away from the Sadhana enclave on its opposite side, in Shiekh Serai, three tombs are noted of which only one is well preserved, the squared domed tomb of Sheikh Alauddin (1541–42). The tomb building is raised on twelve columns with perforated screens on the façade has a large dome, creating a drum with sixteen faces. The ceiling of the tomb is well decorated with medallions in plaster on the spandrel
of arches and within the parapets a merlon
design.
in part of the fort walls at its junction with the eastern wall of Qila Rai Pithora. The excavations revealed rough and small stones in the foundations followed by an ashlar
face in the exterior wall above ground. The ASI is presently involved in conservation activities of the wall, providing railings, environmental improvements and lighting of the area, at a cost of Rs 15 lakhs (US$ 30,000).
in the present suburbs of Kalu Sarai, Bijaymandal, Adchini, Begumpur village, IIT
, Delhi
crossing, Aurobindo Marg, Malviya Nagar, Panchsheel Enclave South, Sadhana Enclave, Press Enclave road, in the urban village of Chirag Delhi, Tuhghlaqabad and Qutub Minar. The ancient city walls are seen at a few locations, such as east of Khirki village near Satpula
. The main approach road from Connaught Place
to Qutub Minar complex passes through the IIT crossing at a distance of 14.5 km (9 mi). The Outer Ring Road also crosses this road at IIT crossing. From this crossing, all the locations can be reached from the Aurobindo Marg diversion road next to the Essex Farms (opposite to IIT, Delhi).
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
established in 1326–1327 by Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1321–51), of the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
. To address the constant threat of the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
, Tughlaq built the fortified city of Jahanpanah (meaning: “Refuge of the World”) subsuming the Adilabad fort that had been built in the 14th century and also all the establishments lying between Qila Rai Pithora and Siri Fort
Siri Fort
Siri Fort, in the city of New Delhi, was built during the rule of Ala-ud-Din Khalji of the Delhi Sultanate to defend the city from the onslaught of the Mongols....
. Neither the city nor the fort has survived. Many reasons have been offered for such a situation. One of which is stated as the idiosyncratic rule of Mohammed bin Tughlaq when inexplicably he shifted the capital to Daulatabad in the Deccan and came back to Delhi soon after.
The ruins of the city’s walls are even now discerned in the road between Siri to Qutub Minar
Qutub Minar
Qutub Minar also Qutb Minar, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in Delhi, India. The Qutub Minar is constructed with red sandstone and marble, and is the tallest minaret in India, with a height of 72.5 meters , contains 379 stairs to reach the top, and the diameter of base is 14.3 meters...
and also in isolated patches behind the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), in Begumpur, Khirki Masjid
Khirki Masjid
Khirki Masjid, approached from the Khirki village in South Delhi and close to the Satpula or the seven arched bridge on the edge of southern wall of Jahapanah , was a mosque built by Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul Tilangani, the Prime Minister of Feroz Shah Tughlaq of the Tughlaq Dynasty...
near Khirki village, Satpula
Satpula
Satpula is a remarkable ancient water harvesting dam or weir located about east of the Khirki Masjid that is integral to the compound wall of the medieval fourth city of the Jahanpanah in Delhi, with its construction credited to the reign of Sultan Muhammad Shah Tughlaq of the Tughlaq...
and many other nearby locations; at some sections, as seen at Satpula, the fort walls were large enough to have few in built store rooms to stack provisions and armory. The mystery of the city’s precincts (complex) has unfolded over the years with later day excavations revealing a large number of monuments in the villages and colonies of South Delhi
South Delhi
South Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India.It is bounded by the Yamuna River to the east, the districts of New Delhi to the north, Faridabad District of Haryana state to the southeast, Gurgaon District of Haryana to the southwest, and South West...
. Due to compulsions of urban expansion of the Capital City of Delhi, Jahanpanah is now part of the upscale urban development of South Delhi. The village and the wealth of ruins scattered all around are now enclosed by South Delhi suburbs of Panchshil Park South, Malviya Nagar
Malviya Nagar (Delhi)
Malviya Nagar is an affluent region of South Delhi, and is close to Saket and Hauz Khas very close to IIT Delhi.It is named after the noted freedom fighter Madan Mohan Malviya....
, Adchini, the Aurobindo Ashram
Aurobindo Ashram
Sri Aurobindo Ashram is located at Dandia Bazar in the city of Vadodara, Gujarat, western India.it was the first ever ashram to become so popular in south areas....
, Delhi branch and other smaller housing colony developments. It is hemmed in the North–South direction between the Outer Ring Road
Outer Ring Road, New Delhi
Outer Ring Road, Delhi is a ring road that encircles the city of Delhi. It has three lanes in each direction, with a total length of 47km. Although it used to have traffic lights and at-grade intersections, mushrooming interchanges have reduced the number of lights to just two, and traffic now...
and the Qutb Complex
Qutb complex
The Qutb complex , also spelled Qutab or Qutub, is an array of monuments and buildings at Mehrauli in Delhi, India. The construction of Qutb Minar was intended as a Victory Tower, to celebrate the victory of Mohammed Ghori over Rajput king, Prithviraj Chauhan, in 1192 AD, by his then viceroy,...
and on the east–west direction by the Mehrauli
Mehrauli
Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in the South West district of Delhi in India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is located close to Gurgaon.-History:...
road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
and the Chirag Delhi road, with Indian Institute of Technology located on the other side of the Mehrauli
Mehrauli
Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in the South West district of Delhi in India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is located close to Gurgaon.-History:...
road as an important landmark.
Etymology
Jahanpanah’s etymologyEtymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
consists of two Urdu words , ‘Jahan’, “the world”, and ‘panah’,“shelter”, colloquially this means “Your lordship”.
History
Mohammed bin Tughlaq, son of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq who built TughlaqabadTughlaqabad
Tughlaqabad Fort is a ruined fort in Delhi, stretching across 6.5 km, built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, of the Delhi Sultanate of India in 1321, as he established the fifth historic city of Delhi, which was later abandoned in 1327...
, constructed his new city of Jahanpanah between 1326 and 1327 by encircling the earlier cities of Siri and Lal Kot with 13 gates. But what remains of the city and Adilabad fort are large ruins, which leave much ambiguity and conjectures regarding its physical status as to why and when it was built by Tughlaq. Some of the structures which have survived partially are the Bijay Mandal (that is inferred to have housed the Hazar Sutan Palace, now destroyed), Begumpur Mosque, Serai Shaji Mahal, Lal Gumbad, Baradari with other nearby structures and scattered swathes of rubble masonry walls. From Ibn Batuta’s chronicle of the period (he lived in Delhi from 1333–41) it is inferred that Lal Kot (Qutb complex) was then the urban area, Siri was the military cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
and the remaining area consisted of his palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
(Bijaymandal) and other structures like mosques, etc.
Ibn Batuta has reasoned that Muhammad Shah wished to see a unified city comprising Old Delhi
Old Delhi
Old Delhi , walled city of Delhi, India, was founded as Shahjahanabad by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan in 1639. It remained the capital of the Mughals until the end of the Mughal dynasty....
, Siri, Jahanpanah and Tughlaqabad with one contiguous fortification encompassing them but cost considerations forced him to abandon the plan halfway. In his chronicle, Batuta also stated that the Hazar Sutan Palace (1000 pillared palace), built outside the Siri fort limits but within the Jahanpanah city area, was the residence of the Tughlaq.
Hazar Sutan Palace was located within the fortified area of the Jahnapanah in Bijaya Mandal (literal meaning in Urdu: 'victory platform'). The grand palace with its audience hall of beautifully painted wooden canopy and columns is vividly described but it does no longer exists. The Fort acted as a safe haven for the people living between Qila Rai Pithora and Siri. Tughalqabad continued to act as Tughlaq’s centre of government until, for strange and inexplicable reasons, he shifted his capital to Daulatabad, however he returned after a short period.
Adilabad
Adilabad, a fort of modest size, built on the hills to the south of TughlaqabadTughlaqabad
Tughlaqabad Fort is a ruined fort in Delhi, stretching across 6.5 km, built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, of the Delhi Sultanate of India in 1321, as he established the fifth historic city of Delhi, which was later abandoned in 1327...
was provided with protective massive ramparts on its boundary around the city of Jahanpanah. The fort was much smaller than its predecessor fort, Tughlaqabad fort, but of similar design. Archeological Survey of India (ASI) in its evaluation of the status of the fort for conservation has recorded that two gates,
one with barbicans between two bastions on the south-east and another on the south-west. Inside, it, separated by a bailey, is a citadel consisting of walls, bastions and gates within which lay the palaces.
The fort was also known as ‘Muhammadabad’, but inferred as a later day development. The two gates on the southeast and southwest of Adilabad fort had chambers at the lower level while the east and west gates had grain bins and courtyards at the upper floors. The fortifications built, linking with the other two city walls, was 12 m (39.4 ft) in thickness and extended to a length of 8 km (5 mi). Another smaller fortress, called the Nai-ka-kot was also built at a distance of about 700 m (2,296.6 ft) from Adilabad, with citadel and army camps, which are now seen only in ruins.
Tughlaq’s primary attention to infrastructure, particularly of water supply to the city, was also well thought out. A structure (weir or tank) with seven sluices (Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
:Satpula
Satpula
Satpula is a remarkable ancient water harvesting dam or weir located about east of the Khirki Masjid that is integral to the compound wall of the medieval fourth city of the Jahanpanah in Delhi, with its construction credited to the reign of Sultan Muhammad Shah Tughlaq of the Tughlaq...
) was built on a stream that flowed through the city. This structure called the Satpula
Satpula
Satpula is a remarkable ancient water harvesting dam or weir located about east of the Khirki Masjid that is integral to the compound wall of the medieval fourth city of the Jahanpanah in Delhi, with its construction credited to the reign of Sultan Muhammad Shah Tughlaq of the Tughlaq...
is still existing (though non–functional) near Khirki village on the boundary walls of Jahanpanah. Similar structures had also been built at Tughlaqabad and Delhi in Hauz Khas Complex, thus covering the water supply needs of entire population of Jahanpanah.
 |
 |
| East gate entry itno Begumpur Masjid | Begumpur Masjid central pishtaq on west wall |
Begampur Mosque
Now, remnants of the city lie scattered in Begumpur village, as a mute reminder of its ancient glory. The Begumpur MosqueMosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
, a vestige of the old city, of overall layout plan of 90 m (295.3 ft)x94 m (308.4 ft) size with the inner courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
measuring 75 m (246.1 ft)x80 m (262.5 ft), is said to be patterned on an Iranian design planned by the Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Zahir al-Din al-Jayush. A majestic building in the heart of the city with a pride of place played a pivotal role of serving as a madrasa, an administrative centre with the treasury
Treasury
A treasury is either*A government department related to finance and taxation.*A place where currency or precious items is/are kept....
and a mosque of large proportions serving as a social community hub surrounded by a market area. It has an unusual layout with three arch covered passages with a “three by eight” deep nine bay prayer hall on the west. Construction of this mosque is credited to two sources. One view is that it was built by Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul Tilangani
Malik Maqbul
Malik Maqbul or Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul Tilangani, was the Wazir or Prime Minister of the Delhi Sultanate, in the government of Feroz Shah Tughlaq , in the Indian sub-continent...
, Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
during Feroz Shah Tughlaq’s rule, who was also builder of six more masjids (two of them in the close vicinity). The other view is that it was built by Tughlaq because of its proximity to Bijay Mandal and could probably be dated to 1351 A.D., the year Tughlaq died here. In support of the second view, it is said that Ibn Batuta, the chronicler of the period (till his departure from Delhi in 1341 A.D.) had not recorded this monument. The Mosque considered an architectural masterpiece (see pictures in gallery) has three gates, one in each of the three covered passages, in North, East (main gate) and South directions. The west wall which has the Mihrab
Mihrab
A mihrab is semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying...
, has Toghluqi style tapering minaret
Minaret
A minaret مناره , sometimes مئذنه) is a distinctive architectural feature of Islamic mosques, generally a tall spire with an onion-shaped or conical crown, usually either free standing or taller than any associated support structure. The basic form of a minaret includes a base, shaft, and gallery....
s flanking the central high opening covered by a big dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
. The entire passageway of the west wall has twenty five arched openings. The Mihrab wall depicts five projections. The prayer hall has modest decorative carvings but the columns and walls are bland. The eastern gate approach is from the road level up a flight of steps to negotiate the raised plinth on which this unique mosque has been built with a four Iwan
Iwan
An iwan is a rectangular hall or space, usually vaulted, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open. The formal gateway to the iwan is called pishtaq, a Persian term for a portal projecting from the facade of a building, usually decorated with calligraphy bands, glazed tilework, and...
layout. Stone chajjas or eaves
Eaves
The eaves of a roof are its lower edges. They usually project beyond the walls of the building to carry rain water away.-Etymology:"Eaves" is derived from Old English and is both the singular and plural form of the word.- Function :...
can also be seen on all the four arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
. The Northern entry with 1 m (3.3 ft) raised entrance, probably linked the Mosque to the Bijayamandal Palace. The stucco plastering work on the mosque walls have lasted for centuries and even now show some tiles fixed on them at a few locations. The mosque was under occupation during Jahanpanah’s existence till the 17th century. In the later period, encroachers had occupied the mosque but were cleared by the ASI
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India is a department of the Government of India, attached to the Ministry of Culture . The ASI is responsible for archaeological studies and the preservation of archaeological heritage of the country in accordance with the various acts of the Indian Parliament...
in 1921. A shuttered by lane entry from the north has been interpreted as an approach that was used by the womenfolk of the Sultan’s family for attending prayers in the mosque.
 |
 |
| View of Bijaymandal Palace ruins | Dome of Unique Design next to Bijaymandal Palace |
Bijay Mandal
Bijay Mandal is a building with a layout plan of 74 m (242.8 ft)x82 m (269 ft) dimensions, with a well proportioned square domeDome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
. It cannot be categorized as a tower
Tower
A tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
or a palace. It is a typical Toghlaqi structure with an octagonal plan built in rubble
Rubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
(with massive battered sloping walls on east, west and southern directions) on a raised platform with door ways in each cardinal direction. The purpose of this unusual structure and the ruins of the Sar Dara Palace was described by Ibn Battuta as the palace with multiple chambers and the large public audience hall as the famed Hazar Sutan Palace. It was also interpreted as serving as an observation tower to monitor the activities of his troops. The ambience of the place presented it as place to relax and enjoy the scenic view of the environs. The inclined path around the monument was a walkway
Walkway
In US English, a walkway is a composite or umbrella term for all engineered surfaces or structures which support the use of trails. These include sidewalks, footbridges, stiles, stairs, ramps, paseos or tunnels...
leading to the apartments of the Sultan. Two large openings in the living rooms of the floor were inferred as leading to the vaults
Bank vault
A bank vault is a secure space where money, valuables, records, and documents can be stored. It is intended to protect their contents from theft, unauthorized use, fire, natural disasters, and other threats, just like a safe...
or the treasury. On the level platform, outside the building in front of the apartment rooms, small holes equally spaced are seen, which have been inferred to be holes used to fix wooden pillars to hold a temporary shamiana (pavilion
Pavilion (structure)
In architecture a pavilion has two main meanings.-Free-standing structure:Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in...
) or cover. The process of ushering people into the presence of the Sultan was devious and formal involving entry through semi–public places to private chambers to the audience hall. The debate on whether the Hazara Sutan Palace cited as existing during Allauddin Khilji reign and also during Togluq's time are one and the same palace, has not been conclusive. A plausible hypothesis is that the stone hall of the palace was built by Allauddin Khilji while the tower adjoining the stone buildings was surely built by Mohammed bin Toghluq.
Archeological excavations carried out by the Archeological Survey of India unearthed treasures from the vaults in the buildings, which date the occupation of this monument during Feruz Shah’s reign and also by Sheikh Hasan Tahir (a saint) during Sikander Lodi’s rule at the beginning of the 16th century. Also, excavations done in 1934 have revealed wooden pillar bases attributed to the Hazar Sutan Palace.
Within the close precincts of the Bijaymandal, a domed building is seen which has a unique architectural façade of two openings on each of its three sides, interpreted as an annex to another building (based on underground passages seen in the adjoining structure). However, the purpose for which this dome was built is not known.
Kalusarai Masjid
Malik Maqbul
Malik Maqbul or Khan-i-Jahan Maqbul Tilangani, was the Wazir or Prime Minister of the Delhi Sultanate, in the government of Feroz Shah Tughlaq , in the Indian sub-continent...
, Prime Minister during Feroz Shah Tughlaq’s reign, as one of his seven mosques; built in the same architectural style as the other six built by him. But even now the visible decorations of the mihrab appear to be more intricate than in his other mosques. When built with rubble masonry and plastered, the mosque had seven arched openings as the frontage, three bays depth wise and crowned by a sequence of low domes in typical Toghluqi architectural style.
Serai Shaji Mahal
Further to the east of Begumpur Masjid, in the Serai Shahji village, Mughul period buildings are seen of which the Serai Shaji Mahal is a distinguishing monument. The area surrounding this is scattered with decrepit gates, graves and a large slum area. A little distance from this place is the tomb of Shiekh Farid Murtaza Khan, who during Emperor Akbar’s period, was credited with building a number of Serai's, a mosque and FaridabadFaridabad
Faridabad is a city in the south-east of Haryana state in northern India, in Faridabad district. It lies at 28º 25' 16" N Latitude and 77º 18' 28" E Longitude. The district shares its boundaries with the National Capital and Union Territory of Delhi to its north, Gurgaon district to the west and...
village, which is now the present–day large city in Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
.
Other notable structures
Other notable structures in the Jahanpanah’s ambit of 20 ha (49.4 acre) area in close vicinity of the present day Panchshila Public School are the following :The Lal Gumbad, was built as a tomb for Shaikh Kabbiruddin Auliya (1397), a sufi saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
who lived in the 14th century as a disciple of sufi saint Shaikh Raushan Chiragh–i–Delhi. The dome tomb was built with red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. It is considered to be a small size replica of the Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq’s Tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
in Tughlaqabad
Tughlaqabad
Tughlaqabad Fort is a ruined fort in Delhi, stretching across 6.5 km, built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, of the Delhi Sultanate of India in 1321, as he established the fifth historic city of Delhi, which was later abandoned in 1327...
. The gateway to the tomb has a pointed arch with marble bands. It is also called the Rakabwala Gumbad because dacoits had stolen the finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
on the roof of the tomb by climbing up over the iron rungs (called 'Rakab') on its western wall. Apart from these structures, the four walls of a mosque also are within the compound wall of the tomb.
The Sadhana Enclave are features Baradari an arched hall. Thought to have been built in the 14th century or 15th century, it is in a fairly well preserved condition. A Lodi period tomb is also seen nearby.
Further away from the Sadhana enclave on its opposite side, in Shiekh Serai, three tombs are noted of which only one is well preserved, the squared domed tomb of Sheikh Alauddin (1541–42). The tomb building is raised on twelve columns with perforated screens on the façade has a large dome, creating a drum with sixteen faces. The ceiling of the tomb is well decorated with medallions in plaster on the spandrel
Spandrel
A spandrel, less often spandril or splaundrel, is the space between two arches or between an arch and a rectangular enclosure....
of arches and within the parapets a merlon
Merlon
In architecture, a merlon forms the solid part of an embattled parapet, sometimes pierced by embrasures. The space between two merlons is usually called a crenel, although those later designed and used for cannons were called embrasures.-Etymology:...
design.
Conservation measures
Archeological excavations were done by ASIArchaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India is a department of the Government of India, attached to the Ministry of Culture . The ASI is responsible for archaeological studies and the preservation of archaeological heritage of the country in accordance with the various acts of the Indian Parliament...
in part of the fort walls at its junction with the eastern wall of Qila Rai Pithora. The excavations revealed rough and small stones in the foundations followed by an ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
face in the exterior wall above ground. The ASI is presently involved in conservation activities of the wall, providing railings, environmental improvements and lighting of the area, at a cost of Rs 15 lakhs (US$ 30,000).
Modern location
Jahanpanah's ruins are mostly concentrated in South DelhiSouth Delhi
South Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India.It is bounded by the Yamuna River to the east, the districts of New Delhi to the north, Faridabad District of Haryana state to the southeast, Gurgaon District of Haryana to the southwest, and South West...
in the present suburbs of Kalu Sarai, Bijaymandal, Adchini, Begumpur village, IIT
Indian Institutes of Technology
The Indian Institutes of Technology are a group of autonomous engineering and technology-oriented institutes of higher education. The IITs are governed by the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 which has declared them as “institutions of national importance”, and lays down their powers, duties,...
, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
crossing, Aurobindo Marg, Malviya Nagar, Panchsheel Enclave South, Sadhana Enclave, Press Enclave road, in the urban village of Chirag Delhi, Tuhghlaqabad and Qutub Minar. The ancient city walls are seen at a few locations, such as east of Khirki village near Satpula
Satpula
Satpula is a remarkable ancient water harvesting dam or weir located about east of the Khirki Masjid that is integral to the compound wall of the medieval fourth city of the Jahanpanah in Delhi, with its construction credited to the reign of Sultan Muhammad Shah Tughlaq of the Tughlaq...
. The main approach road from Connaught Place
Connaught Place, New Delhi
Connaught Place Connaught Place Connaught Place (Hindi: कनॉट प्लेस, (officially Rajiv Chowk) is one of the largest financial, commercial and business centers in Delhi. It is often abbreviated as CP and houses the headquarters of several Indian firms. Its surroundings occupy a place of pride...
to Qutub Minar complex passes through the IIT crossing at a distance of 14.5 km (9 mi). The Outer Ring Road also crosses this road at IIT crossing. From this crossing, all the locations can be reached from the Aurobindo Marg diversion road next to the Essex Farms (opposite to IIT, Delhi).