Qutb Minar Travel Guide
Travel to Qutb Minar - Soaring Tower of Victory
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The origins of Qutb Minar are shrouded in controversy - some believe it was erected as a tower of victory to signify the beginning of the Muslim rule in India. Others say it served as a minaret to the muezzins to call the faithful to prayer. Whatever the truth the Qutb Minar is a major attraction for visitors to Delhi.
The Qutb Minar is a soaring, 73 m-high tower started in 1193 by Qutb-ud-din Aibak. Immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom his successor, Iltutmush, added three more storeys, and in 1368, Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed the fifth and last. The tower has five distinct storeys, each of which is marked by a projecting balcony. It tapers from a diameter of 15m at the base to just 2.5m at the top. Notice how the first three storeys are made of red sandstone, the fourth and fifth storeys are of marble and sandstone. The tower is ornamented by bands of inscriptions and by four projecting balconies supported by elaborately decorated brackets. The development of architectural styles from Aibak to Tughlak is quite evident in the minar. The relief work and even the materials used for construction differ.
At the foot of the tower is the Quwwat-ul-Islam (Light of Islam) Mosque, the very first mosque to be built in India. An inscription over its eastern gate provocatively informs that it was built with material obtained from demolishing '27 Hindu temples'. Even in ruin the Quwwat Ui Islam is one of the most magnificent in the world.
Qutab-ud-din Aibak started its construction in 1193 and the mosque was completed in 1197. Iltutmush (in 1230) and Alla-ud-din Khilji (in 1315) made additions to the building. The main mosque comprises of an inner and outer courtyard with an exquisite colonnade, the pillars of which are made of richly decorated shafts; most of these shafts are from the 27 Hindu temples which were plundered to construct the mosque. It is, therefore, not surprising that the Muslim mosque has typical Hindu ornamentation.
Close to the mosque is one of Delhi's most curious antiques, the Iron Pillar which, it is said, if you can encircle the shaft with your arms whilst your back is to it you may have any wish you may desire. This strange pillar does not rust such is its purity and has been here since before the mosque.
Activities in Qutb Minar
Allow 2 hours for a visit
Relaxing
There are plenty of quiet corners to sit and enjoy the site with a cold drink.
Getting Around
The Qutb Minar Complex is usually incorporated into a wider city sightseeing tour and is best visited with a guide who can explain its history and the significance of each element.
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