About
Tughlaqabad
Lying east of Qutab Minar the third city of Delhi with 13
gateways is Tughlaqabad built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tuglaq. In
the southern periphery of Delhi are the ruins of a massive
fort, once the capital of the Tughlaq kings. It was an
impregnable fortification built by Sultan Ghiyasuddin
Tughlaq in 1321. The Elegant tomb of the emperor in red
sandstone with its sloping walls and white dome, located
near the fort, is considered to be one of the best
examples of Tughlaq architecture.
An Architectural Marvel with Military Style
The massive Tughlaqabad Fort, is not only symbolic of the
might of the Tughlaq dynasty, but it is a piece of
architectural marvel. It was a part of the dream project
of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq when he built the capital at
Tughlaqabad. However, this powerful edifice did not last
long and fell to the curse of a saint. The crumbling ruins
of the Tughlaqabad Fort convey a sense of lost grandeur.
The massive ramparts, battlements, and the mammoth
stonework of this fort speak highly of the engineering
skills of the workers who constructed it. The fort served
the dual purpose of a defensive structure as well as the
imperial capital of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq. There are a
number of monuments within the precincts of this fort.
The Origin
Tughluqabad Fort was situated on high rocky ground, an
ideal location to withstand enemy attacks. The origin of
the historic city of Tughlaqabad and the Tughlaqabad Fort
goes to the period of the Delhi Sultanate. The Tughlaqs
who followed the Khiljis were great builders and the city
of Tughlaqabad and Tughlaqabad Fort were their first major
architectural achievement. The story behind Ghazi Malik
(founder of the Tughlaq dynasty) was once a slave of
Mubarak Khilji, the last Khilji sultan. One day, while
walking by the area Ghazi Malik suggested to his master
that the rocky prominence would be an ideal site for
building a fort. The Khilji sultan laughed at his slave
and suggested that the slave build a fort there when he
became a sultan. When Ghazi Malik, as Ghiyas-ud-din
Tughlaq, founded the Tughlaq Dynasty in 1321, he did just
that—Tughlaqabad is Delhi’s most colossal and awesome
fort, even in its ruined state. In fact Ghiyasuddin had
selected this site for the fort when he was a mere
soldier. The fort of Tughlaqabad was completed rapidly in
a short span of four years. Within its sky-touching walls,
double-storied bastions, and gigantic towers were housed
grand palaces, splendid mosques, and audience halls.
Legends Of Tughlaqabad
There are a number of legends associated with Tughlaqabad.
It is often said that the skulls of the killed Mongol
marauders were used in the construction material of this
awesome fort. Its construction involved a legendary
quarrel with the saint Nizam-ud-din. When the Tughluq
ruler took the workers whom Nizam-ud-din wanted for work
on his shrine the saint cursed the king with the warning
that only the Gujjars (shepherds) would inhabit his city.
The demise of Tughlaqabad was not brought about by any
foreign invasion, but to the curse of a Sufi Saint
Nizam-ud-din. . Ghiyas-ud-din was killed at a place near
Delhi when a shamiana (canopy) collapsed over him during a
reception arranged by his son.
Location
Tughlaqabad is the third city of Delhi, located about 10
kms. east of Qutub complex along the Mahrauli-Badarpur
Road. |
