Saturday, April 30, 2011

Delhi Qutb Minar


I've read about Qutb ,Minar right from my school days and some how did not imagine that there is any thing  more to see than a tall pillar like Tower standing which  did not evince any interest  during any of my previous visits to Delhi..

But when I was in Delhi during Jul 2010 for an official work for about 3 weeks, I happen to stop by this place and was pleasantly surprised to find more than just a tall tower and discover it to be a complex of ruins of Moghul architecture..! Though, I lamented, I missed it so long, I was glad I visited it then..!

Built in the early 13th century a few kilometres south of Delhi, the red sandstone tower of Qutb Minar is 72.5 m high, tapering from 2.75 m in diameter at its peak to 14.32 m at its base, and alternating angular and rounded flutings. The surrounding archaeological area contains funerary buildings, notably the magnificent Alai-Darwaza Gate, the masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art (built in 1311), and two mosques, including the Quwwatu'l-Islam, the oldest in northern India, built of materials reused from some 20 Brahman temples.

More info and story in Wikipedia here..

While I was gleaning data on the internet, I stumbled on these interesting links.. these are useful too..!

UNESCO World heritage Sites in India   ---->  http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/state=in
Worldwide Heritage Site - Interactive Map  ---->  http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/


Shot from the speeding car..this building looked to be some kind of an exhibition..

Green garden greets you at the entrance..

Click on the picture to view the text enlarged...!












































Iron Pillar.









I was not the only shutter bug there...!



Though says Lazy.. He seems to have enjoyed it.. How about you..?


There was more than just this Tower.. .! Wow..! I returned awestruck at the architecture & Intricate art wok of Mohuls..!