Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar was built in 1192 by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate to mark his victory against the last Hindu empire of Delhi. It is not sure whether the minaret was a dedication to a Sufi saint, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki or not. Aibak built only the basement of the monument, and three more storeys were added by his successor, Iltutmish.

Unfortunately, this historical monument faced a few natural disasters. In 1369 AD, severe lightning struck the top storey of the minaret, damaging it completely. Then, Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq rebuilt the monument and added another storey made of marble and red sandstone. Again, in 1505, an earthquake ruined the minaret. Sikandar Lodi, who was the Sultan at that time reconstructed the top two storeys of the minaret with marbles.

That was not the end. The monument was hit yet again by a major earthquake on September 1, 1803. It was reduced to wreck after which Major Robert Smith of the British Indian Army rebuilt it in 1828. He also installed a cupola atop the tower. However, in 1848, it was uninstalled on the command of the then Governor-General of India, Henry Hardinge. Today, that cupola is on the ground floor to the east of Qutub Minar.

The incredible Qutub Minar soars to a height of 240 ft. with a diameter of 14.3 m at the base and 2.7 m at the top. The spiral staircase consisting of 379 stairs takes one to the top of the monument. It also tilts a little from 65 m above the ground level. The five-storey building has been built with red sandstone and marble.

Every floor has a protruding balcony surrounding the minaret and supported by corbels. It is a classic example of Indo-Islamic architecture. With the difference in the architectural styles and the materials used in construction, it is apparent that the tower was constructed over the years by different rulers.

The first three storeys are made of red stone and are relatively pale. The fourth one is white as it is made up of marble. The last storey is made of sandstone. Verses from the Quran can be seen engraved on the minaret with other inscriptions of Parso-Arabic and Nagari characters.

The Qutub Festival, held in Qutub Minar in November- December is a three-day festival to celebrate the magnificence of the monument and flaunt its past glory to the entire world. It is organized jointly by the Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation and the Sahitya Kala Parishad. The festival includes cultural shows and art forms that allure people from all over the world. It brings together some fine folk and classical musicians. In this festival, Qutub Minar gets both national and international attention that it deserves. The three days of music and dance revitalize and bring life to the monument. The food stalls offering scrumptious regional delicacies add to the razzmatazz of the event.

Since Delhi witnesses scorching temperature in summers, it is wise to explore and unveil the city in winters. October to March is the perfect time to visit Delhi. The tourists generally 2 hours to explore the Complex.

1. Qutb Minar means pole or axis in Arabic.
2. Earlier, the general public was allowed to access the top of the tower but on December 4, 1981, due to electricity failure, 45 people were killed in a stampede. Therefore, the public was denied to enter into Qutub Minar.
3. Popular Bollywood actor, Dev Anand wanted to shoot one of the songs of his film inside the minaret. However, the cameras did not fit inside the tower. So, the song was shot in the replica of Qutub Minar.

Once you are in Delhi, it is very easy to reach Qutub Minar. Autorickshaws and cabs are readily available to take you there. The nearest metro station from Qutub Minar is the Qutub Minar Metro Station which falls on the Yellow Line. It is approximately 3 Km away from the monument.

There are many parking lots available around Qutub Minar. Tourists are able to park their cars hassle-free. The official car parking area of Qutub Minar is just 800 metres away from the Minar.