Context:
Mehrauli city in Delhi was revamped for the G-20 summit.
Mehrauli City:
- Mehrauli – First of the 7 medieval cities existed in the present union territory of Delhi
- Other cities – Siri, Tughlaqabad, Jahanpanah, Ferozabad, Deenpanah and Shahjahanabad.
- Associated with – Tomar Dynasty, Delhi Sultanates, Mughals and British
- Significance – It consists of various historical structures like Lal Fort, Qutb Complex etc.
Lal Kot Fort:
- Constructed by – Tomar chief Anangpal II
- Also known as – Qila Rai Pithora
- Expanded by – Prithviraj Chauhan
- Yogninipura – In Jain scriptures, the location is mentioned as Yogninipura, now known for its ‘Yogmaya Temple’
Dadabari Mandir:
- Built during the reign of – Madanpala
- Dedicated to – Jain Saint, Jinchandra Suri
Hauz-e-Shamsi:
- Built by – Iltumish
- Mentioned by – Ibn Battuta
- Known for its – Water Reservoir
- Repaired by – Alauddin Khalji and later, Firoz Shah Tughlaq
Tomb of Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki:
- Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki – A Sufi saint and Illtutmish’s spiritual master
- Gandhak ki baoli or the Diving Well – A step-well next to the dargah built by Iltumish
- Rajon ki baoli – Built during the reign of Ibrahim Lodi
Zafar Mahal:
- Also known as – Lal Mahal or Mahal Sarai
- Architecture – Red sandstone building decorated with marble.
- Originally built by – Akbar Shah II
- Extended by – Bahadur Shah Zafar
Dar-ul Aman:
- Tomb of – Ghiyas ud din Balban
- Mentioned by – Ibn Battuta and Barani
- Significance – One of the first sites where the true arch and dome, a prominent feature of Indo-Islamic architecture, was used.
Jamali Kamali Mosque:
- Built by – Mughals
- Architecture – Blend of Lodhi and Mughal styles
Qutb Minar:
- Built by – Started by Qutub-ud-din Aibak and finished by Iltutmish
- Architecture –
- The tower has 5 distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony
- The first 3 storeys are made of red sandstone and the 4th and 5th storeys are of marble and sandstone
- At the foot of the tower is the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first mosque to be built in India.
- Significance – Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
Related Articles:
Maratha Military Landscape of India
Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri was:
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2014 Prelims]
(a) the mosque for the use of Royal Family
(b) Akbar’s private chamber prayer
(c) the hall in which Akbar held discussions with scholars of various religions.
(d) the room in which the nobles belonging to different religions gathered to discuss religious affairs
Answer: (c)
