Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar, Delhi 

Qutub Minar' is located in Delhi, India. It is the highest stone tower in India. It is a little over 72 meters high and built in Red Sandstone. It contains 379 stairs to reach the top and the diameter of base is 14.3 meters where as the last store is of 2.7 meters.

The walls of the Minar intricately carved and inscribed with verses from the holy Quran. Qutub Minar is also a significant historical monument. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The construction of Qutub Minar was started by Qutub-ud-din-Aibek in 12th century. But it was completed by his successor Iltutmish. It is often viewed as a symbol of the military might of the Turko-Afghan dynasty.

History of Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar was built in 1192 by Qutub-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 store's were added by his successor, Iltutmish.

Unfortunately, this historical monument faced a few natural disasters. In 1369 AD, severe lightning struck the top story of the minaret, damaging it completely. Then, Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq rebuilt the monument and added another story 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 store's 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.

Architecture 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 store's 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.

Qutub Festival

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.

Best Time To Visit Qutub Minar

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.

Trivia About Qutub Minar

• Qutub Minar means pole or axis in Arabic.
• 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.
• 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.

How To Reach Qutub Minar

Own Vehicle: The easiest way to reach there from India Gate is to travel towards the outer ring road. Take the Ashoka Road, and from Panchmukhi Chowk take the Man Singh Road. At the second roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Prithviraj Road. Take a slight left to Sri Aurobindo Marg. Continue straight to Lado Sarai Extn, reach your destination in Seth Sarai.

From the Airport you can take the Airport Road and move on to Rao Tula Ram Marg. Keep right to continue on to Palam Marg. You will reach Gamal Abdel Nasser Marg popularly known as the Outer Ring Road. Take a right after you cross the IIT Delhi Campus(on your right) on to Sri Aurobindo Marg and then onto Lado Sarai

Public Transport: There are special HOHO buses (Hop On Hop Off service) for tourists. Other than that there are various bus Routes that reach Mehrauli.

The following the bus routes:

From Anand Vihar – 543

From Old Delhi Railway Station – 502

From Red Fort (Chandni Chowk)– 426, 417

From Noida – 34

From Nizamuddin Railway Station – 413, 427

From Kamla Market – 505 (Also goes near NDLS)

From Mori Gate Terminal – 503

You can also avail the Delhi Metro to reach Qutub Minar. Take the Yellow line to reach the Qutub Minar Station, it is only a short walk from the station.