Feroz Shah Kotla
Firoz Shah Kotla | |
---|---|
Part of Fort | |
Site information | |
Condition | Ruins |
Site history | |
Built | 14th century |
Built by | Delhi Sultanate |
Materials | Granite Stones and lime mortar |
The Feroz Shah Kotla or Kotla ("fortress", "citadel") was a fortress built circa 1354 by Feroz Shah Tughlaq to house his version of Delhi city called Firozabad.[1]
A pristine polished sandstone
Other than the Ashokan Pillar, the Fort complex also houses the Jami Masjid (Mosque), a Baoli and a large garden complex.
History
Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–1388), the
In the pre-independence era, due to lack of auditoriums in the capital, most classical music performances were staged here or at
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Tentative reconstruction of Firoz Shah Kotla.[8]
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West gate of Firoz Shah Kotla, since destroyed.
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Remains of buildings at Firoz Shah Kotla, Delhi, 1795.
Jami Masjid
Jami Masjid is one of the most ancient and largest surviving mosque and monument, still in use. Architecturally it was built on a series of underground cells made of quartzite stone, covered with limestone. It is surrounded by a large courtyard with cloisters and a Prayer Hall. The Prayer Hall now in complete ruins was once used by the Royal Ladies. The masjid and its architecture is an example of Tughluq architecture.
The entrance of Jami Masjid lies on the northern side. It is connected by a causeway to the pyramidal structure of the Ashokan Pillar. This mosque was visited by Timur in 1398 AD to say his prayers. He was spellbound by its beauty and constructed a mosque in Samarkand in Mawarannahr imitating the design of this Masjid. This mosque is also known to be the place where Imad ul Mulk, a Mughal Prime Minister, got the Emperor Alamgir II murdered in 1759 AD.[9]
Topra Ashokan Pillar
The Ashokan Pillar which is now within Feroz Shah Kotla is towards the north of Jama Masjid [Mosque]. The Pillar was first erected by King Ashoka between 273 and 236 BC in Topra Kalan, Yamunanagar district, Haryana.[10]
Of note, there is another Ashokan Pillar, that is seen installed near the Hindu Rao Hospital, also erected by
Both the Ashokan Pillars were carefully wrapped with cotton silk and were kept on a bed of reed made of raw silk. These were hence transported on a massive carriage attached with 42 wheels and drawn meticulously by 200 men from their original places to Delhi by
Script on stone
The Sultanate wanted to break and reuse the Ashokan pillar for a minaret. Firoz Shah Tuhglaq, however, decided to erect it near the mosque instead. At the time of re-installation of the obelisk in Delhi, in 1356, no one knew the meaning of the script engraved in the stone.[11]
About five hundred years later, the script (Brahmi) was deciphered by James Prinsep in 1837 with help from scripts discovered on other pillars and tablets in South Asia.[2]
Translation
The inscription on the 3rd-century pillar describes King Devanampiya Piyadasi's[12] policies and appeal to the people and future generations of the kingdom in matters of dharma (just, virtuous life), moral precepts and freedoms. Some extracts of the translation, per James Prinsep, are as follows:[2]
Along the highroads I have caused fig trees to be planted that they may be for shade to animals and men...
— Inscription on Ashoka Pillar[2]
...And let these and others the most skillful in the sacred offices discreetly and respectfully use their most persuasive efforts, acting on the heart and eyes of the children, to impart enthusiasm and instruction in the dharma (religion).
— Inscription on Ashoka Pillar[2]
And whatsoever benevolent acts have been done by me, the same shall be prescribed as duties to the people who follow after me, and in this manner shall their influence and increase be manifest – by service to father and mother, by service to spiritual pastors, by respectful demeanor to the aged and full of years, by kindness to learn, to the orphan and destitute and servants and minstrel tribe.
— Inscription on Ashoka Pillar[2]
And religion increaseth among men by two separate processes – by the performance of religious offices, and by security against persecution. (...) And that religion may be free from the persecution of men, that it may increase through the absolute prohibition to put to death (any) living beings or sacrifice aught that draweth breath. For such an object is all this done, that it may endure to my sons and sons' sons – as long the sun and the moon shall last.
— Inscription on Ashoka Pillar[2]
Let stone pillars be prepared and let this edict of dharma (religion) be engraved thereon, that it may endure unto the remotest ages.
— Inscription on Ashoka Pillar, Translated by James Prinsep in 1837[2]
Baoli (The Well)
The circular Baoli, which means 'stepwell', lies towards the northwestern side of the Ashokan Pillar. It lies in the heart of a large garden constructed in the form of subterranean apartments and a large underground canal built on its eastern side through which the water runs into the well. This is the only circular Baoli in Delhi, and also one of the 4 Baolis, where the tank is not separated from the well. It once has a roof on it, which collapsed long ago, exposing the tank at the second level.[13] Originally it had an entry from East and West, but now, only the west side is accessible. Due to security reasons, the Baoli is kept locked, but permission to visit can be obtained easily for research purposes from the Delhi circle office of Archaeological Survey of India.
Prayers at the Fort
Every Thursday there is a huge crowd at the fort. It is popularly believed that Jinn(s) descends at the Fort from the Heavens and accepts requests and wishes from people. A lot of wishes, penned down on paper, can be seen on the walls within the premises.
The association to Jinn(s) seems to be not too old. It is only since 1977, a few months after the end of the Emergency, that there are first records of people starting to come to Firoz Shah Kotla in large numbers.[14]
See also
- Capital forts/palaces in Delhi, oldest first
- Purana Qila, earliest Hindu rulers
- Indraprastha, earlier than 1000 BCE
- Edicts & additions by Ashoka the Great (r. 268 to 232 BCE) of Maurya Empire
- Purana Qila, earliest Hindu rulers
- Anangpur, by Anangpal I of Tomara dynasty (r. 736-1152 CE)
- Qila Rai Pithora
- Lal Kot, by Tomara dynasty (1152-1177 CE) as capital
- Qila Rai Pithora, the Lal Kot expended by Prithviraj Chauhan (also called Rai Pithora, r. 1177–92 CE) of Chauhan dynasty
- Qila Rai Pithora
- Siri Fort, by Alauddin Khalji (r. 1296–1316), second ruler of Khalji Dynasty
- Tughlaqabad Fort, by Ghiyassudin Tughluq (r. 1320-25 CE) of Tughluq dynasty
- Feroz Shah Kotla, by Feroz Shah Tughluq (r. 1351-88 CE) of Tughluq dynasty
- Salimgarh Fort, in 1546 CE by Salim Shah Suri (r. 1545-54 CE), son of Sher Shah Suri
- Red fort, built in 1639-48 CE by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan when he moved his capital from Agra to Delhi
- Rashtrapati Bhavan, built in 1912-29 by colonial British raj
References
- ^ "Firozabad - Delhi Govt Portal". web.delhi.gov.in. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Prinsep, J (1837). "Interpretation of the most ancient of inscriptions on the pillar called lat of Feroz Shah, near Delhi, and of the Allahabad, Radhia and Mattiah pillar, or lat inscriptions which agree therewith". Journal of the Asiatic Society. 6: 600–609.
- ^ William Jeffrey McKibben, "The Monumental Pillars of Fīrūz Shāh Tughluq", Ars Orientalis, Vol. 24, (1994), pp. 105–118
- ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
- ^ "West Gate of Firoz Shah Kotla". British Library. Archived from the original on 27 October 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
- ^ "Pillar of Firoz Shah at Delhi". British Library. Archived from the original on 6 October 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
- ^ "Capital's cultural affair began in 50s". Hindustan Times. 16 November 2011. Archived from the original on 7 January 2013.
- ^ Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of India no.52. 1937. p. Plate II.
- ^ a b "Feroz Shah Kotla Monuments – Jami Masjid Ashokan Pillars". www.DelhiInformation.in. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
- ISBN 81-230-1002-8.
- ^ HM Elliot & John Dawson (1871), Tarikh I Firozi Shahi – Records of Court Historian Sams-i-Siraj The History of India, as Told by Its Historians, Volume 3, Cornell University Archives, pp 352–353
- ^ another name for Ashoka
- ^ Vikramjit Singh Rooprai (2019), Delhi Heritage: Top 10 Baolis, Niyogi Books p41
- ^ "Believe it or not: Inside 14th century Delhi fort, djinns grant wishes". hindustantimes.com/. Retrieved 3 April 2016.