Purana Qila
To the south there are splendid views of Purana Qila. Closer to it, the great walls belie a chequered history. This is not one city site but several. The earliest may well have been the sacred site of Indraprastha (city of Indra, Hindu god of rain and thunder), founded by Arjuna, one of the Pandava brother heroes in the epic Mahabharata. Excavations on the southern slopes are now revealing the reality behind the myth. Next, the second Mughal emperor, Humayun (ruled 1530-40, 1555-56), returned from Agra to the traditional capital and in 1533 founded Dinpanah (shelter of the faith), Delhi’s sixth city. Its surviving two kilometers (1.2 miles) of walls pierced by three giant, double-storey gateways were surrounded by a wide moat opening into the Yamuna. Although he dreamt of ruling a liberal empire with Dinpanah as a cultural capital to rival Samarkand, the aesthete Humayun was too self-indulgent and politically indecisive to consolidate Mughal power. After crushing defeats at Chausa (1539) and Kanauj (1540), he was ousted by Sher Shah Suri.
This remarkable Afghan was a talented organizer and skilful general who, before his death in 1545, was encouraged by Persian renaissance thought to set up an administration which was in effect the blueprint for Akbar’s Mughal government. He enlarged Purana Qila and extended his prosperous city northwards, calling it Shergarh; one gate is up by Feroz Shah Kotla. Two buildings inside Purana Qila survive : Qal’a-I-Kuhna-Masjid (old fort mosque, 1541) whose five great arches, decorated mihrabs and marble-inlaid sandstone façade mark the change from Lodi to Mughal architecture; and the octagonal Sher Mandal, possibly built as a pleasure house but soon to witness tragedy.
There are three Gates to this fort. Today entrance is through the Bara Darwaza. The South Gate is called the Humayun Darwaza, probably because Humayun built it or because the tomb of Humayun is visible from here. The third gate is the Talaqi Darwaza. Recent excavations in the fort has revealed painted grey pottery which date back to 1000 BC. Such and many more findings inside the fort have proved the location to be inhabited since the early civilizations. In fact there was a village inside the fort till 1913 called Indrapat which is very close to Indraprastha adding credibility to the theory of Mahabharata having taken place here.
Inside the fort Qila Kuhna Masjid which is one of the finest example of architectural style being used in those days. The Masjid was built by Sher Shah in 1541 and it seems that there was an attempt to build the whole structure in Marble. But the scarcity of marble forced the use of Redsand stone. This mixture was accidental forced or intended we do not know, nevertheless the combination adds a different look to the structure. The inner west wall of the Masjid has five arched openings and which are richly ornamented in white and black marbles.
Humayun had wandered India and then taken refuge at Shah Tahmasp’s court in Persia for ten years, paying for his keep with the Koh-i-Nur diamond and other jewels. In 1555, when Sher Shah’s followers were split into warring factions, he won Delhi back. The next year, having made the Sher Mandal his library, he was standing at the top of its steps directing his astrologers to watch for the transit of Venus, and especially auspicious moment, when he heard the muezzin’s call. He tripped on his robe, fell and died three days later. Looking past the south gate of Purana Qila, you can see his tomb in the distance.
The DTDC has taken over the fort and is developing it as one of the tourist attractions in Delhi. There is a light and sound program every evening. This spectacular show narrates the history of Delhi in 62 minutes. The effects generated by the use of light and sound during the show transports the audience to scene which is being depicted. The show is held every day and the ticket is priced Rs. 25 per head. Check the timing with fort officials or any tourist office. The Son et Lumiere is organized in Hindi and English. The show is an unforgettable experience.
Close to the Old Fort is a lake which has paddle boating facility. This lake is surrounded by a garden with rows of trees and flower plants. Inside the fort too there are well grafted and maintained lawns which add to the greenery in the fort. The Delhi Zoo is just besides old fort.
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