Tughlaqabad Fort: The Grand Legacy of Delhi’s Medieval Past
India is a country filled with rich history, culture, and festivals. Tourists visit the country to explore its beauty and know more deeply about the places to visit in India. Even the Capital of India, Delhi is filled with many historical structures consisting of tombs and forts. One of the most visited forts in Delhi is Tughlaqabad Fort.
It is a ruined fort constructed by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty and the King of Delhi Sultanate in 1321. It took four years to build the fort and in 1327 it was abandoned.
The fort displays the unique style of the Tughlaq dynasty that governed Delhi for nearly a hundred years and is one of the two forts made by the Tughlaqs. The fort is situated near the Okhla Industrial area and is one of the most beautiful works of Islamic architecture.
History of Tughlaqabad Fort
According to legends, when Mubarak Khalji acquired his father’s throne Ghazi Malik recommended Khalji to construct a fort on the hillock in the southern portion of Delhi. Khalji shrugged off his proposition telling Ghazi Malik to do it himself when he became king.
The ruler died in 1320 AD some say it was a coup by Ghazi Malik. Malik swiftly took his place and got the title of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, starting the Tughlaq dynasty. He immediately began the construction of his dream city.
In those days attacks from Mongols were common. Therefore Malik wanted to construct a fort that would be inaccessible. He asked the laborers to build high walls, battlements, and semi-circular bastions, so they could identify and attack enemies from there.
According to the beliefs, Malik was so passionate about his dream that he asked each labor in the Sultanate of Delhi to work on constructing it. Simultaneously as the city and fort were being constructed a Sufi Saint Nizamuddin Auliya is said to have been constructing a stepwell at his dwelling. Since everyone was occupied he couldn’t find any laborers. Thus laborers would work on the fort during the day, and spend the night building the stepwell.
When Tughlaq found that Nizamuddin Auliya was engaging his laborers for work he was furious. In a fit of fury, he banned the supply of oil to the location of the stepwell, so no lamps could be lit for work to go on at night. Saint Nizamuddin uttered a curse which was to resonate throughout history until today. Another curse of the saint was ‘Hunuz Dilli dur ast’ (Delhi is still far off). Tughlaq died abruptly on his way back when a pavilion built to honor collapsed on him and his younger son.
Architecture of Tughlaqabad Fort
Even now Tughlaqabad consists of several attractive and memorable big stone fortifications which surround the irregular ground plan in the city. The sloping rubbed city walls are between 33 and 49 feet high covered by battlemented parapets and reinforced by circular bastions of up to two stories height. The city apparently contained 52 gates and only 13 remain today. In the fortified city of the past, there were 7 rainwater tanks. Tughlaqabad is divided into 3 parts:
- The vast city area with houses built along a rectangular grid between its gates.
- The citadel includes a tower at its tallest point called Bijai-Mandal and the remains of several halls and a long underground passage.
- The adjacent palace area includes the royal residence. A long underground passage beneath the tower still remains.
The best time to visit Tughlaqabad Fort
You should visit the fort during winter between November and March as it is a favorable time for sightseeing and the weather remains pleasant. The temperature of Delhi ranges from 20–25 degrees in October and falls to 15–20 degrees in November.
Things that should be kept in mind while visiting Tughlaqabad Fort
- Keep a watch on your belongings, especially your phone and camera.
- If visiting in summer bring an umbrella to protect yourself from heat.
- You will not find any place to eat in the vicinity so carry your own food.
- The fort covers a large area and sometimes robbers enter through the broken perimeter walls therefore stay cautious of thieves and wrongdoers and be your own protector.
- Wear a sturdy pair of shoes because the terrain is mostly thorny and uneven.
- If you want to genuinely witness and appreciate the historical significance and architectural details of the Fort then hire an informative local guide. They can give valuable insights, tell fascinating stories, and elevate your overall experience.
- The fort is open from 7 a.m. to 06:30 p.m.
- You can explore the fort in approximately 2–3 hours.
Places to visit near Tughlaqabad Fort
Being one of the India tourist attractions, here are some of the places to visit near Tughlaqabad fort.
- Lotus Temple
- Chhatarpur Temple
- Qutub Minar
- Adilabad Fort
- Humayun’s Tomb
- Alai Darwaza
- Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Conclusion
From sloping wells to underground passages, each corner of the Tughlaqabad Fort is worth seeing. Hence you should visit this historical place, witness the architecture, and know more deeply about the Fort. Don’t wait, just explore the fort during India tours.
