Despite the poor air quality index practically year round, one must admit that Delhi is a wonderful city. I have lived in the NCR my whole life, but I never tried to fully explore Delhi before college started. The food, the diversity, and the history that the city encompasses never fail to fascinate me. Recently, I visited a lesser-known wonder of Delhi with my friends, the Hauz Khas Fort, located inside the Hauz Khas District Park.
The fort complex has its roots in the early medieval times when Alauddin Khilji got Hauz-i-Alai built to combat water shortage in Siri, a city in medieval Delhi. It came to be known as Hauz Khas, meaning ‘water tank’ (Hauz) and ‘royal’ (Khas) in the Persian language; hence it became the ‘Royal Tank.’ Surrounding the tank, additions were made during the reigns of rulers Firuz Shah Tughlaq and Sikandar Lodi. Thus the enclosure now houses a mosque, a madrasa, and the tomb of Firuz Shah along with the tank. Today, the site is not in perfect shape as it was in the 13th century, but the ‘ruins’ too are fully capable of telling their own story.
The beauty of the fort’s architecture is as mesmerizing as its history is. The moment you enter the place, you feel its essence, the beautiful pavilions and arches spread around the bigger structures caressed by sweet green goodness. The closest structure to the entry is the three-domed building, possibly used by a large number of people to assemble. It has an unusual T-shape and the pattern at the base of its domes is the ruined kangura. If you walk a little ahead, you see the mosque which overlooks the Hauz Khas tank through arched niches and decorative jharokhas. If you want to go to the tank, the stairs of the mosque can lead you there!
While the mosque was the place of worship, the worshippers were the students of the Firuz Shahi madrasa of Hauz Khas. This L-shaped madrasa has two wings. Closest to the mosque is the north wing of the madrasa, which is a double-storied structure. The top story has pillared rooms while the ones below have arches on the sides. The western wing also follows the same structure. The madrasa also has jharokhas and open spaces overlooking the gardens, trees, and the Hauz Khas.
The interior of the madrasa feels like a very calm and cozy space. When you look through the pillars towards the end of the hall, it looks like an endless mirrored loop, such is the precision of the pillars and carvings. At the end of the loop a small opening can be seen, if you exit through it and walk up the stairs, you reach the residential area for the students of the madrasa. These are small cozy rooms but honestly made me a little claustrophobic. But on the brighter side, they too have open spaces facing the Hauz Khas.
Now let’s talk about the prettiest part of the fort- the tomb of Firuz Shah Tughlaq. He built his tomb for himself about 30 years before he died. The madrasa was also made during this time. It is situated at the junction of the two wings of the L-shaped madrasa. At the highest point of the tomb is, yes you guessed it right, a dome. Inside the dome is the eight-pointed star decoration, and the arched niches underneath have beautifully carved inscriptions on top. Firuz Shah’s grave is accompanied by those of his son and grandson.
It is fascinating how one location encompasses so many structures. The cherry on top is the green environment and a water body beside, which keep the breeze cool. If you happen to be sitting, occasionally a squirrel or a dog might come and greet you. Like many people I know, I had never heard of the fort before, which is truly an injustice to it. The entry ticket costs mere 25 rupees for Indian citizens, and 200 rupees for foreign tourists. It remains closed on Mondays and Wednesdays. After a day-long visit, you can grab a bite from one of the cafes just outside the fort.
So, whenever you find free time on your hands, visit the Hauz Khas Fort, and do your eyes a favor!