Pete & Diana's India Adventure
Chennai
Chennai sightseeing
IEEE Conference
Jodhpur
Jaswant Thada
Mehrangarh Fort
Umaid Bhawan Palace
Jodhpur
Ranakpur
Jain Temple
Ranakpur
Udaipur
Jadish Temple
City Palace
Monsoon Palace
Jag Mandir
Udaipur
Jaipur
The Pink City
Amber Fort
Jal Mahal (Water Palace)
Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds)
City Palace of Jaipur
Jantar Mantar Observatory
Royal Gaitor
Jaipur
Abheneri
Chand Baori (Step Well)
Abheneri
Agra
Fatehpur Sikri
Taj Mahal
Red Fort
Itmad-ud-Daula (Baby Taj)
Agra
Delhi
Old Dehli
Jama Masjid
Raj Ghat & Ghandi Smriti
Humayan's Tomb
Qtub Minar
National Rail Museum
New Dehli
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Qutb Minar complex- buildings date from the onset of Islamic rule in India and once formed the heart of the Muslim city. This is the first mosque to be built in India, known as the Might of Islam Mosque.
Qutb Minar complex - Quwwat Ui Islam (Might of Islam) Mosque (1193 AD) - the first mosque built in India. The main mosque comprises of an inner and outer courtyard, decorated with shafts and surrounded by pillars. Most of these shafts are from the 27 Hindu temples which were plundered to construct the mosque. Therefore the Muslim mosque has typical Hindu ornamentation.
Qutb Minar complex - Quwwat Ui Islam (Might of Islam) Mosque (1193 AD)
Qutb Minar complex - Quwwat Ui Islam (Might of Islam) Mosque (1193 AD)
Qutb Minar complex - Quwwat Ui Islam (Might of Islam) Mosque (1193 AD)
Qutb Minar complex - Quwwat Ui Islam (Might of Islam) Mosque (1193 AD) - outer courtyard, decorated with shafts and surrounded by pillars. Most of these shafts are from the 27 Hindu temples which were plundered to construct the mosque
Qutb Minar (1193 AD) - a 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Dehli, immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom. The first three stories are red sandstone; the fourth and fifth are marble and sandstone. In 1326 it was struck by lightning. In 1368 the top stories were rebuilt and a cupola was added. In 1803 an earthquake sent the cupola crashing to the ground. It was replaced with another in 1829 which was later removed. Carvings and verses from the Quran adorn the tower, which today leans around two feet (60 centimeters) off the vertical.
Qutb Minar (1193 AD) - a 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Dehli, immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom.
Qutb Minar (1193 AD) - a 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Dehli, immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom. The tower has five distinct stories, each marked by a projecting balcony and tapers from a 15 m diameter at the base to just 2.5 m at the top. The first three storeys are made of red sandstone; the fourth and fifth are of marble and sandstone.
Qutb Minar (1193 AD) - verses from the holy Qur'an are carved on sandstone walls of Qutub Minar.
Qutb Minar complex - Quwwat Ui Islam (Might of Islam) Mosque (1193 AD) - the first mosque built in India. The main mosque comprises of an inner and outer courtyard, decorated with shafts and surrounded by pillars. Most of these shafts are from the 27 Hindu temples, which were plundered to construct the mosque
Qutb Minar complex - remnants of the Hindu and Jain temples. The original mosque was built on the foundations of a Hindu temple, and an inscription over the east gate states that it was built with materials obtained from '27 idolatrous temples' (i.e., Hindu temples)
Qutb Minar complex - Quwwat Ui Islam (Might of Islam) Mosque (1193 AD) - outer courtyard, decorated with shafts and surrounded by pillars. Most of these shafts are from the 27 Hindu temples which were plundered to construct the mosque
Qutb Minar complex - Quwwat Ui Islam (Might of Islam) Mosque (1193 AD)
Qutb Minar (1193 AD) - a 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Dehli, immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom. Carvings and verses from the Quran adorn the tower, which today leans around two feet (60 centimeters) off the vertical.
Qutb Minar complex - tomb of Alauddin Khalji. At the back of the complex, southwest of the mosque, stands an L-shaped construction, consisting of Alauddin Khilji's tomb dating ca 1316 AD, and a madarsa, an Islamic seminary built by him. Khilji was the second Sultan of Delhi from Khilji dynasty, who ruled from 1296 to 1316 AD.
Qutb Minar (1193 AD) - a 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Dehli, immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom.
Qutb Minar complex - tomb of Alauddin Khalji. At the back of the complex, southwest of the mosque, stands an L-shaped construction, consisting of Alauddin Khilji's tomb dating ca 1316 AD, and a madarsa, an Islamic seminary built by him. Khilji was the second Sultan of Delhi from Khilji dynasty, who ruled from 1296 to 1316 AD.
Qutb Minar complex - Quwwat Ui Islam (Might of Islam) Mosque (1193 AD)
Qutb Minar complex, Tomb of Iltutmish (1235 AD) - the third ruler of the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi. He was a slave of Qutb-ud-din Aibak and later became his son-in-law and close lieutenant
Qutb Minar complex, Tomb of Iltutmish (1235 AD) - the third ruler of the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi. He was a slave of Qutb-ud-din Aibak and later became his son-in-law and close lieutenant
Qutb Minar complex, Tomb of Iltutmish (1235 AD) - the third ruler of the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi. He was a slave of Qutb-ud-din Aibak and later became his son-in-law and close lieutenant
Qutb Minar (1193 AD) - is the tallest minar (tower) in India, originally an ancient Islamic Monument, inscribed with Arabic inscriptions
Qutb Minar complex - Quwwat Ui Islam (Might of Islam) Mosque (1193 AD)
Qutb Minar complex, Alai Minar (1311 AD) - Alauddin Khalji decided to build a second tower of victory twice as high as Qtub Minar. He died before it was completed and no one was willing to continue the project
Qutb Minar complex, Alai Minar (1311 AD) - Alauddin Khalji decided to build a second tower of victory twice as high as Qtub Minar. He died before it was completed and no one was willing to continue the project
Qutb Minar complex - Quwwat Ui Islam (Might of Islam) Mosque (1193 AD)
Qutb Minar complex - 7m-high pillar in courtyard. Dating back to 4th century A.D., the pillar bears an inscription which states that it was erected in honour of the Hindu god, Vishnu, and in memory of the Gupta King Chandragupta II (375-413). How the pillar moved to its present location is a mystery. The pillar also highlights ancient India's achievements in metallurgy. The pillar is made of 98% wrought iron and has stood 1,600 years without rusting or decomposing. It is said that if you can encircle it with your hands while standing with your back to it your wish will be fulfilled.
Qutb Minar complex - inscription on 7m-high pillar in courtyard the Mosque
Qutb Minar complex - translation of inscription on 7m-high pillar in courtyard
Outside of the Qutb Minar complex - workers cutting the grass on the lawn by hand!