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    Gurudwara Lekhensar Sahib‬ in Talwandi Sabo

    Gurudwara Lekhensar Sahib‬ in Talwandi Sabo

    Ulugh Beg’s Observatory in Samarqand, Uzbekistan

    Ulugh Beg’s Observatory in Samarqand, Uzbekistan

    Rani Ki Baori, Bundi, Rajasthan

    Rani Ki Baori, Bundi, Rajasthan

    Bundi Fort, Rajasthan

    Bundi Fort, Rajasthan

    Rock Paintings in Bundi, Rajasthan

    Rock Paintings in Bundi, Rajasthan

    A Classical Nayika in Indian Paintings

    A Classical Nayika in Indian Paintings

    Jhat pat Bibi ki kahani

    Jhat pat Bibi ki kahani

    Jahangir ‘s Jade Cup

    Jahangir ‘s Jade Cup

    The Jama Masjid in Bodh Gaya

    The Jama Masjid in Bodh Gaya

    Buddha statues in Guimet Museum, Paris

    Buddha statues in Guimet Museum, Paris

    Museum of Scholars, Khiva , Uzbekistan

    Museum of Scholars, Khiva , Uzbekistan

    Malika e Kishwar’s grave in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris

    Malika e Kishwar’s grave in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris

    Samanid Mausoleum in Bukhara

    Samanid Mausoleum in Bukhara

    Gur e Amir, mausoleum of Amir Timur in Samarqand,Uzbekistan

    Gur e Amir, mausoleum of Amir Timur in Samarqand,Uzbekistan

    The Bibi Khanum Mosque, Samarqand, Uzbekistan

    The Bibi Khanum Mosque, Samarqand, Uzbekistan

    The Aq Masjid ( white mosque) of Khiva, Uzbekistan

    The Aq Masjid ( white mosque) of Khiva, Uzbekistan

    Chor Minar ( char minar) of Bukhara, Uzbekistan

    Chor Minar ( char minar) of Bukhara, Uzbekistan

    Mausoleum of Shad-e (or Shadi) Mulk Aga in Shah e Zinda, Samarqand

    Mausoleum of Mahmud Pahlavon in Khiva, Uzbekistan

    The tomb of Baba Rukn al-Din Shirazi, Takht-i Fulad, Isfahan, Iran

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      Gurudwara Lekhensar Sahib‬ in Talwandi Sabo

      Gurudwara Lekhensar Sahib‬ in Talwandi Sabo

      Ulugh Beg’s Observatory in Samarqand, Uzbekistan

      Ulugh Beg’s Observatory in Samarqand, Uzbekistan

      Rani Ki Baori, Bundi, Rajasthan

      Rani Ki Baori, Bundi, Rajasthan

      Bundi Fort, Rajasthan

      Bundi Fort, Rajasthan

      Rock Paintings in Bundi, Rajasthan

      Rock Paintings in Bundi, Rajasthan

      A Classical Nayika in Indian Paintings

      A Classical Nayika in Indian Paintings

      Jhat pat Bibi ki kahani

      Jhat pat Bibi ki kahani

      Jahangir ‘s Jade Cup

      Jahangir ‘s Jade Cup

      The Jama Masjid in Bodh Gaya

      The Jama Masjid in Bodh Gaya

      Buddha statues in Guimet Museum, Paris

      Buddha statues in Guimet Museum, Paris

      Museum of Scholars, Khiva , Uzbekistan

      Museum of Scholars, Khiva , Uzbekistan

      Malika e Kishwar’s grave in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris

      Malika e Kishwar’s grave in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris

      Samanid Mausoleum in Bukhara

      Samanid Mausoleum in Bukhara

      Gur e Amir, mausoleum of Amir Timur in Samarqand,Uzbekistan

      Gur e Amir, mausoleum of Amir Timur in Samarqand,Uzbekistan

      The Bibi Khanum Mosque, Samarqand, Uzbekistan

      The Bibi Khanum Mosque, Samarqand, Uzbekistan

      The Aq Masjid ( white mosque) of Khiva, Uzbekistan

      The Aq Masjid ( white mosque) of Khiva, Uzbekistan

      Chor Minar ( char minar) of Bukhara, Uzbekistan

      Chor Minar ( char minar) of Bukhara, Uzbekistan

      Mausoleum of Shad-e (or Shadi) Mulk Aga in Shah e Zinda, Samarqand

      Mausoleum of Mahmud Pahlavon in Khiva, Uzbekistan

      The tomb of Baba Rukn al-Din Shirazi, Takht-i Fulad, Isfahan, Iran

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      Delhi’s Chor Minar :Tower of Thieves

      inHazrat-E-Dilli, Medieval Indian History
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      In the midst of posh bungalows In Delhi’s Hauz Khas area there is a very strange monument which resembles a lighthouse. The strangeness comes from the fact that there is no sea nearby where a lighthouse is needed.However this seems to have a darker side to it2014-09-28 14.37.10One has to into the R block of the Hauz Khas residential area, there are two iron gates on the way. Most of the guards in the area will guide you to it, as there are no signage there.20140927_140432Once we go a little nearer the board reads that its a Chor Minar built by Alauddin Khilji (1290-1231 AD)and used to exhibit the severed heads of thieves during his reign.20140927_140258 As per the legend it has 225 holes. The purpose of this minaret was to strike terror in the hearts of people. I can well imagine how terrifying it would be to see 225 severed heads staring one from that height. Enough to make every sinner become a saint!

      Alauddin Khilji came to the throne of Delhi Sultanate at a time when the Mongol threat was at a high point and Alauddin had to maintain a huge army. He could not therefore afford mismanagement, inflation, cheating and deceit which would prevent him from facing that threat from a position of strength. His what seem barbaric now but were probably the norm in his times were aimed at running a streamlined administration.

      The Minar is built of rubble masonry (rough, uncut stones, irregularly set in mortar) and stands in the centre of a platform 30′ square and 7′ height. Each of the 4 sides of the platform has 3 arched recesses. The central one on the east is a doorway which leads to a spiral staircase. Nowadays there is a grilled gate which is kept locked. If you close up you can get the stink of pigeon and bats which inhabit it now.20140927_140309There is a nice little garden with a bench so you can curl up with a good horror story and imagine the shrieks coming from those heads hanging from there.

      On a different note, there is no mention of the building in any historical work and one can only guess at its purpose.Untitled

      Catherine Asher in her book on Mughal Architecture mentions Hiran Minar, a hunting tower, in Fatehpur Sikri which she says could have been starting point for subsequent a kos minar ( milestones)

       

       

       

       

      There is another similar tower in Malda which according to her could have been used for hanging of severed heads by Mughal Governor or as a watchtower or as both as well as for hanging the heads of rebels. Untitled

      Of course all these towers could have been used for something as innocuous as lamps!

      These two photographs are from Catherine Asher’s book “The Cambridge History of Indian Architecture of Mughal India.”

       

       

       

      I saw a similar tower in Lindau Germany which was also called Thieves Tower and used as a prison. Very pretty on the outside and full of miseries inside.IMG_20140928_190602

       

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      Rana Safvi

      Come, explore and fall in love the Beauties of Delhi (Dilli ki Ranaiya’n) and the World with me, Rana Safvi

      I have a masters in medieval history from the prestigious Centre for Advanced Studies, Dept. of History, AMU. A firm believer in our Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb, I am passionate about gaining and sharing knowledge and these days I am doing it via the social media platform.

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