Old images ( paintings and photographs of Delhi’s Purana Qila

ranasafvi — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 18:34:54 +0000

Purana Qila is one of the oldest Forts in India. The second Mughal emperor Humayun began the construction work in 1533 but it was completed after 5 years. His reign here was short lived as in 1940 Sher Shah defeated him and he fled to Persia.
Sher Shah reigned here for 5 years until his death in 1545 and built many important monuments here.The most beautiful being the Qila e Kuhna Mosque.
Humayun regained the fort in 1555 but tragically fell to his death in 1556.
Some call this fort unlucky. But it’s gates and remains still stands in magnificence.
Here are some paintings and photographs from various museums around the world. I have acknowledged the ones for which I found reference on the internet

ALEXANDER SCOTT (CIRCA 1872-1932)
The western Gate of the Purana Qila, Delhi

The Purana Qila area had been converted into a vast camp for Muslim refugees waiting to be transported to Pakistan.

Humayun’s Gate from Wikipedia

Inside the Main Entrance of the Purana Qila, Delhi, 1823
By Robert Smith

Pencil and ink drawing of the Purana Qila at Delhi by Sir James Abbott (1807-1896) in 1858.
Br Lib
@BLAsia_Africa

A photo by Samuel Bourne, 1860’s, reissued by Bourne & Shepherd in the 1880’s

Western entrance to Shere Shah’s fort, Delhi,” from the Illustrated London News, 1857

Humayun Gate in Purana Qila
From archives

From Metcalfe’s Dehlie Book

The Masjid Qila e Kuhna By Robert Smith in Yate Centre for Art

images – Rana Safvi

Old images ( paintings and photographs of Delhi’s Purana Qila