SEVEN CITIES OF DELHI

ZAINAB SAMREEN B.ARCH-3RD YEAR HISTORY OF ARCH

THE HISTORICAL SEVEN CITIES OF DELHI EIGHT CITYLUTYENS DELHI

CITIES TIME-LINE
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The Slave Dynasty (1211-1227) Mehrauli (Qila Rai Pithora) The Khalji dynasty (1296-1316) - SIRI. Tughluq dynasty (1320 AD) TUGHLUQABAD Tughluq dynasty (1327 AD) - JAHANPANAH was built between Lal Kot and Siri. Sultan Firoz Shah (1354 AD)- FIROZABAD The Lodi dynasty soon followed and the only interesting architectural features added by them were the tombs, the best of which may be seen at the Lodi Gardens. Humayun(1540)- DINPANAH, SHERGARH (1450-55) Mughal dynasty (1628 AD)- SHAHJAHANABAD

6. 7.

1- Qila Rai Pithora

Qila Rai Pithora was created by Prithviraj Chauhan, also known as Rai Pithora, the popular hero of the stories of Hindu resistance against Muslim invaders. Anangpal, a Tomar ruler possibly created the first known regular defense work in Delhi called Lal Kot . Prithviraj took over it and extended for his city Qila Rai Pithora.

MEHRAULI
Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated and killed in battle by Mohammed Ghori in 1192, who left his slave Qutubuddin Aibak as his viceroy in India. In 1193, Qutubuddin Aibak captured Delhi, which was still in the hands of the Chauhans. After the death of Mohammed Ghori in 1206, Qutubuddin enthroned himself as the first sultan of Delhi - Delhi thus became the capital of Mamluk or the Slave dynasty, the first dynasty of Muslim sultans to rule over northern India. Qutubuddin set about to create Mehrauli, by destroying Hindu temples and building Islamic structures in their place. One of these was the tower of victory - the 72.5 m tall Qutab Minar, finally completed in 1220 AD

2- SIRI

The 'Slave' dynasty of Qutubuddin was followed by the line of Khilji rulers . The Saljuqian (dynasty in west Asia) influences are the most remarkable feature in the buildings from this period. A large reservoir called Hauz Khas was another accomplishment of city of Siri. Siri is represented by stretches of thick stone walls.

3- TUGHLAQABAD
In the 1320s Ghiasuddin Tughlak , a Turk governor invaded Delhi. He created a fort here (the splendid ruins still remain ) with high battlements and his descendant Mohammad Tughlak went on to capture much of India. He also raised a city, Jahanpanah, which largely comprised a walled enclosure between Qila Rai Pithora and Siri. This is sometimes called the fourth city of Delhi. Tughlakabad, however, continued to be the main city. There were eleven rulers from the Tughlak dynasty but only the first three generations were interested in architectureraising mosques, caravansarais, madrasas and laying canals.

4- JAHANPANAH
Jahanpanah was the fourth medieval city of Delhi established in 13261327 by Muhammad bin Tughlaq (132151), of the Delhi Sultanate. Type: Forts, Mosques and Tombs Architectural style: Toghluqi Client: Tughlaq Dynasty Started: 1326 A.D. Completed: 1327 A.D. Floor area: Fort area -20 ha (49.4 acres)

5- FIROZABAD
One of the Tughlak rulers,Firoze Tughlak created the fourth city of Delhi , Firozabad or Kotla Firoze Shah next to the river Yamuna. This was a large enclosure of high walls , containing palaces , pillared halls , mosques, a pigeon tower and a water tank. On the top of his palace, Firoze planted an Ashokan pillar from 1500 years ago. Apart from raising new buildings, Firoze Shah also repaired old ones,such as Sultan Ghori's tomb,Qutub Minar,Suraj Kund and Hauz Khas. ( Firoze Shah's tomb, a lofty structure, lies in Hauz - Khas. )

6- DIN-PANAH/ SHERGARH
Known as the Purana Qila. Humayun in 1540, built his capital Dinpanah. Sher Shah razed Dinpanah to the ground and started building his own capital introducing ornate elements in architecture. Delhi was won back by Humayun not very many years later in 1555 and he completed parts of the Purana Qila left unfinished by Sher Shah. He built the fort DIN-PANAH - the 6th city on the banks of the Yamuna, which in present day Delhi is known as the Purana Qila.

7- SHAHJAHANABAD
Shah Jahan created the city of Shahjahanabad, the seventh city of Delhi - in the area that is now known as Old Delhi. The Jama Masjid and the Red Fort are two excellent examples of the architectural splendour of the 17th c. In Shah Jahan's rule, Delhi witnessed the construction of some of the finest pieces of Mughal architecture.

EVOLUTION OF SULTANATE ARCHITECTURE

INTRODUCTION
Importance & Significance
The beginning of this dynasty is a great transition in the history of Indian architecture gave rise to a new school of architecture. It brought new styles of architecture which were soon absorbed into the existing set up.

Historical Background Mohammad Ghori conquered Delhi after defeating Prithviraj Chauhan in the second battle of Tarain in1192. Qutubuddin Aibak was his general and viceroy of the Delhi province.

After his death, Qutubuddin Aibak came out victorious in the war fought among his generals.
He established the Delhi Sultanate in 1206 AD. THUS STARTED ARCHITECTURE. THE PHASE OF SULTANATE

SLAVE DYNASTY

FEATURES & EVOLUTIONS

Early Muslim rulers used local Hindu artisans in the construction of structures. The lintels, carvedcolumns and slabs are typically of regional flavour. The ornamentation work in early structures was all indigenous in nature profusion of human and animal images.

FEATURES & EVOLUTIONS

The arches of the screen have been built by employing the method of corbelling. Several indigenous ornamentation patterns of serpentine tendrils & undulating leaves, in the main arched screen.

FEATURES & EVOLUTIONS

However, the borrowed elements of Hindu architecture were soon discarded and relatively little was retained by the maturing Indo-Islamic style. Though corbelling could not be replaced as the principal structural technique, decoration became almost Islamic in detail.

FEATURES & EVOLUTIONS

TOMB OF ILTUTMISH The dome was raised with the help of corbelled courses. It was supported on squinches built at the corners of the square chamber. TOMB OF BALBAN It is in ruins now but occupies an important place in the development of IndoIslamic architecture.

FEATURES & EVOLUTIONS

This is so because it is here that we notice the earliest true arch.

KHILJI DYNASTY

FEATURES & EVOLUTIONS

In the evolution of Indo-Islamic architecture, this phase occupies a key position as a marked changing style appears. It exhibits a distinct influence of the Seljuq architectural traditions such as the use of white marble reliefs in between the local red sandstone.

FEATURES & EVOLUTIONS

Employment of true arch, pointed horse-shoe in shape. In addition, the decorative features characterised by calligraphy, geometry and arabesque now became much bolder and profuse.

FEATURES & EVOLUTIONS

Emergence of true dome with recessed arches under the squinch. Wider arches.

TUGHLAQ DYNASTY

FEATURES & EVOLUTIONS

Stone rubble is the principal building material and the walls are in most cases plastered. The walls and bastions are invariably battered, the effect being most marked at the corners. The pointed horse-shoe arch of the preceding style was gradually abandoned because of its narrow compass and therefore the inability to span wider spaces.

FEATURES & EVOLUTIONS

Use of a new shape of archthe four centered arch necessitating its reinforcement with a supporting beam. This arch-beam combination is a hallmark of the Tughlaq style. During the Tughlaq period however, the mood was less decorative, and more simple and austere.

FEATURES & EVOLUTIONS

Emergence of a pointed dome with clearly visible neck in contrast with rather stifled dome of the preceding style. Ornamentation was confined mostly to inscribed borders and medallions executed in plaster or stucco. Tapered columns at entrances. Emergence, in the tombs of this period, an octagonal plan.