Friday, January 02, 2009

QUTB MINAR

DELHI - FEBRUARY 2008

The Qutb Minar, inspired by the Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan, is built on the ruins of the Red Citadel in the city of Dhillika, the capital of the Tomars and the Chauhans, the last Hindu rulers of Delhi.




"QUTB MINAR, built between 1193 and 1368 and one of the earliest examples of Indo-Islamic architecture, is the world's tallest (72 meters) brick minaret. Started by Delhi's first Muslim ruler - Qutb-ud-din Aibak - who only completed its base, was continued by Iltutmish, his successor, who added three more floors and was finished by Firuz Shah Tughluq, who built the last ones. The diameter of the base is 14.3 meters wide while the top floor measures 2.75 meters"



"DECORATION - Intricate carvings and verses from the Qur'an are visible on the Minaret"




"ALAI DERWAZA - This gateway to the complex, next to Imam Zamin's tomb, is a masterpiece of stone carving. It was built in 1311 by Ala-ud-din Khiji and is one of the earliest buildings use the Islamic principles of arched construction"


"MADRASA"


"GUPTA PILLAR - The almost seven meter high and six tons weight Iron Pillar is one of the world's foremost metallurgical curiosities. According to the traditional belief, anyone who can encircle the entire column with their arms, with their back towards the pillar, can have their wish granted. However, people are no longer allowed to perform this act... It was erected by Chandragupta II Vikramaditya (375–414) of the Gupta dynasty and might have been transferred by Tomar King Anangapal, the creator of Delhi. Another interesting thing about this Pillar is that the iron has not rusted even after more than 1,500 years"



"THE QUWWAT-UL-ISLAM MOSQUE (Might of Islam) was built by Qutb-ud-din Aybak, founder of the Mamluk dynasty. The mosque construction started in the 1190s, and according to a Persian inscription, the mosque was built with parts taken out of the destruction of twenty-seven temples, including a Jain temple built previously during Tomars and Prithvi Raj Chauhan"



"ILTUTMISH TOMB - Shams-ud-din Iltutmish, who died in 1236, was the third Muslim Sultan of Delhi and the third ruler of the Mamluk dynasty"


"PILLARS reused from the former Jain temple"


"CEILING"


"ALAI MINAR - Ala-ud-din Khilji started building the Alai Minar, which was conceived to be two times higher than Qutub Minar. The construction was abandoned, however, soon after death of Ala-ud-din, when only the base - 24.5 meter high and still visible today - was completed"


"VISITORS"

58 comments:

Anonymous said...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Dealing with 1300 pictures isn’t a piece of cake. Furthermore, as these are the ones remaining from the thousands I took, it’s a difficult job to disregard any of them. The point is that to avoid running the risk of over passing Blogger’s limit, several hundreds have to be dropped... Hope to have made a good choice... ;))
Another tough decision was on how to show the Delhi pictures, after the first two posts. I finally decided to basically show the monuments after their building dates. So that’s why Qutb Minar is the next. Hope you enjoy, comment and have a great time!

Lakshmi said...

happy new year Gil...Qutb Minar is one of my fav monuments ..many years ago, I was stranded in delhi for 15 days due to riots and there was curfew as well..as we were staying with a friend near Qutb Minar, we used to walk out there every evening and wonder if we could return to our homes soon..

SusuPetal said...

Those carvings are just amazing.

Have a happy new year, Gil!

indicaspecies said...

Thank you for another fascinating post.

Alauddin Khilji had ambitious plans to build the Alai Minar taller than the Qutub Minar, however as we all know, the construction was abandoned following his death. You state that the abandoned Alai Minar is "visible today - was completed." Not completed, it is standing incomplete!

Gil, it feels great to be a part of this post and admire your photographs of the Qutub Complex comprising of the Qutub Minar, Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Alai Gate, Alai Minar, the Iron Pillar, and Tomb of Iltutmish. Incidentally, Iltutmish who completed the construction of the Qutub Minar was the son-in-law of Qutub-uddin Aibak.

- celine

alicesg said...

Happy New Year to you trotter and your wife and family. May 2009 be a better year for all of us.

Wow, the buildings are so beautifully built and so much detailed planning on the carvings too.

Always learn a lot from your blog about other countries.

My Unfinished Life said...

nice pics of qutub minar and adjoining complex....i was just thinking today to visit the place but abadond the idea coz of non-conducive photography conditions!!

lyliane six said...

J'espère que vous avez passé une bonne fin d'année! je vous renouvelle mes voeux pour 2009 avec l'espoir de vous voir enfin en Normandie.Le semaine prochaine la vie courante aura repris son cours et je reviendrai admirer les photos de ce beau pays. Bises à vous deux, Michel se joint à moi.

~vagabond~ said...

My parents visited Delhi last year too...and between their travel photos and yours, I am dying with jealousy. LOL. The architecture looks so intricate and beautiful...I'd love to see it for myself someday (soon I hope).

Thanks for sharing the photos...keep them coming! :D

Miss Kim said...

Magnificent minarets!!

Happy, happy New Year Gil and I wish you more travelling adventures!

Kim

Jen Laceda | Milk Guides said...

Gil,
These are just absolutely beautiful! I wrote a previous comment but my internet is doing all kinds of weird stuff, so not sure if you'll get that one. But just wanted to let you know that this is a great collection of Islamic architecture in India! Lovely pilaster, intricate lattice work and delicate inscriptions are just a wonder! Never saw anything nearly as beautiful as these. (And I thought Alhambra in Granada was pretty...but this is even better!)

S-V-H said...

You did a good selection, Gil! Thanks for sharing - and HAPPY NEW YEAR again!

Sue's Daily Photography

Unknown said...

Happy New Year again Gil :D
Absolutely beautiful pictures of Qutb Minar. I love the colours and the architechture. Hope you'll have a splendid weekend ;D

Pijush said...

Wow.. You are covering Delhi now. Great pics.. and thanks for mentioning the "Gupta Piller". Take care and have a nice weekend

Thérèse said...

Fasscinating! I'll probably come back once I read a book taking place in a mosque.

Ron said...

Happy New Year! Just got back from a vacation to Disney World.

Very nice pictures. The Gupta Pillar is amazing and so is the ceiling.

Rhonda Hartis Smith said...

Very impressive pictures, the Gupta Pillar is amazing! Wow you really had a lot of pictures to sort through, I'm sure that you hated to delete more than a few.

Happy 2009!

Anonymous said...

very interesting and so many beautiful ornaments.

Chuckeroon said...

Hi, Trotter.....my first visit for 2009. I never made it to Delhi, (and the reason is an interesting and longish story)....So, I'm delighted to follow this oustanding group! Also delighted to notice a little insert capturing Mrs Trotter looking good as usual down in the bottom left corner etc here and there.

BTW..did you ever get down south to Kanaya Kumari? I did. What a place is India....!!!!!

Bestest to you for 2009.

eye in the sky said...

Qutub minar literally took my breath away when i visited last month. i am glad you're featuring it here!

I have to congratulate you for always coming up with a spectacular series of photos. My favorite travel blog ever!

Hope you have more safe travels!
Happy 2009!

Dsole said...

Gil, amazing architecture!!
Really, I can't find the words to describe it!
Have a nice beggining of the year! and a great and happy new year!
I need to take my time to make new pics and post again! I'm a little bit lazy nowadays.. :)

Joy said...

So many interesting shots, Gil! You make Delhi such an exotic place to visit!

No champagne for me - I don't like alcohol :D But I did enjoy welcoming 2009. This has been the best holiday season yet!

Thanks for visiting Norwich Daily Photo. Happy 2009!


joy
A Pinay In England
Your Love Coach
I, Woman

Anonymous said...

Ever wonder of moving to a self-hosted blog where you can have your own .com address and have authority on your blog's whereabouts? ;)

and I love this minaret! I've only seen it from far in pictures. Thx for the close-ups on the intricate carvings. They look magnificent!

lv2scpbk said...

The closeups and details are fabulous. Hope you and your wife are off to a happy start on the New Year.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Hi Gil
Happy 2009!

I had to pay Google for more photo storage on Picasa because I used up my blogspot photo quota. It was not overly expensive to pay for one year's worth of extra storage use.

These photos are amazing -- I am fascinated by all the exquisite detail in the minaret and mosque.

Pat in NY

Nikon said...

Incredible shots, Gil. Your compositions seem to get better with each series.
Moorish architectural detailing is staggering. It is just so ornate.

ßrigida ∫chmidt © Copyright said...

Akimashte Omedetou! Happy New Year! Beautiful Delhi! Picture perfect, as always. Wishing you a prosperous 2009. See yah!

Gattina said...

What a beautiful architecture and what a work !! I would like to see that life too !
Thanks for your New Year wishes, I wish you a happy New Year too and lots of travelling !

Tinsie said...

Looks very impressive. Amazing carvings - love the close up photos!

Have a good new year (or as everyone says in Greece, a better year)! Feliz Ano Novo!

Maria Verivaki said...

thanks for the tour - these structures take you through an amazing cultural journey

Twin said...

I'm in awe...great details.

leo said...

You've made excellent choices of pics. I'm sure it's NOT easy. But both Red Fort and Qutb Minar pics blew me away. The details are amazing!! I'm simply at awe.
Thank you for taking time to visit me as well.

Pietro Brosio said...

Really amazing pictures, Gil!
What architecture and decorations.
I enjoyed this post twice, on two different computers, and I think I'll come back to enjoy it again.
As usual, I'm waiting with interest for your next great posts.
Have a nice week ahead!

Olivier said...

encore un merveilleux voyage, on doit se sentir tout petit a cote du "Qutb Minar". Les sculptures sur les batiments sont vraiment magnifiques (de la dentelle)

Venksh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
angela said...

Happy New Year to you, Gil.
Love these photos especially the one taken from the base of the tower; the detail is amazing.
I'm really enjoying your larger photos..

Venksh said...

Hello Gil, Happy New Year once again,

Wat to say abt the picture's they are really awesome Now its making me excited trying to plan for a road trip Mumbai to Delhi with friends soon. Hope u post more picture of Delhi waiting for it.
Did u visit only Delhi or even other place also.

Kven
http://kollywoodmoviereview.blogspot.com/

The Muse said...

I cannot begin to express the beauty I have found here!

Wendy said...

This is one of my favorite places in Delhi to visit. Happy New Year!

Jo's-D-Eyes said...

wow Gil, only 1300 pictures???? Excuse me:), but were you there for a year or so? I am jealours (wide-smile!) because its so cold in Holland right now!brrrhhhgerr.

We are just back from holidays (in COLD Holland!)...I always enjoyed visiting your blog in 2008, you were a reall inspiration to me.
I wish you many Happy and Creative wishes for 2009! I hope to watch your beautiful photographic blog many, many, times in 2009 with also much joy. Please feel/be welcome to follow my blog also,

Friendly greetings from:
JoAnn's D Eyes

www.joannwalraven.blogspot.com

Ashira said...

The carving is beautiful, and so intricate. I can only imagine the amount of work all of these buildings must have taken to complete. I look forward to seeing more from India!

lyliane six said...

Il y a vraiment de belles constructions dans ce monde, encore un pays attirant, mais je n'aurai pas le temps de tous les visiter, hélas! Heureusemenr que tu le fais pour moi, c'est merveilleux de rêver devant tes photos. Les couleurs des colliers de fleurs sont bien assorties à celles du drapeau Portugais!!

PeterParis said...

How long did you stay? Fortunately with digital cameras you can take hundreds - or thousands - of photos without any developing costs, bt as you say, then you have to sort and select - always difficult but especially when you have fabulous motives like here! This seems definitely to be a very good choice, (but of course I don't know what you did not select :-)).

adelynne said...

I think you are really amazing, travelling to so many countries and photographing so many pictures! Wow. O.o And this post makes me go wow again, after seeing all those carvings... That never ceases to amaze me.

Hope you had a great New Year, Gil!

Anonymous said...

But how many hours have been needed to make those carvings, it is impossible to think nowadays, when everything should get just at once ready.
Wonderful stories they tell us and yopur photos make it possible, thanks !

Azer Mantessa said...

Happy New Year

ooo man ... have missed many places here.

Cutie said...

I really wonder how they do those carvings. These carvings requires loads of patience and time... that's beautiful.

Light and Voices said...

In the U.S.A. we tend to tear down buildings right and left and build new ones. It would be wonderful to be able to see these wonderful ancient structures. Lucky you!
Joyce

Anonymous said...

Hi everybody! Great to read you here, as always! I’m sure you understand how glad I feel to read your comments on these posts! India is huge and though my trip was short, it will take time to post the small part of the photos I’ll have to chose!

Lakshmi,
Wouldn’t like to imagine myself stranded somewhere… But at least you had the Qutb Minar to enjoy… ;)

Susupetal,
Great to see you back here! Hope you’re resisting the freeze; we are complaining as the minimum temperature was only +2º Celsius at 6:00 a.m. this morning! ;))

Celine,
You’re definitely part not only of this post but also of this trip… And hopefully of future trips to India, in case I manage to get some days off…
With regard to Alai Minar, my intention was to make clear that the minaret was abandoned when «only the base» (which is visible today) «was completed». Not the tower… ;)

Alice SG
The carvings are excellent throughout India…

Shooting Star,
You’re lucky to be so close…

Lyliane,
2009 en Normandie semble être un très magnifique programme!
Glosant Jorge Amado qui citait un proverbe du quai de Salvador dans «Les Pâtres de la Nuit», «on ne peut pas tous les visiter, mais il faut essayer… » ;))

Vagabond,
I suspect your parents had much more time there, and have seen much more than us… But I’m sure you’ll also see it one day!

Kim,
Not only the minarets, I would say… ;))

Jen,
The web is a bit weird, and sometimes Blogger helps… ;) The Mughal architecture is absolutely stunning, but Granada is a special place and has no reason to fear the competition… ;))

Sue,
Tough choices…

M.Kate,
The colours were also a big surprise!

Pijush,
Any personal link to the Gupta?

Thérèse,
You’re definitely welcome!!

Ron,
Imagine you had a lot of fun!!

Rhonda,
I deleted many immediately after having taken, and also when I got home; then, I had 1300... The problem is to delete at least 1000 and choose the ones to post... ;))

Ingrid,
Glad you liked...

Roon,
Did you notice anyone at the Pillar?
Being in India and not getting top Delhi? OK, it’s a huge country, but anyhow... ;))
It was my first trip there; have never been to the South... ;(

Eye,
So you’re travelling in India while we are stuck in front of a monitor... ;)) Enjoy!

Dsole,
We are many looking forward to seeing Madrid through your lens again!!

Joy,
It’s wonderful to read you had a great season!! Champagne isn’t alcohol... ;))

Kyh,
That would be interesting, but I think it would require much more computer knowledge than I have... ;)

Barb,
Unfortunately, in... ;))
Late December is always terrible at work; and this time 23rd, 26th and 29th thru 31st were dreadful... ;))

Pat,
Paying Google doesn’t seem a pleasant perspective... ;))

Paul,
I’m getting older, like Port wine... ;))

Bridge,
Lovely to see you back!

Gattina,
It’s an incredible work, but it seems time and workforce wasn’t an issue those days... ;)

Tinsie,
ΕΥΤΥΧΙΣΜΕΝΟΣ Ο ΚΑΙΝΟΥΡΙΟΣ ΧΡΟΝΟΣ 2009

Maria,
A fabulous cultural journey, indeed!!

Twin,
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for your first comment here!

Leo,
Not an easy task to make the choices; sometimes it took me a lot of time to decide, but you can’t post all... ;))

Pietro,
You’re always welcome; three, four, five... times!!

Olivier,
C’est vrai que ça impressionne, mais je crois que tu as raison: le plus bouleversant est le détail de la «dentelle»…

Angela,
Fully agree with you: the detail is amazing!!

Kven,
Short trip, but still with some side views… You’ll see it soon, hopefully… ;))
Mumbai-Delhi by road? It sounds an adventure!!

The Muse,
Thanks for your first comment on my blog! I’m flattered!

Wendy,
A person with good taste, definitely…

JoAnn,
Short trip, but the digital cameras are easy to use… ;))
I can imagine how cold it must be in Holland, judging from what we get here… And it’s much warmer…
Will check your blog this weekend, hopefully…

Ashira,
It seems time and workforce wasn’t an issue those days... ;)

Peter,
Arrived at 1:30 a. m. on Saturday and left at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, one week later… ;))
The choice was (well, is) a nightmare!

Addy,
Lovely you enjoyed!!

Leena,
I suspect they bothered neither with the worker’s rights, nor with the working time… ;))

Azer,
Great to see you back! Hope you had a great holiday and wish you a healthy and Happy 2009!!

Cutie,
Time wasn’t at premium those days… ;)

Joyce,
It takes some time to realize the importance of age… ;))

NormanTheDoxie said...

Encircle my arms around the column standing backwards....hmm, I don't think my wish would be granted.

Anonymous said...

Lisa,
It depends on your arms, on your faith or on your wish... ;))

Louise said...

The colors and designs are fabulous. But my favorite is the very last photo where the arch frames the tree and street. Wonderful!

Anonymous said...

Louise,
Great to see you back! The framing of the last one came out quite well indeed...

Mariposa said...

it's gorgeous. Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Mariposa,
My pleasure!!

Mark H said...

Neat photos of Qutb Minar. Sadly I only had an hour in this place due to running short of time but it is a striking place to visit.

Anonymous said...

Mark,
Definitely striking! And it deserves a bit more than just one hour... ;))

A Lady's Life said...

soooo many stones. So much hard work put into these buildings.
Just like in Egypt with the Pharoahs.

Trotter said...

Lady,
That's a quite appropriate comparison: work force wasn't an issue on those times... ;))