The Seven Cities of Delhi

%M s... r' bl ha dU^ ^. L.i''::. ^^(MuI \n>- ^Ji*î-vt^ <a>Ik. ; Uv -r.. Li HiU. t'l»^ ~ v» f / -.î •ci^p^ % *v^*^*«jfi^- *^ ^Ht^f'^ 6 a r- fu.^ "^^ ^**%(-v<.. >*•— Jif<«^"-«f J<U<,tftev 7 / IkL, %xu .. w..> ^. ^ ^^^^, a • ^*.*,.^-><- )^ *» Lr »-« fl ^ THE SEVEN CITIES OF DELHI . '(W<^ THE SEVEN CITIES OF DELHI BY GORDON RISLEY HEARN CAPTAIN, ROYAL ENGINEERS ASSOCIATE OF THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS LONDON W. THACKER & CO., 2, CREED LANE, E.G. Calcutta AND Simla: THACKER, SPINK & CO. Bombay: THACKER & CO., Limited 1906 All rights reserved PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIXIITED LONDON AND BECCLES. StacK Annex PREFACE The arrangement of this book is the result of much consideration and of more than one altera- tion. As it stands, the book is divided into three parts. In the first, the situations of the seven cities, and of the principal monuments, are given. The second part treats of archaeology and archi- tecture. The third part gives the history of Delhi from the Mahomedan conquest to the present time. This arrangement increases the utility of the work to those who wish to use it as a guide- book also. The two chapters of the first part have been written in the form of itineraries for two days, the time which experience has shown is usually devoted to Delhi by the majority of travellers. Actual tests have shown that what has been written is not too much for the time allotted, and leaves time to notice details, which can be looked up in the second part. The names in black type are sufficient indication to the guide or coachman where next to proceed, and the itineraries follow the usual routes, which V 2Q4TCBO Prefâce my experience of the lighting of the subjects has shown to be the best. For instance, the Ridge is best seen in the afternoon. In the second part the monuments have been grouped by cities, and four more days can usefully be spent in examining them. The history in the third part will be much better appreciated by those who have followed the itineraries (even if only on the map), and the visitor can read it at leisure. The Siege of 1857 has received its due share of attention, and every single scene of those stirring events has been pointed out. It will be noticed that the a is sometimes accented. Ordinarily it should be pronounced as the It in sum ; thus Akbar is pronounced Uckbur ; but a is pronounced as in the word father. For the names of places the Indian Postal Guide has been followed ; this publica- tion retains the old spelling for the well-known places. Nearly all the photographs have been specially taken by myself; I have also prepared the maps. A magnifying glass will show up many of the finer details if the plates are held in a strong- light. The view of the Kutb Minar should be held above the level of the eyes ; this corrects the leaning back, which is otherwise apparent in photographs of high buildings. vi — Preface A list of the works consulted will be found in the Appendix. The libraries of the British Museum, India Office, and East India United Service Club have all been searched for information. Great care has been taken to get this correct, but many instances could be given where accounts differ, especially in the dates. I shall always be grateful for further information. To the following gentlemen I am specially indebted for kindly giving me their personal experiences : Sir Alexander Taylor, G.C.B., explained the making of the Custom-house Battery. Mr. T. Gateley, late Bengal Horse Artillery, and Rai Bahadur Janki Nath, showed me the scenes of the Siege. Mr. J. S. Aldwell related the story of the defence of a house in Dariaganj, and pointed out the sites of several buildings now destroyed. Shaikh Sharf-ud-din, guardian of the shrine of Nizam-ud-din, pointed out the points of interest in that vicinity. Badri Das, a guide of fifty years' standing, took me round the old cities. I would add my thanks to several Government officials for their courtesy. G. R. H. London, Nove7nbe}', 1906. vii — CONTENTS SITUATIONS OF THE OBJECTS OF INTEREST (ITINERARIES FOR TWO DAYS) CHAPTER I MODERN DELHI AND THE RIDGE PAGE The Indian Rome—The Modem City—Cashmere Gate— St. James's Church—Magazine—The Fort— Palace Buildings —Delhi Gate—Jama Masjid—Chandni Chouk— Queen's Gardens—Mori Gate—The Ridge—Mound Piquet—Old Cantonments — Military Cemetery— Flagstaff Tower Hindu Rao's House— Siege Batteries—Kudsia Gardens —Custom House Battery—Cashmere Bastion . i CHAPTER II THE PLAINS TO THE SOUTH OF DELHI Mahomedan Kings— Cabul Gate—Lahore Gate—Ajmere Gate —Kutb Road—Jantar Mantar—Tombs of Lodi Kings Safdar Jang's Tomb—Panoramas— Kutb Minar—Adja- cent Buildings— Iron Pillar—Shrine of Nizam-ud-din Humayun's Tomb—Purana Kila— Kotila of Firoze Shah —Asoka Pillar 39 ix Contents i DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE CITIES AND THEIR MONUMENTS CHAPTER III THE SEVEN CITIES OF DELHI PAGE The Traditional Indraprastha—Hindu History—Hindu Rajas —Mahomedan Conquest—The Seven Cities—Dates and Circumstances of their Foundation—Reasons for Succes- sive Abandonment — Vagaries of the River — CHmatic Conditions altered 68 CHAPTER IV OLD DELHI The Walls— Kutb Minar—Alai Gate — Kuwwat-ul-Islam Mosque— Iron Pillar—Tomb of Altamsh—Alai Minar — Shrine of Kutb-ud-din — Jamali Masjid — Tomb of Sultan Ghari 85 CHAPTER V SIRI, TUGHLUKABAD, AND JAHANPANAH Foundation of the Three Cities— Tughlukabad— Tomb ot Tughlak Shah—The City— Khirki Mosque in Jahanpanah — Sat Palah — Tombs near Khirki—Roshan Chiragh Delhi—Bedi Mandal — Begampur — Shrine of Khwaja Nizam-ud-din Aulia—Adjacent buildings . .103 X —— Contents CHAPTER VI FIROZABAD AND THE DELHI OF SHER SHAH PAG Extent of Firozabad— Sher Shah's Walls— Kalan Masjid Kotila of Firoze Shah—Asoka Pillar—Jama Masjid of Firoze Shah—Kushk Anwar—Purana Kila—Kila Kona Mosque—Tomb of Mahomed Shah— Buildings in Khair- pur— Jantar Mantar—Kadam Sharif— Old Idgah . .ill CHAPTER Vn SHAHJAHANABAD The Walls— St. James's Church—Adjoining Houses—Maga- zine—Old Cemetery—Nigambodh Gate — Salimgarh Garden of Madho Das—The Palace before 1857—Courts and Buildings — Dariaganj — Jama Masjid — Objects North of the Ridge—Coronation Darbar Park—Badli-ki- Sarai— Garden of Mahaldar Khan—Roshanara Garden —Mithai Bridge—Hindu Rao's House .... 134 HISTORY OF DELHI FROM THE TWELFTH TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURIES CHAPTER Vni DELHI BEFORE THE MOGHAL CONQUEST Mahomedan Conquest of Delhi—The First Mahomedan King of India—The Slaves who became Kings—Altamsh Balban — The Khilj i Dynasty — Ala-ud-din — Tughlak Shah—His Son Mahomed— Firoze Shah—Timur's In- vasion—The Lodi Kings—The Moghals called in . .173 xi Contents CHAPTER IX DELHI IN MOGHAL TIMES PAGE Babar — Humayun — Akbar — Jahangir — Shah Jahan — Aurangzeb—Puppet Emperors—Mahomed Shah—Nadir Shah's Invasion—Ahmad Khan AbdaH—Mahratta pre- dominance — Shah Alam — Ghulam Kadir — A Blind Emperor 210 CHAPTER X DELHI UNDER "JOHN COMPANY" Battle of Delhi— Lord Lake's Conquest—Siege of Delhi by Holkar—Shah Alam a Pensioner—Akbar Shah—British Residents—Bahadur Shah—The Succession Question . 253 CHAPTER XI THE MUTINY OF 1857 AND THE SIEGE Outbreak at Meerut—The Mutineers at Delhi—Defence of the Magazine—The flight—Advance of the Avenging Army— Battle of Ghazi-ud-din Nagar—Battle of Badli- ki-Sarai—Events of the Siege—Arrival of the Siege Train in September—Siege Batteries —The Assault—Fighting in the City—The City retaken—Capture of the King . 262 CHAPTER XII DELHI SINCE 1857 The City under a Military Governor—Advance of the Jodhpur Legion—Battle of Narnoul — Trial of Prominent Rebels and of the King—Delhi transferred to the Punjab—As- sumption of Government by the Crown—Proclamation of a British Empress of India—Delhi the Commercial Capital of Northern India 295 xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE DiWAN Khas in the Palace . Frontispiece Pearl Mosque 14 KUTB MiNAR 49 Iron Pillar and Great Arches 55 Shrine of Khwaja Nizam-ud-din 59 AsoKA Pillar 67 Walls of Tughlukabad 76 Gateway of Ala-ud-din 92 Kuwat-ul-Islam Mosque 95 Khirki Mosque 109 Sati Monuments near Tughlukabad . Tomb of Yusuf Ratal } Kalan Masjid 122 KiLA Kona Mosque 127 Marble Screen 158 Tomb of Tughlak Shah 193 Tomb of Mahomed Shah 205 xiii List of Illustrations PAGE MoGHAL Emperors 2IO Walls of Sher Shah's Delhi College of Mahim Anagah Ajmere Gate Turkman Gate 257 Cashmere Gate . 67 Remains of Main Guard Enclosure }- PLANS I TUGHLUKABAD 104- The Seven Cities 132 i The Palace before 1857 160 j Delhi in 1857 172 i Plan of the Siege Works, June-Sept., 1857 . 294 | XIV THE SEVEN CITIES OF DELHI CHAPTER I MODERN DELHI AND THE RIDGE The Indian Rome—The modern city—Cashmere Gate— St. James's Church—Magazine—The Fort—Palace buildings—Delhi Gate —Jama Masjid—Chandni Chouk—Queen's Gardens—Mori Gate—The Ridge —Mound piquet—Old cantonments—Mili- tary cemetery— Flagstaff Tower—Hindu Rao's house—Siege batteries — Kudsia Gardens — Custom-house battery — Cash- mere Bastion. Map of Delhi in 1857,/. 172. Map of the Siege-Works^ p. 294. Delhi has well been described as the Indian Rome. It has been the imperial city of India / for over seven hundred years, and the seven hills of Rome are represented by the seven cities of ^ Delhi. In modern Rome the hills are difficult to distinguish, because of the many buildings, which cover the whole site ; modern Delhi only occupies a small portion of the sixty square miles, over which are scattered the monuments of its former The Seven Cities of Delhi greatness, and the abandoned cities are difficult to distinguish on the deserted plains.

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