Qutub Minar – A Visit to Tallest Minaret of India

Qutub Minar is called as tall tower or minaret located in New Delhi. It is one of the tallest stone and brick minarets across the world and is sited in Qutub complex of Mehruali. Qutub complex is surrounded with superb and magnificent monuments which are worth to see. This place is a best example that depicts Indo Islamic Architecture. It is labeled from UNESCO World Heritage site and thus one of the popular and most visited destinations in India. The construction of Qutub Minar was started by Qutub-ud-din- Aibak in 1193 and was completed in 1386 by Firuz Shah Tughluq. Qutb-ud-din- Aibak was inspired by the Minaret of Jam located in Afghanistan and hence followed same pattern in Merulai, Delhi as Qutub Minar.

It is world’s tallest minaret with a height of about 237. 8 or 72.5 m. It is built with the help of buff and red sandstone projected with balcony that is encircled and supported by the stone brackets. The beautiful work is excellently decorated with designs of honeycomb. The entire minar is covered with red sandstone along with intricate designs and structure. There are various inscriptions in Nagari and Arabic characters that reveal the history of minar. This inscription reveals that Minar was re-constructed and repaired by Sikander Lodi and Firoz Shah Tughlaq.

Qutub Minar makes up several laid over cylinder and flanged shafts, which are separated by beautiful balconies on Muqarnas corbels. It also depicts perfect blend of Islamic and Indian architecture and thus is pioneered as one of the magnificent structure erected in India. It clearly narrates the three distinct generations by Sultans that was used on different floors edifice by rulers from Slave Dynasty. The minar has plentiful round shaped shafts tapered and demarcated by different small balconies. The first floor of minar depicts pointed and circular ornamental grooves, whereas remaining two floors are carved with intricate designs and some verses from Holy Book “Quran”.

Still there are no evidences why Qutub Minar was constructed by Sultan Aibak. Few talks related to it goes like, it was the dominations and victory of Sultan over the Islamic Province of Delhi. It had resisted and experienced numerous earthquakes that damage the Minar, but was then repaired by Emperor Sikandra Lodi in 1505. It was again struck by earthquake and was once again repaired by Tughlaq Feroz Shah in 1948.

Qutub Minar is encircled by several ancient monuments from the medieval period that includes various tombs and mosque. This monument attracts tourists from all over the world with its finest work and appealing structure. Some main attractions of Qutub complex includes Alai Darwaza, Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Iron Pillar, Iltumish Tomb, Imam Zamin Tomb, Alauddin Khilji;s Tomb and Alai Minar. Qutub Festival celebrated in the complex is the main highlight of place.

Qutub Complex is open from 10.00 am to 17.00 hrs. Citizens of India and SAARC (Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan and Pakistan) are charged Rs 10 for entry fee, whereas others are charged Rs. 250 per head. A child up to 15 yrs of age has free entry. Photography or video shooting are separately charged at the rate of Rs. 25 per camera.