My heritage walk of Purana Qila was inspired by an article by R.V. Smith (17/10/2005) “Unearthing the Secrets of the Seven Cities. In this he highlighted, “The Archaeological Survey of India’s (ASI), an ongoing plan to unravel Delhi’s history through excavations will continue to yield fascinating results………”. At once, I decided to visit the Archaeological Museum at Purana Qila. It was fascinating and along with other research material / books, I was able to develop this walk.
The site was the location of a village called Indrapat, and thus associated with Indraprastha, the Pandava capital, in the Mahabharata. Swapna Liddle in her book Delhi: 14 Historic Villages says “ Excavations within the walks of the Fort have revealed ancient habitation, which tells us that people lived at this site perhaps as far back as 1000 BC, the time when the events mentioned in the Mahabharata are believed to have taken place.” On this very site Emperor Humayun laid the 6th City of Delhi in 1533 AD.
Dinapanah
Humayun built Dinapanah (Asylum of Faith), a fortified citadel at the present site of Purana Qila. Sher Shah Suri demolished it and replaced it with Shergarh in 1541. The fort that now stands was finished by Emperor Humayun when he regained power. Babur inherited a kingdom (at the east end of Uzbekistan) from his father at 11 years of age in 1484. In 1526 he marched to Delhi at and defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat and became king. He died in 1530, leaving empire to his son, Humayun who lost it after a ten-year reign to a powerful Afghan nobleman, Sher Shah Suri. Emperor Humayun regained power and completed his city in 1555. But a tragedy took place just a few months later and as a result Delhi got its first substantial Mughal architecture. More about this in the next blog.
Purana Qila is close to the Delhi Zoo. Across the road is Khairul Masjid built in 1561 by Akbar’s wet nurse Maham Anga – Adam Khan’s mother. Next to it is the Lal Darwaza with arcades that may have contained shops. This gate was built by Sher Shah Suri as the southern limit of his city with the Khuni Darwaza near Feroz Shah Kotla in the north. Bhairon Mandir, outside the northern wall of Purana Quila is also said to date back to Pandava times and to this very day alcohol is offered to the deity.
The fort
The imposing walls of the fort can be seen be seen before entering. (close to the ASI ticket counter) They are high and straight and there is a surrounding moat that is now used as a water body. The river Yamuna flowed on the eastern side having changed its course sometime back. Ramparts cover a perimeter of about 2 kms with bastions on the corners and in the western wall. There are cells inside the ramparts in the interior sides that are two-bays long.
A brain teaser: Are all these forts of Delhi? 1. Tuglaqabad 2. Jahapanah 3. Red Fort 4. Purana Qila
In the early 20th century, 1900 people lived inside the Fort mainly in village houses with the rooms built into the walls. They were moved out in 1913 with compensation and the fort was turned into the archaeological site as we see it today, although it briefly served as a sanctuary for refugees during the turmoil of Partition.
In the next instalment of this two-part blog – we’ll go inside the fort and explore further.
Heritage walks with Surekha Narain. Contact details, +919811330098, surekha@delhimetrowalks.com and visit www.delhimetrowalks.com
Did you know that just a short distance from the famous shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia in Delhi is the shrine of a modern Sufi saint who died in 1927? The Dargah (shrine) of Hazrat Inayat Khan is an oasis of tranquillity in the crowded Nizamuddin Basti. This area is known for its congested, narrow lanes, tombstones, pilgrims, cuisine, spiritual music, bustling markets and mosques.
Family
Born in Baroda in 1882, Hazrat Inayat Khan came from an illustrious family of musicians. His grandfather, Maula Baksh, had founded a famous music school in Baroda. At Maula Baksh’s house, friends of all religions and faiths gathered regularly. Growing up in this tolerant but devout Muslim family had a great influence on the young Khan.Like the rest of the family, Inayat was a brilliant musician, but his love for music was accompanied by a deep spiritual yearning.
Musical career
At 18 years old, Inayat Khan became a music professor. Then two tragedies occurred, his beloved mother died, followed shortly after by his young bride.Shocked by these bereavements, he tried to bury his grief by going on tour to play music in Madras, Mysore and Bombay. In Bombay, he was horrified that audiences smoked and laughed during performances. To him, this was desecration of a divine art.Things improved in Hyderabad. He met the ascetic Nizam, a privilege granted to few. Inayat Khan sang for him and moved him to tears.
Sufism
In Hyderabad, Hazrat Inayat Khan found his mission in life. His interest in spiritual matters had deepened and he longed for a master to guide him.One day, he met an old gentleman whom everyone treated with great reverence, and he realised that this was the master he had dreamt of. And so Inayat Khan was initiated into the Chishti Sufi order there and then.
Khan remained with his teacher, Mohammed Abu Hashim Madani, for four years. Madani died in 1907 but before his death he gave Khan the task of “harmonizing East and West with his music and spreading the wisdom of Sufism abroad.”
The Mission
In 1910 Inayat Khan began this sacred task. In September that year, he sailed to New York with two relatives, where they gave concerts as the “The Royal Hindustan Musicians”.
In 1911, Khan made several mureeds (disciples) and established the Sufi Order in America. In the US he met Miss Ora Ray, who later became his wife and the mother of his children. His daughter Noor Inayat Khan, also known Nora Baker, was later a British spy in World War II who served in the Special Operations Executive.
The Sufi Movement
Khan founded more Sufi Order branches and formulated his philosophy in ten Sufi thoughts, which, he emphasised, should not be taken as dogma. To fulfil his mission, he travelled relentlessly around Europe and the US. In 1926, he returned to his beloved India, but, in Ajmer, he fell ill and died of pneumonia on 5th February 1927. His mission was complete, yet he was only 45 years old.
He is buried within striking distance of the Dargah Sharif of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia. The seeds of the Sufi Message he sowed in his lifetime grew up and bore abundant fruit. Today, there are Sufi Centres all over America and Europe, where his Message of the unity of all religions is taught and practised.
Hazrat Inayat Khan dargah
The Master’s memorial is an expression of harmony, white marble for purity, the golden dome representing the glowing heart, melted by sympathy of our brothers and sisters of divine love and shining out quietly.
The heart of the Dargah is the mazar (tomb), made just after the Master passed away. Its simple beauty shines out, accentuated by the gold chaddar with the Sufi symbol. The space around the mazar is a place for meditation, contemplation and music. On Friday evenings, if you’re lucky, there’s qawwali (sufi music).
Join the Urs celebration of Sufi Innayat Khan in February every year hosted by Sufi Ruhaniat International to which followers come from all over the world to try to grasp the essence of Sufism.
The Hope Project
The Hope Project, also in the basti, was founded in 1980 by Khan’s son, Sufi teacher, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan. Moved by the extreme poverty of people living near his father’s grave , Pir Vilayat envisioned a programme that would enable the poor to help themselves. Pir Vilayat died on June 17, 2004 and is buried next to the Hope Project.
The Hope Project is a charitable foundation, where the current director, Samiur Rahman runs a community health centre, crèche, a pre-primary school, a non-formal school, vocational training course, thrift and credit program, and a women’s micro-enterprise. They have extended their outreach to Kashmir as well. The Hope Project welcomes volunteers and gives them an opportunity to share their skills, The Dargah of Inayat Khan – an oasis in a metropolis and the Hope Project are all close by in the Nizamuddin basti and can be accessed via a lane behind the Shiv Mandir and before the Lodhi Road Electric Crematorium. Next week we bring to you Sufi Basant – another gem of Nizamuddin basti.
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Heritage walks with Surekha Narain. Contact details, +919811330098, surekha@delhimetrowalks.com and visit www.delhimetrowalks.com |
Comments & Replies
DMW: Thank you Gaby – that is a great tribute to R.V. Smith. He is sorely missed- one of the great characters of our Delhi
DMW: Thank you Amita. I am delighted you have such good memories of Purana Qila. It is a wonderful place. Hope you are keeping well.
DMW: Thanks Mobina – you are more than welcome. Apart from Purana Qila, there are some great places to visit in the surrounding area.