The Qutab Minar is identified with Delhi, as the Leaning Tower is associated with the city of Pisa or the Eiffel Tower with Paris. It is not only an important tourist spot in Delhi, it is also an excellent example of early Islamic architecture in India. The area around Qutab Minar has a number of important monuments and together they constitute the Qutab complex.

Architecture

The Qutab Minar, apart from being a marvel in itself, is also significant for what it represents in the history of Indian culture. In many ways, the Qutab Minar, the first monument of Muslim rule in India, heralded the beginning of a new style of art and architecture that came to be known as the Indo-Islamic style.

Indo-Islamic style is neither a local variant of Islamic art, nor a modification of Hindu art; it is an assimilation of both the styles, though not always in an equal degree. It is so because each region in India has its own form of Indo-Islamic architecture, which varies from place to place, and there is no standardization. On the other hand, Islamic art itself was a composite style, which had various Muslims influences-Turkish, Persian, and Arabic.

Rulers from different parts of the Muslim world, who came to India and settled here, brought with them the artistic traditions of their regions. The intermingling of such traditions with local Indian practices resulted in different examples of Indo-Islamic art. In Delhi, Islamic influences dominated while in the Deccan, local styles were more prominent in the buildings. In Bengal, the indigenous practice of using bricks for building was adopted and the monuments were richly decorated with chiseled and molded decorations typical of Hindu temples.

This amalgamation of exotic and indigenous architectural styles was possible due to a variety or factors-the Muslim rulers had to use, in most cases, Indian craftsmen and sculptors who were schooled in their own art traditions. Another factor that inadvertently contributed to this fusion of style was that during the early Muslim invasions, mosques were often built out of materials from Hindu and Jain temples and sometimes temples themselves were modified into mosques. Though both the Indian and Islamic styles have their own distinctive features, some common characteristics made fusion and adaptation easy. Both the styles favor ornamentation and buildings of both styles are marked by the presence of an open court encompassed by chambers or colonnades.

The Qutab Minar and the other buildings surrounding it are fine examples of the Delhi style of Indo-Islamic art and architecture. Most of these edifices were the first of their kind in India, be they mausoleums, mosques or madrassas (theological colleges).

The Qutab Minar is a fluted red sandstone tower, which tapers up to a height of 72.5 m and is covered with intricate carvings and verses from the holy Qur'an. Qutub-ud-din Aibak began constructing this victory tower as a sign of Muslim domination of Delhi and as a minaret for the Muslim priest, the muezzin to call the faithful to prayer. However, only the first story was completed by Qutb-ud-din. The other stories were built by his successor Iltutmish. The two circular stories in white marble were built by Ferozshah Tughlaq in 1368, replacing the original fourth story.

The projected balconies in the tower are supported by exquisite stalactite designs. The tapering tower has pointed and circular flutings on the first story round and star-shaped on the second and third stories. The bands of calligraphic inscriptions are amazing in perfection with the exquisite stalactite designs seen on the exterior of this tower.

However, there are a number of monuments within the Qutab complex apart from the Qutab Minar:

The Quuwat-ul-Islam Mosque was the first mosque to be built in India. Qutub-ud-din Aibak, the founder of the Slave dynasty, used parts of 27 Jain and Hindu temples to build it. Both Indian and Islamic features are present. The mosque is in ruins today, but one can see indigenous corbelled arches, floral motifs, as well as Islamic practices such as squinches (setting arches diagonally to a square to support a dome), calligraphy, and geometric patterns.

To the west of the Quuwat-ul-Islam mosque is another remarkable building-the Tomb of Iltutmish, which was built by the monarch himself in 1235. This building was definitely a departure from the norm, for the concept of building huge mausoleums was new. The rather plain exterior conceals an interior with many interesting examples of the Indo-Islamic style. There is a fusion of Indian and Islamic decorative motifs-the lotus and the wheel belonging to the former tradition and geometric arabesque patterns and calligraphy from the latter genre. The dome no longer exist as it has collapsed-the corbelled squinches testify to an early amalgamation that went wrong, a flaw that characterizes early Indo-Islamic architecture.

Any write-up on the Qutab Minar will be incomplete without mentioning the 4th-century Iron Pillar, 7.2 m high, and 37 cm in diameter, which stands in the courtyard of the Quuwat-ul-Islam mosque. This pillar, with its distinctly Hindu inscriptions from the Gupta period, is said to have been transported here, but its origins remain a mystery. Another mystifying factor is that despite being exposed to the elements, the pillar has remained rust-free. According to popular belief, anyone who stands with his back to the pillar and encircles it with his arms will have his wish granted. One can see visitors to the Qutab Minar trying their luck at the pillar.

Later monuments in this complex include the Alai Darwaza and the Alai Minar built by Ala-ud-din Khilji (1296-1316). The Alai Darwaza is a magnificent gateway with inlaid marble decorations and latticed stone screens that display the remarkable artistry of the Turkish artisans who worked on it. The Alai Minar was conceived of as a greater tower than the Qutab Minar, but its construction was abandoned after the completion of the 24.5-m-high first story.

The other tombs in the Qutab complex include those of Ala-ud-din-Khilji, Imam Zambian, a Sufi saint from Turkestan who came to India during the reign of Sikandar Lodi (1488-1517) and Muhammad Quli Khan, one of Akbar's courtiers. Also nearby are Ala-ud-din Khilji's mausoleum and a madrassa.

The Qutab Complex, incidentally, is built on the ruins of Lal Kot in the city of Dillika, the capital of the Rajput Tomars and the Chauhans, who were the last Hindu rulers of Delhi. The Qutab complex is thus symbolic of Delhi's ability to assimilate, integrate, and yet come up with something new and remarkable. This is further borne out by the fact that since the medieval times, seven different cities of Delhi have sprung up and today's Delhi is a fusion of all these cities. The Qutab Minar is a living testimony to Delhi's hoary past.

Facts File

Year of construction : 1193 (started)

Built by : Qutub-ud-din Aibak

Location : Delhi

How to Reach

The Qutab Minar is easily accessible from all parts of Delhi. This monument is located at Mehrauli in the southern part of the city. Tourists can take local buses from various points within the city or, alternatively, they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis. There are regular bus services from the Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Kashmere Gate and Connaught Place to Mehrauli. Local guided tours, conducted by Delhi Tourism and private operators, cover this important monument.