Mintu picked us up first thing in the morning as whisked us off for a morning of discovering some of the holiest places in Delhi.
“Among the many historical monuments and archaeological remains in Delhi, the most notable both in antiquity and arresting design, is the Qutb Complex, a name given to the group of monuments embracing the Quwwat-u l-Islam Mosque of Qutbuddin Aibak, and the lofy Qutb Minar, which stands out a landmark for miles around. Included in the Qutb Complex are the Tomb of Iltutmish, and Alai Minar, Alai Dawaza, the madrasa or school, and what is believed to be the Tomb of Alauddin Khalji. These three kings were, in turn, responsible for the construction of the original fabric of this, one of the earliest mosques extant in India, and for its subsequent additions and extentions.”
The earliest buildings of this mosque date back to 1192 AD when an invading force from the kingdom of Ghur (in modern Afghanistan) erected them over the ruins of a Hindu temple (elbut-khana), according to a 14th Century Arab trader along the “Silk Road.”
After our morning of reverence, we headed back to our hotel to rest for a couple of hours before meeting the fabulous Rita Roy…(stay tuned).
We began at a Hindu temple and marveled at the beautifully ornate façade. We weren’t able to take pictures inside, but it was more about the feel and atmosphere of reverent calm.
Our next stop was the World Heritage sight of Qutb Minar, a thousand year old Islamic complex.
“Among the many historical monuments and archaeological remains in Delhi, the most notable both in antiquity and arresting design, is the Qutb Complex, a name given to the group of monuments embracing the Quwwat-u l-Islam Mosque of Qutbuddin Aibak, and the lofy Qutb Minar, which stands out a landmark for miles around. Included in the Qutb Complex are the Tomb of Iltutmish, and Alai Minar, Alai Dawaza, the madrasa or school, and what is believed to be the Tomb of Alauddin Khalji. These three kings were, in turn, responsible for the construction of the original fabric of this, one of the earliest mosques extant in India, and for its subsequent additions and extentions.” ~ World Heritage guide
We could have stayed here all day and still not fully absorbed the beauty of the carved stonework and gorgeously laid-out grounds. We took 153 pictures- here's a small sample:
Our next stop was the much more modern Bahá’i “Lotus Temple.” Finished in 1986, this is the seventh, and most recent Bahá’i house of worship in the world (the first is in the Chicago area and the eighth is being built in Chile currently). It’s truly a magnificent building. We had to remove our shoes before going into the large open worship area inside. We sat in contemplative silence with the other visitors for a while before walking around the beautiful pools outside.
I wonder what those early Silk Road travelers would have thought of this temple!
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