Tughlaqabad Fort, the third city of Delhi

Tughlaqabad Fort

The third city of Delhi

Tughlakabad is the most uncompromisingly militaristic ruin in Delhi, perhaps in all India. Ring after ring of rough – hewn stone walls thunder their way across the open plain on the deserted south – eastern edge of the city.

City of Djinns, William Dalrymple

Panoramic views of the bastions of Tughlaqabad Fort, delhi

The citadel of Tughlaqabad stretches over 6.5 km in circumference, the enormous structure complete with battlements and bastions dominate a stretch of the Mehrauli – Badarpur Road.

Mausoleum of Ghiyas ud – Din Tughluq, A Fortified Tomb, Delhi

Mausoleum of Ghiyas ud – Din Tughluq

A Fortified Tomb, Delhi

Like a miniature expression of the whole, the tomb is defended on all sides by its own set of machicolated walls, built to keep the Angles of Death at bay; they represent perhaps the most elaborate set of defenses ever raised to protect a corpse.

William Dalrymple, City of Djinns

Ghiyas ud – Din Tughluq Tomb, Delhi

The massive fortified Tomb of Ghiyas ud – Din Tughluq lies in the shadows of the massive Tughlaqabad Fort, also a creation of Ghiyas ud – Din Tughluq. Like an umbilical cord, a causeway once linked the mother fort with the miniature fort like tomb of the emperor.

Adilabad Fort & Nai ka Kot, unknown forts next to Tughlaqabad Fort

Adilabad Fort and Nai ka Kot

Lesser known forts in the shadows Tughlaqabad Fort, Delhi

Although archaeological evidences show that the region around Delhi has been inhabited for over 3000 years but it has been only in the last thousand years Delhi has been the stronghold of north India.

A panoramic view of the exterior of Adilabad Fort, Delhi

It was only in middle of the 11th century, during the Tomar rule, Delhi got its first fortified city the Lal Kot. Later Prithiviraj Chauhan (Reign 1170 – 92) expended the citadel and renamed it Qila Rai Pithora.

A Panoramic Tour of Delhi

Compilation of Panoramic photos from Delhi

Also see: My collection of Panorama Compilation

Panoramic photography is a technique of photography, using specialized equipment or software, that captures images with elongated fields of view. It is sometimes known as wide format photography. Panorama photos are normally shot by stitching  series of photos with sightly overlapping fields to create a panoramic image.

Feroz Shah Kotla was the fifth fortified citadel of Delhi and was built by the Feroz Shah Tughlaq (reign 1351 – 1388). Kotla literally means citadel. Feroz Shah Kotla was constructed in 1354 as the new capital of Delhi Sultanate. In 1398 the citadel was plundered by the Turco-Mongol conqueror Taimur.

Panoramic view of Feroz Shah Kotla. Left: Pyramidal Structure with Ashokan Pillar and Right: Jami Masjid

Today the ruins of the ancient citaadel lies next to the Feroz Shah Kotla Cricket Stadium, with the Jami Masjid as the prime attraction. Every Thursday there is a huge crowd at the fort. It is popularly believed that Jinn(s) descend down at the Fort from the Heavens and accept requests and wishes from people. A lot of wishes, penned down on paper, can be seen on the walls within the premises.