Purana Qila
Often we see even centuries-old monuments as being just a part of contemporary landscapes, subsumed within the hustle and bustle of modern-day life. But the Purana Qila is one of those rare exceptions that can whisk you away to the past from the moment you pass the moat. This fort was built in 1540, by Humayun, the second Mughal emperor of India, who was defeated in battle shortly thereafter by his rival Sher Shah Suri. After 15 long years in exile, Humayun won it back, thereby re-establishing the Mughal empire that would stand strong for the next 300 years. This fort lost its status as the imperial capital, but continued to be inhabited by village settlements right up to 1947, the year of Indian Independence. Read more»
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Purana Qila, or the Old Fort, is the oldest Mughal structure in the city and one of the so-called seven cities of Delhi. Download a Go!Places guide and enjoy the monument at leisure!
Complete reference to Purana Qila, the Old Fort | colour photos and info blurbs in a comic-style layout | includes 3D map and bibliography | 9 page PDF download
Price: $0.99
MP3 audio tour with map of the site | Downloads as a 14mb ZIP file | 7 tracks totalling 14 mins of audio with background music and sound effects | Easily played on iPods, MP3 players, mobile phones
Price: $0.99
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As was the practice of the time, Humayun built this fort to be a walled city and gave it the name Dinpanah, or the ‘Refuge of the Faithful’. The tides of time have eaten away at this fort and the erstwhile villages have left little sign of their existence, with wide open spaces where busting communities once thrived. But the high walls are haunting in their jagged presence as are the bastions that allow one to see for some miles distance. The jewel of this fort is an astonishing mosque, the Qila-i-Kohna Masjid built by Sher Shah using red and white stone intricately decorated with beautiful bands of calligraphy.
Many more forts were built in Delhi after this one, and Delhi’s centre of gravity shifted to newer areas. The fort was therefore rechristened Purana Qila, or the ‘Old Fort’.
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