It was time for me to visit Delhi once again. This time during the winters. It was cold but not so cold that I couldn’t walk out in the day. One needed a jacket to brave the evenings but days were pleasant. Mornings were a bit of a struggle but overall it was fun.
So when I found myself with a free afternoon, I booked a cab to Purana Qila. I just wanted to complete the chronological visits of the historical monuments of the area. It is not easy to miss this vast complex as one zips across from the airport so naturally I had to come.
Pandavas to Partition
The loud noise from all the announcements at the Delhi Zoo (famous for its White Tiger), greeted me as I walked into the narrow lane which is shared by the fort and the zoo.
Purana Qila is known to be possibly the site of Indraprastha – the capital of Pandavas. The archaeological discoveries made here have led to the piecing together of this theory. While the theory is hotly contested, this is also the site that marks some key historical events of the medieval period.
For instance, the current ramparts were built by Sher Shah Suri – during his great interregnum when he ousted Humayun and ruled over India for 15 years (1540 to 1555). Hailing from Sasaram, Bihar, Sher Shah played a pivotal role in shaping the administrative and revenue policies of the Mughals. Akbar, the third Mughal Emperor perfected many of the policies introduced by Sher Shah.
The large fort was built over on the erstwhile Din Panah – the city founded by Humayun. But I was in for a greater surprise when I visited the archaeological museum inside which revealed some fascinating facts. The excavations here date back to 1000 BC and suggest an almost unbroken chain of habitation thus underscoring the importance of this site. It was also the site for many Japanese internees during the second world war and thereafter for many refugees during the Partition – a fact which remains obscured in the tourism and historical descriptions of the fort.
Purana Qila also served as a terminus for the east west axis of the Kingsway as planned by Edwards Lutyens with the Viceroy’s House (President’s Residence) but this clear route was completed ignored by subsequent government contractors.
The entrance is flanked by an imposing gate, common to most medieval structures. Both the present calm nature of the entrance contrasts the bloody period of Partition. While researching this article, I came across this newspaper cutout on Wikipedia which was useful to compare the two periods.
The scenes from Partition captured by various photographers showcase how Purana Qila – a symbol of the holy origins of Delhi came to be also synonymous with one of her most bloody periods in history. This photograph captured by the legendayr Margaret Bourke-White shows the viewer the situation prevailing at Purana Qila. In her fascinating essay – The Many Origins of Partitioned Nations, Cities and Monuments, Mrinalini Rajagopalan noting these details, also mentions how Homai Vyaravala (another legendary photojournalist) had captured a seemingly normal image of the Indian armed forces practicing for the Republic Day Parade in 1951 – only a few years after the Partition.
Sher Mandal & Humayun’s Tragic End
After visiting the museum I wandered around the ramparts of the fort. The two other gates – the Talaqi Gate and the Humayun Gate served as good reference points to chart out my route. However, I was most keen on visiting the Sher Mandal – the observatory/library built by Sher Shah and thereafter also used by Humayun. On 27th January 1556, barely a year after returning to Power, the second emperor of the Mughal empire – Humayun was rushing down for his evening prayers and he fell down the stairs and ultimately passed away. However, recent records such as the one by historian Rana Safvi suggests that he actually fell down from the second story parapet. In any case, his death marked the beginning of the reign of Akbar. And of course, led to the construction of the beautiful tomb by his wife, under the patronage of emperor Akbar. I spent a long time walking around Sher Mandal and thinking about the scene on that fateful January night – when Venus was rising and the emperor was busy observing it.
Near Sher Mandal are also the excavations which the ASI continues to undertake in its effort to piece together the long chronology of this site. Walking away to the Humayun gate, one also comes across a wide amphitheater like structure which is the venue for the sound and light show in the evenings.
One of the most imposing structures of the complex was the mosque – Qila – i – Kuhna, built by Sher Shah for his personal use. Here tourists roamed freely and took pictures, while the surroundings of the mosque and the fort walls served as a good escape for many couples and groups of friends. I had heard a lot about Delhi Winters and the warm sunlight that one could bask in on such clear days. I was experiencing one of such days all by myself. I wished for some company right then. So naturally, I envied the other visitors who were roaming hand in hand with their companions. I instead went about climbing the walls of the fort. Standing opposite the mosque, from the walls, I had a clear view of the extended ramparts and the areas surrounding the Purana Qila all the way upto the languidly flowing Yamuna to the east.
The sun was high up in the sky but I was not feeling the heat. I visited the Talaqi gate and saw some young Instagram users shooting a reel. For once, I was not annoyed. It symbolised the normalcy of our times. As compared to the bloody events that the fort had witnessed, this was the more benign and even more wholesome of the lot. On my way out I visited the souvenir store, picked up a few postcards and pamphlets and spent my last few minutes at the lake. I admired the craggy walls and expressed gratitude for having experienced another layer of Delhi’s deep past. Maybe the relationship with Delhi was on the mend and there was hope after all.
