Hauz-i-Shamsi, Mehrauli

Hauz-i-Shamsi is a water storage reservoir or tank built by Iltumish of the Slave Dynasty in 1230 AD. It is said that the location was revealed to him in a dream by the Prophet Muhammad. 


It is said that when Iltumish inspected the site the day after his dream, he reported to have found a hoof print of Prophet Muhammad's horse. He then erected a pavilion to mark the sacred location and excavated a large tank  around the pavilion to harvest rain water.




Another version of the legend says that the Holy Prophet appeared in a dream not only to Iltumish but also to the sufi saint Khawaja indicating the same location where the hoof print of Prophet's horse was imprinted. 








Since drinking water supply was acute in the newly founded capital of Iltumish (the first medieval city of Qila Rai Pithora ) a tank was dug at the location indicated in the dream, which resulted in water jetting out from a spring source. 


It was, thereafter, named as Hauz-i-Shamsi, and Khawaja, the saint who divined it, came to be known as Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki or simply 'Kaki'. The name Kaki was attributed to him by virtue of this keramat (miracle). 


Jahaz Mahal was built on the eastern edge of the same reservoir during the Lodi dynasty period in the 16th century as a retreat or Inn for use by the pilgrims. 








Also at the edge of Hauz is the tomb of 17th century Persian writer in the Mughal court,Abdul-Haqq Dehlavi. 

Choti Gunti, Kherera village/SDA

No idea what this structure is and who constructed this.It has recently been restored.

Bara Khamba, Kherera village Safdarjung Development Area(SDA)

 

I haven't been able to figure this out though it is a Tughlaq-era structure near the Dadi and Poti Gumbads.

directions to Mosque and tomb of of Makhdum Sabzwari

directions to Mosque and tomb of of Makhdum Sabzwari

Mosque and tomb of of Makhdum Sabzwari

The mosque of Makhdum Sabzwari is located at the Mayfair Gardens.


The mosque was built in the 15th century AD after the invasion of India by Timur .




Makhdum Sabzwari.was a sufi saint. 


I have not been able to find any literature about him though there was a sufi saint Shah Shams Sabzwari whose mausoleum is in Multan, Pakistan.

  

  

                                        
                          
                                          

Tomb of Muhammad Shah

Muhammad Shah was the third ruler of the Sayyid Dynasty, 1434-1444.
His tomb is there in Lodi Gardens.




After the death of Mubarak Shah, his brother's son Muhammad Shah succeeded him on the throne since Mubarak Shah did not have a son.

  

  

The Sayyid dynasty rose after the Tughlaq dynasty.

It is said that Muhammad Shah was not a good ruler and he misused his power and position of authority. 

Moti Masjid or Pearl Mosque

It was built for private prayer by Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah I (r. 1707-1712) close to the dargah of Sufi saint, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki at Mehrauli.
















Moti Masjid's are there in Lahore, Karachi, Delhi and Agra.


The one in Mehrauli is a miniature replica of the one in Delhi's Red Fort.

  

  

directions

directions to zafar mahal and jahaz mahal

Jahaz Mahal

Jahaz Mahal  or the Ship Palace is located next to Hauz-i-Shamsi in Mehrauli.








It is inferred to have been built during the Lodi period (1452-1526) as a pleasure resort or a sarai.

  

  

It was so named, since its reflection (illusion) in the surrounding reservoir looked like a ship floating on a lake. 

   

Zafar Mahal, a video

One of the narrow lanes of mehrauli suddenly opened up and standing directly in front of me was the beautiful palace gate. 

The mahal through my eyes

Zafar Mahal

Zafar Mahal is in Mehrauli.


The Mahal or the palace was built first by Akbar Shah II in the 18th century and the entrance gate that was reconstructed in the 19th century by Bahadur Shah Zafar II, popularly known as “Zafar” .


Bahadur Shah Zafar who wished to be buried at a selected burial ground in the precincts of the Zafar Mahal (palace) , was deported by the British to Rangoon after the 1857 first war of Indian Independence, where he died of old age without any honour.

 

  

  

The graves of  Bahadur Shah I, Shah Alam II and his son Akbar Shah II are in the palace. Also buried here is Mirza Fakruddin son of the last emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Dadi ka Gumbad and Poti ka Gumbad

Both structures are located opposite Aurobindo Market on the road towards Hauz Khas village or SDA.

Poti ka Gumbad was constructed in late 14th c. and Dadi ka Gumbad in late 15th c.

The earlier, smaller tomb is Tughlaq's while the larger, later tomb is Lodhi's.

As per ASI these are also called Bandi or Poti ka Gumbad III-280 and Biwi or Dadi-ka-Gumbad-281.