Purana Qila

Name of the place- Purana Qila

Picture credit- Gautam Kumar

Timings: 10am to 5pm

Visit duration: 1-2 hours

Purana Qila is Urdu for Old Fort which is situated in Mehrauli of New Delhi. It was built by emperor Humayun in early 16th century. It is an architectural marvel and a home to many famous names in the Indian history. Purana Qila is built around a huge water reservoir that also acts like a lake. The fort is a massive structure with walls up to 18 meters high and covering the area of 1.5 km. The fort has three arched entrance Bara darwaza, Humayun darwaza and Talaqi darwaza. The fort also houses Sher mandal, Qila-e-khuna mosque, and also an archeological museum.

History of Purana Qila

The fort was developed in 1533 CE by the Mughal ruler Humayun as a portion of the city of Din Panah. But exceptionally soon, Sher Shah captured the city and named it Shergarh; he included a few structures to the complex and the fort together with its environs came to be known as the “sixth city of Delhi”. Not long after, Sher Shah passed on and the post went back to Humayun. After being possessed by a few rulers for truly brief terms, it fell within the hands of the British. When Edward Lutyens outlined the unused Delhi in 1920s, he adjusted the Rajpath with Purana Qila. Amid the Parcel of India, the fortification served as the displaced person camp for the moving Muslims. Much afterward, in 1970s, the National School of drama utilized the post to theater its plays- Tughlaq, Andha Yug and Sultan Razia. Slowly, it got to be a common scene to have social occasions and concerts.

Architecture of Purana Qila

The fort gloats of medieval Mughal design, with the fortress as tall as 18 meters, decorated with blue stone-work. The cascade built on a marginally raised piece of arrive has three passages- the west door known as Bara Darwaza, which is still being utilized; the south door is known as Humayun’s Door, either since Humayun got it built or Humayun’s Tomb can be seen at a distance; the final door is called the Talaqi Door or the ‘forbidden gate’. The two-storeyed doors are lined with tremendous semi-circular bulwark towers and ornamented with white marbles and blue stone decorate work. The wonderful tower brags of point by point insides work with jutting overhangs (jharokas) and expand Rajasthani fashion structures (chattris) over the roof. Other than the magnificence of the post, the gardens show a rich green scene and emphasize the class and excellence of the put.

How to reach Purana Qila

Purana Qila is easily accessible via bus or metro. The best way to reach Purana qila is bus and the nearest bus stop is Pragati maidan terminal and if you are travelling from metro the nearest metro station is Pragati maidan metro station. Purana Qila is open to public on all week days from 10am to 5pm. The light and sound show at purana qila is a must watch which starts at 7:30 in the evening and is 60 minutes long, the cost for the show is 100rs per person and 50rs for students.