Mehrauli

Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in South Delhi, a district of Delhi in India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is located close to Gurgaon and next to Vasant Kunj. Naresh Yadav of Aam Aadmi Party is the current MLA from Mehrauli.[1]

Mehrauli
neighbourhood
Mehrauli
Coordinates: 28°30′57″N 77°10′39″E
CountryIndia
StateDelhi
DistrictSouth West district
Government
 • MLANaresh Yadav
Languages
 • OfficialHindi, English
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN
110 030
Telephone code011
Vehicle registrationDL-xx

History
Mahatma Gandhi visiting the dargah of Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, on his Urs, 27 January 1948.

Mehrauli is one of the seven ancient cities that make up the present state of Delhi. Mehrauli is derived from a Sanskrit word Mihira-awali. It signifies the township where the well-known astronomer Varaha-Mihira of Vikramaditya’s court lived along with his helpers, mathematicians, and technicians.

The Lal Kot fort was constructed by the Tanwar chief Anangpal I around 731 AD and expanded by AnangPal II in the 11th century,[2] who shifted his capital to Lal Kot from Kannauj.The Tanwars were defeated by the Chauhans in the 12th century. Prithviraj Chauhan further expanded the fort and called it Qila Rai Pithora. He was defeated and killed in 1192 by Mohammed Ghori, who put his general Qutb-ud-din Aybak in charge and returned to Afghanistan. Subsequently in 1206, after the death of Mohammed Ghori, Qutubuddin enthroned himself as the first Sultan of Delhi. Thus Delhi became the capital of the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi (Slave dynasty), the first dynasty of Muslim sultans to rule over northern India.[3] Mehrauli remained the capital of the Mamluk dynasty which ruled until 1290. During the Khalji dynasty, the capital shifted to Siri.[3]

Balban's tomb, Mehrauli

In 12th-century Jain scriptures, the location is also mentioned as Yogninipura, now noticeable by the presence of the "Yogmaya Temple", near the Qutub Minar complex, believed to have been built by the Pandavas.[4]

It was also the execution place of Banda Singh Bahadur due to religious persecution.

Geography and climate

Mehrauli lies in the South district of Delhi at 28°30′57″N 77°10′39″E. To its north lies Malviya Nagar. Vasant Kunj lies to its West and Tughlakabad to its south.

Like the rest of Delhi, Mehrauli has a semi-arid climate with high variation between summer and winter temperatures. While the summer temperatures may go up to 46 °C, the winters can seem freezing to people used to a warm climate with near 0 °C.

The soil of Mehrauli consists of sandy loam to loam texture. The water level has gone down in the recent past hovering between 45 m to 50 m due to rise in population.[5]

Architecture
Ahinsa Sthal is a 13 feet 6 inches Mahaveer single rock idol.
Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb complex, Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Iron Pillar erected by Chandragupta II, within the Qutb complex

Though Mehrauli is like any ordinary neighborhood today, its past is what distinguishes it in terms of architecture.

Ahinsa Sthal is a Jain temple located in Mehrauli, Delhi. The main deity of the temple is Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara (human spiritual guide) of a present half cycle of time. A magnificent statue of Tirthankara Mahāvīra is installed here.

Even though the capital shifted from Mehrauli after the Slave dynasty rule came to an end, many other dynasties contributed significantly to Mehrauli's architecture.

The most visible piece of architecture remains the Qutub Minar which was built upon ancient Hindu and Buddhist temples which was initiated by Qutub ud din Aybak with subsequent additions by Iltutmish and Alauddin Khalji.[6] The Qutb Minar complex is today a UNESCO world heritage site,[7] and also the venue for the annual Qutub Festival. There are several pillars of temples adjacent to Qutb Minar, but they are in damaged condition. Mausoleum of a 13th-century Sufi saint, Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, is also situated near the Qutub Minar Complex and the venue for the annual Phoolwalon-ki-sair Festival. The dargah complex also houses graves of later Mughal emperors, Bahadur Shah I, Shah Alam II, and Akbar II, in an adjacent marble enclosure. To the left of the dargah, lies Moti Masjid, a small mosque, built for private prayer by the son of Aurangzeb, Bahadur Shah I.

Balban's tomb belonging to Balban, Slave dynasty ruler of Delhi Sultanate was constructed here in the 13th century can still be seen through in a dilapidated condition. The architecturally important structure as it is the first true arch in Indo-Islamic architecture. Another tomb, that of Balban's son, Khan Shahid, who died before he could be crowned, is also located nearby in Mehrauli Archeological Park.

A baoli or stepwell known as Rajon Ki Baoli was constructed in 1506 during Sikandar Lodhi's reign. It was used to store water though it is now completely dried and is now known as Sukhi Baoli (dry well).[8]

The Jamali Kamali mosque was built in 1528,[9] in honour of the Sufi saint Shaikh Hamid bin Fazlullah, also known as Dervish Shaikh Jamali Kamboh Dihlawi or Jalal Khan. The saint's tomb built-in 1536 upon his death is adjacent to the mosque.

Near Jamali Kamali lies the tomb of Quli Khan, which during the British period was converted into a country house by the Metcalfe family. Known as ‘the retreat’ or ‘Dilkhusha’, this was built by Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe in true English style as a pleasure retreat by surrounding it with many rest houses, follies, and gardens. 'Dilkhusha' in the Urdu language means "Delight of the Heart".

The Adham Khan's Tomb was constructed by Emperor Akbar in memory of his foster brother and general Adham Khan in 1566. The tomb, also known as Bhulbhulaiyan, as one could get lost in the labyrinth of its passages,[10] it was later used by the British as a residence, rest house and even as a police station. Close to Adham Khan's tomb, lies that of another Mughal General, Muhammad Quli Khan,[11] later it served as the residence of Sir Thomas Metcalfe, governor-general's agent at the Mughal court.[10][12] The Mehrauli Archaeological Park spread over 200 acres, adjacent to Qutb Minar site was redeveloped in 1997.

Politics

In the 2013 Delhi Legislative Assembly election, Parvesh Verma of BJP was elected as the MLA of Mehrauli. He succeeded Yoganand Shastri, former Delhi Assembly Speaker affiliated to the Indian National Congress

Mehrauli Assembly Constituency comprises four municipal wards, namely, ward 169 Lado Sarai (W), ward 170 Mehrauli (GEN), ward 171 Vasant Kunj (SCW) and wards 172 Kishangarh (W). All four wards are represented by women councilors in the Municipal Corporation.[13]

Schools
  • St. John's School
  • St.Maria School
  • Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Memorial School
  • Lareesa Public School
  • I.G. Delhi Public School
  • Saraswati Bal Vidya Mandir
  • Ramanujan Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya
  • Government Boys' Senior Secondary School-2
  • Government Boys' Senior Secondary School-3
  • Suryathan Play School
  • Prince Public School

2008 blasts
Main article: 27 September 2008 Delhi bombing

Concealed in a black polythene bag, a bomb was dropped by two unidentified persons riding a motorcycle In Sarai Electronic Market in New Delhi on September 27, 2008. Exactly a fortnight after three of the capital's top markets were targeted by terrorists, a medium-intensity blast ripped through the congested flower market in South Delhi's Mehrauli area killing at least two and injuring 22 others.

Accessibility

Areas in South Delhi

Historical architecture in Mehrauli

See also

References
  1. http://www.india.com/news/india/delhi-assembly-election-constituency-wise-results-2015-complete-list-of-winning-mlas-277522/
  2. Rahul Khari (5 January 2007). Jats and Gujars: origin, history and culture. Reference Press. ISBN 978-81-8405-031-8. Retrieved 28 September 2011. In the contemporary Delhi, there are about 75 villages inhabited by the Gujars out of which 12 villages happened to be in Mehrauli where Gujars belonging to Tomar clan dwell, who call themselves 'Tanwar'.
  3. "Seven Cities Of Delhi: Mehrauli". Government of Delhi Official website. Retrieved 16 September 2006.
  4. Yogmaya Temple
  5. "Rainwater level in Delhi". Retrieved 15 September 2006.
  6. "Article on Delhigate.com". Archived from the original on 6 September 2006. Retrieved 16 September 2006.
  7. "UNESCO website". Retrieved 16 September 2006.
  8. "Well worth a visit". Indian Express. 10 May 2009.
  9. Jamali Kamali Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.
  10. Qutub Complex Archived 2008-06-03 at the Wayback Machine www.the-south-asian.com.
  11. Tomb of Muhammad Quli Khan - Images
  12. The tomb of Muhammad Quli Khan, brother of Adham Khan,.. British Library.
  13. "Satbir Singh elected Mayor of Delhi". The Hindu. 12 April 2005. Retrieved 26 July 2018.

Further reading
  • All About Delhi Delhi, the Capital of India, by Anon. Asian Educational Services, 1997. ISBN 81-206-1282-5.
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