1. Feroz Shah Kotla
The Feroz Shah Kotla or Kotla ("fortress", "citadel") was a fortress built by Feroz
Shah Tughlaq to house his version of Delhi city called Firozabad. So it belong to
the Tuqhlaq Dynasty.
2. History
Feroz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–1388), the Sultan of Delhi, established the
fortified city of Firozabad[ in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi
Sultanate and included in it the site of the present Feroz Shah Kotla.
Kotla literally means fortress or citadel. The pillar, also called obelisk or
Lat is an Ashokan Column, attributed to Mauryan ruler Ashoka. The 13.1
meters high column, made of polished sandstone and dating from the 3rd
century BC, was brought from Ambala in the 14th century under orders of
Feroz Shah. It was installed on a three-tiered arcaded pavilion near the
congregational mosque, inside the Sultanate's fort. In centuries that
followed, much of the structure and buildings near it were destroyed as
subsequent rulers dismantled them and reused the spolia as building
materials.In the pre-independence era, due to lack of auditoriums in the
capital, most classical music performances were staged here or at Qutub
complex. Later Ebrahim Alkazi, then head of NSD, staged his landmark
production of Dharamvir
Bharati's Andha Yug here and its premiere in 1964 was attended by
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
3. Tughlaq Dyansty, Muslim Nobility
• The Tughlaq dynasty experienced many revolts by Muslim nobility, particularly during Muhammad bin
Tughlaq but also during other rulers such as Firoz Shah Tughlaq.
• The Tughlaqs had attempted to manage their expanded empire by appointing family members and Muslim
aristocracy as na'ib (نائب )of Iqta' (farming provinces, اقطاع )under contract. The contract would require that
the na'ib shall have the right to force collect taxes from non-Muslim peasants and local economy, deposit a
fixed sum of tribute and taxes to Sultan's treasury on a periodic basis.[The contract allowed the na'ib to keep
a certain amount of taxes they collected from peasants as their income, but the contract required any excess
tax and seized property collected from non-Muslims to be split between na'ib and Sultan in a 20:80 ratio
(Firuz Shah changed this to 80:20 ratio). The na'ib had the right to keep soldiers and officials to help extract
taxes. After contracting with Sultan, the na'ib would enter into subcontracts with Muslim amirs and army
commanders, each granted the right over certain villages to force collect or seize produce and property
from dhimmis.
• This system of tax extraction from peasants and sharing among Muslim nobility led to rampant corruption,
arrests, execution and rebellion. For example, in the reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq, a Muslim noble named
Shamsaldin Damghani entered into a contract over the iqta' of Gujarat, promising enormous sums of annual
tribute while entering the contract in 1377 AD.[ He then attempted to force collect the amount deploying his
coterie of Muslim amirs, but failed. Even the amount he did manage to collect, he paid nothing to
Delhi. Shamsaldin Damghani and Muslim nobility of Gujarat then declared rebellion and separation from
Delhi Sultanate. However, the soldiers and peasants of Gujarat refused to fight the war for the Muslim
nobility. Shamsaldin Damghani was killed. During the reign of Muhammad Shah Tughlaq, similar rebellions
were very common. His own nephew rebelled in Malwa in 1338 AD; Muhammad Shah Tughlaq attacked
Malwa, seized his nephew, and then flayed him alive in public
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9. Jami Masjid
Jami Masjid is one of the most ancient and largest surviving mosque and
monument, still in use. Architecturally it was built on a series of underground cells
made of quartzite stone, covered with limestone. It is surrounded by a large
courtyard with cloisters and a Prayer Hall. The Prayer Hall now in complete ruins
was once used by the Royal Ladies. The masjid and its architecture is an example
of Tughluq architecture.
The entrance of Jami Masjid lies
on the northern side. It is
connected by a causeway to the
pyramidal structure of the
Ashokan Pillar. This mosque was
visited by Timur in 1398 AD to say
his prayers. He was spellbound by
its beauty and constructed a
mosque in Samarkand in
Mawarannahr imitating the
design of this Masjid. This
mosque is also known to be the
place where Imad ul Mulk, a
Mughal Prime Minister, got the
Emperor Alamgir II murdered in
1759 AD.[8]
10. Topra Ashokan Pillar
The Ashokan Pillar which is now within Feroz Shah Kotla is towards
the north of
Jama Masjid [Mosque]. The Pillar was first erected by King Ashoka
between 273 and 236 BC in Topra Kalan, Yamunanagar district,
Haryana.Of note, there is another Ashokan Pillar, that is seen installed
near the Hindu Rao Hospital, also erected by Ashoka in Meerut. This
pillar, however, was unfortunately broken into five pieces after it was
damaged during an explosion. The pillar was neglected for a century
up till 1838 when after the Revolt of 1857
Raja Hindu Rao took charge to
transfer the Ashokan Pillar's broken
pieces to Kolkata's Asiatic Society.
Within a year, the structure was put
together and reestablished.
Both the Ashokan Pillars were carefully
wrapped with cotton silk and were kept
on a bed of reed made of raw silk. These
were hence transported on a massive
carriage attached with 42 wheels and
drawn meticulously by 200 men from
their original places to Delhi by Feroz
Shah Tughlaq to avoid any damage
during the journey. Upon reaching Delhi,
they were then transported on huge
boats to their final destination, one
within Feroz Shah Kotla and the other on
the ridge near Delhi University and Bara
Hindu Rao Hospital.
12. The Sultanate wanted to break and reuse the Ashokan pillar for a minaret. Firoz Shah Tuhglaq, however, decided to
erect it near the mosque instead. At the time of re-installation of the obelisk in Delhi, in 1356, no one knew the
meaning of the script engraved in the stone.
About five hundred years later, the script (Brahmi) was deciphered by James
Prinsep in 1837 with help from scripts discovered on other pillars and tablets in South Asia.
Translation
The inscription on the 3rd-century pillar describes King Devanampiya Piyadasi's policies and appeal to the people
and future generations of the kingdom in matters of dharma (just, virtuous life), moral precepts and freedoms. Some
extracts of the translation, per James Prinsep, are as follows:
Along the highroads I have caused fig trees to be planted that they may be for shade to animals and men...
— Inscription on Ashoka Pillar
...And let these and others the most skillful in the sacred offices discreetly and respectfully use their most
persuasive efforts, acting on the heart and eyes of the children, to impart enthusiasm and instruction in the dharma
(religion).
— Inscription on Ashoka Pillar
And whatsoever benevolent acts have been done by me, the same shall be prescribed as duties to the people who
follow after me, and in this manner shall their influence and increase be manifest – by service to father and mother,
by service to spiritual pastors, by respectful demeanor to the aged and full of years, by kindness to learn, to the
orphan and destitute and servants and minstrel tribe.
13. And religion increaseth among men by two separate
processes – by the performance of religious offices,
and by security against persecution. (...) And that
religion may be free from the persecution of men, that
it may increase through the absolute prohibition to put
to death (any) living beings or sacrifice aught that
draweth breath. For such an object is all this done, that
it may endure to my sons and sons' sons – as long the
sun and the moon shall last.
— Inscription on Ashoka Pillar[2]
Let stone pillars be prepared and let this edict of
dharma (religion) be engraved thereon, that it may
endure unto the remotest ages.
— Inscription on Ashoka Pillar, Translated by James
Prinsep in 1837
14. Baoli (The Well)
The circular Baoli, which means
'stepwell', lies towards the
northwestern side of the Ashokan Pillar.
It lies in the heart of a large garden
constructed in the form of subterranean
apartments and a large underground
canal built on its eastern side through
which the water runs into the well. This
is the only circular Baoli in Delhi, and
also one of the 4 Baolis, where the tank
is not separated from the well. It once
has a roof on it, which collapsed long
ago, exposing the tank at the second
level. Originally it had an entry from
East and West, but now, only the west
side is accessible. Due to security
reasons, the Baoli is kept locked, but
permission to visit can be obtained
easily for research purposes from the
Delhi circle office of Archaeological
Survey of India
15. Prayers at the Fort
Every Thursday there is a
huge crowd at the fort. It is
popularly believed that
Jinn(s) descends at the Fort
from the Heavens and
accepts requests and
wishes from people. A lot of
wishes, penned down on
paper, can be seen on the
walls within the premises.
The association to Jinn(s)
seems to be not too old. It is
only since 1977, a few
months after the end of the
Emergency, that there are
first records of people
starting to come to Firoz
Shah Kotla in large
numbers.
16. • 101 Djinns
1. Djinns are not ghosts, nor are they angels. They are a parallel race
created by Allah along with humans but from a smokeless fire instead
of clay.
2. As per Islamic mythology, Iblis was a Djinn who refused to kneel
down before God and was cast out of heaven. He went on to become
the devil or Shaitan.
3. They have the power to manipulate feeble human minds and
possess people if they fall in love with them.
4. They live for thousands of years and can have a family.
5. Long hair and perfume are a weakness for them, so keep this in
mind before you wander into an old, desolate building
