Gumbad in Junnar in Maharashtra

Monday, October 17, 2016

After viewing the Bhimashankar Caves from the Junnar Vadaj Road, we decided to waste no time and explore the Gumbad. 

View of Gumbad in Junnar from Bhutalinga Caves

Not many people are aware of the Gumbad, there is no mention of it on the internet nor on google maps. 

We kept asking for directions and finally landed at Vithalwadi. Vithalwadi is a small village comprising of a couple of houses. The access route to the Gumbad is from here. Manohar parked the car, and we headed on foot to see the Gumbad. in about 10 minutes we were near the Gumbad. 

Monument near Gumbad in Junnar

There is another structure located near the Gumbad premises. This structure is also made of stone, but the top of it is beautifully carved. There is wild vegetation growing both atop and around it. There  is a tomb located near it. Again no signboards here. 

Gumbad in Junnar

We then headed to the Gumbad. The four walls are made of stone, and the dome is painted white in color. There is a beautiful design near the dome. There is a tomb in the premises. Reminded me of the Gumbad's I have seen in Delhi. 

Gumbad in Junnar

This is a ASI protected monument. The area around it is being developed. Again there is no mention as to whose tomb it is. 

Aashish, Manohar and Me near Gumbad in Junnar

I was attached by hunger, we decided to visit the Junnar ST bus stand, as we would get couple of options to eat there. Finally we headed to Hotel Dilip to have our lunch. Doesn't my Veg Thali look yummy. LOL.It just cost us Rs.70.

Veg Thali

After having lunch we decided to visit the Tulja Caves.

Delhi : Adilabad Fort near Tughlaqabad Fort and Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

The Adilabad Fort is located very near to the Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb and Tughlaqabad Fort on the Mehrauli Badarpur Road. The closest railway station and metro station being Tughlaqabad.

Adilabad Fort in  distance

After visitng Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb, Rohan and I decided to talk to Adilabad Fort, located a couple of kilometers away. Most of the land around was barren and dry. The strong wind made it dusty too. Some children were playing cricket on it on that hot  sunny day. There were very few trees here, they offered shade to the buffaloes grazing on the remaining grass. 

Rampart and Fortification of Adilabad Fort

The fortification looked good even from a distance. It was a hill fort with a rampart led to the entrance of the fort. 

History of Adilabad Fort

Finally we were at the entrance of Adilabad Fort. Fort looked like a twin  to Tughlaqabad Fort. As the stone used to built the walls was the same. Size wise it was much smaller than the Tughlaqabad Fort. 

Bastion of Adilabad Fort

After climbing the rampart, one reached the main entrance. The bastions around it were huge, there were slits in the walls, to attack the enemy. Looking at the size of the rampart, I was sure that elephants used to climb up the fort premises. 

Entrance to Adilabad Fort

No timings are mentioned, so  it should be open from sunrise to sunset and there is no entry fee. 

Ruins in Adilabad Fort

Adilabad Fort was built by Mohammad Bin Tughluq, the son of Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq, who ruled Delhi between 1325 AD to 1351 AD. The fort is also called Muhammadabad Fort, after him. It was the fourth fort built in Delhi and it was planned on the same lines of Tughlaqabad Fort and built on the southern side of it. It is said that this fort used to  connect to Tughlaqabad Fort via a causeway, the remains of which are still visible.  Since both forts are hill forts, it offered a very good view of the city. 

Fortification of Tughlaqabad Fort

The fort premises, is totally in ruins. There are many structures atop it with arched doors, but no roofs, Maybe the roofs have collapsed over the years. These can be the Palace, rooms of the officials who lived then. 

Ruins within Adilabad Fort

Sadly there were not  much visitors here, in comparison to Red Fort, Humayun Tomb Complex and Qutub Minar Complex. 

That's me

Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb from Adilabad Fort

Next pitstop on your agenda is Sultan Ghari Tomb. 

Delhi : Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb Tughlaqabad Fort and Adilabad Fort

Monday, February 29, 2016

Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb is located very close to Adilabad Fort and Tughlaqabad Fort on the  Mehrauli Badarpur Road. The closest railway and metro station being Tughlaqabad.

Entrance to Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb

 After visitng the Tughlaqabad Fort we decided to visit the tomb. 

The Tomb is located just opposite to the Entrance to Tughlaqabad Fort, The Mehrauli Badarpur Road, divides the two. A narrow passage made of stone leads to the Tomb from the Mehrauli Badarpur Road. 

History of Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb

The Entry ticket is common for both Tughlaqabad Fort and the tomb. 

The  boundary of the Tomb is constructed like a fort, the stones used are similar to the ones used in the construction of the forts around it. 

Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb

The tomb of Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq was built by he himself in 1328, he was the founder of the Tughluq dynasty. Initially this place was a rocky island surounded by a huge reservoir and had a causeway that connected it to Tughlaqabad Fort. The tomb is pentagonal in shape and is built with fort like walls all around it, it had bastions too at the entrance of it. 

Akbar was another great Emperor who had designed and built his own tomb in Sikandra. 

Fortification of Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb

The tomb accomodates graves of Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq , his wife and son. The tomb is designed in Indo Islamic architecture. The tomb is made of red sandstone and white marble. The shape of the tomb structure is that of a pyramid. Broad at the bottom and tapers at the top. with a marbled dome to  cover it. 

Me outside Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb

It as a nicely trimmed green grass around it. The walls around it, have got small arched doors, which could be used as resting places or for accomodation. They offered us good relief from the hot sun. 

Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb

Apart from the tomb, it also houses cell and the Tomb of Zafar Khan. Infact the tomb of Zafar Khan was built  much before the tomb of Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq. Zafar Khan was a general in Delhi Sultanate who conquered many terrotories, but died in battle. 

Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb from Adilabad Fort

Again not many people visit this place, we then headed off to see Adilabad Fort, located a couple of kilometres away.  

Delhi : Tughlaqabad Fort near Adilabad Fort and Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Tughlaqabad Fort is located very close to Adilabad Fort  and Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb on the Mehrauli Badarpur Road. The closest railway and metro station being Tughlaqabad. 

Entrance to Tughlaqabad Fort

Fortification

This huge fort is clearly visible when travelling on the Mehrauli Badarpur Road. The walls are made of stone. A small narrow path leads to the entrance of the fort. 

This was the third city of Delhi and was constructed by Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq founder of the Tughluq dynasty in AD 1321 to 1325. It served two purposes ie. it was a defensive site and capital to Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq. To read more about the history refer to photo below.

History of Tughlaqabad Fort

The fort walls is made up of huge rectangular stone blocks, placed one above the other. Not sure if any adhesive was used, but most had remained in that position for centuries. 

The fort has huge bastions around it, something similar to Sindhudurg and Murud Janjira (forts in Maharashtra). 

Map of Tughlaqabad Fort

Looking at the fort, it looks like portions of it have been restored. To this Rohan informed me that it was restored when the Common Wealth Games were held in Delhi. 

Bastion and fortification of Tughlaqabad Fort

Here is a layout of the Tughlaqabad Fort. What stands now is just ruins. It has got many structures in broken condition across the fort premises. It was just two of us here. We started exploring the fort block by block.

Structures within Tughlaqabad Fort

We located this stone wheel which was used for grinding purposes. It used to run on the circular track wherein the stuff to be grinded was placed. Have seen such stone wheel atop Visapur Fort and Tikona fort in Maharashtra. 

We then reached the under ground passages, There were series of rooms next to the passage, not sure why this was created. 

Grinding stone and ruins around

We then climbed up the topmost part of the fort and located may square shaped walled structures throughout the fort premises, maybe these were used for residential purposes, but today just the walls stand, no ceiling. Adhesive was used to fix these stone blocks to each other is clearly visible here. Raigad in Maharashtra too has got similar structures atop it.  

Underground passage within the fort premises

There is hardly any shade atop the fort premises, so get ready to be baked in the sun, in case you don't have protection. Certain portions of the fort are well maintained, others there are thorny shrubs all over. The fort offers a wonderful view of the area around, no wonder it was used as a defensive site. 

There is also a rockcut baoli or well in the fort premises, something similar to Rajon ki Baoli and Gandhak ki Baoli in Mehrauli archaeological park. It was dry but a series of steps led to the bottom of it. 

Ruined structures within fort premises

As we started to explore the portion of the fort beyond the Baoli, we were warned by the caretaker, not to go there. "Waha lootere hai" meaning there are robbers there, as it was just the two of us, who were exploring the fort, we decided not to venture in there.

Structures atop the fort

Ruins atop the fort

Certain portions of this huge fort remained unexplored, primarily due to the fear of robbers or due to rough vegetation that made it impossible  to visit it. But had a great time exploring what we managed to explore. 

Rock cut step well in fort premises

We then headed off to see Ghiyas Ud Din Tughluq's Tomb and Adilabad Fort.

Delhi : Tomb of Khan Shahid in Mehrauli Archaeological Park

Monday, August 24, 2015

Tomb of Khan Shahid is located in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park which is near the Qutub Complex, it is located on the Sri Aurobindo Marg and the closest Metro station being Qutub Minar.

Entrance to the Tomb of Khan Shahid

Tomb of Khan Shahid

Khan Shahid was the son of Sultan Balban. He died while fighting the Mughals in 1285 AD.

Structure in Tomb premises

The entrance to the tomb premises is via this elevated platfrom. A series of steps leads to the entrance. By the looks of it, it was a rectangular structure, designed like a fort's wall. It houses the tomb of Khan Shahid and also a couple of other structures. As there is no sighboard, not sure as to what the other structures were. 

History of Tomb of Khan Shahid

The Tomb premises is deserted and completely in ruins. It has vegetation growing all over it. 

Structures in Tomb of Khan Shahid premises

It is said that this tomb was built for him, but he was buried in Balban's Tomb.

Delhi : Ruined Homes near Balban's Tomb in Mehrauli Archaeological Park

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Ruined Homes near Balban's Tomb is located in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park which is near the Qutub Complex, it is located on the Sri Aurobindo Marg and the closest Metro station being Qutub Minar.

Balban Tomb

Ruined Homes near Balban's Tomb

Ruined Homes near Balban's Tomb 

Ruined Homes near Balban's Tomb

Ruined Homes near Balban's Tomb

Ruined Homes near Balban's Tomb

A couple of structures stand near the Tomb of Balban. All the structures are in ruins now. These were all built of stone. When I took a closer look at the stones, I understood that they have been reworked upon. None of them have roofs, some have just the walls covered with vegetation. In its hay days, these might have been used by the locals to stay.