QUTUB MINAR

Presented by:
FAYAZ ALI
B.Arch 3rd Yr

INTRODUCTION
MINAR
Manar or manara, the Arabic words meaning either
"place of fire" (nar or place of light nur. Minaret is one
of the popular symbols of Islam both politically and
spiritually.
Although the minaret is one of the most distinctive
architectural features of a mosque, philologists noted that
many mosques, including many in North Africa, were built
without minarets at all; furthermore, in contrast to the
mihrab or minbar, the minaret is rarely mentioned in
Arabic literature.
It is the oldest form in Islamic architecture according to
Muslim tradition, the call to prayer was invented, in
reaction to the Jewish use of the HORN and the Christian
use of the WOODEN CLACKER to summon worshippers.

QUTUB COMPLEX
QUTAB MINAR
QUWWAT-ULISLAM
MASJID
SCREEN
IRON PILLAR
ILTUTMISH TOMB
ALAI DARWAZA
IMAM ZAMINS TOMB
ALAUDDINS TOMB
& MADRASSA
ALAI MINAR

ALAUDDINS TOMB
& MADRASSA

ALAI DARWAZA
IMAM ZAMINS TOMB

PLAN OF QUTUB COMPLEX

ILTUTMISH TOMB
SCREEN

IRON
PILLAR
QUTUB
MINAR

MOSQUE

ALAI MINAR
ALAI
DARWAZA

HISTORY
The Qutub complex was built by Qutub
Ud-Din Aybak (reg. 1206 - 1211) who
established the first Islamic sultanate in
the Indian subcontinent in Delhi in 1192.
It is located within the citadel of Qal'a-eRai Pithora (Qila Rai Pithora) where Qutb
Ud-Din also set up his administrative
quarters and residence. Also known as
Quwwat ul Islam, meaning the 'might of
Islam,' the Qutub complex was created
with the dismantling and reassembling of
the 27 existing Hindu and Jain temples
on the site.

THE COMPLEX

Qutub complex consists of a mosque and two minarets

enclosed within a series of cloistered precincts. This
rectangular complex measures about 235 m (north-south) by
155 m (east-west) along the exterior. It was entered via four
monumental gates along the north, east and south walls, of
which only the southern gate (Alai Darwaza) remains. The
mosque, known as the Qutb or Quwwat ul Islam Mosque,
occupies the southwest corner of the complex. It consists of
rectangular enclosures, all the later work of Aybak's
successors. The Qutb Minar (minaret) stands in the
southeastern part of this enclosure. The unfinished Alai Minar
(minaret) stands in the northeastern part of the complex. A
tall screen wall with pointed archways runs along the western
edge of the precinct, creating a qibla wall for the prayer
spaces. In addition to these elements, the complex also
contains several smaller buildings: the Tomb of Iltutmish, Ala
al-Din Khalji's madras a, and the Imam Zamin Mosque.

LOCATION
Qutub minar is situated in southern part of Delhi, in Mehrauli.

QUTUB
MINAR

Qutub Minar (Architecture)

FEATURES:
At the base, the diameter of the
minaret is a little over fourteen
meters and it tapers towards the top,
where it is only slightly under 3
meters wide. It has a circular stairway
made of three-hundred-seventy-nine
steps to reach the top for a
spectacular view. The Minar comprises
of several superimposed flanged and
cylindrical shafts separated by
balconies.
All the storeys have a balcony that
circles the Minar with stone brackets
for support. The Minar is decorated
throughout with floral motifs and
arabesque. Also it bears inscriptions
that are verses from the Koran and
messages from the Sultans.

QUWWAT-UL-ISLAM MASJID
To mark his victory over Rai
Pithora, Qutub-ud-Din Aibak
built the Quwwat-ul-Islam
Masjid (Might of Islam) in 1192
which was completed in 1198. It
is the earliest extant mosque in
India, having a rectangular
court. The court is enclosed by
cloisters which were erected
with carved columns and other
architectural members from the
27 Hindu and Jain temples,
which were later demolished

BRAHMANICAL MOTIFS LIKE THE

KALASA AND LOTUS ON PILLARS

The walls and pillars are having

intrinsic Hindu architectural motifs.

Pillars of the mosque: as a whole, a confused and somewhat incongruous

improvisation. (Percy Brown)

IRON PILLAR

It is said to have been brought to

Delhi by the Tomar king
Anangpal, somewhere in the 11th
century from Udaygiri. There are
no other relics from the same
period in this site.

The Iron Pillar dates back

to the 4th century BC. It
bears inscriptions that
dedicate it as a flagstaff to
honor the Hindu god
Vishnu and in memory of
Gupta king Chandragupta
II (375-413 AD). The pillar
is a symbol of the progress
of metallurgy in ancient
India. It is made of 98
percent wrought iron and
has survived 1,600 years
without rusting.

The pillar was cast in its

present form not forged.
Length 7.2m of which 93
cm is underground.
Diameter - 0.41 m.
Garuda idol at top missing.

ILTUTMISH TOMB
It is located in the complex Tomb,
northwest to the Iron Pillar. Iltutmish died
in 1236, but had his tomb built a year
earlier in 1235. It is made of red sand
stone, situated northwest of the minaret.
It is a landmark in Indo-Islamic
architecture. It is believed to have had a
dome which was later damaged.
There are 3 entrances on all 3 sides, but
the west, which was for the mihrabs. It is
a simple square chamber, covered
originally by a circular dome that was
carried on a form of squinch arch. Dome
was constructed using concentric rings,
but Hindu artisans couldnt make it last
long. Inside is decorated and elaborated
with Quranic verses. Marble is used in
mehrab and cenotaph.

INTERIOR OF ILLTUTMUSHS TOMB

EXTERIOR OF TOMB

ALAI DARWAZA
It is the southern gateway of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, and is a gem
of Islamic architecture in India. It was built by Alla-ud-din Khilji in 1311. It
is 17.2m square and pierced by ached openings that echo the contours
of the covering dome. The arch to the north is semicircular while the
others are of pointed horse shoe shape.
It has intricate carvings in red
sandstone and marble. It has red
stone jali screens.

VIEW OF ALAI DARWAZA FROM

IMAM ZAMINS TOMB

FACADE OF ALAI DARWAZA

The arched entrances and jalis are

decorated by fringes of lotus buds.

JALI WORK IN THE WINDOWS

ALAI MINAR
Ala-ud-Din wanted to build a
second tower of victory twice as
high as Qutab Minar but when he
died the tower had reached only
24.5 meters and later no one was
willing to continue his over
ambitious project. It stands to the
north of the Qutab Minar and the
mosque.
It was to have ramps instead of
stairs. Windows are at regular
quadrant heights, for a gradual
ramp to be made.

A GLOOMY VIEW OF QUTUB MINAR

FROM ALAI MINAR.

ALAUDDINS MADRASSA
It is located in south west of the
mosque. It is built around a
quadrangular court entered on the
North through a triple gateway.
Alauddin constructed this madrassa,
but few historians say that it was
Iltutmush who made it.

ALAUDDINS TOMB

It is on the south side of the court. It is a square structure

with no dome now. There are only remains of a boldly
projecting portico. It was combined to the madrassa,
probably a Saljuqian tradition-being its first appearance in
India.

IMAM ZAMINS TOMB

This tomb was made in the memory of
Mohammad Ali, imam zamin.
Its on the east of alai darwaza. Its 7.3m square.
It is surmounted by a sandstone dome rising from
an octagonal drum, the lodhi style.
It is decorated with double row of kangooras and
marble panelling above the chajja.The tomb has
no integral connection with the Qutub group.
But it still stands there without any damage and
thats worth praise.

QUTUB MINAR

QUTUB MINAR

HISTORY
Built In : 1193 (started)
Built By ; Qutub-ud-din Aibak

Spearing its way proudly into the sky, Qutab Minar with a
length of 238 feet, commands a panoramic view of the green
fields extending into a sprawling city of Delhi. Started in 1192
by the slave king, Qutab-UD-Din Aibak, the tower was built in
three stages. Qutab-ud-Din completed the first storey while
the other three were built by Iltutmish in 1230.
Projected balconies supported by stone brackets surround
each of the storeys. The stone brackets are decorated with
honeycomb design, more conspicuously in the first storey. The
tower is further decorated with floral motif and arabesque.
Firoz Shah renovated the top floor and added marble to the
building

The purpose for building this beautiful monument has been

speculated upon, apart from the usual role of a minaret - that
of calling people for prayer in a mosque- in this case the
Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque. Other reasons ascribed to its
construction are as a tower of victory, a monument signifying
the might of Islam, or a watch tower for defense. Controversy
also surrounds the origins for the name of the tower. Many
historians believe that the Qutub Minar was named after the
first Turkish sultan, Qutub-ud-din Aibak but others contend
that it was named in honour of
Khwaja Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiar Kaki, a saint from Baghdad who
came to live in India who was greatly venerated by Akbar.

A CLOSE STUDY
MATERIALS:

The first three stories are made of

sandstone and the next two of marble
and sandstone. Firoz Shah Tughlaq
added marble to the top storey. The
Minar is in fact believed to have been
built to aid the Muezzin of the mosque
for prayer calls.

THE ENTRANCE CARVINGS

THE WALL FORM OF 1ST PART

Projected balconies supported by

stone brackets

THE RUINED WALL

PERSPECTIVES

Up close: Qutub Minar.

BIRTH OF INDO-ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

Qutab Minar, the first monument of Muslim rule in India,

heralded the beginning of a new style of art and architecture
that came to be known as the Indo-Islamic style.
Indo-Islamic style is neither a local variant of Islamic art, nor a
modification of Hindu art; it is an assimilation of both the styles,
though not always in an equal degree. This amalgamation of
exotic and indigenous architectural styles was possible due to a
variety or factors-the Muslim rulers had to use, in most cases,
Indian craftsmen and sculptors who were schooled in their own
art traditions. Another factor that inadvertently contributed to
this fusion of style was that during the early Muslim invasions,
mosques were often built out of materials from Hindu and Jain
temples and sometimes temples themselves were modified into
mosques.

NATURAL HAZARDS
Qutub Minar has survived a series of lightning bolts and
earthquakes till date. The minar is unharmed except for a
slight tilt, some two feet off the perpendicular. The 1 st
lightning struck in 1368 AD and knocked off the top storey.
Later in 19th century an earthquake destroyed Toothless
cupola. Major Smith replaced it with a bengal style chhatri
which was removed by Lord Hardinge as it sat ill with the
architecture style of Qutub Minar. Its kept on the ground to
the left of the entry path and is known as the Smiths folly.

RESTORATION
On 1st August 1803, the old
cupola was thown down due to
Earthquake. After 2 years, repairing
of the structure began and completed in
1828 by Major Smith. His work on the
doorway has been criticized because of
being gothic and different from the minar.
The materials used are proper.
TODAY: Restoration work is carried out
during the nights also, when needed.
After a series of accidents in the early
1980s, visitors are no longer allowed to
climb the Qutub minar.

NEWS LINE
Surging crowds at Qutub Minar has ASI worried.
SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, NEW DELHI
APRIL 20, 2008

Archeological Survey of India(ASI) is planning to built separate entry and

exit points for the monument.
5000 visitors daily. Sanitation is on stake. Conservation complexed.
ASI is working on the redevelopement plan of Qutub complex since 2 yrs
Unlike other monuments, Qutub minar is visited by all categories of
Visitors.