The Qutub Minar (Delhi)

Qutub Minar (Urdu: قطب منار) is the tallest brick minaret in the world, and an important example of Indo-Islamic Architecture. The tower is in the Qutb complex in South Delhi, India. The Qutb Minar and its monuments are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Qutub Minar is 72.5 metres high (237.8 ft) and requires 399 steps to get to the top, although it has not been possible for visitors to ascend the tower for some years, due to safety reasons. The diameter of the base is 14.3 metres wide while the top floor measures 3.8 metres in diameter. (As a comparison, the 111m Saturn V rockets used during the Apollo moon landings stood one-and-a-half times taller).
Inspired by the Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan and wishing to surpass it, Qutb-ud-din Aybak, the first Muslim ruler of Delhi, commenced construction of the Qutub Minar in 1193; but could only complete its basement. His successor, Iltutmish, added three more stories and, in 1368, Firuz Shah Tughluq constructed the fifth and the last story. The development of architectural styles from Aibak to Tuglak are quite evident in the minaret. Like earlier towers erected by the Ghaznavids and Ghurids in Afghanistan, the Qutub Mahal comprises several superposed flanged and cylindrical shafts, separated by balconies carried on Muqarnas corbels. The minaret is made of fluted red sandstone covered with intricate carvings and verses from the Qur'an. The Qutub Minar is itself built on the ruins of Lal Kot, the Red Citadel in the city of Dhillika, the capital of the Jat Tomars and the Chauhans, the last Hindu rulers of Delhi.
According to John Keay's "History of India," 27 previous Hindu and Jain temples were destroyed and their materials reused to construct the minar.

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 to the northeast of minar in AD 1198. It is the earliest extant mosque built by the Delhi Sultans. Other reasons ascribed to its construction are as a tower of victory, a monument signifying the might of Islam, or a watch tower for defence. Controversy also surrounds the origins for the name of the tower. Many historians believe that the Qutb Minar was named after the first Turkish sultan, Qutb-ud-din Aibak but others contend that it was named in honour of Khwaja Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiar Kaki of Ush, a saint from Baghdad who came to live in India who was greatly venerated by Iltutmish. According to the inscriptions on its surface it was repaired by Firuz Shah Tughlaq (AD 1351--88) and Sikandar Lodi (AD 1489--1517). Major R.Smith also repaired and restored the minar in 1829. (wikipedia)

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[deepakjindal070]

I agree, we gave them a good lesson on bawari.

[sbajaythakur]

@rengaraj0tube Hindu ... actually means hindu....i mean.. the name hindu came to those people who lived around sindhu (indus)....ie present day India and pakistan.... we made it as religion........ in india.. we always have been practising diff religion... we have been secular from the historic times. our religion has never teached us to hate other religion. ... Proud to be Indian... and want to be a gud Human

[Dzongka]

@tmkh2000 You do realize that basically everything in the Qutb complex is built over the ruins of an earlier Hindu complex which was razed to the ground by the Muslim victors, right? The stones used in the Qutb Minar, and especially in the Quwwat-al Islam mosque are from the earlier Jain and Hindu temples built there. One can be understandably peeved.

[mammyoriordan]

"... and the so called Kutub Minar (Kutub Tower in Delhi), a pillar commemorating that victory and the consequential marriage with the Vaihika (Balkh) princess as testified by the nearby iron pillar inscription..." I got this from Kaaba a Hindu Temple - please specify which account is correct - Rene

[BettyBSimpson]

In the name of the Holy festival, Indians have burnt most of their history & Old scriptures. That is why they have to look to whatever else has been written about india by Foreigners. So, anybody can claim to have built anything. In the name of Peace for the flag colours they have picked for the 3 religions, now India has to keep mum about all these and prevent the people from trying to create racial riots with "Take-back-what-was-mine" mentality.

Like they did in Ayodhya. I'll leave it to God.

[BettyBSimpson]

U must be a Hindu who knows about your own religion & Historical roots, If you have been to this place, you will know that it was a Hindu Temple Once. The face of the elephant God- Ganesh is on almost all the pillars, has been Chipped Off. Another Ganesh stone carved piece is placed on the ground to be Looked Down upon as you enter this place. The govt actually put metal bars around it now.

Think of Haja Sofia in Turkey & its not difficult to Imagine what was done to this Once Hindu Temple.

[adelle0001]

wow India!

[tmkh2000]

dear communal indians youtube is being watched by the whole world kindly do not show your ignorance and illeterate behaviour about medeviel history by uploading useless and irrational comments against medeviel muslim culture which in so many ways have given fame to india in the whole world..rather try to appriciate it..

[TheAFGpersiangirlAFG]

* this minaret was built by the gorids ! The Ghurids or Ghorids (Persian: سلسله غوریان; self-designation: Shansabānī) were a medieval Muslim dynasty of Iranian origin that ruled during the 12th and 13th centuries in Khorasan.[1] At its zenith, their empire, that was centered in Ghōr (now a province in Afghanistan), stretched over an area that included the whole of modern Afghanistan, the EASTERN parts of Iran and the northern section of the Indian subcontinent, as far as Delhi.

[TheAFGpersiangirlAFG]

i love india, its so ancient wow

[GudMuzlim786]

Magnificent Muslim Architecture!