Alai Darwaza - A Magnificent Gateway

One of the earliest gates in Delhi, built in 1311 by Alauddin Khilji is located at the Qutub complex. He wanted to built a large mosque. But Siri was not large enough for him as it already housed his palace of thousand pillars in it. For this reason he decided to enlarge the mosque at the Qutub. It is the main gateway from southern side of the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque. This is one of the first building in India to employ Indo-Islamic architecture in its construction and ornamentation. This domed gateway is one of the first of its kind and showcases the remarkable craftsmanship of the Turkish and Indian artisans who worked on it. With its pointed arches and spearhead of fringes, identified as lotus buds, exquisite inlaid marble decorations and latticed stone screens, it adds grace to the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque to which it served as an entrance.

This assimilation of exotic and indigenous architectural styles was possible due to a variety of factors: the Muslim rulers had to use, in most cases, Indian craftsmen and sculptors who were schooled in their own traditions. Though both the Indian and Islamic styles have their own distinctive features, some common characteristics made fusion and adaptation easy. Alai Darwaza still stands in full glory, in its elegance of red sandstone, inlaid white marble decorations, in its many scriptings and inscription carved on it and its latticed stone screens.

Just off Aurobindo Marg in the Hauz Khas area, stands the Chor Minar or the 'Tower of Thieves'. It was constructed under the rule of Alauddin Khilji. Legends say that it was supposed to be a 'tower of beheading', where the severed heads of thieves were displayed on spear through its 225 holes, acting as a deterrent to thieves. Near this place lived a colony of Mongols who had settled in Delhi. When the Mongols attacked Delhi, these local settlers were tempted to join their bretheren. Alauddin, the fierce and ruthless ruler, killed them on suspicion that they would destroy the safety of citizens and stuck their heads on spikes to be displayed on this tower as a warning to traitors.

The year was 1303 when Allaudin Khilji passed away and was buried at Qutub complex. This ambitious and aggressive ruler finally ended the journey of his turbulent life in a simple brick grave with no decorative marble covering or intricate ornamentations. The grave lies quietly on a small hill in a most unobtrusive corner of the Qutub complex and generally not the most sought after spot as far as the visitors are concerned.