We arrived in India at Indira Ghandi International Airport late in the evening and got our first look at this enigmatic country in the dark driving to our hotel. We were tired and excited to be out of the extreme cold of Beijing we left early that morning. The next day though was a wonderful introduction to what we would experience over the next three weeks as we explored two Mughal monuments of Delhi.
Humayun’s Tomb
After a delicious Indian breakfast, we headed out with our driver and guide to a piece of architectural inspiration for the Taj Mahal, Humayun’s Tomb. It has a large central dome, but it is not as grand and is red in color. I was still mesmerized by my first experience with the intricately carved stone lattice work and details of construction. On a hazy Delhi day it seemed a bit dream-like.
After our guide told us some of the history, we got a closer look and walked through the building. All around outside pigeons flew in constant fear of the numerous kites soaring in hopes of catching the fat squabs.
Because of the haze and the morning hours of our visit, the light filtered through the lattice in beams laying out the carved pattern not just on the floor in shadows but in the air as well. It was a peaceful place with few visitors when we were there.
The grounds have many other structures including mosques and other tombs. Each much smaller but still with beautiful details as the main central structure.
Qutb Minar
As one might guess from its name, this is a tower or minaret. Construction began on the world’s tallest brick minaret in 1200 A.D. by the first Mughal emperor in Delhi. It is a beautiful piece of devotion as well as an elaborate and ornate show of power. The tower itself is in the midst of ruins from an old mosque and several tombs and other ancient religious ruins.
The tower is covered with carvings of scriptures and beautiful designs as are many of the other buildings. However, there are also several old stones from ancient Hindu, Sikh, and Jain temples that were pillaged for the construction of this monument. Most of the figures in those carvings, of course, have their heads chiseled down, but a few remain.
There are magnificent archways and an iron pillar, an archeological wonder from the 4th century A.D. Beautiful green ring-necked parakeets contrast perfectly with the red sandstone buildings and lush trees set the architecture off perfectly.
A second pillar was started just a stone’s throw from the original. It was to be much bigger, but was never completed. The original minaret has been repaired a few times. The first because lightning destroyed the top story in the late 1300s. This is why the uppermost part of the tower is made of marble instead of sandstone bricks.
Both of these Mughal monuments are a must-see for anyone visiting Delhi as they represent so much of northern India’s history over the past 800 years. They are magnificent pieces of architecture and art.
