This Sunday evening, our heritage trail was planned at Hauz Khas village, a shopper’s paradise & the Deer Park nearby. Walking together to the complex towards our first stop was the high parapet which overlooks the Hauz or Tank. Hauz Khas complex contains a water tank, madarsa, several tombs and graves, mosques and pavilions etc. Hauz Khas is an urban village now surrounded by fashionable boutiques and restaurants. As early as 13^th century, it was a plain battlefield where important battles were fought especially the one between Mongols and Alauddin Khalji and Timur and Tughlaqs.

At the end of the 13^th century, Alauddin Khalji decided to construct a large water reservoir to cater to the needs of growing population in and around his fortified city and new capital, Siri, which lies to the east of Hauz Khas. The tank was named Hauz-e- Alai which means ‘the tank of Alauddin’, & it was spread over some 28 hectares.  To explain the extent of the tank, it was necessary to talk about a structure, Munda Gumbad or a bald domed structure which once formed the centre of the tank and was built during Khalji period when the tank was first dug up. Sadly, after the decline of Khalji dynasty, the focus shifted from Siri to other capitals and the tank fell into disuse and the water got silted. (more…)