The special walk for the month covered Tughuqabad fort and tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughluq. The entrance to the fort is right on Mehrauli Badarpur Road. The fort and tomb were connected by a causeway which was breached to make the road. We began our heritage walk by first exploring the fortifications on the south side. The multiple levels of defense still survive and we walked inside the massive bastions in the fortification walls. Just a little ahead is the hathi gate which has been recently conserved and a new pathway laid. A huge tank exists close by. A series of ruins running south-north has been identified as the palace complex. These probably housed the royal offices. There are series of courtyards with only ruins of gateways now remaining. Negotiating this area was quite a trek, as there are no clear paths and we walked among loose stones and thorny shrubs. We walked up to the northern gate of the palace area and then turned towards the royal square. It was probably used for royal ceremonies and as a polo ground; now it is a convenient cricket ground for the locals. A little ahead is the quarry from which stones were extracted for construction. The resulting depression was filled with water and converted into a reservoir. The citadel occupies the eastern portion of the fort. The most notable structures here are the dungeons below the residential buildings, the platform known as jahan-numa, and the royal escape route. We hear of thrilling stories of escape routes and secret tunnels in all forts; this is probably the only one we get to see. There is an excellent view of the surroundings from the jahan-numa. The Adilabad fort toward the south-east is clearly visibly. The next stop was Ghiyasuddin Tughluq’s tomb. The small garden around the tomb was a welcoming contrast to the difficult terrain of the fort. The grass was so inviting that everyone spontaneously responded by lying down on it!! The complex itself is built like a small fortress and the tomb is in a good state of conservation.

(posted by Rajesh Ranjan & Kanika Singh, team members, Delhi Heritage Walks)

Tughlaqabad Fort Heritage Walk