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Tughlaqabad Fort




Quick Facts

Built In

1321 AD.

Architecture Pattern

The fort is divided into Three Parts which are: the City area comprising of Houses, Citadel with a Tower and the adjacent Palace area with Royal Residences. Once, the fort had 13 Massive Gateways and 52 Gates.

Visiting Hours

Open on all days from 8 in the morning to 6 in the evening.

Time Required

2 hours.

Also Visit

The Fortress of Adilabad that lies to South East of the Fort. It is a Replica of the Fort.

Etymology

Saint Nizamuddin Auliya is believed to have cursed the fort to be infertile. This curse can be seen resonating throughout the fort even today.

Don't Miss

The Mausoleum of Ghiyath-al-Din that lies inside the Fort premises.

Inside Tip

Be with your guide at all times as most of the Fort area is covered with dense thorny forests and is hence inaccessible.

Mosque Inside

Quila Kuhna Masjid – made out of white marble and red sandstone, it is a Great Architectural Grandeur.

Must Experience

The Light and Sound Show takes you 5000 years back in time. It takes place between 5 pm to 9 pm in Hindi and English.

Other Attractions

Delhi's Largest Zoological Park Near the Fort, Boat Club.

Inside Tip

It is better to have a guide or travel authorities guide you through the monument as most of it is in ruins.

About Tughlaqabad Fort

Stretching across a total of 6.5 km, Tughlaqabad Fort was built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, Delhi Sultanate of India in 1321 and was abandoned in 1327. The Fort is in ruins now. The nearby residential-commercial area as well as the Tughlaqabad industrial area gets its name from this Tughlaqabad Fort. Qutub-Badarpur Road, now known as Mehrauli-Badarpur Road, which connected the Grand Trunk Road to the new city was also built by Tughlaq. Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range and Okhla Industrial Area are also nearby.

History of Tughlaqabad

The history related this fort is very interesting. Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq built the fort in the early part of the 14th century. Tughlaq was known as Ghazi Malik before he acquired this title and he served Sultan Mubarak Khilji. Khilji jeered that Malik (later called Tughlaq) should build a new city for himself on top of a hillock. This is when the idea of the fort came to his mind. Later, when Tughlaq rose to power, he wanted this idea to be brought upto a shape.

In order to keep the fort safe from Mongol invaders, the fort was to have a strong citadel. The Fort was connected through a road built by him. This road connected to the way which later came to be known as GT Road.

According to legend, Tughlaq ordered all the labourers of the area to be involved in building this city-fort. Nizamuddin Auliya, one such labourer was extremely unhappy with this and he cursed the entire enterprise. As a result, the city fort could not prosper. Even till date, it is uninhabitable and has thorny bushes.

Entrance Fee

The entrance fee is Rs. 5 per person for citizens of India and visitors of SAARC countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives and Afghanistan) and BIMSTEC Countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar).

For others, the entrance fee is US $ 2 or Indian Rs. 100/- per head.

The entry is free for children up to 15 years of age.

How to Reach Tughlaqabad Fort

Situated on Mehrauli Badarpur Road in South Delhi, Tughlaqabad Fort is easily accessible. It can be reached either by local buses from various points in the city or by auto rickshaws and taxis that can be hired. After reaching the well-connected areas, Khanpur or Badarpur, a cab can be hired to the royal fortifications.

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