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The Feroz Shah Kotla Fort is situated at- Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-02 Pragati Maidan. The first reaction that you get after a brief look at the Feroz Shah Kotla - the Fort, is that of a haunted place, especially, because it does not see many visitors today. Feroz Shah Tughlaq buit thids fort in 1354, who built Firozabad (one of the seven cities of Delhi). It is positioned on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in Delhi, where a narrow lane leads to this citadel. At the main entrance, there is an open iron gate bearing the board of Kotla Feroz Shah & supporting an adjoining guard post placed on the other side. The boundary walls are built as stone masonry & it all seems like a plain garden accessorized with separate parts of a damaged structure. Further on, a cemented structure with a marble board entails its history. The golden lettered note seems ironical because of the not-so-successful reign of the third ruler of the Tughlaq Dynasty. Attempts from ASI Ahead, a board put up by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) details the planning of the fort as it stood during the Sultan’s reign; however, it does not help in giving a precise picture of its past architecture. To help the visitors, the ASI has placed banners indicating the specified areas on the map; what remains of the fort by & large are the arched domes, gateways & hidden corridors that are barred for entrance. The Structure The next thing you take notice of are the ruins of the mosque integrated with the storied structure. The mosque relics bore some iron cases, a shabby wardrobe, two carpets & it has a green dome rooftop which lies unconnected to the structure. The step well or Baoli is also recognizable given the shape of the well which remains intact. Upon the terrace, the Ashoka Pillar stands tall which lends a sense of historical significance to the fort. The pillar bears Ashokan inscriptions which were placed here by Feroz Shah Tughlaq who brought it from Ambala to Delhi.
As history declare, Feroz Shah Kotla Fort was built when the Mughals when they decided to shift their capital from Tughlaqabad to Ferozabad due to the scarcity of water in that region. The fort was built near the Yamuna River to solve the objective. Wonderful gardens, palaces, mosques, and madrasas were constructed inside the fort which was the royal citadel of the capital. The fort dealt as the symbol of the reign of the third ruler of the Tughlaq Dynasty. The entrance has a huge iron gate with a panel that deliver the name of Feroz Shah Kotla. The boundary walls of the fort, built as stone masonry, are as high as 15 meters. Inside the fort, you will find some demolished structures, of which the Mosque and the Baoli (step well) are still recognizable. Though the fort remains hardly as a ruin, it is still regarded as one of the important edifices of historical importance. On Thursdays, many locals can be observed appeasing the Djinns and the spirits that are said to reside there, by lighting candles, incense sticks and offering milk and grains. For the admirer of history, who are passionate about ancient architectures and dynasties, this place has enough archaeological importance. Visit the fort for an enormous insight into history.
Balmiki Basti, Vikram Nagar, New Delhi, Delhi 110002