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A History Lovers Guide to Delhi 
 
by Mark R. Whittington August 29, 2005

Qutab Minar

Qutab Minar has the highest stone tower in India and it's only one of the sights to be seen in the Qutab Minar complex. The marvel of this pillar, however, it's not its size but the fine carvings that cover it: they are all verses from the Koran. It serves as the minaret of the mosque, from where the call to prayer is sounded.

The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque also belongs to the Qutab Minar complex. It is believed to be the first mosque built in India. It was started by Qutab-ud-din Aibak in 1193 AD and completed in 1197 AD, although some parts show signs of later additions. This mosque was built on top of some Hindu and Jain temples. The carved columns that one sees around the mosque's courtyard, in fact, belong to these previous temples.

The tomb of Iltutmish, which he himself built in 1235, is nearby. Its interiors are heavily decorated with calligraphy.

Jami Masjid

India’s largest mosque was built by the Emperor Jahan in the mid 17th Century from red sandstone. There are three massive gateways, four angle towers and two 40 meter high minarets and no walls. The Mosque itself is a large open square where about 25000 people can assemble and pray.

Raj Ghat

Raj Ghat, a green peaceful place, is Mahatma Gandhi’s final resting place. It's inside a quiet well-looked after little park. The shrine itself is very simple. There is a raised square platform made of black marble and covered in flowers, with a perpetual flame burning at one end of it. Upon the platform is inscribed the words He Ram, Gandhi’s last words, meaning Oh, God. There is also a museum on the grounds, containing, among other things, the blood stained clothes Gandhi wore on his last day alive and one of the bullets that killed him.

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