Delhi Heritage Visit: Visit to Kotla Firoz Shah

We visited Firoz Shah Kotla fort on 18^th August 2019. It was a rainy day with intermittent rain showers were making the day beautiful and lively. The complex is on Bahadur Shah Zafar (BSZ) marg near Khooni Darwaza, on the right side while coming from ITO. It could not be imagined to have a such a fortified city complex from the hustle-bustle of BSZ marg.

A giant tree in the midst of fort

The three notable \sultans of Tughlaq dynasty were Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, Muhammad Tughlaq and Firoze Shah Tughlaq and all of them built a separate city/ fortress in Delhi namely Tughlaqbad Fort, Jahan Panaah and Firozabad Fort respectively.

This visit of ours is limited to Firozabad, established by -Sultan Firoze Shah Tughlaq (1351-1388) in 1354 as new capital. It is said that he extensively surveyed the area and then chose the area adjoining to River Yamuna for his new capital and named it Firozabad, which is now known as Firoze ShahKotla. Kotla means the fortress. On the east of this fort, river Yamuna was flowing, which is now about a kilometer or more away.

Western view of the fort from an arch

The foundation of the fort is on well foundation, its submerging in water is essential for its strength, which was available then due to vicinity of River Yamuna. It is assumed that due to shifting of Yamuna away might also be one of the reasons of dilapidation of the fort due to weakening of foundation, apart from other causes. West Gate of the fort was the main entrance and the pathway leading to inner is zigzag. Historians narrated that the fortress was white in colour and quite resplendent.

The fort has three main courtyards in the fortress as per the narration of Shas-e-Shiraz Afif, the court historian of the Sultan in his book Tarikh-e-Firozshahi, for Firoz Shah Tughlaq to meet different people. The first one while entering from Western Gate is called as Mahal-e-Sahan-e-Gilin (the Palace of the clayey court). It was also called Mahal-e- Dakh or Mahal-e-Angur (the Palace of Grapes), as it is said that the Sultan got nine kinds of grapes cultivated here in his palace. This palace was earmarked for reception of the nobles, emirs, literary men etc. with provisioning for cultural programs. Further east to it is the second palace, known as Mahal-e-bari-amm or the Palace of the public court and it was also called Sahn-e-Miyanagi or the Central Quadrangle. This palace was used for meeting of Sultan with his populace or the common people. The third palace was further east on the banks of Yamuna and near his palace, which is know as Mahal-e-chhhajja-e-chobin (the palace of the wooden gallery) and it was meant for personal guests of Sultan with special attention.

Ruins of Kotla Firoz Shah

It is said that the economic condition was poor when Firoz Shah took over the reigns and he immediately started working to reviving economy by building new irrigation channels and reviving old irrigation channels, so that the agricultural produce increase leading the general welfare. He also got built many schools, rest houses (sarai), gardens , hospitals, canals etc.

The complex contains cloisters and blocks for sepoys and soldiers. Building for Sultan and queens. One big mosque, known as Jami Masjid, a pyramidal structure adjacent to Masjid for establishing Ashokan Pillar and a step well (baoli). The structure is completely built on random rubble masonry, covered by dressed stones and followed by white plaster. Such masonry is protected by plaster and once plaster goes away the rubble masonry is exposed leading to its gradual wearing away, as is the case. The whole fort complex is at a raised level as the buildings on eastern side like Masjid, pyramid, Palaces for sultan and queens are adjacent to Yamuna and has two floor beneath it at the level of Yamuna.

The Palace of Sultan has a big central chamber with smaller chambers on all side perfect vents/ windows for flow of air as well as light. The Palace of queen(s) five chambers with bigger central chamber and two smaller chambers on either side. The positioning of these buildings is very strategic as it would have given a very astounding and beautiful view of Yamuna, flowing with all its might and grandeur. It is here the wooden structure were built along with furnishing with beautiful clothes to create Mahal-e-Chhajja-Chobin for hosting special guests overlooking River Yamuna on the east.

The Jami Masjid is on the North of the Sultan’s chamber and is a grand as looked from its remains. It has a number of chambers at two bottom floors, on which the top mosque structure is erected. The chambers so built are on the all four sides of the mosque, whereas central structure is solid. It is narrated by Shams-e-Shiraz Afeef, the court historian of Firoz Shah Tughlaq, that there were 60 pillars, on which the central dome of the Masjid rested.

View of Jami Masjid from Ashokan Pillar

The central structure has already been collapsed. It looks like that the centre of the Masjid contained a water tank for wudhu (ablution) for prayers. The Masjid has the entrance from North, unlike other mosques where it is from East, as there is no space for entry from East. Taimur Lang, while retreating from Delhi after plundering it, offered prayer at this mosque and was utterly impressed with the architecture and grandeur of the mosque. So much so that he brought few architects and masons along with him to Samarkand, where he got built one such mosque in similar pattern.

View of Ashokan Pillar from South-East

On the north of the mosque is the pyramidal structure that the Sultan got built for erecting the Ashokan Pillar, brought from Ambala. The pyramidal structure has three storeys , containing small chambers with arches and was built in 1356. The central portion of the structure is solid, which holds the pillar. The pillar is made of monolithic stone, said to be originally chiseled from the hills of Chunar near Mirzapur. The pillar was originally 42 feet high out of which about 6 feet is inside and weighing 42 tonnes. Top of the pillar, which is said to have a brass canopy with gold polish, got broken due to lightening strike. It was engraved near the structure how sophistically/ delicately the pillar was carried from Ambala to Delhi at its present location through bullock carts and boats. In contemporary records, Ashoka pillar is called as 'Minar i Zarin' (The Golden Minar). The inscription is in Brahmi script Prakrit language, which was successfully deciphered by James Prinsep. The pillars were originally got prepared by King Ashoka to appeal people to follow Dharma, moral principals and freedoms.

View of Ashokan Pillar from South-West

The pillar at Kotla Firoz Shah has unique distinction that it has seven Ashokan inscriptions unlike other such pillar which has six inscription. Other kings of later period too got some inscriptions The pillar is still smooth enough that it reflects the light. Firoz Shah Tughlaq also brought one more pillar from Merrut and got installed at its Shikargaah near Hindu Rao Hospital in the ridge.

On the North-West of this structure lies a big step well (baoli) for availability of water for the inmates of the fortress. The baoli is circular in shape can be stepped into the well through steps. The baoli is classical water harvesting mechanism of old times, which suggests that people then too were conscious of the water conservation.

Baoli from top of pyramidal structure

The baoli has a number of apartments structure both below ground and above ground. It also a number channels for bringing water from outside to the baoli. There is a big channel way on the east of the baoli lining it to the Yamuna River, so that the excess water from the baoli will go into the river. The channel is of arch shaped and so big that a person can easily go through it.

The complete structure is made up of random rubble masonry and in ruins because of many reasons as narrated below. First and foremost, later kings got there capital shifted to other places and used the stones and tiles from this palace, as easily available, for their construction. Secondly, as the structure is built of random rubble masonry, and once the outer plaster removed, the masonry got exposed leading to its gradual wear and tear, which is still continuing. Thirdly, as the eastern structure housing main buildings like kings & queens palaces, mosque, pyramidal structure etc. were based on well foundation, which sources its strength from continuous availability of water. The same got weakened over the years once River Yamuna moved a few kilometer away from it.

Places not to be missed
(with link to Wikipedia page)