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Purana Quila Delhi
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In 1538, the Mughal emperor Humayun laid the foundations of his city named Dinpanah, or the Refuge of the Faithful.
The inner citadel of this city is today called Purana Qila or the Old Fort.
An old fort, it is! One can almost smell the ancient stories oozing from the corners of the fort.
The site of the fort was also Indraprasta, the capital of the famed warriors of the Mahabharata, the Pandavas.
Excavations near the eastern wall of the fort reveal that the site had been occupied since 1000 B.C. |
Archaeologists found painted grey ware pottery and other remains, which date back to the Mahabharata. The Purana Qila has three gates - Humayun Darwaza, Talaqi Darwaza and Bara Darwaza.
The present entrance is the Bara Darwaza, an imposing red sandstone gate on the western wall.
Inside the Purana Qila is the Sher Mandal, a two-storied octagonal pavilion in red sandstone, built by Sher Shah.
Humayun used it as a library after he captured the fort.
However, the Mandal is tragic, since it was here where the emperor is said to have tripped on its tortuous stairs and tumbled to his death in 1556.
Timings: 6 am to 6 pm
Tickets: Available at the site and Delhi Tourism office
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