Extraordinary Facts about Qutub Minar

Delhi, the capital of India, has a lot to offer.

The monuments of the place draw visitors all year round. One such monument that fetches our attention is the Qutub Minar.

Qutub Minar, also spelled as Qutb Minar, is the tallest minaret in the world located in the Mehrauli area of New Delhi.

It was built from 1199 to 1220 by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, followed by his son-in-law Shamsuddin Iltutmish.

While the former completed a story of the minaret, the latter followed with the completion of three levels consecutively.

The surfaces are intricately decorated with geometric patterns and inscriptions. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here are specific facts about Qutub Minar, which is less likely to be known among the general public. 

1. Tallest minaret in the world

Qutub Minar is the tallest building in the world that reaches a height of 72.5 meters. It is made of bricks.

There are a total of 379 steps that reach the top of the minaret.

The diameter of the base ( 14.32 meters) is seven times that of the top (2.75 meters).

2. The Qutub Minar Complex

Some architectural marvels surround the Qutub Minar, also known as the Qutub complex. These include: 
 

• Iron Pillar of Delhi
• Alai Darwaza
•Alai Minar
•Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque
•Tomb of Iltutmish
•The Tomb of Imam Zamin
•Ala-ud-din's Tomb and Madrasa
• Sanderson's sundial
•Major Smith's cupola

3. Stampede at the minaret

A stampede occurred at Qutub Minar on 4 December 1981, followed by an electricity failure.

The stairways were plunged in darkness, and repeated shouts were announcing that the minaret was collapsing.

People started fumbling through the dark stone staircase, and by the commotion, 45 people were crushed to death.
 

5. Qutub Minar- a site for shooting films?
Veteran actor and director Devanand wanted to shoot the song "Dil ka Bhanwar Kare Pukar" from the film "Tere Ghar ke Samne" in Qutub Minar.

However, the cameras used did not fit in the narrow alleyways leading him to shoot in the replica of the minaret.

5. Iron Pillar

The Qutub complex consisting of the Iron Pillar still exists without getting rusted, and it has been standing strong for more than 2000 years.

The reason behind its longevity is that it is made of 98% wrought iron.

There was a more significant amount of phosphorus and a null amount of magnesium or sulfur, making it all the more long-lasting.

6. Name of Qutub Minar- a matter of conflict.

The naming of Qutub Minar is debatable.

Primarily, historians trace the naming of the brick-minaret after Qutb-ud-din Aibak, who was also the father-in-law of Iltutmish, apart from being the Muslim monarch of India.

However, the second group of historians claims that Qutub Minar was named after Khwaja Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiar Kaki, a saint in Baghdad. The saint was a great favorite of Shamsuddin Iltutmish.

7. The reason behind erecting the minaret

Qutub Minar was built to celebrate the victory of the Muslim community in Delhi, followed by the defeat of the last Hindu ruler Prithviraj Chauhan.

8. Damaged top floor and its restoration

The top floor of Qutub Minar was damaged by lightning and was restored by Firoz Shah Tughlaq to its splendor by placing white marble to replace the damage.

8. Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid

Near Qutub Minar is a mosque named Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid, which means "The Might of Islam Mosque."

This mosque was erected upon the foundations of a Hindu temple, and one can easily spot the differences in the design.

Unlike Qutub Minar, which is famous as a symbol of great architectural design and history, the mosque is infamous because of the circumstances under which it was built.

It is said nearly 27 Hindu and Jain temples were destroyed before its formation, as attributed to Qutub-ud-din Aibak.

Therefore, it is seen as a symbol of communal violence brought about by the dominance and prevalence of the Muslim community.

To wrap up,

Qutub Minar is a heritage site that must not go unexplored if one visits Delhi.

The article above provides a fair idea about the brick minaret, which is also the highest monument in the world.

You can trace several facts about the minaret and the surrounding area, also known as the Qutub Complex.

The monuments present in the Complex are equally a site to behold.

One can marvel at the architectural carvings that these monuments preserve.

Regarding the stampede that is mentioned in the third point, it is a fact that leaves us grief-stricken as 45 people were killed in the furor.