Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in

South Delhi South Delhi is an administrative district of the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India with its headquarters in Saket. Administratively, the district is divided into three subdivisions, Saket, Hauz Khas, and Mehrauli. It is bounded by ...

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...

, India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is close to

Gurugram Gurgaon (), officially named Gurugram (), is a satellite city of Delhi and administrative headquarters of Gurgaon district, located in the northern Indian state of Haryana. It is situated near the Delhi–Haryana border, about southwest o ...

and next to Vasant Kunj.

History

Mehrauli is one of the seven medieval cities that make up the present union territory of Delhi. The Lal Kot fort was constructed by the

Tomar Tomar (), also known in English as Thomar (the ancient name of Tomar), is a Portugal, Portuguese city and a municipality in the historical Ribatejo Portuguese Provinces of Portugal, province, and in Santarém District, Santarém district. The to ...

chief Anangpal I around 731AD and expanded by Anangpal II in the 11thcentury, who shifted his capital to Lal Kot from

Kannauj Kannauj (Hindustani language, Hindustani pronunciation: ) is an ancient city, administrative headquarters and a municipal board or Nagar palika, Nagar Palika Parishad in Kannauj district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Ut ...

. The Tomars were defeated by the Chauhans in the 12th century.

Prithviraj Chauhan Prithviraja III (IAST: Pṛthvī-rāja; 22 May 1166 – February 1192), popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan or Rai Pithora, was a king from the Chahamanas of Shakambhari, Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty who ruled the territory of Sapadalaksha, w ...

further expanded the fort, which is now

Qila Rai Pithora Qila Rai Pithora or Lal Kot ( lit. "Rai Pithora's Fort") is a fortified complex in present-day Delhi, which includes the Qutb Minar complex. It was constructed in the reign of Rajput Tomar ruler Anangpal Tomar between c. 1052 - c.1060 CE. It is ...

. He was defeated and killed in 1192 by Mohammed Ghori, who put his general Qutb-ud-din Aybak in charge and returned to Afghanistan. Subsequently in 1206, after the death of Mohammed Ghori, Qutubuddin enthroned himself as the first

Sultan of Delhi The Sultan of Delhi was the absolute monarch of the Delhi Sultanate which stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent during the period of medieval era, for 320 years (1206–1526).Mamluk dynasty of Delhi ( Slave dynasty), the first dynasty of Muslim sultans to rule over northern India. Mehrauli remained the capital of the Mamluk dynasty which ruled until 1290. During the Khilji dynasty, the capital shifted to

Siri Siri ( , backronym: Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface) is a digital assistant purchased, developed, and popularized by Apple Inc., which is included in the iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, Apple TV, audioOS, and visionOS operating sys ...

. In 12th-century Jain scriptures, the location is also mentioned as ''Yogninipura'', now noticeable by the presence of the "

Yogmaya Temple Yogmaya Temple, also Jogmaya temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Yogmaya, also considered to be a sister of Krishna as she took avatar as Vindhyavasini, and situated in Mehrauli, New Delhi, India, close to the Qutb complex. Acco ...

", near the Qutub Minar complex, believed to have been built by the

Pandavas The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, aɳɖɐʋᵊ IAST: Pāṇḍava) is a group name referring to the five legendary brothers, Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, who are central figures of the Hindu epic ''Mahabhara ...

. It was also the execution place of

Banda Singh Bahadur Banda Singh Bahadur, born Lachman Dev (27 October 1670 – 9 June 1716), was a Sikh warrior and a Jathedar, general of the Khalsa Fauj, Khalsa Army. At age 15, he left home to become an Sannyasa, ascetic, and was given the name Madho Das Baira ...

after he sacked the regional Mughal capital of Samana.

Geography and climate

Mehrauli lies in the South district of Delhi at . To its north lies Malviya Nagar. Vasant Kunj lies to its West and Tughlakabad to its south. Like the rest of Delhi, Mehrauli has a semi-arid climate with high variation between summer and winter temperatures. While the summer temperatures may go up to 46 °C, the winters can seem freezing to people used to a warm climate with near 0 °C. The soil of Mehrauli consists of sandy loam to loam texture. The water level has gone down in the recent past hovering between 45 m to 50 m due to rise in population.

Architecture

Though Mehrauli is like any ordinary neighborhood today, its past is what distinguishes it in terms of architecture. Ahinsa Sthal is a Jain temple in Mehrauli. The main deity of the temple is

Mahavira Mahavira (Devanagari: महावीर, ), also known as Vardhamana (Devanagari: वर्धमान, ), was the 24th ''Tirthankara'' (Supreme Preacher and Ford Maker) of Jainism. Although the dates and most historical details of his lif ...

, the 24th and last Tirthankara (human spiritual guide) of a present half cycle of time. A magnificent statue of Tirthankara Mahavira is installed here. Even though the capital shifted from Mehrauli after the Mamluk dynasty rule came to an end, many other dynasties contributed significantly to Mehrauli's architecture. The most visible piece of architecture remains the Qutub Minar which was built by Qutb ud-Din Aibak with subsequent additions by

Iltutmish Shams ud-Din Iltutmish (1192 – 30 April 1236) was the third of the Mamluk kings who ruled the former Ghurid territories in northern India. He was the first Muslim sovereign to rule from Delhi, and is thus considered the effective founder of ...

and

Alauddin Khalji Alauddin Khalji (; ), born Ali Gurshasp, was a ruler from the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the Indian subcontinent. Alauddin instituted a number of significant administrative changes in the Delhi Sultanate, related to revenue ...

. The Qutb Minar complex is a

UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

, and also the venue for the annual Qutub Festival.Mausoleum of a 13th-century Sufi saint, Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, is also situated near the Qutub Minar Complex and the venue for the annual Phoolwalon-ki-sair Festival. The dargah complex also houses graves of later Mughal emperors, Bahadur Shah I,

Shah Alam II Shah Alam II (; 25 June 1728 – 19 November 1806), also known by his birth name Ali Gohar, or Ali Gauhar, was the seventeenth Mughal emperor and the son of Alamgir II. Shah Alam II became the emperor of a crumbling Mughal Empire. His power w ...

, and Akbar II, in an adjacent marble enclosure. To the left of the dargah, lies Zafar Mahal, the summer palace of the last

Mughal Emperor The emperors of the Mughal Empire, who were all members of the Timurid dynasty (House of Babur), ruled the empire from its inception on 21 April 1526 to its dissolution on 21 September 1857. They were supreme monarchs of the Mughal Empire in ...

Bahadur Shah Zafar Bahadur Shah II, (Abu Zafar Siraj-ud-din Muhammad; 24 October 1775 – 7 November 1862), usually referred to by his poetic title Bahadur Shah ''Zafar'' (; ''Zafar'' ), was the twentieth and last List of emperors of the Mughal Empire, Mughal emp ...

along with Moti Masjid, a small mosque, built for private prayer by the son of

Aurangzeb Alamgir I (Muhi al-Din Muhammad; 3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), commonly known by the title Aurangzeb, also called Aurangzeb the Conqueror, was the sixth Mughal emperors, Mughal emperor, reigning from 1658 until his death in 1707, becomi ...

, Bahadur Shah I. Balban's tomb belonging to Balban, Mamluk dynasty ruler of

Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate or the Sultanate of Delhi was a Medieval India, late medieval empire primarily based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for more than three centuries.

was constructed here in the 13th century can still be seen through in a dilapidated condition. The architecturally important structure as it is the first true arch in Indo-Islamic architecture. Another tomb, that of Balban's son, Khan Shahid, who died before he could be crowned, is also located nearby in Mehrauli Archeological Park. A ''baoli'' or stepwell known as '' Rajon Ki Baoli'' was constructed in 1506 during Sikandar Lodhi's reign. It was used to store water though it is now completely dried and is now known as ''Sukhi Baoli'' (dry well). The Jamali Kamali Mosque was built in 1528, in honour of the Sufi saint Shaikh Hamid bin Fazlullah, also known as Dervish Shaikh tahaJamali Kamboh Dihlawi or Jalal Khan. The saint's tomb built-in 1536 upon his death is adjacent to the mosque. Near the Jamali Kamali lies the tomb of Quli Khan, which during the British period was converted into a country house by the Metcalfe family. Known as 'the retreat' or ' Dilkhusha', this was built by Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe in true English style as a pleasure retreat by surrounding it with many rest houses, follies, and gardens. 'Dilkhusha' in

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

means "Delight of the Heart". The '' Adham Khan's Tomb'' was constructed by Mughal Emperor

Akbar Akbar (Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar, – ), popularly known as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Humayun, under a regent, Bairam Khan, who helped the young emperor expa ...

in memory of his foster brother and general

Adham Khan Adham Khan (1531 – 16 May 1562) was a general of Mughal emperor Akbar. He was the younger son of Maham Anga, and thus, was the foster brother of Akbar. In his fourth regnal year, Akbar married him to Javeda Begum, the daughter of Baqi Khan B ...

in 1566. The tomb, also known as ''Bhulbhulaiyan'', as one could get lost in the labyrinth of its passages,Qutub Complex
www.the-south-asian.com. it was later used by the British as a residence, rest house and even as a police station. Close to Adham Khan's tomb, lies that of another Mughal General, ''Muhammad Quli Khan'', later it served as the residence of Sir Thomas Metcalfe, governor-general's agent at the Mughal court. The Mehrauli Archaeological Park spread over 200 acres, adjacent to Qutb Minar site was redeveloped in 1997. Most of the monuments and heritage buildings in Mehrauli today lie in a state of despair. Due to unplanned urban sprawl especially after the

Partition of India The partition of India in 1947 was the division of British India into two independent dominion states, the Dominion of India, Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan. The Union of India is today the Republic of India, and the Dominion of Paki ...

, most havelis,

mosques A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were simple p ...

and baolis were occupied and razed to build houses. Poor restoration and conservation have led to the disappearance, encroachment and vandalization of many heritage buildings. In February 2024, a controversy erupted after the Delhi Development Authority demolished a 600-year-old mosque,

madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...

and several graves without any prior notice. The demolition was criticized by several historians and scholars.

Politics

Post Delhi's 2022 municipal delimitation, the Mehrauli assembly constituency (AC-45) comprises 3 municipal wards, which are Lado Sarai (ward 154), Mehrauli (ward 155), and Vasant Kunj (ward 156). Of these, ward 155 is reserved for women, while the other two are unreserved. As of September 2024, AAP's Naresh Yadav is the MLA of Mehrauli. The councillor for Lado Sarai is Rajeev Sansanwal (AAP), for Mehrauli is Rekha gajender yadav (AAP), and for Vasant Kunj is Jagmohan Mehlawat (BJP).

Schools

* UDAAN play school Mehrauli * St. John's School * St.Maria School * Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Memorial School * Lareesa Public School * I.G. Delhi Public School * Saraswati Bal Vidya Mandir * Ramanujan Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya * Government Boys' Senior Secondary School-2 * Government Boys' Senior Secondary School-3 * Suryathan Play School * Prince Public School * Dargah wala school

2008 blasts

Concealed in a black polythene bag, a tiffin box bomb was dropped by two unidentified persons riding a motorcycle in Mehrauli's Sarai electronic market on 27 September 2008, killing 3 people and injuring 23 others.

Accessibility

Indira Gandhi International Airport Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport serving New Delhi, the capital of India, and the National Capital Region (NCR). The airport, spread over an area of ,

is approximately 17 km. * 18 km approximately from New Delhi Railway Stations * Nearest metro station is Qutab Minar Metro Station. * Adam Khan Tomb - Also known as ''Bhool Bhulaiya'' is situated next to Aggarwal Sweets and near Bus Stand. * Gandhak ki Baoli - It is an ancient step well located near Mehrauli

Post Office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...

. * Rajon Ki Baoli - 16th century stepwell near Gandhak ki Baoli *

- Around 1 km from Qutub Minar and about 100 meters prior to Bus Stand. * Village Roads - Village roads in Mehrauli are known in the neighborhood as narrow poorly maintained roads. Non-licensed street vendors/hawkers are very common sites on these roads. * Zafar Mahal (Mehrauli) is situated adjacent to the shrine of Hazrat Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Qaki R.A. * Dadabari Jain Mandir is situated on Sri Dev Puri Ashram marg, Opposite Qutub Minar Metro station. * Madhi Masjid - A Remnant Of The Lodhi Era, Madhi Masjid is a 15th Century fortified mosque.

Areas in South Delhi

Mehrauli Gallery

File:Tomb of Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, Mehrauli.jpg, Tomb of Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, Mehrauli. File:Tombs of Shah Alam and Akbar II, c1890s.jpg, The tombs of Mughal Emperor,

and his son Akbar II within Kaki mausoleum complex File:Madhi Masjid entrance gateway, Mehrauli.jpg, Madhi Masjid entrance gateway, Mehrauli. File:The bastion of Lal Kot fort, Mehrauli, Delhi.jpg, The bastion of Lal Kot fort, Mehrauli File:Adham Khan tomb, Mehrauli, Delhi.jpg, Adham Khan's Tomb, Mehrauli. File:Gandhak ki Baoli, Mehrauli.jpg, ''Gandhak ki Baoli'', stepwell, Mehrauli. File:Zafar Mahal ruins.jpg, Zafar Mahal built first by Akbar Shah II in the 18th century with addition by Bahadur Shah Zafar II. File:Jahaz Mahal on the bank of Hauz-i-Shamsi tank.jpg, View of Jahaz Mahal from Hauz-i-Shamsi. File:Bagichi Ki Masjid, Mehrauli.jpg, Bagichi Ki Masjid, Mehrauli Archeological Park File:Rajon ki Baoli's baoli.jpg, Rajon ki Baoli, the stepwell File:Jahaz Mahal on the bank of Hauz-i-Shamsi.jpg, Jahaz Mahal on the bank of Hauz-i-Shamsi File:Jamali Kamali tomb interior.jpg, tahaJamali Kamali tomb interior File:Dilkusha with Qutb Minar in the background, Mehrauli.jpg, Tomb of Mohammad Quli Khan, brother of

, a general of Mughal Emperor,

, later turned into a country house Metcalfe House or ''Dilkusha'' by Sir Thomas Metcalfe, near

Qutb complex The Qutb Minar complex are monuments and buildings from the Delhi Sultanate at Mehrauli in Delhi, India. Construction of the Qutub Minar "victory tower" in the complex, named after the religious figure Sufi Saint Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, w ...

File:Zafar Mahal, Mehrauli, New Delhi.jpg, Zafar Mahal, the last monument built under the

Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...

. File:Remains of baoli in Mehrauli (3703319898).jpg, Remains of a baoli in Mehrauli. File:Smaller pavilion now being used as some sort of residence,Baagh e Naazir, Mehrauli, New Delhi.jpg, Pavilion in Baagh e Naazir. File:Jharna (3703342006).jpg, Jharna Mahal. File:Wall at the edge of Mehrauli (3703316944).jpg, Ruins of a monument in Mehrauli. File:Late mughal sandstone facade at the back of the buddhist shrine,Baagh e Naazir, Mehrauli, New Delhi.jpg, Mughal-era facade in Baagh e Naazir File:Dalan in Mehrauli (3703281856).jpg, Dalan in Mehrauli.

References

External links

Collection of Photographs Capturing Mehrauli's Diversity
{{Neighborhoods of Delhi Neighbourhoods in Delhi Mamluk dynasty (Delhi) South West Delhi district District subdivisions of Delhi