Hauz-i-Shamsi
Encyclopedia
Hauz-i-Shamsi is a water storage reservoir or tank built by Iltumish of the Slave Dynasty
in 1230 AD, at a location revealed to him in a dream by the Islamic prophet Muhammad
. A palace called the Jahaz Mahal
was built on the eastern edge of the same reservoir during the Lodi dynasty period in the 16th century as a retreat or Inn for use by pilgrims. Also at the edge of Hauz is the tomb of 17th century Persian writer in the Mughal court, Abdul-Haqq Dehlavi
. The monuments are situated in Mehrauli
, Delhi
.
Another version of the legend linked is that Muhammad appeared in a dream not only to Iltumish but also to the Muslim
sufi saint
Khawaja
indicating the same particular location, where the hoof print of Muhammad’s horse was imprinted, for the construction of a water tank. Since drinking water supply was acute in the newly founded capital of Iltumish (the first medieval city of Qila Rai Pithora of Delhi) a tank was dug at the location indicated in the dream, which resulted in water jetting out from a spring source. It was, thereafter, named as Hauz-i-Shamsi, and Khawaja, the saint who divined it, came to be known as Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
or simply 'Kaki'. The name Kaki was attributed to him by virtue of this keramat
(miracle). The Khawaja died in 1235 AD. He is buried in Mehrauli (near the Qutab Minar) and it is inferred that Qutub Minar was also named after him. His dargah
or tomb is considered one of India's oldest and revered shrines. His exalted divinity has also been extolled by Moinuddin Chishti
who had said:
Hauz-i-Shamsi originally covered an area of 2 ha (4.9 acre). The domed pavilion (pictured) constructed by Iltumish to mark the foot print Muhammad’s horse located in the middle of the tank is a double storeyed structure made of red sandstone supported on twelve pillars. It could be approached only by boat (now a foot bridge exists). The original stone, on which the foot print of the horse of Muhammad was imprinted, was located at this pavilion. It has since been removed but replaced by a new one. In view of its religious significance, the water stored in the tank was considered sacred. Many famous emperors and saints have been buried on the periphery of the reservoir. Because of reduction in the size of the reservoir over the years, due to encroachments and siltation, pavilion's present location is seen in the eastern edge of the tank.
Jharna
A Jharna or water fall emanating from the Hauz-i-Shamsi is located close to the Jahaz Mahal. It is identified as a significant water structure that had been developed by Nawab Ghaziuddin around 1700 AD as a pleasure garden during the Mughal
rule
. An underground pipe (still visible in ruins) supplied the runoff to the Jharna from Hauz-i–Shamshi. This was in addition to an open channel close by that carried the overflow of the tank to Tughlaqabad
fort to enhance the drinking water supply. The Jharna structure was built in three parts (pictured – painting from Metcalfe’s album). The first part consisted of the reservoir or the tank, the second part was the water fall and the last part consisted of the fountains. Akbar Shah II
built the pavilion on the side and his son Bahadur Shah II
added the central pavilion, more in the style of hayat hakhsh pool in the Red Fort. The Jharna, which was once the Mughal retreat and the highlight of the three day festival of the Phool Walon Ki Sair
, is seen now partly in ruins and the surroundings have been encroached upon (25 families are reported to be living here now). The water fall is seen more in the form of a drain in need of urgent restoration measures.
. The High Court commented severely on the inaction of the concerned authorities on their upkeep of the monuments and observed:
A conservation architect
has remarked:
Hauz-i-Shamsi is also considered as one of the heritage components of the historic & traditional water management systems of the city of Delhi and is mandated to be conserved under a ruling of the High Court
.
Slave dynasty
The Slave Dynasty or Mamluk Dynasty or Ghulam Dynasty , was directed into India by Qutb-ud-din Aybak, a Turkic general of Central Asian birth. It was the first of five unrelated dynasties to rule India's Delhi Sultanate from 1206 to 1290...
in 1230 AD, at a location revealed to him in a dream by the Islamic prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. A palace called the Jahaz Mahal
Jahaz Mahal
Jahaz Mahal , is located next to Hauz-i-Shamsi in Mehrauli, Delhi on its northeastern corner. It was so named, since its reflection in the surrounding reservoir looked like a ship floating on a lake...
was built on the eastern edge of the same reservoir during the Lodi dynasty period in the 16th century as a retreat or Inn for use by pilgrims. Also at the edge of Hauz is the tomb of 17th century Persian writer in the Mughal court, Abdul-Haqq Dehlavi
Abdul-Haqq Dehlavi
Sheikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlawi or Al Muhaddith Shaykh Abdul Haqq Dehlavi was an Islamic scholar.-Biography:He was born in 1551 in Delhi, hence the suffix Dehlavi to his name...
. The monuments are situated in Mehrauli
Mehrauli
Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in the South West district of Delhi in India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is located close to Gurgaon.-History:...
, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.
Legend
A popular legend narrated is of Iltumish’s dream in which Muhammad directed him to build a reservoir at a particular site. When Iltumish inspected the site the day after his dream, he reported to have found a hoof print of Muhammad's horse. He then erected a pavilion to mark the sacred location and excavated a large tank (reservoir) around the pavilion to harvest rain water.Another version of the legend linked is that Muhammad appeared in a dream not only to Iltumish but also to the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
sufi saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Khawaja
Khawaja
Khawaja or Khwaja is a title used in Middle East, South Asia, and Central Asia. It means Lord or Master.Khwajagan is a word often used to refer to a chains of Central Asian Naqshbandi Sufi Masters from the 10th to the 16th century A.D. In Ferdowsi's Shahnameh the word is used many times for some...
indicating the same particular location, where the hoof print of Muhammad’s horse was imprinted, for the construction of a water tank. Since drinking water supply was acute in the newly founded capital of Iltumish (the first medieval city of Qila Rai Pithora of Delhi) a tank was dug at the location indicated in the dream, which resulted in water jetting out from a spring source. It was, thereafter, named as Hauz-i-Shamsi, and Khawaja, the saint who divined it, came to be known as Hazrat Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
Qutub ul Aqtab Hazrat Khwaja Syed Muhammad Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki was a renowned Muslim Sufi mystic, saint and scholar of the Chishti Order from Delhi, India. He was the disciple and the spiritual successor of Moinuddin Chishti as head of the Chishti order. Before him the Chishti order in India...
or simply 'Kaki'. The name Kaki was attributed to him by virtue of this keramat
Keramat
In Islamic philosophy, irfan, and mysticism, keramat is a "thaumaturgic gift" akin to the miracles of prophets.Sufis believe that, whereas miracles can only be performed by prophets and are a testament to their prophethood, karaamaat are extraordinary things performed by Awliyaa' who are not...
(miracle). The Khawaja died in 1235 AD. He is buried in Mehrauli (near the Qutab Minar) and it is inferred that Qutub Minar was also named after him. His dargah
Dargah
A Dargah is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. Local Muslims visit the shrine known as . Dargahs are often associated with Sufi meeting rooms and hostels, known as khanqah...
or tomb is considered one of India's oldest and revered shrines. His exalted divinity has also been extolled by Moinuddin Chishti
Moinuddin Chishti
Sultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" , he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia...
who had said:
Kaki was such an exalted divine person that even Moinuddin ChishtiMoinuddin ChishtiSultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" , he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia...
had decreed that those coming to seek his blessing should first pay homage to the former. The practice is still adhered to.
Reservoir
Jharna
A Jharna or water fall emanating from the Hauz-i-Shamsi is located close to the Jahaz Mahal. It is identified as a significant water structure that had been developed by Nawab Ghaziuddin around 1700 AD as a pleasure garden during the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
rule
Governance
Governance is the act of governing. It relates to decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. It consists of either a separate process or part of management or leadership processes...
. An underground pipe (still visible in ruins) supplied the runoff to the Jharna from Hauz-i–Shamshi. This was in addition to an open channel close by that carried the overflow of the tank to Tughlaqabad
Tughlaqabad
Tughlaqabad Fort is a ruined fort in Delhi, stretching across 6.5 km, built by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the founder of Tughlaq dynasty, of the Delhi Sultanate of India in 1321, as he established the fifth historic city of Delhi, which was later abandoned in 1327...
fort to enhance the drinking water supply. The Jharna structure was built in three parts (pictured – painting from Metcalfe’s album). The first part consisted of the reservoir or the tank, the second part was the water fall and the last part consisted of the fountains. Akbar Shah II
Akbar Shah II
Akbar Shah II , also known as Mirza Akbar, was the second-to-last of the Mughal emperors of India. He held the title from 1806 to 1837. He was the second son of Shah Alam II and the father of Bahadur Shah Zafar II....
built the pavilion on the side and his son Bahadur Shah II
Bahadur Shah II
His Royal Highness Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar , also known as Bahadur Shah or Bahadur Shah II was the last of the Mughal emperors in India, as well as the last ruler of the Timurid Dynasty.He was the son of Akbar Shah II and Lalbai, who was a Hindu Rajput...
added the central pavilion, more in the style of hayat hakhsh pool in the Red Fort. The Jharna, which was once the Mughal retreat and the highlight of the three day festival of the Phool Walon Ki Sair
Phool Walon Ki Sair
Phool Walon Ki Sair meaning "procession of the florists" is an annual celebration by the flowers sellers of Delhi. It is a three-day festival, generally held in the month of September, just after the rainy season in the region of Mehrauli, Delhi...
, is seen now partly in ruins and the surroundings have been encroached upon (25 families are reported to be living here now). The water fall is seen more in the form of a drain in need of urgent restoration measures.
Restoration
Hauz-i-Shamsi and the Jharna, which are in state of deterioration, has drawn the attention of the Delhi High CourtDelhi High Court
The High Court of Delhi was established on 31 October 1966. The High Court of Delhi was established with four judges. They were Chief Justice K. S. Hegde, Justice I. D. Dua, Justice H. R. Khanna and Justice S. K. Kapur.-History:...
. The High Court commented severely on the inaction of the concerned authorities on their upkeep of the monuments and observed:
Since 2000, we have been hearing this case and only files are getting thicker. The concerned authorities should now start taking action, seriously.
A conservation architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
has remarked:
The Jharna is an extremely significant water structure and connected with protected monuments like Jahaz Mahal and Hauz-i-Shamsid. However, the multiplicity of ownership has led to neglect of the monument. The festival here is held by the MCD and the land otherwise belongs to the DDA. Ideally, the archaeological department or the ASIASI-Names:* ASI Solutions, an Australian IT company* Asi, a Russian name for the Ossetians* Asi, another name for the Orontes River* Asi language, a language spoken by Bantoanons from the island of Banton, Philippines...
should take it over along with the MCD and the DDA ensuring that the environment around it is restored and the encroachments removed.
Hauz-i-Shamsi is also considered as one of the heritage components of the historic & traditional water management systems of the city of Delhi and is mandated to be conserved under a ruling of the High Court
High Courts of India
India's unitary judicial system is made up of the Supreme Court of India at the national level, for the entire country and the 21 High Courts at the State level. These courts have jurisdiction over a state, a union territory or a group of states and union territories...
.