Kotla Mubarakpur
Encyclopedia
Kotla Mubarakpur Complex (कोटला मुबारकपुर काम्प्लेक्ष्), a medieval village, is now an upscale market place with a residential colony in South Delhi, India. Classified by the Delhi Development Authority (D.D.A.) as an Urban Village, its history can be traced to the prominent tomb of Muizud Din Mubarak Shah, son of Khizr Khan of the Sayyid dynasty
of the fifteenth century Delhi Sultanate
rule in India, and its adjoining mosque
. There are several other tombs of Lodi Dynasty period such as the Darya Khan's tomb, Kale Khan ka Gumbad, Bare Khan ka Gumbad, Chote Khan Ka Gumbad and Bhure Khan ka Gumbad, and also a Baoli (step well).
Khizr Khan who was the governor of Punjab under the Lodi dynasty took over the reins at Delhi, in 1414 AD, after defeating Daulat Khan Lodi. He established the Sayyid dynasty
, which had four successors till 1451 AD. His son Muizud Din Mubarak Shah succeeded him. He established a city called Mubarakabad on the banks of the Yamuna River, but no trace of it exists now. He died in 1434 AD and he was buried in Kotla Mubarakpur, named after him. His tomb was built in a fusion of Lodi style octagonal plan combined with Tughlaq style buttresses and wide dome.
during the Lodi period, usurped power on May 28, 1414, and imprisoned Daulat Khan. He then went on to establish the Sayyid dynasty rule of the Delhi sultanate (1414–1451), who claimed to be descendents of Prophet Muhammed; there were three other rulers of this dynasty who followed him.
Khizr Khan, who founded the Sayyid dynasty, traced his ancestry to Prophet Mohammed based on a casual recognition of this claim by the famous saint Sayyid Jalal-ud-din of Bukhara
. He was the viceroy of Shah Rukh, the fourth son of Timur lane. He was content with the title of Raydt-i-A'la, or 'the Exalted Standards' conferred on him. He was not only successful in uniting Punjab with Delhi and but was also able to tame the governors of several fiefdoms such as Mewat
, Gwalior, Etawah
and many more under his reign. During one of his campaigns, he fell seriously sick and returned to Delhi and before he died on May 20, 1421 AD, authorized the reins of power to his son Mubarak Khan. Mubarak Khan had no pretensions to assuming the title of Shah and declaring complete independence of his territory. He effectively and ruthlessly quelled the rebellious fiefdoms. He assumed the name of Muizz-ud-Din Mubarak Shah and minted coins in his name. He had adopted the practice of invading his fiefdoms to collect revenue for his coffers with effective coercion tactics. But his war campaigns had several set backs too. In the meanwhile there was a coterie of people surrounding him who were conspiring against him. In November 1442 AD, he established his new city called the Mubarakabad on the banks of the Yamuna River. After this, while returning from one of his successful war campaigns from Bhatinda in Punjab
, he visited Mubarakabad, his new capital. On February 14, 1443 AD one of his disgruntled former Minister Sarvar-ul-Mulk, in association with other Hindu
courtier
s cleverly plotted to kill him. They were successful in brutally assassinating Mubarak Shah while he was preparing for his prayers. Since Mubarak did not have a son, Muhammad Shah, the son of his brother Farid was enthroned. A detailed account of Mubarak Shah's reign is available in the Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi written by Yahya-bin-Ahmad Sirhindi.
After the death of Mubarak Khan Shah, his nephew Muhammad Khan ascended the throne and styled himself as Sultan Muhammad Shah. Just before his death, Muhammad Shah called his son Ala-ud-Din from Badaun and nominated him as his successor. But both these rulers proved ineffective in providing a viable rule and in fact the last ruler of this dynasty, Ala-ud-Din Alam Shah voluntarily abdicated the throne of the Delhi sultanate in favour of Bahlul Khan Lodhi
on April 19, 1451 who was then ruler of Punjab and left for Badaun. He continued to live there till his death in 1478 AD. Bahlul Khan Lodhi then went on to establish the last dynasty of the Delhi sultanate.
The rulers of the Sayyid dynasty subsisted their rule by collecting revenue by coercion. They could barely counter the pressure from the Sharqī sultans to the east and the Khokars to the northwest.
, in the prayer direction.
A verandah, with three entrances, encloses the hall. The hall and the verandah are provided with supporting sloping buttresses at the corners. A sixteen sided fortification, with turrets in each corner, supports the low dome structure. The turrets are crowned by a lantern. Chattris (kiosks) in octagonal shape adorn the roof on each side. Three tiers of Quranic inscriptions adorn the springing of the ceiling of the dome. Though stunted in appearance, it is considered as a typical example of octagonal Sayyid tombs, which were popular during Lodi and Mughal periods. The overall effect of the tomb is of a pyramidal appearance.
Adjoining the tomb, there is a "funerary mosque" meant as a venue for prayers, and making public addresses by the visitors to the tomb. The mosque is located on the west wall of the tomb. It has two bays depth wise and five bays width wise and is decorated with arches supported on pillars (see image).
Darya Khan's tomb
Darya Khan Lohani's tomb is dated to early 16th century. Darya Khan was the Chief Justice
during the reign of Bahlol Lodi and vakil (advocate) during Sikander Lodi's rule. Considered an unusual tomb, most of the structure is in ruins. It has a commemorative circular platform structure built amidst a larger platform. Chaatris (kiosks) are seen at the corners. It has been deduced that when built the tomb had an impressive layout with a beautiful view.
Bade Khan ka gumbad
This is an impressive tomb monument with an intricate frontage. The central bay of the tomb is flanked by three rows of three niches. The central niche in each row is larger than the other two. Another unusual depiction for a Lodi period tomb is of the octagonal shaped turrets at the four corners. Chattris (12 pillared) adorn the top of the four turrets. The interior of the domed Chatris have ornamentation with incised and painted plaster bands with a decorative medallion in the centre. It is spread over an area of 22 square metre.
Chote Khan ka gumbad
This tomb considered to be built in "classic proportions" is located next to the Bade Khan's tomb, which has a wonderful well maintained interior. The exterior walls of the tomb, particularly at the entry, has carved plasterwork.
Kale Khan ka gumbad
This tomb is dated to 1481 AD as per an inscription on the Mihrab
inside the tomb. Kale Khan was a courtier in the Lodi period during the reign of Bahlol Lodi. It is conjectured that his father was Darya Khan Lohani. There is a tall cenotaph in an otherwise usual Lodi type tomb. Its location is 300 metres (984.3 ft) north of the Ring Road. It is stated to be the earliest dated tomb of the Lodi period.
and Nizamuddin Railway Station
, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) and 8 kilometres (5 mi) away respectively. Indira Gandhi International Airport
is 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) away.
Sayyid dynasty
The Sayyid dynasty ruled Delhi sultanate in India from 1414 to 1451. They succeeded the Tughlaq dynasty and ruled that sultanate until they were displaced by the Lodi dynasty.This family claimed to be Sayyids, or descendants of Prophet Muhammad...
of the fifteenth century Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
rule in India, and its adjoining mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
. There are several other tombs of Lodi Dynasty period such as the Darya Khan's tomb, Kale Khan ka Gumbad, Bare Khan ka Gumbad, Chote Khan Ka Gumbad and Bhure Khan ka Gumbad, and also a Baoli (step well).
Khizr Khan who was the governor of Punjab under the Lodi dynasty took over the reins at Delhi, in 1414 AD, after defeating Daulat Khan Lodi. He established the Sayyid dynasty
Sayyid dynasty
The Sayyid dynasty ruled Delhi sultanate in India from 1414 to 1451. They succeeded the Tughlaq dynasty and ruled that sultanate until they were displaced by the Lodi dynasty.This family claimed to be Sayyids, or descendants of Prophet Muhammad...
, which had four successors till 1451 AD. His son Muizud Din Mubarak Shah succeeded him. He established a city called Mubarakabad on the banks of the Yamuna River, but no trace of it exists now. He died in 1434 AD and he was buried in Kotla Mubarakpur, named after him. His tomb was built in a fusion of Lodi style octagonal plan combined with Tughlaq style buttresses and wide dome.
History
Subsequent to the death of Muhammad bin Tughlaq of the Tughlaq Dynasty, in 1413 AD, the succession of power rested with Daulat Khan Lodi of the Lodi dynasty. But Khizr Khan who was the Governor of PunjabPunjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
during the Lodi period, usurped power on May 28, 1414, and imprisoned Daulat Khan. He then went on to establish the Sayyid dynasty rule of the Delhi sultanate (1414–1451), who claimed to be descendents of Prophet Muhammed; there were three other rulers of this dynasty who followed him.
Khizr Khan, who founded the Sayyid dynasty, traced his ancestry to Prophet Mohammed based on a casual recognition of this claim by the famous saint Sayyid Jalal-ud-din of Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
. He was the viceroy of Shah Rukh, the fourth son of Timur lane. He was content with the title of Raydt-i-A'la, or 'the Exalted Standards' conferred on him. He was not only successful in uniting Punjab with Delhi and but was also able to tame the governors of several fiefdoms such as Mewat
Mewat
Mewat is a historical region of Haryana and Rajasthan states in northwestern India. The loose boundaries of Mewat are not precisely determined but generally include Mewat District of Haryana and parts of Alwar, Bharatpur, and Dholpur districts of Rajasthan...
, Gwalior, Etawah
Etawah
Etawah is a city on the Yamuna River in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Etawah District. The city was an important center for the Revolt of 1857 . Also is the place of sangam or confluence between Yamuna and Chambal...
and many more under his reign. During one of his campaigns, he fell seriously sick and returned to Delhi and before he died on May 20, 1421 AD, authorized the reins of power to his son Mubarak Khan. Mubarak Khan had no pretensions to assuming the title of Shah and declaring complete independence of his territory. He effectively and ruthlessly quelled the rebellious fiefdoms. He assumed the name of Muizz-ud-Din Mubarak Shah and minted coins in his name. He had adopted the practice of invading his fiefdoms to collect revenue for his coffers with effective coercion tactics. But his war campaigns had several set backs too. In the meanwhile there was a coterie of people surrounding him who were conspiring against him. In November 1442 AD, he established his new city called the Mubarakabad on the banks of the Yamuna River. After this, while returning from one of his successful war campaigns from Bhatinda in Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
, he visited Mubarakabad, his new capital. On February 14, 1443 AD one of his disgruntled former Minister Sarvar-ul-Mulk, in association with other Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
s cleverly plotted to kill him. They were successful in brutally assassinating Mubarak Shah while he was preparing for his prayers. Since Mubarak did not have a son, Muhammad Shah, the son of his brother Farid was enthroned. A detailed account of Mubarak Shah's reign is available in the Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi written by Yahya-bin-Ahmad Sirhindi.
After the death of Mubarak Khan Shah, his nephew Muhammad Khan ascended the throne and styled himself as Sultan Muhammad Shah. Just before his death, Muhammad Shah called his son Ala-ud-Din from Badaun and nominated him as his successor. But both these rulers proved ineffective in providing a viable rule and in fact the last ruler of this dynasty, Ala-ud-Din Alam Shah voluntarily abdicated the throne of the Delhi sultanate in favour of Bahlul Khan Lodhi
Bahlul Khan Lodhi
Bahlul Khan Lodi was the founder of the Afghan Lodi Dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate in India upon the abdication of the last claimant from the previous Sayyid rule. He was born into an Pashtun family of traders, and became a renowned warrior and governor of Sirhind . He became the first sultan of...
on April 19, 1451 who was then ruler of Punjab and left for Badaun. He continued to live there till his death in 1478 AD. Bahlul Khan Lodhi then went on to establish the last dynasty of the Delhi sultanate.
The rulers of the Sayyid dynasty subsisted their rule by collecting revenue by coercion. They could barely counter the pressure from the Sharqī sultans to the east and the Khokars to the northwest.
Mubarak Shah's tomb
Mubarak Shah's tomb is an impressive structure, which was built with an octagonal plan, enclosed in an octagonal compound with gates. But, at present, only the south and west gates exist while the compound walls and other gates have disappeared. It has a southern entrance into the octagonal hall, which has arched openings on three sides, except in the west, which has the MihrabMihrab
A mihrab is semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying...
, in the prayer direction.
A verandah, with three entrances, encloses the hall. The hall and the verandah are provided with supporting sloping buttresses at the corners. A sixteen sided fortification, with turrets in each corner, supports the low dome structure. The turrets are crowned by a lantern. Chattris (kiosks) in octagonal shape adorn the roof on each side. Three tiers of Quranic inscriptions adorn the springing of the ceiling of the dome. Though stunted in appearance, it is considered as a typical example of octagonal Sayyid tombs, which were popular during Lodi and Mughal periods. The overall effect of the tomb is of a pyramidal appearance.
Adjoining the tomb, there is a "funerary mosque" meant as a venue for prayers, and making public addresses by the visitors to the tomb. The mosque is located on the west wall of the tomb. It has two bays depth wise and five bays width wise and is decorated with arches supported on pillars (see image).
Other tombs
In the precincts of the Kotla Mubarakpur tomb and mosque, there are many other tombs of the Lodi period. These are (see gallery):Darya Khan Lohani's tomb is dated to early 16th century. Darya Khan was the Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
during the reign of Bahlol Lodi and vakil (advocate) during Sikander Lodi's rule. Considered an unusual tomb, most of the structure is in ruins. It has a commemorative circular platform structure built amidst a larger platform. Chaatris (kiosks) are seen at the corners. It has been deduced that when built the tomb had an impressive layout with a beautiful view.
This is an impressive tomb monument with an intricate frontage. The central bay of the tomb is flanked by three rows of three niches. The central niche in each row is larger than the other two. Another unusual depiction for a Lodi period tomb is of the octagonal shaped turrets at the four corners. Chattris (12 pillared) adorn the top of the four turrets. The interior of the domed Chatris have ornamentation with incised and painted plaster bands with a decorative medallion in the centre. It is spread over an area of 22 square metre.
Chote Khan ka gumbad
This tomb considered to be built in "classic proportions" is located next to the Bade Khan's tomb, which has a wonderful well maintained interior. The exterior walls of the tomb, particularly at the entry, has carved plasterwork.
Kale Khan ka gumbad
This tomb is dated to 1481 AD as per an inscription on the Mihrab
Mihrab
A mihrab is semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the qibla; that is, the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and hence the direction that Muslims should face when praying...
inside the tomb. Kale Khan was a courtier in the Lodi period during the reign of Bahlol Lodi. It is conjectured that his father was Darya Khan Lohani. There is a tall cenotaph in an otherwise usual Lodi type tomb. Its location is 300 metres (984.3 ft) north of the Ring Road. It is stated to be the earliest dated tomb of the Lodi period.
Visitor information
Kotla Mubarakapur and South Extension are busy upscale city centres easily approachable by road, rail and air communications. The main artery, Ring Road of Delhi, passes through the place. The nearest railway stations are New Delhi Railway StationNew Delhi Railway Station
The New Delhi Railway Station , station code NDLS, situated between Ajmeri Gate and Paharganj is the main railway station in Delhi. New Delhi railway station is the second busiest and one of the largest in India. It handles over 300 trains each day with 16 platforms and about 360,000 passengers...
and Nizamuddin Railway Station
Nizamuddin Railway Station
Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station is one of the three main railway stations of Delhi, India. Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station connects all the major cities and is being developed to ease congestion on New Delhi Railway Station. Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station is served by Northern Railway....
, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) and 8 kilometres (5 mi) away respectively. Indira Gandhi International Airport
Indira Gandhi International Airport
Indira Gandhi International Airport is the primary international airport of the National Capital Region of Delhi, India, situated in West Delhi, 16 km southwest of New Delhi city centre. Named after Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, it is the busiest airport in India in...
is 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) away.