Beaches

Monuments of India

Indian Festivals

Colleges

Schools

Universities

Companies

Forts

Museums

Places to See in India Places to Visit in Bangalore Tourist Places in Delhi Mumbai Places to See Tourist Places in Nasik Places to See in Pahalgam Places to See in Chennai India Tourism Delhi Attractions Delhi Mosques Bara Gumbad Masjid Begumpuri Masjid Fatehpuri Masjid Jama Masjid Khirkee Masjid Quwwat-ul - Islam Masjid Delhi Temples Birla Mandir Kali Bari Mandir Kalkaji Temple Lotus Temple Delhi Tombs Humayun’s Tomb Jamali Kamali Tomb Ala-ud-dins Tomb Sultan Ghari’s Tomb Tomb of Altamash Tomb of Ghiyasuddin Delhi Churches Cathedral Church Roman Catholic Church Delhi Forts Delhi Red Fort Purana Qila Tughlaqabad Fort Nai-ka-Kot Ruins Colonial Architecture India Gate Supreme Court King George V Memorial Northern Ridge Parliament House Regal Building Rashtrapati Bhavan Connaught Place Monuments Jantar Mantar Alai Darwaza Alai Minar Qutub Minar Other Attractions Bijai Mandal Feroze Shah Kotla Gole Dak Khana Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Jeevan Bharti Bhawan Lodi Garden Patel Chowk Satpula Surajkund Teen Murti Bhavan About Delhi History Delhi Attractions Contemporary Delhi Land Food & Cuisine Arts Faclities Museums Shopping Sports Hotels In Delhi

Bijai Mandal

Bijai Mandal Within walking distance from the Begumpuri masjid is the Bijai Mandal. It used to be part of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq's palace in Jahanpanah. The Arab wandering cleric Ibn Batuta, who spent quite a portion of his amazing voyages here, has written extensively about it. It must have been quite a fish market then, what with people coming in or going out and hundreds of retainers running loose all over the place. Consider this description that Batuta gives of the entrance to the palace.


¤ The Descriptions of Sultan's Palace

The sultan's palace at Dihli is called Dar Sara and contains many gates. At the first gate there are posted a number of men in charge of it, and beside it sit buglers, trumpeters and pipe players. When any amir or person of note arrives they sound their instruments and say during this fanfare "so and so has come…" – the same also takes place at the second and third gates. Outside thefirst gate are platforms on which sit the Jalladun (floggers)…between the first and second gatesthere is a large vestibule with platforms … on which sit troops whose turn of duty it is to guard the gates. At the second gate also are seated the porters… between the second and third gates thereis a large platform on which the principal naqib (judge) sits; in front of him there is a gold mace,which he holds in his hand the other naqibs stand before him…

of course you would never guess it by looking at it now. It is very hard to imagine that all this bustle and activity was routine in what is now a hushed still.
The second gate led you to what Ibn Batuta calls the 'Hazar Ustan', which means in Persian 'a thousand pillars'. This was an immense hall of Public Audience in which people used to sit waiting for their sultan. One imagines the sultan entering this hall in full splendor, with the retainers calling everyone to alert that the sultan was approaching. Seated on a plush elevated throne, the sultan held addressed his people's complaints, addressed the public and reviewed his troops. Everyone who came and went to the public hall had to write their name down at the entrance, whether noble or commoner. In the evening the sultan himself checked this report. Any nobles holding an official rank or position, who absented themselves without excuse from the court for more than three days would not be allowed to enter the gate without the sultan's personal permission; seems like employers down the centuries have been of a single mind.


¤ Bijai Mandal

The Bijai Mandal is basically a huge octagonal tower with sloping walls, set on a lofty grassy platform. Steps lead up to the tower, although there is also a mossy pathway from one side which goes up to it – it seems it was for the elephants who used to come up for inspection and parade before the sultan. In front of the building, you can still see the remains of pillars of the hall of the thousand pillars.
If you climb up the tower – very carefully – you might find the hotchpotch vista amusing. The intimidating silhouette of the Begumpuri masjid jostles with the comparatively unimaginative and crowded south Delhi localities.