Surajkund
Aboout 3km from Tughlaqabad, just beyond the Delhi-Haryana border,
lies the huge reservoir of Surajkund (sun lake). It was built in the
pre-Sultanate days (about the 10 th century) by the Rajput
Tomara king Surajpal. The Tomaras were among the first people to
revitalize Delhi after Indraprastha. Surajkund is where the Rajputs
settled before they went on to build Lal Kot, the second city of
Delhi.
¤ An Exquisite Picnic Spot
It is believed that there was a temple to the sun god here and it
could be that and not the king Surajpal gave Surajkund its name. The
tank is on a semi-circular pattern and has steps which lead up to the
water. It is not a 'dead' reservoir; the rains still keep it pretty
full of water. Feroze Shah Tughlaq, while he was about either building
or repairing every monument in sight, repaired its embankments in the
fourteenth century.
Suraj Kund, what with its serene surroundings and beauty, is now a
popular picnic spot for Delhites. It is also the site of a major
crafts festival held annually in February.
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