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Photo: Ramesh lalwani, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Delhi has countless monuments and they are located in the most unusual places. The Hindu Rao Hospital houses a couple of ruined buildings dating back to the Delhi Sultanate. The ridge was once a favourite hunting ground for Feroz Shah Tughlaq (reign 1351 – 1388). Pir Ghaib, located inside the Hindu Rao Hospital complex is a remains of one of hunting lodges of Feroz Shah Tughlaq. Later on it was abandoned and probably served as a mosque and even as an astronomical observatory. It also probably served as a residence of a Muslim saint, who disappeared mysteriously. No wonder Pir Ghaib literally translates into the "vanished saint"! Today the gate of the Hindu Rao Hospital is located just opposite the Ashokan Pillar, a winding road through the hospital complex leads to the Phir Ghaib. The structure has remained intact and a stairs leads to the terrace of the two storied structure. The terrace houses a cylindrical structure. which was probably a part of the observatory. Right next to the Pir Ghaib is a step well called Hindu Rao Hospital Baoli, dating back to the same period. It is a large well with a flight of steps leading to the water. A simple structure with almost no ornamentation.
Pir Ghaib Hunting Lodge and Observatory is a medieval heritage structure in Delhi, India. It is believed to be built by Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq of the Delhi Sultanate in the 14th century. Standing two storeys tall, similar to other contemporaneous counterparts of the Tughlaq era architecture, it is made up of rubble. The building has a hollow masonry cylinder, which is believed to have been used for astronomical purposes. Apart from its theorised uses as a hunting lodge and observatory, it is also believed to have been used as a clock tower
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The Ashokan Pillar lies 200 meters north of the Mutiny Memorial and on the same side of the road. It is located opposite the Hindu Rao Hospital. The entire ridge area was one a favourite hunting location of Feroz Shah Tughlaq. This pillar was shifted from Meerut by Feroz Shah Tughlaq (reign 1351 – 1388) and was placed at the emperors favourite hunting location. Incidental this region of Delhi contains another Ashokan Pillar shifted by Feroz Shah Tughlaq from Topra and set up in Firoz Shah Kotla. The pillar contains the Ashokan Edicts, I – V, partly or almost fully. During the reign of Farrukhsiyar (1713 – 19) the pillar was severely damaged and broken into five pieces. The pieces were shifted to Asiatic Society of Bengal in Kolkata. In 1866 they were received back and were erected together in 1867.
Ajitgarh
After the Mutiny of 1857 several memorials were erected all over the subcontinent in memory of the Britishers and Indian soldiers who fought for the British. The Mutiny Memorial at North Ridge (Kamala Nehru Ridge) Delhi was the most prominent of the mutiny memorials of the sub continent. The 1863 built Mutiny memorial is an octagonal tapering red sandstone tower built in Gothic style. It has a richly ornamented faced and is crowned with a marble crucifix. The four tiered tower rests on a two tiered platform. The total height of the tower in 33 meters. The flights of stairs from four sides of the platform lead to the base of the tower. The entry of the tower is through a gate on the western side and a flight of spiral stairs leads to the balconies of the four tiers. Sadly entry inside the tower is restricted for tourist. Apart from the gate the remaining seven sides contains marble plaques embedded inside decorated sandstone archways. Each side has a total of three plaque one large and two smaller ones at the bottom. Three of the bigger plaque narrates the incident in English, Hindi and Urdu. Among the remaining four plaques one lists the regiments present during the siege of Delhi while the second one lists actions fought at or near Delhi. The remaining two plaques list the KILLED, WOUNDED and MISSING soldiers of the mutiny, which is again sub divide into sub categories like Europeans & Natives and Officers & Non Commissioned Officers. On 15 August 1972 the Delhi’s Mutiny Memorial was renamed Ajitgarh (Place of the Unvanquished) and a plaque was put at its pedestal. Written in four languages Hindi, Urdu, English and Punjabi. It says that the “enemies” mentioned in the inscription were actually the freedom fighters and martyrs of India, who fought bravely against the repressive colonial rule in the First War of Indian Independence.
From the Hindu Rao Hospital gate a long walk northwards along the North Ridge leads to the park maintained by Delhi Development Authority (DDA). Next to the entrance of the park is the Chauburja Mosque. This was also constructed by Feroz Shah Tughlaq and along with Pir Ghaib and the baoli was part and parcel of the hunting expeditions. Literally meaning the Mosque with four towers (or probably domes), sadly only the dome of the south – east corner survives to this day. The eastern side has three arched entrances and four bastions.
A walk along the wanding roadways of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) park leads to the Southern Guard House and then to the Flagstaff Tower. A couple of yards to the left of the main walkway is the Southern Guard House. A small rectangular structure with a pedimented roof. Built in the first part of the nineteenth century the Southern Guard House along with the nearby Flagstaff Tower, was part of the cantonment area of the armed forces of the British East India Company.
Mahaparinirvan Bhoomi
A memorial dedicated to anti-caste activist, political leader and neo-Buddhist Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. The memorial building is in the shape of an open book which signifies the Constitution of India. The site incorporates several Buddhist elements, including a bronze Ashoka pillar at the entrance, a Bodhi tree surrounded by fountains with that move to Buddhist chants in a sound and light show, and two Sanchi-style toranas (gateways).