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Photo: Nvvchar, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Goddess Yogmaya, the sister of Krishna. Built in early 19th century and is a descendant of a much older Devi shrine. Adjacent to the temple lies, a water body, known as 'Anangtal', after King Anangpal, and covered by trees from all sides.
Yogmaya Temple, also Jogmaya temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Yogmaya, also considered to be a sister of Krishna as she took avatar as Vindhyavasini, and situated in Mehrauli, Delhi, India, close to the Qutb complex. According to local priests and native records, this is one of those 27 temples destroyed by Mamluks and it is the only surviving temple belonging to pre-sultanate period which is still in use. Hindu king Samrat Vikramaditya Hemu reconstructed the temple and brought back the temple from ruins. During Aurangzeb's reign a rectangular Islamic Style hall was added to the temple. Though its original architecture could never be restored after its destruction by Islamic rulers, but its reconstruction had been carried out repetitively by the locals.
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Hindi: आधम ख़ान का मक़बरा Ādham Khān kā Maqbarā, Urdu: ادھم خان کا مزار Ādham Khān kā Maqbarā; Bhool Bhulaiyya
This is the tomb of Adham Khan who was the son of Akbar's wet nurse Maham Anga. After Adham Khan killed Atagha Khan, a general in Akbar's army, he killed Adham Khan by dropping him from the top of Agra Fort. After this his mother was depressed and Akbar built this tomb.
In the centre of the mosque. True to its name, this is a 7 m iron pillar erected in 400 AD by Chandragupta II Vikramaditya, also known as "he, by the breezes of whose prowess the southern ocean is even still perfumed" according to the inscription carved on the base. Alas, Chandragupta II's perfume has long since faded, but to the amazement of metallurgists everywhere, his pillar is still going strong, after 1,600 years. The corrosion resistance results from a layer of crystalline iron hydrogen phosphate forming on the high phosphorus content iron, which protects it from the effects of the local Delhi climate. The pillar is 7.21 m high, 1.12 m of which is below ground. The base rests on a grid of iron bars soldered with lead into the upper layer of the dressed stone pavement. It is estimated to weigh more than six tonnes.
Delhi's first and grandest mosque is now mostly in ruins, but many parts of the complex are still standing and the sandstone decorations are still impressive. Check out the extraordinarily ornate carvings near the tomb of Iltutmish on the west side of the complex.
क़ुत्ब मीनार / قطب منار Qutb Mīnār
The most famous structure on the grounds is the Minar itself. At 73m tall, it is the second tallest minar in India (after Fateh Burj in Mohali), and was the tallest "skyscraper" in the world when built (1193-1368). It is often visible from the air when flying into IGI airport. It was constructed on the orders of Qutb-ud-din Aybak, founder of the Slave Dynasty, and named after him. Delicately carved and inscribed with Arabic inscriptions, its red sandstone and marble have been astonishingly well-preserved, and it is still an awe-inspiring sight today. The top of the tower has twice been rebuilt after an earthquake, and the base has been restored more recently. While entry into the tower itself is no longer permitted, for ₹10 per 5 min you can view the scenery via a little webcam on top.
Alai Minar
Sultan Ala-ud-din (ruled 1296-1316) of the Khilji dynasty set out to build a tower twice as high as the Qutb Minar but died after a mere 24.5 m was complete. The first story stands to this day.
Alai Darwaza
This square, domed building once acted as the entrance to the mosque but is now tucked away behind the minar. Inlaid marble decorations and latticed stone screens.