KHOONI DHARWAZA - ART AND CULTURE
News: Gateway
to the past: Khooni Darwaza is a key witness to the Revolt of 1857
What's in the news?
● From
witnessing the events of the 1857 Revolt, sharing a neighbourhood with the
Maulana Azad Medical College to bearing the history of executions, the Khooni
Darwaza is a key piece of the country’s history.
Key takeaways:
● Situated
near the Delhi Gate, Khooni Darwaza is a gate built during the reign of Sher Shah Suri in the 16th
century.
● The
gate gets its name from the killings that took place there during the Indian
Rebellion of 1857.
Lal Darwaza/Khooni Darwaza:
● Lal
Darwaza, damaged by rains, was one of the gates built by Sher Shah in his new
city of Delhi, besides the Kabuli Darwaza, which probably got its name because
of the caravans which would pass it on their way to Kabul.
● The
Lal Darwaza is now called Khooni Darwaza and is said to have got its name after
Bahadur Shah Zafar’s sons and grandson
were shot dead there by Lt. Hodson in 1857 when British forces had
recaptured Delhi and the Last Emperor had taken refuge in Humayun’s Tomb.
● During
the Independence, the Khooni Darwaza saw a lot of bloodshed. It is here where
thousands of refugees were mercilessly killed while they were on their way to
safety in Purana Qila.
Khooni Dharwaza Architecture:
● The
architecture of Khooni Darwaza is a blend
of Mughal and Afghan styles.
● The
gate is made of quartzite stone and
is three-storeyed.
● It
has three arched entrances, with the central one being the largest.
● The
upper stories of the gate have balconies with jharokhas that provide a view of
the surrounding area. It is around 50 feet in height and has different levels,
which can be accessed.
● The
gate has a large courtyard in front, which historians believed was used as a
public gathering space in the past.
● The
courtyard is surrounded by a high wall, and there are several chambers and
rooms inside the gate.
Qila-i-kuhna
Masjid:
·
Within the boundaries of
the Old Fort, Sher Shah built the Qila-i-kuhna
Masjid, a gem of an example of Afghan
architecture, which was repaired by
Lord Curzon during his viceroyship.