Fast Facts
Location : New Delhi.
Also Known As : Purana Quila
Built By : Humayun, Sher Shah.
Built In Between : 1538 A.D to 1545 A.D.
Old Fort – Overview
Undoubtedly,
most of you know Delhi by historic Red Fort, but there is also an another
imposing fort in the city which will captivate your attention with its
rugged beauty. A wonderful example of medieval military architecture, Old
Fort or Purana Quila is a must visit place during your trip to Delhi. Old
Fort is located just south-east of India Gate and north of Humayun’s
Tomb and the Nizamuddin Railway Station.
Mughal Emperor Humayun laid the foundation stone of this impressive fort in
1538 but he couldn’t complete it as Afghan warrior Sher Shah Suri
defeated him in 1541. Later, Sher Shah Suri made essential modifications in
the fort and named it as Shergarh. When the fort was built, there were
canals on three sides and the remaining side was banked by the river Yamuna.
Old Fort was flanked with massive walls and there were three main entrances
to the fort.
Today, most of the old structures of the fort are in ruins, but the
remaining portions are enough to mesemerize you.
Old Fort – History
Old Fort is located in the pre-historical Indraprastha of the Mahabharata,
which has been surveyed and proved in findings of 1955. From 3rd B.C to
pre-Mughal period, there was a fort in Indraprastha. Mughal Emperor Humayun
built a new fort here and Old Indraprastha became Dinpanaha. Sher Shah Suri
defeated Humayun in 1541 and occupied the power. In 1548 Sher Shah Suri
died, eventually Humayun recaptured Delhi in 1555 by defeating Sher Shah’s
son Islam Shah. Humayun also destroyed Sher Shah’s capital Shergarh.
Tourist Attractions inside Old Fort
Sher Manzil : When you enter the fort through the Zoo
Garden or the Talaki Entrance in north, you will come across the octagonal
peaks made of sand stones on Sher Manzil. Actually, Sher Manzil was built by
Sher Shah but later, Humayun used it as a personal library. In 1556, after
hearing Azaan (call for prayer), Humayun intended to offer Namaaz, while
coming out from his library he suddenly fell down from the stair-cases and
died. Just beyond the library is the Qila-i-Kuhran mosque or Sher Shah
Mosque which is known for its unique Indo- Afghan sculpture.
Field Museum : Behind Sher Manzil on the right side at
Humayun Darwaja (gate) is Field Museum which has the collection of
anthropological exhibits. The Field Museum houses valuable items belonging
to Mughal dynasty, Sultanate dynasty, Rajput dynasty, Gupta dynasty, Sunga
dynasty, Maurya dynasty and the era before Christ. In addition to these, the
coin collections of Sunga dyansty (200 – 100 B.C) is a remarkable
attraction inside the museum.
What’s So Special
Sound and Light Show : The Sound and Light show at the Old
Fort is an added attraction which you should not miss. During this one hour
show, the rise and fall of Delhi from Indraprastha to Mughal era becomes
live in Sound and Light. Voice of this Sound and Light show has been given
by Bollywood personalities like Jaya Bachchan, Om Puri and others.
Show Timings
English Version : September to October & February to
April – 20.30 p.m to 21.30 p.m.
November to January – 19.30 p.m. to 21.30 p.m.
May to August – 21.00 p.m to 22.00 p.m.
Hindi Version : September to October & February to
April – 19.00 p.m to 20.00 p.m.
November to January – 18.00 p.m. to 19.00 p.m.
May to August – 19.30 p.m to 20.30 p.m.
* Show Timings may vary, please confirm the
timings from the Booking counter ITDC, Connaught Place or concerned
authority.
Boating : Just infront of the Old Fort is a lovely lake
where you can go for boating. Boats are available on hire at a reasonable
price and you may enjoy boating in a group of two to four.
How to Reach
By Air : Delhi is well-connected by several domestic and
international flights with important places of India and the world. Indra
Gandhi International Airport and Palam airport are the two main airports of
Delhi. These airports are five mnts away from each other and served by
regular shuttle services.
By Train : Delhi, New Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin railway
station are three main railheads of Delhi. Several mail, super fast,
Rajdhani and Superfast trains connect Delhi to rest of the country.
By Bus : National Highways and State Highways connect
Delhi with neighbouring states and other parts of India. Buses of DTC (Delhi
Transport Corporation) and other State Transport Corporation ply to and from
Delhi.
Local Transport : DTC and private buses runs within Delhi
and nearby Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad. Apart from buses, taxis, cars,
auto-rickshaws and metro are other local modes of transport. You can reach
Old Fort by taking any mode of local transport.
Places Where You Can Stay
Accommodation is not at all a problem in Delhi as the city is dotted with
hundreds of good hotels, lodges, rest houses etc. You may opt any of the
accommodation option as per your budget and requirement.
