Essay on Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar is the largest minaret in the world situated in Delhi, India that is constructed with bricks. A minaret is a tower usually located near a mosque. The minaret can be used for many purposes. However, they can also serve as a non-religious towers. There are many towers in the world. Some of them are also present in India. The unique structure of the minaret attracts everyone’s attention towards them. One of the famous minarets of India is Qutub Minar. So, let’s explore this largest minaret in detail.

Short and Long Qutub Minar Essay in English

Here, I’m providing a short and long essay on Qutub Minar. This topic will be helpful for students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and higher classes. This topic is also useful for other people who wanted to know the details of this ancient minaret.

10 Lines Essay on Qutub Minar (100 – 150 Words)

1) The highest brick minaret in the world is Qutub Minar which is situated in South Delhi, India.

2) Qutub Minar is the result of the Qutub-ud-Din Aibak’s dream tower.

3) Qutub Minar is 73 meters high with 379 interior stairs.

4) Qutub-ud-Din Aibak, Iltutmish, Firoz Shah Tughlak, and Sikandar Lodi contributed to the final construction of Qutub Minar.

5) It was built as the standing victory symbol of a Muslim ruler over the last Hindu ruler.

6) Qutub Minar is also added to the UNESCO list because of its glorified beauty.

7) The Qutub festival is celebrated to revive this ancient minaret.

8) Various other monuments can be seen in the Qutub complex.

9) Qutub Minar has suffered natural disasters several times.

10) Red sandstone and marble is used in the construction with an inscription of the Quran on the outer walls.

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Long Essay on Qutub Minar – 1500 Words

Introduction

Delhi is called the heart of our country India. It is called heart not because of the capital of the country. The beauty and the charm of the city are very engaging. Once you visit the city you don’t want to come back.

The city also holds a variety of delightful places that are present in the visiting lists of many peoples. The history of Delhi is very interesting and the tourist spots will take you to the past during the Mughal rulers.

What is Qutub Minar?

The construction of Qutub Minar was started in 1192 and was completed in 1220. Qutub Minar is located near Aurobindo Marg in the Mehrauli area of South Delhi, India. Due to its beautiful and unique structure, the site is visited by many tourists.

Qutub Minar is the center of tourist attraction that registers about 3.9 million visitors every year. The area around the minaret is surrounded by greenery that gives you a leisure feel. This famous minaret had survived many disasters being reconstructed by the ruler of the time. Now Qutub Minar is also considered in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Site.

Qutub Minar Architecture

The architecture of the Qutub Minar is the result of the Qutb-ud-din Aibak’s inspiration. He was inspired by the minaret of Jam, Afghanistan, and constructed a similar minaret in Delhi, India.

The tall structure has about 73 meters in height and is the tallest minaret of India made up of bricks. The lower diameter of Qutub Minar is 14.3 meters with 2.7 meters on the top. You can see the panoramic view of the city from the top of this minaret, which can be reached with 379 circular staircases. Qutub Minar is a five-storied minaret in which the lower three storeys are made up of red sandstone while the above two is made up of sandstone and white marble.

The outer walls of Qutub Minar represent the Parso-Arabic and Nagari character carvings. The minaret will introduce you to the ancient Indo-Islamic structure with inscriptions of the Quran. Each storey of the minaret is surrounded by circular balconies.

Qutub Minar is also being the inspiration of many minarets including the Chand Minar of Maharashtra.

History of Qutub Minar

Apart from its beauty, Qutub Minar is surrounded by many controversies. The first controversy is regarding the name of this minaret. Some believe that the name ‘Qutub’ is derived from the name of its constructor, Qutb-ud-din Aibak. However, some also believe that Iltutmish has high regard for Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiar Kaki, a famous saint of Baghdad, and hence kept the name of the minaret.

Only the first storey of the minaret was completed in his lifetime. Later, the construction work was carried forward by his successor. The further work was done under the governance of Qutb-ud-din Abak’s son-in-law Shams-ud-din Iltutmish.

Qutub Minar had undergone natural disasters many times. In 1369 AD, it was knocked off completely when hit by lightning. Sultan Firuz ShahTughlaq, the then ruler took the charge of the renovation and added two more storey to the minaret. After this, in 1505, the minaret was again hit by an earthquake and underwent several damage. This time, Sikandar Lodi was the ruler of Delhi and renovated the minaret.

Qutub Minar as a Tourist Destination

Tourists can visit Qutub Minar at any season to enjoy the beauty of the place. However, the best to visit the place is November to March. The minaret is open on all seven days of a week. The visiting hour of the Qutub Minar is from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.

You can reach the destination through:

• Metro: Metro is the most suitable option to reach Qutub Minar. The nearest station is the Qutub Minar Metro station, where you need to stop. You can take rickshaw to reach the main complex.
• Bus: Buses can also be an option to reach the place. Few DTC busses are available in this route, however, there are also some special busses for tourists that can take you to the destination.
• Airport: The nearest airport to the Qutub Minar is Indira Gandhi International Airport. After that, you can book a taxi or cabs to reach the Qutub Minar premises.
• There is an entry fee of INR 35 for Indians and INR 550 for foreigners to enjoy the Qutub Minar and its complex. There is free entry for children below 15 ages. The entry inside the Qutub Minar is closed since 4 December 1981, due to an accident causing about 45 deaths with a high ratio of children.

Why Qutub Minar is Constructed?

The last Hindu Rajput ruler, Prithvi raj Chauhan was defeated by Muhammad Ghori in 1192. Qutub Minar is also considered as the symbol of Muslim victory over the land of Hindus.

The first Muslim ruler Qutb-ud-din Aibak who was the general of Ghori was responsible for the construction of Qutub Minar. He was the founder and the first ruler of the Mamluk dynasty. Qutb-ud-din Aibak was a slave in Afghanistan, who became the ruler of Delhi. He started the construction of the Qutub Minar after becoming ruler.

Some also believe that this minaret is constructed for muezzins to offer faithful prayers.

Qutub Festival

In order to sustain and preserve the beauty of this ancient minaret, a three-day festival is organized. The Qutub festival is celebrated in the Qutub Minar. Many cultural events take place at this festival. Qutub Minar is celebrated in the tentative month of November or December. It is a step toward the revival process of this ancient heritage site.

Famous artists from different places participate in this program making it a great celebration. This annual festival is organized to showcase the glory of this ancient heritage site. This festival holds both national as well as international importance. This three-day continuous celebration illuminates the minaret. The Sahitya Kala Parishad and the Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation are responsible for the organization of this festival.

Qutub Minar Complex

There are many sites around the Qutub Minar that holds different histories of the past. When you visit the place, you will find not only Qutub Minar but its complex also attracts visitors. Some of the famous things you can encounter near the Qutub Minar are mentioned below:

• Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque: The Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque also known as the great mosque of Delhi is situated on the premises of Qutub Minar. The Quwwat-ul-Islam was built by Qutb-ud-din Aibak along with Qutub Minar. The construction was completed in 1197 AD. An ornamental dome or Mandap can be seen at the entrance of this mosque. The building depicts Hindu and Muslim architecture as the previous five arches were built by Hindu masons.
• Alai Darwaza: The Alai Darwaza is situated in the Qutub complex in Delhi. This beautiful structure is constructed with red sandstones. The Alai Darwaza is constructed in 1311 by Alauddin Khalji. This Indo-Islamic structure is also added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• Red sandstone and white marble are used in the manufacturing of this monument. The walls of the monument represent Arabic calligraphy.
• Iron Pillar: The iron pillar of Delhi is another famous pillar that is 23 feet 8 inches high with a 16-inch diameter. This pillar was constructed by Chandragupta II and weighs about three tonnes. It is famous because of the unique metal used in the construction. Even disposed to atmospheric changes for a long time, this pillar remained rust and corrosion free.
• Alai Minar: The sultan of the Khilji dynasty, Ala-ud-Din Khalji won several wars in his lifetime. He wanted to build a huge tower as a sign of his victory. He aimed that the tower should be as double as the height of the Qutub Minar. But he died before the completion of the tower and none of his successors tried to further construct it. Therefore, the Alai Minar was left incomplete.
• Tomb Of Imam Zamin: As the name suggests, it is the mausoleum of Imam Zamin who was popularly known as Muhammad Ali. This tomb was built by himself and located in the Qutub complex, Delhi.

Conclusion

This ancient heritage site is preserved and monitored by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Various conservation and development plans are applied from time to time to conserve the glory of this minaret. This hundred of years old minaret oversees more than three million visitors every day. People from different location come to Delhi to see this beautiful architecture minaret.

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I hope the above given essay on Qutub Minar would be easily understandable by all. So, next time when you visit Delhi, don’t forget to address Qutub Minar with your eyes.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions on Qutub Minar