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About Hauz Khas
H auz Khas is the historical battleground where Timur defeated
Mohammed Shah Tughlaq in 1398. One can find the remnants of an
ancient college and Feroz Shah’s tomb here and on the east to
a short distance the Moth ki Masjid –built in the finest Lodi
style. Once an archetypal North Indian Village in the heart of
Delhi’s urban sprawl, Hauz Khas is now a shopper’s paradise
successfully marketing the concept of ‘ethnicity’ in every
possible way. There are boutiques selling furniture, clothes,
jewelry and art along with a smattering of restaurants that
serve a variety of ‘authentic’ cuisine. One wanders down a
quaint narrow alley experiencing all these ending up in a
surprisingly well-kept sprawling monument. Hauz Khas was a
large reservoir built by Allauddin Khilji that was once the
water catchments for the city. This village is remarkable for
both the ancient and charming ruins in the nearby compound
looking down on a still, green tank, as well as for the modern
and posh shopping complex, which has sprung up around here.
The madarsa, tombs and mosque around it built by Feroz Shah
Tuglaq still make for an exclusive and exciting experience
History
Alauddin Khilji(1296-1316) excavated a large tank here for the
use of the inhabitants of Siri. Hauz Khas is the second city
of medieval Delhi. It was originally known as Hauz-i-Alai
after Khilji. Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1351-88) re-excavated the
silted tank and raised several buildings on its southern and
eastern banks which are known as Hauz-Khas or royal tank. the
enclosure wall is partly modern.
A building of historical importance within this enclosure is
the tomb of Firuz Shah Tughlaq, which was repaired during the
reign of Sikandar Lodhi in 1507 AD, as is evidenced from an
inscription on the entrance. The multi-storeyed wings
consisting of series of halls and chambers on the north and
west of Firuz Shah's Tomb were built by him in about 1354 AD.
to serve as a madrasa or college for theological training.
Staircases lead down to the tank from the upper storey of the
madrasa. At the northern extremity of the enclosure is a small
mosque. One of the old entrances to the enclosure is from the
west, now closed. The octagonal and square chhatris standing
here were built as tombs over the graves possibly of teachers
attached to the madrasa.
Taimur, who invaded Delhi in 1399, was highly impressed by the
tank and buildings around it, but wrongly ascribed its
construction to Firuz Shah Tughlaq. (Source: Archaeological
Survey of India)
Today
Now Hauz Khas is one of the elitest South Delhi areas.
Although Hauz Khas Village is not always kept in perfect
condition, it houses exclusive boutiques and is home to
several excellent restaurants, and is an expensive shopping
district. It is surrounded by Safdarjung enclave, Green Park,
Deer Park and the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.
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