page_title: Mehrauli
section_title: Architecture
hierarchical_section_title: Mehrauli / Architecture
caption_attribution_description: English: Ahinsa Sthal, Mehrauli, New Delhi
context_page_description: Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in South Delhi, a district of Delhi in India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is located close to Gurgaon and next to Vasant Kunj. Naresh Yadav of Aam Aadmi Party is the current MLA from Mehrauli.
context_section_description: Though Mehrauli is like any ordinary neighborhood today, its past is what distinguishes it in terms of architecture.
  Ahinsa Sthal is a Jain temple located in Mehrauli, Delhi. The main deity of the temple is Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara (human spiritual guide) of a present half cycle of time. A magnificent statue of Tirthankara Mahāvīra is installed here.
  Even though the capital shifted from Mehrauli after the Slave dynasty rule came to an end, many other dynasties contributed significantly to Mehrauli's architecture.
  The most visible piece of architecture remains the Qutub Minar which was built upon ancient Hindu and Buddhist temples which was initiated by Qutub ud din Aybak with subsequent additions by Iltutmish and Alauddin Khalji. The Qutb Minar complex is today a UNESCO world heritage site, and also the venue for the annual Qutub Festival.
  There are several pillars of temples adjacent to Qutb Minar, but they are in damaged condition.
  Mausoleum of a 13th-century Sufi saint, Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, is also situated near the Qutub Minar Complex and the venue for the annual Phoolwalon-ki-sair Festival. The dargah complex also houses graves of later Mughal emperors, Bahadur Shah I, Shah Alam II, and Akbar II, in an adjacent marble enclosure. To the left of the dargah, lies Moti Masjid, a small mosque, built for private prayer by the son of Aurangzeb, Bahadur Shah I.
  Balban's tomb belonging to Balban, Slave dynasty ruler of Delhi Sultanate was constructed here in the 13th century can still be seen through in a dilapidated condition. The architecturally important structure as it is the first true arch in Indo-Islamic architecture. Another tomb, that of Balban's son, Khan Shahid, who died before he could be crowned, is also located nearby in Mehrauli Archeological Park.
  A baoli or stepwell known as Rajon Ki Baoli was constructed in 1506 during Sikandar Lodhi's reign. It was used to store water though it is now completely dried and is now known as Sukhi Baoli (dry well).
  The Jamali Kamali mosque was built in 1528, in honour of the Sufi saint Shaikh Hamid bin Fazlullah, also known as Dervish Shaikh Jamali Kamboh Dihlawi or Jalal Khan. The saint's tomb built-in 1536 upon his death is adjacent to the mosque.
  Near Jamali Kamali lies the tomb of Quli Khan, which during the British period was converted into a country house by the Metcalfe family. Known as ‘the retreat’ or ‘Dilkhusha’, this was built by Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe in true English style as a pleasure retreat by surrounding it with many rest houses, follies, and gardens. 'Dilkhusha' in the Urdu language means "Delight of the Heart".
  The Adham Khan's Tomb was constructed by Emperor Akbar in memory of his foster brother and general Adham Khan in 1566. The tomb, also known as Bhulbhulaiyan, as one could get lost in the labyrinth of its passages, it was later used by the British as a residence, rest house and even as a police station. Close to Adham Khan's tomb, lies that of another Mughal General, Muhammad Quli Khan, later it served as the residence of Sir Thomas Metcalfe, governor-general's agent at the Mughal court. The Mehrauli Archaeological Park spread over 200 acres, adjacent to Qutb Minar site was redeveloped in 1997.
caption: Ahinsa Sthal is a 13 feet 6 inches Mahaveer single rock idol.
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