|
The Siri Fort is one of the best architectures of the Delhi Sultanate, drawing numerous tourists to experience a fascinating history of the rise and fall of empires. The fort is the heart of Siri, which had been built by Alauddin Khilji as a second city to Delhi. Dotted with innumerable relics, Siri stands today to recreate the tales of its glorious past and the role it had played in the social and political life of the city. Siri owes its origins to Alauddin’s attempts to save his empire from the Mongol attacks. The Mongols easily seeped in through the weak borders of Delhi, threatening the very existence of the city at frequent intervals. As Alauddin ascended the throne in 1296, he found an empire whose very existence was put at stake by the foreign attacks. Siri had therefore been constructed by the Khilji emperor as a second city through which he sought to guard his kingdom from the foreign attacks. The fort was indeed a fortified construction which succeeded in guarding the settlement inside from any disturbance. Though the Fort stands in ruins today, one can decipher from the relics how strong and equipped it had been in the past. Siri Fort stands among the numerous monuments and palaces which Alauddin had constructed. Constructed in 1311, the Fort served as a seat of Alauddin’s administration. Amongst a host of administrative buildings and palaces, the construction which deserves most credit was the Hazar Sutun, a magnificent palace comprising of a thousand pillars. Housed within Siri was Hauz-e-Alai, a marvelous reservoir which draws numerous visitors with its serene stretch of water. The fort however, failed to stand in the face of time and though the strong fortifications preserved it from foreign attacks, it failed to guard the fort from the claws of the future rulers. Siri was regularly plundered by rulers who used construction materials from the majestic structure to adorn their own forts, leaving Siri bare of any substantial architecture to boast of. Siri has carved a special niche for itself as it was Delhi’s first city to be built by a Muslim ruler. Located at the heart of the city, Siri Fort is therefore a major attraction for the visitors who come here to unravel an important chapter in the city’s history.
|
