Qutub Complex, Delhi, India tomb of iltutmish, tomb of balban, dilkhusha

1. THE TOMB OF
SULTAN SHAMS-
UD-DIN
ILTUTMISH

3.  Sultan Iltutmish, credited for cementing the Turkish empire in India, died in
1235, due to high fever.
 Tomb of Iltutmish was the first Islamic tomb in India
 Located outside the N-W corner of the Quwaat-ul-Islam Mosque.
 It’s a mausoleum with exquisite workmanship.

4. • Square plan
• Arched entrance – eastern, southern
and northern walls.
• Western side accommodates 3 prayer
niches called mihrabs.
• Made of red sandstone, measuring 44
sqft on outside and 30 sqft inside.
• Ornate with delicate stonework on the
inside.
• Beautifully carved Quranic inscriptions
are used as ornamentation along with
arabesque and floral motifs covering
entire walls.
There are no inscriptions on the tomb which credit it to
Iltutmish, leading to doubts about the tomb’s identity.
However, records and writings of contemporary and
subsequent historians have confirmed that the tomb
does indeed belong to Iltutmish.

5. TOMB OF BALBAN (1265-
1286)
 Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din Balban was one of the most important sultans of
slave dynasty.
 Died out of grief caused by death of his son.
 He was buried in Dar-ul-aman (house of safety).
 Situated near qutb complex.
 This building is more respected in history as an important institution
than architectural project.
 Being an ancient monument, the Tomb is seen in a dilapidated state and
in complete neglect.

6.  Square in plan and rubble
built.
 Originally adorned with tiles,
some traces of which survived.
 Twice the size of Iltutmish’s
tomb and has archway on each
of its four sides.
 First use of true arch in India.
 Dome of tomb has fallen.
 Grave of red sandstone.

7. DILKHUSHA (HEART’S
DELIGHT)
• Tomb of Muhammad Quli Khan, the brother of Adham Khan, a minister
in Akbar’s court.
• Sir Thomas Metcalfe, the British Resident at India converted the tomb
into his country residence.
• He acquired the whole area including the nearby Qutub complex.
• The tomb, as it was before and is again now, is hexagonal in shape, with
one ogee arch on each side.