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Tughlaqabad
Location
: Near Mehrauli, Delhi
Historically Known As
: Tughluqabad, Third City of Delhi
Founded In
: 1321-25
Built By
: Ghiyath-ud-din Tughluq
Tugluqabad Fort was built by Ghiasuddin for his captial known as Tugluqabad. It is located eight km. from QutubMinar. He built this very big fort just for his strategic reasons. Now a days nothing remains except the bastioned walls and some underground chambers, the lofty gateways, triple storeyed towers and the remains of massive rampants. According to legend, the ruin of the city and fort of Tugluqabad was brought by the curse of Sheikh Nizamuddin Aulia.
Making of Tughluqabad
Ghiyath-ud-din Tughluq built the walled city and the fort with its 13 gateways. Its construction involved a legendary quarrel with the saint Nizam-ud-din. When the Tughluq ruler took the workers whom Nizam-ud-din wanted for work on his shrine the saint cursed the king with the warning that only the Gujjars (shepherds) would inhabit his city.
The dispute between the king and the saint did not end with curse and counter-curse. When the king prepared to take vengeance on the saint, Nizam-ud-din calmly told his followers, in a saying that is still current in India today, ' Delhi is a long way off'. Indeed it was for the king was murdered on his way to Delhi in 1325.
Earlier, Ghiyath-ud-din had been a general in Ala-ud-din Khalji's army. Once while on the road with Ala-ud-din, Ghiyath-ud-din, on spotting this area, mentioned to the sultan what an ideal setting it seemed to provide for a new city. Upon this the king indulgently replied, that when Ghiyath-ud-din will become the king he should built one. After the death of Ala-ud-din various events conspired to put the general on the throne at last. Then he fulfilled his long-cherished dream, of building Tughluqabad.
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