THE THOUSAND PILLARED CASTLE WITH ONLY A FEW PILLARS STANDING

There is no doubt that Delhi’s architecture during the medieval period was the epitome of brilliance. While intricate carving and precisely constructed domes took away your breath, the falling niches and the ruined gateways have the power to move an architecture enthusiast. The same can be said for the ruins of The Thousand Pillared castle or Bijay Mandal. 

The Ruins of Bijay Mandal. Image Source: Wikipedia Commons

The construction of Bijay Mandal dates back to the 14th century when one of the four cities during the Delhi Sultanate- Jahanpanah came into existence. The construction of Bijay Mandal was initially started by Allaudin Khilji and further embellished and completed by Muhammad bin Tughlaq during his reign. 

It is believed that Tughlaq wanted this structure to be a Thousand Pillared castle with each pillar made out of a painted roof and a roof that was covered with detailed and one-of-a-kind carving. This Tughlaqi-style palace has an unusual architectural style with an octagonal pavilion, traces of numerous floors, and broken stairways that now leads you nowhere.

The living room of the palace has two large openings that led to the vaults of the treasury. Recent excavation activities led archaeologists to numerous wealth and treasures hidden in these vaults that date back to Firoz Shah’s reign. Another peculiar thing about its architecture is a dome building with two openings on its three sides that are believed to be the annexe to another unknown building. 

While the palace lies in ruins and tithers of its being remain, we get to know a lot about this place from Ibn Battuta's travel accounts. Ibn Batuta was a traveller and explorer who wrote extensively on India and the rule of the Delhi Sultanate during his stay in the Indian subcontinent. His famous work Rihala talks about the rulers, the cosmopolitan culture of India, and the lifestyle people engaged in. 

On Bijay Mandal, Ibn Batuta described this palace as an architectural structure with multiple chambers and a large public audience hall. He called it the Hazar sultan palace and stated that this structure was probably used to serve the purpose of an observation tower from where the ruler could monitor his people, specifically the troops. 

While the whole place has a soothing and relaxing vibe, its maze-like structure with peculiarities confuses anyone who visits it. 

Muhammad Bin Tughlaq constructed this magnificent structure for his snobbish and personal controlling issues to look over his empire. While everyone is aware of his eccentric nature, it is a shame that the pride of his life- Bijay Mandal is left with only half of its original structure. The pillars have succumbed, the stairways lie unused and the walls have collapsed, leaving nothing but a memory of its superiority that once existed and Batuta once wrote.

The Pillared Halls of Bijay Mandal. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons