A handbook for travellers in India, Burma, and Ceylon . . alswere obtained from the demolition oftwenty - seven idolatrous temples,each of which had cost twenty-sevenlakhs of dilials, fifty dilials beingequal to one rupee. The domedpavilions in the angles of the cloistersare worthy of notice. The famous Iron Pillar (see p. 210)stands in front of the central openingto the mosque proper, a buildingof small proportions, and now inruins, overtopped and hidden by thegrand screen of lofty arches whichoccupies the whole of the W. screen was erected by Kutab-ud-din later than his other work,
A handbook for travellers in India, Burma, and Ceylon . . alswere obtained from the demolition oftwenty - seven idolatrous temples,each of which had cost twenty-sevenlakhs of dilials, fifty dilials beingequal to one rupee. The domedpavilions in the angles of the cloistersare worthy of notice. The famous Iron Pillar (see p. 210)stands in front of the central openingto the mosque proper, a buildingof small proportions, and now inruins, overtopped and hidden by thegrand screen of lofty arches whichoccupies the whole of the W. screen was erected by Kutab-ud-din later than his other work, andwas extended beyond on either sidefor 115 ft. by Altamsh. The centralarch is 53 ft. high by 22 ft. Mohammedan conquerors hada tolerably distinct idea that pointedarches were the true form of archi- ROUTE 14. KUTAB MINAR 209 tectural openings, but being withoutscience sufficient to construct them,they left the Hindu architects and same principle upon which they builttheir domes—they carried them up inhorizontal courses as far as they could. IkerCrBoutall se. builders to follow their own devicesas to the mode of carrying out theform. Accordingly they proceededto make the pointed openings on the and then closed them by long slabsmeeting at the top. The impost inthe central arch was added by theBritish restorers. The ornamenta- O 2IO ROUTE 14. DELHI India tion, interspersed with texts from theKoran, is evidently taken from thaton the old pillars of the of the roof of the mosquestill remain, supported by oldcolumns, and do not reach morethan one-third of the height of thescreen in front of it. When Delhiwas captured by Timur, the Mughalsmassacred all the persons who hadtaken refuge in the mosque. The Iron Pillar is one of the mostcurious antiquities in India. It is asolid shaft of wrought iron, morethan 16 in. in diameter, and 23 in. in length. The height of thepillar above ground is 22 ft., but thesmooth shaft is only 15 ft., thecapital being
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