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Sultanghari – Hindu Temple Seized By Sultan Iltumish

In the south-western part of New Delhi, the area that is now called Vasant Kunj, few kilometers from Qutub Minar, lies the tomb of prince Nasirudin Mahmud, eldest son of Mughal Sultan Shamsud-Din Iltutmish.

Indira Gandhi Centre of Arts, Ministry of Culture, GOI says about Sultanghari on its website –

‘The Sultan Ghari’s tomb lies about 8 km southwest of the Qutub, near Mahipalpur (originally known as malkapur). It was built in 1231 by Sultan Iltutmish over the remains of his eldest son and heir-apparent, prince Nasiru’d-Din Mahmud.

Laid out within a walled enclosure with bastions on corners, which impart it the look of a fortress, its octagonal grave-chamber lies underground, as the level around it was raised by a rubble-packing. The ceiling rests on columns raised with two pillars each robbed from an earlier Hindu shrine; carved lintels from another were found embedded in the thick lime-concrete roof. Other pieces were used in the ceilings of the prayer-chamber and bastions and the pillars re-utilised in the verandahs, originally used as a madrasa, after chipping the decoration off them. The tomb was repaired later by Firoz Shah Tughluq.’

Almost every source or mention of Sultanghari on the web uses the word ‘built’ for a glaring example of an intolerant wound inflicted on the history of a dharmika heritage which has been now crying for about 800 years that it has been forcibly hybridized and appropriated, initially with force, and later the acceptance came by the sheer propaganda of secularism. This in spite of the fact, that most historical written sources mention that a hindu structure, most probably a temple, stood there and the destructed parts of which were unabashedly misused to create the tomb.

The monument of Sultanghari is made of grey granite, red sandstone & marble with Hindu motifs and later-era Islamic inscription were added tastelessly to mark a religious victory. If nothing else, the pictures are narrating the saga eloquently.

Various ASI (Archeological Survey of India) officers in the past have written about the existence of a Hindu structure, most probably a big temple, at the exact location of Sultanghari, which was constructed during the Gurjara-Pratihara period. Some of these are mentioned in the book ‘Hindu Masjids’ by Prafull Goradia. Quoting some important statements from the book –

Naqvi has taken pains to describe at length the edifice which began as a temple, got converted into a tomb and to which was added a masjid with a marble mehrab and then a gate with pretty Arabic calligraphy of verses from the Holy Quran. As he puts it, the gateway projects 13 ~feet from the enclosure wall and is approached and entered by a flight of steps flanked by two square rooms which are roofed with stone slabs in the Hindu fashion. The external archway of the gate is formed by overlapping courses of marble and around it is the important Arabic inscription in Kufic characters.

He winds up his description with the words: The Hindu elements in the architecture of the monument are apparent in the dome of the mosque and the partly defaced Hindu motifs on some of the pillar brackets of the western colonnade. The presence of a Gauripatta or receptacle of a linga in the pavement of the western colonnade is a further significant point. Furthermore, the marble stones in the external facade of the mosque are serially numbered, indicating their removal from elsewhere.

The book also mentions historian Cunnigham’s writing on Sultanghari –

Cunningham’s observations made in 1871/72 should be taken even more seriously because his impartiality would be beyond doubt. There would be no bias as between the Hindu and Muslim viewpoints. In the ASI report of those years, he has written that the tomb of Sultan Ghari, with its domes of overlapping courses, appears to be pre-Muhammadan, but when to this feature we add the other Hindu features, both of construction and ornamentation, the stones set without cement in the walls, the appearance of wear or weathering of the stones, greater even than in the Kutb, though similar in material, and the fact that the inner cell was originally finished in granite, but afterwards cased with marble, it becomes extremely probable that this is, like the Kutb, a Hindu building appropriated by the Muhammadans, and the probability is rendered almost a certainty by the existence of the central cell, which is a construction adapted to some Hindu forms of worship, the Saivic, but which is an anomaly in Muhammadan architecture.

 

IMG_20180923_171729255_HDR

Tomb of Nasirudin Mahmud
Colonnade with different size slabs
Colonnade with different size slabs
Source – Wikipedia
Hindu temple pillars
One of the inscriptions in Sultanghari
One of the inscriptions in Sultanghari
Source – Sanskriti Magazine

So, from most records it is evident that there indeed was a reverential Hindu structure twisted and turned into a tyrannical victory reeking of absolutism in the oppressive sense. However, the author of ‘Hindu Masjids’ and other locals of the Sultanghari area mention that both Hindus and Muslims have been offering prayers in the said premises since several years and therefore, this has come to be a symbol of Muslim tolerance.

Calling it ‘tolerance’ is baffling, because in a Hindu majority nation post Independence, one is only allowed genuine ownership of barely a very small fraction of the real heritage that is centuries old and that has survived through sacrificing a lot of blood. This is the truth that has to be accepted here. And this truth is based on historical evidential validity. That it is not indeed ‘tolerance’, it is in fact a make-believe tolerance in cases where there is clear evidence that the heritage truly belongs to the Hindus but the claim to it, is shared. This ‘tolerance’ will cease to exist if at all this becomes a Muslim majority nation and the entire history is evidence of it.

 

 

A look at different sources of information about Sultanghari suggests planned restoration work. Most suggest that the heritage area of Sultan Ghari extends to 61.8 acres. This monument has been declared as a Grade A monument by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), The plan of restoration is under implementation by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and it seems to have undertaken the following construction activities as per Wikipedia –

  • The entrance gates of the Tomb have been built with dolphur sandstones to match with the architectural setting of the Sultan Ghari tomb, adopting the same technique as used for building the domes.
  • 100 m of restricted area and 200 m of regulated area are demarcated and fenced and four approach paths/ tracks constructed that lead to the main tomb.
  • A water conservation plan (water harvesting) has also been evolved to partially meet the water requirements for the park around the tomb.
  • ASI’s control extends only up to 300 m from the tomb since the rest of the area surrounding it is proposed for urban development by the Army.

So as we can see, the authorities seem more interested in protecting the later creativity of appropriation of a structure rather than reclaiming the original heritage that could be older than two millenniums. Of course, the tomb and the appropriation is also a part of history, but to provide balm to civilisational wounds, an independent Bharat could do well to shift the appropriated parts of the structure to somewhere else.

So while all history has to be accepted, we have heritage sites, especially Sultanghari, clamoring for a rightful presentation as a dedication to its ancestors who must have gone at length to try and preserve what they built with great devotion and taste.

 

This article is part of our efforts to research, document and publish about the ancient Hindu temples that came under the sword of Islamic invaders, so that Hindu society can reclaim, restore and revive them. You can contribute towards the efforts via https://reclaimtemples.com/donations/support/ or via UPI/BHIM to donate@hsbc

 

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Karimaldin Mosque, a seized Hindu temple of Vijayapura Karnataka

By @Aryabhatti

 “The (Hindu temple) design is to suggest and symbolize the Universe; the site of a temple is laid out in relation to astronomical observations… every stone has its place in the cosmic design… Can we wonder that a beautiful and dignified architecture is thus devised?” – Ananda Coomaraswamy

At the heart of the ancient city of Vijayapura, in Karnataka, rests a large and ancient temple built in the tenth or eleventh century. Vijayapura, founded by the Chalukyas, was known as the Varanasi of the South. As far back as thousand years ago this temple welcomed pious Hindus eager to experience the beautiful Svayambhu (self-arisen) deity of Siddeshwara. The temple is a charming example of Chalukyan architecture and consists of many large magnificently stone-carved pillars of the Chalukyan style, which is easily recognizable and distinct.  There is also a fairly spacious mandapa with friezes that attest to the mastery of the shilpis. For many years this temple was alive with joyous festivals, sacred rituals, yagnas, annadanams (feedings to the poor), Vedic recitations, and classical music and dance.  Like any other Hindu temple, this was a microcosm of the sophisticated culture and society that had built it.  Inside the temple, there is the customary garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) but the Svayambhu Siddeshwara no longer resides there, or anywhere else on the temple property.  The explanation is common but disturbing:  the Svayambhu Siddeshwara murti was destroyed in the year 1320 and the temple was pillaged and converted into a mosque by Muslim invaders from the Delhi sultanate per Alauddin Khilji orders.

Karim al-din mosque, a converted 1000 year old Hindu temple

And thus would begin the violent and graphic upheaval and transformation of the thriving city of Vijayapura, where Hindus, Buddhists and Jains freely practiced their religions, into a jarring Frankenstein’s monster-like city, first called Beejnuggar and then finally Bijapur.  The temples were destroyed and mosques erected with their materials, Hindu citizens were slaughtered en masse and the survivors forcibly converted or subjugated as dhimmis first, by the Delhi Sultanate and then, by the equally violent Adil Shahs.  As historian Sita Ram Goel bluntly states: “No ancient temples survive in the city of Bijapur. “ (Goel, 1990)

 

In situ Mandapa of Hindu temple inside the Karim al-din mosque

 

Pillars of demolished Hindu temples used to build Karim al-din mosque

 

Pillars of demolished Hindu temples used to build Karim al-din mosque

In this particular instance, this temple converted to a mosque is named Karim al-din for that general of Alauddhin Khilji who had invaded the city after several unsuccessful attempts.  One of the first things Karim al-din was ordered to do by Khilji was to demolish this and other temples in the city and use the remains to fashion a Jami masjid, or Great mosque of that city. It is evident when seeing the mismatched pillars and other sculptures in the Karim al-din mosque that materials from various different temples were taken and clumsily patched together. This was the usual pattern of the Muslim marauders invading Indian cities, pillaging and destroying their temples and using the materials to ‘build’ their mosques.  All of Bijapur is literally littered with such mosques and Muslim mausoleums that are in fact appropriated temples. The destruction of Hindu temples goes hand in hand with mass killings and conversions of the Hindu inhabitants.

Hindu temple carvings of Kirtimukhas inside Karim al-din mosque

 

Hindu temple carvings inside Karim al-din mosque

Karim al-din mosque’s origins are factually and minutely documented by Henry Cousens as far back as the 1880s. Cousens was the Superintendent for the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the British and he meticulously documented the ancient architectures of Indian cities.

Cousens states:

“Not far from the south-east corner of the Chini Mahal is one of the earliest mosques in Bijapur. It is wholly made up of pillars, beams and cornices, taken from older Hindu shrines.  The porch, in fact, is part of a Hindu temple in situ; it is the hall or mandap, with its pillar and niches, but wanting part of its roof. The shrine, which was built on this hall on the west, has been entirely cleared away, and a through passage thus gained to the courtyard within, the inner doorway, with perforated screen panel on either side of it has been inserted by the Muhammadans.  This space, between it and the next opening, was the antechamber to the shrine of the original temple.  An examination of the ends of the walls will shew how the shrine has been broken away from the rest.” (Cousens, 1889)

1885 photo of Karim al-din mosque taken by ASI Superintendent Henry Cousens when he conducted a detailed investigation of the structure

It is natural for a Hindu to feel a profound sense of loss and indignation that this beautiful temple and the society it nurtured were destroyed and a trophy mosque replaced it. Henry Cousens observations are some of the most officially documented proofs of Muslim appropriation and destruction of Hindu temple property in Bijapur. Ironically, current (non-Hindu) Western and Indian leftist academics have been occupied with re-writing history to reflect their agendas, and are intrusively demanding that the native Hindu feel happy that these bizarre structures were built with the violent annihilation of their most sacred places. White academics and their surrogates insist on imposing their Eurocentric Judeo-Christian viewpoint, negating these atrocities. This racism is deep rooted and permeates most modern discourse on demolished Hindu temples and, for the most part, goes unchallenged.

Recently the government decided that the city of Bijapur once again should be officially known as Vijayapura; the ancient city of victory. No sacred rituals, annadanams or joyous festivals have resumed in the converted temple-mosque of Karim al-din however.

References:

Aiyangar, Krishnaswami.  South India and Her Muhammadan Invaders.  London: Oxford University Press, 1921.

Cousens, Henry.  Bijapur, The Capital of the Old Adil Shahi Kings: A Guide to its Ruins with Historical Outline.  Poona: The Orphanage Press, 1889.

Cousens, Henry.  Bijapur and its Architectural Remains.  Bombay: The Government General Press, 1916.

Goel, Sita Ram. Hindu Temples What Happened to Them Volume II. New Delhi: Voice of India, 1990.

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Hindus must Reclaim All temples, Not just Ayodhya

Article by @ajaatashatru

The Supreme Court has directed to resolve the sensitive issue of rebuilding the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya out-of-court. It’s the dream of every Hindu to see the magnificent Ram Mandir in Ayodhya to end centuries of dispute. However, most of the Hindus are not thinking beyond Ram Mandir, due to lack of awareness about the historical significance and magnificence of other temple sites.

In a series of campaign (including the proof from ASI department), we will be exposing these kind of ancient masjids where earlier they were magnificent temples and is occupied forcefully by jihadis during pre & post independence era. As a country, Hindus have got every right to reclaim these temples & lands to bring back the glory because of various reasons.

Temples are not just stone structures or built to demonstrate monopolizing other religions. For every Hindu, temple is a symbol of identity to Sanatana Dharma as its roots. A temple gives an identity to a Person, Language, Culture, Heritage, Education, Civilization, History, Philosophy, Religious & Spiritual Knowledge, Science, Mathematics, Arts, Skills, Harmony and Ideologies. Historically, we haven’t witnessed any temples destroyed by any of our Hindu rulers. The great Bharatha Varsha is made out of collection of these many magnificent temples with different flavors.

Temple activities are the reflection of society. Currently, we have degenerated ourselves at alarming rates. Most of our Temples have ended up as business hubs & its earnings are misused for corrupt means including funding the jihadis. As a country, Hindus are not fully united since ages, primarily gifted by our Dharma. As individuals we are having our own freedom of speech, expression, interpretation & belief system without hurting the core.
Hindu social fabric is deeply divided & our rulers effectively exploited greatly post independence. We are not uniting for a cause, but all are individually fighting for ‘something’ in the name Hinduism. We don’t know what we need. We don’t have basic objectives to achieve. There are still modern Jaichands who are ready to destroy our remaining identity in the name of (pseudo) secularism.

Instead of building new temples and lavish religious structures, every Hindu should start fighting to reclaim lost and seized Hindu temples along with its assets to reclaim our identity. This does not mean we have to be violent or intolerant. If we follow our Dharma, we will get desired solutions including Saama, Dhaana, Bheda & Danda principles. When ‘tolerance’ becomes ‘weakness’, we have to (re)act firmly. We are not even doing this due to various factors.

All these events show that we have to fight for our own existence to reclaim our identity right from beginning. Hence as a restart to Dharma, need to reclaim all our temples as our Karma, where there are clear proofs of destruction & occupation by jihadis. Hindus should strongly unite, reform & raise above ideological differences, superiority complex, caste wars, discrimination/racism, feudalism without further delays. Dharma won’t die, but we fail Dharma.

Even, if we reclaim Ram Mandir, the problems won’t end & it’s just the beginning to counter jihadists or there will be further increase in threats from jihadists. We will win this battle, and the war must continue till our enemies are no more.

Hindus need a larger vision to restore our glories from our past with modern ideologies keeping Dharma as our foundation. Our history is distorted for the same reason, our identity is suppressed for the same reason, our educational system was weakened because of the same reason. We no need to always stay in the past, blaming ‘others’ or victimizing ourselves because of the ‘others’, now is the time to “think & act firmly”.

Hindus should start thinking the following objectives to understand our roots

• Reclaim Temples from Jihadi occupation
• Rebuild/Renovate Temples presently in ruins
• Rename our Cities
• Release the existing temples from Government control and political exploitation

The above activities unite Hindus & the ideologies for building a Nation.

We are unfortunately competing with other religions by erecting statues, idols, temples overnights at foot paths, streets or any available public places. This is partly understandable, due to insecurity caused by jihadis who are notoriously famous for occupying public spaces.

In a democracy, without mass civil movement, no political party can bring any radical change to counter Jihadis. Remember, Hindu is not a communal by birth. Hindu is more secular & rigidly follows our constitution & law of land than ‘others’. This is because of our roots existing in Dharma.

Firstly, to uphold Dharma, every Hindu should start fighting for his/her rights for the common objectives. To start with, Lets fight to Reclaim our Temples.

And to conclude, Ram Mandir is just one amongst the lakhs of Hindu temples destroyed by Muslim invaders, and one among the 40,000+ temples converted to Masjids. So lets talk of every Hindu temple destroyed by Babur and his compatriots, not just Ayodhya. Lets demand return and reconstruction of every Hindu temple presently in Muslim custody.

If Lord Rama was alive, he would have liberated all Hindu temples forcefully occupied by foreign invaders, not just a temple in his name.

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