WANDERLUST @ DELHI-IV: MANGAR BANI- THE SACRED GROVE

A beautiful valley amidst the ancient Aravalli Ranges, Mangar Bani is perhaps the last green patch between a polluted Delhi and a concrete Gurugram, that has been preserved by the local Gujjar community and attracts a lot of birds - indigenous and migratory.

The forest of Mangar Bani is said to be protected by the spirit of a local sage by the name of Gudariya Baba. Legend has it that several centuries ago, a hermit by the name of Gudariya Das Baba came to the village and attained enlightenment in a cave inside this forest. Thereafter, the word spread that curse would befall anyone who fells a tree, uses it to gather kindling or to feed their livestock. Even today, the villagers guard the forest zealously and not a single tree is cut, or even pruned.

Consequently, the forest is now home to leopards, bear, deer, civets and 90 species of butterfly, besides the rare species of birds and peacocks! The beautiful Dhau tree, that once grew wildly in Rajasthan and now is practically extinct, grows with abandon inside Bani. A temple dedicated to Gudariya Das Baba lies nestled in the heart of the forest and serves as a constant reminder to the villagers of the promise made and tradition kept.

There is a small samadhi (memorial) of the saint and also a cave on the hill side where the saint used to meditate.

WANDERLUST @ DELHI-III MALCHA MAHAL: THE MOST MYSERIOUS SITE IN DELHI

Located off Sardar Patel Marg, adjacent to the ISRO earth station on the South Ridge, Malcha Mahal is an old Tughlaq Era hunting lodge and does not boast of any great artitectural or historical significance as such. What it boasts of is a most unbeleivable story of tragedy and surrealism which goes right upto the 21st century- which could probably could happen only in India!

The place reeks for sadness, tragedy and mystery. SInce the last occupant Prince Riaz of Oudh passed away in 2017 after spending over 3 decades of splendid isolation with his mother and sister- the monument has gone back to seed.

It is supposed to be the most haunted site in Delhi and visits after susnset are actually banned by the police. The place is barricaded by Delhi Police and huge cacti which have grown over the years.

To know the unbelievable story of a dispocessed princess and her two princelings and thier life in splendid isolation in the hear of Delhi right upto 2017- you can do some further reading on the link below:-

https://www.thehindu.com/…/the-story-of…/article29766170.ece

WANDERLUST @ DELHI-II MADHI MASJID: THE FORTIFIED MOSQUE

Madhi Masjid is a magnificent monument that is prominently located and easy to find, which is why it’s surprising to hear that very few people know about it. Maybe this is because most people do not even realize what it is when they pass by the place as there is no notice board with any name or details given of the monument- a typical malise in many monuments in the country. In fact I did not know what the monument was called when I visited it and had to do quite a bit of reseach on iinternet to figure out the name of the beautiful complex!

The structure is believed to be from the 15th century, which places it in the Lodi Era-early Mughal period. Probably even the authorities are not sure about the exact history of this monument and hence coul dnot find anything about it written onthe site. It’s located just by the side of the Mehrauli Archaeological Park but not exactly within the boundaries of the park.

While it is supposed to be a mosque, it’s a formidable structure built like a fort. It is no longer a functioning mosque and so it mostly remains deserted barring monkeys and pegions. Domes are visible from a distance but as you reach it, you are greeted by an imposing structure in front that is not merely a gate but may as well double up as a watchtower.

As you climb up the stairs and enter through the gateway, you will discover a surprisingly spacious open compound. Even though the details are painfully lacking, it can be assumed that there was a wall mosque and also a normal mosque inside it. It was intricately decorated at one point of time, as suggested by the now-worn but still visible bluish tinged tiles on the walls and the dome. There are stairs that go down to the inner chambers but they are practically closed nowadays. If you look closely, you will find interesting Indo-Saracenic sculptures adorning the walls and pillars in the entire compound.

Considering its vintage- the monument is pretty well preserved.

WANDERLUST @ DELHI-I THE JAMALI KAMALI MOSQUE

Right next to the iconic Qutub Minar is another Archaeological site that very few people know about. People who do know about it just know that it is another one of several Mughal Era monuments standing in ruins all over Delhi. This is the Jamali Kamali mosque which if one is to consider has more glory to it than Qutub Minar itself but the only attention it now gets is because of the haunting stories related to djinns that are believed to reside there (beleive still some sufi faquirs carry out an exorcism on every thrusday to summon the djinns!)

This mosque, built in 1528-29, is located within Mehrauli Archaeological Park, which actually shares boundary with Qutub Minar premises. Entrance to this park is however about 500 meters away from Qutub Minar’s entrance gate. Within the mosque, built in a separate area, are the tombs of Jamali and Kamali.

After his death in 1535, Jamali was buried in his tomb alongside Kamali. Jamali belonged to a merchant family and was a very popular poet known for his famous works such as ‘The Mirror of Meanings’, ‘The Sun and Moon’ and ‘The Spiritual Journey of the Mystics’ etc. According to legend, it’s said that both these men - Jamali and Kamali, were deeply in love with each other. If interested, you can read the book ‘Jamali-Kamali, A Tale of Passion in Mughal India’ by Karen Chase who has described her personal take on their story in a beautiful manner.

Red sandstone and marble design (a popular trend in Mughal architecture) have been used at the mosque. Five arches are carved out in the prayer hall where a dome rises from the top of the central arch. Painted in red and blue, the Jamali Kamali tomb stands as a square structure with a flat roof over it. Quranic inscriptions and coloured paintings add to the beauty of it.

Large courtyards around both these structures give you a number of angles for clicking nice pictures. The garden near the tomb, with its spruce trees and lush greenery, serves as a good relaxing spot. The view from the boundary wall of the tomb offers you a sight of the magnificent Qutub Minar. At the archaeological park, a stroll down the undulating curves of the green landscape is nothing less than refreshing!