Alai Minar in Qutb complex

Alauddin Khilji started building the Alai Minar, after he had doubled the size of Quwwat ul-Islam mosque. He conceived this tower to be two times higher than Qutb Minar in proportion with the enlarged mosque. The construction was however abandoned, just after the completion of the 24.5-metre-high (80 ft) first-storey core; soon after death of Ala-ud-din in 1316, and never taken up by his successors of Khilji dynasty. The first storey of the Alai Minar, a giant rubble masonry core, still stands today, which was evidently intended to be covered with dressed stone later on. Noted Sufi poet and saint of his times, Amir Khusro in his work, Tarikh-i-Alai, mentions Ala-ud-din's intentions to extend the mosque and also constructing another minar.

Ala-ud-din conceived a very ambitious construction programme when he decided to build the second tower of victory when he returned in triumph from his Deccan campaign. However, the Sultan died before even the first storey was finished, and the project was abandoned. Ala-ud-din felt compelled to increase even further the size of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque. His scheme called for increasing the size of the enclosure four times, providing ceremonial entrance gateways on each side, and a great minar, twice the size of the Qutb. This is the unfinished base of the mammoth tower begun by Ala-ud-din Khilji intended to give competition to Qutb Minar.


Qutub Minar also Qutub Meenar, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Delhi, India. The Qutub Minar was constructed with red sandstone and marble, and is the tallest minaret in India, with a height of 72.5 metres (237.8 ft), contains 379 stairs to reach the top, and the diameter of base is 14.3 metres whereas the last storey is of 2.7 metres. The Construction was commenced by qutub-ud-din Aibak in 1192 and completed by Iltutmish. It is surrounded by several other ancient and medieval structures and ruins, collectively known as Qutub complex. Tradition assigns the erection of the Pillar to Anang Pal, whose name it bears, with the date 1052 C.E.

Qutab Minar is the nearest station on the Delhi Metro. A picture of the minaret also features on the Travel Cards issued by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

Source - Wikipedia

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