Summerfield School visits Qutub Minar

Yasmin Contractor,Principal

The heritage walk on the Qutub Minar trail was a welcome treat that students could avail of. In the serene and lush green atmosphere,students were transported to ancient,historical frontiers. Qutub Minar, the tallest minaret on Earth,was enticing,enchanting,educating and truly worthy of the time we spent there. The silent tower of victory stands indomitable,with memories inscribed on its soul as clear as crystal. The debris of red sandstone was used to build the minaret with its present hues. The iron pillar is a metallurgical wonder that has neither rusted nor corroded with heat,rain and thunder. The monuments and their splendid rudiments left an everlasting impression on students’ sentiments.

The Qutub Minar is a UNESCO world heritage site,and it stands proudly at 72.5 metres .

Shalabh Chohan,Teacher

Delhi is the nerve centre of the most vibrant cultures in the world,and its monuments are an everlasting legacy etched in stone. The heritage walk organised by The Indian Express for the students of Summer Fields School was an enriching experience. As we walked into the Qutub Complex,the aura of our history enamoured us. The tour guide from INTACH took us around,sharing his in-depth knowledge about the monument. The development of architectural styles from Aybek to Tughlaq are quite evident in the minaret. The Qutub Minar comprises cylindrical shafts separated by balconies. It is made of red sandstone covered with intricate carvings and verses from the Quran. The foundations for the Qutab Minar and the Masjid adjacent to it were laid by Qutb-ud-din-Aibak. The complex was built on the remains of Lal Kot,an older Hindu city. The older civilization literally provided the material for the new one. In the courtyard of the mosque stands the famous Iron Pillar,which bears a Sanskrit inscription. The tomb of Itutmish is a plain square chamber of red sandstone,profusely carved with inscriptions and geometrical patterns. The whole of the interior with motifs,the wheel and tossels are reminiscent of Hindu designs. Some of the carvings are adopted from the Jataka Tales. As a whole,the complex is a fusion of architectural designs from different religions. The ASI (Archeological Survey of India) is responsible for the maintenance of this world heritage site. As responsible citizens of the country,it is our prime duty to encourage the identification,protection and preservation of our cultural and natural heritage. Heritage is our legacy from the past,what we live with today and what we pass on to the future generation.

Sunita Patney,Teacher

We the students of Summer Fields School were brimming with excitement on March 29 as we went to visit the Qutub Minar. It is a tall and attractive monument that can be seen from most parts of the city. Mughals used to build victory towers to proclaim and celebrate victories. Qutab Minar is among the tallest and most famous towers in the world.The minaret is 234 feet high and the highest tower in the world. The Qutub Minar was completed in 1200 AD,and since then,it has stayed upright and forever keeping an eye on Delhi like a sentry. The Qutub Minar is a great masterpiece of Mughal architecture. It has a number of floors that have beautiful carvings,like the ones on the tomb of Iltutmish. There are inscriptions all over the tower and they reveal the identity of the builder. The wall is made in a way that it widens from the bottom just to make the minar stronger. Our guide from INTACH told us the minutest details and,by the time we departed from the site,we felt like young history scholars.

Shagun,VI A

I am going to give a brief account of our visit to Qutub Minar . Last week,our school arranged a heritage walk for the students of Classs VI. Since it concerned monuments and was very much connected with our studies,we were all very excited. We went to the Qutub Minar in Delhi,which looks like a pillar from outside. On it,we saw inscriptions in Hindi-Arabic Style. Our teacher told us the monument related to both Hindus and Muslims. The floral designs and images of animals engraved on the stones exhibited the architectural essence of their workmanship. The designs spoke volumes about their architectural skills. It was built by Qutub-Udin-Aibak andd completed by Iltutmish. The trip to Qutub Minar was quite informative,and it made us aware about the rich cultural heritage of ancient India.

B Anantha,VI-C

On March 29,the Indian Express organised a heritage walk to the Qutab Minar. It was an enthralling experience. Our tour guide informed us that UNESCO has declared the Qutub Minar as a world heritage site. It is notable for being one of the earliest and most prominent examples of Indo-Islamic architecture. It is surrounded by several other ancient and medieval structures and ruins,collectively known as the Qutub Complex. The structure is made up of red and buff sandstone. Qutb-ud-din Aybak,the first Muslim ruler of Delhi,commenced construction of the Qutub Minar in 1193,but could only complete its basement. His successor,Itutmish,added three more storeys and,in 1368,Firoz Shah Tughlaq constructed the fifth and the last storey. The workers working on different structures were from different religions and,hence,the architecture depicts the art from different religions.

The ASI (Archeological Survey of India) looks after the monument’s maintenance. To raise funds,an annual Qutub Cultural Festival is organised. Many Bollywood films have been picturised in this complex,which has added to the funds collected. The Indian Heritage attracts a large number of foreign tourists every year. Heritage is our wealth and it is our responsibility to take care of it.

Unnati Jain,VI-C

Recently,Indian Express organised a Heritage walk to the Qutub Minar.I was very excited.When I stepped out of bus,I saw a huge gate. There was magnificient structure in front of me,known as the Qutub Minar.There was also a guide with us. He told us that the area around the Qutab Minar is called Qutub Complex. Work on the Qutub Minar was started by Qutab-Ud-In-Aibak and completed by his son-in-law,Iltutmish. The guide told us that it made of red sandstone. It was a great opportunity for all the students to gain some knowledge about the rich heritage of our country.

Rahil Taneja,VI-C