Built In 16th century
Built By Sher Shah Suri
Location Delhi
AN INTRIGUING STRUCTURE
The Sher Mandal is an intriguing structure since the purpose why it was built is not clear. It is located in the precincts of the Purana Quila or the Old Fort. The Sher Mandal has a touch of sadness attached to it, as it was here that the second Mughal emperor Humayun fell to his death.
INDO-ISLAMIC STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE
The Sher Mandal is neither a mosque, nor a mausoleum. It is not even a tower in the true sense of the word. It is an octagonal building having two floors. Each face of the building (strangely on both the floors) has an arched opening(the room-like area within the arch on the first floor was probably used as a pavilion for viewing surrounding areas).
The Sher Mandal confirms to the elements of the Indo-Islamic style of architecture, which was a blend of both Hindu and Islamic architecture. Sher Shah Suri, who built the Sher Mandal, was a contemporary of the Mughal emperor Humayun.
SHER MANDAL
Sher Mandal is situated in the Purana Quila or the Old Fort. Humayun, the second Mughal emperor, laid the foundation of his city Dinpanah in 1533 and chose the ancient Indraprastha site for his fort. He became the Mughal emperor after the death of his father Babur in 1530. Though Humayun established his capital at Dinpanah in Delhi, he could not rule there for long as Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan chieftain who ruled eastern India, drove him out. For some years, Humayun spent a life of exile in the court of the Persian ruler of Iran. In the first part of his rule (up to 1540), when the Afghan chieftain Sher Shah defeated him, he could only complete the massive fort walls and three magnificent gateways.
Sher Shah razed to the ground the few structures within the fort and built the grand Qala-i-Kohna masjid (which is now in ruins) and a double-storied octagonal tower in red sandstone surmounted by a pavilion with just a little decoration in marble. Sher Mandal, as this tower is called, is too small to have been a residential palace. Possibly for its position on the hillock, it was a pleasure pavilion.
On Friday, January 24, 1556, as Humayun listened to news from Mecca and discussed with astrologers the hour at which Venus was to rise, the muezzin from the mosque gave the azan (call) for prayer. Humayun, being a devout Muslim, immediately sat down to offer his evening prayers. In the process, his foot got entangled in the robes, his staff slipped, and he fell down headlong over the stairs, trying in vain to clutch at the slippery edges of the much-used stone steps. He hit the ground, fatally wounded. Akbar (Humayun's son) was away hunting. Urgent summons were sent for his return. A mullah named Bakshi, who resembled the dying Mughal king, impersonated Humayun at Jharoka darshan (the ritual of the king coming to the balcony and seeing his subjects, who stood below on the ground). Three days later Humayun died.
Humayun was temporarily buried in the Sher Mandal and later his mortal remains were moved to his magnificent mausoleum, which was built on the banks of the Yamuna. Sher Mandal became deserted after Humayun's death and soon the young Akbar shifted his capital to Agra. Since then, Sher Mandal has remained a structure haunted by tragic memories of the fall of Humayun, a refined king "childish but endearing-not perhaps the best qualifications for an emperor."
HOW TO REACH
Travelers can reach the Sher Mandal in many ways. This monument is located near the Inter-State Bus Terminal at Kashmere Gate. They can either take local buses from various points within the city to reach this monument located in the northern part of the city or, alternatively, they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis for the purpose. Local guided tours conducted by Delhi Tourism and private operators covers this important monument.
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