This blog has been moved to www.lalmahal.wordpress.com
Link:
http://lalmahal.wordpress.com/

This blog has been moved to www.lalmahal.wordpress.com

After the storm

State of affairs at the public agencies, after the demolition:

Lal Mahal demolished

Another gem from the past falls prey to the uncontrolled modernization...
The Times of India and Mail Today newspapers carried the following reports on Saturday, November 1st, 2008, the day when Lal Mahal was demolished:

About Lal Mahal

The 1245 AD structure, called Lal Mahal or Kushaki Lal, is located in Nizamuddin and was declared a heritage structure by the government and civic agencies. It was built by the Slave Dynasty ruler during the reign of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah, before Balban ascended the throne.

On Friday, this structure was found partially demolished. Its prominent chhatris and red sandstone structure is said to have been pulled down. Residents said the demolition started late Thursday night. When alerted, Archaeological Survey of India filed an FIR with Nizamuddin police station on Friday.

Archival Photographs

These archival photographs of Lal Mahal display the grandeur of a monument which has now been lost forever.

Historical Significance

The 1920's publication called, "The monuments of Delhi- Lasting splendour of Grat Mughals and Others", by Maulvi Zafar Hassan, reads thus about The Lal Mahal:
Lal Mahal (Red Palace)
Located 50 yards SE of No.182
Should be protected
The Lal Mahal is said to be the Kushaki Lal built by Ghiyasuddin Balban before he ascended the throne. The whole structure, which is raised on a Chabutra, is much dilapidated and at present in occupation by villagers. It is constructed of red sandstone and consists of a central domed apartment, with dalans forming a verandah on all four sides. The latter have red sandstone pillars very simply ornamented and lintels supporting a flat roof of the same material over which occur chattris on the east west and south, the northern chattri having disappeared. Some 25 feet to the north-west of the dome on the same chabutra is a double storeyed chattri which was connected originally with the palace.