The Cursed Fort
Sunday morning meanderings at Tughlaqabad Fort in Delhi.
As much as I love traveling and being close to nature, I also love staying home. I can spend days on end within the confines of my room and not miss the outdoors or interacting with people. When I eventually step out, I love the sight of trees, birds, and conversations with friends, but I’m okay to go without them for a while.
Last Sunday, though, I felt like I needed to get some fresh air after a week (or more?) of being holed up in my room and not feeling my best. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 30s, it’s that peace, contentment, and joy come and go, sometimes unexpectedly, but a lot of times, need to be self-constructed through our actions, surroundings, relationships, and values. A heightened awareness of the flaws, wounds, and insecurities we, and others around us, carry can feel overwhelming at times. But small efforts, like getting out of the house and attempting to construct our own joy and healing can go a long way. These deliberate actions can make the difference between a life of passive existence and one filled with moments of joy, adventure, and gratitude.
So this past Sunday, I made my way to Tughlaqabad Fort with Delhi by Foot. The historical ruins, expansive views, and rich tapestry of stories associated with the fort provided a perfect backdrop for my quest for fresh air and renewed spirit. It was a reminder that the world outside my room holds innumerable treasures and experiences waiting to be discovered.
The Tughlaqabad Fort is located on the Mehrauli-Badarpur road in Delhi and was commissioned in 1321 by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, the first ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty. He was a governor under the rule of Alauddin Khalji, and legend has it that when Mubarak Khalji succeeded his father’s throne, Ghiyasuddin (known as Ghazi Malik back then) suggested that he build a fortified city. But Khalji laughed it off and said he can build it when he takes over the throne. Khalji died in a coup in 1320 AD, and in true Game of Thrones style, some believe that Ghiyasuddin had a hand in it. When he took the throne, he initiated his dream project – building the third city of Delhi, Tughlaqabad.
The Tughlaqabad Fort stands on a hill of the Aravalli range and was built with the dual objective of protecting the Tughlaq dynasty from Mongol attacks and serving as the capital of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq. This is evident in the way the Fort is built – be it the design, location, or materials used.
The complex features double-storied bastions, rubble-filled walls, arched gateways, a moat, baolis (stepwells), storage tanks, market street, courtyards, and many remains of what was once perhaps a majestic palace. The outer walls are 10-15 ft thick (the thickest for any fort in India), slightly inclined, and rise up to 50-100 ft. The highest point of the complex offers a bird’s eye panoramic view of the entire city and surrounding countryside.
Saint versus Sultan
So why is the Tughlaqabad Fort cursed?
Like most monuments in Delhi, this too has a backstory. Apparently Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq ordered every labourer in the sultanate to work on the construction of the fort. This was a time of drought and people were worried about having enough water to drink. They went to the Sufi saint, Nizamuddin Auliya, who decided to build a baoli to store water. Since there were limited labourers in the city, they worked on the fort during the day and the baoli at night. When Ghiyasuddin found out, he was furious and banned the sale of oil in the city so that the labourers couldn’t work on the baoli at night. This led to the Sufi saint cursing the city of Tughlaqabad: “Ya rahe ujjar ya base gujjar” (“It will remain desolate or be occupied by herdsmen”).
Another legend has it that Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq was in Bengal when he learned of the labourers working on the baoli and vowed to take revenge upon his return. When Nizamuddin Auliya heard of this, he calmed the concerned people, saying “Hunuz Dilli dur ast” (“Delhi is still far away”).
Tughlaq died on his way back when a wooden pavilion built in his honour collapsed on him and his younger son. After his death, his elder son and successor, Mohammad bin Tughlaq, abandoned Tughlaqabad and shifted the capital to Daulatabad, where he built his own fortified city – Jahanpanah.
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq’s red sandstone tomb sits across the road from the main fort. The tomb also contains the graves of his wife and son, Mohammad bin Tughlaq.
While some believe it was the Sufi saint’s curse that led to the Sultan’s death and the fort's decline, others say it was water scarcity that made the city unsustainable. Meanwhile, the mausoleum of Nizamuddin Auliya – the Nizamuddin Dargah – remains one of the most famous shrines in Delhi, and the baoli within the complex is still functional.
My morning at Tughlaqabad Fort reminded me of my time at the Ferozshah Kotla Fort last year. Since this one was an organised walk, I learned more about the fort’s history than I would have if I’d gone by myself, but I missed the feeling of casually hanging out in the complex with a friend or by myself, taking in the place and all that it has to offer.
The fort can be incredibly hot to visit in the summer so it’s best experienced in the monsoons when the surrounding area is lush green and the fort is breezy. The best time to visit is early morning or just before sunset (and yes it is open on weekends).
Despite the Tughlaqabad Fort being located barely 15-20 mins from my house, this was the first time in my 32 years of living in Delhi that I actually visited it. It was a much-needed reminder that beauty and history lie just around the corner, and one of the most underrated ways of feeling like you’re traveling without actually traveling is to discover offbeat, unexplored places in the vicinity.
So where are you heading this weekend?
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I lived in Delhi years ago and recall the fort. Knew about the Khilijis and so on, but never drew the connection. Thank you for that. I do regret not seeing more of Delhi besides the usual Jantar, Humayun's tomb etc., I do think though, that Fatehpur Sikhri (not Delhi proper) remains a favorite.
Beautiful❤️history has so many stories to tell us, and Delhi is full of them
Love these lines- you have the ability to capture such beautiful, diverse sentiments in a couple of lines
"If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my 30s, it’s that peace, contentment, and joy come and go, sometimes unexpectedly, but a lot of times, need to be self-constructed through our actions, surroundings, relationships, and values. A heightened awareness of the flaws, wounds, and insecurities we, and others around us, carry can feel overwhelming at times."