Page:The Architecture of Ancient Delhi Especially the Buildings Around the Kutb Minar 1872 by Henry Hardy Cole.djvu/113

 Chapter IV. THE KTJTB MINAR. Photograph XL General View of the Kutb Miliar — Origin of the Column — Description of the Miliar. Photograph XII. View of the Kutb Minar from the West — Inscriptions — First Story — Second Story — Third Story — Fourth Story — Fifth Story — Builders of the Tower — Use of the Column — Dimensions. Photograph XIII. Base of the Minar from the East. Photograph XIV. First Gallery of the Minar — Firuz Shah — His Inscription on the Minar — His Public Works and Repairs — Firuz Shah's Restoration of Delhi Buildings — Firuz Shah's Reign. Photograph XI. GENERAL VIEW OF THE KUTB MINAR. iP^HE History of this remarkable pillar has been the subject of much Origin of the ,^» Column. controversy among English writers, Hindus, and Muhammadans. The Hindus claim to have commenced it, and, according to Syud Ahmed, the Hindu Rajah Rai Pithora built the first story of the Lat or pillar, to enable his daughter to see the river Jumna daily and to behold the rising sun. He supports this view by the assertion that she was of the religion of the Suriij Mokhi, the followers of which regard the Jumna as the daughter of the sun and accordingly consider the worship of the river as a part of their religious duties. There are various arguments in favour of the pillar having been so commenced by the Hindus, and to facilitate a more ready comparison of the different views held, I have appended the various arguments in favour of the Hindu theory, together with the reasoning of General Cunningham, who holds the opinion that the construction of the Minar is from first to last the work of the Muhammadans and not an}- adaptation of a pre-existing monument.