Located deep inside the Mehrauli area of South Delhi and approachable via a complex network of lanes is the Jahaz Mahal, which literally means the “Ship Palace” in Urdu.
The curious name for this monument is derived from its reflection on the huge Hauz–i–Shamsi lake immediately to the west, which gives it a ship like appearance. On my visit the lake was clogged with blanket weed and vegetation, so I wasn’t blessed with any such view. The ruins of Jahaz Mahal now only towers like a ship over the congested and overcrowded Mehrauli neighborhood.
The lake is in fact the oldest structure here, having been dug out by Sultan Iltutmish in 1230 CE. Legend says the Prophet visited Iltutmish in a dream and indicated a possible site for a tank. Next day Iltutmish visited this place and found the hoof marks of the Prophet’s horse on a stone.
Iltutmish immediately had the tank dug and in the center he constructed a pavilion housing the stone with the hoof marks of the Prophet’s horse. The Moorish traveler Iban Batuta was struck by the vastness of the tank during his stay in Delhi between 1333 and 1341 CE. Almost certainly the tank has shrunk in size from its original footprint, and although a domed pavilion can be seen in the southwest corner, it is widely thought to be a later construction, possibly replacing the original one built by Iltutmish.
Jahaz Mahal was constructed almost 200 years later during the Lodi Period (1452–1526 CE), and was probably once surrounded by a moat which has now dried up on three sides and infilled on the eastern side. The U-shaped plan of the building with an opening to the south accompanied by a flight of steps strongly suggests this was the original entrance. A wooden drawbridge would have been deployed to facilitate access in or out of the structure.
Today, access is from the eastern side adjacent to Kalka Das Marg street, where the moat was long ago backfilled.
Scholars disagree as to the function of Jahaz Mahal, so its purpose remains a mystery. Some believe it was Sarai (Inn) for pilgrims from Afghanistan, Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Morocco and Turkey who came to Delhi to visit the many Muslim shrines. Others are of the opinion that it was built as a summer retreat for the royal family, escaping from the heat and dust of Delhi.
What is not in doubt is part of the structure was used as a mosque, with the presence of a Mihrab on the internal western wall. Several anti-chambers line the inner courtyard, each crowned with a dome with decorative squinches.
The most decorative aspect of the Jahaz Mahal has to be its chhatris, five out of the original six still survive, with most of them still having remnants of their original glazed blue tiles.
The corner chhatris are square and smaller in size and are supported by four pillars, the chhatri at the south-west corner has not survived.
The chhatri in the middle of the Western side, crowning the Mihrab below is octagonal, but the grandest of the chhatris is in the middle of the eastern side above the new entrance gate. This massive square chhatri is supported by twelve highly decorated pillars and dominates the structure’s profile.
The Jahaz Mahal receives few visitors during most of the year, but all that changes after the monsoon with the annual “Phool Walon Ki Sair” celebration.
The origin of “Phool Walon Ki Sair” dates back to the reign of Mughal King Akbar Shah II (1808-1837). Akbar Shah II wanted to name his younger son, Mirza Jahangir, as the Heir Apparent (Wali-Ahad) over his elder son, Sirajuddin ‘Zafar’. This decision displeased Sir Archibald Seton, the British Resident at the Red Fort. In a public court, the reckless 19-year-old Mirza Jahangir insulted Seton by calling him “Looloo”, a term Seton did not understand. Shortly after, while celebrating on the roof of Naubat Khana in the Red Fort, Mirza Jahangir fired a shot at Seton, missing him but killing his orderly. Consequently, Mirza Jahangir was exiled to Allahabad by the British.
Mirza Jahangir’s mother, Queen Mumtaz Mahal Begum, was devastated and vowed to offer a chadar of flowers at the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki in Mehrauli if her son was allowed to return. After a few years, Mirza Jahangir was released, and Mumtaz Mahal Begum fulfilled her vow by visiting Mehrauli. The Imperial Court and much of Delhi’s population joined her, turning the event into a grand seven-day celebration. Activities included swings in mango groves, cockfighting, bull-baiting, kite-flying, wrestling, and swimming competitions. Amidst the festivities, a floral chadar was offered at the Dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki.
King Akbar Shah II, known for his secular views, also ordered a floral offering in the form of a floral pankha at the Yogmaya Temple in Mehrauli. This gesture of communal harmony led to the establishment of the festival, which the King named “Phool Walon Ki Sair”.
During the festival, Jahaz Mahal becomes a hub of festivities, hosting the inaugural ceremony and various cultural shows, along with with artisans and craftsmen setting up temporary stalls in the spacious grounds around Jahaz Mahal.
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Categories: Delhi, India, Jahaz Mahal - Delhi
Kevin Standage 
It’s hard to not miss the Hindu styled pillars, either adorned with carvings (systematically defaced, like at Adhai Din Ka Jhompra or Kutub Complex) or relatively simple styled ones – whenever one sees a monument from Sultanate period in Delhi. In many cases, these are of different material than the dome over it. Makes me wonder if all of these are remnants of temple/hindu structures that were demolished and almost always repurposed to serve in the sections of Muslim structure that stood over the previous structure with a dome added later. Be it RudraMahalaya of Siddhpur, or the palaces of Champaner, these stand out in open.
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There is a listing in a short book published some time ago.
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