History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c24.43

c24.43

The king thought of completely dwarfing the architectural achievements of his predecessors by building a Mīnār of double the size of the Quṭb. It was commenced in 1311 at a distance of 470 feet to the north-west of the Quṭb Mīnār. Its circumference is 254 ft. and the diameter of the central column 26′. It was carried to the height of 75′ above the plinth of about 4½'; but then the construction was abandoned, probably on account of the Sultan’s death. The Mīnār is divided into 32 faces of 8′ each, and the curious feature of angular flutings is very marked, as also the treatment of the shallow curved recesses, so that the whole column has aptly been described by General Cunningham as “being exactly like a gigantic cog-wheel.” The relative heights of the An empty page with faint rectangular impression marks and no printed text.