Hauz-i-Shamsi

July 16, 2021

Hauz-i-Shamsi

Hauz-i-Shamsi or Shamsi Talaab is a water storage reservoir (Hauz) built by Sultan Shams ud-Din Iltutmish of the Slave Dynasty in 1230 AD on the outskirts of Mehrauli.

HAUZ-I-SHAMSI

To the south western corner of the tank, there is a twelve pillared domed pavilion made of red sandstone. It is originally believed to have been situated in the tank’s center.

Twelve Pillared Red Sandstone Pavillion

Story of Hauz-i-Shamsi

It is said that Prophet appeared once to Iltutmish in a dream and pointed out this site to him as suitable for building the tank which he had in mind. The next morning Iltutmish noticed here the print of one of the hoofs of the Prophet's horse, around which he built a domed platform and excavated the tank to harvest rain water.

Here Shams ud-Din Iltutmish reported to have found a hoof print of Muhammad's horse in his dream

14th century Moroccon Traveller Ibn Battuta described this Hauz-i-Shamsi in his travelogue “The Rihla”. He was struck by the vastness of this tank and he says that the central double storey-ed stone pavilion can be reached only by boats when the tank is full.

Pic from “The Travels of Ibn Battuta” 1325AD-1354 Volume III- by H.AR. GIBB

Recent encroachments and siltation made the Pavilion’s location to the eastern edge of the tank.

Towards the eastern edge of the reservoir, a palace called Jahaz Mahal, built perhaps during the Lodi period (1451-1526) used as a retreat to the piligrims. The Mahal gives a reflection similar to a Ship~ Jahaz in the Hauz-i-Shamsi ; hence the name Jahaz Mahal.

The Jahaz Mahal- of Lodi Era

At the edge of the tank there is supposed to be the tomb of 17^th century Persian writer of the Mughal Court Abdul-Haqq Dehlavi. I couldn’t find any.
The waters of the tank are regarded as sacred, and several graves of Muslim saints lie around it. The famous Phulwalon-ki-Sair or Sair-i-Gulfaroshan starts from the outlet of this tank; the Jharna.

Jharna was developed by Nawab Ghaziuddin around 1700 AD as a pleasure garden during the Mughal rule. It has 3 parts. The first part consisted of the reservoir; the second part was the water fall and the last part, the fountains. Akbar Shah II built the pavilion on the side and his son Bahadur Shah II added the central pavilion.

The Reservoir at the Jharna and side pavilion built by Akbar Shah II

Central pavilion added by Bahadur Shah II at Jharna

Painting of the Jharna from Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe's “Reminiscences of Imperial Delhi” 1843.

D.O’ Sullivan in his book HERE IS DELHI- a guide book with History and Map (1920) describes an Aulia Masjid near to the Hauz-i- Shamsi , where a thanksgiving service was held on the capture of Hindu City of Delhi by Muhammad Ghori in 1193.