The Making of a Modern Myth:The Qutb Minar

• 2003--Gujarat Riots• 1992--Babri Mosque

Riots

Introduction

I: Historical Background

• Ghaznavid Dynasty--late 900s-1186

• Why does India bear the brunt of Ghaznavid attacks?

• “Piggy bank”• Ghurid Dynasty

ends the Ghaznavids

• Delhi conquered in 1192 by Ghurids• By 1210s, a patchwork of Muslim states in India

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II: The Qutb Complex

• Two features:i) Mosque (built in

three stages, 1190s/early 1200… late 1220s…1310s)

ii) Minaret• Qutb al-Din, d. 1206

(slave of Ghurid ruler)

• Iltutmish, d. 1236 (slave of Qutb al-Din)

• 238 feet, 378 steps

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III: Studying the Qutb

• British East India Company, conquered Delhi in 1803

• Hindu and Jain materials

• “Quwwat al-Islam” (The Might of Islam)

• Three academic approaches

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IV: The Qutb’s Meaning, 1190s

• Delhi is not the paramound political center in 1200

• Qutb al-Din (first strongman of Delhi)

• Three points:

i) Muslims deeply divided

ii) Reality of weak power

iii) Messages geared towards Muslims not Hindus

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• Where are the Hindus?

i) Artisansii) Military collaborationiii) Use of non-Muslim

political and religious sites

iv) Coinage (Shiva’s vehicle, Lakshmi, king’s title in Devanagri not Arabic script)

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V: The Qutb’s Meaning, 1220s

• Mongols, post-1220s

• Iltutmish (d. 1236)• “Qubba al-Islam”

(The Sanctuary of Islam)

• “Quwwat al-Islam” (The Might of Islam)

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