Tughlaqabad: Rise and Fall of a Dynasty

Rising dramatically from the rocky landscape of southern Delhi, Tughlaqabad stands as one of the most ambitious and haunting experiments in medieval urban history.

Built in the fourteenth century by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, the vast fortified city marked the beginning of the Tughlaq dynasty and reflected a new architectural language defined by massive walls, sloping fortifications and an imposing sense of military power.

Yet the city that was conceived to embody permanence would itself become closely associated with decline and abandonment.

This walk explores the rise and fall of the Tughlaq dynasty through the extraordinary remains of Tughlaqabad and its surrounding landscape. Participants trace the vision behind this ambitious capital while uncovering the stories of Adilabad Fort, Nai ka Kot and the political and architectural developments that shaped the dynasty's early years.

The experience culminates at the tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, one of the earliest and most distinctive monuments of Tughlaq architecture, where its design is explored in connection with the earlier tomb of Zafar Khan and the architectural ideas that preceded the Tughlaqs.