This winter, I had an opportunity of visiting the Qutab Minar, at Delhi. It was begun by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in 1200 A.D. It was completed by the kings who succeeded him. It is one of the loftiest pillars in the world. It still stands alone in unrivalled majesty, 10 miles from Delhi.

It is an elegant pillar. This lofty pillar towers to a height of 242 feet. It was originally built with seven storeys. It then rose to a height of 300 feet. The diameter at the base is 49 feet. The diameter gradually diminishes in fine proportion as you go to the top. It shrinks to mere 13 feet at the top. It is built of red sandstone and white marble.

The purplish red of the sandstone at the base is finely modulated to match with the dark orange coloured stone used in the fifth storey. There are dark bands of Arabic writing round the three lower storeys. They contrast with the red sandstone. The plinth is a polygon of 20 sides. A bold projecting balcony richly ornamented runs round each storey.

After more than seven centuries the column is almost as new as on the day it was completed. The master-builders certainly knew their job to perfection. This magnificent pillar is grandly conceived beautifully proportion chastily embellished and exquisitely finished.

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From its top, we can overlook the whole of Delhi. Delhi seems to lie at its feet. We appear to be surrounded by green smiling fields ruins of old palaces, forts and monuments and modern roads, buildings gardens and parks of New Delhi. The Jamuna seems to creep like a serpent. The people below look like pigmies. One feels nervous if one looks down from its top. It is well worth a visit.