Delhi Sultanate: Every street and every intersection of Delhi tells a unique story. Today we are going to tell you about the oldest and beautiful place of Delhi, Hauz-e-Shamsi, which is today known as Hauz Khas Lake. This reservoir is 800 years old. Let us know its history and the story behind it.

Construction of Hauz Khas Lake

It is said that Prophet Mohammad once appeared in a dream to Sultan Iltutmish. He showed a place in the forest of Mehrauli where his horse Burak had laid his head. When the Sultan woke up, he set out to search for that place along with his spiritual guide Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki. Miraculously a spring of sweet water burst forth there and the Sultan out of devotion ordered the digging of a huge reservoir.

How did Hauz-e-Shamsi get its name?

This reservoir was named Hauz-e-Shamsi which means Lake of the Sun. It was named after Iltutmish’s own title Shamsuddin which means Sun of Faith. Its construction started around 1230 AD. Iltutmish had built a red sandstone pavilion with a domed roof in the middle of the lake. A stone was also placed inside it on which there are hoof marks of the Prophet’s divine horse Buraq.

Praised by Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta, the famous Moroccan traveler of the 14th century, visited Delhi during the reign of Mohammed bin Tughlaq and also wrote about this lake. Ibn Battuta had described it as a freshwater river. With the passage of time, different dynasties have left their mark on this lake.

During the Lodi period, a grand ship palace was built on its banks. This palace Panipat seemed to be floating, which served as a resting place for pilgrims and travelers. Later, during the reign of Jahangir, Shahjahan and Bahadur Shah II, the Mughals gave it a new look by adding fountains, pavilions and gardens. Today this place has become a precious part of the cultural and historical landscapes of Delhi. In 2023, local residents formed a group named Pride of Shamsi. This group, along with ASI NGO SEEDS, conducted a cleanliness campaign here.

Ballimaran history: The old streets of Delhi look like a living museum. There is a unique story and a big history hidden in every corner here. Today we are going to talk about a similar place which has felt the footsteps of poet, freedom fighter, artisans and traders. We are talking about Ballimaran. This place is still famous for glasses shops and shoe shops on the other side. But most people do not know how this place got this name. People feel that they used to live here. But it is not true. Rather the truth is even more interesting. Let’s know this interesting truth.

Why did this name get?

The word Ballimaran means ‘Balli kill’. In fact, during the Mughal period, the Yamuna river near Delhi was not very deep and the hull of the boat used to hit the bottom of the river easily. This was the reason that the boat drivers used long bamboo rods. Most of these sailors lived at the same place which is now called Ballimaran.

The special thing is that their relationship with the Mughals’ royal families was very good, due to which they had a lot of status in the city. But with time, the sailors started decreasing here. After this, this place became famous for another art. That art was ‘silver carvings’. The artisans here were so amazing that no one could match them in the whole of Delhi.

Some famous celebrities with Ballimaran

Ballimaran is famous not only for business or workmanship but also for many great people. Let us tell you that the famous Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib used to live in Kasim John. This street is a beautiful part of the memories of Ballimaran. Ghalib’s house has now been converted into a heritage site where poetry lovers often come.

Along with this, Maulana Hasrat Mohani, the poet of farewell, has also got inspiration from these streets. His ghazal -like ‘Silently Remember Tears Remember’, or many lions, do not remember if they do not remember for years, but when they come, they often remember ‘are written in these streets. Famous doctor and freedom fighter Hakim Ajmal Khan was once a big house here. Congress leaders and revolutionaries used to come and go in this house. Also, Zakir Hussain, who later became the Vice President and President of India, was also very close to Ballimaran. At that time, he used to eat food at the Hafiz Hotel here.

Well, now, now there is no beauty of boat drivers and silver workmanship, but this place is still beautiful today due to the memories of its market, old buildings and poems. If you see from outside, you will be seen selling shoes and glasses, but when you pass through its streets, you will tell the story of poet and patriotism.

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