Qutub Minar Legends

There a number of legends related to the Qutub Minar of New Delhi. Some people believe that the monument was actually built by Prithviraj Chauhan, so that his daughter could behold the sacred river Yamuna from its top as part of her daily worship. Since Qutub Minar's entire architecture seems to be of Islamic origin, these legends seem to be baseless.

However, Hindu craftsmen and sculptured stones of some Hindu temples were certainly employed for its construction, as is evident from the 'Devanagari' inscriptions on its surface. It is said that a cupola surmounted the stone tower originally, which was destroyed by an earthquake. Later, an effort was made to replace it in the 19th century, but it was brought down in 1848. It can still be seen on the lawns to the south east of Qutab Minar.