Ruins of Hauz Khas Village around Royal Tank in South Delhi || Photo Journey to Ruins of Hauz Khas Village in Capital City of India

Last weekend, we had a meeting at Hauz Khas with some of the old friends and thought of exploring the ruins around Hauz Khas Village Market. This Photo Journey will take you through various ruins around this campus and a huge water tank or Lake. Let's start this Black and White Photo Journey...

Hauz Khas Village boundaries start from Deer Park and these ruins are in the end, after crossing the market with various art galleries and some interesting stuff for Tourists.

In the 1980s Hauz Khas Village was developed as an upper class residential cum commercial area in the metropolis of South Delhi, India. It is now a relatively expensive tourist cum commercial area with numerous art galleries, upscale boutiques and restaurant. Swans and ducks are among the attractions at Hauz Khas Lake - which is part of the attraction to visitors. During this recent visit to Hauz Khas Village, we saw various other birds around the lake. We shall be sharing a separate Photo Journey on birds from Hauz Khas Lake in South Delhi !!!

This area in mainly popular among tourists, Art Lovers and college going people. The places around these ruins can be seen overcrowded by college going folks. This another destination I got to know where Delhi Couples come to spend some private moments with their partners. During one of the recent trips I was talking to my friends about an idea to provide more private space for couples of these big cities :) ... We shall share the idea with more elaborated details later...

Three pavilions inside the Tomb ... Hauz Khas Village has notable structures built by Firuz Shah on the eastern and northern side of the reservoir consisted = Madrasa (Islamic School of Learning), the small Mosque, the Main tomb for himself and six domed pavilions in its precincts...

This Photograph shows North-South arm of the Madrasa and Mosque overlooking the reservoir...

Hauz Khas Village Complex in South Delhi houses a water tank, an Islamic seminary, a mosque, a tomb and pavilions built around an urbanized village. It was part of Siri, the second medieval city of India of the Delhi Sultanate of Allauddin Khilji Dynasty (1296–1316). The etymology of the name Hauz Khas in Urdu language is derived from the words ‘Hauz’: 'water tank' (or lake) and ‘Khas’:'royal'- the 'Royal tank'. The large water tank or reservoir was first built by Khilji to supply water to the inhabitants of Siri.

The Hauz Khas village which was known in the medieval period for the amazing buildings built around the reservoir drew a large congregation of Islamic scholors and students to the Madrasa for Islamic education. A very well researched essay titled 'A Medieval Center of Learning in India: The Hauz Khas Madrasa in Delhi' authored by Anthony Welch of the University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, refers to this site as 'far and away the finest spot in Delhi not in the ingenuity of its construction and the academic purpose to which it was put but also in the real magic of the place'.

Currently Hauz Khas village retains not only the old charm of the place but has enhanced its aesthetic appeal through the well manicured green parks planted with ornamental trees all around with walk ways... The tank itself has been reduced in size and well landscaped with water fountains. Hauz Khas village structure that gloriously existed in the medieval period was modernized in mid 1980’s presenting an upscale ambience attracting tourists from all parts of the world. The village complex is surrounded by Safdarjung Enclave, Green Park, South Extension, Greater Kailash. There are some of the India's most prestigious institutes situated in the neighborhood including Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, National Institute of Fashion Technology, and All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Here is a Photograph showing Pavilions adjoining the courtyard...

Madrasa was one of the leading institutions of Islamic learning in the Delhi Sultanate. It was also considered the largest and best equipped Islamic seminary anywhere in the world. There were three main Madrasa's in Delhi during Firuz Shah's time. One of them was the Firuz Shahi madrasa at Hauz Khas. After the sack of Baghdad, Delhi became the most important place in the world for Islamic education. The village surrounding the Madarsa was also called Tarababad (city of joy) in view of its affluent and culturally rich status, which provided the needed supporting sustenance supply system to the Madrasa

Several buildings (Mosque and madrasa) and tombs were built overlooking the water tank or lake. Firuz Shah’s tomb pivots the L–shaped building complex which overlooks the tank. More information about Hauz Khas Village can be seen at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hauz_Khas_Complex