- Sarai Kale Khan
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Sarai Kale Khan is a historic locality and a Gujjar village of Basista / Bosatta Gotra (clan), migrated from Khanpur village situated in South Delhi in 16th - 17th Century . During past, it was known as Moocho waali Sarai (Inn of Moustaches) because every male have had long moustaches, which was a symbol of manliness those days. In the north-west cornerside of the village there used to be some debris of old monuments which were called Mahal (Mansion) (nowadays DDA Flats are situated over there). The land area of Sarai Kale Khan was stretched from Purana Qila (Old Fort) in north-west to Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium in west, Mayur Vihar in east and Taimoor Nagar in south. The village is surrounded by some famous monuments such as Purana Qila, Humayun’s Tomb, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya’s Dargah, Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana's Tomb, Baara Pullah and other monuments.
These days it is also known for Sarai Kale Khan ISBT Inter State Bus Terminal and Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, Delhi, Delhi Government's Transport Department zonal office and “Vishwa Shanti Stupa” or peace pagoda (unveiled by His Holiness the Dalai Lama) located at the Millennium Park on Ring road.
Contents
History
The area is named 'Kale khan ki sarai', a sarai, or rest house for travellers or caravans and royal route from Mughal imperial courts and Chandni Chowk to their retreat at Mehrauli some 32 km away. The sarai itself named after a Sufi saint, Kale Khan of 14th-15th century, whose resting place along with that of another Sufi saint of Delhi, resting place of Hazrat Roshan Khan is today situated inside the Delhi Airport complex.[1] Though a Lodi era structure Kale Khan ka Gumad is also situated at Kotla Mubarakpur Complex in South Delhi, the tomb is dated to 1481 AD as per an inscription on the Mihrab inside the tomb, this Kale Khan was a courtier in the Lodi period during the reign of Bahlol Lodi [2]
Nawab Faizullah Beg, son of Nawab Qasim Jan, a courtier in reign of Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II (r. 1728–1806), was a courtier in Bahadur Shah Zafar's reign, and built a complex later known as Ahata Kaley Sahab, so named a saint named Kaley Khan, who lived here for a while, after whom area was later named. The complex was later acquired by Bunyadi Begum, poet Mirza Ghalib's sister-in-law, and housed the poet after he was released from debtors' prison.[3][4]
The name Sarai derives from the time of the rule of the Afghan Sher Shah Suri, under whom a paved road network was built, with roadside inns called "Serais" every twelve miles.
Sarai Kale Khan Inter-State bus terminus
Sarai Kale Khan Inter-State (ISBT) is a major bus terminus complex in Delhi, India catering to bus services to Haryana and Rajasthan states.
Built to decongest the over-crowded Kashmere Gate ISBT, which was unable to bear the increase in inter-State traffic, construction of Rs. 80-crore terminus complex began in January 2005,[5] and it was commissioned in March 1996 though it was subsequently redeveloped to handle the increased volume of passengers. Further it is aimed to integrate with the Delhi Metro Rail link coming up near Pragati Maidan and also inter-connect the bus terminus with Nizamuddin Railway Station to cater to the rising volume of passenger traffic.[6]
It is adjacent to the Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station. Sarai Kale Khan is the terminus for most buses heading for towns south of Delhi. It is also a DTC bus depot for the Mudrika Seva (Ring Road Bus Service) and many other bus routes.
Also under construction in the vicinity is an Elevated road project that would connect Sarai Kale Khan with Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Lodhi Road, this would subsequently be extended to Mayur Vihar in East Delhi from Sarai Kale Khan side and to INA Colonyfrom the stadium end, during the phase II of the construction.[7]
References
- ^ unique symbol of faith "A unique symbol of faith". The Hindu. Jul 12, 2008. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/07/12/stories/2008071252441200.htmA unique symbol of faith.
- ^ Sharma, Y.D (2001). Delhi and its Neighbourhood. New Delhi: Archeological Survey of India. p. 161. http://www.indiaclub.com/Shop/SearchResults.asp?ProdStock=8780.
- ^ Of Ghalib's abode, masjid and muse The Hindu, January 8, 2007.
- ^ Retracing Ghalib's footsteps The Hindu, February 14, 2007.
- ^ "Hi-tech ISBT to come up at Sarai Kale Khan". The Hindu. Jan 20, 2005. http://www.hindu.com/2005/01/20/stories/2005012001680300.htm.
- ^ "Anand Vihar and Sarai Kale Khan ISBTs to be restored". The Indian Express. Sep 23, 2008. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Anand-Vihar-and-Sarai-Kale-Khan-ISBTs-to-be-restored/364589/.
- ^ "Elevated road project to connect East Delhi with South Delhi". The Hindu. December 21, 2009. http://beta.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/article68144.ece.
External links
Categories:- Bus stations in India
- Neighbourhoods of Delhi
- Transport in Delhi
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