“My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
~ Percy Bysshe Shelley

In my quest to unravel the seven capitals of medieval Delhi, I traveled first to Mehrauli area which is the site for both the first and the second capital. If you turn back the pages of history, the first city of Delhi dating to 11th century gets its recognition as Lal Kot of which only ruins remain. Lal Kot, meaning Red Fortress – owing to the extensive use of the red stone – was the first city to be constructed in the Delhi area.

A View of the Qutub Minar from Bhool Bhulaiya (Adham Khan’s Tomb)

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