Medieval Indian History Quiz (5 Questions)

Barids and Munhiyans

Since Alauddin Khalji wanted to maintain a large army, he therefore, lowered and fixed the price of the commodities of daily use.

To control the prices, Alauddin set up three different markets for different commodities in Delhi.

These markets were the grain market called 'Mandi', the cloth market called 'Sarai Adl' and the market for horses, cattle and slaves.

To ensure implementation, Alauddin appointed a superintendent (Shahna-i-Mandi) who was assisted by intelligence officers.

Apart from Shahna-i-Mandi, Alauddin Khalji received daily reports of the market from two other independent sources, barid (intelligence officer) and munhiyans (secret spies).

Turkan-i-Chahalgani - Council of Forty Turkish Nobles

Turkan-i-Chahalgani was a council of 40 turkish slaves started by Iltutmish for better administration of his kingdom.

The number of members was not always 40, but never exceeded it.

After death of Iltutmish, the group became very powerful and acted as kingmakers of the Kingdom. A sultan had to stay under them if, he wanted to remain in power.

Balban knew that Chahalgani was very powerful, because he himself had been a part of it and he knew he could not rule freely if they existed.

He got rid of all the members of this group, sometimes by making them a culprit of a crime and sometimes getting them killed in an underhanded manner.

Balban had an efficient spy system that would tell him of any intrigues that would be hatched against him. He ruled with an 'Blood and Iron policy'. He was the one who made sure that the power remain in Sultan's hand and nobody else's.

Why did Saint Nizamuddin Auliya say "Dilli dur ast"?

This is the Persian proverb “Hunooz Dilli Dur Ast” which when translated to Hindi reads “Dilli abhi dur hai”.

Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya was a revered Chisti Sufi Saint of 14th century, who used to live in Ghiyaspur, in the outskirts of Delhi.

Consequently, Ghiyaspur had grown into a major pilgrimage centre. It came under the rule and jurisdiction of Sultan Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.

People from far and wide frequented the town not for the grandeur of the sultan, but due to the austerity and fame of the Auliya and his much beloved disciple and the famous poet Amir Khusrao.

The Sultan was very fond of Amir Khusrao, who was also his courtier. But he was very suspicious of Nizamuddin Auliya .

This wasn't odd because at that time the relationship between the Sufis and the state was often strained.

The sultans were not happy about the Sufis gaining power as it could pose a potential threat to their authority.

So the sultan suspected that Nizamuddin Auliya and his people were plotting something against him.

Once, on his way back to Delhi after the war with Bengal, Sultan Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq decreed that Saint Nizamuddin Auliya should leave Delhi immediately before his return.

Amir Khusrao who revered the Saint, went over to him voicing his concern over the Farman.

However, Nizamuddin Auliya wasn't disturbed, instead he said “Hunooz Dilli Dur Ast", which means Dilli is yet very far away.

As it happened, on his way back to Delhi, a special celebration was held at a camp for the Sultan and a massive podium was erected commemorating his victory.

A sudden storm led to the podium to collapse and with it the Sultan himself had a fall leading to his death.

Therefore Saint Nizamuddin Auliya's words came true. The Sultan never reached Delhi.

How Ashokan Pillars reached Delhi from Meerut and Topra ?

There are two Ashokan pillars in Delhi -the one in Ferozeshah Kotla and another at the Delhi Ridge, opposite Bara Hindu Rao Hospital.

Ashokan Pillars are symbols of victory. It is said that Feroz Shah Tughlaq was so enthralled by Ashokan pillars in the mid-14th century that he had them moved to his palace in Delhi.

The pillars were transported from their original sites in Meerut and Ambala during the reign of Sultan Feroz Shah Tughlaq in the 14th century CE.

The pillar in the Kotla ruins is also referred to as the Delhi Topra pillar because it was discovered in a village called Topra, near Ambala.

The Topra pillar was installed over Feroz Shah Tughlaq's palace and is 43 ft high.