Sarai Kale Khan | |
---|---|
Village | |
Coordinates: 28°35′28″N77°15′28″E / 28.5911°N 77.2578°E | |
Country | India |
State | Delhi |
District | South East Delhi |
Named for | Kale Khan |
Languages | |
• Official | Hindi |
Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
PIN | 110013 |
Sarai Kale Khan is an urban village in the South East Delhi district of Delhi. The area is well-connected to the rest of Delhi through the Delhi Metro's Pink Line and a nearby Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT), offering convenient transportation options. Located next to Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station on the Indian Railways network, this station serves as one of Delhi's five main railway hubs and operates as both the originating and terminal station for 60 trains. The ISBT functions as a terminus for most buses heading to cities and towns south of Delhi and includes a DTC bus depot, supporting the Mudrika Seva (Ring Road Bus Service) and various other bus routes.
The area around Sarai Kale Khan served as a rest house (in the form of a caravanserai) for travelers and caravans along the royal route connecting the Mughal imperial courts and Chandni Chowk to their retreat in Mehrauli, about 32 km (20 mi) away. This sarai was named after Kale Khan, a Sufi saint from the 14th–15th century, whose resting place, along with that of another prominent Sufi saint from Delhi, is now located within the Delhi Airport complex, marking it as a historical site for travellers' respite. [1]
On the contrary, Kale Khan's Gumbad, a structure from the Lodi era, is located in the Kotla Mubarakpur Complex in South Delhi. According to an inscription on the mihrab (prayer niche) inside the tomb, it dates back to 1481 AD. This other Kale Khan was a courtier during the reign of Sultan Bahlol Lodi (r. 1451–1589). [2]
Nawab Faizullah Beg, son of Nawab Qasim Jan—a courtier during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II (r. 1728–1806)—was also a courtier during the reign of the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. He built a complex that later became known as Ahata Kaley Sahab, christened after a saint called Kaley Khan who resided there for a time and after whom the area was subsequently 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" originates from the era of Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri, who established a network of paved roads, with roadside inns known as "serais" placed every twelve miles to accommodate travelers.
On 15 November 2024, the major intersection outside Sarai Kale Khan was renamed Birsa Munda Chowk in honour of the tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda, commemorating his 150th birth anniversary. [5] [6] The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, under the BJP-led central government, renamed the intersection to Birsa Munda Chowk ahead of the 2024 state elections in Jharkhand, a state in eastern India approximately 750 kilometers southeast of Delhi, where Birsa Munda's legacy enjoys immense popularity. [7]
The AAP, the ruling party of Delhi, criticised the central government for unilaterally proceeding with the renaming, arguing that the decision bypassed established protocols that typically involve consultation with the state-level road naming authority. They contended that the central government acted without coordination with Delhi's Public Works Department (PWD), which oversees this jurisdiction. By taking this step independently, the AAP suggested that the BJP-led central government had disregarded the procedural norms and the authority of the Delhi government, raising concerns about the legality and transparency of the decision. [8]
Sarai Kale Khan Inter-State Bus Terminal is a major bus terminus complex in Delhi, India, catering to short and long-haul bus services to the neighbouring states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
The Chandni Chowk is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, India. Located close to the Old Delhi railway station, the Mughal-era Red Fort is located at the eastern fringes of Chandni Chowk. It was built in 1650 by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, and designed by his daughter, Jahanara. The street spanning the market was historically divided by canals, engineered to reflect moonlight. These canals have since been closed, leaving behind a transformed urban landscape. It remains one of India's largest wholesale markets.
The Mudrika Seva is one of the most popular bus routes in Delhi, India. It was started by the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) in May 1974, and is now operated by both the Corporation and DIMTS' cluster buses. The service runs on Delhi's inner ring road, with major stops at AIIMS, Lajpat Nagar, Sarai Kale Khan, ITO, Delhi Gate, Kashmere Gate, DU North Campus, Model Town, Azadpur market, Shalimar Bagh, Punjabi Bagh, Britannia Factory, Rajouri Garden, Naraina, and DU South Campus.
Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in South Delhi, Delhi, India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is close to Gurugram and next to Vasant Kunj.
Old Delhi is an area in the Central Delhi district of Delhi, India. It was founded as a walled city and officially named Shahjahanabad in 1648, when Shah Jahan decided to shift the Mughal capital from Agra. The construction of the city was completed in 1648, and it remained the capital of Mughal India until its fall in 1857, when the British Empire took over as paramount power in the Indian subcontinent.
Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan (1797–1869), also known as Mirza Ghalib, was an Indian poet. He was popularly known by the pen names Ghalib and Asad. His honorific was Dabir-ul-Mulk, Najm-ud-Daula. During his lifetime, the already declining Mughal Empire was eclipsed and displaced by the British East India Company rule and finally deposed following the defeat of the Indian Rebellion of 1857; these are described through his work.
Delhi has significant reliance on its transport infrastructure. The city has developed a highly efficient public transport system with the introduction of the Delhi Metro, which is undergoing a rapid modernization and expansion since 2006. There are 16.6 million registered vehicles in the city as of 30 June 2014, which is the highest in the world among all cities, most of which do not follow any pollution emission norm, while the Delhi metropolitan region has 11.2 million vehicles. Delhi and NCR lose nearly 42 crore man-hours every month while commuting between home and office through public transport, due to the traffic congestion. Therefore, serious efforts, including a number of transport infrastructure projects, are under way to encourage usage of public transport in the city.
Delhi has been an important political centre of India as the capital of several empires. The recorded history of Delhi begins with the 8th century Tomar Rajput dynasty. It is considered to be a city built, destroyed and rebuilt several times, as outsiders who successfully invaded the Indian subcontinent would ransack the existing capital city in Delhi, and those who came to conquer and stay would be so impressed by the city's strategic location as to make it their capital and rebuild it in their own way.
In India, an Inter State Bus Terminal or Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) is a bus terminus that provides bus service to destinations located in other states. An ISBT may also provide bus services to destinations in the same state. Mostly ISBT Term is used in the Northern Part of India, In the western part of India, ST Stand or State Transport Term is used.
Hazrat Nizamuddinrailway station is part of the Indian Railways network. Located in South Delhi, it is operated by the Delhi division of the Northern Railway. Serving as one of the five primary railway stations in the Union Territory of Delhi, it handles nearly 250 trains daily. Christened after the medieval Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya, the station was revamped to alleviate congestion at the New Delhi railway station.
Mīrzā Najaf Khān Bahādur, simply known as Mirza Najaf Khan was an adventurer of Safavid lineage who came to Delhi around 1740 from Iran after Nader Shah had displaced Safavid dynasty in 1736. He became a courtier of Mughal emperor Shah Alam II. He married his sister into the family of the Shia Nawab of Awadh, which resulted in him gaining the title of Deputy Wazir of Awadh. He served during the Battle of Buxar, and he was the highest commander of the Mughal army from 1772 till his death in April 1782.
Kotla Mubarakpur, a medieval famous urban village, is a market place with residential colony in South central part of New Delhi. Kotla Mubarakpur classified by the Delhi Development Authority (D.D.A.) as an Urban Village which is dominated by Baisla gotra of Gurjars, it is situated within touching distance of South Extension. Defence Colony lies to its east. Nearest Delhi Metro stations are South Extension, Dilli Haat - INA and Lajpat Nagar. Its history can be traced to the prominent tomb of Muizud Din Mubarak Shah, son of Khizr Khan of the Sayyid dynasty of the fifteenth century Delhi Sultanate rule in India, and its adjoining mosque. There are several other tombs of Lodi Dynasty period such as the Darya Khan's tomb, Kale Khan ka Gumbad, Bare Khan ka Gumbad, Chote Khan Ka Gumbad and Bhure Khan ka Gumbad, and also a Baoli.
Nawab Qasim Jan was a courtier in the royal courts of Mughal Delhi. According to some sources he came from Yarkand and first lived in Lahore, attached to the court of the Governor Moin-ul-Mulk in the 1750s, thereafter he moved to Delhi and joined the Mughal court under emperor, Shah Alam II.
The town of Sautbad, known as Sheikhupur, is about 4 km from the centre of Badaun city across the river Saut, Uttar Pradesh, India and comes under Badaun Metro Area. It is 1 km from Budaun and will be part of the city in one year. The latitude and longitude of Sheikhupur are 28.1 (N) and 79.7' respectively.
The Dwarka Sector 21 Metro station, located on the Blue Line and Airport Express Line of the Delhi Metro, serves as a major metro and multimodal interchange hub. It is situated near the Dwarka ISBT to the west and the Bijwasan railway station of the Indian Railways network to the east. It served as the terminal station for the Airport Express Line from its opening until 16 September 2023, when Yashobhoomi Dwarka Sector-25 became the new terminal.
The Veer Hakikat Rai Interstate Bus Terminus, previously referred to as the Sarai Kale Khan Interstate Bus Terminus, is one of the three Inter State Bus Terminals in Delhi. It operates short and long-haul bus services between Delhi and the neighbouring states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
The Maharana Pratap Interstate Bus Terminus (Maharana Pratap ISBT), popularly known as Kashmere Gate Interstate Bus Terminus (Kashmere Gate ISBT), located in Delhi, is the oldest and one of the largest Inter-State Bus Terminals in India. It operates bus services between Delhi and the neighbouring states and union territories of Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. Spanning about 5.3 acres, it handles over 1,800 buses a day.
Sarai Kale Khan RRTS station is an under-construction station located in the South East Delhi district of Delhi, India. It is designed for high-speed trains operating on the RapidX network, capable of reaching speeds up to 180 km/h. The station will serve as both a terminus and an originating station for three priority RRTS corridors under the first phase: Delhi-Panipat, Delhi-Alwar, and Delhi-Meerut.
Sarai Kale Khan, officially known as Birsa Munda Chowk, is a village in Delhi, India.