Khooni Darwaza on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg

This is an old quartzite structure, just a short distance from the ITO crossing, and right next to Maulana Azad Medical College (in fact, the gate became even more infamous a few years ago (December 2002) when a medical college student was raped on the gate, something that was a horror !). It is a protected monument because of its historical background.
The Khooni Darwaza has a history that makes the name easy to understand. It was originally called the Kabuli Darwaza (Gate) in Sher Shah Suri's time since it is believed that caravans to Kabul would pass through it. The gate is an imposing structure if you look at it closely (it is 15.5 metres high), and one can imagine it to be a bustling structure at that point of time.
However, it started getting a bloody reputation during the Mughal rule after that. The bodies of criminals, and thieves, and also those whom the emperor ordered dead were displayed at the gate, to be eaten by birds of prey. This tradition continued for a long time, with the Mughal emperor Jahangir ordering the death of 2 sons of Akbar's friend (who had committed the crime of supporting another brother in the succession battle). His grandson, Aurangzeb got the throne by killing his elder brother, Dara Shikoh, and ordered his head to be displayed over here.
During the First Battle for Independence in 1857, after the British won, they killed 2 sons and the grandson of the last Mughal (Bahadur Shah Zafar) here at the Gate. And this was not the end. During the Partition of the country in 1947, there were massive riots, and a number of refugees were killed here while trying to go to safety.
No wonder people avoid the Gate during dusk hours, as it is rumoured to be the haunt of spirits and ghosts of the people who died violent deaths over here.


If you want to be informed of new posts, please subscribe