21-0 Notes on the Topography &c. of Delhi. [No. 4, 



probably not built until the middle of the fifteenth century ; that the 

 walls of the Kutb citadel were rebuilt by Ala-u-din ; and that there 

 are no remains whatsoever of any other citadel or strong fort bruit by 

 him. 



The most prominent references in history to the fort of Siri are 

 those connected with the troublous times which preceded and followed 

 the invasion of Timur. In them it is always spoken of as a place of 

 great strength, as the citadel of Delhi in fact. Tbus Mallu-Khan* 

 by its possession kept in awe the conflicting parties of Mahmud 

 Togluck and Nasrat Shah ; — twicef it withstood successfully all the 

 forces that Kbizr Khan could bring against it ; and it was only taken by 

 him after a third siege which lasted for four months : whilst thirty years 

 later it was again besieged for three months without success. These 

 facts, it need hardly be said, point rather to the Kutb citadel than to 

 Shahpoor ; for the former is a work of great natural and artificial 

 strength ; whereas the latter is a weak place, which had for defences 

 a slight wall without any ditch, and which was commanded by the 

 Brij Mandil and other lofty buildings in the adjacent Jahanpanah. 

 In fact the history of this period can only be made intelligible on the 

 supposition that the Siri held by Mallu Khan was the Kutb citadel ; 

 that Mahmud Togluck held the old city of Rai Pithora and Jahan- 

 panah ; whilst Firuzabad was occupied by Nasrat Shah ; and we have 

 then no reason to call in question the truth of Ferishta's statement 

 regarding the meeting of Mallu Khan and Nasrat Shah at the grave of 

 Khawaj Kutb-u-din Bakhtiar Kaki, a statement which completely 

 identifies Siri with the Kutb citadel, within which the tomb of this 

 famous saint may be seen to this very day. 



General Cunningham endeavours to dispose of this very direct 

 piece of evidence, by asserting that Ferishta knew nothing of the 

 topography of Delhi ; and he suggests that he was probably mistaken, 

 and that the meeting in question took place at the tomb of another 

 saint ; one Shaikh Nasir-u-din Mahammad (better known as Roshun 

 Chiragh Delhi) " which is just outside the south-east corner of Shah- 

 poor." Now unfortunately for this emendation, this latter tomb is 

 situated within the walls of Jahanpanah and was in the possession of 

 Mahmud Togluck. It could not possibly therefore be the place where 

 * A. D. 1394—1396. f A. D. 1411—1414. 



