Report of the Archceologieal Survey. 



Ixvii 





124.. Sharif-uddin, the historian of Timur, describes Delhi as 

 consisting of three cities , and as quite distinct from Firuzabad, near 

 which the conqueror's camp was pitched. These three cities were- 

 Siri, Jahdn-pandh, and old Delhi. To* the north-east was Siri, the- 

 walls of which formed a circle, and to the south-west was old Delhi 

 similar in form, but larger than Siri, and the space between the two 

 forts, which was much larger than old Delhi, was Jahdn-pandh. The 

 relative sizes and positions of the three cities are here so accurately- 

 described, that it is quite impossible to mistake them. Siri answers 

 exactly to Shahpur, not only in size and position, but also in shape ; 

 for, though not circular,, it is certainly oval. To the south-west of 

 Shahpur lies the fort of Rai Pithora, which therefore corresponds ex- 

 actly with the old Delhi of Sharif-uddin, both in its size and in its 

 position, and somewhat also in its form, which may be described as an 

 oblong square with the corners cut off, The name of old Delhi was 

 appropriately applied to the fort of Rai Pithora as by far the most 

 ancient of the three cities. Between Siri and old Delhi was Jahdn- 

 pandh, a name which is still applied to the old walled city between 

 Shahpur and Rai Pithora's fort ; and as the size of this city is more 

 than double that of Rai Pithora's fort, there can be no doubt what- 

 ever of its identity with the Jahan-panah of former days. 



125. I now turn to Ferishta's account of Turghai Khan's invasion 

 of India during the- reign of Ala-uddin, the founder of Siri. In 

 A. H. 703, or A. D. 1303, the Mogul Chief reached Delhi with 

 120,000 horse, and encamped on the bank of the Jumna, most 

 probably about] the spot where Humayun's tomb now stands, as that 

 is the nearest point of the river towards old Delhi. "The King," as 

 Ferishta relates, " was in no condition to face the enemy on equal 

 terms, and therefore contented himself with entrenching his Infantry 

 on the plain beyond the suburbs till he could collect the Forces of the 

 distant districts." But after the lapse of two months, the Mogul 

 Troops were seized with a panic, and retreated precipitately to their 

 own country.- The historian then relates that " Ala-uddin, relieved 

 from the perils of this- invasion, caused a Palace to be built on the 

 spot where he had entrenched himself r and directed the citadel of old 

 Delhi to be pulled down and built anew." Now the spot where the 

 King entrenched himself may be fixed with some precision, partlv 

 from Ferishta's description that it was outside the suburbs and 



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