Ixxviii 



Peport of the Archaeological Survey. 



The plain but massive appearance of the walls is highly suggestive of 

 strength and solidity, which is fully borne out by the excellent state 

 of preservation of this old building after a lapse of nearly five centuries. 



142 a. The small fort of Indrpat, or Purdna Kila, was repaired 

 by the Emperor Humayun in A. H. 940, or A. D. 1533, and re-named 

 by him Din-pandh ; but the new name is never used, except by 

 pedantic or bigoted Muhammadans. Within a few years, or about 

 A. D. 1540, the works were much strengthened by Shir Shah, who 

 made Indrpat the Citadel of his new city under the name of Shir- 

 garh, by which it is now very generally known, although Purdna 

 Kila, or "the old Fort," is perhaps the most common appellation. 

 The lofty massive towers and solid walls of this old forfc were streng- 

 thened by a ditch which once communicated with the Jumna. Shir- 

 garh is, however, but a small place when compared with the mighty 

 fortresses of Bai Pithora, Siri, and Tughlakabad, the whole circuit 

 of its walls being only one mile and one furlong. In shape it is 

 almost rectangular, being 3 furlongs in length by If furlong in 

 breadth. The fort had four gates, one in the middle of each face, of 

 which the south-west gate alone is now open. The interior is almost 

 filled with native huts ; but towering above these hovels are two fine 

 remains of former days, a handsome massive Mosque, and a lofty 

 octagonal building, which is still called Shir Mandir, or " Shir's 

 Palace." The front of the Mosque has five horse-shoe arches, and is 

 decorated with blue tiles and marble. The roof is formed of low 

 flattened domes. It was built by Shir Shah in A. H. 948, or A. D. 

 1541, and is a favourable specimen of the architecture of the Afghan 

 period. 



143. The new city of Shir Shah called Delhi Shirshah extended 

 from the neighbourhood of Humayun's tomb on the south to Firuz 

 Shah's Kotila on the north, near which there still exists a fine massive 

 gateway, which was the Kabuli Darwdza of the new city. It is now, 

 however, always called the Ldl Darwdza or "red gate." William 

 Finch, who entered Delhi from the Agra side on 16th January, 1611, 

 describes the city as being two Jcoss in length from gate to gate, 

 " surrounded by a wall which has been strong, but is now ruinous." 

 The value of Finch's Jcoss is determined at rather more than If mile, 

 by his mention that the hunting seat or Mole (that is, mahal of Firuz 

 Shah) was two koss from the city. From the Ldl Darwdza to the 



