Anangpal Tomar did not build Red Fort; he built Lal Kot, which is 23 km away from Red Fort - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
August 12, 2022
A post is being shared on social media which claims that Anangpal Tomar built the famous Red Fort in Delhi. The post further says that this was not taught to us in history. Let’s verify these claims through this article.
Claim: Anangpal Tomar built the Red Fort in Delhi.
Fact: According to the Central Government’s Archaeological Survey of India, the construction of the Red Fort started in 1639 by Shah Jahan and completed in nine years. On the other hand, ‘Lal Kot’ was built in 1052 by Anangpal Tomar. Although it is also in present-day Delhi, it has nothing to do with the Red Fort. The distance between the two is about 23 kilometres. This ‘Lal Kot’ is also known as ‘Quila Rai Pithora’. ‘Lal Kot’, built by Anangpal Tomar, is also known as the original ‘Red Fort’ and the first ‘Red Fort’. Hence, the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
According to the Central Government’s Archaeological Survey of India, the construction of Red Fort started in 1639 by Shah Jahan and completed in nine years. Every Year, the Prime Minister of India addresses the nation on the occasion of Independence Day from this Red Fort in Delhi.
Anangpal of the Tomar dynasty built ‘Lal Kot’ in 1052; Prithviraj Chauhan captured it in the 12th century and expanded his city as Khila Rai Pithora. This ‘Lal Kot’ is also known as ‘Quila Rai Pithora’, and it is also known as the first city of Delhi. Situated in the most strategic part of the Aravali range at the entrance of Delhi, this Quila has witnessed many changes in Indian History. It has nothing to do with the Red Fort built by Shah Jahan in the 17th century.
Remains of ‘Lal Kot’ walls are found all over South Delhi, seen in Mehrauli, Sanjay Wan, Kishan Ghar and Vasant Kunj areas. Although the ‘Lal Kot’ is also in present-day Delhi, it is not related to the Red Fort built by Shah Jahan in the 17th century. The distance between the two is about 23 kilometres. It can also be viewed through Google Maps.
It can be seen from the article published by ‘The Hindu’ that ‘Lal Kot’ built by Anangpal Tomar, is called the original ‘Red Fort’ and the first ‘Red Fort’. Delhi’s first city – Lal Kot/Quila Rai Pithora- is located in Mehrauli. The seventh city, Shahjahanabad, is home to the Lal Qila (Red Fort); It is 23 km away from Lal Kot.
In between are the ruins of five other cities: Siri, Jahanpana, Tughlaqabad, Firozabad and Dimpana/Sher Shah Ghar. It is known that Delhi was founded as an urban settlement by the Tomar kingdom in the year 736. It is also known that Lal Kot and Anangtal Baoli (both in South Delhi) were built during the reign of Anangpal in the 11th century.
To sum it up, the Red Fort in Delhi built by Shah Jahan and the ‘Lal Kot’ built by Anangpal Tomar are unrelated.