“Horse trader Sultan.” These words might not immediately spring to mind when you see the Lodi gate, wall. But the story of the Lodi dynasty is inextricably linked to this area.
The Lodi gate, wall stands as a silent witness to a fascinating chapter in Delhi’s history. It’s a reminder of the Lodi dynasty’s 70-year rule over North India. Our story begins with Bahlol Lodi. He was an Afghan horse trader. He gained favor with the Seyyed Sultans of 15th century Delhi.
Bahlol received land and the title of Amir. This was payment for selling the Sultan fine horses. Thus began his unstoppable rise. When the Sultan called his amirs to battle, Bahlol organized a calvary unit. Soon, the horse trader commanded 20,000 calvary.
Bahlol was invited to the throne after Alam Shah Sayyid vacated it. The Lodi dynasty began. After Bahlol Lodi died, his son Sikander Lodi took the throne. Sikander was born to a Hindu wife. Khan-i-Khanan Farmuli helped secure Sikander’s path to the throne.
Sikander’s kingdom stretched from Sirhind in Punjab to Kalsi and south to Gwalior’s borders. Sikander proved intolerant. He constantly tried to prove his Islamic credentials. This was to push away criticism of his half-Hindu parentage. He ransacked temples in Mathura, Sambhal, and Dholpur.
A few years after taking the throne, Sikander marched on Bayana. Bayana was a massive fortress south of present-day Agra. The Jalwanis of Bayana submitted to him. Sikander was engaged in fishing on the Jamuna. The Jalwanis turned on him.
Sikander began besieging Bayana. The fort was impregnable. Its key weakness was its iffy water supply. Lodi finally won in 1492. He gave the fort to a new governor named Khan-i-Khanan Farmuli. Khan-i-Khanan’s baoli survives in the fort. It features a dual Persian and Sanskrit inscription. It remains one of the great monuments from the Lodi era.
The stepwell is one of the most beautiful structures in the whole Bayana fort. It was completed in 1496. Its bilingual Sanskrit-Persian inscription gives a glimpse into the Hindu population.
As you stand before the Lodi gate, wall, remember the horse trader. Remember his rise to power. Think about the dynasty he founded. Consider the legacy they left behind. The Lodi gate, wall is more than just stone and mortar. It is a portal to the past. It connects us to the ambitious Bahlol Lodi.