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Anang Tal Lake

2022 MAY 2

Preliminary   > Art and Culture   >   Miscellaneous   >   Archaeological sites

Why in news?

  • Anang Tal lake in South Delhi, believed to have been built a thousand years ago, to get national monument tag.

About Anang Tal lake:

  • It is situated to the north of Jog Maya temple and approximately 500 metres to the northwest of Qutub Complex.
  • It dates back to 1,060 AD.
  • Tradition ascribes this tank to a Tomar King, Anangpal II, the builder of Lal Kot.
    • Lal Kot or Qila Rai Pithora is a fortified complex in present-day Delhi, which includes the Qutb Minar complex.
    • It is termed as the ‘first city’ of Delhi
  • The lake is said to have been a place of a general resort but now it is dried up and used for cultivation.
  • It is also said Alauddin Khalji, in 1296-1316 AD, utilised the water of this tank when he built (Qutub) minar and extended the Qutub-ul-Islam mosque.
  • Anang Tal also has a strong Rajasthan connection as Maharaja Anang Pal is known as nana (maternal grandfather) of Prithviraj Chauhan.

About Anangpal II:

  • Anangpal II, popularly known as Anangpal Tomar, belonged to the Tomar dynasty.
  • He was the founder of Dhillika Puri, which eventually became Delhi.
    • Evidence about the early history of Delhi is inscribed on the iron pillar of Masjid Quwaatul Islam, adjacent to Qutub Minar.
  • Multiple inscriptions and coins suggest Anangpal Tomar was the ruler of present-day Delhi and Haryana in between the 8th-12th centuries.
  • He had built the city from ruins and under his supervision, Anang Tal Baoli and Lal Kot were constructed.
  • Anangpal Tomar II was succeeded by his grandson Prithviraj Chauhan.
    • Delhi Sultanate was established in 1192 after Prithviraj Chauhan’s defeat in the Battle of Tarain (present-day Haryana) by the Ghurid forces.

About Tomar Dynasty:

  • Tomara dynasty is one of the minor early medieval ruling houses of northern India.
  • Puranic evidence gives its early location in the Himalayan region. According to bardic tradition, the dynasty was one of the 36 Rajput tribes.
  • The territory ruled by the Tomars was called Hariyana. This Hariyana was many folds in size compared to the current state of Haryana.
  • The Tomar Empire during the reign of Anangpal II extended over various parts of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
  • The capital of Tomars changed a few times during the course of 457 years they ruled in the northern India. The first capital of the Tomar empire was Anangpur while the last one was Dhillikapuri (Delhi, Lal Kot)
  • Although Delhi subsequently became decisively a part of the Chauhan kingdom in 1164, numismatic and comparatively late literary evidence indicates that Tomara kings such as Anangapala and Madanapala continued to rule as feudatories, presumably until the final conquest of Delhi by the Muslims in 1192–93.

How national monuments are declared?

  • Under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958, National Monuments are the ancient monuments and all archaeological sites and remains which have been declared to be of national importance by:
    • The Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Declaration of National Importance) Act, 1951
    • Section 126 of the State Reorganization Act, 1956
    • Declared by the Central Government through notification in the official gazette

 

PRACTICE QUESTION

Consider the following statements:

1. Anangpal II is known to have established and populated Delhi in the 11th century.

2. Anangpal II was defeated in the Battle of Tarain by the Ghurid forces

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer