Delhi is home to an enormous number of historic monuments built during the Mughal Rule or even before that. Some of them are popular like the Qutb Minar and the Humayun’s Tomb and people have attempted at making some places popular but because of ghosts! There are many monuments or at least ruins of once enormous monuments that are associated with evil spirits and Jinns and many go to these places just to feel the thrill or even in search of some paranormal indications.
One such place is the Feroz Shah Kotla fort which is situated between the Old and New Delhi. Feroz Shah Kotla was built and named after Feroz Shah Tughlaq in the year 1354. Feroz Shah Tughlaq ruled the city from 1351 to 1384. Feroz Shah Tughlaq built the fort along with the beautiful city of Ferozabad both on the banks of river Yamuna.
This polygonal structure also contained mosques, palaces, and madrasas inside it of which only ruins can now be found. Along with these the main attraction of the Feroz Shah Kotla Fort is the 6 ft. Tall Ashokan Pillar from 3rd Century B.C. . The structure is now preserved and supervised by the Archaeological Survey of India.
The fort and the city which extends from the Pir Ghaib to the Old Fort with a population of 1,50,000 was built particularly by the banks of River Yamuna keeping in mind the difficulties posed by water shortages in his previous capital Tughlaqabad. This iconic monument is also ideal for film shootings because of its magnificent structure and historic feel.
This place is often associated with Jinns who fulfill people’s wishes. But who are these jinns? According to Islam, God created angels with white light, humans with clay, and lastly Jinns with smokeless fire. But one day, a djinn named Iblis refused to kneel before God and was thus cast out of heaven. He later came to know as the devil or shaitaan.
The Jinns are said to manipulate people and can live for thousands of years. They can bear a family too, just like humans. If we believe the mythology, the Jinns were cast to earth and ordered by God to take care of the humans and listen to their wishes. It is believed that the Jinns have a soft corner for women with luscious long hair and they tend to possess any beautiful woman. Creepy!
This belief or say myth is the reason there are different rules for women visiting the place. They are supposed to tie their hair properly and cover their head to be safe from being possessed by the Jinns.
So how did such a place be associated with stories of Jinns? While people have frequented the place only after 1977 (the emergency) but the paranormal experts and investigators say that Jinns have lived in this place for over four decades now. Visitors have also claimed about experiencing many paranormal experiences on the premises. Some people are also seen performing exorcisms in the fort for those who are said to be possessed by evil spirits.
People also say that the mentally challenged ones find solace and comfort in this place. Is it interesting or scary? Interesting right? Now the scary part (but not so scary) starts here! People have felt they were being chased by invisible energies and winds throughout the fort. There are many graves inside the fort and people have heard screaming sounds coming from these graves! Some people have also said that they were slapped by an invisible force, but do not rule out the possibility of mischievous people pulling pranks on them though. Because of these happenings or at least rumors, people are not advised to stay past sunset as ghosts and Jinns are said to roam here after that time.
The most special part is that this fort attracts enormous crowds on Thursdays as people believe that Jinns descend in the place to fulfill the wishes of the people. It is believed that Jinns sit on throne places and listen to the wishes of the devotees. They also take care of the people whose wishes they find are genuine.
People come here every Thursday and write letters to the Jinns seeking solutions to their problems or sharing their deepest darkest secrets in a hope that the Jinns would offer some relief to them, they pin it on the walls for the Jinns to see and leave.
But the story of Jinns descending to fulfill people’s wishes must have started somewhere. So let us take you back to the time of emergency. Asif Khan Dehlevi, the founder of Delhi Karavan in an interview with the Quint said that a saint named Laddu Shah started living during the time of emergency. When he was on his deathbed he told his followers that Jinns reside in the fort that who fulfill people’s wishes.
Since then, the devotees flock the place in desperation of getting their wishes fulfilled. People also lock their pain and problems in locks on the railings. People bear witness to the fact that they were cured of their diseases by these Jinns and relieved of their problems.
People complete a cycle of worshipping seven Jummas (Fridays) as a symbol of their devotion and the people who cannot write their names, addresses, and their troubles on a piece of paper and pin it on the walls for the Jinns to read. Another way to symbolize their gratitude is that people who got their wishes fulfilled here feed biryanis to the devotees coming to Feroz Shah Kotla.
According to the stories, there is a chief of these Kotla Jinns too! And he goes by the name of Laat Wale Baba. He is supposed to live in the 13.1-meter polished sandstone pillar of Minar-e-Zareen. The pillar is surrounded by railings and the people brush against these railings in hope that the jinn would surely hear their wishes if they touch it.
William Dalrymple has also mentioned this place in his book “City of Jinns,” in which he writes that people believe that when a dust storm blows it is supposed that the Jinns are celebrating a marriage.
Myths or reality, no one knows. But as the saying goes “God exists because we believe,” maybe the Jinns exist too originating from our belief. People have felt certain energies in the fort but is it human psychology? Again, who knows! Maybe the saint would have wanted to relieve the demons from people’s minds first in a hope that their minds would be able to fight the problems and diseases. It is just a matter of faith or superstition as some may term it. The deprived find solace and solutions. This place is indeed a wonder. Wonder was first built by Feroz Shah Tughlaq in 1354 and then revived by the devotees in 1977!
