Khooni Darwaza- The Monument of Blood

Get ready to be intrigued by the spine-tingling tale of Delhi’s Gate of Blood, which is full of heartbreaking murders and paranormal experiences. Thousands of restless souls are claimed to reside in this mysterious location. They are thought to be imprisoned in their spiritual forms and linked to the scene of their deaths forever. Yet, this is not your typical haunted location. It is believed that the ghosts here have a special fondness for interactions with white tourists. So buck up as we go through the spooky past that gave this unsettling location its menacing moniker, “The Gate of Blood.” 

Architecture and Design

Delhi is well known for its gateways of the past. Khooni Darwaza is one of the surviving 13 gateways in Delhi. It was built by Sher Shah Suri in the 16th century as the northern entrance to his city. It was not Khooni Darwaza since the beginning and was called Kabuli Darwaza originally as it paved the way for the caravans from Kabul to Delhi. It is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India.

Khooni Darwaza or Lal Darwaza as it was initially called, presents Mughal and Afghan influence in its architectural designs. The centre entrance is the largest of its three arched entrances. The top floors of the gate contain balconies known as jharokhas which provide sweeping views of the region. 

According to historians, the gate’s large courtyard used to function as a public gathering place once. In addition, on either side of the gate, there are rectangular windows with decorative overhanging edges known as chajjas. They are supported by finely carved brackets. The window frames are built of red sandstone, and these spaces may be utilised to store lamps to light up the entry at night.

The Khooni Darwaza is made up of quartzite stone. It has 3 staircases and is 15.5 metres high. The courtyard is surrounded by a majestic wall and has a variety of chambers and rooms. 

An important feature of Indian structures that serves both military and decorative objectives is the Kangura or Kungura battlement. Although it has a regal appearance, the petal-shaped roof border also acted as a post for soldiers to guard and defend the structure. 

Three hole-like openings can be found below the Kangura battlement. They are known as damaaga. The damages were defensive structures that could be used to pour boiling oil on intruders climbing the gate. There are two exquisitely carved pishtaq, or niches, at the main entrance as well. 

History

Khooni Darwaza  has witnessed gore violence and killings which led to its name” – the Gate of Blood. The trail of blood is said to be started with the Mughal king Jahangir and is passed to Aurangzeb to Hodson and the 2002 rape case in the same premise. Hopefully, it stays in this case and doesn’t get passed on further. Although even since it was built, it never posed as a peaceful place. Criminals’ executed heads were hanged from the walls as a warning to troublemakers. 

Jahangir, threatened by Abdul Rahim Khan-i-khana in his want of the throne, killed Abdul Rahim’s 2 sons mercilessly and hanged their executed bodies at the very same Khooni Darwaza to set an example to what he believed were traitors. 

Another similar episode made its presence known in the Mughal empire when the then-emperor Shah Jahan declared his eldest son Dara Shikoh as the heir to the throne. This news didn’t go well with his other sons and a struggle started between them. Aurangzeb turned out to be the competition for Dara Shikoh eventually. Aurangzeb humiliated Dara in front of the people, however, this act led the public to sympathise with his brother. Aurangzeb felt it necessary to get rid of his brother to avoid any future revolt against him. He ordered his brother to be beheaded and hung his slashed-off head at the Khooni Darwaza for days!

Years later, during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the First War of Independence, the rebels recognized Bahadur Shah Zafar, the final Mughal emperor, as the ruler of India. He designated Mirza Mughal, his eldest living son, as the supreme commander. However, the British forces put an end to the uprising and the Indian soldiers were defeated. 

In 2002, a college student from the nearby Maulana Azad Medical college was unfortunately raped in this premises. This case got this monument sealed. The visitors are only allowed to look from outside the premises of the monument. 

Is the place really haunted?

Locals believe that this is a haunted place with spirits of those killed heartlessly here in the past roam around the place. Some have claimed to have experienced scary situations like being pushed or slapped by unknown forces but claims remain claims. Some even say they have seen blood stains on the walls and that blood can be seen dripping from its gates in monsoon! However, scientists have predicted the happening to be the rust of the metal of the gates being the reason for the brownish colour of the rainwater. There’s also a belief that the ghosts of Khooni Darwaza aim more at the white people and hence relate it to the episode of 1857. 

Haunted or not, this place surely has experienced extreme violence and killings which are scary and stomach-churning. It’s no wonder this monument is possessed by stories of ghosts and whatnot.