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| Turkman gate Delhi, |
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| Turkman gate Delhi, en.wikipeia.org. |
Turkman Gate is one of the surviving entrances of the walled city of Shahjahanabad, the seventh city of Delhi, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century. It forms part of the southern wall, leading to the Ajmeri Gate. The structure is named after the revered 13th-century Sufi saint, Hazrat Shah Turkman Bayabani, whose tomb and dargah (shrine) lie nearby.
Architecturally, the gate embodies the robust Mughal style, featuring a rectangular plan with defensive semi-octagonal bastions. It served as a critical passage, regulating movement and trade within the vast imperial city. Along with other gates like Ajmeri and Kashmiri, it marks the historical perimeter of Old Delhi.
However, the monument gained national notoriety due to events during the Emergency era in 1976. The area witnessed a tragic incident when residents protested against a forced slum clearance and demolition drive ordered by the government. The subsequent clashes and police firing resulted in a widely debated number of civilian casualties and injuries, making the Turkman Gate a poignant symbol of political resistance and urban conflict.
Today, Turkman Gate stands as a protected monument and a busy, bustling landmark. It connects the historic narrow lanes of Old Delhi with the wider Asaf Ali Road, serving as a vital traffic junction near the Ramlila Ground and the New Delhi Railway Station complex. It continues to be a dense commercial area, its ancient stones silently bearing witness to the intense modern urban life that swirls around it.
