Word play sometimes can be so amusing. All of us know what Folly means but not many people may be knowing that in architectural terms "Folly" means a whimsical or extravagant structure built to serve as a talking point or a point of interest.
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| Smith's Folly |
Smith's Folly exactly matches both the meanings. The Qutub Minar, made to commemorate the victory of Islam in India was commenced by Qutub-ud-din Aibak in early 13th century and completed by Iltutmush by adding three more stories. When a lightening struck the Minar after more than one hundred years of its completion, Firuz Tughlaq repaired the tower and added two more stories made of marble to the original. In 1803 the earthquake damaged the Minar and Major Smith, the builder of Kashmere Gate and Saint James Church was tasked to repair the structure.
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| The Qutub Minar and Smith's Folly. |
The structure was repaired and an Indo-Islamic cupola with Bengali features was added at the top of the structure. It was said that the glorious tower of Islamic dominance was capped with a Hindu cupola. There was massive criticism of the addition and the Governor General got the cupola removed and it was placed at one corner of the complex. Since then Smith's Folly is literally stationed at a distance and must be looking towards the top of the Minar where it used to be earlier.
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| The Qutub Minar as seen through Smith's Folly. |
When you visit the Qutub next time, do find time to look at the Smith's Folly and remember him. Remember that at least for 10 years this cupola was at the top of the Qutub Minar.
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| The tops of Qutub Minar and Smith's Folly. |
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