Hashtsal

The Mini Qutub Minar (local: Chhota Qutub Minar, Mini Minar, Kaushal Minar, Hastsal ki Laat) is a minaret tower in Hastsal village, near Uttam Nagar in West Delhi, Delhi, India. It was built in the 1650 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (reign, 1628-1658) near his hunting lodge in Hasthal. The three-storey tower is 16.87 meters (55 feet) tall and stands on a raised octagonal platform. The minar (minaret) is built with bricks and clad with red sandstone. The tower structure and design resembles the Qutub Minar of Delhi and was inspired by it. Originally, the Mini Qutub Minar was a 5-storey tower, topped out with a domed Chhatri pavilion at the top. It was used by emperor Shah Jahan for his entertainment after hunting in the all encompassing wilderness that used to surround this colossal Hastsal minaret and royal hunting lodge. The emperor's Shikargah or hunting lodge is situated a few hundred metres from the minaret tower.