History
The area was named 'Kale khan ki sarai', a sarai, or rest house for travellers or caravans and royal route from Mughal imperial courts and Chandni Chowk to their retreat at Mehrauli some 32 km away. The sarai itself named after a Sufi saint, Kale Khan of 14th-15th century, whose resting place along with that of another Sufi saint of Delhi, resting place of Hazrat Roshan Khan is today situated inside the Delhi Airport complex. Though a Lodi era structure Kale Khan ka Gumad is also situated at Kotla Mubarakpur Complex in South Delhi, the tomb is dated to 1481 AD as per an inscription on the Mihrab inside the tomb, this Kale Khan was a courtier in the Lodi period during the reign of Bahlol Lodi
Nawab Faizullah Beg, son of Nawab Qasim Jan, a courtier in reign of Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II (r. 1728–1806), was a courtier in Bahadur Shah Zafar's reign, and built a complex later known as Ahata Kaley Sahab, so named a saint named Kaley Khan, who lived here for a while, after whom area was later named. The complex was later acquired by Bunyadi Begum, poet Mirza Ghalib's sister-in-law, and housed the poet after he was released from debtors' prison.
The name Sarai derives from the time of the rule of the Afghan Sher Shah Suri, under whom a paved road network was built, with roadside inns called "Serais" every twelve miles.
Read more about this topic: Sarai Kale Khan
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“We said that the history of mankind depicts man; in the same way one can maintain that the history of science is science itself.”
—Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749–1832)
“The history of his present majesty, is a history of unremitting injuries and usurpations ... all of which have in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world, for the truth of which we pledge a faith yet unsullied by falsehood.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)
“In every election in American history both parties have their clichés. The party that has the clichés that ring true wins.”
—Newt Gingrich (b. 1943)