In news– Recently, the Union government has asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to restore the historic lake in Mehrauli which is said to be created by Tomar King, Anangpal II, in 1,060 AD.
History of the lake-
- Anang Tal is situated to the north of Jog Maya temple and approximately 500 metres to the northwest of Qutub Complex in Delhi and dates back to 1,060 AD.
- Tradition ascribes this tank to a Tomar King, Anangpal II, the builder of Lal Kot.
- It is said to have been a place of a general resort but now it is dried up and used for cultivation.
- It is also said Alauddin Khalji, in 1296-1316 AD, utilised the water of this tank when he built (Qutub) minar and extended the Qutub-ul-Islam mosque.
- The lake has a strong Rajasthan connection as Maharaja Anang Pal is known as Nana (maternal grandfather) of Prithviraj Chauhan whose fort Rai Pithora is on the list of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
- It was between 1993 and 1995 when noted archaeologist B R Mani, the former additional director general of ASI, led excavations at the site under the ASI.
- Now, the National Monuments Authority and ASI are considering it to be declared as a national monument.
About Anangpal II-
- Anangpal II, popularly known as Anangpal Tomar, was a ruler from the Tomar Rajput Dynasty.
- He is known to have established and populated Delhi in the 11th century.
- He is often confused with Anangpal I, the founder of Tomar Dynasty of Delhi, who had reigned during the 8th century.
- He traced the lineage to Chandravanshi Kshatriya kings, namely Arjuna from the epic Mahabharata (nowadays commonly referred to as Tomar/Tanwar).
- During his time only the capital city of the Tomar dynasty was changed from Anangpur (near Faridabad) capital during the reign of Anangpal I to Dhillikapuri (Delhi).
- He was succeeded by his grandson Prithviraj Chauhan, who was defeated by the Ghurid forces in the Battle of Tarain (present-day Haryana) after which the Delhi Sultanate was established in 1192.
The Tomar dynasty-
- The Tomara (also called Tomar Rajputs) dynasty ruled parts of present-day Delhi and Haryana in India during 8th-12th century.
- The territory ruled by the Tomars was called Hariyana (literally ‘Abode of God’). This Hariyana was many folds in size compared to the current state of Haryana.
- In addition, much of the information about them comes from medieval bardic legends, which are not historically reliable.
- They were displaced by the Chahamanas of Shakambhari in the 12th century, who took over their capital in Delhi.
National Monuments Authority-
- National Monuments Authority (NMA) under the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India has been setup as per provisions of The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains AMASR (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010.
- Its functions include protection and preservation of monuments and sites through management of the prohibited and regulated area around the centrally protected monuments.
- NMA is also grants permission to applicants for construction related activity in the prohibited and regulated area.
Further reading: https://journalsofindia.com/tomar-king-anangpal-ii/
Source: The Indian Express
