SSC
The Sher Mandal in Delhi's Purana Qila, used by the Mughal Emperor Humayun as his library, is located in:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option C — New Delhi
Detailed Solution
The Sher Mandal, used by the Mughal Emperor Humayun as his library (and observatory), is located inside the Purana Qila (Old Fort) in New Delhi.
About the Sher Mandal:
- It is a two-storeyed octagonal tower made of red sandstone, topped with an open pavilion (chhatri).
- It was built by Sher Shah Suri (or completed in his time), after he defeated Humayun and took control of Delhi in 1540.
- After Humayun regained his empire in 1555, he used the building as his library and as an observatory for studying the stars.
On 24 January 1556 (some sources say 20 January), Humayun was coming down its steep stairs with his arms full of books when he heard the call to prayer. He tried to kneel, but his foot slipped, and he fell down the stairs. He died from his injuries a few days later (on 27 January 1556).
The historian Stanley Lane-Poole wrote that "Humayun tumbled through life and tumbled out of it".
About the Purana Qila:
- It is one of the oldest forts of Delhi.
- Humayun began building his new city, "Dinpanah" ("refuge of the faithful"), at the site in 1533.
- Sher Shah Suri took over the site and completed much of the fort, including the Qila-i-Kuhna Mosque, a fine example of the architecture of the Sur period.
- Excavations by the ASI have found evidence of continuous habitation from about the Mauryan period, and Painted Grey Ware pottery, which some link to the time of the Mahabharata.
- According to tradition, it stands on the site of "Indraprastha", the capital of the Pandavas.
About Humayun (1508-1556):
- He was the son of Babur and the second Mughal emperor.
- He was defeated by Sher Shah Suri at the battles of Chausa (1539) and Kannauj (Bilgram, 1540) and spent about 15 years in exile, mostly in Persia.
- He regained Delhi in 1555 after winning the Battle of Sirhind.
- His biography, the "Humayun-nama", was written by his sister, Gulbadan Begum.
- His tomb in Delhi, built by his widow Bega Begum, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1993).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Agra has the Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal.
- ✗Lahore has the Lahore Fort and the Badshahi Mosque.
- ✗Fatehpur Sikri was built by Akbar.
Quick tip
Remember: Humayun's library = Sher Mandal, Purana Qila, Delhi (built by Sher Shah Suri; Humayun fell from its stairs and died in 1556); Dinpanah = Humayun's city; Humayun-nama = Gulbadan Begum.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore Mughal Empire Questions
View all ›- Q1.The Mansabdari system was introduced by:
- Q2.The Red Fort (Lal Qila) and the Jama Masjid in Delhi were built by:
- Q3.The Second Battle of Panipat between Akbar and Hemu was fought in:
- Q4.The British established their first factory in India at Surat in 1613 with the permission of:
- Q5.Who was the last Mughal emperor of India?
More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
Mughal Empire — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Mughal Empire, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur in 1526 and reached its height under Akbar. This topic covers the Mughal emperors from Babur to Aurangzeb and the later Mughals, the Sur interlude under Sher Shah Suri, Mughal administration (the mansabdari and jagirdari systems), revenue systems, architecture, painting and literature. Common questions ask about important battles (Panipat, Khanwa, Haldighati), Akbar's policies such as Din-i-Ilahi and the abolition of the jizya, Sher Shah's reforms such as the rupiya coin and the Grand Trunk Road, and the builders of famous monuments. For example, Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort in Delhi. Practise the Mughal Empire questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.