Hauz
Khas was established by Alauddin Khilji in the year 1284. The word comes
from urdu word Hauz which means Pond. The emperor commissioned a very
large pond or tank in this area for the use of the inhabitants of Siri
Fort, the second city of Delhi. Earlier it was named as Hauz-i-Alai
after the name of emperor Alauddin Khilji. Firuz Shah Tughlaq later
ordered to clean the tank which was full of silt. He also built royal
baths on the southern side of the tank. It was he who christined it to
Hauz-Khas. The most important building inside the ruins is the tomb of Firuz Shah Tughlaq. The tomb worn out because of being ignored. It was later repaired during on the orders of Sikandar Lodhi. The buildings which you see at the flank was build by Lodhi in about 1354. It included various halls and chambers which was later converted in to a madrasa or college for theological training. The other bizzare construction are the staircases which join the pond from each floor of the madarsa. You will also find many cenotaphs which are supposed to be built over the possible graves of teachers.
Taimur, who invaded Delhi in 1399, was highly impressed by the tank and buildings around it. He ordered his royal architect to replicate the same design in his hometown Samarkand.
