I drive in and out of Bakshiwala on the SH11 and head down the Kathal Road towards today’s destination of New Delhi. Of the three routes that Google maps has offered, I choose route 3. It’s not the shortest route, but it takes me through a town that has an interesting history.
Don't always take the quickest route.
imur, the emperor of the Mughal dynasty, and sought to restore the Mongol empire, stopped off here on his march to destroy Delhi in 1398.
Kaithal claims to be the final resting place of Razia Sultana, the first woman ruler of India, reigning as the Sulatana of Delhi Sultanate from 1356 to 1240. Kaithal as the burial place is not confirmed, and it is also suggested that she is buried in Old Delhi. The Kaithal link goes like this. She fled Delhi after their defeat in 1240, reaching Kaithal the next day, where their remaining forces abandoned her. Falling into the hands of the Hindus, they were killed. True or not, it makes for a good, solid story. The more I read about her the more I wanted to believe this story, more than some of the others. With a reputation for being a good administrator and keeping the nobility in check, her armies were solidly behind her. Well, until they were losing!
Kaithal has a number of historic buildings, not least the ruined fortress. This must have been incredibly impressive to any visitor when these buildings were first erected. Having seen mud-built housing throughout these areas, this stood high and mighty.
 Razia may lie here if the stories are to believed. |
 Kaithal fortress, Haryana. |
I arrive in New Delhi at a reasonable time to get to my hotel. I used TripAdvisor for some recommendations, but found the hotel I wanted (Ibis Gurgaon) using expedia.com for £67. It’s not central, but does seem to be in a good place. So let’s get some sleep, and tomorrow I will spend the day sampling what New Delhi has to offer.