Qutub Minar: Minaret or missing observatory?

Ex-ASI Chief’s claims spark a fresh storm over Delhi’s icon

Is Delhi’s Qutub Minar really a medieval minaret or was it once an ancient Indian astronomical observatory? A startling claim by former Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) regional director Dharamveer Sharma has reignited one of India’s most contentious historical debates.

Speaking at the Shabdotsav 2026 event, Sharma asserted that the Qutub Minar was originally a “Vedhshala”, an ancient structure used to study astronomy, and not merely an Islamic minaret as recorded in official history. Backing his statement with architectural and scientific arguments, the former ASI official said the monument’s very design challenges its accepted narrative.

FOUNDATION THAT RAISES QUESTIONS

According to Sharma, every structure is built with a clear vision, and that intent is reflected in its foundation. “A circular structure like the Qutub Minar should logically have a circular foundation,” he argued. “But when the foundation was excavated in 1954, it was found to be oblong, rectangular in shape.”

He revealed precise measurements to bolster his claim: the foundation measures nearly 62 feet in length and 52 feet in breadth, a detail he says is inconsistent with the idea of a simple minaret. Having worked on the monument for years, Sharma maintained that several such facts remain undocumented or ignored in mainstream discourse.

One of Sharma’s most intriguing arguments relates to the monument’s tilt. He pointed out that Qutub Minar leans 25 feet towards the south, a feature he insists was intentional rather than accidental.

“For a structure with such a tilt to survive centuries, it requires a strong cantilever support,” he said, adding that the builders had clearly made special provisions to sustain this angle. This, he believes, points to a scientific purpose rather than decorative or religious intent.

Adding an astronomical dimension to his claims, Sharma highlighted a phenomenon observed on June 21, the longest day of the year. On this day, he said, the sun enters Dakshinayan, and remarkably, the shadow of the Qutub Minar disappears from the ground for nearly half an hour.

“This is undeniable proof,” Sharma declared. “Such precision cannot be coincidental. In its original form, this structure functioned as a Vedhshala.”

He further suggested that invading rulers may have altered the monument’s original character and repurposed it over time, erasing its scientific identity.

The Qutub Minar has long been at the centre of ideological and historical disputes. Hindu organisations have previously claimed it was built atop destroyed temples and referred to it as Vishnu Stambh, while official records continue to identify it as a minaret from the early Sultanate period.

Sharma’s detailed arguments are now set to add fuel to this long-simmering debate, drawing sharp reactions from historians, political groups and cultural commentators alike.

Reacting to the revelations, Acharya Mithilesh Nandini Sharan, head of Hanuman Niwas Peeth in Ayodhya Dham, defended Sharma’s intervention. “This is not a political issue,” he said. “He is an author, a former ASI officer, and an archaeologist who has conducted serious research. What he shared are findings from that work.”

Whether Sharma’s claims will reshape historical understanding or deepen existing fault lines remains to be seen. But one thing is certain—the Qutub Minar, standing tall for centuries, has once again become the epicentre of a fierce battle over India’s past.