Iron Pillar

Iron Pillar is one of the many mysterious monuments of wonder present in Delhi- the capital of India. Located within the Qutub Minar complex in Mehrauli area of New Delhi, the Iron Pillar has been posing as one of the foremost metallurgical curiosities of the world due to its prowess to not exhibit a speck of rust despite being thousands of years old. Made with 98% wrought iron and withstanding over 1600 years of withering, the pillar still stands sturdy and resists corrosion. However, a few studies in the recent times suggest that the incorrigible nature of the monument is due to a thin layer of crystalline iron hydrogen phosphate hydrate forming on the high-phosphorus-content iron, which serves to protect it from the effects of the humid climate and weather conditions.

Dating back to sometime during the 4th century AD, the inscriptions borne on the pillar suggest that the pillar was originally constructed as a flagstaff in honour of the Hindu God Vishnu and in the memory of the famous Gupta King Chandragupta II. Weighing approximately 6000 kgs, the precise date and place of creation of the pillar are still disputable. It is believed that the pillar was initially installed in Madhya Pradesh; however, how and why it came to be a part of Delhi is still questionable. There are also a lot of local myths attached to the edifice. Before the metal fence was created around it, you could see a group of tourists, with their backs turned to the pillar, try to touch both their hands circling the pole. Anyone who could touch their hands was considered lucky.