Chapter Five

Modern narratives of the Qutb Minar and Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque complex reveal a duality: while historically symbolizing Islamic iconoclasm through the reuse of Hindu and Jain fragments, contemporary interpretations frame this as a form of modern iconoclasm. The study traces how colonial authorities, global preservation bodies, Hindu nationalists, and secular nation-states have positioned the site ambiguously—balancing international reverence with religious reclamations. This tension underscores the complex interplay between heritage preservation, political narratives, and cultural memory in postcolonial India.

Rajagopalan, M. (2016). Chapter Five. Building Histories, 155–190. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226331898.003.0006