Dhar iron pillar

The exact origins of the pillar are unknown, but according to the local tradition, it was a victory column erected by the 11th century Paramara king Bhoja.

According to the local tradition, the pillar commemorates a military victory of the 11th century Paramara king Bhoja, whose knowledge of iron metallurgy can be seen in his book Yuktikalpataru.

Henry Cousens of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) theorized that it was constructed by the later Paramara king Arjunavarman in 1210 CE, from the molten arms of an enemy force.

[1] The Lat Masjid, in whose compound the pillar is located, was constructed with spolia from Hindu and Jain temples.

Cousens speculated that these were used by the forgers and welders to handle the pillar with their instruments during the manufacturing process.

Roessler agreed with this hypothesis, and proposed that these slots were also used to hold the pillar upright using iron anchors.

The larger piece was erected in front of the Lat Masjid constructed by Dilawar Khan in 1405.

[8] The combined height of the three fragments is 13.2 metres (43 ft 4 in), and their total weight is estimated at 7,300 kilograms (16,100 lb).

[9] In 1598, the Mughal emperor Akbar's visit to Dhar was recorded on the pillar in form of a Persian language inscription.

The names end in word Soni ("goldsmith"), and seem to have been engraved while the original pillar was still intact.

The local kids used it as a slide, because of which a large part of its surface gained a polished appearance.

In February 1903, Henry Cousens of ASI found it in Anand High School, where a museum had been set up in 1902.

In February 1902, this piece was fixed in a masonry basement at Lal Bagh public gardens near the Anand High School.

[13] Henry Cousens hypothesized that the fourth piece had a garuda figure (the Paramara royal emblem) or a trishula (trident) at the top.

[15] According to R. Balasubramaniam and A. V. Ramesh Kumar (2003), the pillar shows "excellent" atmospheric corrosion resistance.