Feroz Shah Kotla

The Feroz Shah Kotla (Hindi: फ़िरोज़ शाह कोटला, Punjabi: ਫ਼ਿਰੋਜ਼ ਸ਼ਾਹ ਕੋਟਲਾ, Urdu: فروز شاہ کوٹلا) or Kotla (Hindi: कोटला, Punjabi: ਕੋਟਲਾ, Urdu: کوٹلا) was originally a fortress built by Sultan Ferozshah Tughlaq to house his version of Delhi city called Ferozabad. A pristine polished sandstone pillar from the 3rd century B.C. rises from the palace's crumbling remains, one of many pillars left by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka; it was moved from Ambala, Punjab and re-erected in its current location in 1356.

The Feroz Shah Kotla was established as a cricket ground in 1883.

In the 21 century, the Feroz Shah Kotla is famed for its cauldron-like atmosphere, which is supposed to be the best in the country. The vociferous home support has led to a great winning sequence for India in Test Matches, and the National Cricket Team has been undefeated for over 20 years at this ground.

History

Firuz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351-88), the Sultan of Delhi, established the fortified city of Firozabad in 1354, as the new capital of the Delhi Sultanate on the banks of Yamuna river, the site of the present Feroze Shah Kotla, literally Kotla (fortress or citadel) of Firoz Shah. Here he erected the Lat or Ashoka Column, attributed to Mauryan ruler Ashoka. The 13.1 metres high column, made of polished sandstone and dating from the 3rd Century BC, was brought from Ambala by Firoz Shah. Here it stands on the...
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