Barsi darwaza, Hansi
  • Barsi darwaza, Hansi
  • Barsi darwaza, Hansi
  • Barsi darwaza, Hansi
Barsi darwaza, Hansi

The Barsi Gate was one of the southern gates of old Hansi town, and with the destruction of the town wall is now the only surviving gateway of the town. The city has grown around the gate and a bustling market is located in the vicinity. The gate is named after the village of Barsi, situated to the south of Hansi. The Barsi Gate is a sizeable baked brick structure with a central archway flanked by defensive towers. The building has been restored many times, but it has preserved most of its original appearance. According to the foundation inscription embedded on the wall of the gate, it was built in 1302, at the time of Khalji sultan Ala-al din Muhammad. Importantly it is one of the earliest Indian epigraph recorded in Persian verse, and also that it gives the date in Persian rather than in Arabic-a practice seen in India from the end of the 13th century. The Lodhi restoration can be seen at both the northern and southern sides of the gate. Early survey reports a restoration by the Municipal Committee in the 19th century, but it seems that the restoration involved no more than general repairs.