While constructing an underground passage leading to the Children’s Museum at Siri Fort in the Indian capital of New Delhi, workers accidentally discovered a 13th-Century secret tunnel on June 7, 2023. According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the tunnel was built in South Delhi during the Sultanate Period (or Khilji Dynasty Era) in the 13th or 14th Century.

Currently, the ASI is digging that area to construct a pathway at the Children’s Museum. The temporary pathway would connect the front gate of the Museum to the main road for facilitating visitors. A senior ASI official informed the press that they discovered only the opening of the arched-like structure. He stressed that no further digging would be done as per the instruction given by the higher authorities. The official, who wished to remain anonymous, also said that they would keep the structure intact as one of the displays at the Museum.

Meanwhile, Praveen Singh, the Superintending Archaeologist (Delhi Circle) of the ASI, stated: “We were creating a 4mt-wide path from the front gate to the main road during which this arch-like structure emerged. The museum upgradation work is going on under which more replicas will be added to the museum.” He added: “This was not a formal excavation site, but a chance finding. All such structures in the vicinity of Siri Fort are from the times of the Khilji Dynasty that ruled Delhi during the13th and 14th Century. We have now exposed about 5-6ft of the structure and will keep it as a display for the children to show how such structures are discovered during excavation.” Speaking at a media conference, Singh revealed that the tunnel-like structure is on a mound that is about 1mt above the ground.

It may be noted that a number of pottery-remains, dating back to the Khilji Dynasty Period, had been found in the same area during the construction of the Children’s Museum. However, the ASI officials have no idea about the other end of the tunnel.

The Children’s Museum, which was inaugurated in 2011, has about 30 replicas of popular monuments and sculptures from different parts of the South Asian country and also from overseas. Officials have already prepared a new Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the installation of about 100 more replicas, as development work is going on based on the DPR.

Incidentally, a few kilometres-long tunnel from Red Fort to Delhi Assembly was traced in 2021. According to some archaeologists, that tunnel is not too old, as it was probably built during the colonial British Period.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das