Curatorial description (13 May 2019)
Photograph of Firozshah Tughlaq's Lat in Delhi from the 'Earl of Jersey Collection' taken by Samuel Bourne in the 1860s. The pillar is 13.1 metres high, made of polished sandstone and dates from the 3rd Century BC, under the patronage of Ashoka. Ashokan pillars are known for their carved edicts preaching Buddhist thought. The pillar depicted here was transported from Topra, in the Ambala district (now in Haryana) by Firoz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351 to 1388) to be placed in his new city, Firuzabad, founded in 1354. He continued to show interest in preserving and repairing old monuments throughout his reign.
