Located next to Qutab Minar is India’s first mosque, Quwwat-ul-Islam, meaning“might of Islam”. It was built by using materials from 27 demolished Hindu temples,making its pillars unlike other mosques. Each pillar features carved images ofanimals and humans. Standing in the courtyard is a 1,400-year-old iron pillar. It used to have a golden eagle on the top and was built to honour Surya, the Hindu sungod. The eagle is gone, but an old belief says that if you can encircle the pillar whilestanding with your back to it, your wish will come true. Your chances of trying are,sadly, zero because the pillar today is protected by a fence.