page_title: Satpula
section_title: Structure
hierarchical_section_title: Satpula / Structure
caption_attribution_description: English: Gate Platforms and sluice arches.
context_page_description: Satpula is a remarkable ancient water harvesting dam or weir located about 800 m east of the Khirki Masjid that is integral to the compound wall of the medieval fourth city of the Jahanpanah in Delhi, with its construction credited to the reign of Sultan Muhammad Shah Tughlaq of the Tughlaq Dynasty.
  The objective of building the weir was for providing water for irrigation and also, as a part of the city wall, to provide defense security to the city against attacking armies.
  Satpula is a usage in Hindi languages, which literally means "seven bridges".
context_section_description: The Satpula across the stream was built as a gate controlled weir. The total length of the structure is 79.5 m (261 ft). It has been constructed in stone masonry. The eleven bays of the weir controlled by sluice gates cover a total length of 54.5 m (179 ft). These eleven bays consist of eleven water tunnels (sluices), each 14.6 m (48 ft) in length, 3.2 m (10 ft) in height, and 2.2–2.9 m (7–10 ft) in width. These are located at different levels, with seven main bays at the lowest level. The balance two additional bays on each bank, on the far east and west sides, are at a higher level. The control arrangements seen now are in the form of gate grooves to operate vertical slide gates. When built, wooden vertical sluice gates made of heavy boards of size 16 cm (1 ft) in thickness, 3 m (10 ft) width, and more than 3 m (10 ft) in height, were operated by a rope and pulley arrangement to control flow of water; the wooden gates have since disintegrated but the gate groves are visible in each bay. The gates of the sluices were closed as a defensive measure against possible attack in the dry season when no storage remained in the dam. Each bay of the weir has an arched opening. On both banks of the weir identical towers (defensive bastions, projecting on the south and north sides) of 5.97 m (20 ft) diameter, but with octagonal shape chambers, are built, which once functioned as madrasa (Islamic school of learning). Hence, the Satpula is also known as "Madarsa". The second level sluice bays on both banks lead to arched corridors. The walls of the octagonal chambers have graceful decorations. The stream tapped by this weir, has been diverted now further east. The indication of the use of the sluices of the structure, either as a dam or for defense purposes, could be gauged from the platforms provided at the appropriate levels. Silt deposition in the storage area of the reservoir side at the southern end is also seen now.
caption: Gate Platforms and sluice arches
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