Satpula (meaning seven-arched bridge) is an ancient (1340s) water harvesting dam located near Khirki masjid adjacent to the compound wall of the medieval fourth city of the Jahanpanah in Delhi. It was constructed during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Shah Tughlaq of the Tughlaq dynasty as a solution to the city’s drought and famine. The city was also beset then with economic issues due to the construction of a new capital city, Daulatabad. The dam was built to tap the local streams that were feeding the River Yamuna.
It is built with stone and with sloping high walls to control the flow of water from a canal in the Aravali hills and a bulwark against invaders. The construction material was Delhi quartz found in the Aravalli hills and includes slits at the top for guards to monitor the entire region hidden in their safe niches. The water flowed from arched openings and provided drinking water and water for agriculture. It is believed that the waters have healing properties attributed to the nearby Sufi Saint Nasiruddin Mahmud. Conservation efforts are underway to preserve the original architecture.