Humayun's Tomb, Delhi*

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Humayun tomb in Delhi.

India

Humayun's tomb (Urdu: ‫ ہمایون کا مقبره‬Humayun ka Maqbara) is a

complex of buildings in Mughal architecture built as Mughal Emperor
Humayun's tomb. It is located in Nizamuddin East, Delhi, India.

In the time of the Slave Dynasty this land was under the KiloKheri Fort
which was capital of Sultan Kequbad son of Nasiruddin (1268-1287). It
encompasses the main tomb of the Emperor Humayun as well as
numerous others. The complex is a World Heritage Site and the first
example of this type of Mughal architecture in India.

The architecture of the mausoleum is similar to Taj Mahal.

History
The tomb of Humayun was built by the orders of Hamida Banu Begum,
Humayun's widow starting in 1562. The architect of the edifice was
reportedly Sayyed Muhammad ibn Mirak Ghiyathuddin and his father
Mirak Ghiyathuddin who were brought in from Herat. is a city in
western Afghanistan It took 8 years to build and had a Chahr Bagh
Garden style in its design, which is a Persian-style garden layout and
was the first of its kind in the South Asia region.

The tomb of the second Mughal Emperor Humayun, one of the 23

World Heritage Sites in India, was the first of the monumental
mausoleums to be built in the country. The chahâr-bâgh, or four-part
paradise garden, is the earliest existing example of the Mughal
garden tomb. The tomb and gardens are considered one of the
precursors of the Taj Mahal.
Emperor Humayun was the son of Babur, the founder of the Mughal
Empire. His tomb was built over nearly a decade beginning around
1565 (AH 973). The tomb contains over 100 Mughal graves.

Influenced by Persian architecture, the tomb stands on a platform

120 metres square and reaches a height of 47 metres.Influenced by
Persian architecture, the tomb stands on a platform 120 metres
square and reaches a height of 47 metres. Its construction was
probably overseen by the Emperor’s grieving widow, Haji Begum,
during the reign of Emperor Akbar, at an estimated cost of 15 lakhs
(1.5 million rupees). The architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, was a Persian
from Herat, in current-day Afghanistan. Built of rubble masonry, the
structure is the earliest example of the use of red sandstone and
white marble in such great quantities.
The gardens are laid out in classical chahâr-bâgh pattern. They are
divided into quarters by raised causeways. The quadrants are divided,
in turn, into eight plots, each with walkways. At the intersection of
these walkways are octagonal or rectangular pools.
 Restoration

Restoration work by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture was completed in
March 2003, enabling water to flow through the watercourses in the
gardens once more[1]. Funding for this work was a gift from the
institutions of His Highness the Aga Khan to India. In addition, AKTC is
conducting a more significant restoration at Babur's tomb, the resting
place of Humayun's father in Kabul.

The US$ 650,000 restoration project has featured:

Removal of 3,000 truckloads of earth (12,000 cubic metres),

Planting of 12 hectares (30 acres) of lawn,
Re-setting and alignment of over 3,500 kilometres of path kerbstones,
Preparation by some 60 stonecutters of 3,000 metres of hand- dressed
red sandstone slabs (to edge the channels),
Creation of 128 ground-water recharge pits and the de-silting and
creation of other wells as part of the largest rainwater-harvesting system
scheme in any heritage site in India,
Creation of a site exhibition,
Planning and installation of a new water-circulation system for the
walkway channels,
Planting of 2,500 trees and plants, including mango, lemon, neem,
hibiscus and jasmine cuttings, according to Mughal texts,
Repair of fountains, wells and rainwater-harvesting systems,
Provision of wheelchair access to a significant part of the site.

Location
Humayun tomb is situated at Nizamuddin East is an upscale residential colony in
Delhi, India. It is located on Mathura Road and is home to Humayun's Tomb, one
of Delhi's most famous monuments. It is considered to be one of New Delhi,s greenest
and most peaceful residential colonies. The colony having 286 houses, including Jaipur
Estate, and 32 public parks.

Humayun's Tomb, Delhi

The Garden Tomb Humayun's tomb lies on the

Mathura road near its crossing with the Lodi Road. High rubble-built
walls enclose here a square garden divided initially into four large
squares separated by causeways and channels, each square divided
again into smaller squares by pathways ('Chaharbagh') as in a
typical Mughal garden.

The lofty mausoleum is located in the centre of the

enclosure and rises from a podium faced with series of cells with
arched openings. The central octagonal chamber containing the
cenotaph is encompassed by octagonal chambers at the diagonals
and arched lobbies on the sides, their openings closed with
perforated screens.

Three emphatic arches dominate each side, the

central one being the highest. This plan is repeated on the second
storey, and a 42.5m high double dome of marble surmounts the roof
with pillared kiosks ('chhatris') placed around it. The structure is built
with red sandstone, but white and black marble has been used to
relieve the monotony, the latter largely in the borders. Haveli Of
Hakeem Ashanullah Khan The haveli of Hakeem Ashanullah Khan,
personal physician of the emperor Bahdur Shah Zafar, was a fortress
for those who were able to hide themselves here in the 'ghadar'- the
Sepoy Mutiny time.

The mansion almost covers 2,000-square-yards and

appears to be a mohalla itself. It was because of the orders of the
Hakeem that Ghalib was given the scholarship to write the history of
the Mughal dynasty. Immediately after the Mutiny, British
confiscated the house of the Hakeem. It was soon returned too, but
not before it was stripped of the old chandeliers and lamps.

True Mughal Architecture The tomb was built by

Humayun's senior widow Bega Begam, popularly known as Haji
Begam, nine years after his death in 1565 according to some, but
fourteen years according to the manuscript of an 18th century text.
It is the first substantial example of the Mughal architecture, with
high arches and double dome, which occurs here for the first time in
India. Although some tombs had already been sited within
gardens, it is also the first mature example of the idea of garden-
tomb, which culminated in the Taj-Mahal at Agra.

The enclosure is entered through two lofty double-

storeyed gateways, one on the west and the other on the south, the
latter now remaining closed. A 'baradari' (pavilion) occupies the
centre of the eastern wall of the enclosure and a bath-chamber that
of the northern wall.

Its a Homage To The Royal Dynasty Several rulers of the

Mughal dynasty lie buried in the mausoleum, although it is not
possible to identify their graves. Among those lying buried here are
Bega Begam, Hamida Banu Begam - Humayun's junior wife, Dara
Shikoh - Shah Jahan's son, and the later Mughals, Jalandar Shah,
Farrukhsiyar, Rafi'u'd-Darajat, Rafi'u'd-Daula and 'Alamgir II,
Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal emperor of Delhi had taken shelter
in this tomb with the three princes during the mutiny and was
captured here in 1857 by Lieutenant Hodson.

AROUND THE TOMB Barber's Tomb Within the

compound of Humayun's tomb to its southeast stands an impressive
square tomb with a double-dome. It is not quite known who is buried
inside it, although it is usually referred to as Barber's tomb. There
are two graves inside it inscribed with verses from the Quran. One of
the graves is inside it inscribed with verses from the Quran. One of
the graves is inscribed with the figure 999, which may stand for the
'Hijra' year corresponding to 1590-91.

Nila-Gumbad Outside the Humayun's tomb enclosure

on the southeastern side stands an impressive tomb of plastered
stone covered with a dome of blue tiles. Octagonal externally but
square within, its ceiling is profusely decorated with painted and
incised plaster. With its high neck and absence of a double dome,
which would be usual for this period, it is a unique construction.
Conforming to its general colourful appearance around its drum are
traces of tiles of other colours. Known as Nila-Gumbad (blue dome),
it is believed to have been built in 1625 by 'Abdu'r-Rahim Khan
Khan-i-Khanan and is said to contain the remains of Fahim Khan, one
of his faithful attendants. There is some indication, however, that the
tomb may have existed even before the construction of Humayun's
tomb and may, therefore, contain the remains of some other person.

The Arab-Sarai consists of a large enclosure adjoining

the southwestern corner of Humayun's tomb. It is divided into two
quadrangles by series of cells provided with a gateway in the
centre.
The western enclosure has now been occupied by the Industrial
Training Institute. Immediately outside its lofty eastern entrance
approached by a gateway from the east, with traces of paintings on
its underside, is the second quadrangle,originally bounded by arched
cells, which is known as the 'mandi' (market) and was added by Mihr
Banu Agha, chief eunuch of Jahangir. The northern gate of the Arab-
Sarai lies immediately to the right of the eastern gate of Bu'-
Halima's garden.

It is said that the Arab-Sarai was built by Bega Begam

or Haji Begam for three hundred Arab 'mullas' (priests) whom she
had brought from Mecca. It is, however, suspected by some that the
Arab-Sarai might possibly be a misnomer, and the enclosure
probably housed Persian workers and craftsmen who were engaged
in building Humayun's tomb. Chilla-Nizamu'd-Din Auliya Outside the
north-eastern corner of Humayun's tomb are the remains of certain
rooms with 'verandahs'.

It is believed that this place was used by Shaikh Nizam-ud-

Din Auliya who died in 1325 and whose dargah is described
elsewhere, although the constructional features of an adjacent
double-storeyed house point out to its construction during the reign
of Humayun or Akbar.

Bara-Batashewala-Mahal Within an enclosure to the

north of Humayun's tomb, now occupied by the Bharat Scouts and
Guides, there are some monuments. The largest of these, known as
Bara-Batashewala-Mahal, stands on a raised platform each of its
sides pierced by five arches with a vaulted chamber in the centre.

Originally it was surrounded by a walled enclosure,

which has now disappeared Over the entrance to the central
chamber is an inscription from which we learn that Mirza Muzaffar
was buried here in 1012 A.H. (1603). Mirza Muzaffar Husain, whose
grandfather came from Khurasan to Babur's court, was the son of
Gulrukh Begam, daughter of Humayun's brother Mirza Kamran. He
was married to the eldest daughter of Akbar, Sultan Khanam.

About 40m east from Bara-Batashewala-Mahal but

within its original enclosure stands another rubble-built tomb with a
central chamber, square within and octagonal externally, with floral,
geometrical and inscriptional decoration in incised plaster on the
interior. It is known as Chhota-Batashewala-Mahal. The identity of
the person buried in the tomb is not known. Afsarwala Mosque And
Tomb Within the eastern enclosure of the Arab-Sarai lies a mosque
on a raised platform. Its prayer-chamber is faced by three arched
openings, the central bay being roofed by a dome. In alignment with
the mosque to its north is a long dilapidated hall with arched
openings.

At the southeastern corner of the mosque on the same

raised platform stands an octagonal tomb with double dome. The
tomb and the mosque go under the name of Afsarwala. The identity
of the 'Afsar' or officer who raised these buildings is not known. One
of the graves inside the tomb bears the figures 974, which may refer
to Hijra year corresponding to 1566-67. Both the mosque and tomb
may have been built about that time. Bu'-Halima's Garden

As the visitor approaches Humayun's tomb from Mathura

road, he passes through a rectangular enclosure with a tomb in its
northern half and a gateway on its east, which is in the same
alignment as the main entrance of Humayun's tomb. Since the
northern wall of the Arab-Sarai abuts on the plastered exterior of the
eastern enclosure of this garden, it may have existed before the
Arab-Sarai, built by Humayun's senior widow. The garden is known
as Bu'-Halima's garden, and an unidentified lady is believed to have
been interred in the above-mentioned tomb. The coloured tiles,
traces of which still exist on the entrance facing the Humayun's
tomb, combined with the use of sandstone, both set in plaster, lend
it a picturesque charm.

It is doubtful, however, if the garden was originally laid for

this tomb, as the latter is not in former's centre, as usual in garden-
tombs.

'Isa Khan's Tomb

'Isa Khan's tomb stands immediately to the south of Bu'-Halima's
garden. It consists of an octagonal garden enclosure, with entrance
on the north, in the centre of which lies the mausoleum, as in
Mubarak Shah's tomb. With a central octagonal chamber surrounded
by verandahs, each side pierced by three arches, the mausoleum
rises from a low plinth and is surrounded by a dwarf wall. Above the
arches runs a 'chhajja' and each of the side is surmounted on the
roof by a domed 'chhatri', with the central dome rising from a thirty-
two-sided drum. The sides of the chamber are closed by perforated
stone slabs except on the west and south. The western side contains
a minhrab on the interior, while the southern side forms the main
entrance. A three-domed mosque projects outward from the western
side of the octagonal enclosure. It follows, thus, the typical pattern
of the octagonal Lodi tombs.
'Isa Khan was a nobleman at the courts of Sher Shah
Suri (1539-45) and his son Islam Shah (1545-54). There is an
inscription over the minhrab mentioning the date of 954 A.H. (1547-
48).
Sabz-Burj
This octagonal tomb with four wide and four narrow sides
('Muthamman-i-Baghdadi'), stands on the roundabout of the junction
of Mathura road and Lodi road to the west of Humayun's tomb. It has
high recessed arches on all its sides and a high-drummed double
dome covered with coloured tiles, which has given it its present
name, meaning the 'green dome'. Lacking such pre-Mughal features
as 'guldastas', chhajjas and chhatris, architecturally, the building is
in Central Asian tradition and can be placed in the early Mughal
period. With traces of cross-walls on well-shaped plan and wooden
beams preserved in the upper dome, it retains some clues of the
methods of its construction.
Nili-Chhatri
Nili-Chhatri lies within the compound of the Delhi Public School on
the Mathura Road and is octagonal in plan. The building stood on a
raised platform and was originally enclosed by a wall. Its outer
facades were lavishly ornamented with enamelled tiles of several
colours, but the entire superstructure has now been demolished. It is
believed to be the tomb of Naubat Khan, a noble man of Akbar's
court.
 Timings : Opened till 10 pm on all days of the week.

Entrance of Humayun's
tomb

Brief description of site at entrance

 Humayun's Tomb

Gardens intersected by watercourses

 Interior Chamber

Ali Isa Khan Niazi's nearby tomb

Other tombs in Humayun's tomb complex