Humayun Tomb, Delhi

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The 16th century tomb of Humayun, the second of the great Mughal emperors, is a magnificent example of `Indo-Islamic' architecture. The tomb is of special significance since it was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent and it went on to inspire the designs of several major monuments, culminating in the Taj Mahal.

It was built by Humayun's widow, nine years after his death. The architect was reportedly brought from Herat in Afghanistan, and the design was based on the description of the `gardens of paradise', as portrayed in the Quran. The design is also said to have inspired the design of the Taj Mahal, which was built by Humayun's grandson- Shah Jahan.
It is a `World Heritage Monument' and has been recently rennovated by the Aga Khan trust(AKTC)/ Intach/ Archeological Survey of India.
The tomb area is has several other smaller and lesser known monuments/ tombs, some that pre-date the main structure. Also, it was from here that in 1857 A.D, lieutenant Hudson had captured the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah II, who was subsequently exiled to Rangoon.
I visited it recently after a gap of several years, and the rennovations have lent it a great ambience. Also, there dosent seem to be a huge crowd here, unlike some of the other popular monuments, so its a pretty serene place.
Budget a couple of hours at least to get a real feel of this place, since there is a lot to see.

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The Tomb of Humayun was built by Bega Begum the last surviving wife of Humayun, the second emperor of the Moghul empire, in 1565. The typical Moghul garden is divided into 4 large squares, which are divided again into smaller squares by pathways. The mausoleum is in the centre and rises from a podium faced with a series of cells with arched openings. the central octagonal chamber contains the cenotaph. There are octagonal chambers at the diagonals, and arched lobbies at the sides. the openings are closed with perforated screens.
The roof is 425 metres high with a double dome, the first, of marble with pillared kiosks around it. It is built of red sandstone.
Several unidentified rulers are buried nearby , as well as Bega Begum, Hamida Bani Begum [a junior wife], Shah Jehan's son , later Moghuls and Bahadur Shah Ii, the last Moghul emperor of India [1857].
To the south east is an impressive square tomb called the Barber's Tomb.

This was my first visit to a typical Moghul building where symmetery is the keyword. The steps are steep howvever. It was also the last chance I had to really see anything close up in Delhi.

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Located within the Humayun complex, the Isa Khan tomb lies in a separate enclosure. It consists of the octagonal, multi-domed mausoleum and a mosque, all surrounded by an also octagonal fortress-like wall. The little complex was constructed in 1548 AD and thus predates the grander nearby Humayun's Tomb. Isa Khan Niyazi was an official under the Suri dynasty which had defeated the Delhi Sultanate and conquered their capital city for only a few decades in the 16th century, long enough for Isa Khan to build himself this beautiful mausoleum and mosque. Although fairly well-preserved, the structures are missing many of the colourful tiles that once decorated much of the exterior. The octagonal mausoleum is quite similar to some of the Sayyid-period structures found at Lodi Gardens.

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Delhi's most beautiful monument is this grand mausoleum for the second Mughal Emperor Humayun and his family. It was built in 1565 by his Persian wife Haji Begum after his death. She employed the Persian architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, who created the Empire's first great monumental Mughal mausoleum. His design - an elaborate square structure topped by a bulbous dome and standing over a raised platform in the centre of a spacious square garden with a charbagh layout - became the standard for numerous later-period Mughal mausoleums, which culminated with the construction of the Taj Mahal in Agra. Humayun's Tomb was added to the list of World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO in 1993.

For more photos of this magnificent monument, check out my travelogue: "Humayun's Tomb".

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Yet another funerary complex within Humayun's Tomb complex, Asfarwala contains an octagonal, domed mausoleum and a small mosque, both within their own walled enclosure. The mausoleum known to have been built in 1567 AD by a government official under the Mughal Emperor, Akbar the Great, but the exact name of the person is unknown. The adjacent mosque predates the mausoleum by 25 years.

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Built in 1561 by Haji Begum, the widow of Sultan Humayun, next to her late husband's mausoleum, the Arab Serai is believed to have hosted Arab priests she brought back from her pilgrimage to Mecca. Other historians believe that it was used to house the Persian artisans who worked on Humayun's Tomb. Was it perhaps both? Little of the actual Arab Serai is left, but its monumental gate is fairly well preserved (seen in the attached photos).

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Completed in 1591 AD, this mausoleum is known as the Barber's Tomb (Nai ka Gumbad in Hindi) and is located on the grounds of Humayun's Tomb. Although the true identity of the person buried within is unknown, it is commonly thought to belong to the barber of Humayun, the Mughal Sultan. The Barber's Tomb is a square structure constructed with red sandstone and topped by a flat central dome.

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The interior of Humayun's Tomb consists of a domed central chamber, surrounded by eight vaulted chambers. The central chamber, where the Emperor's sarcophagus lies, has four entrances, each accessed through a lofty iwan (half dome portico). The sarcophagi of members of the Emperor's family, along with a few later-period Emperors, are located in the surrounding chambers.