Having started down the slippery slope of dealing with the more well known of Delhi's monuments, I'm going to write about Humayun's Tomb, the first major Mughal tomb. This post will be an amalgamation of facts and images gathered over several trips in the past. I do plan a trip in the next few weeks, and will probably update this post once I'm done with that.
For context, the tomb was constructed by Humayun's widow, Hamida Banu Begum, in 1565. The tomb is set in a Persian Char Bagh style garden (representing the Muslim version of paradise) with water channels dividing the area into rectangular sections, and is one of the first full-dome tombs around this part of the world. The sandstone and marble distinctively set it apart from earlier tombs in the area, which made more use of stone (exceptions exist...but the scale of this is unprecedented). This was an architectural precursor to the Taj Mahal in Agra, and the key design elements here are replicated in Agra. Since this was also designated a a UNESCO world heritage site some two decades ago, the complex is relatively well preserved, and doesn't have the 'Raju loves Sheila' graffiti that mars so many of Delhi's monuments. Interestingly, the tomb has become the resting place for many Mughal royals, so much so that the sobriquet 'Dormitory of the House of Timur' has come to be associated with this place - there's another pointless history/GK question for hapless school students.
The site is open daily from dawn to dusk. Getting here involves taking the metro to JLN stadium on the violet line and either walking or taking an auto-rickshaw for a short 2 km hop to the complex. There's parking there too, if you drive in. Entry fees are Rs 10 for Indians/SAARC nationals and a ridiculous Rs 250 for foreigners (with an audio guide thrown in to lessen the sting). I wonder when we'll stop being racist about this. As you walk/drive in, the Sabz Burj (translates to Green Dome(?)/Tower(?) with its lurid blue dome (redone with the mixed up colour scheme, courtesy the ASI, who seemed to have lost their Persian to Hindi dictionary that day). Look for the remaining multi-colour tiles just below the blue dome - those are the originals. You can't get in, but it is eye-catching.
Interestingly, the complex has a few more structures besides Humayun's tomb. Entry to the complex will be through the western side (the main entrance back in the day was on the southern side, so this isn't quite the view that the architects had in mind). There's a little museum at the entrance, giving some context on what you are about to see. One starts off in what was once 'Bu Halima's Garden'. There isn't much good information on who she was, but given the proximity to the tomb, it is fair to assume that she was important. On the right is the octagonal Tomb of Isa Khan Niyazi, an Afghan nobleman in Sher Shah Suri's court, with a mosque built into the enclosure wall. Moving through the first gate, one sees the Arab Sarai on the right, built for craftsmen brought by Hamida Banu Begum to work on the site along with the 'Afsarwala Tomb' and Mosque built for one of Akbar's nobles. The site is mostly in ruins, but there are good views to be had if you climb up to the top of the structure (there are stairs).
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| The Afsarwala Mosque and Tomb at the Arab Sarai |
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| The first gate, from Bu Halima's Garden into the rest of the complex, has some intricate features |
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| The second gate, leading up to Humayun's Tomb with the dome poking up above it |
As you approach the enormous second gate, you begin to see the dome of Humayun's Tomb, almost as though it was part of the gateway. Only when you cross over to the inside does the tomb fully reveal itself. The garden is set beautifully, and there is water in the channels. There are functional fountains that add to the ambiance. The tomb itself is built on a large stone platform (to add to the massiveness of the structure, slightly Soviet-esque), and there are steps to climb to get to the main entry level (no easy access here). The tomb itself is an enormous 2 level structure with a double dome clad in marble and a lower-level chamber that houses the real graves. What you see is just a cenotaph (for lack of a better word), placed directly above the real grave of Humayun. The interiors are done up with intricate lattice windows which work well to illuminate the cenotaph. If you look to the southeast, you will see two structures - the Nai ka Gumbad (supposedly built for Humayun's barber) and the Nila Gumbad, outside the complex. There isn't much to see there.
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| Looking back at the entrance arch from Humayun's Tomb |
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| Water Fountains do enhance the ambiance of the place |
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| Humayun's Tomb set in the Charbagh garden with water channels cutting through it |
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| The structure makes extensive use of sandstone and marble, and is built on two levels |
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| There's a lot of lattice work to stand in for windows - keeps the interiors cool |
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| One of the lattice windows |
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| The art-like quality of the lattice windows is in contrast with the functional lattices at, say, the Khirki mosque |
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| Cenotaph over the grave of Humayun - lit beautifully by the lattices |
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| Nai ka Gumbad and Nila Gumbad - it paid to hold a blade to the Emperor's neck |
And that concludes the whistle-stop tour of Humayun's Tomb. The complex is well preserved, and the gardens provide the kind of tranquility that is hard to find in Delhi these days. Let's hope we keep it that way.
Here's a map to help you on your way:
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