Humayun's Tomb - हुमायूं'के मकबरे
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Humayun's Tomb, the mausoleum of Mughal emperor Humayun, is situated on the Mathura Road, near it's crossing with Lodi Road. The first significant model of Mughal architecture in India, the tomb was built by Humayun's wife Haji Begum in the year 1565. High arches and a double dome adorn the tomb that is entered through two towering double-storied gateways, on the south and on the west. The center of the eastern wall of the enclosure houses a baradari (pavilion), while that of the northern wall houses a bath-chamber.
One of the most remarkable features of the Delhi Humayun's Tomb is a square garden inside its complex. The garden stands divided into four large squares, separated by causeways and channels. These four squares are then further divided into smaller squares by typical pathways ('Chaharbagh') of a Mughal Garden. In the center of the entire complex stands the mausoleum. The cenotaph is kept in the central octagonal chamber with arched lobbies on the sides having perforated screens at the openings.
The Garden Tomb Of Humayun in Delhi is constructed mainly of red sandstone, with white and black marble adorning its borders. The second story of the tomb, with 42.5m high double dome and pillared kiosks (chhatris), is built in the same way as the first. Further beautifying the Humayun's Tomb are the carvings, the inlaid work on the marble of the walls and the trelliswork in red sandstone. Built as per the hasht bihisht (Eight Paradise) architectural design, it is a sort of pioneering landmark of the Indo-Islamic architecture.
The vaults below the podium in the mausoleum house the graves of a number of Mughal dynasty rulers. These include the graves of Haji Begam, Hamida Banu Begam, Dara Shikoh - Shah Jahan's son, and the later Mughals, Jalandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, Rafi'u'd-Darajat, Rafi'u'd-Daula, 'Alamgir II, Shah Jahan's son and Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal emperor of Delhi. Infact, Delhi Humayun Tomb served as the refuge of Bahadur Shah II, who was later captured here by Lieutenant Hodson during the Revolt of 1857. The sheer number of graves here led to the tomb being called as "The Dormitory of the House of Timur".
This building is set in the center of a charbagh or four-garden plan, which is further divided into smaller geometric sections by a network of water channels and fountains-a reflection of Persian influence, which had been adopted by the Mughals.
The life of Humayun was full of vicissitudes. He became the Mughal emperor after the death of his father Babur (the founder of the Mughal empire) in 1530. Humayun established his capital in Delhi, but he could not rule there for long as Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan chieftain, who ruled eastern India, drove him out from Delhi and India. For some years, Humayun spent a life of exile in the court of the Persian ruler of Iran. He returned to Delhi after the death of Sher Shah Suri. However, he did not live long and died unexpectedly from a fall on January 24, 1556.
Humayun's chief Persian queen Haji or Bega Begum is said to have built this tomb. It is mentioned in historical texts that it took Mirak Miraz Ghiyas (the chief architect) eight to nine years to build the tomb of Humayun, which was probably completed in 1569-70. However, some historians are of the view that Humayun's son Akbar, who himself was a great builder, may have lent his genius in the making of the first great Mughal mausoleum. As the building of the tomb started some years after the emperor's death, Humayun's body was temporarily buried in Sher Mandal, the library he loved and where he fell to his death.
The tomb of Humayun is Delhi's Taj. An architectural wonder, this large red sandstone octagonal burial structure is ornamented with white and black marble and is decorated with geometrical patterns, high arches, and chhatris (small domed canopies, supported by pillars). The edifice is crowned with a massive 42.5-m-high white marble dome surmounted with a spire. The mausoleum rises from two large platforms one above the other connected with a flight of stairs.
Set in the center of a sprawling square garden once sustained by the waters of the Yamuna, the tomb, rising to an impressive height, stands in regal physical isolation. Its imperial beauty is spellbinding.
The tomb of Humayun with its four-quartered (charbagh) garden divided by water channels with each section further subdivided into four squares by pathways is enclosed within a rubble-built wall. The enclosure is pierced with two monumental double story gateways that have gigantic arches. Anything like the Humayun's tomb in respect of its site, plans, and scale of grandeur had not been earlier attempted. Infused with both Hindu and Persian ideas, the tomb of Humayun with high arches, screens, double dome and lotus symbols became a unique structure, a model for architectural works that were to follow.
Gradually ascending and assuming height, the first plinth that forms the main base of the structure is about 1.52 m high. The second or the main plinth is 6.10 m in height and has 72 arched alcoves or cells on all its four sides that are decorated with white marble borders. These arched rooms house numerous tombs of the royal family while the central mortuary room contains the real grave of the emperor. Surrounding the regal grave are adjacent rooms, which house the tombs of two of Humayun's begums and the later Mughals.
This grand sepulcher monument holds several records. It was the forerunner of the incomparable Taj Mahal. And it was the first garden tomb of the Mughals-the first mature expression of the four-quartered garden concept which became the typical pattern of a Mughal garden first introduced by Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty. The tomb of Humayun was also the first substantial expression of the grandeur of Mughal rule.
The political life of the Mughal emperor Humayun was not stable. Humayun became the Mughal Emperor after the death of his father Babur in 1530 and established the capital at Dinpanah, which was the sixth fort city of Delhi. Within five years, massive gateways and lofty ramparts of this fort city were completed. However, Humayun could not rule there for long as Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan chieftain, drove him out from Delhi and India. Sher Shah destroyed much of Humayun's buildings in the fort. He called his city Shergarh. Two gateways of his city, Lal Darwaza and Khooni Darwaza, can still be seen in their original grandeur. Within the fort, Sher Shah Suri built a grand mosque (Qal'a-I-Kunha Masjid) and an octagonal tower called Sher Mandal.
Meanwhile, Humayun spent a life of exile in the court of the Persian ruler of Iran. He returned to Delhi, after the death of Sher Shah Suri and regained his former capital.
He hardly built any new structures within the fortifications of Dinpanah. However, Humayun did not live long and died unexpectedly when he fell from the Sher Mandal, which he used as a library, on January 24, 1556.
Thus ended the story of a king who loved the city of Delhi and who could never rule from it in the true sense of the word. The city of Dinpanah or the Purana Quila (as it is now known) is thus the reflection of the tragic life of emperor Humayun. Humayun was succeeded by his son, Akbar, who went on to become the greatest Mughal ruler.
However, the city of Dinpanah lost its importance as Akbar soon shifted the Mughal capital from Delhi to Agra.
At present, the Purana Quila is in a bad state due to neglect. However, one can still see the grandeur of this massive fort, which sprawls over an area of 3 km. It has three grand gateways. One can appreciate this simple and rugged edifice, which dominates its surroundings from far.
Sher Mandal To the south of the Qal'a-I-Kunha mosque is an octagonal two-storied structure called the Sher Mandal. It was built by Sher Shah Suri, probably as a pavilion, and has a tile and inlay work in red sandstone. The Sher Mandal is an intriguing structure and the purpose of building it is not clear. This monument also conforms to the Indo-Islamic style of architecture. The Sher Mandal has a touch of sadness attached to it, as it was here that the second Mughal emperor Humayun fell to his death.
Hanamkonda was the capital of the Kakatiya dynasty from its foundation around 1050 until king Ganapatideva (1199-1262) moved the capital to Warangal. The "Thousand Pillared" temple is dated by inscription to 1163, in the reign of king Rudradeva (1158-1195). The temple probably got its name from its detached mandapa (see below), which has many more pillars than the temple itself. (Most of the columns in this photograph are carved decorations, not structural pillars..
The temple is seen here from the NE, looking SW. Its entrance is S (photo left). The temple consists of an entrance mandapa with three attached shrines, which are dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Surya. The north (photo right) and east (photo center) shrines are visible here. Just S of the temple entrance is a monolithic Nandi (blue pavilion, photo extreme left), and south of that is the detached mandapa (out of the photo, to the left). The original towers, of both the temple and the detached mandapa, fell down long ago and are lost.
Bega Begum also known as Haji Begum, the Persian wife of Humayun, supervised the construction of a tomb for husband. Humayun's Tomb was the first building to be constructed during the reign of Akbar. The mausoleum was built from 1562-1572 AD in Delhi. It was constructed with the help of a Persian architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyuath. The Humayun's Tomb clearly exhibits the influence of Persian art. The site chosen for the building was on the bank of the Yamuna River adjoining the shrine of the Sufi saint of Chisti silsilah, Nizamuddin Auliya.
The Humayun's Tomb was a landmark in establishing some of the essential norms for later Mughal mausoleums in India. The tomb can be compared with the mausoleums of Timur and Bibi Khanam at Samarqand. It is set in the middle of a geometrically arranged garden. In Islam, there is a concept that paradise or jannat is a place set somewhere in the middle of the garden with water flowing through the. It is called the Char Bagh as the entire garden is divided into four parts.
Humayun's Tomb was the first garden tomb made in India. The garden is divided into 36 squares by a grid of water channels and paths. The square garden is surrounded by a high rubble wall divided initially into four large squares separated by causeways and channels, each square divided again into smaller squares by pathways creating a char bagh. The laying down of the gardens in the Persian style was introduced by Babur and continued till the period of Shah Jahan.
The entry to the Humayun's Tomb is through a long axial processional track. On the way, there are gateways, which offer a glimpse of the tomb. The tomb is octagonal in shape and placed over a platform with colonnades, under which there are numerous graves of lesser known people and can be ascribed to various nobles and workers of Humayun's period. A great central chamber has four offsets, double storeyed in height and with arcade on their facades. Their openings closed with perforated screens. Three emphatic arches dominate each side, the central one being the highest. The central room contains the cenotaph of the emperor Humayun. and his queen Bega begum. The tomb is crowned by 42.5 m high colossal double dome.
The structure is built mainly with red sandstone along with use of white and black marble to relieve the monotony. The marble is used largely in the borders. The dome is made of white marble. The Humayun's tomb is the first Indian building to use the Persian concept of a double dome.
The enclosure is entered through two eminent double-storeyed gateways, one on the west and the other on the south. The southern gateway remains closed nowadays. The baradari or the pavilion occupies the center of the eastern wall and the hamam or the bath chamber the center of northern wall. Tour to Humayun Tomb
The mausoleum also known for several of the eminent Mughal personalities buried here. Among others, there are graves of Hamida Begum, Akbar's mother; Dara Shikoh, Shah Jahan's son and Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal Emperor.
The Humayun's Tomb is a protected monument under the ownership of Archaeological Survey of India. It is the first significant example of the Mughal architecture with high arches and double dome, which occurs for the first time in India.
It is also the first finest example of the garden-tomb, which culminated in the Taj Mahal at Agra. The design of the Taj Mahal is inspired from the Humayun's Tomb. The Humayun's Tomb is in the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.
The Aga Khan Trust provided the funds for the restoration project of the Humayun's Tomb. Since 2003, water has again started flowing from the fountains and water channels as it originally did. It is still maintained in its original grandeur.
Humayun's Tomb is situated in Delhi. Humayun's senior widow Bega Begam,popularly known as Haji Begam built the tomb,at a cost of 15 lakh rupees. It was built in the year 1565. It is among the first examples of Mughal architecture,with high arches and a double dome.
There are two high double-storey gateways on the west and south that lead to the enclosure. There is a pavilion in the center of the eastern wall and a bath chamber in the center of the northern wall. To enter the tomb's chamber one has to come through the south entrance while the other three sides are covered with mesh wire in white marble. In the quietude of the central chamber lies the tomb,though the actual resting-place of Humayun is directly beneath in an underground chamber.
The lofty mausoleum is in the center of the enclosure and rises from a podium faced with series of cells having arched openings. The central octagonal chamber contains the cenotaph,encompassed by octagonal chambers at the diagonals and arched lobbies on the sides. Their openings are closed with perforated screens. Each side is dominated by three arches,the central one being the highest. This plan is repeated on the second storey too.
The roof surmounted by a double dome (42.5m) of marble has pillared kiosks (chhatris) placed around it. Several rulers of the Mughal dynasties are buried here. Bahadur Shah Zafar had taken refuge in this tomb with three princes during the first war of independence (AD 1857).
One of the most remarkable features of the Delhi Humayun's Tomb is a square garden inside its complex. The garden stands divided into four large squares, separated by causeways and channels. These four squares are then further divided into smaller squares by typical pathways ('Chaharbagh') of a Mughal Garden. In the center of the entire complex stands the mausoleum. The cenotaph is kept in the central octagonal chamber with arched lobbies on the sides having perforated screens at the openings.
The Garden Tomb Of Humayun in Delhi is constructed mainly of red sandstone, with white and black marble adorning its borders. The second story of the tomb, with 42.5m high double dome and pillared kiosks (chhatris), is built in the same way as the first. Further beautifying the Humayun's Tomb are the carvings, the inlaid work on the marble of the walls and the trelliswork in red sandstone. Built as per the hasht bihisht (Eight Paradise) architectural design, it is a sort of pioneering landmark of the Indo-Islamic architecture.
The vaults below the podium in the mausoleum house the graves of a number of Mughal dynasty rulers. These include the graves of Haji Begam, Hamida Banu Begam, Dara Shikoh - Shah Jahan's son, and the later Mughals, Jalandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, Rafi'u'd-Darajat, Rafi'u'd-Daula, 'Alamgir II, Shah Jahan's son and Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal emperor of Delhi. Infact, Delhi Humayun Tomb served as the refuge of Bahadur Shah II, who was later captured here by Lieutenant Hodson during the Revolt of 1857. The sheer number of graves here led to the tomb being called as "The Dormitory of the House of Timur".
A Magnificent Mausoleum
Humayun's tomb is not only an excellent example of early Mughal architecture, but in many ways, it is the predecessor of the magnificent Taj Mahal. This quiet but splendid edifice was the last resting place of the second Mughal emperor, who strived all his life to be in Delhi, the city he loved.Islamic Style Of Architecture
The tomb of the Mughal emperor Humayun reflects the traditional Islamic style of architecture-with a bulbous dome, geometric patterns, high arches, spire, lattice stone windows, geometric proportions, etc.This building is set in the center of a charbagh or four-garden plan, which is further divided into smaller geometric sections by a network of water channels and fountains-a reflection of Persian influence, which had been adopted by the Mughals.
The life of Humayun was full of vicissitudes. He became the Mughal emperor after the death of his father Babur (the founder of the Mughal empire) in 1530. Humayun established his capital in Delhi, but he could not rule there for long as Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan chieftain, who ruled eastern India, drove him out from Delhi and India. For some years, Humayun spent a life of exile in the court of the Persian ruler of Iran. He returned to Delhi after the death of Sher Shah Suri. However, he did not live long and died unexpectedly from a fall on January 24, 1556.
Humayun's chief Persian queen Haji or Bega Begum is said to have built this tomb. It is mentioned in historical texts that it took Mirak Miraz Ghiyas (the chief architect) eight to nine years to build the tomb of Humayun, which was probably completed in 1569-70. However, some historians are of the view that Humayun's son Akbar, who himself was a great builder, may have lent his genius in the making of the first great Mughal mausoleum. As the building of the tomb started some years after the emperor's death, Humayun's body was temporarily buried in Sher Mandal, the library he loved and where he fell to his death.
The tomb of Humayun is Delhi's Taj. An architectural wonder, this large red sandstone octagonal burial structure is ornamented with white and black marble and is decorated with geometrical patterns, high arches, and chhatris (small domed canopies, supported by pillars). The edifice is crowned with a massive 42.5-m-high white marble dome surmounted with a spire. The mausoleum rises from two large platforms one above the other connected with a flight of stairs.
Set in the center of a sprawling square garden once sustained by the waters of the Yamuna, the tomb, rising to an impressive height, stands in regal physical isolation. Its imperial beauty is spellbinding.
The tomb of Humayun with its four-quartered (charbagh) garden divided by water channels with each section further subdivided into four squares by pathways is enclosed within a rubble-built wall. The enclosure is pierced with two monumental double story gateways that have gigantic arches. Anything like the Humayun's tomb in respect of its site, plans, and scale of grandeur had not been earlier attempted. Infused with both Hindu and Persian ideas, the tomb of Humayun with high arches, screens, double dome and lotus symbols became a unique structure, a model for architectural works that were to follow.
Gradually ascending and assuming height, the first plinth that forms the main base of the structure is about 1.52 m high. The second or the main plinth is 6.10 m in height and has 72 arched alcoves or cells on all its four sides that are decorated with white marble borders. These arched rooms house numerous tombs of the royal family while the central mortuary room contains the real grave of the emperor. Surrounding the regal grave are adjacent rooms, which house the tombs of two of Humayun's begums and the later Mughals.
This grand sepulcher monument holds several records. It was the forerunner of the incomparable Taj Mahal. And it was the first garden tomb of the Mughals-the first mature expression of the four-quartered garden concept which became the typical pattern of a Mughal garden first introduced by Babur, the founder of the Mughal dynasty. The tomb of Humayun was also the first substantial expression of the grandeur of Mughal rule.
Humayun's Dream
The fortified capital city of Dinpanah was the dream project of the second Mughal emperor, Humayun. Though Humayun started the construction of this fort (now known as the Purana Quila or the Old Fort), he could not enjoy the fruits of his labor for long. Sher Shah Suri, who displaced Humayun, made it his capital and carried out new constructions within it. Although Humayun regained control of the city he loved, he tragically died by falling from one of the buildings within the fort.Military Architecture
The Purana Quila is a good example of medieval military architecture. Like its predecessor, the Tughlaqabad fort, it is a massive fort. Purana Quila is a monument of bold design, which is strong, straightforward and every inch a fortress.It is different from the well-planned, carefully decorated, and palatial forts of the later Mughal rulers. Purana Quila is also different from the later forts of the Mughals, as it does not have a complex of palaces, administrative and recreational buildings, as is generally found in the forts built later on. The main purpose of this now-dilapidated fort was its utility, with less emphasis on decoration.Purana Quila
The Lodhi dynasty was the last dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. The kingdom of Delhi finally ended in 1526 when the armies from a small Central Asian kingdom, led by Zahir-ud-din Babur defeated the last Lodhi ruler, Ibrahim Lodhi in the First battle of Panipat. After extinguishing the rule of the Delhi Sultanate, Babur did not return to Central Asia, but established the Mughal Empire, in India. Babur chose Agra as the capital of the Mughals, but his son Humayun decided in favor of Delhi.The political life of the Mughal emperor Humayun was not stable. Humayun became the Mughal Emperor after the death of his father Babur in 1530 and established the capital at Dinpanah, which was the sixth fort city of Delhi. Within five years, massive gateways and lofty ramparts of this fort city were completed. However, Humayun could not rule there for long as Sher Shah Suri, an Afghan chieftain, drove him out from Delhi and India. Sher Shah destroyed much of Humayun's buildings in the fort. He called his city Shergarh. Two gateways of his city, Lal Darwaza and Khooni Darwaza, can still be seen in their original grandeur. Within the fort, Sher Shah Suri built a grand mosque (Qal'a-I-Kunha Masjid) and an octagonal tower called Sher Mandal.
Meanwhile, Humayun spent a life of exile in the court of the Persian ruler of Iran. He returned to Delhi, after the death of Sher Shah Suri and regained his former capital.
He hardly built any new structures within the fortifications of Dinpanah. However, Humayun did not live long and died unexpectedly when he fell from the Sher Mandal, which he used as a library, on January 24, 1556.
Thus ended the story of a king who loved the city of Delhi and who could never rule from it in the true sense of the word. The city of Dinpanah or the Purana Quila (as it is now known) is thus the reflection of the tragic life of emperor Humayun. Humayun was succeeded by his son, Akbar, who went on to become the greatest Mughal ruler.
However, the city of Dinpanah lost its importance as Akbar soon shifted the Mughal capital from Delhi to Agra.
At present, the Purana Quila is in a bad state due to neglect. However, one can still see the grandeur of this massive fort, which sprawls over an area of 3 km. It has three grand gateways. One can appreciate this simple and rugged edifice, which dominates its surroundings from far.
Important Monuments Within The Fort
Though not many buildings within the crumbling walls of the Purana Quila have survived, there are two monuments of architectural importance within it that have survived the ravages of time: the Qal'a-I-Kunha Masjid and the Sher Mandal. Both these monuments were built by Sher Shah Suri.Qal'a-I-Kunha Masjid
The Qal'a-I-Kunha Masjid is a superb but austere building, with sparse, sophisticated ornamentation in sandstone and a little marble. This mosque belongs to the Indo-Islamic style of architecture. It has a single dome, which is not pronounced and lacks the grandeur of the bulbous onion-shaped domes generally seen on Islamic buildings.Sher Mandal To the south of the Qal'a-I-Kunha mosque is an octagonal two-storied structure called the Sher Mandal. It was built by Sher Shah Suri, probably as a pavilion, and has a tile and inlay work in red sandstone. The Sher Mandal is an intriguing structure and the purpose of building it is not clear. This monument also conforms to the Indo-Islamic style of architecture. The Sher Mandal has a touch of sadness attached to it, as it was here that the second Mughal emperor Humayun fell to his death.
How To Reach
Delhi is well connected by air, rail, and road with important centers of India. Travelers can reach the fortified Purana Quila in many ways. The fort is located on the western banks of River Yamuna, near the Delhi Zoo. Travelers can either take local buses from various points within the city to reach this fort or they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis for the purpose. One end of the fort is adjacent to the famous Pragati Maidan. One can take buses from important bus termini like Interstate Bus Terminal, Connaught Place, etc., to reach this monument.Humayun's tomb is located in the eastern part of Delhi near the Nizammudin railway station. Tourists can either take local buses from various points within the city, or, alternatively, they can hire auto-rickshaws and taxis for the purpose. There are regular buses from important bus termini like the Inter-State Bus Terminus at Kashmere Gate and Sarai Kale Khan and Connaught Place to this monument. Local guided tours conducted by Delhi Tourism and private operators cover this important monument.Hanamkonda was the capital of the Kakatiya dynasty from its foundation around 1050 until king Ganapatideva (1199-1262) moved the capital to Warangal. The "Thousand Pillared" temple is dated by inscription to 1163, in the reign of king Rudradeva (1158-1195). The temple probably got its name from its detached mandapa (see below), which has many more pillars than the temple itself. (Most of the columns in this photograph are carved decorations, not structural pillars..
The temple is seen here from the NE, looking SW. Its entrance is S (photo left). The temple consists of an entrance mandapa with three attached shrines, which are dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Surya. The north (photo right) and east (photo center) shrines are visible here. Just S of the temple entrance is a monolithic Nandi (blue pavilion, photo extreme left), and south of that is the detached mandapa (out of the photo, to the left). The original towers, of both the temple and the detached mandapa, fell down long ago and are lost.
Humayun's Tomb, Delhi
Humayun, the eldest son of Babur, succeeded his father and became the second emperor of the Mughal Empire. He ruled India for nearly a decade but was ousted by Sher Shah Suri, the Afghan ruler. Humayun took refuge at the court of the Safavid ruler, Shah of Persia, who helped in regain Delhi in 1555 AD. Unfortunately, he was not able to rule for a long time and met with his untimely death after he fell from the stairs of the Sher Mandal library.Bega Begum also known as Haji Begum, the Persian wife of Humayun, supervised the construction of a tomb for husband. Humayun's Tomb was the first building to be constructed during the reign of Akbar. The mausoleum was built from 1562-1572 AD in Delhi. It was constructed with the help of a Persian architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyuath. The Humayun's Tomb clearly exhibits the influence of Persian art. The site chosen for the building was on the bank of the Yamuna River adjoining the shrine of the Sufi saint of Chisti silsilah, Nizamuddin Auliya.
The Humayun's Tomb was a landmark in establishing some of the essential norms for later Mughal mausoleums in India. The tomb can be compared with the mausoleums of Timur and Bibi Khanam at Samarqand. It is set in the middle of a geometrically arranged garden. In Islam, there is a concept that paradise or jannat is a place set somewhere in the middle of the garden with water flowing through the. It is called the Char Bagh as the entire garden is divided into four parts.
Humayun's Tomb was the first garden tomb made in India. The garden is divided into 36 squares by a grid of water channels and paths. The square garden is surrounded by a high rubble wall divided initially into four large squares separated by causeways and channels, each square divided again into smaller squares by pathways creating a char bagh. The laying down of the gardens in the Persian style was introduced by Babur and continued till the period of Shah Jahan.
The entry to the Humayun's Tomb is through a long axial processional track. On the way, there are gateways, which offer a glimpse of the tomb. The tomb is octagonal in shape and placed over a platform with colonnades, under which there are numerous graves of lesser known people and can be ascribed to various nobles and workers of Humayun's period. A great central chamber has four offsets, double storeyed in height and with arcade on their facades. Their openings closed with perforated screens. Three emphatic arches dominate each side, the central one being the highest. The central room contains the cenotaph of the emperor Humayun. and his queen Bega begum. The tomb is crowned by 42.5 m high colossal double dome.
The structure is built mainly with red sandstone along with use of white and black marble to relieve the monotony. The marble is used largely in the borders. The dome is made of white marble. The Humayun's tomb is the first Indian building to use the Persian concept of a double dome.
The enclosure is entered through two eminent double-storeyed gateways, one on the west and the other on the south. The southern gateway remains closed nowadays. The baradari or the pavilion occupies the center of the eastern wall and the hamam or the bath chamber the center of northern wall. Tour to Humayun Tomb
The mausoleum also known for several of the eminent Mughal personalities buried here. Among others, there are graves of Hamida Begum, Akbar's mother; Dara Shikoh, Shah Jahan's son and Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal Emperor.
The Humayun's Tomb is a protected monument under the ownership of Archaeological Survey of India. It is the first significant example of the Mughal architecture with high arches and double dome, which occurs for the first time in India.
It is also the first finest example of the garden-tomb, which culminated in the Taj Mahal at Agra. The design of the Taj Mahal is inspired from the Humayun's Tomb. The Humayun's Tomb is in the UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites.
The Aga Khan Trust provided the funds for the restoration project of the Humayun's Tomb. Since 2003, water has again started flowing from the fountains and water channels as it originally did. It is still maintained in its original grandeur.
Humayun's Tomb is situated in Delhi. Humayun's senior widow Bega Begam,popularly known as Haji Begam built the tomb,at a cost of 15 lakh rupees. It was built in the year 1565. It is among the first examples of Mughal architecture,with high arches and a double dome.
There are two high double-storey gateways on the west and south that lead to the enclosure. There is a pavilion in the center of the eastern wall and a bath chamber in the center of the northern wall. To enter the tomb's chamber one has to come through the south entrance while the other three sides are covered with mesh wire in white marble. In the quietude of the central chamber lies the tomb,though the actual resting-place of Humayun is directly beneath in an underground chamber.
The lofty mausoleum is in the center of the enclosure and rises from a podium faced with series of cells having arched openings. The central octagonal chamber contains the cenotaph,encompassed by octagonal chambers at the diagonals and arched lobbies on the sides. Their openings are closed with perforated screens. Each side is dominated by three arches,the central one being the highest. This plan is repeated on the second storey too.
The roof surmounted by a double dome (42.5m) of marble has pillared kiosks (chhatris) placed around it. Several rulers of the Mughal dynasties are buried here. Bahadur Shah Zafar had taken refuge in this tomb with three princes during the first war of independence (AD 1857).
Hamayuns Fort
This tomb, which was built by emperor Humayun's wife, took eight years to complete and is regarded as an example of the early Mughal architecture. The emperor's wife, Begai Begum, was buried in the tomb and the structure is the first of its kind built in the centre of a well-planned garden. The combination of white marble and red sandstone was a great influence on later Mughal architecture. It is generally regarded as a prototype of the famed Taj Mahal of Agra.
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