Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (A Magnificent Mausoleum) - इत्माद-उद-दौला
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The city of Agra is full of architectural wonders. On one hand, it has the famous Taj Mahal, and on the other hand, it has the Agra Fort and Itmad-ud-Daulah's mausoleum.
Itmad-ud-Daulah's tomb is a highly ornate edifice, which is looked upon as an imminent precursor of the Taj Mahal as far as elaborate carvings and inlay work are concerned.
The tomb marks a significant departure from the tombs of the Mughal dynasty built before its construction.
The absence of a dome and the presence of a closed kiosk on top of this building and the use of chhatris (small domed canopies, supported by pillars) atop the four towers (minarets) instead of proper Domes Are Reflective Of Local Influence.
However, the wails of the baby girl forced the parents to come back and take her with them. The baby girl brought a stroke of good luck to her parents, for Ghiyas Beg found a caravan that straightaway took him to the court of the great Mughal Emperor, Akbar. In the course of time, Ghiyas Beg rose to become a minister and a trusted treasurer in Akbar's court.
After Akbar's death in 1605, his son Jahangir became the Mughal emperor, who made Ghiyas Beg his chief minister or Wazir. Ghiyas Beg was also honored with the title of Itmad-ud-Daulah or the pillar of the state.
Ghiyas Beg's daughter grew up to be a beautiful lady and came to be known as Mehr-un-Nissa or the sun of womankind. In the course of time, the fame of her beauty spread. She was married off, but she soon became a widow. She returned to the court of Jahangir where her father was employed. Emperor Jahangir fell in love with her and married her.
She soon became a powerful personality in Jahangir's court and was called Nur Mahal, the light of the palace, and Nur Jahan, light of the world. When Ghiyas Beg (Itmad-ud-Daulah) died in 1622, Nur Jahan undertook the project to build his mausoleum. Later she built the tomb of her husband (in a similar style) in Lahore. Nur Jahan had a brother whose daughter was married to Jahangir's son, Shahjahan. She was known as Mumtaz Mahal in whose memory Shahjahan built the world famous Taj Mahal.
Itmad-ud-Daulah was buried in a tomb that resembles a jewel box and set in a garden. This tranquil, small, garden located on the banks of the Yamuna was to inspire the construction of the Taj Mahal in the later years. It is the first tomb in India built entirely in white marble. The tomb is also justly famous for the glorious pietra dura (stone inlay) decoration depicting cypresses, wine glasses, and an amazing variety of geometrical arabesque.
The jali screens set in arched recesses are splendid. Four small minarets rise at the four corners of the small tomb structure.
Itmad-ud-daula is a pure white and elaborately carved tomb that conforms to the Islamic style of architecture. The Indo-Islamic architecture becomes prominent because of the fusion that this tomb displays. While the use of arched entrances and octagonal shaped towers signify the Persian influence, the absence of a dome and the presence of a closed kiosk on top of this building and the use of canopies talks about the possible Indian influence. From out side, when you take a bird eye view, Itmad-ud-daula looks like a jewel box set in a garden. This tranquil, small, garden located on the banks of the Yamuna was to inspire the construction of the Taj Mahal in the later years.
The story of Itmad-ud-daula is an inspirational rag to riches saga. Ghiyas was a very poor merchant of the then Persia who migrated to India in search of livelihood. His wife gave birth to a daughter whom he wanted to abandon for he has no money to feed her but the persistent wails of the infant changed his heart. In the time being he got a place in the court of Akbar. Due to his hard work and honesty he rose to the position of treasurer and later a Wazir in the reign of Jahangir. Jahangir fell in love with his widowed daughter who processes unspeakable beauty. She was later christened Noor Jahan and went down in the history as one of the most beautiful and artistically gifted women in the world. Jahangir conferred the title of Itmad-ud-daula or 'Pillar of the Empire' to his father-in-law. Noor Jahan ordered the tomb after the death of her father in 1622.
The tomb is located at the centre of a quadrangle with gardens laid out on the Char Bagh pattern surrounding it. The structure stands over a raised sandstone terrace measuring 149 feet square and 3 feet and 4 inches high from the ground. The tomb building consists of a central hall, which houses the tomb of Wazir and his wife. Small chambers in which the tombs of other family members are located surround this hall. A sandstone staircase leads to the first floor, where elegant oblong dome is found surmounting a pavilion over the central hall, topped with pinnacles. This pavilion also contains cenotaphs of plain marble but without any inscriptions. At the corners of the top of the building stand four round towers approximately measuring 40 feet in height, which are surmounted by marble kiosks.
The cenotaphs and walls of the ground floor contain inscription in Persian. The wall inscriptions are from Quran and other holy texts, while the cenotaph inscriptions are stating the name and title of those interned.
Itmad-ud-Daulah's tomb is a highly ornate edifice, which is looked upon as an imminent precursor of the Taj Mahal as far as elaborate carvings and inlay work are concerned.
The tomb marks a significant departure from the tombs of the Mughal dynasty built before its construction.
Islamic Style Of Architecture
The pure white and elaborately carved tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah conforms to the Islamic style of architecture. The use of arched entrances, octagonal shaped towers or minarets, use of exquisitely carved floral patterns, intricate marble-screen work and inlay work are all representative of the Islamic style.The absence of a dome and the presence of a closed kiosk on top of this building and the use of chhatris (small domed canopies, supported by pillars) atop the four towers (minarets) instead of proper Domes Are Reflective Of Local Influence.
Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb
The tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah is as interesting as the life of the person for whom it was built. Mirza Ghiyas-ud-din or Ghiyas Beg (later known as Itmad-ud-Daulah) was a poor merchant and lived in Persia (modern-day Iran). While on his way to India for business, his wife gave birth to a baby girl. As the family was extremely poor and had nothing to eat, the parents decided to abandon the child.However, the wails of the baby girl forced the parents to come back and take her with them. The baby girl brought a stroke of good luck to her parents, for Ghiyas Beg found a caravan that straightaway took him to the court of the great Mughal Emperor, Akbar. In the course of time, Ghiyas Beg rose to become a minister and a trusted treasurer in Akbar's court.
After Akbar's death in 1605, his son Jahangir became the Mughal emperor, who made Ghiyas Beg his chief minister or Wazir. Ghiyas Beg was also honored with the title of Itmad-ud-Daulah or the pillar of the state.
Ghiyas Beg's daughter grew up to be a beautiful lady and came to be known as Mehr-un-Nissa or the sun of womankind. In the course of time, the fame of her beauty spread. She was married off, but she soon became a widow. She returned to the court of Jahangir where her father was employed. Emperor Jahangir fell in love with her and married her.
She soon became a powerful personality in Jahangir's court and was called Nur Mahal, the light of the palace, and Nur Jahan, light of the world. When Ghiyas Beg (Itmad-ud-Daulah) died in 1622, Nur Jahan undertook the project to build his mausoleum. Later she built the tomb of her husband (in a similar style) in Lahore. Nur Jahan had a brother whose daughter was married to Jahangir's son, Shahjahan. She was known as Mumtaz Mahal in whose memory Shahjahan built the world famous Taj Mahal.
Itmad-ud-Daulah was buried in a tomb that resembles a jewel box and set in a garden. This tranquil, small, garden located on the banks of the Yamuna was to inspire the construction of the Taj Mahal in the later years. It is the first tomb in India built entirely in white marble. The tomb is also justly famous for the glorious pietra dura (stone inlay) decoration depicting cypresses, wine glasses, and an amazing variety of geometrical arabesque.
The jali screens set in arched recesses are splendid. Four small minarets rise at the four corners of the small tomb structure.
Itmad-ud-daula
Itmad-ud-daula has a special place in the chronicles of both history as well as architecture. This is precisely because Itmad ud Daula is the very first tomb in India that is entirely made out of Marble. This is actually a mausoleum that overlooks the River Yamuna and is a tomb of Mir Ghiyas Beg, a minister in the court of Shah Jahan.Itmad-ud-daula is a pure white and elaborately carved tomb that conforms to the Islamic style of architecture. The Indo-Islamic architecture becomes prominent because of the fusion that this tomb displays. While the use of arched entrances and octagonal shaped towers signify the Persian influence, the absence of a dome and the presence of a closed kiosk on top of this building and the use of canopies talks about the possible Indian influence. From out side, when you take a bird eye view, Itmad-ud-daula looks like a jewel box set in a garden. This tranquil, small, garden located on the banks of the Yamuna was to inspire the construction of the Taj Mahal in the later years.
The story of Itmad-ud-daula is an inspirational rag to riches saga. Ghiyas was a very poor merchant of the then Persia who migrated to India in search of livelihood. His wife gave birth to a daughter whom he wanted to abandon for he has no money to feed her but the persistent wails of the infant changed his heart. In the time being he got a place in the court of Akbar. Due to his hard work and honesty he rose to the position of treasurer and later a Wazir in the reign of Jahangir. Jahangir fell in love with his widowed daughter who processes unspeakable beauty. She was later christened Noor Jahan and went down in the history as one of the most beautiful and artistically gifted women in the world. Jahangir conferred the title of Itmad-ud-daula or 'Pillar of the Empire' to his father-in-law. Noor Jahan ordered the tomb after the death of her father in 1622.
Itimad-ud-Daula’s Tomb, Agra
The Itimad-ud-Daula’s Tomb is situated on the left bank of river Jamuna next to Chini-ka-Rauza. Itimad-ud-Daula was the title given to Mirza Ghiyath Beg, father of Nur Jahan. He held the post of Lord of treasure of the empire and later rose to the dignity of wazir under Jahangir. Nur Jahan completed the construction of the building of the Tomb of her father in 1628 AD, nearly 7 years after his death.The tomb is located at the centre of a quadrangle with gardens laid out on the Char Bagh pattern surrounding it. The structure stands over a raised sandstone terrace measuring 149 feet square and 3 feet and 4 inches high from the ground. The tomb building consists of a central hall, which houses the tomb of Wazir and his wife. Small chambers in which the tombs of other family members are located surround this hall. A sandstone staircase leads to the first floor, where elegant oblong dome is found surmounting a pavilion over the central hall, topped with pinnacles. This pavilion also contains cenotaphs of plain marble but without any inscriptions. At the corners of the top of the building stand four round towers approximately measuring 40 feet in height, which are surmounted by marble kiosks.
The cenotaphs and walls of the ground floor contain inscription in Persian. The wall inscriptions are from Quran and other holy texts, while the cenotaph inscriptions are stating the name and title of those interned.
 Photo by : JMA*Gaurhav in Flickr |
 Photo by : JMA*Gaurhav in Flickr |
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 Photo by : JMA*Gaurhav in Flickr |
 Photo by : Brajeshwar in Flickr |
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 Photo by : tausif_farooqi in webshots |
 Photo by : tausif_farooqi in webshots |
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 Photo by : njellis in panaromia |
 Photo by : maremagna in panaromia |
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 Photo by : hd22 in panaromia |
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