City Landmark – Khan-i-Khana’s Tomb, Nizamuddin East Monuments by The Delhi Walla - January 28, 2010May 23, 20104 Scarred with beauty. [Text and pictures by Mayank Austen Soofi] A stone-paved lane hedged with marigold flowers leads to one of Delhi’s strangest monuments. The 16th century tomb of a Mughal noble, Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khana, is both ugly and beautiful. Its exterior stonework is stripped off. The plaster on its inside walls is chipped. Its niches are cobwebbed. The ceilings are scrawled with romantic messages. But before you notice the flaws, the weathered dome, as well as the chhatris and the arches take you in. The underground tomb is inaccessible but the sarcophagus in the upper chamber is bare, quiet, dark and windy. Bordered by the tony Nizamuddin East bungalows on one side and the noisy Mathura Road on the other, the large garden around the ticketed tomb is like a city getaway. It is dotted with bottle palm, ashoka, mango and sangwan trees. A giant neem leans onto the tomb itself. In the mornings, the neighbourhood’s health-conscious gentry treat the complex like their local Lodhi Garden. They troop in with their passes for exercises and games. In other times, the place remains forsaken, save a few sightseers, stray dogs and restless squirrels continually racing on the grass, climbing the trees and playing catch-me-if-you-can with one another. Besides being Akbar’s prime minister, Mr Khan-i-Khana translated Mughal emperor Babar’s memoirs from Chaghatai to Persian. He wrote two books on astrology and had a good command over Sanskrit. He also composed poetry. Once, Hindi poet Tulsidas wrote a verse on him. This ruin was built for Mr Khan-i-Khana’s wife and, as it happened, he too was interred here. During the last years of the Mughal rule, the tomb and the dome had their marbles stripped off and put on the tomb of Safdarjang, another noble. The scarred look works well for those who find beauty in melancholy. Beware There are no railings on the platform Ticket Rs 5 Time Sunrise to sunset Where Nizamuddin East, next to the entrance Waiting for the date The whole look Morning walkers Careful, brother Family-friendly destination Playing with history Alone together Domestic tourists Domestic tourists It’s the time Up the stairs The sacrophagus chamber Scarred beauty Careful, brothers Quite a sight > See you FacebookX Related Related posts: City Monument – Poet Rahim’s Underground Crypt and the Restored Tomb, Hazrat Nizamuddin East City Monument – Nila Gumbad, Nizamuddin East City Monument – Isa Khan’s Mausoleum, Humayun’s Tomb Complex City Monument – Najaf Khan’s Tomb, Near Lodhi Road Railway Station City Monument – Muhammad Shah Rangila’s Tomb, Hazrat Nizamuddin’s Dargah
I viewed this historical monument thousands times while driving on Mathura Road during my stay in Delhi. But, I could not peep inside it. Thanks Mayank, for revealing our own history on us. Keep it up
Growing up in Nizam-ud-din , you brought me the memories of this tomb where people would stroll in summer evenings and during exams kids would go on top floor to study but the cool breeze makes them sleep over their books. Thanks for the post
He was the famous Rahim whose dohas we all read in school.He is not very liked in Pakistan and I have not come across any Pakistanis who know him(I live in Abu Dhabi). He was also supposed to be a Krishna worshipper.