Humayun’s Tomb, India

We all know about the famous historical monument Tajmahal. But how many of us are familiar with the Humayun’s Tomb? Although Humayun's tomb is known to Indians, its history and its connection with the Taj Mahal is unknown to many people. The Taj Mahal and the Humayun's Tomb are both Mughal monuments. According to TajMahal's history, Emperor Shah Jahan built this tomb in memory of his wife, Mamtaz.

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Hamida Banu Begum, the wife of Emperor Humayun, built Humayun's tomb. She was known as 'Bega Begum.' Humayun was the second ruler of the Mughal dynasty and the father of Emperor Akbar, the grandfather of Emperor Shah Jahan. After Humayun's death in 1556, he was buried in the old fort of Delhi Fort. The fort was later captured by a ruler named Himu. Humayun's grave was then transferred. Bega Begum, the first wife of Emperor Humayun, set up the mausoleum in Delhi. This is the first tomb in India with a beautiful vast garden. Its craftsmanship later influenced many other establishments in India; One of which is the Taj Mahal. The tomb was designed by the Persian architect Mirak Mirza Gias. Lord Curzon ordered the garden to be redecorated. [caption id="attachment_8488" align="aligncenter" width="723"]

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The colorful interior of the Tomb of Akbar the Great, an important Mughal architectural masterpiece built in Sikandra, a suburb of Agra.[/caption] The monument was neglected until the middle of the twentieth century. Somewhere cracks appeared some masonry fell, the garden was also ruined. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993. The tomb was renovated in 1998 under the Aga Khan Trust. The renovation work was completed in 2004. However, the tomb is under threat as a result of a six-lane-link project in 2008. The project was later canceled.

Humayun's tomb regains its beauty. There is no other tomb of the Mughal emperor with such a huge space. You have to cross four gates and go to the place adjacent to the main tomb. A multi-level boundary wall surrounds it. The same Mughal architectural style can be seen in the tomb gardens of other emperors. There are four similar gates around this tomb. Currently, only one open. The rest of the gates remain closed. This cemetery is made of red and white sandstone. Even after crossing the last gate, you can reach the main tomb building only after walking a long way. There are many graves around the main building. There are three or four graves on the roof above it. Another extended building or minar has risen right through the surrounding roof. Humayun's tomb is right in the middle of it.

There are a few more graves around Humayun's grave, which belonged to his wife and other Mughal family members. The central dome also has two floors. There are eight gates around the tomb.   There is also the grave of Humayun's wife, Hamida Begum. Her grave is next to Humayun’s. Shah Jahan's son Darashiko, Jahandar Shah, Farooq Shiar, and Alamgir II are also buried here. The tomb of one of his daughters and one of his sons is an example of Shah Jahan being a Humayun devotee.   Anyone who visits the Taj Mahal and Humayun's tombs can easily understand where Shah Jahan got his inspiration from the Taj Mahal. Yes, Shahjahan got this inspiration from his grandfather’s (Akbar) mother, Hamida Banu.     In addition to Humayun's main tomb, there are many small monuments on either side of the path that leads from the main gate to the west, which was also built 20 years before Humayun's tomb.

The tomb belongs to Isa Khan Niazi, an Afghan nobleman of the royal family of Sher Shah, the Suri ruler. Niazi fought against the Mughals.   The mausoleum was built in 1548. Incidentally, in addition to the mausoleum, this place has another historical significance. The last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Jafar took refuge here before being captured by the British in 1757. Besides, during India's partition in 1947, millions of refugees took refuge in the Puran Kella and Humayun Mausoleum. The local Muslims took shelter there from India to the newly created Pakistan. At that time, extensive damage was done to various places, including the tomb and the Puran fort's garden. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) subsequently undertook to preserve this heritage monument, and the main building and garden were gradually restored.  

The visiting hours of Humayun’s Tomb are between 8:00 am 6:00 pm every day of the week. 

Entry fees of the tomb are 10 rupees per head for citizens of India, visitors of SAARC and BIMSTEC Countries, 250 rupees per head for foreign nationals. Children up to 15 years do not require entry fees.  

How to reach  The Humayun’s Tomb is located at Mathura Road, near Nizamuddin’s Dargah. Once you reach Delhi, you can easily go there by road or by Delhi Metro. It would be best if you dropped in the station near Nizamuddin’s Dargah. You can also take AC/non-AC buses from Rajiv Chowk or Nizamuddin to reach Humayun’s Tomb Complex. Autos are also available all over the city to reach there.

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Written by, Samiha Jahan

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