A glimpse of heaven on earth

Horizons News - Thursday December 13, 2007

A glimpse of heaven on earth

Providing a welcome respite from the manic bustle of downtown Delhi, the tomb complexes of India's Mughal emperors are awe-inspiring

YVONNE BOHWONGPRASERT

Housed in Delhi, India's capital city of 14 million, Humayun's tomb is a fine example of Mughal period architecture. On a recent sojourn, I found that this enigmatic city presented visitors with a plethora of fascinating images, among them garden tombs dating back to the early 16th century. One of the earliest examples of its kind - Humayun's tomb is on Unesco's list of World Heritage Sites.

The mausoleum was built for Emperor Nasir al-Din Mohammad Humayun by Akbar, his son and the greatest of India's Mughal emperors. He reportedly constructed this dignified and austere shrine between 1562 and 1571, to honour his father (India's second Mughal ruler), who stumbled to his death down a steep flight of stairs.

The tomb, later served as the architectural inspiration for the celebrated Taj Mahal, built in Agra some six decades later by Akbar's grandson Shah Jahan. Historians assume Akbar designated Humayun's chief consort, Haji Begum, to supervise construction of the enormous sepulchre, crowned with a bulbous dome of white marble. Exploring this mammoth-sized catacomb and its surrounding gardens on foot can be a delightful experience in better understanding Delhi's colourful historical past.

It was a cool Saturday morning when we departed for Humayun's Tomb, nestled on the banks of the enchanting Yamuna River. This particular weekend had drawn a large crowd of enthusiastic tourists - locals in brightly coloured national dress and tourists in flip-flops. The first thing one notices about Humayun is that the tomb is an architectural masterpiece of high arches and double domes, the epitome of Mughal architecture.

In the early mornings, the gardens at Humayun's tomb seemed more like a neighborhood park than a Unesco World Heritage Site. A trickle of people who live off the narrow lanes of Nizamuddin, a colony now inundated with the haphazard sprawl of New Delhi, come to walk, jog and do yoga.

Watching the tomb through the main entrance, I was mystified by the scale and beauty of the mausoleum, which rises from the ordered geometry of a now beautifully restored garden, its 30 acres divided and subdivided into a precise network of squares. The 5.8-meter-high wall encloses the tomb on three sides, while the eastern side is open for a picturesque view of the river Yamuna and an artistic pavilion. The majestic view of the Hamayun's tomb from the western entrance is also a photographer's delight.

The imposing facades on the three sides of the main building also have remarkable symmetry. Judging from the magnitude and size of this monument, it is apparent that it required a well-conceived site map and architectural plan. By the looks of it the terrain, being on the riverfront, also required a proper levelling and the mammoth use of construction material required a scientific inventory planning.

Any surplus material had to be utilised elsewhere. Our guide suggested that the Arab Sari would have been made out of the construction material not used for the mausoleum. It is believed that the red sandstone used to construct Hamayun's tomb was procured from the rich quarries of Tantpur, close to Agra and about 300 kilometres from Delhi; while the marble was brought in from Rajasthan.

Intricately designed calligraphy on marble tablets and graves can also be spotted at sporadic intervals during the tour. Humayun's tomb also exhibited bold experimentation with the use of lotus symbols as motifs on its spandrels. Also not to be missed are the intricate carvings on the red sandstone pillars of the former madrasah - a school for teaching Islam - stationed on the top floor.

We ascended from the southern entrance to reach the main mortuary, the actual resting place of emperor Humayun. It was a pensive moment for me as I reverently observed the grave which lies in a small room of about three square meters and with black marble flooring. I felt it had been designed with remarkable simplicity. The tomb of Humayun comprises numerous cells and rooms that were meant to house the remains of family members and distinguished nobility. Thus, ex plained our guide, the tomb serves as a dynastic centre for the deceased emperor's closest kin. In the chambers located in the south-east visitors find three graves belonging to ladies from the royal household. Several other graves are also found on the western side of the first floor. Plenty of breathtaking Mughal architecture and geometrical patterns found in pierced stone screens dot the tomb.

Adjacent buildings worth taking a look include the Isa Khan tomb, which has a double storeyed entrance. A renowned noble in the court of Sher Shan Suri, his tomb was constructed from 1547-48. The tomb can be assessed through a gateway made of local grey quartzite and red sandstone.

Compared to the Humayun, this tomb is in a dilapidated state. The remains indicate that it was constructed predominantly during the pre-historic Islamic period. Neighboring the south-west quadrant of the outer perimeter wall lies Afsarwala Tomb and mosque, built approximately in 1567.

There are Quranic verses inscribed on marble graves indicating the year the tomb was built. By the time the construction of Humayun's tomb was over, it is said that the architects had acquired considerable proficiency in raising the double dome with ease, as is evidenced in this tomb. Made to an octagonal plan, all the sides have recessed arches. Four of the eight sides are screens and the remaining four contain the doorways into the mortuary chambers. The spandrels on the arches are decorated with round red sandstones.

The mosque of Afsarwala is located at the north-west corner of the tomb and appears to have been made earlier. A single prayer chamber is divided into three bays. There are some unidentified graves in the courtyard of the mosque. The inner roof of the central dome is intricately painted and all the three bays open through a four-centred arch - resembling a Persian triple-roofed hall.

The earthquake proof structure also implies grid foundations. Studies of the actual buildings of this period have shown that the engineers were fully conversant with the foundation laying techniques of modern times. After spending most of our day at Humayun's tomb, we proceeded to Safdarjung's Tomb - representing the last phase of the Mughal style of architecture - which offers visitors another perspective on the mausoleums of that era.

Built in 1753 by the Nawab of Avadh for his father, the Safdarjung's Tomb is a classic example of Mughal architecture that pays tribute to the memory of Mirza Mukin Mansur Khan, fondly known as Safdarjung. Built from buff coloured sandstone interspersed with red sandstone and white marble, the Safdarjung Tomb is situated in the quiet and lush locality of Lodi Road, encircled by a colossal garden.

The tomb was outlined by an Abyssinian architect and has four minarets and a huge protruding dome that, apart from ornamented arches, is made of pure white marble. You can also spot intricate latticework on the stone screens in the mosque that is located within the precincts of the tomb. It is intriguing to observe the square central chamber of the mausoleum, which is encompassed by eight rooms. The apartments are rectangular in shape except the corner ones, which are octagonal.

It is obvious that Safdarjung is styled loosely along the same lines as Humayun's Tomb: it also stands on a high terrace surrounded by an extensive walled garden.

The exquisite architecture of this monument can be found in the main tomb and the mosque, which are bounded by beautiful pavilions known as Moti Mahal, Jangli Mahal and the Badshah Pasand. At the entrance of the main gate, there is an Arabic inscription that reads: "When the hero of plain bravery departs from the transitory, may he become a resident of God's paradise."

In packed, polluted and noisy New Delhi, the tranquil, sweet-scented oasis of Humayun's tomb and Safdarjung offer guests a glimpse of heaven on Earth. While the Taj Mahal has become the world's most distinguished mausoleum - attracting thousands of visitors - both these tombs sit in lonely splendour.

MORE INFO

Safdarjung's red sandstone and marble mausoleum rises to two levels. Inside there is the tomb and courtyard.

How to get there

Airlines connecting Bangkok with New Delhi include Air India (02-254-328/0), Indian Airlines (02-235-553/4), THAI (02-628-200/0) and Jet Airways 02-696-898/0.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit Delhi is between mid September and March, when the days are crisp, fine and sunny and the evenings cool and pleasant. The monsoon season is also pleasant, apart from the floods.

Tours

Delhi Tourism Development Corporation and private operators run half and full-day tours of the city. For further information, contact the Indiatourism New Delhi office at 88 Janpath, New Delhi-110-001,tel 011-233-203-42,233-200-05,233-200-08.

Cuisine

Delhi has a passion for good food and the city caters to this need with a wide variety of food from every corner of India and many parts of the world. There are 24-hour coffee shops and American-style fast food snack bars vying with traditional chaat shops that serve up spicy snacks in all parts of the city.

Shopping

For those wanting to glimpse India's kaleidoscope of arts and crafts, Delhi has Baba Kharak Singh Marg, located in Connaught Place near Parliament Street, where there is a row of state emporia representing many of India's states. Dilli Haat, near INA Market, developed by Delhi Tourism, also offer a plethora of crafts, handlooms, handicrafts and numerous items from across India.

The row of shops on Janpath also present a large variety of novelties, souvenirs and handicrafts at bargain prices.

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