India’s Most Gracious Oldest Monument-Humayun Tomb

What else would be the most appropriate phrase than might to elaborate the power of Mughals! But the most common difference between the British and the Mughals is adaptation. The mighty Mughal never hesitated to embrace the culture and tradition of native Indians. This is the only reason why they survived and thrived here.

An intro with ‘Humayun’

The ‘gold sparrow’ India sparked many eyes towards its treasure. Those eyes were of Turks, Persians, and Mughals who invaded and plundered this Incredible India.  With the passing of time, they did not keep themselves apart from Indian culture. ‘Humayun’ was the proud descendant of Babur. Although his life span was very short the courage he showed was outstanding. He ruled over this country from 1531 to 1540. After 15 years interval, he made his comeback in 1555. Thereafter, only death took him away from this land in 1556.        

Humayun Tomb- the oldest but the finest architectural heritage

Humayun Tomb, in eastern Delhi, is the resting place of king Humayun’s remains. Many tour packages take foreigners here to admire it. These also disclose how & when Mughal architecture made its debut in India. The way it is preserved is worthy of thousands of claps. Its distinctive architecture inspired the kings of next-generation to proceed with building such masterpieces. And thereafter, one of the seven wonders ‘the Taj Mahal’ was carved out of granite as its repercussion. But their heart did not stop loving the art of building. They kept going on building monuments in various parts of this country.

Architectural Significance of Humayun Tomb

This monument’s building style raises several questions in mind. Is there any link between the Gur Emir and the Taj Mahal? It's design and crafts reveal some similarities between them. Gur Emir is the grave of Humayun’s ancestor ‘Tamerlane’ while the Taj houses the remains of his grandson ‘Shah Jahan’.

On the orders of his widow Hamida Banu Begum, its construction began in 1565. Nine years had been passed after the death of her husband when this architecture was ordered to make. Till 1572, the fully furnished Humayun Tomb was ready for the world to admire.

You can book any cheapest tour packages from Delhi to get proof of Persian art in it. Mirak Mirza Ghiyas was the premier architect who, himself, was from Persia.

Four Gardens form Geometrical Pattern ‘Quadrilateral’

The tomb stands at the centre of four gardens. These together are popular as ‘Chaharbagh’. Each garden is separated with the walkways parting it into 36 parts. The water is channelized in them. This pattern is modeled on the garden of heaven which is mentioned in the holy ‘Quran’. The idea behind it might be that the buried king would rest in the peaceful life of heaven posthumously.    

It does not house the Chaharbagh but also, several buildings adding more depth to its historic beauty. Many tombs, including the tomb of his father ‘Babur’, mosques, Bu Halim garden, a lodging place where emigrant Arabs took shelter, i.e. Arab Sarai, and the graveyard carrying remains of royal family members of Mughal make it worth watching. If you want to explore more, Nila Gumbad, Chillah Nizamuddin Aulia, Afsharwala mosque, the tomb of Isa khan can enrich you with historic knowledge more than ever.         

The mausoleum

This octagonal tomb was made of yellow and black marbles on the 7-inch long platform. A monument of red stone has been keeping this two-storied mausoleum safe for centuries. The vaulted dome shelters this 47X91 meter architecture. The arches are designed to add more grace to them. The king’s remains are kept in the basement.