SAFDARJANG TOMB
It happened on one boring Saturday afternoon. I was just
browsing through the net and reading and a dear friend called up and asked me
to meet. It was a perfect opportunity to do away with my boredom, so I asked
her to come to Safdarjang Tomb. A place I have been planning to go for long.
Like many remnants of Delhi, today Safdarjang Tomb is lying unnoticed in the western
end of Lodhi road. I went there long time back to interview one of the archaeologist
regarding Mughal architecture but could not actually visit the tomb. So, this
was the perfect opportunity for me to plunge in.
Known as the “The Last Flicker in the Lamp of Mughal
Architecture”, this monument is not visited by many tourists today as most of
us don’t know about it. I am sure it is not even listed in many websites that
show places to visit in Delhi. This magnificent monument was completed in 1754 as
a memorial of Mirza Muqim Abul Mansur Khan, popularly known as Safdarjung by
his son Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah of Awadh. Safdarjung was the prime minister of
Muhammad Shah who was a Mughal emperor from 1719 to 1748. In fact, it was
Emperor Muhammad Shah who gave him the title of 'Safdarjung'.
If you have been to Humayun’s Tomb, you can definitely find
resemblance in its architecture. Safdarjung's
tomb represents the last phase of the Mughal style of architecture. The tomb of
Safdarjung was built in red sandstone and buff stone. There are two graves
here, one of Safdarjung and the other is of his wife's. The square central
chamber of the mausoleum is surrounded by eight rooms all around. Since it is
not much visited by people, it is quite peaceful as compared to other monuments
of Delhi.
Today, though this monument is lying unnoticed, it is one of
the beautiful reminisce of the royal Mughal era. And definitely worth a visit for
all those who want to take a glimpse of Delhi’s glorious past.
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