Bahlul Lodi's tomb is a building situated in Delhi, India, which is allegedly the

tomb A tomb ( grc-gre, τύμβος ''tumbos'') is a :wikt:repository, repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes. Placing a corpse into a tomb can be ...

of an emperor of

Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526).

and the founder of

Lodi Dynasty The Lodi dynasty ( ps, لودي سلسله; fa, سلسله لودی) was an Afghan dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1451 to 1526. It was the fifth and final dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, and was founded by Bahlul Khan Lodi when he ...

Bahlul Lodi Bahlul Khan Lodi (12 July 1489) was the chief of the Pashtun Lodi tribe. Founder of the Lodi dynasty from the Delhi Sultanate upon the abdication of the last claimant from the previous Sayyid rule. Bahlul became sultan of the dynasty on 19 A ...

(Reign:1451-1489 A.D). The tomb is located in a historic settlement, Chirag Delhi, located within the fort walls of the Jahapanah city (built by the Tughlaqs). This tomb is one of the finest examples which demonstrate the evolution of Lodi architecture. It was built by

Sikander Lodi Sikandar Khan Lodi (died 21 November 1517), born Nizam Khan, was a Pashtun Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate between 1489 and 1517. He became ruler of the Lodi dynasty after the death of his father Bahlul Khan Lodi in July 1489. The second and most ...

, son and successor of Bahlul Lodi after the demise of his father in July 1489 A.D. The identification of the building in Chirag Delhi as Bahlul Lodi's tomb is disputed among historians, some of whom suggest the

Sheesh Gumbad Shish Gumbad ("glazed dome"), also spelt Shisha Gumbad, is a tomb from the Lodhi Dynasty and is thought to have possibly been constructed between 1489 and 1517 CE. The Shish Gumbad (glass dome) houses graves, whose occupants are not unequivocall ...

in the

Lodi Gardens Lodi Gardens is a city park situated in New Delhi, India. Spread over , it contains Mohammed Shah's Tomb, the Tomb of Sikandar Lodi, the Shisha Gumbad and the Bara Gumbad, architectural works of the 15th century by Lodis - who ruled parts of n ...

as the site of Bahlul Lodi's grave.

Architecture

The tomb is constructed in

rubble masonry Rubble stone is rough, uneven building stone not laid in regular courses. It may fill the core of a wall which is faced with unit masonry such as brick or ashlar. Analogously, some medieval cathedral walls are outer shells of ashlar with an inn ...

. The roof is crowned by five domes, the central one being fluted. The tomb chamber is surmounted by a dome of red sandstone surrounded by a broad dripstone : it has been much modernized at various times. A Gold cup hangs over the grave, as in the Khizri mosque at Nizam-ud-din. In the north-west corner of the enclosure is a fine ''Assembly Hall''. The central columns springs from four monolithic stone columns, a unique architectural feature of that period. Each of its four facades is broken by three archways supported on red sandstone columns and their spandrels are ornamented with medallions. The arches are also decorated with inscriptions incised in plaster. To the front of it on the south side is a grave enclosure surrounded by a very beautiful pierced screen of red sandstone, which contrasts happily with the ''Green Shade'' above it. The octagonal motif that juts out between the cramped 3-storey buildings is typical of Lodi Architecture, though the five domes are unusual considering the architecture of that period.

Premises

The monument is located in the alleys of the modern day Chirag Dilli, behind the shrine of Nasiruddin Mahmud, a disciple of saint Nizamuddin Chishti, commonly referred to as Chirag-e-Dilli, where the king wished to be buried. About a dozen graves are scattered out in the open; and Bahlul Lodi's grave is located next to two other graves inside the enclosure. It is a simple octagonal structure with 3-arched openings on all sides, perceivably reflecting the king's humble demeanour, bearing inscriptions from the Quran.The structure does not have much decorative materials or heavy precious stones used, only it has some Quranic verses inscribed over the arched walls.

Conservation

The tomb is under the protection of

Archaeological Survey of India The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexande ...

(ASI), and was repaired and restored in 2005. According to a survey report, the site was under a layer of earth which had to be excavated. With reference to the archival images, the tomb was conserved and the missing portions were reconstructed. As the original site was encroached and boundaries were altered, a new wall and entrance to the tomb were constructed and the site was handed over to ASI for conservation and preservation.

Gallery

References

{{Reflist Tombs in Delhi Architecture of the Lodi dynasty

Architecture

Premises

Conservation

Gallery

See also

References