Hauz Khas Trail, Delhi

“The city of Delhi, built hundreds of years ago, fought for, died for, coveted and desired, built, destroyed and rebuilt, for five and six and seven times, mourned and sung, raped and conquered, yet whole and alive.. Yet the city stands still intact, as do many more forts and tombs, and monuments, remnants and reminders of old Delhis, holding on to life with a tenacity and purpose which is beyond comprehension and belief.”

– Ahmed Ali, “Twilight in Delhi”

Delhi's secret treasures

In the heart of one of the city's most posh localities, presently abounding with upscale fashion boutiques, glittering designer showrooms, expensive restaurants and resplendent souvenir and antiques outlets, lie the remains of Hauz Khas, a regally-patronized, breathtakingly beautifully constructed medieval Islamic seminary (“madrasa”) which – in its original outstanding splendor as a colossal L-shaped construction thoroughly ornamented with numerous colonnades, a profusion of domes and highly-detailed filigreed stone latticework screens, richly plastered over with myriads of delicate stucco patterns and embossed calligraphy inscriptions, and warmly painted in reds, oranges and gold to reflect a beautiful shimmering image in the purple-green waters of the colossal, deep tank that exists besides its enormous presence – is unquestionably acknowledged to be the remarkable zenith of Tughlaq-era (AD 1320-1414) cultural and civilizational heritage that today survives in the form of magnificent massive ruins and beautifully illustrated royal histories and travel accounts. The esteemed seminary, christened “Madrasa-i-Feroze Shahi”, after Emperor Feroz Shah Tughlaq (reign AD 1351-88) who conceived and commissioned it, is said to have been regarded as an unparalleled center for education and learning especially of arts, calligraphy, algebra, mathematics, history, philosophy and Islamic jurisprudence (refer Pixelated Memories - Hauz Khas complex). Scattered around and overshadowed by it are numerous minor, historically insignificant and architecturally inconsequential, but visually fascinating edifices.

Geometry and flourishes - Poti ka Gumbad

Discounting the outstanding Bagh-i-Alam ka Gumbad and the downtrodden, curmudgeon Kali Gumti and Tohfewala Gumbad in the vast, thoroughly forested Deer Park adjacent which I have already documented in articles on this blog (refer Pixelated Memories - Deer Park), here we shall traverse around the Hauz Khas Village (HKV) proper where, overshadowed by massive trees possessing immense canopies composed of thick gnarled branches, abound several smaller monuments camouflaged as street furniture in the midst of tiny plots of beautifully maintained, manicured lawns carpeted with thick tufts of vibrant green grass and plentiful rows of flowering shrubbery. The history of the commissioning and construction of most of these monuments has not been documented in contemporaneous literary accounts, nor, in the case of the mausoleums, is anything known about the identity or the life and times of the personality interred within.

Another Delhi

Most of these structures and the minuscule garden plots enclosing them have been recently spruced up keeping in line with the beautification drive that visually and aesthetically glorified most of the city on the occasion of the 19th Commonwealth Games (CWG XIX 2010) and consequentially several of these monuments are lit up with incandescent orange and blue lights even during night time and make for interesting photography and evening stroll avenues. Also, granted that HKV is regarded as one of the most posh localities in all of Delhi, the monuments here and the small lawns surrounding them are markedly free of encroachments and conspicuously well-preserved and well-maintained by the archaeological and horticultural authorities respectively. Sadly however, while BMWs, Jaguars and Mercedes zip past here at almost all times of the day, seldom do the passer-bys bother to stop or even grace a second glance to these magnificent structures.

Closest to the Hauz Khas group of monuments is a cluster of three mausoleums – Choti Gumti (“Small Domed Building”), Sakri Gumti (“Narrow Domed Building”) and Barakhamba (“Twelve-pillared Domed Building”) – the first two separated from each other by a wide road that traverses the different localities of Hauz Khas and the last separated from both the others by another wide road that connects HKV to the arterial, perennially crowded Aurobindo Marg in the near distance.

Choti Gumti –

Adorably dwarfish - Choti Gumti

Coordinates: 28°33'12.3"N 77°12'04.8"E
Choti Gumti is a typical perfectly-proportioned Lodi-era (AD 1451-1526) mausoleum that reflects pretty gracefulness despite its diminutive magnitude. The cubical mausoleum noticeably employs small decorative alcoves in cohesion with the numerous pointed arches of the facades on all sides and is surmounted by a proportionate semicircular dome which is itself crowned with a blossoming lotus finial. The noteworthy use of “kangura” patterns (battlement-like ornamentation) and traces of small budding minarets protruding from the corners of the octagonal drum (base) of the dome and the embossed rectangular facades on each of the sides adds a certain flamboyant flair to the otherwise subdued architecture. A solitary grave slightly offset against the side of the raised ornamental courtyard that surrounds the monument crumbles to dust against the relentless assault of the elements while the dark and forgotten interiors, which possess three more sarcophagi, have been miserably transformed into a store room for housing lawnmowers and broomsticks and those information panels which never got around to be affixed against the mausoleum compound’s entrance. Seldom do visitors venture in this forgotten patch of beautified green paradise, but when they do intermittently it is merely to escape the scorching heat of the summer sun or to cuddle into the arms of a beloved and never to observe and appreciate the architecture and the gentle outline of the gorgeous monument. Sigh!

Sakri Gumti –

Enigmatic - Sakri Gumti

Coordinates: 28°33'11.6"N 77°12'06.7"E
The triple-storied, extremely narrow Sakri Gumti opposite is a remarkable edifice. It is not known what purpose did this building serve – it is too congested and unusually designed to function as a mausoleum, moreover there is no trace of a grave inside. Conjecture is that it originally was a gateway for a garden complex housing at its centerpiece one of the nearby mausoleums – but then again, all its four faces possess an entrance arch and if it ever was a gateway, it certainly was a unique one! What is even more compelling is the presence of a small extension of rubble wall that runs adjacent one of its sides – originally, the wall must have entirely blocked one of its entrances – why then was it constructed this way is anyone’s guess. Externally, through the appendage of ornamental arches and windows the structure has been afforded the semblance of a double-storied building. The short dome rests on a relatively high drum delineated by a row of kanguras identical to the ones that demarcate the roof’s vertical expanse. The only other decorations exist in the form of rudimentary, roughly carved patterns sparsely embossed on a few of the stones that compose its exterior surface and small adornment arched niches and squinches (diagonal added between two arms of a corner so as to span space and convert a square structure successively into an octagon and then a polygon/circle to support the heavy dome) along the confined interiors.

Crowning glory

Barakhamba –

Coordinates: 28°33'10.0"N 77°12'08.1"E
In architectural lexicon “Barakhamba” translates to “Twelve-pillared Domed Building”, however the extremely massive Lodi-era structure present here is an innovative advancement over the simplistic twelve-pillared constructions – the enormous domed square is supported upon pillars of different girths such that the corner protrusions spontaneously take the form of significantly solid buttressed walls. The three arched entrances located along the center of each face are embedded within a wide arched depression that justifiably reflects the colossal nature of the monument under consideration. The entire structure rests upon a high, gently sloping artificial hill and is surrounded by numerous graves and two rare constructions – a singular worn bastion that totally appears out of place here in the absence of any connecting walls and a curious square projection inset with a small alcove (which might have been once used to house an earthen oil lamp) facing the monument.

Considerably thick - Barakhamba

The hemmed-in area around the monument, despondently enclosed by high iron grilles and flanked along one side by the perpetually crowded road, is hidden from passer-bys and pedestrians alike by a nearly impenetrable veil of flourishing vegetation and perhaps that explains why it is not as tenderly maintained as the small patches that frame the other monuments nearby – thus the grass-shrouded lawns are bordered by unruly hedges and punctuated by sporadic outbursts of brightly colorful weeds, thereby suggesting an aura of uncontrollable wilderness benevolently shaded by massive trees that weigh down upon it from every conceivable direction. And in the enclosed space thus isolated abound peacocks with brilliant violet plumage who frolic around and often sweep down from trees to generously pose for the occasional photographer who treads this way.

Dadi-Poti ka Gumbad –

Brown beauty - Dadi ka Gumbad

Coordinates: 28°33'11.8"N 77°12'13.2"E
At the very intersection of Aurobindo Marg and HKV Road (couple of hundred meters from the previous cluster of mausoleums) exists another enclosed landscaped garden, studded with well-maintained hedges and lines of ornamental lampposts, hiding in its beautiful bosom two of the most striking and exceedingly well-preserved mausoleums of unknown identity that the city possesses – referred to as the mausoleums of “Dadi-Poti” (Grandmother-Granddaughter) or “Bibi-Bandi” (Mistress-Hand servant) following later date nomenclature originating from the difference in their spatial dimensions, they rest adjacent each other on contiguous artificial grass-enshrouded hills. The larger mausoleum, “Dadi ka Gumbad” dated to the reign of the Lodi Dynasty (AD 1451-1526), is a massive triple-storied edifice possessing as its distinguishing features exquisitely crafted medallions adorning its interiors and tapering fluted pillars flanking the rectangular embossed facades on each of the sides along its exteriors. The smaller mausoleum, “Poti ka Gumbad” dated to the earlier reign of the Tughlaq Dynasty (AD 1320-1414), boasts of an unfamiliar domed kiosk surmounting its towering dome and displays a splendidly outstanding profusion of intricate geometric and floral plasterwork patterns along one of its sides.

Unusually surmounted - Poti ka Gumbad

It is conjectured that both the mausoleums were primarily constructed for the internment of female benefactors who possibly belonged to nobility – however, the first tomb houses six graves and the second houses three and there is no way of ascertaining whether the personages buried underneath are feminine or masculine since all the graves have been restored and re-plastered over thereby eradicating any identifications/inscriptions that were originally engraved on them.

Chor Minar and Kharera Wall ruins –

Coordinates: 28°32'51.7"N 77°12'20.3"E and 28°33'07.1"N 77°12'18.2"E respectively
In the midst of residential quarters and bungalows on the other side of the village, past the enclosing walls of the medieval village Kharera which are the last of their kind since most of the fortifications and periphery walls that surrounded such villages and settlements were demolished at the obnoxiously avaricious altar of burgeoning urbanization and relentless commercialization, encircled by a small square garden lined with pomegranate and khejdi (Prosopis cineraria) trees, sits the city’s most macabre, supposedly haunted, monument – “Chor Minar” or “Tower of Thieves” is a tapering cylindrical edifice arising from a high rubble platform and possessing along its surface 225 holes through which once protruded sharp spears used to pierce and display the decapitated heads of thieves and other criminal offenders. Said to have been commissioned and employed by the fierce Sultan Alauddin Khilji (reign AD 1296-1316), the structure would have once lain along the peripheries of the 13th-14th century settlement “Tarapur” (“City of Joy”) and thus served to remind the inhabitants and caravan travelers entering the city of the Sultan’s preferred mode of delivering justice.

A monument to the morbid - Chor Minar

It is also conjectured that in order to prevent them from joining their brethren from central Asia in mounting a full-fledged invasion on the citadel, the Sultan here displayed the heads of brutally massacred Mongol citizens (“New Muslims”) who had adopted the city as their home and converted to Islam. Of course, the relentless Mongols did nonetheless attack Delhi in the hope of plunder and pillage only to be contemptibly defeated and rightly butchered – the Sultan raised his new fortress Siri on a purportedly auspicious foundation of their severed heads (refer Pixelated Memories - Siri Fort ruins). It is said that when the number of beheadings exceeded the count of holes, for instance during times of war or increased cases of crime in the domain, the Sultan would decree that only the heads of the more notable of criminals be displayed on the tower and the rest be stacked near it like a gruesome blood-dripping, soul-curdling pyramid! Sadly though, today very few of the city’s inhabitants know the place’s gory history and even fewer venture to visit it. Unconversant with the morbid tales that hang around the air here, locals use the small, well-shaded garden for evening strolls and gardeners and laborers employed around doze off in the corners during scorching summer days. Instead of the decapitated heads grinning their lopsided, post-death grins, pigeons and crows peep through the numerous holes and squirrels cavort around its large platform.

Thus comes to end a midsummer day’s exploration of death and macabre in the heart of one of Delhi’s most expensive and colorful locations. Hauz Khas does have several additional monuments and ruins to offer as well, several of them deserving individualistic articles for themselves on account of their exemplar detailed artworks or architectural features – fodder for future posts!

Fitted seamlessly - Kharera village fortifications and an air conditioning unit

Nearest Bus stop: Hauz Khas on Aurobindo Marg
Nearest Metro Station: Green Park (900 meters away)
How to reach: Walk from the metro station/bus stop - Dadi-Poti ka Gumbad exist on the very intersection of  Aurobindo Marg (on which the bus stop and metro station are located) and HKV Road leading to the restaurants, gastropubs and larger monuments of Hauz Khas. The rest of the monuments are located along HKV Road on a straight line from Dadi-Poti ka Gumbad. Chor Minar and Kharera fortifications are located on the other side of Aurobindo Marg and one can ask locals for directions to them - Chor Minar is a fairly famous park/traffic turnaround.
Entrance fees: Nil
Photography/Video charges: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: 20-30 min per monument
Suggested reading -
Other monuments located in the vicinity - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Bagh-i-Alam ka Gumbad (Deer Park)
2. Pixelated Memories - Deer Park
3. Pixelated Memories - Hauz Khas complex
4. Pixelated Memories - Kali Gumti (Deer Park)
5. Pixelated Memories - Nili/Neeli Masjid
6. Pixelated Memories - Tohfewala Gumbad (Deer Park)

Other trails in the city - 

1. Pixelated Memories - Lodi Road - Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium Trail
2. Pixelated Memories - R.K. Puram Trail
3. Pixelated Memories - South Ex. Trail

Lodi Road - Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium Trail, Delhi

This is the second installment of the city's several heritage trails that might have once existed as part of certain larger historic tomb/monument clusters, in this case the hallowed Nizamuddin Dargah area and the landscaped Lodi Gardens, but are at present separated from these larger heritage zones by geographical separations morphing into unregulated colonies or major arterial roads and highways. This separation often introduces an element of being overboard and therefore being neglected by authorities and history enthusiasts alike – consequentially, some of these monuments have been encroached upon or being used as makeshift residences/night shelters by slum populations and beggars. Most however have been recently restored as part of the conservation drive necessitated by Commonwealth Games 2010 that Delhi hosted, an event that brought about propitious tidings for heritage enthusiasts besides sports lovers. The trail begins from Nizamuddin area from where, after visiting the Dargah and its associated structures or Humayun's tomb complex opposite, one can walk towards Lodi Gardens located approximately 3 kilometers away along a straight road, enroute covering four less known architectural gems beginning with Barakhamba monument and terminating the sojourn at Jawahar Lal Nehru (JLN) Stadium,

Links to the articles about the larger complexes flanking the trail –

1. Pixelated Memories - Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah
2. Pixelated Memories - Humayun's Tomb Complex
3. Pixelated Memories - Lodi Gardens (Bada Gumbad Complex)
4. Pixelated Memories - Lodi Gardens (Muhammad Shah Saiyyid's Tomb)
5. Pixelated Memories - Lodi Gardens (Sheesh Gumbad)

Barakhamba monument –

Location: Mirza Ghalib Park, corner of Nizamuddin Basti at the intersection of Mathura road and Lodi road

Coordinates: (28.592487, 77.242499)

Barakhamba on a rainy day - Five domes, twelve pillars and an assortment of homeless and slum dwellers as residents!

Immediately abutting Nizamuddin Basti (officially Mirza Ghalib colony) is the irregularly-shaped Mirza Ghalib park with the Barakhamba as its centerpiece. In architectural lexicon “Barakhamba” translates to “twelve-pillared tomb”, however the solid structure present here is an innovative advancement over the simplistic twelve-pillared constructions – the large central domed square is surrounded by wide passages with identical arched entrances corresponding the central square’s entrances so that the resulting structure is a massive leviathan very different from the other Barakhambas scattered throughout the city. The unornamented structure conveys uninhibited strength, made more apparent by its almost 500-year existence (it is dated to Lodi-era (AD 1451-1526)), and stands rather purposefully on its location. The passages, when they intersect at the corners, are transformed into small square chambers demarcated by arched curtain walls and surmounted by smaller domes – the overall image being that of a fruit basket – a massive pomegranate-like dome surrounded on four sides by lemons, all of them edged in by the structure’s tall kanguras (battlement-like ornamentation). The entire structure stands on a high pedestal; wide eaves (“chajja”), supported on a continuous line of heavy stone brackets, run along the roof; the smaller arched entrances of the corner chambers, inset in rectangular depressions, complement the three taller entrances leading to the central square. There are no historical records indicating who the person buried underneath is, nor is there any grave inside. The interiors too are unadorned except for a huge monochromatic and very pretty medallion on the interior of the central dome.

Plastered perfection gone spoiled!

The structure has undergone restoration recently – the domes have been plastered over and appear perfectly outlined against the low skyline of the basti in the background, an effect not expected in a five century old structure; the walls nonetheless display the rough stone and rubble exterior and continue to exude an unquenchable masculinity, which must have been the original intention of the craftsmen, notwithstanding the feminine, flawless touch imparted to the domes. The pathways running around the tomb and the surrounding lawn were being dug and re-laid at alternate spots when I visited (August 2014), but I couldn’t fathom any reasonable explanation from the workers doing the digging work or the old men supervising them for this seemingly wanton destruction, especially after considering that the archaeological and municipal authorities otherwise cite lack of financial resources when it comes to the maintenance and conservation of monuments and their surroundings. Squatters and encroachments have been removed from the lawn and the structure cured of hideous graffiti and betel stains by chemical treatment and plastering over. But the tomb and the lush grassy lawns outside have been retaken by beggars and homeless who go seeking alms at the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin in the evenings; homeless children of varying age groups can be seen running around and flying kites in the tree-covered lawn, while the elders stroll around or lie on the cool ground; several more sleep in the tomb or sit idly with little to do to spend the ample time on their hands.

Symmetry and light play - Barakhamba interiors

One result of the entire situation is that the lawn remains inundated with plastic waste and polythene garbage. In a city where, despite it lending its name to a major arterial road, another Barakhamba monument (Barakhamba, Connaught Place – tomb and road) was mercilessly destroyed, it can only be hoped that this Barakhamba and its associated green space survives heartily and does not, at least in near future, revert to its pre-restoration state when it was shockingly drenched with garbage. 

Do Siriya Gumbad –

Location: Couple of meters from Barakhamba
Coordinates: (28.592534, 77.241421)
Engulfed and overshadowed by tall buildings on all sides, the Do Siriya Gumbad (“Double-headed tomb” – I have no idea why it is referred to as such, there is only a single dome surmounting it), located in an extreme corner of Nizamuddin Basti, has been encroached upon to such a heart-wrenching extent that now the only portion of it visible from Lodi Road immediately besides it is its massive, rounded dome that peeps from behind the high rise apartments and a palm tree adjacent that could have been an original entity in the garden that existed around the tomb. The palm tree, thankfully, still towers above the buildings! It was only by a fluke of chance that I noticed the 500-year old tomb, dated to Lodi-reign and possibly the least known monument in the city (a Google search won’t offer more than half a dozen links (then too duplicated) despite traversing 20 search result pages!), following the visit to Barakhamba monument and lighting a cigarette across the road – more inquiries drew a blank, but one of the hotel owners, whose property immediately abuts the tomb walls, did confess that occasionally writers/photographers request them to allow climbing up their roofs and observe the dome’s features but they almost unequivocally deny permission.

Peeping over buildings - Do Siriya Gumbad, Delhi's forgotten monument

I was directed to the Capital Guesthouse, located opposite the municipal park-turned-dumpsite (near the intersection of Lodi Road and Lal Bahadur Shastri Road), immediately besides which ran an unbelievably narrow lane that ends in a cul-de-sac just a few meters ahead. The lane (not unlike others in the Nizamuddin Basti area – with goats tethered outside the houses and thronged by bearded, skull cap wearing men) takes one past the tomb’s facade – the walls are dilapidated and almost the entire coat of plaster has flaked off revealing the rubble construction underneath; one side of the wall probably collapsed or was destroyed since here modern brickwork features prominently; the arched entrance is trabeate in nature with immensely thick stone lintels placed atop each other to span space and afford the semblance of an arch; equally thick pillars with plainly sculpted capitals support the stone lintels. A plastic water tank graces the dome now and electrical wires snake in and out of the entrance and the arched window above it. The lady living within the tomb with her family was shocked to see me photographing “her” doorway and soon subjected me to a slew of inquiries regarding the same – nonetheless she appeared unperturbed and merely shrugged when asked about living in a tomb. Sometimes this country’s horrifying levels of poverty and desperation appall me – what severe conditions could a family succumb to so as to be forced to reside in a tomb?!

A case of monumental neglect (pun intended) 

Gol Gumbad –

Location: Adjacent Centenary Methodist Church, Lodi Road

Coordinates: (28.592409, 77.238860)
Seated squat at the intersection of Lodi Road and Lal Bahadur Shastri Road, Gol Gumbad (“tomb with circular dome”), a beautiful small square tomb, fits so snugly in its surrounding environment that it appears as if it’s a Lego block unquestionably meant to fill the very position that it is located in. Situated prominently on the intersection and overshadowed by the looming church adjacent, the structure is another of the several tombs of unknown historicity that came up in and around the Nizamuddin area under influence of the sanctity accorded by the legendary saint’s hallowed tomb complex – the single verifiable antecedent of the tomb is that it was raised during the reign of Lodi Dynasty, confirmed by the distinctive architectural features it displays. 

Gol Gumbad - Diminutive Lego block in the heart of the city

Constructed of random rubble masonry faced with a fine layer of plaster, the tomb doesn’t display any prominent ornamentation on its exteriors – the monotony of the plain cream-green walls is shattered by the exquisitely-sculpted red sandstone lattice screens (“jaalis”) that mark the recessed arches on three sides of the tomb. The intricate stone screens appear to have been carved recently, probably older screens have been replaced as part of a recent restoration-conservation effort. The fourth side, facing the church, possesses an entrance instead of the sandstone screen and a narrow staircase adjacent leading upstairs to the roof (both now barred with thick iron grille gates). Both the roof and the octagonal drum (base) of dome are decorated with thick kangura patterns (battlement-like ornamentation) and that is the sole adornment of the entire exterior surface. The walls are battered and slightly thicker around the base, an architectural addition necessitated by the need to support the heavy rubble structure.

The other side

On the whole, the tomb appears adorable on account of its precise dimensions and simplicity – the square plan is approximately 13.5 X 13.5 meter square and the entire structure, including the round dome and the inverted lotus finial surmounting it, also rises to a height of 13.5 meters – compared to the massive thickly adorned tombs and mosques that the Lodi Dynasty specialized in, this structure is only a dwarf, and yet undoubtedly succeeds in making visitors and passer-bys grace it with second glances. Though the entrance remains locked to keep vandals from entering, the guard on duty promptly unlocks it if asked to. There are no signs of any graves inside nor any identification mark indicating the presence of the same underneath. The interiors are extremely dark and the little light that streams in comes from the lattice screens and the small arched windows in the dome’s base – photographing the structure is an issue and I had to later process the photos in order to bring out the finer details of the painted medallion that adorns the dome’s concave surface.

Another medallion on this trail

The simplicity continues inside – except for the elaborate roof medallion, the only other features are long narrow alcoves along the corners and small alcoves on either side of the entrance/arched screens; in the corners are squinch arches (diagonal added between two arms of a corner so as to span space and convert a square structure successively into a polygon/circle to support the heavy dome) and a band of decorative alcoves runs along the drum interiors. An impressive view of the tomb can be had from the church side where lush green grass rolls all around the structure and soaring palm trees flank it on all sides. Though the signs of wear, in the form of flaking plasterwork and blackened walls, are all too apparent on this side, yet there is an indescribable beauty too brought about by the interface of nature and monument. The tomb also presents a magnificent picture at night when it is lit up with a brilliant golden-orange glow.

I don't understand what materials do the conservation authorities employ for restoration work. Why does the new plaster and paintwork begin flaking off in less than 5 years, even though the older coats survived over 500 years? 

Unknown Tomb, Pragati Vihar –

Location: Couple of hundred meters past the JLN Stadium metro station while walking from the left off-road slightly before Dayal Singh College.

Coordinates: (28.58618, 77.23470)
Walking from Lodi Road towards Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium, beyond high boundaries composed of white-painted iron grilles and similar gates that define the massive spread of the stadium, a lone red structure appears to be mounting a silent, solitary vigil across vast acres of deep green grass and white buildings. The structure, a Mughal tomb in all probability – only the Mughals (AD 1526-1857) used to experiment with the architectural styles and artistic visions of their mosques and mausoleums – is as unique a tomb as one can hope to come across in Delhi. Comprising of a square chamber surmounted by an octagonal chattri (dome mounted on numerous pillars, in this case eight), the entire structure is composed of random rubble and layered with vibrant red plaster which further adds to its singularity. Perhaps the individuals who commissioned it intended to attain red sandstone like effect but did not possess the means to use the actual material and decided to utilize plaster layering hoping for the same.

A red monument on a carpet of green grass - The tomb at Pragati Vihar, much smaller in reality than it appears in photographs.

The tomb, like the rest of the stadium, remains out of bounds for visitors – the head of the security of the complex is a real douche, but tries to portray a cooperative face even though anyone can look through it – end of story, it is better to have a written permission and photostat copies of all one’s credentials before hopping to the stadium to photograph the three tombs within. I will the next time I head there, still have to click the other two.

If not heading back to the metro station, the trail can be ended at JLN Stadium, an immensely colossal, multi-purpose stadium with a seating capacity of 60,000 spectators, that was built to accommodate the events of Asian Games IX (1983) that Delhi hosted and has been recently structurally modified to also provide arenas for Commonwealth Games XIX (2010). At present, the stadium also houses headquarters of Delhi Secretariat, Sports Authority of India (SAI), Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. The most impressive view of the stadium can only be had from a metro station or a flyover from where its massive girth can be observed majestically towering above Delhi's skyline. But one realizes its giant proportions only from immediate vicinity when it occupies the entire frame of view and nullifies all efforts to click it in a single photograph!

JLN Stadium rising above the city horizon. Photo clicked from Kailash Colony metro station.

Nearest Bus stop: Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

Nearest Railway station: Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah

Nearest Metro station: JLN Stadium

How to reach: The trail begins from where Lodi Road connects with Humayun's tomb complex/Nizamuddin Dargah complex, a point located just a couple of meters from the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah bus stop (If coming by train, take a bus/auto to the bus stop. If coming by metro, reverse the order of monuments and end the trail at the bus stop).

Entrance fees: Nil. Entry prohibited within JLN Stadium complex.

Photography/Video charges: Nil

Time required for sightseeing: Barakhamba monument: 30 minutes; Do Siriya Gumbad: 20 minutes; Gol Gumbad: 20 minutes; Pragati Vihar tomb: 10 minutes

Links to the articles about the larger complexes flanking the trail –

1. Pixelated Memories - Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah
2. Pixelated Memories - Humayun's Tomb Complex
3. Pixelated Memories - Lodi Gardens (Bada Gumbad Complex)
4. Pixelated Memories - Lodi Gardens (Muhammad Shah Saiyyid's Tomb)
5. Pixelated Memories - Lodi Gardens (Sheesh Gumbad)

Another trail in the city - Pixelated Memories - R.K. Puram Trail

Suggested reading - 

1. Globalpost.com - Article "Delhi's endangered ancient heritage" (dated March 8, 2010) by Jason Overdorf
2. Mobilepaper.timesofindia.com - Article "Tomb built 500 years ago lies in shambles" by Richi Verma
3. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com - Article "Facelift time for Barah Khamba" (dated March 30, 2009) by Richi Verma