Azim Khan's Tomb, New Delhi

Though no one is exactly sure who Azim Khan was, most historians conjecture that he was a general in the army of Mughal emperor Akbar (ruled AD 1556-1605). Historical accounts state that when Akbar’s valiant generals were leading his mighty armies to annex small kingdoms along the fringes of the great Mughal empire in order to further his expansionist policies, his foster brother & powerful general Adham Khan was busy satiating his own blood lust & carnal desires - he would enslave the women in the lands he captured for the Emperor & add them to his harem. His terrifying reputation preceded him - women in the conquered kingdoms preferred to commit suicide rather than face him. The kingdom of Malwa (Central India) had gained independence during the reign of Akbar's father, Emperor Humayun (ruled AD 1530-40 & 55-56). In 1561 AD, Akbar decided Malwa had enjoyed sovereignty for too long & decided to subdue it. He sent a large army led jointly by Adham Khan & General Pir Muhammad - Adham Khan invaded the kingdom under Akbar's banner but sullied the victory by refusing to send the spoils of the war to the emperor. He fell in love with Queen Roopmati, the wife of Baz Bahadur (literally “Brave Hawk”), the defeated king of Malwa. Baz Bahadur was defeated & fled the battle scene, but before Adham Khan could touch the queen, she committed suicide by jumping into a pyre (“Jauhar”). Adham Khan, in all his fury & in mood for vengeance, unleashed a pogrom - the historian Badauni who had accompanied the army to Malwa noted that the undisciplined soldiers displayed ruthlessness of an extreme order by killing captive enemy soldiers along with their wives & children - not even the Saiyyids (claiming descent from Prophet Muhammad) who had welcomed the Muslim armies were spared but burnt alive along with their holy books. Enraged, emperor Akbar himself decided to proceed to Malwa to subdue Adham Khan. This is where the lines between history & conjecture begin to blur - belief is that the emperor's massive force was led by none other than Azim Khan, the protagonist of our story. Adham was defeated, his powers curtailed for a period of time & he was ordered not to lead any military campaigns in the near future. However, strangely, most historical records & contemporary accounts are silent about the valour & the feats of Azim Khan. Following the victory, Azim was crowned with the title of “Akbar” (meaning magnificent) & rewarded by the emperor. Interestingly enough, Azim also means “the magnificent one”, & I am not sure how he prefixed his name with this new title. “The magnificent among magnificent, most magnificent one”??

The Tomb of the "Most Magnificent One"

It is said that the Sufi Saint Salim Chishti met Emperor Akbar at a hill in the city of Agra & told him that if he prayed with true faith, the saint himself would come & stand next to him to ask God to grant the Emperor's wishes. Akbar's wives were finding it difficult to conceive & when a son was born to him, he considered it a blessing by the saint & named his newborn Salim after him. Touched by the saint’s religious tolerance & policy of benevolence, the emperor went on to build the former's tomb (Fatehpur Sikri) near his newly envisaged capital at Agra. After Akbar’s death, Azim was retained as a nobleman in Akbar’s son & the new Emperor Jahangir Salim’s court. Azim became a follower of Hazrat Nizamuddin who he said appeared in his dreams & urged him to give up his life of war & violence. Hazrat Nizamuddin resided in Delhi in early 14th century & belonged to the Chishtiyya order of Sufism (to which also belonged saint Salim Chishti). Following Nizamuddin's teachings, Azim started on the path of broad-minded religiosity & forbearance, giving up his earlier life as a soldier & starting in the direction of spirituality as a mendicant. After a course of some years, Azim came to be known far & wide for his penances & people started to revere him & came to him to ask for guidance as well as solutions to their problems. To prevent people from flocking to him & disturbing his peace of mind, somewhere in early 17th century Azim decided to build a residence-cum-tomb for himself atop a summit of a hill surrounded by pointed rocks & barren land. His decision to reside on the chosen hill was guided by the fact that it was accessible only to a select few because of its height & almost unscalable vertical walls, & also because it reminded him of the story of Akbar meeting Salim Chishti atop a similarly unscalable hill (the lore doesn't tell us how did Azim, Akbar & the Sufi used to climb these hills in the first place if they were so high & dangerous).

History's Mysteries - Shrine of a General??

Centuries later, when Britain converted India into one of her colonies & let its men amok on the face of the country, the British soldiers converted this tomb into a hill-top resort meant for late night partying. They would come here in groups, often with mistresses, bring along booze & servants, & make merry. Most of these parties were held at the end of the winters, before the Brits departed from Delhi to their summer capital in nearby hill city of Shimla. They took pride in displaying their climbing & physical skills to their friends & considered scaling the hill’s sheer walls a mark of their strength & manhood.

After the British departed from the country, along came the Archaeological Survey of India (A.S.I.), the agency entrusted with the upkeep, protection & beautification of monuments within the country, who after initially ignoring the tomb for decades, recently decided to build a staircase leading up the hill to reach the tomb. The staircase is complete now, its wide steps have been set so as to match with the surrounding hill sides & present a picture of harmony. But still the tomb lies deserted, ignored by passer-bys as well as tourists arriving at the nearby World Heritage Site of Qutb Complex. Perhaps people still find the steep climb daunting. Whatever might be the reason, Azim Khan’s Tomb would have made even Count Dracula envious were he to visit Delhi. The Count’s fortress in Transylvania, covered by a thick pal of fog & chill, invites no visitor. Azim’s Tomb on the other hand lies unvisited despite being in open view & visible from a very busy highway on one side (the Mehrauli-Gurgaon Road).

Inside Azim's Tomb - Too meager for Dracula??

The square tomb is pierced by entrances along its three sides, however these entrances lie perennially locked by grilles in a bid to keep out vandals/scribblers who are so numerous throughout the city. The dome, topped by an inverted-lotus finial, rests on an octagonal base (drum). The tomb walls, as well as the drum, feature kanguras – ornamentations that resemble battlements, protruding vertically. Squirrels run around the tomb, feeding at rice & nuts left for them by the caretakers/locals. An earthen bowl filled with water was kept nearby. Wild yet beautiful flowers grew on the hill side, often in tandem with thorny bushes & desert plants that inhabit such rocky & barren lands. When I visited the structure, I found the caretaker assigned by the A.S.I. asleep on one of the benches placed there for the tourists. Were he awake too, he wouldn’t have been able to open the tomb for me since A.S.I. sealed off the iron-grilles barring its entrances with nuts & bolts - perhaps they felt that locks can be easily broken into. Clever chaps!! The tomb, plastered & cream-ish in colour, is now blackened because of the rains & vegetation, despite being restored just some time back by the A.S.I. The fear of the precipice surrounding the tomb ensures that not many people wander off to its rear sides, I did, & what I saw again put to shame the deeds of fellow Delhites. The walls of the tomb were defaced with graffiti & the love letters that wandering Romeos saw fit to emblazon here. I must have been there for only about 30 minutes, taking in the charm of the place, adoring the sights visible in the distance - the Qutb Minar, the tomb of Adham Khan, Mahavira statue atop Ahinsa Sthal etc, when there arrived a group of college kids with a bottle of alcohol & disposable glasses, & no marks for guessing where they decided to hang out – at the rear of the tomb!!

I feel sorry for Kishor, a worthless bastard!!

The fourth wall of the tomb, the one overseeing the most dizzying cliff-face, does not have an opening & instead its interior functions as a mihrab (wall faced by Muslims while praying, indicating the direction of Mecca). Inside, beautiful patterns cover the ornamental arches, the dome rests on a layer of small, arched alcoves meant for decoration. While there is no sarcophagus inside the tomb, two graves lie outside - the larger of these two has calligraphic inscriptions along its sides - both of them however are in a run-down condition, broken, crumbling & exposed to the fury of nature. It has been claimed that the grave inside is buried deep within the hill right underneath the chamber, though this also remains mere speculation. Strategically placed stone benches flank the graves outside.

Look what I found!!

Even today, a lot of monuments that aren’t so well known, or are not deemed that high in terms of heritage &/or architectural value, are looked after by families & caretakers who live nearby (not on Govt.’s payroll). These people either consider themselves the blood family of the occupant/builder of these tombs/structures, or are religious followers & part-time priests. In the absence of Govt. funds & upkeep, these people often protect these structures from hoodlums & demolition. One such family looked after the tomb of Azim Khan but they were forced to migrate to Pakistan at the time of India’s independence from British rule in 1947 & subsequent partition to create Muslim-dominated Pakistan & Bangladesh. Gone with them are all the records & the history of the inhabitant of the tomb, & no one is left to care for it & defend it from inebriated fellas & rowdy vandals. Perhaps they could have shed some light on the mysterious occupants & their lives. The tomb should have qualified as a religious spot since Azim too became a man of God later in his life, but even that is contested since the officials have not yet been able to ascertain if it is actually the tomb of Azim Khan or someone else. Perhaps it never will be found out for sure. No documentation exists for the tomb, & all the stories are actually passed down from elders to the subsequent generations in the nearby villages, & of course distortions & fantasies encapsulate the kernel of truth that these stories possess. Such is the sad state of affairs that so many heritage structures & buildings find themselves in the national capital!!

PS: If time permits, do visit the nearby Ahinsa Sthal ("Abode of Non-Violence", refer Pixelated Memories - Ahinsa Sthal). The view of Azim Khan's Tomb from the heights of Ahinsa Sthal is simply breathtaking.

The view from Ahinsa Sthal

Location: Lado Serai, Mehrauli
Open: All days, Sunrise to Sunset
Nearest Metro Station: Saket
How to Reach: After getting down at Saket Station, one can walk to Lado Serai Bus Stop. Buses are available from different parts of the city for Mehrauli & one can alight from the bus at Lado Serai stop itself. The Lado Serai stop is situated at a crossroad & Azim Khan’s Tomb is visible behind the trees & the traffic.
Entrance Fee: Nil
Photography/Video charges: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: About 30 min
Relevant Links -

1. Pixelated Memories - Ahinsa Sthal
2. Pixelated Memories - Qutb Complex
3. Pixelated Memories - Qutb Minar

Suggested Reading - 

1. Hindu.com - Article "Renovation of mystery tomb" (dated Jun 07, 2010) by R.V. Smith
2. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com - Article "Passage to past: ASI builds pathway to Mughal-era tomb" (dated May 31, 2010) by Richi Verma
3. Traveltravailsandheck.blogspot.in - the road above my street pt 38

Re-edit - Jan 15, 2014

Ahinsa Sthal, New Delhi

Some 800 years ago, when Islamic armies led by Shihab-ud-din Muhammad Muizuddin bin Sam (Muhammad Ghuri) first appeared at Indian borders threatening to conquer the country, the Hindu Rajput ruler Prithviraj Chauhan assembled a huge army to face this new challenge. Valiant & indefatigable, he defeated Muhammad’s forces, administering them a crushing blow in the First Battle of Tarain (1191 AD) & even capturing Muhammad himself. Magnanimous in his victory, Prithviraj treated Muhammad with all respect due to a king, & against the advice of his foreseeing ministers freed him & gave him safe passage to return to his kingdom in Afghanistan. A year later, Muhammad again amassed an even mightier army & marched once again against Prithviraj. This time around, he vanquished & chased the army of Prithviraj & his 150 brethren Rajput rulers. Prithviraj himself was captured & later killed. One by one, all the provinces in India including Tibet, Bengal, Bihar & Deccan (Central India) fell to Muhammad’s marauding army looking for loot & treasure. The entire country was ravaged, its wealth & women carried away by the Afghans, a large part of the population either killed or converted to slaves, its foundations demolished & rulers humiliated. Prithviraj himself was immortalized & lionized in folklore & bardic tradition. But the country he left behind bore the brunt of the war. After converting India into his fief, Muhammad retired to his kingdom leaving his favourite slave & army commander Qutbuddin Aibak in-charge of the unruly lands of India. A fanatic Muslim & a loyal slave, Qutbuddin decided to forward the name of his master & his religion in this new land by constructing mosques & felling temples that already existed here. He fell 27 Hindu & Jain temples in Mehrauli in South Delhi & established the gigantic mosque Quwwat-ul-Islam (“the Might of Islam”). 800 years later, though the scars of this temple destruction & religious bickering are yet to heal completely, most of the citizens of this holy land have accepted, although uneasily, a life of mutual understanding & co-existence. The Jains, believers in peace & non-violence, instead of demanding that the Quwwat mosque be fell to make way for a temple of their denomination like some Hindus did, built a temple for themselves nearby. The Ahinsa Sthal (“Abode of Non-Violence”) was established in 1980 close to the Qutb Complex (where the Quwwat Mosque is situated).

To peace & tolerance..

Boasting of a large statue of Mahavira (599-27 BC), the last Tirthankar (spiritual guide) of the Jain faith, seated atop a high hill & surrounded by landscaped gardens, Ahinsa Sthal comes as close to a peaceful & uninterrupted spot in Delhi as possible. The stone statue, 14 feet tall, seated on a lotus placed on a pedestal & flanked by statues of lions & ornaments-clad attendants, presents a glorious picture. Glimmering in the bright sunshine, Mahavira sits meditating about the human life & preaches a lesson of religious tolerance & universal brotherhood (Ironic after Qutbuddin’s actions, right??). As one enters the compound, the guards motion one to take off their shoes & place them underneath any of the several benches placed within the garden complex. Though a notice board proclaimed that “Photography is prohibited”, the guards said one can take photos as long as they do not disturb anyone else in the park. I wasn’t there to disturb anyone!! Perambulating the lawns of this not-so-large garden, I noticed statues of apsaras (divine maidens) placed underneath trees & among bushes, many of them holding musical instruments, others offering tributes to Mahavira. Large painted boards, arranged alongside the larger trees along the walkways, threw light on Mahavira’s life & teachings, & also the tenets & ethics of the Jain faith. I also noticed a few couples engrossed in talking to their partners seated close to the edge of the park, of course maintain their distance from each other. It is the first time I saw couples flocking to a religious spot in search of isolation & privacy. A few families, apparently in picnic mood, sat sprawled in the lawns, chatting & sharing light snacks. Eating & running about the lawns is prohibited. In the centre is the hill, visible from some distance outside the complex, but more or less hidden behind the surroundings. Of course, I saw the statue already from the heights of the adjacent tomb of Azim Khan. I climbed up the stone stairs, again marveling at the clever placement of the apsara statues (& a small, white marble cow too!!) to blend them with the flora.

Goddess amongst the bushes

The green cover is very well maintained here – ancient Indians believed that the presence of holy men could induce fertility to everything around them & make even barren land & rocky plateaus lush with plants, many people still believe that it was the Mahavira statue that actually made the hill sides go green. On the first level of the hill, one faces a clearing, stairs projecting upwards on either side & the Jain flags visible fluttering towards the top. The portion towards the opposite side of the hill (behind the stairs) is forbidden for tourists. A large bell hung from a blue nylon rope in front of a cavity in the opposite wall where a huge stone monolith & a photograph of some man were placed. The man gazes sideways as people kept coming to ring the bell. Its loud sound actually hurts the ears if one stands as close as I did!!

Level 1

The monolith was sculpted to show a lioness & a cow drinking from the same vessel, while the lioness fed its milk to a calf & the cow fed a lion cub. It must have been representing justice (the weak & the strong existing together & partaking the same resources) & equality (both feeding each other’s kids) - again an irony in the country. Lions were also part of the insignia of the royal family to which Mahavira belonged. He took the pledge of a solitary existence & gave up his kingdom & all his comforts when he began on the path to seek enlightenment  I climbed up the stairs to reach the summit where the Mahavira statue was kept. There wasn’t much to do here – a few families sat on the mats placed near the statue, again chewing chips & snacks, a few Jain pilgrims prayed near the statue, a few lighted incense sticks. More lions in the form of stone statues, & a lion head carved out into the plinth over which the Mahavira idol rested. The plinth itself is carved with certain couplets describing Mahavira’s ideology. The thing that certainly put me off were the names of the patrons who contributed financially for the erection of this statue inscribed on Mahavira's seat. Seriously, why do you have to be such a show-off??

Stunning, right??

A guard looked bored sitting in the small compartment built near the rear of the level. I spent some time around, thinking what to do, photographing the statues, the people, the environs & of course standing near the railing & gazing down at the visitors coming & going. Nah, there wasn’t anything much to do. I left, sort of bored & disappointed. This is a charming place no doubt, perfect for contemplation. The Jains were successful in creating a place, silent, tranquil & sacred, where meditation is possible despite the noise & fumes from the highway that passes next to it. But if you are not one up for meditation or sitting around idly, this isn’t the place for you. It is more like a normal park where people go in the evenings for walk, except that there is a huge idol instead of the swings & the merry go-rounds. Off I go somewhere else then..

In service of the Lord..

Location: Mehrauli
Open: All days, Sunrise to Sunset
Nearest Metro Station: Saket
How to Reach: After getting down at Saket Station, one can walk to Lado Serai Bus Stop. Buses are available from different parts of the city for Mehrauli & one can alight from the bus at Lado Serai stop itself. The Lado Serai stop is situated at a crossroad & at one side, one can see a large domed-structure seated on a high hill (Azim Khan’s Tomb) rising high behind the trees & the traffic. Walk towards the tomb. Ahinsa Sthal is enroute & marked with large signboards & a huge gate.
Entrance Fee: Nil
Photography/Video charges: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: About 30 min
Relevant Links -

1. Pixelated Memories - Qutb Complex
2. Pixelated Memories - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque