Pixelated Memories: Vegetation

Showing posts with label Vegetation. Show all posts

September 15, 2014

Mughal tombs and Choti Masjid Bagh wali, Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Delhi

"'Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!' Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare. The lone and level sands stretch far away."

– Percy B. Shelley, "Ozymandias"

Since I began delving into the world of monuments and architectural heritage, I have come to realize that it is actually the smaller forgotten structures, often reduced to ruins, taken over by dense foliage and emerging from inconsequential locations and ignobly mundane settings, ignored by conservation authorities and untouched by the garish application of plaster and paint that goes about in the name of restoration in our country, that are the most warm and beckoning, throbbing with a plethora of tales regarding their long forgotten past and holding in their decrepit bosoms multitudes of stories and lore regarding the city’s existence and development and their own commissioning and construction. Nowhere is this bizarre anomaly more apparent than in the vast, forested and forgotten Mehrauli Archaeological Park where the trees seem to inch closer as one heads deeper underneath their canopy and the perennially dry air buzzes with an ominous silence disturbed only by the whistle of wind and occasional footfall of fellow visitors. It isn’t like the entire archaeological complex is bereft of visitors – the local residents come hither in the late afternoon and evening to graze their goats, guards and the rare tourists can often be spotted near the more famous medieval structures like Jamali Kamali complex and Rajon ki Baoli (see links at the end of this post), schoolboys come to play cricket and practice drama plays in the vast, landscaped area around Quli Khan’s beautiful tomb – but except for these, the only company are dogs and birds of several species.

Graceful!

Moving straight within the archaeological complex from the entrance located near Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban’s tomb is a nameless yet bewitching set of ruins, though most will simply look at it as that only – ruins. The semi-buried row of neatly stacked chambers, conjectured to be horse stables, surrounded by a low enclosure wall has always surprised me and made me wonder if it would bear the same charm once it has been dug out of the earth and the piles of heavy stones spread around it removed. I doubt that. I guess once these ruins are subjected to a beautification drive, they would simply become a set of very old rooms, not captivating chambers/stables, much like Balban's tomb complex that now appears as far from original as it could possibly be (refer Pixelated Memories - Balban's Tomb).

Further ahead nearby, in a corner not tread by many, stand two of my favorite tombs – dated to the Mughal-era by the distinctive ornamental features they display, the two stand couple of meters from each other flanked by numerous ruins of undated antiquity on one side and a deep sewage channel (“naala”) on the other. Yes the beautiful oasis has been hijacked by sewer lines and a flood of plastic and polythene; rest assured I do not like the two resilient structures for their surrounding ambiance, (which is poor when most respectably referred to as), but it is the graceful charm, even at being semi-submerged underground, that they exude that attracts me every time I’m at the archaeological park.

Submerged!

The larger of the two has lost most of its decorative adornment, it is this one that is half-buried in earth and located immediately next to the sewage channel – the only features it displays now are remains of calligraphy inscriptions and medallions, two large jharokhas (protruding windows) and kanguras (battlement-like ornamentation) on the exteriors and a fairly well-preserved, though moss layered, roof medallion inside – but seldom does anyone venture within since one is forced to bend pretty low to enter the blocked entrances, moreover piles of garage surround it on every side and thick cobwebs bar entry within.

Post overcoming the the darkness and the strong stench of damp and rot, one can observe that most of the wall and roof surface seems to be draped by layers of moss-like vegetation – the dark is intense and I was forced to switch on the camera flash to click the medallion, though I avoid using flash in monuments since the pigments in natural colors used in such old structures are said to get damaged. The jharokhas are a surprise – though common in palaces, gateways and mosques, they are seldom seen in tombs, in fact this is perhaps the first time am seeing them used thus. Across the sewage channel is Waqf land, belonging to the Muslim administrative body involved with burial land, and a madrasa (Islamic seminary) is run there – it is nobody’s guess how the students manage to fixate their attention on the subjects and the sermons despite the stench they are subjected to. Soon, several students would peep out to observe the stranger with the camera photographing the neighborhood monuments, some would wave, others would point, but none ventures close. Anyway, a metal wire mesh separates the onlookers from the archaeological complex.

Spoiled!

The second, considerably prettier tomb has been recently restored, its walls that were cleaved in two, perhaps by earthquakes, have been sewn together with mortar but left untouched by the plasterwork and paint job – did the conservation authorities want to emphasize the work they undertook? The perfectly square structure possesses stucco medallions, glittering red paintwork on the wall portions above the arched entrances, minarets along the corners of the roof and a well-defined dome seated on a high drum (base); the interiors too display remains of exquisite stucco work, but the entrances have been barred by grilles and locked, the space within being used as a storeroom, a very miserable reflection on the way centuries-old monuments are treated in our country, even by the authorities tasked with conservation and restoration – this is the worst way to conserve a structure, I reckon!

Adjacent to the tomb is the associated wall mosque (“qibla”) that has been recently encroached upon, painted dazzling white and modified to add chambers alongside – now a madrasa is run from within the premises with scant respect for the heritage value of the structure and the exquisite surface ornamentation of the mosque have been assimilated in the madrasa and lost due to excessive plastering over. Peeping from behind the walls are the slender turrets of the mosque and painted in English and Arabic are the name and phone number of the religious instructor and the legend “Choti Masjid Bagh Wali” (“Small mosque in the lawn”), the name with which the structure has now been christened.

A storehouse!

The students there, middle-aged, bearded men, each dressed from head to toe in white, were aggressive regarding the photography prohibition being effected there and refused to allow even a single click. Thankfully, after I reiterated that it is Government land and I am entitled to click and write about the structures here, the person delivering the sermons quickly turned his face away from the camera and left; most of the students though decided it to be an excellent opportunity to pose next to the mosque and get clicked! Perhaps the adamant behavior was caused by the fact that the news about encroachment of the structure and its repainting has splashed in most major newspapers in the city, though there seemed to be no pressure on them of any sort to cease the modification work and vacate the land. I was not allowed to enter the narrow chambers. Given the presence of numerous Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) officials in the park overseeing the restoration-conservation work at nearby monuments, I find it scarcely believable that a monument was hijacked and they did not even have a whiff of it till after rooms were erected next to it!

A wall mosque? Now incorporated within this narrow seminary!

One doesn’t have an option to sit back next to these structures and adore them longingly – at last count there were atleast a hundred monuments (and more being excavated daily) in the complex spread over some 80 acres! With so much to see and click, who has the time to stop and stare – the same archaeological complex, stuffed with scores of structures representing over a millennium of civilization and construction, that magnifies the beauty of the structures hidden in its deep green bosom also makes more apparent the observation that the monuments here are but a transient glimpse in the eyes of the visitor, much like they were drops in the flow of this one millennium.

Once upon a time! (Photo courtesy - Wikipedia.org)

Location: Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Open: All days, sunrise to sunset
Entrance Fees: Nil
Nearest Bus stop: Lado Serai
Nearest Metro Station: Qutb Minar
How to Reach: The Archaeological Park's entrance is immediately opposite Lado Serai bus stop at the intersection of Mehrauli-Badarpur and Badarpur-Gurgaon roads. Walk/avail an auto from Qutb Minar metro station or avail a bus from Saket metro station. Sandstone markers indicate the routes to different monuments inside the park.
Photography/Video charges: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: Approx. 30 min
Note – There are no facilities (toilets, food or drinking water) available within the Archaeological Park. While you can avail food & refreshments at one of the restaurants at Lado Serai, you can only find toilets at the shopping malls close to Saket Metro Station, almost a kilometre away. The park remains deserted in the evenings and is best avoided then by female enthusiasts.
Other monuments within the Archaeological Park premises –

September 09, 2014

Rajon ki Baoli, Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Delhi

Despite the presence of river Yamuna, Delhi has always been besieged by a deficiency of water, a problem further magnified by an amalgamation of extremely long spells of sweltering summer and the proximity to vast arid regions of Haryana and Rajasthan towards the south and west of the state. The medieval-era population of the city, thus overwhelmed, resorted to construction of wells, dams and artificial lakes to hold water during the short but cheerful monsoon and make it available for agriculture and daily consumption when the summer became scorching. Of all such practical water conservation and transfer structures built, the most aesthetically pleasing were the “baolis”, or step wells, that are even centuries later regarded as a brilliant fusion of architectural and artistic sensibilities conceived to serve simultaneously the purpose of both form and function. The general plan of a baoli consists of an enormously deep subterranean shaft equipped with a wide staircase descending to the water level, the face opposite the staircase outfitted with numerous shallow chambers and passages for the people to rest in and enjoy the considerably cooler ambiance, while the two arms connecting the staircase and the baoli face might possess similar chambers or ledges for the patrons to walk on that also act as diving boards facilitating plunges into the deep tank underneath for the more adventurous. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule – the baoli in Delhi’s medieval citadel Feroz Shah Kotla (refer Pixelated Memories - Feroz Shah Kotla) is circular, so are numerous other baolis scattered throughout north and central India; the one in Red Fort is L-shaped (refer Pixelated Memories - Red Fort Baoli) and though most baolis commissioned by Islamic rulers and patrons are relatively plain and unadorned, the ones built by Hindu kings and patrons are very finely detailed and sculpted into places of religious devotion and congregation. These step wells were not just source of water for daily ablutions and washing, but were also used for gatherings, leisurely swimming and as a resort against the sweltering summer heat.

The well of the masons

The historically important settlement at Mehrauli, considered to be the oldest populated region in Delhi and its vicinity, would have once faced an extreme scarcity of water given that the area is dotted by natural rocky outcrops that would not have been capable of retaining water runoff, hence the presence of several baolis, dams and water reservoirs here spread over more than a millennium of construction and architectural development. Rajon ki Baoli, also known as Rajon ki Bain, not the most popular, nor the largest or deepest, but certainly one of the most beautiful and architecturally prominent baolis of the city hides in plain view in the wilderness of Mehrauli Archaeological Park, camouflaging itself amongst numerous other medieval structures.

The beautiful baoli complex - On the right terrace are the tomb-mosque complex

Said to be constructed by a certain Daulat Khan during the reign of Sultan Sikandar Lodi (ruled AD 1489-1517), the grand baoli is said to be christened considering that it was used as a residence by local masons (“rajon”/”mistri”) till around the early 20th century. Descending down four levels, the baoli today holds a very small amount of black gooey water (hence the alternate name “Sookhi baoli” or “the dry step well”) and is not in use for any particular purpose except dumping wastes and polythene packets, but it nonetheless retains its original graceful charm and architectural beauty, especially since it has been very recently restored as part of the overall conservation effort for the entire archaeological complex being spearheaded by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) – the baoli’s magnificence has more to do with the sudden thrill that one unexpectedly experiences on entering the small enclosure that makes up the circumference of the baoli and its associated structures since the descending structure slowly reveals itself to the eye as one walks towards the broad staircase. On either side run a row of chambers along the first level culminating into a circumambulatory cloistered and enclosed passageway on the baoli’s opposite face. The levels down below, except for the chambers on the face, are entirely plain and display the rough hewn rock and the bare rubble framework of the entire structure. On the left side though, a few large fragments of the underlying rock still protrude from the walls and it set me thinking as to why these fragments were never removed even though the baoli has been in existence for over five centuries and has been in use for a major part of its age. The walls also have small shallow alcoves where once earthenware lamps (“diyas”) would have been lighted up for ease of use during night gatherings and ablutions.

Dry and desolate - Another view of the baoli's structure

Staircases on either side lead up to the terrace level and from here one can spot the vast expanse of the archaeological park spread around and even make out the domes and outlines of several tombs and wall mosques (“qiblas”) strewn around the historic baoli complex. On the right terrace exist a small rectangular mosque and a distinctive twelve-pillared canopy tomb (“barakhamba”). Opposite the tomb is an alternate entrance that connects the terrace to that particular side of the archaeological complex. The entrance gateway is a compelling structure, it is always interesting to observe the trabeate arches (thick stone ledges of subsequently increasing sizes placed one over the other to span space), invented (and modified to resemble arches) by Hindu masons for their Muslim patrons and emperors in the immediate aftermath of the first Muslim invasions in the country (late 12th century), but the touch of Hindu influences, in the form of elephants and round vessels overflowing with vines or floral outbursts, is ubiquitous in the entire structure despite the fact that it was being used several centuries after it was first modified for use in Muslim religious buildings. Though the construction of a proper arch (Roman arch) had been mastered by the time the baoli complex was developed, the artists and sculptors continued to use the trabeate arch and ornament it in the fashion of yore proves that the unique design found resonance amongst the patrons who commissioned these structures. Proceeding towards the mosque-tomb duo one occasionally peeps down on the expansive stairs of the baoli – the depth and the square strength of the structure, combined with a fear of heights and an inability to swim, gave me a sudden rush of adrenaline and set my heart racing apace!

Blue! - The twelve-pillared tomb and the mosque adjacent

The tomb is a handsome little structure with a perfectly round dome embossed with an inverted floral imprint and surmounted by a lotus finial. Very well preserved considering its vintage, the tomb displays remnants of blue tiles ornamenting the kanguras (battlement-like ornamentation) along its roof and drum (base) of dome. A red sandstone plaque embedded in the side facing the entrance gateway is inscribed with calligraphy text detailing that it was commissioned in AD 1506 and constructed during the reign of Sultan Sikandar Lodi. Externally, the tomb appears to be an exact, though slight larger, architectural replica of a similar tomb that stands opposite the baoli complex and has been mentioned about here – Pixelated Memories - Lodi-era Canopy Tomb, but when one peeps in one can make out numerous differences, for instance this tomb doesn't have any decorative sandstone brackets along the dome’s concave surface for ornamentation, but does possess a fairly well-defined incised plaster roof medallion and a pretty band of calligraphy above a strip of decorative alcove patterns.

One of the gorgeous stucco medallions on the mosque's surface. Similar medallions of several exquisite designs also adorn the baoli's cloisters.

The mosque adjacent, though restored and plastered over externally, remains untouched internally and presents a strange gloomy picture as if it sits at the interface of two extremely different and separated time periods – one modern, glowing and majestically ornamented, the other dark, decaying and subjected to isolation and neglect. Indeed there couldn't have been a better picture of contrasts, while on the exterior the gorgeous and very exquisite medallions beckon visitors, the interiors are draped in layers of cobwebs and small mud nests of hornets. Nonetheless, the mosque retains an outward appearance of serenity, further magnified by the silence and seclusion it espouses – the three wide arched entrances throw in large swathes of light and set the double pillars, the intricate clusters of brackets along the roof and the medallions adorning the walls ablaze in a play of light and shadows. The mihrabs (wall of a mosque indicating the direction of Mecca, to be faced by the faithful while offering prayers) have been sculpted skillfully and ornamented with intricate medallions and elaborate rows of calligraphic inscriptions interspersed by dexterous use of convoluted and striking floral and geometric patterns. Through staircases built in each edge of the mosque’s front face, one can climb up the domeless roof and observe the majesty of the gigantic baoli foreshadowed by the perfect dome of the tomb seated between and the vibrance of the brilliant blue tiles shattering the dull monotony of red sandstone. Hundreds of peacocks that nest in the trees surrounding the baoli take to air suddenly and without any provocation and dazzle every onlooker – from the workers intent on restoring the baoli’s structure to the visitors marveling at its beauty – with a noisome flutter of wings and shuddering of entire trees when they alight.

Dark and ignored - The mosque's interiors and the distinctive Lodi architecture influences

Climbing down, I headed to the cavernous cloistered passages on either side of the baoli – I still cannot fathom why all medieval monuments have such narrow stairs built in their walls, and then too with such far-spaced steps – hoping that in those days the walls flanking the flight of steps weren't engulfed in thick layers of spider webs like they are today, the dark and narrow staircases still are disasters waiting to happen! The elegant symmetry of the passages, with rows of arched openings on one side looking down to the baoli and walls lined with solid pillars culminating in arched walkways, is beyond belief picturesque. The silence is mesmerizing, one can easily be lost here and spend hours with a book or with earphones plugged in without the outside world bothering or even knowing. One can also climb, through similarly narrow staircases, to even lower levels of the baoli, if not inhibited by a fear of rough uneven staircases and the surface holes one is supposed to descend into to reach and explore them.

One of the passages and one of the most common click of the baoli

It is a pity that the baoli, delightfully bejeweled with stunning medallions and fine stucco moldings in several patterns, is nestled amidst such a wilderness in the extreme corner of the vast archaeological complex, with only thorny bushes, feral dogs and stinking pigs for company, though it is in a much better condition structurally and aesthetically when compared to the twelve-pillared canopy tomb immediately opposite it and across the unpaved pathway, or the other assorted crumbling and forgotten structures that encircle it on all sides throughout the massive complex, but one has only to walk around behind the baoli to see that the mosque’s walls are still blackened and at several places reveal the rubble base underneath, or that the arcade around the octagonal well abutting the baoli on its backside is entirely assimilated in vegetation and can do with a much-desired clearing of the thorny foliage. One can only hope that in a few years when the structures in the archaeological complex have been properly excavated and restored and the park is entirely developed and lined with walkways and gardens, the baoli would be a centerpiece, far more renowned and attractive than it is today.

Forested and forgotten - The baoli mosque's backyard

Location: Mehrauli Archaeological Park
Open: All days, Sunrise to Sunset

Entrance Fees: Nil

Nearest Bus stop: Lado Serai
Nearest Metro Station: Saket
How to Reach: The Archaeological Park's entrance is immediately opposite Lado Serai bus stop and at the intersection of Mehrauli-Badarpur and Badarpur-Gurgaon roads. The metro station is further away and one can avail a 10-min bus ride from Saket to Lado Serai. Sandstone markers indicate the routes to different monuments inside the park.

Photography/Video charges: Nil

Time required for sightseeing: Approx. 30 min
Note – There are no facilities (toilets, food or drinking water) available within the Archaeological Park. While you can avail food & refreshments at one of the restaurants at Lado Serai, you can only find toilets at the shopping malls close to Saket Metro Station, almost a kilometre away. The park remains deserted in the evenings and is best avoided then by female enthusiasts.
Other famous baolis in Delhi -

Other monuments within the Archaeological Park premises -

Suggested Reading - Terrascape.in - "The baolis of Mehrauli" by Sohail Hashmi

February 27, 2014

Tohfewala Gumbad, Deer Park, New Delhi

Veiled by an envelope of thick vegetation and hidden from onlookers by a curtain of trees that conspire to deepen its charm by adding layers of canopy around it, the Tohfewala Gumbad in Delhi’s verdant Deer Park is on a deeper level also obfuscated by a veil of mysteries and comes as a surprise even to the hardiest of Delhi’s architecture enthusiasts, even the ones on a lookout for it. It is not uncommon to come across tombs and heritage buildings in the most unlikeliest of places in Delhi – cramped between high rises, semi absorbed into buildings and urban centers, seated amidst landfills or simply overtaken by foliage – but Tohfewala Gumbad, deep red in color with a dripping of black along its top as a result of withstanding season after season of rainfall, dew and harsh summer, peeping from behind the greenery with its simple, stark walls and an architectural design giving proof to its strength and endurance brings a smile on the face of every heritage lover who chances upon it. It isn’t that the tomb is very well maintained, on the contrary it has been allowed to waste as a result of official negligence and obduracy with its walls displaying signs of decay and the platform on which it and several other graves rest crumbling slowly. Nor is the tomb an artistic delight, again on the contrary, the walls are simple, plain with not an iota of ornamentation within or without the tomb. The feeling is simply indescribable – after traversing the thickly vegetated park and moving to-and-fro along the curving and looping pathways looking for these medieval structures, coming across this simplistic tomb in the midst of all the trees and shrubbery is like meeting an old friend unexpectedly!

Hide-&-seek

Dating back to Tughlaq era (AD 1320-98), the modest tomb reflects all the features that the Tughlaq structures displayed – lack of ornamentation, walls sloping slightly to the outside, use of trabeated entranceways (stone beams of gradually increasing size kept on top of each other to fill space and form a rudimentary arch) despite there being available the architectural skills to build proper arches, kanguras (adornment resembling militaristic battlements) on the roof as well as the octagonal base of dome and an exterior appearance meant to convey massive strength. It is no wonder that the tomb survived eons even though many others that came later disappeared in the face of natural and elemental fury. Apart from the high plinth on which the entire structure and the auxiliary graves rest, the tomb proper also sits on a low plinth of its own.

Historians point out that Tughlaqs (Qaraunah Turks born of Turkish fathers and Hindu mothers) possessed Turkish strength and Hindu modesty. So do their buildings apparently.

Like the exteriors, the interiors too are exceedingly simple – there is no ornamentation and the walls were once only covered with a layer of plaster which has mostly peeled off since; the monotony is broken by the thick arches that exist above each of the four entrances and the squinches along the corners that help support the load of the heavy dome. Four small square holes are set like a plus sign above each entrance, more for the sake of adding character than for providing ventilation. Interestingly, the tomb is pierced by an entrance along each of its face and the western wall isn’t filled up like in most contemporary structures to act as mihrab (wall indicating direction of Mecca that is faced by Muslims while offering prayers). The four graves within are surprisingly well preserved, each in perfect health and retaining the original designs and features – each of the occupant is male, as identified by the wedge-shaped protrusion atop each grave, however the identity of those buried here is unknown. An argument about the state of the graves that are crumbling outside the tomb can be made, but then the authorities already have their hands full and cannot perhaps make efforts for another structure (a theme recurrent in the past few posts too!) that is otherwise too at the mercy of vandals as so glaringly noticed by the messages left by them in paint on the interior walls of the tomb. Welcome to Delhi, a city so full of culture and heritage that it decided to forget and ignore parts of the same when it couldn’t cope up. Sadly though, there aren’t many who will cry at the loss of these unknown, unsung structures.

Safeguarded by a shy protector

Another structure, known as Thanewala Gumbad, in Shahpur Jat locality nearby is often confused to be Tohfewala Gumbad as a result of a mistake o the part of archaeological authorities. For details of the same, refer Pixelated Memories - Thanewala Gumbad.

Location: Deer Park
Nearest Metro Station: Hauz Khas
How to reach: One can walk from the metro station; availing a autorickshaw is advisable since the distance between the two is roughly 2 kilometers.
Entrance fees: Nil
Photography/Video charges: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: 20 min
Relevant Links -

February 18, 2014

Bagh-i-Alam ka Gumbad, Deer Park, New Delhi

Though Bagh-i-Alam ka Gumbad literally translates to “the tomb within the garden of the world”, there is nothing grand or striking about Deer Park in which this imposing tomb stands to consider it a garden of worldly beauty – in fact, it isn’t even a garden, the unruly tracts of vegetation, the massive trees with their twisted branches and gnarled trunks, the all-invading thorny shrubbery and the dense foliage give it the appearance of a forest. The only exception to this pervading sense of being in a small forest is brought about by the presence of jogging tracks and physical training equipments thrown in at intervals with boards and signages explaining to the visitors the purpose and guide to the equipment – in that sense, it is indeed the garden of the world, striving to keep people healthy so they remain in this mortal world a bit longer!

Masculine and towering

The number of visitors that this magnificent tomb attracts would put many of the more famous monuments in the city to shame, but the latter can keep heart as most of these visitors are either couples who are looking for a quiet spot for a quick make out or vandals on a lookout for space where they can carve their names and love letters – the massive entrances set within three of the four walls of the tomb (the fourth acts as mihrab – the wall that indicates the direction of Mecca and is faced by Muslims while offering prayers) are barred with grilles to keep both categories of people out. Of course it escapes the attention of civic authorities that the grilles would also prohibit the entry of monument lovers and heritage enthusiasts.

The largest of the three tombs in Deer Park (the other two are Tohfewala Gumbad and Kali Gumti), the structure is built with locally quarried stone – the red and grey stone blocks are fitted together to create a striking patchwork that further plays with sunlight to present a picture filled with brilliance and glimmer bouncing off each of the fragments. Externally, the single chamber gives a semblance of being divided into floors through the use of arched niches set on three levels – only the niches on the ground level and adjacent to the entrance act as windows, the rest are filled in with the same dressed stone that faces the rest of the structure – the niches are deep-set and couples were engaged in various physical activities in many of them (of course I do not mind, nor should you, reader!).

A beauty, overshadowed

The entrances are trabeated (stone blocks of gradually increasing sizes kept on top of smaller blocks so as to span a distance and give the appearance of a rudimentary arch). Arched windows exist above the entrances and these display remnants of vivid blue tiles which were used to break the monotony of the grey and red stonework but in my opinion fail to do the job, especially on a scorching summer afternoon. Both the entrance and the window are set within a larger arched niche which is further housed in a rectangular frame projecting outwards through the wall face. The roof and the drum (base) of the hemispherical dome are decorated with a line of kanguras (battlement-like ornamentation).

I had the pleasure of encountering two guys sitting on the staircase leading to one of the entrances and trying to light up a marijuana joint but failing repeatedly – they definitely were not engineers; engineers know how to light joints (as I demonstrated to them a few minutes later). The reason for recounting this is to point out that engineers don’t frequent the park (owing, perhaps, to the lack of girl friends that most of them face!?) but the park has become the haunt of marijuana/alcohol consumers. Peering in through the grilles, one can make out the design of the simplistic mihrab within as well as the intricate patterns in blue, red and white incised plasterwork that adorn the dome interiors – a huge central medallion depicts beautifully-executed floral patterns set within concentric circles of calligraphy and geometrical motifs. The medallion is further enclosed within two concentric stars done with bands of red paint – each vertex of the star is bound on both sides by vertices of the other star and a small teardrop shape medallion graces each of the vertices.

Dome interiors: Plasterwork details

The teardrop medallions also follow the scheme of the larger medallion – floral designs set within a band of calligraphy and geometrical motifs. The designs invoke a sense of awe at the brilliance of the artists who worked on these patterns and crafted them with unmatched grace and precision. The mihrab bears an inscription referring to the construction of the tomb – it was commissioned by one Abu Saiyyid in AD 1501 to house the mortal remains of a mendicant Sheikh Shihab-ud-din Taj Khan. Sultan Sikandar Lodi reigned over Delhi at that time and his rule saw many mendicants and saints arriving from Afghanistan, Persia and beyond settling in Delhi. Imam Zamin, who is buried in the World Heritage Site of Qutb Complex, also arrived in Sikandar Lodi’s reign (refer Pixelated Memories - Imam Zamin's Tomb).

A colorful teardrop

Adjacent to the tomb is an exquisite Qibla (wall mosque) with a large courtyard meant to seat the devotees bound to it. The Qibla has five arched niches set within larger rectangular indentations – the central of these niches is the largest both in terms of height and width. The wall extends and folds along the edges so that an additional niche also flanks the two sides of the courtyard adjacent to the Qibla. The entire length of the wall is topped by pretty neat leaf-motifs; smaller niches line the wall and would have perhaps once also provided holds for keeping small lamps; two neat rows of graves line the prayer space; light and shadows playfully create patterns along the courtyard. The wall shows signs of cracks and in many places the plaster has flake off to reveal the underlying layers of rubble – still it’s in pretty good condition if compared to the other two tombs in the park.

Prayers, graves and desolation

The central niche is flanked towards its back by turrets that convey masculinity despite their slenderness; towers exist at both ends of the Qibla wall. The towers are octagonal and thick but not solid – there are arched entrances built right through them. It is from behind the wall that one notices that these structures have largely been consigned to vegetation – foliage reaches right upto the Qibla, trees overshadow the tombs and in many instances the branches simply droop over the structures.

It is actually a pity that such splendid structures are hidden from general public and allowed to become the haunts of vandals and anti-social elements; had these been located elsewhere in the kind of garden settings that these were envisaged with, they would have been the treat of the place and a joy to behold.

Tower view

Even today the structures would prove to be magnetic towards visitors, but if only the park is well maintained and the portions of it that have become overly vegetated cropped and landscaped along with the provision of visitor facilities like clean drinking water and toilets – though there are water taps located right next to the park entrance, either they weren’t working or looking at their condition one began to suspect if they are hygienic and the water served clean. There are no toilets even in the famous Hauz Khas complex adjacent to the park, so fat chance of the introduction of such facilities here. As I said, it’s a pity, except that the pity doesn’t come from the authorities who have convinced themselves that only a handful of monuments in the city deserve their attention and conservation efforts and have turned a blind eye to the rest. Makes you think that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is actually a farce – all they are concerned with is the tourist flow and would actually restore only those monuments, organize such concerts and events where tourist footfall is expected and conveniently forget the rest.

Forgotten - Mihrab within the tomb

December 24, 2013

Muhammad Shah Saiyyid's Tomb, Lodi Gardens, New Delhi

"The black, pensive, dense

domes of the mausoleums

suddenly shot birds

into the unanimous blue"

– Octavio Paz, late Mexican diplomat-poet-writer,

in his poem "In the Lodi Garden"

The year was 1434 AD. The whole country was aware that Wazir Sarwar-ul-Mulk had some nefarious designs in his mind even before he had conspired with rebel nobles to have the Sultan coldly murdered. Sultan Mubarak Shah Saiyyid is dead, long live the Sultan. Mubarak (ruled AD 1421-34) had efficiently safeguarded his domains against dangers both within & without while he lived but he could not foresee his own men conspiring against him, primarily because he had managed to break their influential hold over the kingdom through the newly devised system of frequent transfers to different parts of the country. The most able & resourceful sovereign of the Saiyyid Dynasty died leaving behind no heir to continue his lineage. The unscrupulous Wazir (Prime minister) was now openly involved in court intrigues over the choice of a successor for the deceased Sultan. That the Wazir had accumulated vast power & influence in his hands through his cunning & treachery was no secret – even the Sultan knew of it & had tried to check the same by appointing several nobles over the Wazir leading to open hostilities & eventually resulting in his own grisly murder - and now when one after the other the Sultan’s favored nobles began falling to their death, the power & cold-heartedness of the Wazir was most apparent. Worried, the nobles conceded to allow the Sultan’s nephew Muhammad Shah to succeed his uncle in the hope that he might be able to rein in the deceitful Wazir. Muhammad proved to be a pitiful excuse of a Sultan – he was fully aware of Sarwar-ul-Mulk’s involvement in his uncle’s murder yet failed to take action against him - his loyal nobles kept getting murdered or exiled & he was unable to stop it. Losing his patience over this long drawn out process, Sarwar-ul-Mulk decided to take forward action & made arrangements to murder the Sultan himself; only he did not reckon that the palace guards were still obedient to their real master – they seized the Wazir as soon as he made his intentions clear & finished him off real quick. With the last thorn in his side gone, the Sultan embarked upon a life of luxury & debauchery – displeased with his lax attitude & unconcern over administrative affairs, many of the nobles who once stood by him revolted. Muhammad’s sorry reign – one that saw inefficient governance, his enemies getting stronger, nobles & generals revolting & power accumulating everywhere except in the hands of the Sultan – came to an end in mere 10 years with his natural death. His son Ala-ud-din Alam Shah (ruled AD 1444-51) took the throne & embarked upon the construction of a massive mausoleum for his father.

Muhammad Shah's final resting place

The brief Saiyyid reign (AD 1414-51) saw a relaxation in the architectural austerity measures that were the hallmark of Tughlaq-era (ruled 1325-1414 AD) construction before the Saiyyid’s began their rule – the fusion of Hindu elements in Islamic construction details came in vogue – floral patterns, lotus finials & chattris were motifs drawn from Hindu iconography. But the Saiyyid reign had begun after another phase of Delhi’s fall – the Central Asian plunderer Timur had just invaded India & ravished the northern provinces including Delhi, spreading rape, destruction, death & plunder wherever he lay his eyes (AD 1398). The Tughlaq Empire fragmented into pieces following which Delhi became the battlefield as Tughlaq prince Nasir-ud-din Mahmud & the fearsome noble Mallu Iqbal clashed for control over the remaining wealth & power of Delhi. Khizr Khan (ruled AD 1414-21), Muhammad Shah’s grandfather & Timur’s vassal in-charge of modern-day Punjab capitalized on the situation & advanced to capture Delhi & its war-depleted treasury. Though the Saiyyids claimed direct descent from Prophet Muhammad, they did not fail to admire & adopt Hindu artistic features such as representation of floral designs which till some decades back was a taboo for Muhammadan artists. However, the Saiyyids lacked the capital to commission captivating palaces & splendid fortresses – they stuck to tombs (therefore earning Delhi the reputation of a necropolis during that period), & even here the artistic compositions were muted & the architectural features less flamboyant.

Mr Saiyyid surrounded by his relatives

One of the finest Saiyyid-era structure in Delhi & the only one in Lodi Gardens, Muhammad Shah Saiyyid’s mausoleum is built in the architectural style favored by the Saiyyid & Lodi dynasties. It consists of a large octagonal chamber surmounted by a high graceful dome & surrounded by a spacious pillared veranda running parallel to each side. Among the features displayed by the tomb are – a continuous eave (“chajja”) along the roof supported by equally spaced brackets, chattris (domes mounted on slender pillars) raised on the parapet above each of its sides, strong tapering pillars dressed with grey Delhi quartzite stone along each corner of the octagon (to afford enhanced structural stability), three-arch entrances on each side along the edge of verandah & inverted lotus finials atop the central dome & the smaller chattri domes. The squat but well-proportioned structure sits on a rubble plinth & can be noticed from afar. The parapet, the sixteen-sided drum (base) of the dome & the eight-sided drums of the smaller dome – each is distinguished by a row of kanguras (battlement-like ornamentation). Slender ornamental pillars emerge from each corner of the drum of the central dome – portions of the pillars & the kangura ornamentation have been turned brilliant red, perhaps a result of recent restoration work. Each of these adornments work in tandem to generate a cumulative effect of striking grace & symmetry. The verandah is reached by climbing a flight of stairs & one cannot fail to notice the captivating patterns that adorn the recessed niches that are built into the roof of the verandah – the four-pointed stars were once painted white; the straight lines, arches & embossments complement each other to form solemn symmetrical patterns; in the center of the star & embossed within an octagon is a graceful eight-petal flower pattern bearing in its center an intricate incised plaster design that puts to shame modern artistic compositions.

Incised plasterwork in the roof niches along the verandah

Originally each side of the chamber bore jaalis (stone filigree screens), however these were lost with time & the western side was filled in to function as a mihrab (enclosure wall indicating the direction of Mecca, faced by Muslims while offering Namaz). With the loss of the lattice screens, each face came to possess an arched doorway leading into the chamber – each doorway is partitioned near the top with a heavy lintel beam so that the entrance becomes rectangular with an arched window slightly above it. The pillars that support the lintel beam curve near the top & flower into curves.

Inside the tomb, the quartzite walls ornamented with white plasters & medallions appear well proportioned. Eight graves – each covered with a layer of somber white plaster – line the chamber in three rows, the central one belongs to Muhammad Shah, the rest are construed to be those of his family members. Towards the top, the corners of the chamber are spanned by stone wedges to convert the eight-sided interior into a sixteen-sided figure in order to better support the weight of the massive dome. The dome & the chamber are separated by a line of arched alcoves set within rectangular niches topped by a span of quartzite stone & a band of calligraphic inscription.

Dome interiors

The dome is massive (diameter 10 meter) & displays a central medallion set within two concentric four-pointed stars which touch to form an eight-point star at the circumference of the medallion. The sides of the two stars have been extended to touch the periphery of the dome & each of the eight polygonal quadrants formed were once adorned with a smaller medallion motif (with tails emerging radially from the center-facing sides), however only one such medallion exists now. The intricate designs are done in incised plaster painted in vibrant shades of red, blue, yellow & green to generate a mesmerizing picture consisting of floral artwork embossed within a circle of calligraphic inscriptions embossed within a larger circle of bewitching floral designs. The patterns are colossal and gorgeous, sadly though the photographs don’t do it much justice. The dome had suffered extensive deterioration due to water seepage & cracking of the plaster layers; however the same has been rectified recently (along with the fixing of cracks, repainting of discoloured walls & replacement of broken/missing tiles) by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) & Indian National Trust for Conservation of Art & Cultural Heritage (INTACH) in a conservation drive sponsored by Steel Authority of India (SAIL). My favorite part however remains the floral patterns etched in the stone brackets supporting the lintel beams (the pillar bursts I mentioned earlier), here’s a photo of the one decorating the mihrab –

Chiseled perfection

Even though Lodi Gardens is considered one of the most charming landscaped gardens of Delhi, the area around this particular mausoleum has been given a touch of finesse – the grass-blanketed surroundings give the impression of a grand structure standing atop a sloping hill with palm trees forming a large square enclosure around the hill & massive trees looming in the not-so-distant background. Had Alam Shah not been in a hurry to surrender his kingdom to Bahlol Lodi in 1451 AD & shift to Badaun (modern-day Uttar Pradesh), perhaps he too would have thought that his father’s tomb would one day be a picnic spot for couples, a rendezvous point for lovers & a hide-and-seek corner for children (Tombs those days were commissioned as family retreats & were built in gardens complete with walkways, fruit-bearing trees & artificial water bodies). Well-maintained shrubs lead up to the worn-out stone steps that lead to the plinth level; a dog finds refuge next to the Sultan’s grave while its counterparts are being chased away by a gardener as couples sitting on the benches & on the grass look about. Delhi winters, when the city’s inhabitants retreat to their warm blankets & even the monuments wear a blanket of fog around them is perhaps the best time to visit Muhammad Shah’s Tomb – the beauty lies in observing the cream-grey structure in the mist while at the same time drifting into thoughts of one’s beloved & wishing they were here besides you. That’s what I was thinking, drop a comment & let me know what you thought !!

Seen around

Location: Lodi Gardens, Beside India International Centre
Nearest Metro Station: JLN Stadium
How to reach: One can walk/take an auto or a rickshaw from the Metro station
Open: All days, Sunrise - Sunset
Entrance Fee: Free
Photography/Video Charges: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: 30min
Relevant Links -

Pixelated Memories - Bada Gumbad Complex, Lodi Gardens

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