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Monuments in India
Humayun's Tomb, Delhi
Humayun's Tomb, Delhi
The mughals brought with them a love for gardens, fountains and water. The
first mature example of Mughal architecture in India, Humayun's Tomb was
built by the emperor's grieving widow, Haji Begum, in 1565 AD.
Constructed with red sandstone and ornamented marks the beginning of a new
tradition of ornate style which culminated in the Taj Mahal of Agra.
Designed by the Persian architect, Mirza Ghyas, Humayun's Tomb shows a
marked shift from the Persian tradition of using coloured tiles for
ornamentation.
Located in the midst of a large square garden,
screened by high walls, with gateways to the south and west, the tomb is a
square tower surmounted by a magnificent marble dome. The dome stands 140
feet from the base of the terrace and is topped with a copper pinnacle.
In addition to the remains of Humayun, the complex also houses the grave of
many other distinguished members of the Mughal dynasty.
The
first Mughal Emperor, Babur, was succeeded by his son, Humayun, who ruled in
India for a decade but was expelled. Eventually he took refuge with the
Safavid shah of Persia, who helped him regain Delhi in 1555, the year before
his death. Humayun's Persian wife, Hamida Begum, supervised the construction
from 1562-1572 of her husband's tomb in Delhi.
The architect,
Mirak Mirza Ghiyuath, was Persian and had previously designed buildings in
Herat (now northwest Afghanistan), Bukhara (now Uzbekistan), and elsewhere
in India. The location chosen for the building on the bank of the Yamuna
river adjoins the shrine of an important Sufi Chistiyya order saint, Nizam
al-Din Awliya.
The Chistiyya was particularly venerated by the
Mughals; Humayun's son, Akbar, would build his new palace at Fatehpur Sikri
next to the shrine of another saint of the Chistiyya order. The tomb
established some of the important norms for later Mughal mausolea. It is set
in a geometrically arranged garden criscrossed by numerous water channels
and probably representing symbolically a paradise setting.
Such typical Persian gardens had been introduced into India by Babur; later
they would be found in the Red Fort in Delhi and at the Taj Mahal in Agra.
The architectural form of the building is Persian and especially in its main
chamber shows some familiarity with the tomb of the Mongol Ilkhanid ruler of
Persia, Oljeytu, at Sultaniyya.
It is one of a long line of
Mughal buildings influenced by Timurid architecture, notably the tomb of
Timur (Tamerlane) in Samarkand. Babur was proud of his Timurid heritage and
deeply regretted his inability to hold Samarkand. His successors continued
to dream of regaining Samarkand and would interrogate visitors about Timur's
tomb.
Humayun's tomb is the first Indian building to use the
Persian double dome; it is noteworthy for its harmonious proportions. As
with later Mughal tombs, that of Humayun is set upon a podium or platform
(see another example in the Taj Mahal).
The most obvious Indian
features of the architecture are the small kiosks or chhatris on the roof.
The building is also noteworthy for its inlaid tile work, carving embodying
both Indian and Persian decorative elements, and its carved stone screens.
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