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| Inside the chamber. Tomb_of_Safdar_Jang, Delhi. en.wikipedia.org |
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| Tomb_of_Safdar_Jang, Delhi. en.wikipedia.org |
Mirza Muqim Abul Mansur Khan, popularly known as Safadarjung, was an independent ruler of Awadh as viceroy of Muhammad Shah. Being rich and powerful, when Mohd. Shah ascended the throne of the Mogul Empire in Delhi in 1748, Safdarjung became closer to him and was made the Prime Minister (Vazir) of the empire with the title of Vazir ul-Mamalk-i-Hindustan. It was the time when the Mogul empire was losing its glory and grip on the small kingdoms under their control. Aurangzeb was responsible for the major decline of the Mogul power that was now confined only to the north. The entire complex is under the control of the ASI. Since it is a protected monument, no prayers are allowed inside the mosque.
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| Mosque close to Tomb of_Safdar_Jang, Delhi. en.wikipedia.org |
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| Vazir Safdarjung, en.wikipedia.org |
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| Tomb of_Safdar_Jang, Delhi. mapsofindia.com |
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| Ceiling of the mausoleum. Tomb_of_Safdar_Jang, Delhi gettyimages.in |
Soon after Safdarjung's death, his son Nawab Shujaud Daula requested the Mughal Emperor to allow him to have a tomb built for his father in Delhi. He then built the tomb and the architect happened to be an Abyssininan. The place where the tomb stands now is close to the historic site where in 1308 the treacherous Mongol Timur defeated the then ruler of Delhi Mohammed Tughlaq.
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| Tomb_of_Safdar_Jang, Delhi. dreamstime.com |
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| Safdarjung tomb,Delhi, alamy.com |
There is a three-domed mosque within the complex to the right side of the entrance gate. The ceiling of the mosque is plastered, painted and well ornamented. The striking features of this tomb are Central mausoleum, a nine fold floor plan, a five-part facade and a large podium with a hidden stairway. The main entrance to the gate is a two storied structure and the front has an elaborate ornamentation over the plastered surfaces that are in purple color. An attractive feature is a fine Arabic inscription on the surface and the direct translation is: “When the hero of plain bravery departs from the transitory, may he become a resident of god’s paradise”. In the back of the structure are many rooms and a library
The interior part of the mausoleum is quite interesting. Upon entering through the main gate one can have good view of the mausoleum. The central dome which is the main part of the mausoleum is built over a terrace and measures 28 metres (92 ft) square. The walls are built high, and red and buff colored stones are diligently used in building the main mausoleum. There are eight partitions in the central chamber which is square in plan with a cenotaph in the middle. The interior of the tomb is covered with rococo plaster with decorations. Yet another interesting feature is there are four towers around the main tomb at the corners which are polygonal in shape and are provided with kiosks. There are faded marble panels and decorated arches. A typical feature of the Mogul style mausoleum is it houses the graves of Safadrjung and his wife in an underground chamber.
Though the façade bears close similarity with the Tajmahal the dome is more elongated and the central part has a taller pishtaq. The four minarets at the four corners are part of the mausoleum and their elevation is at variance with those of the Taj that has towers detached and are away from the facade of the tomb.
The architecture of the tomb is criticized as well as praised by historians and others. The primary complaint is the use of poor construction materials for the mausoleum. The color of the tomb (red) is dull and not appealing. As for the marbles used for ornamentation, the ASI experts say it is rather ''florid''. Comparing this structure with others is not a good thing. We have to take into account the financial constraints of the rulers at that time. The Mogul's affluence became a thing of the past. The Mogul power was on the decline, hence the structure was devoid of embellishments and ornate features and the cost would have been prohibitive. However, the builder tried hard to preserve the glory and legacy of the last line of Mogul rule. In this transitory world, the Moguls were facing the sunset of their rule in the Indian subcontinent. This tomb is the last vestige of Mogul's architectural and technical brilliance.
The walled garden surrounding the tomb is approximately 280 metres (920 ft) long on each side and is in the Mogul charbagh garden style. The layout is in the form of four squares with wide footpaths and water tanks, which are further subdivided into smaller squares.You may consider this one a smaller version of the garden of the Humayun Tomb.
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| Tower tomb_of_Safdar_Jang,indiatravels2011.wordpress.com |
https://www.gounesco.com/safdarjungs-tomb/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_Safdar_Jang
http://www.indiafamousfor.com/safdarjungs-tomb.html
