Delhi is a treasure trove of fascinating heritage, history, and culture. Humayun’s Tomb, Qutub Minar, Red Fort, Purana Quila, Jama Masjid, Tughlaqabad Fort, and many more ancient structures echo the glorious past of the Indian capital city.
The Tomb of Safdarjung (Safdarjung Ka Maqbara) in Delhi is one of the innumerable historical places that India’s capital city hides in its bosom.
Though not as grand as its counterpart, Humayun’s Tomb, this 18th-century garden tomb will definitely mesmerize you with its architectural beauty.
Walking through the mausoleum is like exploring the secrets beneath layers of Indian history.
A happy hunting ground for a history buff like you, the Tomb of Safdarjung in Delhi is sure to fascinate you.
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Safdarjung Tomb
A Little Bit of History
Settled in the heart of Delhi, a mausoleum, barely known and sporadically thought of, is a testimonial both to the power that Safdarjung maintained in the briskly crumbling kingdom as well as to the essence of humanity to ascend against all obstacles and bigotries to attain a seat of supremacy as Abul Mansur Mirza Muhammad Muqim Ali Khan (Persian by birth) better known as Safdarjung did.
The Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah bestowed him the title of Safdarjung.
In 1739, Mirza Muhammad Muqim became the Nawab of Avadh under the Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah.
Following the death of the Mughal Emperor, his son, Ahmad Shah, took power in 1748. That’s when Mirza Muhammad Muqim was promoted to the position of Prime Minister and was awarded the title of “Wazir ul-Mamalk-i-Hindustan”.
Alas, his fame and power were short-lived. Ahmad Shah dismissed him from all his responsibilities in 1753 when he was accused of exploiting his power and privileges.
History has it that he was a victim of court politics, as his fame and power made other courtiers jealous.
Safdarjung’s son, Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula, built the tomb of Safdarjung in 1754 in memory of his father, after the Mughal Emperor granted his plea to build one.
Many contemporary structures (Safdarjung Airport, Safdurjung Hospital, and Safdurjung Enclave) and a road (Safdarjung Road) are named after him.
The tomb on Safdarjung Road symbolizes Safdarjung’s wealth as well as the tempestuous time the Indian subcontinent was enduring.
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The Architecture of the Safdarjung Tomb
Entering from the huge pylon, one is surprised by the architecture of the tomb, where the curved walls envelop it adroitly; yet tourists hardly visit this almost forgotten burial of one of the most influential Prime Ministers (Wazir) of the Mughal dynasty.
Said to have been inspired by Humayun’s Tomb, the tomb of Safdarjung is one of the last monuments of Mughal Architecture.
Thus, it has been aptly described as “The last flicker in the dying lamp of Mughal Architecture in Delhi.”
The tomb features the conventional Mughal architectural element of a char bagh, in which the tomb is surrounded by four square gardens on each side, with a courtyard and a three-domed mosque.
As soon as one enters the tomb complex, all chaos and noise seem to evaporate, even though the Tomb of Safdarjung in Delhi is located on two of the bustling and traffic-jammed arterial roadways – Safdarjung Road and Aurobindo Marg.
Striding into the impressive mausoleum, the absolute symmetry of the tomb structure and beautifully manicured garden (Char Bagh Mughal Garden) with flowering trees and shrubs catches one’s attention.
Soaring high from its pedestal, the exquisite tomb is a pure delicacy for the eyes, despite the ridiculing opinion of numerous architects, historians, scholars, and writers the tomb is visually and architectonically unsound, as its petite pedestal seems to be unable to balance the conspicuous upright arbor of the tomb and white marble is clumsily infused with pink stone on its colossal dome.
It is supposed that the Mughal and Awadh dynasties had collapsed to the destitute condition of survival with low financial support at the time of construction of the structure; so, architects were compelled to manage with prowled supply from other tombs, mainly from the tomb of Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, who was one of the Navaratnas in Akbar’s court.
However, to me, the tomb, with its stillness and quiescence, and, most importantly, its less human presence, is a blessing.
The beautiful, monumental tomb, built of white marble and red sandstone in 1754, looks graceful and grand despite its many apparent flaws.
The grand two-storey tomb of Safdarjung comprises eight rooms, the central one enclosing Safdarjung’s casket with a huge oblong room along each of the sides and tiny octagonal rooms along the edges.
Steps from the pedestal lead up to the mausoleum, and the interiors can be accessed from two sides through the stairs.
Each side chamber is adorned with flamboyant stucco work, culminating in floral patterns and curved motifs along its sides.
The corner rooms have comparable, simple interiors, with the walls narrowing to route the ceiling, which is adorned with a plain floral emblem in the middle and small cubicles on each side.
The central room houses the delicately glistened white marble cenotaph, framed by the intricate limestone design that wraps the walls.
The dome consists of parallel floral patterns, stretched by abundant consecutive lines to form a well-proportioned, well-executed geometric motif.
Surprisingly, every point in the complex is perfectly symmetrical with the others, and together they form a beautiful mesh of curves, lines, floral patterns, and arrangements.
I captured the beauty and serenity of the place to my heart’s content without the cheeky visitors and tourists treading into my frame.
It isn’t enough to witness the beauty; you have to observe the details from diverse perspectives, especially when taking pictures. I took many photographs from every imaginable spot, so much so that spider webs stuck to my hair and dress!
The site boasts an ambiance of unruffled tranquillity as it usually has few ASI staff members, guards, and calculable tourists.
Ah! Not to forget the troop of monkeys and muster of colorful peacocks. We spotted a peacock dancing and stood there awestruck.
But the chances of seeing peacocks are only when one visits early in the morning, as we did.
Couples find solace here to escape the snoopy, judgmental eyes of others (I’ve noticed during my visits to different places in Delhi that secluded historical ruins and places are a kind of Promised Land for lovers).
The estuary emerges from the pivotal quadrate in all four directions; however, it is scorched, and the aridity allows one to descend into the tank via stairs and capture a different view of the tomb.
Each side of the quadrangular mausoleum, excluding the entrance side, has sizeable, centrally located structures, designated Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace), Jangli Mahal (Palace in the Woods or Forest), and Badshah Pasand (The King’s or Emperor’s favorite), respectively.
Jangli Mahal has been restored to the ASI office and depository to store construction material to be used in the revival work of ASI monuments.
The building that encloses the ASI office is the only one accessible to tourists. The other two are inaccessible. The pavilion with the ASI office features beautiful, intricately carved stucco work that, of course, has perished over time.
The tomb complex, including the library located over the main gate, is managed by ASI.
Good to Know
- The 2013 American movie ‘Jobs’ was filmed in the Safdarjung Tomb. Joshua Michael Stern directs, and the cast includes Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney, and Josh Gad.
- This mausoleum is the first disabled-friendly monument in the country, with ramps for wheelchair access and a Braille information board at the entrance, alongside the standard red sandstone boards.
Essentials
Location
Safdarjung Tomb is located on Lodhi Road in South Delhi.
Getting there
The Garden Tomb is well connected by local buses, the metro, auto-rickshaws, and cabs. Safdarjung Airport is the nearest airport, and Jor Bagh is the closest metro station. Moovitapp can help you find public transit to the Safdarjung Tomb.
Best Time to Visit
Winter (September – February) is the best time to visit the tomb or any other place in Delhi, for that matter. If you happen to visit during the summer, choose early morning or late evening, when temperatures are lower, to avoid the uncomfortable heat.
Opening Days and Timings
The tomb of Safdarjung is open every day from sunrise to sunset (7:00 to 17:00).
Entry Fee
The entrance is free for children up to 15 years, ₹ 15 per person for adults (Indians), and ₹ 200 for foreigners. Still camera photography is free, but you have to pay ₹ 25 to use a video camera.
Time Required / Duration of Visit
It usually takes 1 to 2 hours to explore the mausoleum, though there’s no limit (of course, till closing time) if you want to enjoy this historical wonder and its natural surroundings for a bit longer.
The Tomb of Safdarjung in Delhi certainly isn’t flawless. But when seen exclusively without any bigotry, it is pretty elegant. And nothing legitimizes the indifference to the beautiful historical wonder or that almost negligible (15/-) entry fee.
Have you visited the Safdarjung tomb? What do you think about this beautiful Mughal structure? Feel free to share your experience with us.
Planning a trip to Delhi? Here’s an absolute travel guide to Delhi that answers all your questions about traveling to Delhi: how to get around, where to stay, what to eat, and places to visit in Delhi.
Hey, if you are traveling to Delhi with kids, don’t forget to take them to Shankar’s International Dolls Museum!
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