55 Humayun's Tomb Facts That Will Definitely Intrigue You

The tomb of Mughal Emperor Humayun is an exceptional illustration of India's Mughal architecture.

The octagonal garden was constructed during Humayun's lifetime and during Sher Shah's son, Islam Shah Suri's rule. Later, this garden turned into a burial place for all of the Isa Khan family.

Humayun's Tomb, located in Delhi, India, is the tomb of Emperor Humayun of the Mughal Empire. Empress Bega Begum (or Haji Begum), the chief consort and the first wife of Humayun, commissioned the tomb, in 1558.

The Persian architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, with his son, Sayyid Muhammad, designed it. The Empress chose these Persian architects.

In India, it is found on Nizamuddin East in Delhi near Dinah-Pana citadel, also called Purana Qila or the old fort found by Humayun in 1533. The main tomb encloses Humayun with many smaller monuments along the pathway leading up to the tomb.

Facts About Humayun's Tomb

Humayun was first buried in the Purana Qila palace in Delhi. Khanjar Bag then moved the body to Sirhind-Fatehgarh, Punjab in 1558. Humayun's son, Akbar later visited Humayun's tomb in 1571, when the tomb was almost complete.

• In 1565, tomb construction began and it was finished in 1572 and the Empress paid the entire 1.5 million rupees.
• Currently, the Archaeological Survey of India maintains this historical site, Humayun's tomb.
• In 1993, this site was announced as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
• The oldest of the tombs present on the pathway to Humayun's tomb is Isa Khan Niazi's tomb, an Afghan noble who was in the court of the Suri dynasty's Sher Shah Suri.
• Although this structure is now complete, it went through significant restoration work.
• A small tent on top of the cenotaph within the monument protects and houses Humayun's sword, turban, and shoes in memory of the Mughal emperor.
• Although there is no solid evidence about the person in the tomb located in the southwest of the garden, locals believe it to be the barber of Humayun and it is called Barber's Tomb.
• This tomb of Humayun is called the 'Dormitory of the Mughal'.
• Inside the complex, there are 100 tombs. However, the graves are not scripted, which makes it difficult to confirm the names of Mughals buried in them.
• The small monuments or tombs are placed from the west main entrance.
• Around 1993, the most vital phase of the restoration of this monument started.
• Some other monuments in the courtyard are the tombs of Arab Serai, Nila Gumbad, and Afsarwala tomb and mosque.

Facts About Humayun

Humayun was named Nasir-ud-Din Muhammad and was the Mughal Empire's second ruler of what is now Bangladesh, Afghanistan, northern India, and Pakistan. He first ruled between 1530-1540 and then again between 1555-1556.

• Mughal Emperor, Humayun, succeeded his father, Babur, to the throne of Delhi in 1530.
• He lost his power as a ruler early, similar to his father. However, he was able to regain it with the help of Persia's Safavid dynasty with more territory.
• Humayun learned Persian, Arabic, and Turki as he grew up and was interested in astrology, philosophy, and mathematics.
• Humayun was military trained and when he was 20, he was appointed as the general of the Badakhshan.
• He had three brothers named Hindal, Askari, and Kamran.
• As a young governor, he fought in the battles of Khanwa and Panipat.
• He came to power when he was only 22 and was inexperienced as a ruler.
• Humayun faced rivalry from Sher Shah who was in Bihar along the Ganges River and Gujarat's Sultan Bahadur.
• Sher Shah and Bahadur expanded their rule in the initial five years of Humayun's rule.
• In 1535, Humayun was informed that Bahadur had planned to attack the Mughal Empire with the help of the Portuguese.
• Humayun was able to capture Champaner and Mandu forts and then ceased the campaign.
• The Mughal emperor Akbar, Humayun's son, asked Gulbadan Begum, his paternal aunt to write Humayun's biography called the 'Humayun Mameh' and included some of her memories too.
• Humayun was described to be considerate and kind. He was devoted to his brothers, Akbar, and his friends.
• When the muezzin announced the call to pray or Azaan, Humayun would go down the stairs, carrying books in his arms.
• Whenever Humayun heard Azaan, he would kneel in holy reference. One time he had books in his arms, he tried kneeling but slipped down hitting the temple on the edge of a rugged stone.
• This fall occurred on January 24, 1556, and he died three days after.

Humayun's Tomb Architecture

The Mughal and Turkic rule in India introduced Islamic architecture styles from Persia and Central Asia in their ruling regions. People started building early monuments in these styles in and around the capital of Delhi Sultanate, Delhi, by the late 12th-century. It started with Qutub Minar built by the Turkic Slave dynasty.

• Humayun's Tomb also marked the start of Mughal architecture in the Indian subcontinent.
• The combination of white marble and red sandstone was previously only seen in mosques and tombs of the Delhi Sultanate, especially the Alai Darwaza gatehouse built in 1311.
• The tomb was also made of rubble masonry along with red sandstone and marble.
• The white marble acted as a cladding material and was also used for the main dome, eaves, door frames, lattice screens, and flooring.
• The tall rubble courtyard can be entered through two soaring double-storeyed gateways located on the south and west.
• The baradari and hammam are in the middle of the eastern and northern walls.
• The tomb is 154 ft (47 m) high and was inspired by the architectural style of Persia with the plinth being 299 ft (91 m).
• This tomb was the first-ever Indian building to make use of the Persian-style double dome on top of a tall neck drum, measuring 139 ft (42.5 m).
• The central burial chamber contains a cenotaph of this Mughal ruler.
• Cenotaph is placed in a location according Islamic tradition, with the face turned sideways facing Mecca and the head is placed towards the north.
• Emperor's actual burial chamber is in an underground chamber under the upper cenotaph and this chamber is closed to the public.
• The rubble walls enclose the garden and tomb on three sides and the fourth side is left open facing the Yamuna River, which shifted its route away from the monument.
• The architectural style of Persian Timurid signifies the garden of paradise that has four rivers, wine, honey, milk, and water.

Humayun's Tomb History

Empress Bega Begum was so saddened by the death of her husband, Humayun that she dedicated her life to the memorial construction for him. She supervised the tomb's construction when she returned after she carried out the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca.

• Abd al-Qadir Bada'uni Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, the Persian architect was summoned from Herat.
• Ghiyas had designed many designed structures across India. He died before this garden tomb was completed.
• Sayyid Muhammad, Ghiyas' son, made sure to finish Humayun's tomb.
• The lush gardens in the complex were turned into a vegetable garden by people staying there in the 18th century.
• The official curator of the ancient building of India stated that the gardens of Humayun's tomb needed to be abandoned in 1882.
• This structure was also the first to be made of red sandstone on such a huge scale.
• The Taj Mahal by Shah Jahan was inspired by the construction of Humayun's Tomb.
• The gardens that had been inspired by Mughal designs were replanted in a more English style in 1860 after the British took over.
• The original gardens were restored from 1903-1909, ordered by Viceroy Lord Curzon.
• This tomb and Purana Qila turned into the primary refugee camp for Muslims who were migrating to the newly formed Pakistan in 1947.
• The refugee camps were active for five years, which damaged the primary structure, water channels, and extensive gardens.
• It was also refuge for Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor before the British captured him.
• The maintenance of this huge structure declined with decreasing funds in the royal treasury with the dying Mughal Empire.
• The trees in the garden are a host for birds, provide shade, and produce flowers and fruits.