Humayun Tomb in 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.
