Humayun’s Tomb another UNESCO World Heritage site in Delhi
Humayun’s Tomb, another UNESCO World Heritage site in Delhi
As shared in my previous blogs Delhi has a lot to offer especially towards the historical side it has various monuments. One of the most prominent monument is Humayun’s Tomb, a unique mausoleum in this city.
This is the Tomb of Mughal emperor “Humayun”. The Tomb is declared as the UNESCO World Heritage site along with the Qutub Minar Complex and Red Fort. The tomb underwent restoration and I looked forward to visiting the refreshed monument.
This monument is built of red sandstone and white. As a typical architecture from the “Mughal Era”, this monument has a central dome which is made up of white marble and has various small minarets and pillars in the geometrical pattern to give it a grand look. I really enjoyed clicking photographs here and wondered why I did not visit this place earlier despite living in the same city.
The entrance to the tomb is through a ticket line which usually is long especially if you are going on a weekend but the excitement of witnessing the history is worth standing in the line for some time.
The moment you enter the tomb complex, it takes you back to the Ancient times when great monuments were built. No wonder that instantly it reminds you of the Taj Mahal. If one is comparing this destination with Taj Mahal, that itself gives an idea how grand this monument is worth a visit in your next Delhi trip. As per history, this monument was built by a grieving wife in the memory of her husband called Humayun. This is just the opposite of the Taj Mahal which was built by a grieving husband Shah Jahan in the memory of his late wife Mumtaz. Interesting isn’t it!
As you walk ahead towards the Tomb, you reach a beautiful fountain, as a photographer, you must click a picture here with the shadow of the tomb in the water near to the fountain.Behind the fountain are the stairs taking you on the upper floor of the tomb.As you walk up the stairs you will reach a vast open area. From the top of the tomb, you can see the entire area surrounded by beautiful gardens. It’s a must to take an extra moment to observe the architecture of this monument. The paradise Garden or the Mughal garden has various walking alleys which can lead to the back side of the tomb which is less crowded but still beautiful.
Since this area is huge it is recommended that you take a walk around the entire monument to understand the grandness and then visit the parts which interest you the most. Hence, it is important to have enough time and good weather to make this trip success.
Further, while entering the tomb it is important to see the architectural carvings on the walls. Each wall has a net-like screen placements too. One of the purposes of the net walls is to allow the passage of air and light inside the Tomb. It also has religious significance and also gave a feeling of peace.
After this, plan to visit various other tombs in the same area and each one of those have historical importance attached to them.
Next to Humayun’s Tomb is barbers tomb yet another historical tomb.
If you traverse this complex further, there is magnificent octagonal shaped tomb which is called as the Isa Khan Tomb. It is named after an Afghan noble called as Isa Khan Niazi. This too is indistinguishable from another tomb in the Lodhi Gardens of Delhi. The architectural details were similar in those time in few monuments for sure.A day trip to these tombs is definitely a recommendation for your next Delhi trip.