Humayun’s Tomb: The Mughal Marvel That Inspired the Taj

The Tomb of Humayun is an impressive architectural masterwork situated in the centre of Delhi, and it is where the Mughal glory in India began. Constructed in the middle of the 16th century, this World Heritage site, which is also serving as the tomb of Emperor Humayun, is not only the resting place of the emperor but also a universal representation of the Persian art that perfectly blends with the Indian art.

The tomb was built on the commission of Empress Bega Begum, who was the chief consort of Humayun and was designed by Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas in 1569. It marked the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent, which would become a model of Mughal architecture to come, with the most famous Taj Mahal being built almost a hundred years later.

The design of the tomb has adopted the charbagh pattern, rn which is a Persian idea whereby the garden is separated into four quadrants by water channels, which represent paradise. The edifice is made of red sandstone with white marble domes and elaborate lattice work, and it oozes with ideal symmetry and divine harmony, which are characteristic of the Mughal structures.

Around the complex of tombs, there are a few other smaller monuments, such as the tomb of Isa Khana, the tomb of Afsarwala and the tomb of Barber, which provide more historical layers. Each of the structures provides us with an understanding of the changing architecture and funerary customs of the Mughal period.