Places to visit in Narnaul: Shah Ibrahim’s Tomb

Shah Ibrahim’s Tomb, Narnaul

Most of the times while crossing Narnaul I do not make a detour and pass through this town without looking at the local attractions. However, this time I factored in couple of hours extra to visit few monuments which are the heritage of the area and architecturally important.

I decided to visit the Shah Ibrahim’s Tomb located in the Piran Mohalla of the town. To reach there either put on Google maps or ask for directions from a local as it is situated in the middle of a inhabited colony and there are no markers to guide you there.

When I reached there I was surprised that how well it has been maintained over the years as it has been built by Sher Shah Suri during 1540-45 in memory of his grandfather Ibrahim Khan Sur who died in Narnaul in the year 1518. The square structure made of red and grey sandstone is built on a platform and is entered from the east gate. The monument is surrounded on all sides by houses.

The tomb of Shah Ibrahim, Narnaul 

The structure is two storey high. On the ground level besides the main tomb of Ibrahim Khan Sur there are also few other smaller tombs as well. The light filters in through the trellised grills. 

One of the cupola at the Shah Inrahim Tomb, Narnaul

One can go up by means of narrow (and dark) stairs. On the second storey besides the main dome there are four cupolas giving the structure a symmetry and elegant look. One can get a 360 degree view of the city from here. 

The Pir Turkman Dargah as seen from the Shah Ibrahim Tomb, Narnaul

Close to the Shah Ibrahim’s Tomb is the Dargah of Pir Turkman. I was told that the building of the Pir Turkman predates the Shah Ibrahim’s Tomb by nearly 200 years! The buildings of the Pir Turkman though are in a dilapidated state.

The backside view of the Shah Ibrahim Tomb, Narnaul

An advice to the Archaeological Survey of India and to the Tourism department of the Government of Haryana is to provide road markers so that this important heritage site is easy to locate and reach.

Narnaul, a small town in Haryana, is about 170 km from Delhi on the Delhi-Rewari-Khetri route and can be reached by road in about three and half hours. It is also the district headquarters of Mahendergarh District

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Places to visit in Narnaul: Chor Gumbad
Dhosi Hills
Rural Tourism

Places to visit in Delhi: Safdarjung Tomb

Safdarjung Tomb viewed from the arch of  the entrance gate

The Safdarjung Tomb could be considered as the ‘last flicker of the lamp of Mughal architecture’ in Delhi. Though on a smaller scale, compared to the grandeur of the Humayun’s Tomb, it is still no less beautiful.

The entrance gate of the Safdarjung Tomb

There is an ornamental gate at the entrance. Also there is a three domed mosque on the right side of the entrance though it is not being maintained properly.

The three domed mosque at the Safdarjung Tomb Complex

Safdarjung Tomb was built in 1753-54 by Nawab Shujau’d-Daulah in memory of his father Mirza Muqim Abdul Mansur Khan or Safdarjung who was the Governor of Awadh under Muhammad Shah. 

Tomb of Safdarjung

Red and buff color sandstone has been used for construction of the tomb. Marble has been used for the flooring, inlay work and the dome.

Floral pattern on the domes of the Safdarjung Tomb

The domes have interesting floral patterns. The tomb is encircled with beautiful and well maintained garden which is in the shape of Charbagh or quadrilateral garden.

The gardens, water channels and the pavallions at the Safdarjung Tomb Complex

The gardens are then surrounded by pavallions which were used as resting places. The Southern pavallion is called Badshah Pasand or the King's Choice, Northern one is Moti Mahal or the Pearl Palace and the Western side as Jangli Mahal or the Palace in the Woods.

The Safdarjung Tomb, Delhi

The Safdarjung Tomb is not very crowded compared to the Humayun Tomb so one can really enjoy the place at leisure. Since the ticket is not very exorbitant, I noticed lot of young couples sitting in the gardens who had no romance for the the monument but for each other only! Safdarjung Tomb is a protected monument of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Side view of the Safdarjung Tomb

I wonder why the ASI or other relevant authorities do not have some decent tea, coffee and snacks kiosks as people come from far off and would like to rest and spend some time at the monument. Also I did not see any ramps for the disabled to use wheel chairs.

Situated right next to the Safdarjung Airport (not a functional commercial airport) and very close to the Lodhi Gardens, Safdarjung Tomb is a must see place if one is interested in history and architecture. If you plan to go by the metro then the Jorbagh Metro station is the closest to the monument.

Also read:
Places to Visit in Delhi: Humayun Tomb
Places to Visit in Delhi: Qutub Minar, Alai Minar and the Iron Pillar
Places to visit in Delhi: Mirza Ghalib ki Haveli
Places to visit in Delhi: The Isa Khan’s Garden Tomb
Places to visit in Delhi: Ugrasen ki Baoli

Places to Visit in Delhi: Qutub Minar, Alai Minar and the Iron Pillar

I have been to the magnificent Qutub Minar a few times. Recently I visited Qutub Minar with a Dutch friend and a German. Actually the area is not only about the Qutub Minar but there are several monuments within the same complex like the Alai Minar, the Iron Pillar, tombs of Imam Zamin and Alauddin Khalji, a mosque (Quwwatul-Islam Masjid) and a Madrassa (School/College). Therefore one must keep at least a couple of hours for sightseeing.

Qutub Minar and Alai Minar (on the left)

When we reached the ticket counter my friends got an unpleasant surprise that my entry ticket cost only Rs 30, but for the foreigners it is Rs 500 per person, 17 times over! Nowhere else in the world is there such a discrimination.

Qutub Minar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The structures have been restored painstakingly. It is commendable that the impression of fragments and ruins is maintained. The complex has well manicured gardens and paths. There are ramps also at a few places for the physically challenged persons. The location also provides a popular backdrop for Bollywood songs, particularly when the film is based in Delhi.

Calligraphy on the Qutub Minar

The Qutub Minar, at 73 meters, is the tallest brick minaret in the World and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Made of red sandstone and marble it has beautiful calligraphy on it.  As the name suggest the construction of this Minaret was started by the ruler Qutubddin Aibak in 1200 AD.

My happy friends under the arch of Quwwatul-Islam mosque & the Qutub Minar 

I remember climbing up its stairs as a kid but after a stampede in 1981 the public is not allowed to climb up the Qutub Minar.

The tomb of Imam Zamin, the Alai Darwaza and the Qutub Minar

The above photo has the Tomb of Imam Zamin in the foreground then the Alai Darwaza or the southern gateway to the Quwwatul-Islam Masjid. It has intricate carvings in red sandstone and marble. And also in the same frame is the Qutub Minar!

The Iron Pillar and the beautifully calligraphed arcged of the Quwwatul-Islam mosque

The seven meter tall Iron Pillar, a victory pillar, predates the Qutub Minar. It was erected first in Udyagiri during the Gupta period (402 AD) and established at its current location in 1233 AD. What is interesting is the non-corrosive property of the pillar that has withstood the vagaries of the Delhi weather over such a long time. I do remember people used to hug the pillar backwards for good luck earlier but now there is a small enclosure surrounding the pillar and one cannot touch the pillar anymore. The pillar has inscriptions written in Brahmi script of the Gupta period. Behind the Iron Pillar are the huge, beautifully cared arches of the Quwwatul-Islam Masjid.

The carved pillars of the  Quwwatul-Islam mosque

Quwwatul-Islam Masjid or mosque is the earliest mosque in India that is still surviving. It was constructed between 1193 and 1197 AD. The mosque was built by Qutbuddin Aibak and later enlarged by Shamsuddin Iltutmish and Alauddin Khalji. It has massive stone screen and arches. The screen is carved with inscriptions. The pillars have carvings that have human and animal figurines. This is definitely non-Islamic and it is believed that these pillars were brought from temples from elsewhere.

The Madrassa and the tomb of Alauddin Khalji

The Madrassa and the tomb of Alauddin Khalji (AD 1296-1316) have thick walls. This part of the complex is damaged to some extent as none of its buildings had a roof on it and some of the walls have also broken down.

The Alai Minar

Inspired by the grandness of Qutab Minar, Alauddin Khalji planned another minaret which would have been twice as tall as Qutub Minar called the Alai Minar. However only one storey was built and after his death the plan was shelved. Its diameter is the proof of it!

My friends were happy visiting the monuments but the humidity and heat of Delhi probably took its toll (it was Monsoon period) and it would have been nice if there was a cafeteria inside the complex to recharge our batteries. It is unfortunate that despite the expensive entry ticket, there is no place for the tourists to even enjoy a cold drink.

In the first photo of this post I was able to capture both the Qutub Minar and the Alai Minar in a single frame. The photo was taken a couple of km away from the complex.

The Qutub Minar complex is located in Mehrauli in South Delhi and can be reached by bus, auto, taxi and the metro. The Delhi metro has a station named Qutub Minar which is the nearest from this complex.

Also read:
Places to visit in Delhi: Mirza Ghalib ki Haveli
Places to visit in Delhi: The Isa Khan’s Garden Tomb
Places to visit in Delhi: Ugrasen ki Baoli
Places to Visit in Delhi: Humayun Tomb

Places to visit in Delhi: Mirza Ghalib ki Haveli

I have been to the Chandni Chowk area in Old Delhi a few times over the years but this is the first opportunity I had to visit Mirza Ghalib ki Haveli in Ballimaran. Unfortunately very few Delhites are aware of Ghalib ki Haveli. Or they don’t care. The indifference to the cultural past is amazing. 

The arched entrance to Mirza Ghalib's Haveli

Mirza Ghalib is arguably the best known poet in Urdu and Persian that Delhi (and arguably again India) has produced. I was part of a photo-walk in the lanes of Chandni Chowk. Mirza Ghalib lived in this Haveli (though Haveli normally is supposed to be a grand structure this place is not big). Before Delhi government took over, the house was in poor condition and it was actually being used as a coal dump. 

The bust of Mirza Ghalib along with his poems

Now the place has been finally converted into a museum. The locals in Ballimaran are proud of their heritage. Ask anyone there the way to ‘Ghalib ki Haveli’ and their eyes light up in pride. “Ghalib Mia ko hamara aadab kahie ga!” (please greet Ghalib on our behalf) said a shopkeeper to us in chaste Urdu when we asked for directions.

The roof is not part of the original Haveli

The museum displays some of the poet’s handwritten poems, portraits and also a bust of Mirza Ghalib. He stayed in the Haveli from 1860 till his death in 1869. The Haveli has been aesthetically renovated even if it is surrounded by commercial enterprises on all sides. Old tiles are clearly visible. It is not the complete haveli but only a part of it. One must remember that India is not Europe. It does not have a tradition of converting houses of great poets and writers into museums. We spend a lot of tax-payers money and precious space in the capital of India on building and maintaining ugly samadhis (memorial) of politicians. This structure is an exception to the rule and we should be grateful that it exists at all. The house has undeniably the aura of the medieval period. You get goose pimples standing in the Haveli where the great poet of the melancholy once walked. 

The walls are adorned with Ghalib's writings & in one room it seems like he is writing his poems

Several of his poems have been further immortalised by the Bollywood as film songs. Couple of his poems that I remember are-
Hazaroon Khawhishen aisi ki har khawhish pe dum nikle
Bahut nikley mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle...

And another one-
Yeh na thi hamaari kismet ke wisaale yaar hota
Agar aur jeete rahte yahin intezaar hota...

With the portrait of Ghalib

How to reach: Mirza Ghalib ki Haveli is open on all days except Mondays and public holidays from 11 AM to 6 PM and the entry is free. Located in Gali Kasim Jaan in the Ballimaran area of Old Delhi one can reach it by alighting at the Chandni Chowk Metro Station and either walk (10-15 minutes) or take a rickshaw. Taking the metro is advisable at it frees you from the hassle of parking in this congested area but if you do want to go by car then park it near the Red Fort and then take a rickshaw from there.

Also read:
Places to Visit in Delhi: Humayun Tomb
Places to visit in Delhi: The Isa Khan’s Garden Tomb
Places to visit in Delhi: Ugrasen ki Baoli
The Changing Moods of Hauz Khas Lake