Built in 1753-54 by Shuja-ud-Daula, Nawab of
Awadh for his father Mirza Muqim Abul Mansur Khan, who was known
as Safdarjang, Safdarjang's Tomb is the last model of the garden-tomb
layout, which started with Humayun's tomb. Safdarjang was the
viceroy of Awadh under Mohammed Shah and later he became his
prime minister too. Located near the Safdarjang airport on Aurobindo
Marg, the tomb stands on a high terrace in an extensive garden
with high enclosure walls and central domed mausoleum. South
of the tomb is the battlefield where Timur and his Mongol army
defeated Mohammed Tughlaq in the battle of 1398.
The mausoleum is built with red and buff stone
and measures 18.28 sq meters. The center chamber of the mausoleum
is square with eight apartments around it and has one cenotaph.
There are polygonal towers at the corners of the mausoleum,
which are covered by kiosks. In the center of the underground
chamber lie the graves of Safdarjang and his wife. The ceilings
of the whole tomb are decorated with painted plasterwork. The
marble and sandstone used in the construction have been removed
from the mausoleum of Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khanan.
The garden is spread over an area of 300 sq.
meters and is divided into four squares by wide pathways and
tanks. It is further divided into smaller squares and resembles
the Mughal style of garden or charbagh. It is because of this
reason that the tomb is compared with Humayun's tomb, which
is built on a much larger scale. The podium of the tomb is 110
square feet, while that of Humayun's tomb is 370 square feet.
However, Safdarjung's tomb is similar to Humayun's tomb in many
ways. The high rubble walls contain a series of recessed arches
on the interior and octagonal towers (chhatris) on the four
corners. The tomb has multi-chambered pavilions on all sides
with an imposing gateway in the center of the eastern side,
which has several apartments, a courtyard and a mosque. In the
west, north and south lies the pavilions with strange names
like Jangli Mahal (sylvan palace or palace in the woods), Moti
Mahal (pearl palace) and Badshah Pasand (king's favorite) respectively.
It is said that later the nawab's family used the pavilions
as their residence. At present the Archeological Survey of India
has its office here and maintains a library over the main gateway.
The tomb is often described as 'the last flicker
in the lamp of Indian architecture,' because though it follows
the Mughal pattern of construction, the materials used in the
construction are not so good, the 'weakness of its proportions
and its pronouncedly vertical elevation, lacking a pyramidal
feeling.' According to Bishop Heber, the tomb has 'the color
of potted meat' because the color of the stone used is light
brown.
