Page 88 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

86  DELHI & THE NOR TH

t Nizamuddin Across the western side of
Complex the open courtyard is the
red sandstone Jama’t Khana
W of Mathura Rd. Dargah: Mosque, built in 1325. To its
Open daily. Qawwali performance: north is a baoli (stepwell),
7pm Thu. _ Urs (Jul & Dec).
excavated in secret while
This medieval settlement, or basti, Tughluqabad (see p99) was
is named after Sheikh Hazrat being built, because Ghiyasuddin
Nizamuddin Auliya, whose grave Tughluq had banned all
and hospice are located here. building activities elsewhere.
Nizamuddin belonged to a Legend has it that labourers
fraternity of Sufi mystics, the worked here at night with the
Chishtis, respected for their The congregational area in the help of lamps lit not with oil
austerity, piety and disdain Nizamuddin Complex but with water blessed by
for material desires, and was Nasiruddin, Nizamuddin’s
a spiritual descendant of A winding alley leads to the successor. The early 16th-
Moinuddin Chishti (see p380). saint’s grave. It is crowded century Tomb of Atgah Khan
His daily assemblies drew both with mendicants and lined is to the north. A powerful
the rich and the poor, who with stalls selling flowers and minister in Emperor Akbar’s
believed that he was a “friend of chadors (ceremonial cloths), court, he was murdered by
God”, who would intercede on polychrome clocks and Adham Khan, a political rival
their behalf on Judgement Day. prints of Mecca. The (see p97). The open
He died in 1325, but his disciples main congregational marble pavilion,
call him a zinda pir (living spirit), area is a marble Chaunsath Khamba
who continues to heed their pleas. pavilion (rebuilt in (“64 pillars”), is close by
A three-day Urs is observed, with 1562), where every and just outside is an
qawwalis sung, on the anniversary Thursday evening enclosure containing
of his death, and another on the followers sing the simple grave of
death of his disciple Amir Khusrau. devotional songs Tomb of the famous Mirza Ghalib (1786–
composed by the poet Mirza Ghalib 1869). One of the
celebrated Persian greatest poets of his
poet, Amir Khusrau (1253–1325). time, Ghalib wrote in both
Women are denied entry Urdu and Persian, and his
beyond the outer verandah verses are still recited. Nearby
but may peer through jalis is the Ghalib Academy, a
into the small, dark chamber repository of paintings
where the saint’s grave lies and manuscripts.
draped with a rose petal Despite its crowds,
strewn cloth and surrounded by the basti preserves with
imams, who continuously miraculous serenity the
recite verses from the Koran. legend of Nizamuddin,
Amir Khusrau is buried in described by Khusrau as “a
the complex, as are other king without throne or crown,
Colourful stalls in the alley leading to eminent disciples, such as with kings in need of the
Nizamuddin’s tomb Jahanara Begum. dust of his feet”.
Nizamuddin India
Complex Gate
One of Delhi’s historic
necropolises, many of
the saint’s disciples, such Lodi Road • Sabz Burj •
as Amir Khusrau and Lodi Atgah Khan’s Tomb • Ghalib Isa Khan’s Tomb Arab ki Humayun's
•
Tomb
Jahanara Begum, Shah Gardens • • Academy Sarai • Barber’s Tomb
•
Chaunsath Khamba
Jahan’s favourite daughter, Hazrat Nizamuddin
are buried close to their • Auliya Dargah
master. Jahanara’s epitaph Mathura Road
echoes her master’s
teachings: “Let naught
cover my grave save the 0 metres 250 Lala Lajpat Rai Path • Khan-i-
Rahim Khan Road
green grass, for grass well 0 yards 250 Khanan's
suffices as a covering for Tomb
the grave of the lowly”. Agra
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p694 and pp706–707
086-087_EW_India.indd 86 26/04/17 11:42 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm