Lodi Garden




Lodi Garden in Delhi is set up on a sprawling space of 90 acres and it houses some of the most famous and historic tombs in it like the tombs of Mohammed Shah, Sikandar Lodi, the Bara and Sheesh Gumbad and many other architectural structures that depict the beauty and richness of 15th century. It is also a reflection of histories of the Sayyid, Lodi and Pashtun dynasties. The cultural richness of this place has made this to come under the preservation of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Apart from these tombs, there are beautiful gardens that serve as excellent places for morning walks. One can find this place between the Safdarjung Tomb and Khan Market.

History

The tombs at Lodi Garden are highly important, it speak volumes about the rich history of the dynasties that ruled over Delhi in the era gone by. Mohammed Shah was the last ruler of Sayyid dynasty and his tomb was built around 1444 by Ala-ud-din Alam Shah.

Sikandar Lodi tomb is found in close vicinity to Mohammed Shah tomb and was constructed in 1517. Sikandar was also the last ruler of the Lodi dynasty and this tomb was built by his son, Ibrahim Lodi. The great Mughal Emperor, Babur defeated Lodi in the Panipat Battle and brought an end to Lodi dynasty rule. Sikandar Lodi tomb is situated very close to the Sufi saint, Bu Ali Shah Qalandar’s Dargah. Most of the visitors get confused with this tomb of Lodi and the Sheesh Gumbad because of the similarity in their appearances. It was during the Mughal rule that Lodi gardens witnessed lots of changes and renovations. The gardens were used as a common venue for many important functions by the Mughal rulers and therefore they did a lot of restructuring work in the gardens depending on the significance of the event conducted. One of the most famous Mughal Emperors, Akbar used Lodi Garden as an observatory and a library.

Towards the ends of Sayyid and Lodi dynasties, the areas around the tombs started to get inhabited, however, it was all cleared up during 1936 for development of the gardens. The idea of the gardens was put forth by Lady Willington, wife of the then Governor General of India, Marquess of Willington. Though this garden was initially known as Lady Willington Park, post-Independence, this came to be known as Lodi Gardens.

Architecture

Two main attractions of the Lodi Gardens are the Bara Gumbad meaning Big Tomb and Sheesh Gumbad meaning Glass Tomb. Bara Gumbad is not actually a tomb but it is the place that leads to a mosque with three domes inside. Both the tomb and the mosque were constructed as early as 1494 when Delhi was under the rule of Sikander Lodi. Inside this dome, one can also find a residence like structure with a massive courtyard and remains of a water tank. Sheesh Gumbad is situated just opposite to Bara Gumbad. It is known as the Glass Tomb because unlike other tombs, glazed tiles were used to build this. Inside this tomb, one can find few graves but the identity of these dead persons is still unknown.

As one takes a stroll further inside the garden, one can locate Sikander Lodi’s tomb with all the battlements visible even today. Just next to this tomb, one can find the Athpula Bridge, meaning the Eight Piered Bridge. This is quite a significant building because this was probably one of the last structures constructed during Emperor Akbar’s rule. There are seven massive arches in this building, of which the central most arch is the biggest. One can also find Mohammed Shah’s tomb close to Sikander Lodi’s tomb. This was built during 1444 in memory of the last ruler of the Sayyid dynasty.

Lodi Gardens is preserved by ASI because it is an important representation of architecture belonging to two different dynasties that ruled Delhi many centuries ago. Mohammed Shah’s tomb that can be easily viewed from a distance was the first tomb to come up here. Most of the tombs here are octagonal, contain chhajjas made of stone and have giant guldastas at the corners.

Attractions of Lodi Garden

The Tomb of Mohammad Shah

The tomb of Mohammad Shah was one of the first tombs to be built in Lodi Gardens. This tomb was built in the year 1444 by Ala-ud-din Alam Shah in memory of his father and the last ruler of the Sayyid dynasty, Mohammed Shah, who ruled Delhi between 1434 and 1444. One can find this tomb as soon as one enters into the Garden and is visible from the road.

Sheesh Gumbad

This tomb is known as the Glass Dome because unlike most other tombs, this structure is made of glazed tiles. It is believed that this structure could have been constructed during the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century. This tomb contains graves of people whose identity is not known until now. While most of the tombs are in the shape of an octagon, Sheesh Gumbad is in the shape of a square. The walls made of stone and the sparkling white dome make the tomb look remarkably beautiful.

Bara Gumbad

This tomb was constructed at the time when Lodi kings ruled Delhi that is between 1451 and 1526. This tomb has around three domes and five openings that are arched. The mosque that is inside is a true reflection of the grand Mughal architecture and exquisite floral designs. One can find the remnants of a water tank here and there is also a big courtyard at the entrance. The walls of the mosque contain holy inscriptions all over.

The Tomb of Sikander Lodi

Sikander Lodi’s tomb was constructed during the Lodi dynasty. He was the last ruler from Lodi dynasty to have ruled Delhi from 1489 to 1517. This tomb was built by Sikander’s son, Ibrahim Lodi in 1517. This is one of the spacious tombs inside Lodi Gardens and has excellent ambience around it with lots of greenery around it. The tomb is known for its tranquility and beauty.

Athpula Bridge

This Bridge is also known as Eight Piered Bridge. During the rule of the great Mughal Emperor Akbar, there was a person named Nawab Bahadur who built this stone bridge during the second half of sixteenth century. The bridge contains seven arches that stand strongly on eight strong piers. Today, one can view the bridge on the remnants of Yamuna tributary. The other name for this is Khairpur Ka Pul.

Landscape

The area around Lodi Gardens is filled with natural beauty and is a sure delight for morning walkers, joggers, trekkers etc. There are lots of trees and plants here which offer lots of shade and comfort for the visitors.

How to Reach

By Metro

The Yellow Line on the Metro system is used for reaching the Lodi Gardens. Central Secretariat is the metro station that is closest to this place. The Violet line is also used to get to this station through the Badarpur Village on the borders of the state of Haryana.

By Bus

There are lots of buses operated by the Delhi Transport Corporation from all major bus depots that help tourists visit the main tourist attractions in Delhi, like the Lodi Gardens. Buses from the Scindia’s House stop at Connaught Place go to Lodi Gardens.

Visitor Information

Address: Lodhi Garden, Near Khan Market, New Delhi

Timings: 06:00 – 19:00 Hrs. Open on all days.

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