Isa Khan’s tomb was built 1547-48 AD. It is situated near the site of the Mughal Emperor Humayun’sTomb complex in Delhi which was built between 1562-1571 AD.
Isa Khan’s tomb was built during his lifetime (ca 1547-48 AD). It is situated near the site of the Mughal Emperor Humayun’s Tomb complex in Delhi which was built later (between 1562-1571 AD). Built within an enclosed octagonal garden, it bears a striking resemblance to other tombs of the Sur dynasty located in the Lodhi Gardens. This octagonal tomb has distinct ornamentation in the form of canopies, glazed tiles and lattice screens, and a deep veranda surrounding it, which is supported by pillars. It stands to the south of the Bu Halima garden at the entrance of the complex. An inscription on a red sandstone slab indicates that the tomb is that of Masnad Ali Isa Khan, son of Niyaz Aghwan, the Chief chamberlain, and was built during the reign of Islam Shah Suri, son of Sher Shah, in 1547-48 A.D. On 5 August 2011, restoration work on this tomb led to the discovery of India’s oldest sunken garden. Isa Khan’s garden tomb is considered the earliest example of an Indian sunken garden attached to a tomb. This concept was later developed at Akbar’s Tomb and at the Taj Mahal.
The Isa Khan tomb complex is a walled area adjacent to Humayun’s Tomb and is the resting place of Isa Khan Niyazi, a noble of influence at the court of Sher Shan Suri. A mosque and an octagonal tomb built in the Sur style are enclosed in Isa Khan’s walled complex. An inscription on a sandstone slab over the mihrab inside the tomb dates the construction to the Hijra year 954 (A.D. 1547-1548). The complex is the first historic structure encountered by visitors on entering the World Heritage Site complex of Humayun’s Tomb.
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