Saturday, September 28, 2013

Lodi Gardens, New Delhi, India

Welcome to my blog. I have not done much posting this year, but aim to get back to normal soon. I recently visited Delhi again. Sky was a whitewash but here are some photos of a walk across Lodi Gardens from the Khan Market side, one of my favourite places in Delhi. Grateful to Wikipedia for the information

Walled enclosure of the Sikander Lodi's Tomb

Lodi Gardens (Hindi: लोधी बाग़, Urdu: لودھی باغ) is a park in Delhi, India. Spread over 90 acres (360,000 m2)

It contains Mohammed Shah's Tomb, Sikander Lodi's Tomb, Sheesh Gumbad and Bara Gumbad, architectural works of the 15th century Sayyid and Lodis, a Pashtun dynasty which ruled much of Northern India during the 16th century, and the site is now protected by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI)

The entrance to Sikander Lodi's Tomb

Sweet kiss......

Sikander Lodi's Tomb within its enclosure. It is a fine example of a an octagonal tomb

Sikandar Lodi (died November 21, 1517), born Nizam Khan, was the Sultan of Delhi between 1489 to 1517

Internal detail with the sun reflecting on the wall through one of the openings

Hard to believe you're in Delhi!

In the centuries, after the 15th century Sayyid and Lodi dynasties, two villages grew around the monuments, but the villagers were relocated in 1936 in order to create the gardens. During British Raj, it was landscaped by Lady Willingdon, wife of Governor-General of India, Marquess of Willingdon, and hence named the 'Lady Willingdon Park' upon its inauguration on April 9, 1936. In 1947, after Independence, it was given its present name, Lodi Gardens

Sheesh Gumbad ("Glass dome")

Sheesh Gumbad is so named because of the glazed tiles used in its construction

Sheesh Gumbad and opposite is Bara Gumbad

Sheesh Gumbad contains the remains of an unknown family, this was also built during the reign of Sikander Lodi

Framed

In the middle of the gardens is the Bara Gumbad ("Big Dome"), it consists of a large rubble-construct dome. It is not a tomb but a gateway to an attached a three domed masjid (mosque), both built in 1494 during the reign of Sikander Lodi

Beautifully situated

Detail of the three-domed mosque

Amazing that such a grand tomb was built and we don't know who the family was that it was built for

The tomb of Mohammed Shah, the last of the Sayyid dynasty rulers, the earliest of the tombs in the garden, was built in 1444 by Ala-ud-din Alam Shah as a tribute to Mohammed Shah

Octagonal in shape and circled by beautiful arches

Lines of palm trees.....

......surround the tomb

Qtub Minar next, followed by Fes, Morocco. Hope to see you again!
Alan 



No comments: