Khuldabad
Encyclopedia
Khuldabad Urdu
: خلد آباد (Marathi
:खुलताबाद , xʊld̪aːˈbaːd̪; also Kuldabad or Khultabad) is a city (municipal council
) and a Taluka
of Aurangabad district
in the India
n state
of Maharashtra
. Initially it was known as Rauza meaning garden of paradise. It is known as the Valley of Saints
, or the Abode of Eternity, because in the 14th century, several Sufi saints chose to reside here. The dargah
of Zar Zari Zar Baksh
, Shaikh Burhan ud-din Gharib Chisti & Shaikh Zain-ud-din Shirazi
along with the tomb of the Mughal
emperor Aurangzeb
and his trusted general Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I
the first Nizam
of Hyderabad are located in this town.
The place has famousBhadra Maruti Temple
. People come from Aurangabad and nearby places by walk for offering puja on Hanuman Jayanti and on Saturdays in Marathi calendar month "Shravan". Nearby is the Valley of the Saints, which is purported to contain the graves of 1500 Sufi saints.
شعريفא
شﺁريف
, Khuldabad had a population of 12,794. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Khuldabad has an average literacy rate of 64%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 72%, and female literacy is 56%. In Khuldabad, 16% of the population is under 6 years of age.
, but has also historical importance. It is here that Emperor Aurangazeb, the last of the great Mughals
lies interred. Aurangzeb, was described in official writings by the posthumous title of Khuld-makan (‘He whose abode is in eternity'). Here are also buried Azam Shah, Aurangzeb’s son, Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah
, the founder of the Hyderabad dynasty
, his second son Nasir Jang
, Nizare Shah, king of Ahemadnagar, Tana Shah
, last of the Golkonda kings
and a host of minor celebrities. The place contains from 15 to 20 doersed tombs and about 1400 plain sepulchre. Khuldabad was once an important and prosperous town. The gardens which surround many of these tombs are overgrown with bushes.
While one of these is used for conducting a school, others are set apart for the use of travellers. In the centre of the south side is a nagarkhana and a mosque in the west. A facsimile of the hall of the mosque is just below, a flight of steps descending to it from the verge of the platform. Right opposite the north end of the mosque is a small open gateway leading into an inner courtyard.
's tomb is in the south-east angle of this courtyard. Facing it is a long low building similar to the one in the outer quadrangle, and in the north end is a small room containing the pall and decorations of the tomb. The grave lies immediately to the right of the entrance and is remarkably simple, in keeping with Aurangzeb's own wishes. The grave lies in the middle of a stone platform, raised about half a foot from the floor.
Aurangzeb funded his resting place by knitting caps and copying the Qu’ran, during the last years of his life, works which he sold anonymously in the market place. Unlike the other great Mughal rulers, Aurangzeb’s tomb is not marked with a large mausoleum instead he was interred in an open air grave in accordance with his Islamic principles.The gateway and domed porch were added in 1760. The floor is of marble, A neat railing of perforated marble is on three sides, and the wall of Burhan-ud-din's dargah forms the fourth side. It was erected by the Nizam
at the request of Lord Curzon
, then Viceroy of India
(who was shocked by the simplicity of the tomb) in the year 1911. On ceremonial occasions Aurangzeb
's grave is draped with richly embroidered cloth but ordinarily it is covered by a white sheet. Close by on the right, are the tombs of Azam Shah, his wife and daughter.
's tomb, contains the remains of Azam Shah and his wife. Azam was Aurangzeb
's second son. Close by is another grave, said to be that of daughter of a Muhammedan saint. The marble screen contains 18 panels, each 6 feet in height. The sides and corners are surmounted by small minarets, also of marble. Marble is employed to pave the interior too and Azam Shah's grave has a small marble headstone ornamented with carved floral designs.
, is the mausoleum of Sayyed Zain ud din, a Muhammedan saint highly revered by the Muslims. On the east side it contains a number of verses inscribed from the Quran and the date of the saint’s death, 771 H. (1370 A. D). Sheikh Zain-ud-din was born at Shiraz
, in H. 701 and came to Delhi
by way of Mecca
. He studied under Maulana Kamal ud din of Samana and accompanied him to Daulatabad. He held the office of the Kazi
at Daulatabad and in H. 737 was invested with the mantle of the Kaliphat, but did not actually succeed till after Burhan-ud-din's death in H. 741. Zain-ud-din’s sayings have bean recorded by Shaikh Husain in his Hidayatu-l-Kabul. The mausoleum was erected by his disciples much later. It is surrounded by a large quadrangular courtyard, and the enclosure has two gates chased with brass, silver and brass. The court has two mosques, one on a higher and the other on a lower level, a sloping pavement leading up to the former. There are open-fronted buildings on all sides, and a nagarkhana or a music chamber at the east end. The west end is used as a school where the Quran is taught. The doors of the shrine are inlaid with silver plates, and the step below is embellished with a number of curiously cut and polished stones. The grave inside is covered with a richly embroidered pall, and has the usual string of ostrich eggs suspended over it. A small room in an angle of the courtyard wall is said to contain the robe of the prophet
, which is exhibited once a year on 12th Rabi-ul-awal
. The relics of the parahan and the taj given to Burhan-ud-din on succeeding to the Kaliphat we carefully preserved in a wooden box placed in one of the apartments of Zain-ud,din's dargah.
and Zain-ud-din, is another of almost equal interest. This has also a large quadrangular courtyard having open fronted building on all sides, and a nagarkhana at the east end. In the courtyard are two large drums. One of them is in fair order, while the parchment of the other has been destroyed and only the huge iron hemisphere remains. The west end of the quadrangle is used as a school and a door here gives access to an inner courtyard containing several graves. Facing the entrance is the tomb of Sayyad Burhan ud din, a Sufi Saint. Burhan-ud-din studied under Nizamuddin Auliya
, the Sultan-ul-mashaikh of Delhi
and was invested with the cap and the mantle, the symbols of the Kaliphat, in succession to the Sultan-ul-mashaikh. He migrated to Daulatabad in the wake of Muhammad Tughluq's
transfer of capital from Delhi
and later, made Khuldabad his abode, dying there in 744 H. (1344 A. D). Within the shrine are preserved some hair of the prophet's
beard. The shrine doors are plated with plates of metal wrought into fanciful designs of trees and flowers. There is a mosque in front of the dargah. Within the town are dargahs to other Muslim saints like Muntajab ud din
, Sayyad Yusuf etc.
I, the founder of the Hyderabad dynasty
, his second son Nasir Jang
. The Hyderabad dynasty continued to rule from Hyderabad until after India won her independence, and of one of his consorts. They are covered with white cloth. The graves an on a platform of porphyry inlaid with white marble. A ten feet high screen of red porphyry surrounds them. Nasir Jang
's tomb is on the left. It is surrounded by small scolloped arches of red porphyry.
's son, with the Lall Bagh of Khan Jahan close by. The tomb of Bani Begam is in the centre of a large quadrangular garden. It is surrounded by a handsome wall with arched recesses on the inside. An elegant kiosk at each corner angle stands on eight pillars, and is surmountedby an Indo-Saracenic
dome, fluted externally. The main entrance is in the centre of the north wall, and a mosque is in the south wall; while a corresponding open pavilion is in each of the remaining walls. The ground inside is laid out in the usual form of a garden, and contains cisterns and fountains, no longer in working order. The tomb of the Begum is within another walled enclosure in the middle of the garden, and has four small minarets around it. A pretty summer house in the centre of each wall in this wound enclosure, has sixteen slender but elegant pillars, supporting a domed roof in the curious form belonging to the Bengal style. There are, also specimens of perforated stone-work in the makbara.
's foster-brother Khan Jahan, who was on two occasions Viceroy of the Dakhan, and died about the end of the 17th century. It resembles the garden containing Bani Begam's makbara, but is smaller, and has similar corner towers. The centre of each side wall has a building, one of which forms the gate, and contains a large dome in the centre, with a smaller dome on either side, add three minarets. A cistern in the centre of the enclosure, is connected by four long cisterns with the building in the middle of each wall; and the whole is adorned with fountains. "The water supply is obtained from the Roza tank, and first fills a cistern on the top of an adjoining house, from which it runs down a sloping pavement, into the garden." The makbara of Khan Jahan is just above the garden, and the tombs of his relations are on the western side. A red porphyritic trap, and a cement of the same colour, have been used in the buildings, and hence the name Lall Bagh which has been given to the garden.
's dargah is to the north-west of the town and according to Ferishta it was erected during his lifetime. Nearby stands the tomb of his wife Bibi Karima. They are both in the Parther style of architure and stand on raised platforms. The larger of the two contains the mortal remains of Malik Ambar
and resembles Nizam Shah's dargah. Though the smaller is also of the same general appearance, it does not have the facade decorated with recesses and cusped arches in stucoo plaster. At a short distance from Malik Ambar's tomb is the open tomb of Tana Shah
, the last of the Golkonda kings
. To the north of the town is the tomb of Nizam Shah Bhairi which was converted into a trvelles' bungalow by the officers of the contingent stationed at Aurangabad during British days. The mausoleum at the base of the hill close by was erected for himself by Khoja Firoz while engaged in building the tomb of Nizam Shah Bhairi. The dargah of Ahmad Nizam Shah (1489–1509) is built on a raised platform and has an open court all round. It is quadrangular in plan, the walls rising high and plump with the parapet. A projecting string course divides the facade into two portions, the lower of which has three compartments on each face. Each compartment again has a rectangular recess covered by a horse-shoe arch. A cornice above projects well, and is supported on brackets. The parapet is pierced with tracery work; and the corner support little kiosks which look like miniature dargahs. While the summit is crowned with a little drum, the lower portion of the dome is adorned with lotus leaves.
's tomb and the northern gate of the town. It contains a number of ornaments and relics, the most remarkable of which is a circular looking-glass of steel mounted on a steel pedestal of four feet in height. It is said to have been presented by king Tana Shah. To the west of the town is the mausoleum of Ganj Ravan Ganj Baksh, believed to be the earliest Muhammedan saint of the district. He arrived towards the end of the 13th century about the time of Ala-ud-din
's invasion of Devagiri. His dargah has the horse-shoe shaped dome of the Pathans, with piers on the faces supporting pointed arches. It stands on the band of Pari-ka-talav, also known as Ganj Ravan Talav. On the same side of the town is that of Sayyad Khalksar with a fine tank attached to it. The mausoleums of Abdal Halim and Kak Shahr, situated to the south of Khuldabad have some old pillars probably taken from Hindu temples. A number of other decayed tombs are to the east and south of the town.
On the anniversary day of the death of Zar Zari Zar Baksh
an urus lasting for eight days is held. The articles exposed for sale consist of saris, brass and copper vessels and toys, including cutlery articles. The fair is attended by a large number of persons.
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
: خلد آباد (Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
:खुलताबाद , xʊld̪aːˈbaːd̪; also Kuldabad or Khultabad) is a city (municipal council
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
) and a Taluka
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
of Aurangabad district
Aurangabad District, Maharashtra
Aurangabad District is one of the 35 districts of Maharashtra state in western India. It is bordered by the districts of Nashik to the west, Jalgaon to the north, Jalna to the east, and Ahmednagar to the south. Aurangabad is the headquarters and principal city...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. Initially it was known as Rauza meaning garden of paradise. It is known as the Valley of Saints
Valley of Saints
The Valley of Saints is located in Khuldabad, a town in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, India. Several Sufi saints of the Chishti Order chose to reside in Khuldabad in the fourteenth century. The dargah of Moinuddin Chishti of Khuldabad, and the tomb of the last great Mughal emperor...
, or the Abode of Eternity, because in the 14th century, several Sufi saints chose to reside here. The dargah
Dargah
A Dargah is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. Local Muslims visit the shrine known as . Dargahs are often associated with Sufi meeting rooms and hostels, known as khanqah...
of Zar Zari Zar Baksh
Zar Zari Zar Baksh
Zar Zari Zar Baksh, or Shah Muntajab ud din, was one of the earliest Sufis of the Chishti Order, the most dominant of all the Sufi orders in the Indian subcontinent. He was sent to the Deccan by Nizamuddin Auliya of Dehli in the beginning of the 8th century Hijri...
, Shaikh Burhan ud-din Gharib Chisti & Shaikh Zain-ud-din Shirazi
Khwaja Zainuddin Shirazi
Zainuddin Shirazi is a Sufi saint of the Deccan, belonging to the Chishti Order .-Shaikh Zain-ud-din:.Shaikh Zain ud din Daud was born at Shiraz in Hijri. 701 and went to Delhi by way of Mecca. He studied under Maulana Kamal ud din of Samana, and came with him to Daulatabad...
along with the tomb of the Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
and his trusted general Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I
Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi was a Mughal nobleman the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. He established the Hyderabad state, and ruled it from 1720 to 1748...
the first Nizam
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
of Hyderabad are located in this town.
Bhadra Maruti Temple, Khuldabad
Bhadra Maruti Temple, Khuldabad is a famous temple dedicated to Hanuman located at Khuldabad, near Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The temple is just four km from world famous Ellora caves.The idol of Hanuman, here is in reclining or sleeping posture...
. People come from Aurangabad and nearby places by walk for offering puja on Hanuman Jayanti and on Saturdays in Marathi calendar month "Shravan". Nearby is the Valley of the Saints, which is purported to contain the graves of 1500 Sufi saints.
شعريفא
Geography and climate
Khuldabad is located at 20.05°N 75.18°E. It is an excellent health mart enjoying a pleasant and temperate climate, with an altitude of about 500 feet above the plains and 2,732 feet above the level of the sea. About four miles distant from the town are the world famous caves of Ellora, and the State guest-house and the travellers' bungalow, the latter of which is maintained by the Zilla Parishad, greatly facilitate the stay of the tourists.شﺁريف
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Khuldabad had a population of 12,794. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Khuldabad has an average literacy rate of 64%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 72%, and female literacy is 56%. In Khuldabad, 16% of the population is under 6 years of age.
History
The place has not only religious importance due to the location of tombs of some sufi saintsSufi Saints of Aurangabad
Aurangabad furnished a genial soil for the spread of the religion of the Prophet, and was the centre of great missionary movements in the 8th century of the Hijri. The district is home to the earliest of Sufi saints of the Deccan. The town of Khuldabad contains the shrines of the most famous saints...
, but has also historical importance. It is here that Emperor Aurangazeb, the last of the great Mughals
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
lies interred. Aurangzeb, was described in official writings by the posthumous title of Khuld-makan (‘He whose abode is in eternity'). Here are also buried Azam Shah, Aurangzeb’s son, Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah
Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi was a Mughal nobleman the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. He established the Hyderabad state, and ruled it from 1720 to 1748...
, the founder of the Hyderabad dynasty
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
, his second son Nasir Jang
Nasir Jang Mir Ahmad
Nasir Jang Mir Ahmad Humayum Jung Nizam ud Daula s/o Mir Qamaruddin Khan Siddiqi Nizam I by his wife Saidunisa Begum was the Nizam, or ruler, of the Hyderabad State from 1748 to 1750.-Official name:...
, Nizare Shah, king of Ahemadnagar, Tana Shah
Abul Hasan Qutb Shah
Abul Hasan Qutb Shah was the eighth and last ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, who ruled the kingdom of Golconda in south India...
, last of the Golkonda kings
Qutb Shahi dynasty
The Qutb Shahi dynasty was a Turko-Persian dynasty ; its members were collectively called the Qutub Shahis. They were the ruling family of the kingdom of Golkonda in modern-day Andra Pradesh, India. They were Shia Muslims and belonged to Kara Koyunlu...
and a host of minor celebrities. The place contains from 15 to 20 doersed tombs and about 1400 plain sepulchre. Khuldabad was once an important and prosperous town. The gardens which surround many of these tombs are overgrown with bushes.
Places of interest
Khuldabad is surrounded by a high fortified wall built by Aurangzeb. It has seven gates viz., Nagarkhana, Pangra, Langda, Mangalpeth, Kumbi Ali, Hamdadi and a wicket called Azam Shahi. The gateway in the direction of Aurangabad is approached by a paved ascent which continue inside the town for about 200 to 300 feet. The wall has collapsed at many places and may collapse totally before long. The sepulchre of Aurangzeb lies almost midway between the north and the south gates. It is within the enclosure containing the dargah of Burhan ud din . A steep paved ascent some 30 yards in length leads from the road side to the entrance of the building. After passing through a domed-porch and gateway, erected in about 1760, a large quadrangle is entered, on three side of which am open-fronted buildings.While one of these is used for conducting a school, others are set apart for the use of travellers. In the centre of the south side is a nagarkhana and a mosque in the west. A facsimile of the hall of the mosque is just below, a flight of steps descending to it from the verge of the platform. Right opposite the north end of the mosque is a small open gateway leading into an inner courtyard.
Aurangzeb's Tomb
AurangzebAurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's tomb is in the south-east angle of this courtyard. Facing it is a long low building similar to the one in the outer quadrangle, and in the north end is a small room containing the pall and decorations of the tomb. The grave lies immediately to the right of the entrance and is remarkably simple, in keeping with Aurangzeb's own wishes. The grave lies in the middle of a stone platform, raised about half a foot from the floor.
Aurangzeb funded his resting place by knitting caps and copying the Qu’ran, during the last years of his life, works which he sold anonymously in the market place. Unlike the other great Mughal rulers, Aurangzeb’s tomb is not marked with a large mausoleum instead he was interred in an open air grave in accordance with his Islamic principles.The gateway and domed porch were added in 1760. The floor is of marble, A neat railing of perforated marble is on three sides, and the wall of Burhan-ud-din's dargah forms the fourth side. It was erected by the Nizam
Nizam
Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
at the request of Lord Curzon
George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC , known as The Lord Curzon of Kedleston between 1898 and 1911 and as The Earl Curzon of Kedleston between 1911 and 1921, was a British Conservative statesman who was Viceroy of India and Foreign Secretary...
, then Viceroy of India
Governor-General of India
The Governor-General of India was the head of the British administration in India, and later, after Indian independence, the representative of the monarch and de facto head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William...
(who was shocked by the simplicity of the tomb) in the year 1911. On ceremonial occasions Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's grave is draped with richly embroidered cloth but ordinarily it is covered by a white sheet. Close by on the right, are the tombs of Azam Shah, his wife and daughter.
Tombs of Azam Shah and his wife
A small marble enclosure, to the cast of AurangzebAurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's tomb, contains the remains of Azam Shah and his wife. Azam was Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's second son. Close by is another grave, said to be that of daughter of a Muhammedan saint. The marble screen contains 18 panels, each 6 feet in height. The sides and corners are surmounted by small minarets, also of marble. Marble is employed to pave the interior too and Azam Shah's grave has a small marble headstone ornamented with carved floral designs.
Zain ud din Dargah
Midway between these tombs and that of AurangzebAurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
, is the mausoleum of Sayyed Zain ud din, a Muhammedan saint highly revered by the Muslims. On the east side it contains a number of verses inscribed from the Quran and the date of the saint’s death, 771 H. (1370 A. D). Sheikh Zain-ud-din was born at Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
, in H. 701 and came to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
by way of Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
. He studied under Maulana Kamal ud din of Samana and accompanied him to Daulatabad. He held the office of the Kazi
Qadi
Qadi is a judge ruling in accordance with Islamic religious law appointed by the ruler of a Muslim country. Because Islam makes no distinction between religious and secular domains, qadis traditionally have jurisdiction over all legal matters involving Muslims...
at Daulatabad and in H. 737 was invested with the mantle of the Kaliphat, but did not actually succeed till after Burhan-ud-din's death in H. 741. Zain-ud-din’s sayings have bean recorded by Shaikh Husain in his Hidayatu-l-Kabul. The mausoleum was erected by his disciples much later. It is surrounded by a large quadrangular courtyard, and the enclosure has two gates chased with brass, silver and brass. The court has two mosques, one on a higher and the other on a lower level, a sloping pavement leading up to the former. There are open-fronted buildings on all sides, and a nagarkhana or a music chamber at the east end. The west end is used as a school where the Quran is taught. The doors of the shrine are inlaid with silver plates, and the step below is embellished with a number of curiously cut and polished stones. The grave inside is covered with a richly embroidered pall, and has the usual string of ostrich eggs suspended over it. A small room in an angle of the courtyard wall is said to contain the robe of the prophet
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, which is exhibited once a year on 12th Rabi-ul-awal
Rabi' al-awwal
Rabi' al-awwal is the third month in the Islamic calendar. During this month, Muslims around the world celebrate Mawlid - the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Sunni Muslims believe the exact date of birth of Muhammad to have been on the twelfth of this month, whereas Shi'a Muslims believe...
. The relics of the parahan and the taj given to Burhan-ud-din on succeeding to the Kaliphat we carefully preserved in a wooden box placed in one of the apartments of Zain-ud,din's dargah.
Burhan ud din's Mausoleum
Opposite the building which contains the tombs of AurangzebAurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
and Zain-ud-din, is another of almost equal interest. This has also a large quadrangular courtyard having open fronted building on all sides, and a nagarkhana at the east end. In the courtyard are two large drums. One of them is in fair order, while the parchment of the other has been destroyed and only the huge iron hemisphere remains. The west end of the quadrangle is used as a school and a door here gives access to an inner courtyard containing several graves. Facing the entrance is the tomb of Sayyad Burhan ud din, a Sufi Saint. Burhan-ud-din studied under Nizamuddin Auliya
Nizamuddin Auliya
Sultan-ul-Mashaikh, Mehboob-e-Ilahi, Hazrat Shaikh Khwaja Syed Muhammad Nizamuddin Auliya , also known as Hazrat Nizamuddin, was a famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order in the Indian Subcontinent, an order that believed in drawing close to God through renunciation of the world and service to...
, the Sultan-ul-mashaikh of Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and was invested with the cap and the mantle, the symbols of the Kaliphat, in succession to the Sultan-ul-mashaikh. He migrated to Daulatabad in the wake of Muhammad Tughluq's
Muhammad bin Tughluq
Muhammad bin Tughluq was the Turkic Sultan of Delhi from 1325 to 1351. He was the eldest son of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq.He was born in Kotla Tolay Khan in Multan. His wife was daughter of the raja of Dipalpur...
transfer of capital from Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and later, made Khuldabad his abode, dying there in 744 H. (1344 A. D). Within the shrine are preserved some hair of the prophet's
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
beard. The shrine doors are plated with plates of metal wrought into fanciful designs of trees and flowers. There is a mosque in front of the dargah. Within the town are dargahs to other Muslim saints like Muntajab ud din
Zar Zari Zar Baksh
Zar Zari Zar Baksh, or Shah Muntajab ud din, was one of the earliest Sufis of the Chishti Order, the most dominant of all the Sufi orders in the Indian subcontinent. He was sent to the Deccan by Nizamuddin Auliya of Dehli in the beginning of the 8th century Hijri...
, Sayyad Yusuf etc.
Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah's Tomb
To the right of Burhan-ud-din's tomb are the resting places of Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf JahQamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I
Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi was a Mughal nobleman the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. He established the Hyderabad state, and ruled it from 1720 to 1748...
I, the founder of the Hyderabad dynasty
Hyderabad State
-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
, his second son Nasir Jang
Nasir Jang Mir Ahmad
Nasir Jang Mir Ahmad Humayum Jung Nizam ud Daula s/o Mir Qamaruddin Khan Siddiqi Nizam I by his wife Saidunisa Begum was the Nizam, or ruler, of the Hyderabad State from 1748 to 1750.-Official name:...
. The Hyderabad dynasty continued to rule from Hyderabad until after India won her independence, and of one of his consorts. They are covered with white cloth. The graves an on a platform of porphyry inlaid with white marble. A ten feet high screen of red porphyry surrounds them. Nasir Jang
Nasir Jang Mir Ahmad
Nasir Jang Mir Ahmad Humayum Jung Nizam ud Daula s/o Mir Qamaruddin Khan Siddiqi Nizam I by his wife Saidunisa Begum was the Nizam, or ruler, of the Hyderabad State from 1748 to 1750.-Official name:...
's tomb is on the left. It is surrounded by small scolloped arches of red porphyry.
Banu Begum’s Makbara
To the west of this group of tombs is the Makbara of Bani Begum, the consort of one of AurangzebAurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's son, with the Lall Bagh of Khan Jahan close by. The tomb of Bani Begam is in the centre of a large quadrangular garden. It is surrounded by a handsome wall with arched recesses on the inside. An elegant kiosk at each corner angle stands on eight pillars, and is surmountedby an Indo-Saracenic
Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture
The Indo-Saracenic Revival was an architectural style movement by British architects in the late 19th century in British India...
dome, fluted externally. The main entrance is in the centre of the north wall, and a mosque is in the south wall; while a corresponding open pavilion is in each of the remaining walls. The ground inside is laid out in the usual form of a garden, and contains cisterns and fountains, no longer in working order. The tomb of the Begum is within another walled enclosure in the middle of the garden, and has four small minarets around it. A pretty summer house in the centre of each wall in this wound enclosure, has sixteen slender but elegant pillars, supporting a domed roof in the curious form belonging to the Bengal style. There are, also specimens of perforated stone-work in the makbara.
Khan Jahan’s Lall Bagh
The Lall Bagh was built by AurangzebAurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
's foster-brother Khan Jahan, who was on two occasions Viceroy of the Dakhan, and died about the end of the 17th century. It resembles the garden containing Bani Begam's makbara, but is smaller, and has similar corner towers. The centre of each side wall has a building, one of which forms the gate, and contains a large dome in the centre, with a smaller dome on either side, add three minarets. A cistern in the centre of the enclosure, is connected by four long cisterns with the building in the middle of each wall; and the whole is adorned with fountains. "The water supply is obtained from the Roza tank, and first fills a cistern on the top of an adjoining house, from which it runs down a sloping pavement, into the garden." The makbara of Khan Jahan is just above the garden, and the tombs of his relations are on the western side. A red porphyritic trap, and a cement of the same colour, have been used in the buildings, and hence the name Lall Bagh which has been given to the garden.
Malik Ambar's Tomb
Malik AmbarMalik Ambar
Malik Ambar was an Ethiopian born in Harar, sold as a child by his parents due to poverty and rose to the level of Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in India. He eventually arrived in India, where he was educated and given opportunities, but he remained a slave. Nevertheless in time he...
's dargah is to the north-west of the town and according to Ferishta it was erected during his lifetime. Nearby stands the tomb of his wife Bibi Karima. They are both in the Parther style of architure and stand on raised platforms. The larger of the two contains the mortal remains of Malik Ambar
Malik Ambar
Malik Ambar was an Ethiopian born in Harar, sold as a child by his parents due to poverty and rose to the level of Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in India. He eventually arrived in India, where he was educated and given opportunities, but he remained a slave. Nevertheless in time he...
and resembles Nizam Shah's dargah. Though the smaller is also of the same general appearance, it does not have the facade decorated with recesses and cusped arches in stucoo plaster. At a short distance from Malik Ambar's tomb is the open tomb of Tana Shah
Abul Hasan Qutb Shah
Abul Hasan Qutb Shah was the eighth and last ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, who ruled the kingdom of Golconda in south India...
, the last of the Golkonda kings
Qutb Shahi dynasty
The Qutb Shahi dynasty was a Turko-Persian dynasty ; its members were collectively called the Qutub Shahis. They were the ruling family of the kingdom of Golkonda in modern-day Andra Pradesh, India. They were Shia Muslims and belonged to Kara Koyunlu...
. To the north of the town is the tomb of Nizam Shah Bhairi which was converted into a trvelles' bungalow by the officers of the contingent stationed at Aurangabad during British days. The mausoleum at the base of the hill close by was erected for himself by Khoja Firoz while engaged in building the tomb of Nizam Shah Bhairi. The dargah of Ahmad Nizam Shah (1489–1509) is built on a raised platform and has an open court all round. It is quadrangular in plan, the walls rising high and plump with the parapet. A projecting string course divides the facade into two portions, the lower of which has three compartments on each face. Each compartment again has a rectangular recess covered by a horse-shoe arch. A cornice above projects well, and is supported on brackets. The parapet is pierced with tracery work; and the corner support little kiosks which look like miniature dargahs. While the summit is crowned with a little drum, the lower portion of the dome is adorned with lotus leaves.
Zar Zari Zar Baksh & Ganj Rawan Ganj Baksh Dargah
The tomb of Zar Zari Baksh is between Malik AmbarMalik Ambar
Malik Ambar was an Ethiopian born in Harar, sold as a child by his parents due to poverty and rose to the level of Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in India. He eventually arrived in India, where he was educated and given opportunities, but he remained a slave. Nevertheless in time he...
's tomb and the northern gate of the town. It contains a number of ornaments and relics, the most remarkable of which is a circular looking-glass of steel mounted on a steel pedestal of four feet in height. It is said to have been presented by king Tana Shah. To the west of the town is the mausoleum of Ganj Ravan Ganj Baksh, believed to be the earliest Muhammedan saint of the district. He arrived towards the end of the 13th century about the time of Ala-ud-din
Alauddin Khilji
Ali Gurshap Khan better known by his titular name as Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji was the second ruler of the Turko-Afghan Khilji dynasty in India.He was a well and capable ruler. He belonged to the Afghanized Turkic tribe of the Khiljis...
's invasion of Devagiri. His dargah has the horse-shoe shaped dome of the Pathans, with piers on the faces supporting pointed arches. It stands on the band of Pari-ka-talav, also known as Ganj Ravan Talav. On the same side of the town is that of Sayyad Khalksar with a fine tank attached to it. The mausoleums of Abdal Halim and Kak Shahr, situated to the south of Khuldabad have some old pillars probably taken from Hindu temples. A number of other decayed tombs are to the east and south of the town.
On the anniversary day of the death of Zar Zari Zar Baksh
Zar Zari Zar Baksh
Zar Zari Zar Baksh, or Shah Muntajab ud din, was one of the earliest Sufis of the Chishti Order, the most dominant of all the Sufi orders in the Indian subcontinent. He was sent to the Deccan by Nizamuddin Auliya of Dehli in the beginning of the 8th century Hijri...
an urus lasting for eight days is held. The articles exposed for sale consist of saris, brass and copper vessels and toys, including cutlery articles. The fair is attended by a large number of persons.
Notable Saints and Rulers Buried at Khuldabad
- Burhan-ud-din Gharib (1337)
- Tombs of Ruknuddin and Majd ud din and many disciples of Bhuranuddin.
- Nizam ul Mulk Asaf JhaQamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah IMir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi was a Mughal nobleman the founder of the Asaf Jahi dynasty. He established the Hyderabad state, and ruled it from 1720 to 1748...
(1748) the first NizamNizamNizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
and his wife Sayyida-un-nisa Begum. - Nasir JungNasir Jang Mir AhmadNasir Jang Mir Ahmad Humayum Jung Nizam ud Daula s/o Mir Qamaruddin Khan Siddiqi Nizam I by his wife Saidunisa Begum was the Nizam, or ruler, of the Hyderabad State from 1748 to 1750.-Official name:...
(1750) the second NizamNizamNizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
and his wife - Hidayat Muhi-ud-din Khan Muzaffar JangMuhyi ad-Din Muzaffar Jang HidayatMuhyi ad-Din Muzaffar Jang Hidayat was the ruler of Hyderabad briefly, from 1750 to his death in battle in 1751.-Birth:...
(1751) the third NizamNizamNizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad popularly known as Nizams of Hyderabad was a former monarchy of the Hyderabad State, now in the states of Andhra Pradesh , Karnataka , and Maharashtra in India...
. - A number of other dignitaries including Iwaz Khan (1730) Mutawasil Khan uncle of Muzaffar JungMuhyi ad-Din Muzaffar Jang HidayatMuhyi ad-Din Muzaffar Jang Hidayat was the ruler of Hyderabad briefly, from 1750 to his death in battle in 1751.-Birth:...
, Jamal ud din Khan (1746) Shah Karim ud din, Shahzada Jangli, Saeed ud din Suam(III) the taluqdar of Aurangabad. - Bani Begum in a garden, Khan Jahan and Saad ullah Khan in Lal Bagh.
- Zainuddin ShiraziKhwaja Zainuddin ShiraziZainuddin Shirazi is a Sufi saint of the Deccan, belonging to the Chishti Order .-Shaikh Zain-ud-din:.Shaikh Zain ud din Daud was born at Shiraz in Hijri. 701 and went to Delhi by way of Mecca. He studied under Maulana Kamal ud din of Samana, and came with him to Daulatabad...
(1369)- Maulana Khan Bibi adoptive daughter of Zainuddin Shirazi
- Tomba of his disciples such as Shama ud din Fazal ullah, Muhammad Lashkar, and Mir Hasan.
- AurangzebAurangzebAbul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
(1707) - Muhammad Azam Shah and his wife Aurangi Bibi.
- Sayyid Mansur Mughal governor of Baglana and his wife.
- Jalal ud din Ganj RawanGanj Rawan Ganj BakshGanj Rawan Ganj Baksh belonged to the SUHERWERDI order of Sufi saints, which was founded by Shahab ud din at Baghdad in Hijri 602. He was the earliest of Sufi saint of the Deccan.-Ganj Rawan Ganj Baksh:...
- Muntajib ud din Zar Zari Zar BakshZar Zari Zar BakshZar Zari Zar Baksh, or Shah Muntajab ud din, was one of the earliest Sufis of the Chishti Order, the most dominant of all the Sufi orders in the Indian subcontinent. He was sent to the Deccan by Nizamuddin Auliya of Dehli in the beginning of the 8th century Hijri...
(1309)- Inside the Dargah complex :
- Bibi Hajra, mother of Burhan-ud-din and Muntajib ud din.
- Sona Bai, Hindu princess.
- Tombs of their relatives and Burhan-ud-din's disciples, such as Farid ud din Adib (1337), Pir Mubarak Karwan (1340).
- West of Dargah complex :
- Badr ud din Nawlakha
- Abdullah Habib ul Aydarus (1631)
- Malik AmbarMalik AmbarMalik Ambar was an Ethiopian born in Harar, sold as a child by his parents due to poverty and rose to the level of Prime Minister of the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in India. He eventually arrived in India, where he was educated and given opportunities, but he remained a slave. Nevertheless in time he...
(1626) - Siddi Karima, wife of Malik Ambar
- Siddi Abdul Rehman, grandson of Malik Ambar.
- East of the Dargah Complex :
- Ankas Khan, a noble of Tughlaq periodTughlaq dynastyThe Tughlaq dynasty of north India started in 1321 in Delhi when Ghazi Malik assumed the throne under the title of Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq. The Tughluqs were a Muslim family of Turkic origin...
. - Mumtaz Khan.
- Ankas Khan, a noble of Tughlaq period
- Inside the Dargah complex :
- Sayyid Yusuf al Husain Raju Qatal (1330) DargahDargahA Dargah is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. Local Muslims visit the shrine known as . Dargahs are often associated with Sufi meeting rooms and hostels, known as khanqah...
north of Huda Hill.- Inside the dargah complex :
- Sayyid Chandan Sahib
- Abul Hasan Tana ShahAbul Hasan Qutb ShahAbul Hasan Qutb Shah was the eighth and last ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, who ruled the kingdom of Golconda in south India...
(1699) the last of Qutub Shahi kings. - Nawab Marhamat Khan, Mughal Governor of Aurangabad.
- Daud Khan (1715) Mughal Governor of Bhuranpur, his brothers and sisters.
- North of the Dargah complex:
- Mosque of 1400 Saints containing graves of scholars such as Zahir ud din Bhakkari.
- Ahmad Nizam Shah (1508) first king of Ahmednagar SultanetAhmadnagar SultanateThe Ahmadnagar Sultanate سلطان احمد نگر was a late medieval Indian kingdom, located in the northwestern Deccan, between the sultanates of Gujarat and Bijapur. Malik Ahmad, the Bahmani governor of Junnar after defeating the Bahmani army led by general Jahangir Khan on 28 May 1490 declared...
. - Bhuran Nizam Shah (1553) second King of Ahmednagar SultanateAhmadnagar SultanateThe Ahmadnagar Sultanate سلطان احمد نگر was a late medieval Indian kingdom, located in the northwestern Deccan, between the sultanates of Gujarat and Bijapur. Malik Ahmad, the Bahmani governor of Junnar after defeating the Bahmani army led by general Jahangir Khan on 28 May 1490 declared...
.
- Inside the dargah complex :
- Amir Hasan Dihlawi Sijzi (1336)
- Azad BilgramiAzad BilgramiAzad Bilgrami is one of the most significant scholar of Arabic, Persian and Urdu languages in 18th century India. He is the first Indian poet of Arabic whose poetic compilation is available. The King of Yemen had had acknowledged his poetic genius and accorded him the title of Hassan Al-Hind.-Early...
(1786)
- Azad Bilgrami
- Khwja Husain (1349) and Khwja Umar, uncle of Zainuddin Shirazi, south of Huda Hill.
- Bibi Aisha daughter of Farid ud din Ganj Shakkar, south of Hasan Dihlawi Tomb.
- Shah Khaksar, southwest of Ganj Rawan'sGanj Rawan Ganj BakshGanj Rawan Ganj Baksh belonged to the SUHERWERDI order of Sufi saints, which was founded by Shahab ud din at Baghdad in Hijri 602. He was the earliest of Sufi saint of the Deccan.-Ganj Rawan Ganj Baksh:...
tomb. - Near Daulatabad
- Momin Arif
- Mardan ul din (1335)
- Nizam ud din Pesh Imam(1370) at Kaghzipura.
- Alauddun Ziya
- Baha ud din Ansari(1515)
See also
- Sufi Saints of AurangabadSufi Saints of AurangabadAurangabad furnished a genial soil for the spread of the religion of the Prophet, and was the centre of great missionary movements in the 8th century of the Hijri. The district is home to the earliest of Sufi saints of the Deccan. The town of Khuldabad contains the shrines of the most famous saints...
- Zar Zari Zar BakshZar Zari Zar BakshZar Zari Zar Baksh, or Shah Muntajab ud din, was one of the earliest Sufis of the Chishti Order, the most dominant of all the Sufi orders in the Indian subcontinent. He was sent to the Deccan by Nizamuddin Auliya of Dehli in the beginning of the 8th century Hijri...
- Khwaja Zainuddin ShiraziKhwaja Zainuddin ShiraziZainuddin Shirazi is a Sufi saint of the Deccan, belonging to the Chishti Order .-Shaikh Zain-ud-din:.Shaikh Zain ud din Daud was born at Shiraz in Hijri. 701 and went to Delhi by way of Mecca. He studied under Maulana Kamal ud din of Samana, and came with him to Daulatabad...
- Sayyid Burhan-ud-din
- Ganj Rawan Ganj BakshGanj Rawan Ganj BakshGanj Rawan Ganj Baksh belonged to the SUHERWERDI order of Sufi saints, which was founded by Shahab ud din at Baghdad in Hijri 602. He was the earliest of Sufi saint of the Deccan.-Ganj Rawan Ganj Baksh:...
- Aurangabad
- Aurangabad Tourism Capital of MaharashtraAurangabad Tourism Capital of MaharashtraAurangabad is a historic city in Maharashtra state of India. The city is a tourist hub, surrounded with many historical monuments, including the Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as Bibi Ka Maqbara and Panchakki...
External links
- http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_ellora_khuldabad.asp Archealogical Survey of India link.
- Google Books (Eternal Garden - Carl Ernst)
- Sufi Dargah in Khuladabad