After my quick spring visit, Delhi beckoned me again. As the final showers of the season came pouring down, I landed in Delhi on a wet morning. While the visit was packed with many events, the highlight of my trip was a quiet day spanning East Delhi to Connaught Place and a long stop in between at Humayun’s Tomb and Sunder Nursery.
Karkarduma (pronounced Kad-Kad-Duma) turned out to be as interesting as its name. At Anardana, a quaint establishment in East Delhi, I had some lip smacking butter chicken and dal makhni before heading to Humayun’s tomb. I was determined to visit the tomb and spend a long time in this sacred neighbourhood. The tomb of Hazrat Nizammudin Auliya here lends a sacred aura to the entire region which also explains the proliferation of various tombs of nobles and royals in the area.
The grey clouds of the morning had disappeared and the sun was shining brightly as we reached the main gate. This time, just like the last, the call of the peacock echoed through the surroundings as we made our way to the tomb. All the other structures were open this time. So it was a delight to walk in and visit Isa Khan’s tomb – who was a noble of Sher Shah’s court. This octagonal tomb with an imposing dome was built during the time when Humayun had been ousted by the fierce Sher Shah who had arrived in the capital all the way from Sasaram, Bihar. Therefore it was interesting to note that even then this structure was retained within the proximity of Humayun’s tomb.
Afsarwala tomb and mosque complex was a nice escape and a good preclude to what was coming next. The scene was not very different as compared to my last visit. The finial and the dome came into clear view only upon entering through the main arched gate. The exquisite charbagh – or the four gardens and the waterways representing the four rivers mentioned in the Quran stretched in front of us. Everyone seemed to be in awe of the sight and all of us just stood there admiring the grandeur of the structure, nearly 454 years old. It is said that this tomb would lay the foundations for Mughal architecture which reached its zenith during the construction of the Taj Mahal.
The sun was still high up in the sky so we found a spot under a large tree and sat there with many others. The beauty of Delhi is that it is dotted with such spaces where locals, tourists and the curious can go to seek some solace, bask in the shade of these old trees and watch the world go by. A gentle afternoon breeze blew and the gentle rumble of the train (possibly on its way from Nizammudin) could be heard. There was no signs of any rain and the structure rose straight in front of me, majestic against the blue skies. My mind rushed to the stories of the tomb. How the great mutiny was crushed in 1857 and how the frail old Bahadur Shah was arrested from these walls on 24th September 1857. How these walls had seen the Mughal dynasty being extinguished by Major Hodson (who now lies buried in Lucknow).
With these thoughts, it was time to climb up the steps and pay our respects to the cenotaph of the great Mughal – Humayun and to the deaths of the silent mutineers who had stood up to the Company and fought in the name of Bahadur Shah who had sought refuge within these walls. Many muslims also sought refuge within these walls during the partition.
The view from the tomb offered an expansive look into the neighbourhood aross all directions. The capital stretched out endlessly around us. The only city with whom I have always had a broken relationship. But in that moment there seemed like there was some hope for us after all as a silent breeze blew across from the west.
The white cenotaph of Humayun, located under the central dome was not enclosed or guarded. Kids ran all around, people took photos, while others stood and admired the inner walls. The cenotaph is an indicative grave though the emperor’s remains maybe buried further underground. The entire complex has many such cenotaphs and therefore this complex is known as the Mughal’s dormitory with over 150 noblemen and princes buried next to Humayun.
As the sun began to set, we took a solemn walk around the complex and walked down to the nearby heritage complex and biological hotspot – Sunder Nursery. Strolling through the nursery, we came across the various tomb buildings, also part of the Humayun’s tomb complex. Humayun’s tomb received the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag in 1993 and since then even this complex has been receiving due attention for conservation. There were college kids, kids and of course couples, families all out on the lawns and in the bushes, enjoying a breath of fresh air. We even encountered a group of teenagers having a picnic amongst what seemed like a group of graves. The quintessential peacocks were everywhere and I was delighted to spot a few. I also managed to spot some water birds flitting in and out in the streams.
The evening ended at Connaught Place at the quaint Oxford bookstore’s Cha Bar – same as the one at the erstwhile store in Churchgate but with more variety. It had been a fantastic day. On every Delhi visit, it is a pleasure to visit these monuments and imagine a world that has gone by. The city has witnessed many dynasties, change of guard, bloodshed and violence. But she absorbs it all, in her layers, revealing them only to those who may care to look a bit more closely. I couldn’t wait to visit back and rekindle my relationship with the city.