SIDDAGANGA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, TUMKUR

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

SUBJECT: 3AR01-History of Architecture – III CLASS: III Sem.

TEACHER: Ar. Vivek C G

MODULE – 04 NOTES

Syllabus Outline:
Development under Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir and Shahjehan as well as Aurangazeb. Exclusive
features, different buildings types and complex structural systems and their use. Eg: Humayun's
tomb, Fatehpur Sikhri -details, Buland Darwaza, tomb of Salim chisti, further development of
Diwan -I-Khas and Diwan - I- Am. Akbar's tomb, Tajmahal, Tomb of Itmaud Daulah at Agra.,
Bibi-ka-maqbarah at Aurangabad.

INTRODUCTION:
Mughal Empire was established by Babur in 1526. The Mughal era defines the most sumptuous
phase of Islamic Architecture in India, due in part to the wealth and the settled political
conditions of the empire and to the aesthetic nature of the emperors. Mughal Architecture
flourished under the first five ‘Great Mughals’ of the dynasty, Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir
and Shah Jahan and declined after the rule of Aurangzeb. The two most prolific builders of the
dynasty were Akbar (1556-1605) and his grandson Shah Jahan (1627-1658), with a transitional
phase observed under Jahangir (1605-1627).
The style can be broadly divided into two phases,
o Earlier phase when the buildings were principally constructed of red sandstone
during the reign of Akbar
o Later phase when the buildings were constructed principally of marble under the
reign of Shah Jahan.

Due to the centralized political structure of the empire, the Mughal style of architecture had no
provincial or regional manifestations, but was an imperial style only moderately affected by local
influences. The major influences seen in the Mughal style come from Persia and from the
indigenous styles of Gujarat and Rajasthan.

HUMAYUN’S TOMB:
The first Mughal building of note to be constructed
in India. Built in A.D. 1564 by Haji Begum, wife
of the Emperor Humayun , eight years after his
death in Delhi in the vicinity of the city of Din
Panah founded by the emperor. The architect was a
Persian by the name of Mirak Mirza Ghiyas.

The mausoleum is placed in a spacious, square

park like enclosure, providing seclusion and
securing an appropriate setting. An imposing
gateway is introduced in the middle of each of the
four sides of the enclosure, the western being the
main entrance with an embowed archway which
frames the view of the mausoleum.
The garden is laid out in a formal
arrangement of square and rectangular
compartments with flowered parterres and
flagged paths and pavements. These are
carefully designed and proportioned so as to
form an integral part of the overall
composition, the lines and spaces leading
up to and harmonizing with those of the
central structure.

The central building stands on a platform of

22’ height. The sides of the platform are
arcaded, with each archway leading to a
small room for visitors and their attendants.
The tomb structure which is a square in plan
with 156’ side occupies the middle of the
platform. All four sides are alike in
elevation, with each face consisting of a
central rectangular fronton containing and
arched recess and flanked by embowed
wings each relieved by a similar but smaller
arched alcove. Over the whole hangs the
marble dome with a height of 140’ with a
cluster of pillared kiosks with cupola roofs
on each side.

The interior of the tomb chamber resolves

into a group of compartments, the largest
one in the centre containing the cenotaph of
the emperor, with a smaller one at each
angle for the members of his family. Each
room is octagonal in plan and they are
connected to one another with diagonal
passages. Clerestory windows with
perforated screens fitted into the arched
recesses of the facades light the interior.

The architectural style can be said to be a

synthesis of the Persian and the Indian, the
Persian influence seen in such elements as
the arched alcove in the façade and the
shape of the dome along with the
arrangement of the rooms in the interior,
while the Indian influence can be seen in
the kiosks and cupolas.
The architectural effect of the structure is achieved by the logical relation of the plan to the
design of the interior and exterior, the perfection of the proportion and relative positions of the
various elements, and the use of red sandstone with white marble for emphasis. The dome is the
first example in India of the double dome i.e. a dome with two shells, an outer one supporting the
marble casing and giving the lofty shape from the exterior and an inner one built lower to create
a better proportion with the space below.

FATEHPUR SIKHRI:

Built by Akbar as his capital about 26 miles west of Agra, Fatehpur Sikri is one of the most
ambitious projects undertaken by the Mughals and perhaps the most notable architectural
achievement of the dynasty next to the Taj Mahal. The city stands on a sandstone outcrop which
runs in a north-east to south-west direction. It is surrounded by a bastioned wall enclosing an
irregular area about 2 miles long and 1 mile broad.

The city consists of an arrangement of broad terraces and courtyards around which are grouped
numerous palaces and pavilions. A majority of the buildings are aligned at an angle to the north-
east to south-west direction of the city to face north-south in order to align to the fixed
orientation of the mosque. The main approach is from Agra, through the Agra Gate and a Naubat
Khana which leads straight to the Diwan-i-Aam.
The road then continues the Jami Masjid, thus
arranging the structures in such a manner that the
public areas are on the southern flank of the hill,
while the private areas reserved for the Royal
family and personages of importance are on the
northern flank. Apart from the Jami Masjid, the
structures in the city are for the most part trabeate,
with some diversities in detailed treatment due to
the different backgrounds of the artisans brought in
from all parts of the vast empire. The dominant
material used is red sandstone quarried on the spot.
The buildings can be segregated into two classes, the religious and the secular, the former all
being part of the complex comprising the Jami Masjid, its triumphal gateway and the tomb of
Salim Chisti within its courtyard. The secular buildings are palaces, administrative buildings and
miscellaneous structures.

Buland Darwaza:

Buland Darwaza meaning 'high' or 'great' gate

in Persian. It is also known as the "Gate of
Magnificence." Buland Darwaza or the loft
gateway was built by the great Mughal emperor,
Akbar in 1601 A.D. at Fatehpur Sikri. Akbar
built the Buland Darwaza to commemorate his
victory over Gujarat. The Buland Darwaza is
made of red and buff sandstone, decorated by
white and black marble and towers above the
courtyard of the mosque.

The Buland Darwaza is symmetrical in plan and

is topped by pillars and chhatris with Buland
Darwaiosks on the roof, stylized battlement and
small turrets and inlay work of white and black
marble. On the outside a long flight of steps
sweeps down the hill giving the gateway
additional height. The total height of the
Structure is about 54 metres from the ground
level. It is a 15-storied high gateway that guards
the southern entrance of the city of Fatehpur
Sikri

Salim Chisti Tomb:

The tomb has been constructed on a platform which is about 1 m. high, a flight of five steps
leading to the entrance portico. The main tomb building is enclosed by delicate marble screens
on all sides, and the tomb is located in the centre of the main hall, which has a single semi-
circular dome.
The marble building is beautifully carved, and has an ivory-like appearance. The plinth is
ornamented with mosaics of black and yellow marble arranged in geometric patterns. An ebony
“chhaparkhat” enclosure surrounds the marble cenotaph, which is usually covered by a green
cloth. A wooden canopy incrusted with mother-of-pearl inlay mosaic over it. The door to the
main chamber is intricately carved with arabesque patterns and bears inscriptions from
the Koran. Brown marble borders the interior
bays while the relief panels - with the Koranic
verses - have a blue background. The carved and
painted tomb chamber has a white marble floor,
which is inlaid with multicolored stones.

Diwan I Am:
Diwan-I-Am or Hall of Public
Audience, situated near Agra Gate, was
the place where Akbar heard petitions of
the general public and did justice every
morning. The colonnaded dalan
surrounding it is divided into 111 bays
by the use of square pillars. The most
impressive feature of this complex is the
Throne Chamber facing east. It is said
that it was so built because of Akbar's
belief in 'sun worship'. This chamber
showcases a unique stone tiled roof and
a exquisitely carved frieze. The chamber
is broadly divided into three parts, with the space in front, the seat of the emperor in center
surrounded by the stone screens arranged in six-pointed star pattern and the portion masked by a
beautiful screen meant for the royal ladies.
 A gracefully carved balustrade surrounded the
chamber. The building was devoid of any dome or
superstructure but the elevation was artistically
made prominent by the use of skilful use of pillars,
brackets, chhajjas and kiosks at regular intervals in a
masterly composition. At the time of Akbar, both
this complex and Diwan-I-Khas made ostentatious
display of rich fabrics and other beautiful decorative
items befitting the grandeur of the emperor.

Diwan I Khas:

Diwan-i-Khaas, or the Hall of Private Audience

is the most distinctive of the administrative
buildings built at Fatehpur Sikri. It is not a large
structure, but it is conceived in an unusual
manner. Externally, the structure is a rectangle
in plan with two storeys having a flat terraced
roof with pillared kiosks rising over each
corner.

The interior arrangements are quite unique. It is

a single chamber whose principal feature is a
large pillar occupying the central position with
a massive expanding capital supporting a
circular stone platform. From the platform,
stone bridges radiate along each diagonal of the
hall to connect with hanging galleries which
surround its upper portion. The idea behind this
arrangement is that the Emperor would occupy
the central position while presiding over the
representatives from various religious
communities gathered there. The shaft of the
central pillar branches out into 36 voluted and
pendulous brackets carrying the throne
platform. This square red sand stone building
has four double-storeyed façades.

Though, there is no superstructure or dome here, the four beautiful kiosks at each corner of the
building that are octagonal in shape and have a circular dome with an inverted lotus on the top,
providing a superlative altitude to the building. However, since the galleries were too narrow to
accommodate all ministers of the court at once, some people think that this building was actually
the storehouse for the gems and jewels of the royalty and emperor used to come here only to
inspect his jewels.
AKBAR’S TOMB:

Akbar’s mausoleum was built by his son,

the Emperor Jahangir, 8 years after
Akbar’s death, completed in 1613. The
scheme of the mausoleum is on a grand
scale, its perimeter walls enclosing a large
square garden, while the tomb structure
situated in the centre of the enclosure is a
square in plan of 320’ side and over 100’
high. In the middle of each side of the
enclosure is a gatehouse, three of which are
false doorways added for symmetry and
the southern being the main entrance.

The main gateway is a minor monument

in itself, with pleasing proportions and
bold inlaid ornamentation along with 4
graceful white marble minarets, one above
each corner. The arrangement of the
garden beyond the gateway shows the
collaboration between the garden designer
and the builder to create a cohesive and
unified composition. The wide flagstone
causeways are expanded at suitable
locations into square terraces containing a
fountain and a sunk basin.

The tomb building takes the form of a low

truncated pyramid built up in three
storeys. The ground storey consists of a
massive terrace, over 300’ side and 30’
high, with a series of arches recessed
within its sides. In the centre of each side
is a tall rectangular structure containing an
arched alcove with a graceful marble kiosk
above its parapet. A doorway within the
southern alcove leads to a corridor going
to the tomb chamber which is a small cell
confined within the womb of the building.

Above the terrace is a series of sandstone

pavilions, arcades and kiosks and is a light
and fanciful structure in complete contrast
with the powerful substructure. It may be
assumed that this part of the mausoleum
was built under the supervision of Jahangir who demolished what was built at this level and
reconstructed it in accordance with his architectural ideals. The contrast between the ground and
upper storeys reflect the contrasting characters of Akbar and Jahangir. The uppermost storey of
 Akbar’s tomb is in marked contrast with the
rest of the structure as it is composed entirely
of white marble instead of red sandstone. It is
a massive structure with a solid projecting
cornice with a tall and graceful kiosk over
each corner. The entire structure is surrounded
by a range of delicately perforated screens.

The interior of this storey is an open court

surrounded by arcaded cloisters and a
cenotaph in the centre. It is probable that this
storey was supposed to have dome to provide a suitable apex to the pyramidal elevation and to
protect the exquisite craftsmanship of the cenotaph. Akbar’s mausoleum exhibits an
experimental nature, its builders trying to depart from the conventional structures and achieve an
original composition. However, due to the lack of proper vision and guidance, the experiment
has produced a structure deficient in the essentials of coherence and mass and also unity and
definition.

TAJ MAHAL:

The Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan at Agra as the

mausoleum for his consort Mumtaz Mahal, is considered to
be the perfect moment in the evolution of Mughal architecture
in India. The inspiration behind the Taj Mahal apparently
comes from two sources, Humayun’s Tomb at Delhi, built
about 50 years before the Taj Mahal, and the lesser known
tomb of Khan Khanan, built a few years before the Taj
Mahal.

The tomb building itself occupies only a small portion of the

architectural scheme as a whole. The plan of the whole
complex is in the form of a large rectangular enclosure
aligned to the north-south direction measuring 1900’ X 1000’.
The central area is occupied by a square garden measuring
1000’ side, leaving two oblong rectangles at the north and
south ends. The southern end consists of a system of roads and service dwellings while the
northern end, abutting the Jumna River, consists of a raised terrace on which there are the tomb
structure and some subsidiary structures.

The garden portion and terrace portion are surrounded by a high boundary wall with octagonal
pavilions at each corner and a monumental entrance gateway in the middle of the southern side.
Beyond the gateway on the south lie courtyards, stables, outhouses and other facilities with the
addition of a bazaar for supplies. The entire scheme evidences the amount of preliminary
thought that went into the design before any construction began.

The formal garden was laid out to harmonize with the main structure. There were water courses
with fountains and an elevated lotus pool to reflect the structure from various viewpoints. The
structures on the northern terrace form the main architectural
focus of the scheme, with the tomb building at the centre and two
detached subsidiary edifices on the eastern and western ends.

The western structure is a mosque, while the eastern one is a

replica added for symmetry and no real religious purpose and is
known as the jawab or answer. It has been used as a kind of
reception hall or guest house.
The central tomb structure, the
focal point of the composition
is elevated in a plinth 22’ high.
It is a square in plan with 186’
side, its sides chamfered. The
shape is carried up to a height
of 108’ with a marble cupola
on each corner. Above this
rises a bulbous dome, taking
the total height of the structure
to 187’. From each corner of
the plinth, a minaret in three
stages and crowned by a kiosk rising to a height of 137’
enhances the architectural effect.

The scheme and proportions of the structure are simple, for

example, the façade width is equal to the height, and the height
of the façade in the centre is the same as the height of the
dome, thus the top of the parapet above the central alcove in
the façade is the central point of the composition. The dome
forms the crowning feature of the composition. The shape of
the feature is in the form of a globe, its lower part truncated by
the drum on which it rests, while the curves on its upper part
rising tangentially to from the foliated base of the finial. The
dome has two shells, making it of the double dome variety.
The larger dome and the smaller cupolas at its base belong to
two different architectural traditions, the larger dome
belonging to the Persian while the smaller cupolas without
constricted bases being of an indigenous variety. In the
minarets, the face joints of the masonry are countersunk, forming a kind of rustication not
observed in the rest of the building.

The interior of the tomb chamber is a copy of Humayun’s Tomb, with the octagonal central hall
connected to subsidiary chambers in the angles by radiating passages. The main hall is in two
storeys of arcades reflecting the treatment of the exterior. Above this is the inner shell of the
dome. Each of the subsidiary rooms at the angles has a similar upper storey room right above it.
The ornamentation consists mainly of a restrained use of murals of inlaid patterns over flat
surfaces reserved for this purpose. In addition, there are some carvings on the dados and the
perforated screens surrounding the cenotaphs are exquisitely carved.

The main feature apart from the lucid and coherent composition is the quality and texture of the
material itself, which is marble from Makrana. It takes on subtle variations of tint and tone,
reflecting the changes in light that happen during the course of the day. The cenotaph of Mumtaz
Mahal occupies the central position under the finial of the dome in the central chamber, while
that of the emperor Shah Jahan is situated to one side. This may be due to the interment of the
emperor there being an afterthought, the construction of his own mausoleum not materializing
due to the war of succession with his son Aurangzeb.
TOMB OF ITMAD DAULA:

Built in A.D. 1626 for a distinguished

nobleman and Jahangir’s father-in-law,
Itmad-ud-Daula at Agra. The structure
marks a transitional phase with a fresh
interpretation of the building art in its most
delicate and refined aspect, disregarding
size and emphasizing exquisite finish. The
structure stands in a square enclosure of
540’ side, with red sandstone gateways.

The tomb structure, built in white marble,

stands in the centre of a garden with a
formal scheme of lawns, parterres, flagged
pathways, tanks and fountains. The tomb is
a square in plan of only 70’ side, comprising of a central structure with broad octagonal towers in
the form of minarets thrown out from each angle. A small pavilion or kind of upper storey rises
above the roof. There are three arched opening in each side and cornices on brackets and a wide
eave on the upper portion.
The interior of the ground storey consists of a series of rooms and passages corresponding to an
enclosed verandah which surrounds the central chamber containing the cenotaph. The pavilion
above is a square compartment with walls of screens of fine marble tracery. There is little relief
work in the ornamentation, the walls being coloured delicately by inlaid stones. The inlay work
was done with a new system called pietra dura in which hard and rare stones such as lapis, onyx,
jasper, topaz cornelian and the like were embedded in the marble in graceful foliations, as
opposed to the older system of opus sectile, a marble intarsia of various colours.

RED FORT, DELHI:

The Red Fort was the palace for Shah

Jahan's new capital, Shahjahanabad, the
seventh Muslim city in the Delhi site.
Shah Jahan (reg. 1638-1658) moved his
capital from Agra in a move designed to
bring prestige to his reign, and to
provide ample opportunity to apply his
ambitious building schemes and
interests. The city was planned on a
bluff along the western bank of the
Yamuna River, with the fort
strategically positioned at its eastern
periphery and its western edge
dominating the city to the south and
west. The Yamuna once fed the moats that surround most of the fort wall. The wall at its
northeastern corner is adjacent to an older fort, the Salimgarh, a defense built by Islam Shah Sur
in 1546.

The fort was built by Ustad Ahmad Lahori, who had worked with the architect of the Taj Mahal.
The construction was supervised by Ghairat Khan, the governor of Delhi when the construction
commenced in 1638. The fort takes its name from the massive wall of red sandstone that defines
its eight sides. The wall is 1.5miles (2.5km) long, encircles nearly 125 acres of land, and varies
in height from 60ft (16m) on the river side to 110ft (33m) towards the city.

The fort has an irregular, though largely rectangular plan; its measurements are based on the gaz,
or zira, which measures approximately 81-82 centimeters. The longer sides along the east and
west measure 656 meters, while the shorter sides along the north and south measure 328 meters,
and the chamfered corners measure 82 m, or a hundred gaz. The ideal rectangular plan was
compromised at the northeast corner to accommodate the aforementioned Salimgarh Fort within
the larger fortification.

The walls of the fort are smoothly dressed, articulated by heavy string-courses along the upper
section. They open at two major gates, the Delhi (Akbarabad) gate to the south and the Lahore
gate to the west. Both gates are preceded by barbicans that were added by Aurangzeb (reg. 1658-
1707). The Lahore Gate is the main entrance along the west-east axis; it leads to a long street
lined with arcades, the Chatta Chowk, which partially retains its function as a bazaar. This series
of arcades runs for about 70 meters and is approximately 8 meters wide; each side holds 16
arched bays.

The Chatta Chowk leads to a large open space where it crosses the large north-south street that
was originally the division between the fort's military functions, to its west, and the palaces, to its
east. This major north-south street, which now contains the Faiz Bazaar, leads south to the Delhi
gate and onwards to the congregational mosque of Shahjahanabad (Friday Mosque of Delhi).

Continuing on axis with the Lahore gate and the Chatta Chowk, on the eastern side of the open
space, is the Naqqar Khana ("drum house"), the main gate for the palace area, named for the
musicians' gallery above it. Beyond this gate is another, larger open space, which originally
served as the courtyard of the Diwan-i 'Am, the large red sandstone pavilion for public imperial
audiences, measuring 57 by 21 meters and formed of cusped arches. Originally, both the drum
tower and the hall of public audiences
stood within a courtyard enclosed on all
four sides by an arcade, which was
demolished during the British
occupation.

An ornate throne-balcony
("jharokha") for the emperor stands at
the center of the eastern wall of the
Diwan, conceived as a copy of the
throne of Solomon. Fashioned as a free-
standing pavilion on a high plinth with
a Bengali roof, it is composed of marble
with floral carvings. The upper portion
of this jharokha is decorated with
polychrome inlay work, including a set of pietra dura panels of black marble, depicting Orpheus
surrounded by animals; these panels are cited as being Italian imports. Other surrounding panels
of white marble with pietra dura depict bird and plant motifs in an Indian style.

The west-east axis continues through the Diwan-i 'Am and into the private zone of the palace to
the Rang Mahal, one in a series of pavilions that run north-south along the river edge (eastern
edge of the fort). This string of pavilions begins at the northeast with the Shah Burj (king's
tower), crowned by a chattri. The Shah Burj is also the point at which water is drawn from the
river and directed through a continuous water channel, the Nahr-i-Behisht, or "Stream of
Paradise," which runs through the center of each of the private royal pavilions.

The residential palace is designed as an imitation of paradise as it is described in the Koran; a

couplet repeatedly inscribed in the palace reads, "If there be a paradise on earth, it is here, it is
here". The planning of the palace is based on Islamic prototypes, but each pavilion reveals in its
architectural elements the Hindu influences typical of Mughal building. The palace complex of
the Red Fort is counted among the best examples of the Mughal style at its Shah Jahani peak.
Each pavilion is constructed of white marble or brick with polished plaster and preceded on the
west by a courtyard.

Moving from north to south from the Shah Burj along the Nahr-i Behisht are the hammam
(baths), with its inlaid marble floors, walls, and sunken pool and polychrome stone
ornamentation. Next is the Diwan-i Khass, or hall of private audience, used for ministerial and
court gatherings. Rectangular in plan and measuring 27.5 meters north-south and 14.3 meters
east-west, it is the most lavishly decorated of all the pavilions, with floral pietra dura patterns on
the columns, precious stones, and gilding. This hall also contained Shah Jahan's famous Takht-i
Shai, or peacock throne.

A painted and carved wooden ceiling has replaced the original of silver inlaid with gold that as
looted in the 18th century. The exterior elevations of the Diwan-i Khass feature cusped arches on
rectangular columns, above which runs a continuous projecting chajja (eave) and a parapet atop.
Chattris mark the four corners of the building's roof.
 Continuing along the channel to the south, the next
pavilion is the Khwabgah (Khass Mahal), or
imperial sleeping quarters. These include a suite of
bedrooms, prayer rooms, a veranda, and the
Mussaman Burj (Burj-i Tila), an engaged octagonal
tower projecting from the fortress wall towards the
river. Here, the emperor would show himself to the
people in a daily ceremony.
South of the Khwabgah are two pavilions that
formed the zenana, or women's quarters: first, the
Rang Mahal, notable for its gilded, decorated ceiling
and central marble pool, fed by the Nahr-i Behisht.

The southernmost pavilion, the Mumtaz Mahal, is

now a museum. To the west of the hammam is the
Moti Masjid, or Pearl Mosque. This was a later
addition, built in 1659 as a private mosque for
Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan's successor. It is a small,
three-domed mosque in carved white marble, with a
three-arched screen which steps down to the
courtyard. To its north lies a large formal garden, the Hayat Bakhsh Bagh ("Life-Bestowing
Garden"), which is cut through by two bisecting channels of water. A pavilion stands at either
end of the north-south channel, and a third, built in 1842 by the last emperor, Bahadur Shah
Zafar, stands at the center of the pool where the two channels meet.

BIBI KA MAQBARAH, AURANGABAD:

Bibi Ka Maqbara is situated 5 km away

from Aurangabad. Aurangazeb's son,
Prince Azam Shah built it in 1678 in the
memory of his mother Begum Rabia
Durani. This mausoleum is a replica of
the famous Taj Mahal. Despite the
layout and surrounding of the tomb is
very much similar to Taj Mahal,
somehow the architecture fails to
produce the magic of the Taj. Hence, it
is considered to be a poor imitation of
the Taj Mahal. The chief architect of the
monument is a Persian called Ustad -
Ata - Ullah. The inscription on the walls of the tomb reveals that it cost precisely Rs. 665,283
and 7 Annas to build this monument.

Bibi Ka Maqbara has four towering minarets like Taj Mahal. An octagonal lattice-screen of
white marble surrounds the raised plinth supporting Rabia Daurani's grave inside the tomb. The
tips of its pillars are made of red stone. The monument becomes so beauty when its reflection
falls on the water as soon as the sun's first rays fall on it. The mausoleum is laid out in
a Charbagh layout and stands at the centre of a huge enclosure measuring approximately 458 m.
N-S X 275 m. E-W. Baradaris or pillared pavilions
are located at the centre of north, east and western
part of the enclosure wall.

The high enclosure wall is crenellated with pointed

arched recesses and bastions at regular intervals.
The recesses are divided by pilasters, crowned with
small minarets. The mausoleum is built on a high
square platform with four minarets at its corners,
which is approached by a flight of steps from the
three sides. A mosque is found to the west of the
main structure, which was a later addition caused by
the Nizam of Hyderabad, resulting in closure of the
entrance from the west side.

Entry to the mausoleum is through a main entrance

gate on its south, which has foliage designs on brass
plate on wood covering from the exterior. After
passing through the entrance a small tank is
provided and a low profile screen wall leads to the
main structure. The screened pathway has a series of
fountains at its centre.

The mausoleum is encased with marble up to the

dado level. Above the dado level, it is constructed of
basaltic trap up to the base of dome; the latter is
again built of marble. A fine plaster covers the
basaltic trap and given a fine polished finish and
adorned with fine stucco decorations. The mortal
remains of Rabia Daurani are placed below the
ground level surrounded by an octagonal marble
screen with exquisite designs, which can be
approached by a descending flight of steps. The roof
of this chamber that corresponds to the ground level
of the mausoleum is pierced by an octagonal
opening and given a low barricaded marble screen.
This makes the tomb viewable from the ground level
through this octagonal opening. The mausoleum is
crowned by a dome pierced with trellis works and
accompanying panels decorated with flower designs.