THE REALM OF SULTANS: LODI GARDEN, NEW DELHI

 

During a recent visit to Delhi, I was fortunate to be put up at the India Habitat Centre, a multi-purpose building that was built with the aim of bringing together individuals and Institutions working in diverse habitat and environment related fields. Located a stone’s throw away from Lodi garden, it gave me the perfect opportunity to spend a few hours exploring one of Delhi’s most historic green spaces before a dinner engagement with a college friend.

The Lodi garden in New Delhi is a large artificially created park spread over 90 acres, making it a significant green lung in the heart of Lutyen’s Delhi. It was created in 1936 in the village of Khairpur by relocating the villagers and was named Lady Willingdon garden after the wife of the then Viceroy of British India, Lord Willingdon. Following India’s independence, it was renamed Lodi Garden, a more fitting title given that it serves as the final resting place of several kings of the late Delhi Sultanate. The present layout of the garden was designed by Joseph Stein who also was the architect for the India Habitat Centre.

                                                                                

                                                                  

It was a cold winter evening when I entered the garden through the Ashoka Gate on Lodi Road. Near the entrance is a map marking the various tombs and structures that were part of this area before the British Government commissioned the garden as part of the development of New Delhi. These architectural remains are of particular importance, as they are among the best-preserved structures from the late Delhi Sultanate period (Sayyid dynasty 1414 – 1451 and Lodi dynasty 1451 -1526).

Lodi gardens is always bustling with people of all ages and interests. I walked amidst crowds, that included rowdy school boys playing football, giggly girls gossiping, young people on brisk walks and older couples sauntering along the many intersecting pathways that criss-cross the park. Amorous couples occupied benches shaded by large, leafy trees that give the garden a forest-like ambience, while families gathered on the lawns surrounding a lake with a central fountain, and home to several species of water birds.

And then there were the Birds, myriads of them preparing for their nightly roost, adding to the pleasant cacophony that pervaded the park.  Kites wheeling high up in the sky, their shrill whistles piercing the air; parakeets shrieking from tree-tops, hordes of mynas cackling noisily and groups of jungle babblers flitting from bush to tree and back with their metallic, grating calls. I also spotted several other species, notably a wedge-tailed green pigeon and a grey hornbill.

On the lawns surrounding the Tomb of Sikander Lodi a pair of red-naped Ibis industriously scoured the ground for food, seemingly indifferent to the humans wandering around them. Lodi Garden is a place where everyone can find something that appeals to them, including history buffs like myself. I spent considerable time exploring the tombs and monuments that are the main attraction of this remarkable place.

Mohammed Shah’s tomb, The Bara Gumbad and the Shish Gumbad are located near the centre of the garden, while the Tomb of Sikander Lodi, with its fortress-like walls and enclosed garden stands near the main gate that opens onto the junction of Max Muller Marg and Subramanyam Bharti Road.

The Bara Gumbad is a group of three structures built of red sandstone, distinguished by arched recesses and decorative battlements. Adjacent to it is a mosque adorned with arabesque stucco décor with remnants of finely painted art-work on its ceiling. A short distance away stands the Shish (Glazed) Gumbad which originally was embellished with blue enamel tiles.

The Bara Gumbad (lower photos) & the mosque attached to it (upper photo)

The Shish Gumbad

The tomb of Sikander Lodi, built in 1517-18 by his son Ibrahim Lodi (the last Sultan of Delhi, who was defeated by Babur in 1526 at the battle of Panipat) has an octagonal design in the Indo-Islamic architectural style. Surrounded by imposing fort like ramparts and set within a large garden, it lies beside a lake believed to have once been a tributary of the Yamuna river. 

Tomb of Sikandar Lodi, Fortress like battlements, The Mausoleum and in it a very simple grave.

This water body is spanned by the Athpula, an elegant eight-pillared stone bridge built during the Mughal era.

I spent nearly two hours wandering through the garden, and as dusk settled in, the air grew cold and foggy. Reluctantly tracing my steps towards the exit, I felt content and contemplative, having spent time amidst the relics of long-forgotten Sultans. The experience transported me back several centuries, allowing me to relive history while also savouring the natural beauty of the trees and birds that form such an integral part of this timeless park.