Agra Diaries: Places less traveled-Tomb of Mariam Zamani

Tomb of Mariam Zamani (c. 1623-27):

Location: Mariam‘s tomb is situated some 1 km away from Akbar's Tomb at Sikandra. While coming towards Mathura from Agra,It falls on the left side. You can see the signboards/directions from the main highway (NH2). 

Visiting Hours: From Sunrise to Sunset

Information below is extracted from ASI (Archeological Survey of India) Inscriptions.

Mariam Zamani was the daughter of Raja Bharmal Kaccwaha of Amer ( Jaipur) and was married to Akbar in 1562 A.D. She gave birth to Salim (Jehangir) in 1569 at Fatehpur Sikri, when the title mariam zamani (Compassionate of the world) was conferred upon her by Akbar. She died at Agra in 1623 and this tomb was built by her son Jehangir between 1623 and 1627 A.D.
 

This was originally a Lodi Barahdari (Open pavilion) which was adopted by the mughals and converted into a tomb by making a crypt below the central compartment; reconstructing the four facades of the building with carved red sandstone panels and a chsajja with addition of Duchhattis (Mezzanine floors) at the corners; and remaking the superstructure with Chhatris and Chhaparkhats.

This square tomb stands in the center of garden; the plan consists of two thorough corridors at regular interval. E-W and N-S from one end to the other i.e from every third archway intersecting each other at right angles dividing the interior into nine sections: The large one at the center, four small square ones at the corners and four oblong ones in the middle of four sides. Massive piers have been used to support the broad arches and vaulted ceilings. Construction is in brick and mortar, finished by stucco.
 

On each façade of arch in the center, set in a rectangular frame which projects forward. It is flanked on either side by a wing consists of three arches and set of double arches, and one over other, Thus accommodating a duchhati at each corner of the building. Arches are pointed. Wings are protected by Chhajjas.
 

The Tomb builder has three tombstones: one in the underground mortuary chamber, ostensibly on the grave; the cenotaph above it on the ground floor and one cenotaph on the terrace.
 

Its superstructure is composed of four massive octagonal chhatris on the four corners of the building and four oblong chhaparkhats on the middle of the four sides, Each octagonal chhatri, all of red sandstone, stands majestically on a square platform. Beautiful brackets have been used to support the internal lintels and external chhajja, five on each pillar, making a total of 40 brackets in one chhatri. Each Chhaparkhat is rectangular and has eight pillars with a similar cluster of brackets. These Chhatris and Chhaparkhat constitute the most important ornament of the whole composition. They dominate as much on façade as on superstructure. They make up a beautiful skyline and building is complete in itself even without a dome. This Mausoleum occupies an important position in the class of “domeless tombs” of The Mughals