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FACTS & FIGURES
Built in : Between 1622 and 1628
Built by : Nurjahan
Location : Agra (Uttar Pradesh)
Itmad-ud-Daulah’s Tomb
The
tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah is as interesting as the life of the person fo r
whom it was built. Mirza Ghiyas-ud-din or Ghiyas Beg (later known as
Itmad-ud-Daulah) was a poor merchant and lived in Persia (modern-day Iran).
While on his way to India for business, his wife gave birth to a baby girl. As
the family was extremely poor and had nothing to eat, the parents decided to
abandon the child. However, the wails of the baby girl forced the parents to
come back and take her with them. The baby girl brought a stroke of good luck to
her parents, for Ghiyas Beg found a caravan that straightaway took him to the
court of the great Mughal Emperor, Akbar. In the course of time, Ghiyas Beg rose
to become a minister and a trusted treasurer in Akbar’s court. After Akbar’s
death in 1605, his son Jahangir became the Mughal emperor, who made Ghiyas Beg
his chief minister or Wazir. Ghiyas Beg was also honored with the title of
Itmad-ud-Daulah or the pillar of the state.
Ghiyas
Beg’s daughter grew up to be a beautiful lady and came to be known as
Mehr-un-Nissa or the sun of womankind. In the course of time, the fame of her
beauty spread. She was married off, but she soon became a widow. She returned to
the court of Jahangir where her father was employed. Emperor Jahangir fell in
love with her and married her. She soon became a powerful personality in
Jahangir’s court and was called Nur Mahal, the light of the palace, and Nur
Jahan, light of the world. When Ghiyas Beg (Itmad-ud-Daulah) died in 1622, Nur
Jahan undertook the project to build his mausoleum. Later she built the tomb of
her husband (in a similar style) in Lahore. Nur Jahan had a brother whose
daughter was married to Jahangir’s son, Shahjahan. She was known as Mumtaz
Mahal in whose memory Shahjahan built the world famous Taj Mahal.
Itmad-ud-Daulah
was buried in a tomb that resembles a jewel box and set in a garden. This
tranquil, small, garden located on the banks of the Yamuna was to inspire the
construction of the Taj Mahal in the later years. It is the first tomb in India
built entirely in white marble. The tomb is also justly famous for the glorious
pietra dura (stone inlay) decoration depicting cypresses, wine glasses, and an
amazing variety of geometrical arabesque. The jali screens set in arched
recesses are splendid. Four small minarets rise at the four corners of the small
tomb structure. The whole structure gives the impression of an enlarged precious
object. Due to the profusion of intricate work done on marble and the beautiful
marble screen-work, the tomb easily qualifies as a veritable forerunner of the
famous Taj Mahal.
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