The Desolate Tomb of Khan-i-Khanan (Rahim)

Khan-i-Khanan Tomb, Delhi
The Tomb of Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan: Standing Desolately in Silence
Khan-i-Khanan Tomb, Delhi
The Tomb of Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan: Standing Desolately in Silence

Location: Mathura Road, Nizamuddin area, Delhi

Most of us have been taught about the famous poet Rahim’s couplets as a part of the Hindi curriculum in our school time. But how many of us actually know that this learned man, whose literary works still glorify the nation, lies buried in a desolate tomb in Delhi? Not many, perhaps. Mirza Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan was a great scholar and a gem of Emperor Akbar’s court. He was the son of Bairam Khan, the atrocious general in Humayun’s army who later became Akbar’s guardian. After Bairam Khan’s death, Akbar married his wife and thus, Rahim became his step son.

Located in the Nizamuddin area of Old Delhi, Khan-i-Khanan’s tomb lies at a walking distance from Humayun’s tomb. It was built in 1598 by Rahim himself as a cenotaph for his beloved wife. After his death in 1627, Rahim was also buried at the same place. Having ripped off it’s elegance now, the Khan-i-Khanan’s tomb was once built with exclusive red stone and marble like that of Humayun’s tomb. Later, the sandstone and marble was taken off to build the Safdurjung tomb. Though the tomb is nothing of an architectural beauty now, the grandeur of its structure still steals the attention.

The lush green gardens around this old structure often witness the health-freaks jogging around the complex. The lawns and the pathways have been kept well-maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. Except for the mornings and evenings, the tomb can only see squirrels racing around up and down the trees. Sadly, the cenotaph of one of the most renowned poets of the Indian Sub-continent,whose couplets are still recited by the children, lies ignored in the capital.

Timings: Sunrise to Sunset

Entry: Rs.5