Travel StoriesThe long-awaited day has arrived. The bike was delivered to the railway station by 7 am on July 30th, and everything was done as mentioned in the article – How to send a bike by train.
The train arrived at around six in the evening. We boarded the train with all our belongings and found a seat. There were no other activities to be done until we reached Delhi, so we spent time preparing for the rest of the trip and watching movies. We ordered all the food through IRCTC’s mobile app, and everything arrived perfectly. The food was good and reasonably priced.
The train arrived in Delhi on time on August 1st. According to information from Chennai, a person named Subhash was supposed to meet us there. However, he was on leave that day, so someone else named Annu greeted us instead. Annu acted as if he was in charge of us. He pushed our bike and bags on top of it and made our way to the nearest petrol station, where we filled up the tank. From there, we reached our booked hotel without much delay. After the breakfast and a short rest, we headed out to see some of Delhi’s main monuments. It was very hot, possibly even hotter than Chennai, but we went out anyway.
The first visit was to Safdarjung’s tomb.
This memorial is located near Lodhi Road and was built for Nawab Mirza Muqeem Abdul Mansoor Khan. The mausoleum was completed in 1754 and is the last garden-style mausoleum of the Mughal era. The building materials used are red stone and marble. Abdul Mansoor Khan, who came to India in 1722 and became the ruler of Awadh, was later known as ‘Safdarjung’. He was born in Nisambur, Iran, the birthplace of Umar Khayyam, a famous mathematician, historian, and poet. Despite its size and beauty, this memorial is not a popular tourist destination in Delhi.
The Safdarjung Tomb has many similarities with Humayun’s Tomb, which was the first garden-style tomb built in Delhi. Muhammad Shah gave Abdul Mansoor Khan, also known as Safdarjung, the title of ‘Safdarjung’. He served as the Governor and Minister of ‘Avadh’ during Muhammad Shah’s reign in Delhi. Safdarjung died in Lucknow, but his tomb was later moved to Delhi.
The Safdarjung Tomb houses the tombs of Safdarjung and his wife. The garden is divided into four parts and is similar in structure to the Taj Mahal and Humayun’s Tomb. There are three impressive buildings within the garden: the Badshah Pasand, the Jungli Mahal, and the Moti Mahal. These buildings are the main attraction of the tomb and are fine examples of Mughal architecture. The fountains and lush green gardens also add to the beauty of this monument.
Other Nearby Attractions
- Nehru Planetarium
- Mahatma Gandhi Memorial
- Indira Gandhi Memorial
- Kushak Mahal
- Teen Murthy Bhavan
The next visit was to the Humayun’s Tomb
Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, was built as the final resting place of Mughal Emperor Humayun. It was commissioned by his wife and chief consort, Empress Biga Begum, and designed by the Persian architects Miraq Mirza Ghiyas and his son, Syed Muhammad. Located in Nizamuddin East, it was the first garden tomb in the Indian subcontinent and the first to use red stone on such a large scale. In 1993, the mausoleum was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has undergone extensive restoration since then. Along the path to the main mausoleum are several smaller monuments, including the tomb of Isa Khan Niazi, an Afghan noble who fought against the Mughals. The mausoleum was built in 1547, twenty years before the main mausoleum.
The Humayun’s Tomb complex includes the main tomb of Emperor Humayun, as well as the tombs of Empress Bega Begum, Hamida Begum, Dara Shiko, Jahandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, Rafi ul-Darjat, Rafi ud-Daulat, Muhammad Kam Bakhsh, and many other Mughal rulers. This complex represents a significant advancement in Mughal architecture as it was the first time the four-part garden structure was tried in India. Humayun’s tomb became a model for future Mughal royal tombs, and the Taj Mahal was also built on the same model.
After going around and seeing everything, we decided to visit the India Gate. Despite the orderly traffic, when we arrived at the edge of the India Gate, we realised that people were not allowed to pass through there. So, we ended our day’s wandering and returned to our hotel.
Other information
The Suncourt Hotel Yatri, 8A, 33, Channa Market, Block 8A, WEA, Karol Bagh, New Delhi, Delhi 110005
Pros:
- Nice rooms
- Good behavior of employees
- good food
Cons:
- Vehicle parking is on the roadside. Or you have to park at another hotel which is a little far away.
(To be continued…)
