When Emperor Akbar’s trusted lieutenant and reputed scholar Abdur Rahim Khan commissioned the construction of a red sandstone tomb near the Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti in memory of his wife, he probably had no inkling that 400 years later, the tomb would become a refuge for love birds, dedicated junkies and stray dogs.
The tomb, built as a labour of love, has now been reduced to a crumbling edifice with visible cracks all over the structure. However, this does not diminish the Khan-e-Khanan’s significance in terms of its aesthetic beauty. It is a testament to the immense contribution of the Mughals to enrich the country’s cultural heritage.
With an encyclopaedic knowledge of Turkish, Persian and Hindi, Khan had the distinction of being one of the most intelligent and articulate of the nine ministers of Emperor Akbar. Sadly, this linguist did not have a normal childhood. He rose from the ashes when his father Bairam Khan, a regent of the third Mughal emperor, was assassinated.
Though Akbar took him under his wings when he was only four, Khan’s life had fallen apart. But due to his razor sharp intelligence, ingenuity and wisdom, he rose to become a high profile minister. Consequently, he was conferred the prestigious title of Khan-e-Khanan or the Khan of Khans.
The cenotaph of the gifted poet is placed in the central chamber of the tomb which can be accessed through the southern side. During the later years of the Mughal rule, finished materials and ornamental slabs were stripped off and used during the construction of Safdarjung Tomb. Today, the tomb is in a dilapidated state due to prolonged neglect by the Archaeological Survey of India. The protected monument has been declared to be of national significance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
Graffiti is an offence at this ticketed monument. On the entrance itself, it has been highlighted that those indulging in defacement or misuse of the monument will be punished by either two years of imprisonment or a fine of Rs.1,00,000 or both. However, the rules are openly being contravened. Unmindful of the clear cut instructions inscribed on a plaque by the ASI, some love birds have even scribbled their names and their partners’ in large ugly letters on the interiors. What is unpardonable is that such defacement is right near the site where the poet was buried. Shockingly, no efforts have been made by the ASI as the custodian of the tomb to obliterate names like Salman, Jafar or “I love Shabana” from the walls.
“Scribbling by overenthusiastic lovers needs to be checked. Earlier, residents of Nizamuddin Basti used to frequent this tomb with their families but they do not do so anymore. The tomb’s maintenance is not up to the mark and a visit with the entire family hits the pocket,” said Imranuddin, a local resident.Locals allege that drug addicts also misuse the monument.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, undertaking a major conservation project on the adjoining site of Humayun’s Tomb, is yet to turn its attention to Khan-i-Khanan’s tomb. However, AKTC is likely to undertake conservation works on the tomb as part of the MoU signed with ASI for the Humayun’s tomb conservation.
