Once a thriving Mughal city known as the ‘Gateway to the Deccan’, it is now a sleepy town, which to me looks stuck in a time warp. Unlike most other walled cities, the city walls of Burhanpur, Madhya Pradesh, are still intact, as are the gateways. I drove through the Shanwara Gate, Itwara Gate and Shikarpura Gate. Other gateways are named Lohar Mandi Gate, Dilli Gate, Sindhipura Gate, Silampura gate and Rajpura Gate.
Beautiful wooden houses coexist with cement ones, though lack of heritage management is proving tough on the former. Tonga s still ply as a regular means of transport.
Many Mughal princes were posted here as Governors, and the various monuments scattered all over the city are a testimony to that.
I came here in search of Mumtaz Mahal’s original grave but was spellbound by the numerous other graves that dot the landscape.
The tomb of Shahnawaz Khan, son of Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana, is called ‘Kala Taj Mahal’ or ‘Black Taj Mahal’ by the locals. It’s a beautiful monument, shaped like the Taj though built on a much smaller scale. And though it owes its name to the local black stones used for its construction, it has also been blackened by age.
Painted niches, frescoed walls
Square in shape with a central dome, it has hexagonal minarets on the four corners with arched verandas running all round it. However, it is when one enters inside that you gasp at how beautiful it once must have been. Remnants of the painted niches and frescoed walls and ceilings give an inkling of how profusely decorated the tomb would have been in those days. It stands in a well-maintained garden with green grass and colourful shrubs.
Next to it is an interestingly shaped monument, one that is currently in a ruinous state. I was told it is called Paandan Mahal because it is shaped like a paandan . I visit it to find an unknown broken grave and brick walls with remnants of beautiful niches, their surface getting peeled off. Perhaps these were once painted? They aren’t deep enough to hold candles or lamps.
Shah Jahan was married to Shahnawaz Khan’s daughter. The Paandan Mahal’s proximity to his mausoleum leads me to wonder: Could she be resting inside it? Or does it belong to some other family member? It’s a hauntingly attractive monument but in the danger of falling down any time soon. The heritage of Burhanpur doesn’t seem to be on anyone’s priority list.
From there, I go to another stunning mausoleum, the grave of Bilqis Begum — wife of Shah Shuja, son of Shah Jahan. Coincidently, she too died during childbirth, like Mumtaz Mahal.
It is very small but gorgeously beautiful, like the twelve-leaved, lotus-shaped platform it sits on. Its dome and walls are fluted which also gives it another name: Kharbooza Mahal, or Kharbooze ka Gumbad .
It is kept locked and just as well should be, for when the watchman opens it for us, the bright colours and the state of preservation of the painting inside stun us. Except the ceiling, which is darkened, the walls and niches glow like fireflies in the naturally dark tomb. A sense of peace emanates from it; we see a young boy sitting in a corner, immersed in his studies.
From here, we intend see the tombs of the Farooqi rulers. But since the route to them is not smooth, we give them a miss and instead go to the nearby dargahs of Chup Shah and Shah Bhikhari.
The dargah of Shah Bhikhari dates back to the reign of Farooqi ruler Adil Khan II in the 15th century. Just like other dargahs, this is the resting place of many people. But the unique aspect of this dargah is that sits on the riverbed of the Utawali river. More than a lakh devotees offer namaz on Barawafat — the Prophet’s birthday and also the day of Shah Bhikhari’s urs.
Early in the morning, we set off for a village, some 10 km away from Burhanpur, where the chhatri (cenotaph) of Raja Jai Singh, the great Rajput general who was the commander of the Mughal forces in the Deccan, is located. He died at Burhanpur, reportedly while returning from the Deccan, and Aurangzeb built a chhatri in commemoration, keeping with the custom among the Rajputs.
It is a rarely visited monument and I am not surprised since the road leading to it, which goes through villages, is rough and not metalled. The chhatri itself is of black stone and looks quite grand, standing all alone amongst the plantain fields.
Burhanpur is a treasure house for those who love architecture, history and heritage. But in its current state of preservation, I fear for it.
