India Through My Eyes

Humayun's tomb  (Urdu:  ہمایوں کا مقبرہ ‎   Humayun ka Maqbara ) is the tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun. The tomb was commissioned by Humayun's first wife Bega Begum (Haji Begum) in 1569-70, and designed by Mirak Mirza Ghiyas, a Persian architect chosen by Bega Begum. It was the first garden-tomb on the Indian subcontinent, and is located in Nizamuddin East, Delhi, India, close to the Dina-panah citadel also known as Purana Qila (Old Fort), that Humayun founded in 1533. It was also the first structure to use red sandstone at such a scale .  The tomb was declared a  UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, and since then has undergone extensive restoration work, which is complete. Arab Sarai  Literally meaning the sarai (resthouse) for the Arabs, the structure stands adjacent to the Afsarwala mosque and was built by Bega Begum around 1560-1561 CE, ostensibly built for the craftsmen who came for the...

Bara Imambara  ( Urdu :  بڑا امامباڑا ‎,  Hindi :  बड़ा इमामबाड़ा ) is an  imambara  complex in  Lucknow, India , built by Asaf-ud-Daula ,  Nawab of Lucknow , in 1784. It is also called the Asafi Imambara. Bara  means  big , and an  imambara  is a shrine built by  Shia  Muslims for the purpose of  Azadari . The Bara Imambara is among the grandest buildings of Lucknow, The complex also includes the large  Asfi   mosque , the  bhulbhulayah  (the labyrinth), and  bowli , a step well with running water. Two imposing gateways lead to the main hall. Construction of Bara Imambara was started in 1785, a year of a devastating famine, and one of  Asaf-ud-Daula 's objectives in embarking on this grandiose project was to provide employment for people in the region. It is said that ordinary people used to work in the day building up the  edifice , while  noblemen  ...