Chausath Khamba

Chausath Khamba is a tomb built during 1623-24. It was built by Mirza Aziz Koka, son of Ataga Khan, as a
mausoleum for himself, at the time when Mughal Emporer Jahangir ruled from Delhi. It was initially built as a
hall in an innovative eclectic architectural style of the Mughal Period but was later converted into a tomb. It is
unique in both architectural design and ornamentation. It is a square structure constructed entirely of white
marble. The structure has 64 columns that supports twenty five bays, each in turn supporting a dome which
are not visible externally being reverse domes. The roof is flat. Each wall has five arches that are held by
square pilasters. In each face, between each of five pilasters, marble trellised screens have been fixed. The
structure is enclosed and has an imposing entrance gate.

CHAUSATH KHAMBA - TOMB OF MIRZA AZIZAH KOKAL TASH

The Chausath Khamba is situated on a busy and ancient market area dating back to the
14th Century AD also known as the Hazrat Nizamuddin 'Basti' which means 'Village'
predominantly inhabited by Indian Muslims. This area lies just behind the Tomb of Mirza
Ghalib and at the junction of Lodi Road and Mathura Road.
The name 'Chausath Khamba' sometimes spelt as 'Chaunsath Khamba' literally means 'Hall
of Sixty Four Pillars'. It is known as one of the most distinguished Tombs depicting exquisite
designs inlaid with white marble. The Tomb belongs to Azizah Kokal Tash who was the
foster brother of the Mughal Emperor Akbar and the biological son of Atgah Khan where he
was buried sometime between 1623 and 1624.
Mirza Azizah Kokah had selected this site where he constructed his own Tomb. The Graves
of his mother and eight Brothers and Sisters are also seen within this Tomb area along with
the Graves of his two wives and a few of his many children. During his lifetime, Mirza Aziz
had served as the Governor of Gujarat under the Imperial reign of Mughal Emperor
Jahangir while the Emperor ruled from Delhi. He passed away in Sarkej where he was
temporarily buried; however, his grave along with his remains were later shifted to the
present location within the Chausath Khamba.
The Chausath Khamba Monument has an imposing entrance gateway and stunning
architecture that depicts a diverse and innovative architectural design. It was originally a
massive Hall built in the typical Mughal style probably used by the Emperor or even the
Imperial Courtiers as a Private Hall. It was later converted into the Tomb of Mirza Azizah
Kokal Tash. The Tomb is square in structure and built entirely out of white marble with an
elaborately decorated facade. The Tomb has a flat roof held by Sixty Four Pillars from
where the name originated supporting twenty five coves and each cove is surmounted by
an inverted Dome which is not visible externally. Each wall of the Tomb is pierced with five
arches held by square pilasters (slightly projecting Columns) and diagonal crisscrossed
marble strips are carved on the face that lies in between each of the five pilasters.
The Tomb of Mirza Azizah Kokal Tash is also dotted with several other unknown graves
however, it is still considered as the Shrine of the Family of Atgah Khan. This Tomb is also
considered as a part of the Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah and was recently declared as
a Heritage site categorised under Zone 'D' which is one of the six zones in Delhi that are
marked for Conservation and Heritage Administration and Upkeep.
The URS Mahal is located right in front of the Chausath Khamba monument. It is an
assembly hall used for cultural programs and Qawwalis during festivals and especially
during the celebrations of the 'Urs' or death anniversary of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia. It was
renovated in 2003 and deemed as a protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of
India or ASI. The Landscapes visible today on a portion of the courtyard just before the
entrance of Chaunsath Khamba and the URS Mahal were in fact sketched and done up by
the Aga khan Trust for Culture. Sufi Qawwali Music and songs of Jashn e-Khusrau are also
witnessed during the Urs festival of Hazrat Amir Khusrau (13th Century Mystic Sufi Poet,
Musician and Politician) attended by performers from the Country as well as Pakistan.
Chausath Khamba is a tomb in Delhi, built by Mirza Aziz Koka – son of Ataga Khan who was the prime minister of emperor Akbar, as a tomb
for himself during the year 1623-24. Chausath Khamba, named after the two Urdu words Chausath and Khamba, which mean '64 pillars',
respectively, was constructed during the rule of Jahangir in Delhi. Present in Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti, Chausath Khamba is a square
structure built out of white marble and consists of 64 columns that support 25 bays, each of which support a dome. These domes are inside
the building structure, the roof of which appears flat from the outside. Declared a heritage structure, this monument is part of the Nizamuddin
religious complex. Also, present in the monument's vicinity are other heritage structures like the tomb of Ataga Khan, the URS Mahal – an
assembly hall and the Mirza Ghalib Tomb – the tomb of renowned Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib. And close by the tomb of Ghalib, there is the
Ghalib Academy housing an Urdu literature library and a museum showcasing the works and collections of artworks and paintings of Mirza
Ghalib.

Read more at: https://www.nativeplanet.com/delhi/attractions/chausath-khamba/#overview

Better known as Chausath Khamba for its 64 pillars, the marble structure
stands close to the Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya’s dargah and Mirza Ghalib’s
mausoleum. Over three centuries of damage had caused the monument to
lose its shine until the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and the
Archaeological Survey of India joined hands with the German Embassy for its
restoration.
At the inauguration, German Ambassador to India Michael Steiner said,
“Structural influences like the Chausath Khamba are generous gifts of the
Muslim community to the diversity of India and Germany wants to contribute
to this diversity.” The Ambassador quoted a Ghalib verse and called Chausath
Khamba a “masterpiece of Mughal architecture”.
The tomb was built in 1623 for Mughal emperor Akbar’s foster brother Koka.
Conservation work began at the structure in 2010 after AKTC engineers found
largescale seepage in its 25 domes. “The marble blocks of the domes were
tied to each another and embedded in the brick masonry over the domes with
iron dowels. The rainwater spouts from the inaccessible roof got blocked and
hence, large amounts of water got collected on the roof,” AKTC project
director Ratish Nanda said.
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“This led to corrosion, rusting and expansion of the iron dowels. The pressure
led to bursting of the marble blocks in all parts of the mausoleum — domes,
arches, facade, pendentives and even the column capitals — threatening to
collapse the structure,” he said.

A high-definition survey, using 3D laser scanning technology, was carried out

on the structure as a precursor to conservation works. This was followed with
a stone-by-stone assessment of the entire structure to map the profile and
defects on each stone.

The preservation was possible only if the iron dowels could be removed. This
required dismantling all the 25 domes. Such an effort had never before been
undertaken anywhere in the world,” Nanda explained.
The cracks in brick masonry were reportedly stitched with similar material and
lime grout from the roof above used to fill inaccessible portions. Stone
carvers, using traditional tools and building techniques, took eight months to
successfully repair the first dome — on the northwest corner — thus
establishing the repair methodology for the mausoleum. Three teams of stone
craftsmen took four years to repair the 25 domes.

Chausath Khamba

Front view of Chausath Khamba

Basic information

Location New Delhi, India

Geographic
28°35′28.7″N77°14′30.5″ECoordinates:
coordinates
28°35′28.7″N 77°14′30.5″E

Affiliation Islam

District New Delhi

Territory Delhi

Province Delhi

Year 1624
consecrated

Ecclesiastical Tomb
or
 organizational
status

Leadership Jahangir

Architectural description

Architect(s) Koka Khan-i-Azam

Architectural Tomb
type

Architectural Mughal architecture

style

Completed 1623

Specifications

Direction of Open on four sides

façade

Dome(s) 25

Materials Marble

Chausath Khamba, also spelled Chaunsath Khamba (Urdu: ‫چونسٹھ کھمبا‬, Hindi: च स ौं ठ खम्बा), is a
tomb built during 1623–24. It is located in Nizamuddin precincts of Sufi Muslim shrines and tombs
in New Delhi, India. The name means "64 pillars" in Urdu and Hindi. It was built by Mirza Aziz Koka,
son of Ataga Khan, as a mausoleum for himself, at the time when Mughal Emperor Jahangir ruled
from Delhi. Mirza Aziz Koka had served several times as Jahangir’s Governor of Gujarat before he
died in Gujarat.[1][2][3]

Contents

 1Structure
 2Heritage status
 3Other structures
 4References
 5External links
Structure[edit]
Chausath Khamba monument was initially built as a hall in an innovative eclectic architectural style
of the Mughal period. It was later converted into a tomb. It is a square structure constructed entirely
of white marble. The structure (pictured with facades) has 64 columns that support twenty five bays.
Each bay supports a dome. The domes are not visible externally since they are reverse domes
(picture). The roof is flat. Each wall has five arches that are held by square pilasters. In each face,
between each of five pilasters, marble trellised screens have been fixed.[2][4]

Ataga Khan’s Tomb near Chausath Khamba

According to inscriptions, the structure houses the tomb of Mirza Aziz Koka (also named Kotaltash).
The tomb of his father, Ataga Khan, the Prime Minister of Akbar, is also in the vicinity. In addition,
there are several other unidentified tombs inside this monument.[1][5] It is considered the family shrine
of Atgah Khan.[6] The structure is enclosed and has an imposing entrance gate. The Ghalib tomb is
located adjoining this structure on the northern side.[3]Comparison is drawn to a similar tomb built in
marble in Sarkhej in Gujaratwhere Mirza Aziz Koka served several times as Jahangir’s Governor of
Gujarat. He died in Sarkhej and was temporarily buried there. His remains were later shifted to
Chausath Khamba.[2]
Heritage status[edit]

Marble pavilion with mausoleum of Mirza Aziz Koka inside the Chausath Khamba

The Chausath Khamba is located in the busy 14th century market area of Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti
in New Delhi. The shrine of the Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (1236 AD – 1325 AD) is
nearby.[7] The monument is part of the Nizamuddin religious complex and has been declared a
heritage building.[8] The forecourt of Chaunsath Khamba was recently landscaped by the Aga Khan
Trust. The successful Sufi qawwali music of Jashn-E-Khusrau, in which performers from India and
Pakistan performed, was held here in March 2010.[8]

Other structures[edit]
There are two other structures adjoining the Chausath Khamba, which are also heritage monuments.
Urs Mahal
Located in front of the Chausath Khamba, Urs Mahal is an assembly hall (pictured in the gallery)
where Khawwali programmes are held on festival days and on the days during "Urs of Sufi
saint Nizamuddin Auliya". It is a protected monument (refurbished in 2003).[9][10]
Mirza Ghalib’s tomb
Mirza Ghalib's tomb is a small tomb of famous Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib (1797–1869), who was
renowned in Urdu and Persianpoetry during the Mughal period.[citation needed] It is a protected monument.
The tomb is a work of art located north of the enclosure of the Chausath Khamba.[citation needed]
The most beautiful of all buildings in the congested Nizamuddin Basti, it is also the most ignored. Most
visitors to this 14th century village, named after a sufi saint, head straight to the saint’s shrine. A few are
likely to notice Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib’s tomb that lies on the left of the principal street. Hidden behind
this mausoleum is the marbled Chausanth Khamba (circa 1624), the rare Jehnagir-era monument in Delhi,
so well-preserved that it does not look old.
Built by Mirza Aziz Kokaltash, a foster brother of Emperor Akbar, Chaunsath Khamba is so named because
64 pillars are said to support its roof. You will, however, count only till 36. These pillars join the roof in a
soft, sloping harmony.

Inside, the hall has ten tombs, two of which belong to Kokaltash and his wife. The rest could be the other
members of the family. Since the walls have stone jaalis, sunlight falls through the latticework making
embroidered patterns on the marble floor, as well as on the tombs. Outside, towards the Ghalib’s
memorial, there are more tombs.

Chausanth Khamba faces the open courtyard of Urs Mahal, a venue for cultural shows, which remain
empty except in evenings when boys come to play cricket. Ghalib’s tomb, too, is usually bare. Amid the
desolation, the monument feels as isolated as the North Pole, yet it is close to the civilization. Surrounded
by the Basti’s jagged skyline, the sounds of households and alleys – children crying, women laughing,
hawkers yelling, men arguing, pressure cookers whistling – waft inside the pillared hall where they echo as
softly as temple bells does on a hilly countryside. You feel meditative and far from the worldly
temptations.
Chausath Khamba is a 16th century tomb of Mirza Aziz Kokaltash built during the
Akbari era and is unique in both architectural design and ornamentation. The white
marble structure is called Chaunsath Khambha because of the 64 columns which
support the roof of the hall. It stands within the largest open space within Hazrat
Nizamuddin Basti and is entered through an impressive gateway located on the north-
eastern end of the complex.

The monument was enclosed within a rubble masonry wall in the 1960s to protect it
from vandalism and encroachment. This wall segregated the monument from its
forecourt, which was an integral element of the original design. Following the
conservation works undertaken in 2010, this wall has now been demolished and
replaced with a protective metal fence that allows visibility of the monument. The large
forecourt has been paved, in a formal design, reflective of the Mughal style. This
required the existing paving to be removed, though portions of the stonework could
eventually be re-used in the new design.

The area comprising of Chausath Khamba, Urs Mahal courtyard and Mirza Ghalib Tomb,
now form the largest open space in Nizamuddin Basti. The three presently segregated
sites have been integrated by the landscape design thereby enhancing the cultural
significance of the place and allow appropriate community usage - like the Sufi Qawaali
music festival, Jashn-e-Khusrau, hosted by AKTC in 2010. The landscape works have
significantly enhanced the historical character of this space and rehabilitated it as a
potential venue for community events and Qawwali performances.
To support the conservation and restoration of Chausath Khamba, Germany signed an
agreement with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) on 13th April 2011. Chausath
Khamba has suffered severe decay due to excessive water seepage and inappropriate
repairs works in the 20th century. The water seepage has resulted in the iron clamps
rusting leading to their expansion and resulting in damage to the marble. Also, in the
20th century, layers of concrete have been added to the roof in an inappropriate
attempt to prevent water seepage into the building below, these layers will need to be
carefully manually removed to restore the original roof levels and reduce the enormous
extra dead-load on the building and ensure quick water drainage from the outlets on
the roof that have been partially blocked as a result of the extra concrete.

Conservation of the tomb will be coupled with facade and housing improvement of the
surrounding residences.

Chausath Khamba, Delhi

Chausath Khamba was built in 1623-24 to serve as a tomb for Mirza Aziz Koka, foster brother of Akbar.
It is so called on account of the 64 (chausath) monolithic marble pillars (khamba) and stands in near
his father, Atgah Khan’s tomb, at the edge of the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
The entry to the tomb enclosure is through a lofty arched gateway and it has a large sunken forecourt.
The mausoleum is built entirely of marble, with 25 marble domes supporting the flat roof of the
structure.
The marble blocks of the 25 domes were tied to one-another and embedded in the brick masonry over
the domes with iron dowels. The rainwater spouts from the inaccessible roof got blocked resulting in
large quantities of rainwater collecting on roof. This caused corrosion, rusting and expansion of the
iron dowels. The forecourt of the mausoleum — segregated with a masonry wall built in between in
the 1980s — was in a poor state.
A high definition survey was carried out, followed with a stone-by-stone assessment. Archival research
revealed sketches dating from the early 19th century, descriptions and a continuous record of
photographs from the mid 19th century.
The study of the structure revealed that over 80 per cent of the stone blocks had severe cracks and
past repairs had inappropriately only filled up the cracked portions of stone blocks with white cement
— masking the damage but allowing the deterioration to accelerate. The forecourt — largest open
space in Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti — was to be landscaped to create a venue for Qawwali performance
in the neighbourhood. The assessment was that preservation of Chausath Khamba would be possible
only if the iron dowels were removed. It therefore became necessary to start a conservation
programme that required dismantling each of the 25 domes. Such an effort had never before been
undertaken anywhere in the world.
Once a specially designed support framework was built, the keystone was held in place and rings of
marble blocks were dismantled and carefully reassembled on the floor. Iron dowels manually removed
and stone indents of matching size prepared for corners that had burst.
The stone carvers, using traditional tools and building techniques took eight months to successfully
repair the first dome — on the northwest corner — thus establishing the repair methodology for the
mausoleum. The repair of the 25 domes has taken almost four years during which time three teams
of stone craftsmen have worked under close supervision.
The masonry wall built in the 1980s to limit access to Chausath Khamba was dismantled and replaced
with a transparent fence using motifs from the decorative lattice screens of the mausoleum.
The forecourt itself was paved with stone in a manner that not only enhanced the historic character
but also allowed the creation of a performance space for concerts and cultural festivals. Twice a year
the Urs ceremony of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and his favourite disciple, the Sufi poet Amir Khusrau
is held at the Urs Mahal built within the enclosure in the mid-20th century. It is proposed to install a
permanent exhibit in this space.
The conservation effort at Chausath Khamba created at least 25,000 man-days of work for traditional
stone craftsmen and allowed training of younger craftsmen. Youth from Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti have
been trained to serve as heritage volunteers guiding tourists, pilgrims and schoolchildren through the
seven centuries of built and living heritage of Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti.
At the onset of the Nizamuddin Urban Renewal Initiative, baseline surveys revealed that under 1 per
cent of the women residents had any livelihood. Self-help groups established there were trained to
make souvenirs in paper and textiles with motifs from Chausath Khamba and Humayun’s Tomb.
Conservation of other monuments such as the 14th century step-well and the Khalji-era mosque has
also been undertaken within the Basti.
Mirza Ghalib’s tomb, Delhi
Mirza Ghalib, one of India’s most legendary Urdu poets was buried adjacent to the Chausath
Khamba. As an extension of the conservation effort, the poet’s tomb enclosure was also landscaped
to create a tranquil space for veneration and poetry sessions organised regularly.

Chausath Khamba was built in AD 1623 - 24 to serve as a tomb for

Mirza Aziz Koka, foster brother of Mughal Emperor Akbar. It is so
called on account of the 64 (chausath) monolithic marble pillars
(khamba) and stands in close proximity to his father, Atgah Khan’s
tomb, at the edge of the Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya.
The tomb enclosure is entered through a lofty arched gateway and
has a large sunken forecourt. The mausoleum is unique on account
of it being built entirely of marble, with 25 marble domes supporti ng
the flat roof of the structure. The plan for Chausath Khamba could
 have been inspired from the wooden garden pavilions from Persia -
such as the Chihil Sutun, and in turn, the Chausath Khamba seems to
have inspired the architectural design for Emperor S hahjahan’s
Diwan-i-Aam, Hall of Audience.
Each facade of the square structure has five marble arches inset with
marble jaallis or lattice screens and a doorway in the central arch
providing access to the tomb. The column capitals are intricately
carved with simple yet striking pendentives bridging the square floor
plan to the circular dome above.

 Before Conservation

The marble blocks of the 25 domes were tied to one-another and

embedded in the brick masonry over the domes with iron dowels. The
rain water spouts from the inaccessible roof got blocked resulting in
large quantities of rain water collecting on roof. This resulted in the
rapid deterioration of the roof and large scale water ingress from the
roof leading to the corrosion, rusting and expansion of the iron
dowels. The significant pressure from the expanding iron dowel led to
bursting of the marble blocks in all parts of the mausoleum – domes,
 arches, facade, pendentives and even the column capitals –
threatening structural failure and collapse of the structure.

Conservation Philosophy
The study of the structure revealed that over 80% of the stone blocks
had severe cracks and past repairs had inappropriately only filled up
burst portions of stone blocks with white cement – masking the
damage but allowing the deterioration to accelerate.
In view of the unique architectural design, construction techniques of
the Chausath Khamba as well as the fact that each stone itself was
unique in shape and size, it was agreed that all original stone was
required to be retained. However, steps needed to be taken to
replace iron dowels with non-corrosive stainless steel dowels of
matching size. Roof repairs to halt water penetration were also
urgently required.
The forecourt – largest open space in Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti – was
to be landscaped to create a performance venue for the Qawwali
musicians residing in the historic neighborhood.

Documentation
A high definition survey, using 3D laser scanning technology, was
carried out on the structure as a precursor to conservation works.
This was followed with a stone-by-stone assessment of the entire
structure to map the profile and defects on each individual stone
coupled with photo and video documentation. To complete a
structural analysis pits were dug to study the foundations – which
were surprisingly found to reach a depth greater than five metres.
Archival research revealed sketches dating from the early 19th
century, descriptions and a continuous record of photographs from
the mid 19th century. Stone-by-Stone condition assessment of the
domes, exterior and interior façades of the monument was done
manually on the images by visual inspection of each stone its defects
and its causes. Past, yet recent, repairs at Chausath Khamba
 included filling cavities created by broken marble edges with white
cement. This needed to be carefully removed.
Each stone was closely inspected to list required repairs by indenting
or to assess if it is not possible to repair and requires replacement.

Terrace
The masonry above the domes had 1-meter-deep and 4” wide cracks
through which the water was seeping inside the building. These
cracks were required to be repaired urgently to stop further
deterioration. The 230 mm thick layer of cement concrete from the
roof was removed without disturbing the underneath structure and
pressure grouting was done to repair the network of cracks in t he roof
which were approximately 2 meters in depth. A new layer of lime
concrete with additives like Jaggery and Bael fruit pulp (Belgiri) was
laid maintaining the original slope levels. Clogged water spouts were
opened to avoid rain water from stagnating.

The Conservation Challenge

The preservation of Chausath Khamba was possible only if the iron
dowels could be removed and thus it was necessary to commence a
conservation programme that required dismantling each of the 25
domes. Such an effort had never before been undertaken anywhere
in the world.

The multi-disciplinary conservation team comprising experienced

engineers, craftsmen and conservation architects could only access
the iron dowels from below as the documentation had revealed over
1m thick masonry above the marble domes. Each stone was thus
required to be numbered and mapped.
After removing the white cement from the broken joints, tell tails were
fixed over the joints for structural monitoring for further observation
by trained conservation architect and engineers. Each stone weighs
from 200 to 350 kilograms and requires 4 to 5 persons to remove and
stack the stone. The stones being structural stones and are
interlocked with each other. Proper precision needs to follow while
removing the stone without damaging the stone.

Shifting of stones from the scaffolding has to be done with great care
with the help of rope and requires 4-5 persons without damaging the
edges of the stone. The corroded Iron dowels are then removed
carefully without damaging the stone and then replaced with stainless
steel dowels. The process was constantly supervised by conservation
architect and site engineer.

http://www.nizamuddinrenewal.org/conservation/chausath-khamba/