Safdarjung Tomb

In News 

• Recently, Safdarjung Tomb has suffered damages owing to the recent rains. 
• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has taken cognisance of the matter and will begin a repair exercise soon.

About 

• The Safdarjung Tomb, designed by an Ethiopian architect marks the last colossal garden tomb of the Mughals
• It was built in 1753- 54 as the mausoleum of Safdarjung, the viceroy of Awadh under the Mughal Emperor, Mohammed Shah.
• It is  made of marble and sandstone
• It has several smaller pavilions with evocative names like Jangalmahal, (Palace in the woods), Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace) and Badshah Pasand (King’s favourite).
• The complex also has a madrasa. 

• It is one of the 174 ASI-protected monuments in Delhi. 
  • In 2019, it became the third ASI-protected monument in Delhi to be illuminated, after Red Fort and Purana Qila.

Image Courtesy : Outlook India

About Safdarjung

• He was  a Persian native and a descendant of Qara Yusuf from the Kara Koyunlu
• He was born Muhammad Muqim in Khurasan in 1708 AD. 
• In 1722 AD, he relocated to India. 
•  The ever powerful and resourceful statesman Safdarjung, who proved his mettle as an able administrator relocated to Delhi where he was made the Wazir ul-Mamalik-i-Hindustan or Prime Minister of Hindustan
• The Emperor Nasir-ud-Din Muhammad Shah bestowed upon him the title of “Safdarjung”.
• In 1754, he died in Sultanpur near Faizabad. 

Source:TH