Afsarwala tomb
{{short description|Tomb and mosque in Delhi, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox religious building
| name = Afsarwala tomb
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| image = Afsahwallakimasjid.jpg
| image_upright = 1.4
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| caption = Afsarwala Tomb
| religious_affiliation = Islam
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| organisational_status = Mausoleum and mosque
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| functional_status = Active
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| location = Humayun's Tomb, South Delhi, New Delhi
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| country = India
| map_type = India Delhi
| map_size = 250
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| map_relief = 1
| map_caption = Location of the tomb and mosque in South Delhi
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| coordinates = {{coord|28.5242|77.1857|region:IN-DL_type:landmark_scale:1000|format=dms|display=it}}
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| architecture_type = Islamic tomb
| architecture_style = Mughal
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| year_completed = {{AH|974|link=yes}}
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| dome_quantity = Two {{small|(one each on the tomb and mosque)}}
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| materials = Red sandstone; marble; quartz
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| module = {{Infobox historic site
| embed= yes
| designation1 = WHS
| designation1_date = 1993 (17th session)
| designation1_partof = Humayun's Tomb
| designation1_number =
| designation1_criteria = (ii), (iv)
| designation1_type = Cultural
| designation1_free1name = Region
| designation1_free1value = India
}}
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}}
The Afsarwala tomb complex consists of a tomb and mosque,{{Cite web |title=Sahih al-Bukhari 437 – Prayers (Salat) – كتاب الصلاة |work=Sunnah.com – Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) |url=https://sunnah.com/bukhari:437 |date= |access-date=2021-03-12 }} located inside the Humayun's Tomb complex in the south of New Delhi, India. The mausoleum houses the tomb of an unknown person. The tomb, together with other structures, forms the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Humayun's tomb complex.The Afsarwala tomb is located east of the Arab Serai at the Humayun's Tomb complex in Delhi, India. The Afsarwala tomb is located south-east from the mosque.{{cite book |title=Delhi and its neighbourhood |last=Sharma |first=Y. D. |date=1974 |publisher=Archaeological Survey of India |url=https://archive.org/details/delhiitsneighbou00shar/page/110?q=afsarwala+tomb |pages=110–111 }}
Name and dating
According to an explanation by the Archeological Survey of India the name "Afsarwala tomb" could derive from {{langx|fa|افسر|afsar|officer}}, making the building an "officer-wala's tomb", a grave for a military commander. A more recent theory points to the Persian tribal name Afsar, noting that several Afsars were employed at the early Mughal court, including one namebearer, who helped Humayun during his return and recapture of India in 1555.{{cite journal |author=Parihar, Subhash |title=The Afsarwali Masjid and Afsarwala Gumbad at Nizamuddin, Delhi |journal=Marg |volume=49 |number=4 |year=1998 |page=78–83 |isbn= }}
One of the graves inside the mausoleum contains the number 974, believed by the Archaeological Survey of India to indicate {{AH|974|link=yes}}.
Architecture
= Mosque =
According to archaeological evidence, the mosque was built between 1560 and 1567.{{rp|64}} Located adjacent to the Afsarwala tomb, the mosque is built on the same raised platform as the tomb. The façade contains three arches, with red-painted spandrels, each arch enclosing its own alcove. Staircases to the terrace are located at the extreme two sides of the mosque.
Stucco lines the mosque's interior, with ceiling arches containing medallions. The soffit of the nave is painted stucco. The drum which sits underneath the dome of the mosque is octagonal on the outside, but square in shape internally.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OAdDAAAAYAAJ |title=Indica |volume=16 |page=205 |publisher=Heras Institute of Indian History and Culture, St. Xavier's College |year=1979}} Red paint is used to decorate the drum.{{cite web |url=https://archnet.org/sites/2524 |work=ArchNet |title=Afsarwala Mosque}}
There is only one dome and chhatri. Ram Nath opines that the plan of the mosque is nothing new and the themes are just replicas of previous mosques.{{cite book |title=History Of Mughal Architecture |volume=1 |last=Nath |first=Ram |author-link=Ram Nath |isbn=9788170171591 |publisher=Abhinav Publications |date=1982 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.532498/page/n335 |p=234 }}
= Tomb =
The Afsarwala tomb is built on the raised platform of the mosque.{{rp|65}} The mausoleum is built from grey quartz and lined with red sandstone and marble. A single cruciform chamber with a double dome is located inside the mausoleum. Externally, the mausoleum is octagonal in shape. Each side of the octagon contains an arch with a squared doorway, which opens into the inner chamber. Red sandstone is used to decorate the spandrels of the arches. The external dome rises from an octagonal drum and is crowned by a red sandstone lotus finial.{{cite book |title=Humayun's Tomb and other Adjacent Monuments |last=Naqvi |first=S. A. A. | publisher=Archaeological Survey of India |date=2002 |isbn=9788187780083}}{{rp|66}}
Gallery
Epitome in front of Tomb of Afsa-rwala, Nizzamudin, India.jpg|The plaque outside the complex
Masjid in Tomb of Afsa-rwala (Back side) towads Arab ki Sarai, Nizzamudin, India.jpg|Afsarwala mosque
Tomb of Afsar-wala 030.jpg|Mihrab of the mosque
Afsarwala Tomb 027.jpg|Afsarwala masouleum
Details of calligraphy on a pendentive, Humayun's Tomb complex.jpg|Calligraphic inscription inside the mausoleum
Graves inside the Tomb of Afsa-rwala, Nizzamudin, India.jpg|The grave chamber containing the cenotaphs
View at Delhi near the Mausoleum of Humaioon - British Library X432 3(19).jpg|An 1803 painting of the complex
See also
{{stack|{{portal|Islam|India}}}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/232}} at UNESCO.
{{Humayun's Tomb complex}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Afsarwala Tomb Complex}}
Category:16th-century mosques in India
Category:Indo-Islamic architecture
Category:Monuments of National Importance in Delhi
Category:Mosque buildings with domes in India
Category:Mosques completed in the 1560s
Category:Sandstone buildings in India