Lodi Gardens is a park in Delhi, India that houses the architectural works of the 15th century by Lodhis, an Afghan dynasty, that ruled parts of northern India and Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of modern day Pakistan, from 1451 to 1526. It was also know as The old Lady Willington Park and,is dotted with monuments of Sayyid and Lodhi Periods, which include tombs mosques, and bridges .
It contains, Mohammed Shah’s Tomb, Sikander Lodi’s Tomb, Sheesh Gumbad and Bara Gumbad. The tomb of Mohammed Shah is visible from the road, and is the earliest structure in the gardens. It is a good example of a combination of the Hindu and Islamic styles of architecture. The Hindu features include eight chhatris, each of them capped by a lotus finial with a decorative band around the base; corner ornamental pinnacles (guldastas)and chhajja.
In the middle of the gardens is the Bara Gumbad (“Big Dome”), it consists of a large rubble-construct dome, it is not a tomb but a gateway to an attached a three domed mosque both built in 1494 during the reign of Sikander Lodi, there is also a residence surrounding a central courtyard, where the remains of a water tank can be seen.
Opposite the Bara Gumbad is the Sheesh Gumbad (“Glass dome”) for the glazed tiles used in its construction, which contains the remains of an unknown family, this was also built during the reign of Sikander Lodi.
The gardens are situated between Khan Market and Safdarjung’s Tomb on Lodhi Road and is a hotspot for morning walks for the Delhiites.
ANIL VOHRA 