Since it would not have been possible for any monument to have been built so close to an Emperor’s tomb, it is widely believed that Barber’s Tomb pre-dates the construction of Humayun’s mausoleum by a few years.
Since it would not have been possible for any monument to have been built so close to an Emperor’s tomb, it is widely believed that Barber’s Tomb pre-dates the construction of Humayun’s mausoleum by a few years.
Another reason is a chronogram on the cenotaph, which mentions a date prior to Humayun’s mausoleum.
The architectural features seen here, such as the raw and rugged stone plinth and the form and profile of the chhattris (canopies) also indicate that it is older than Humayun’s Tomb.
Historically significant among the many Mughal monuments in Delhi, Barber’s Tomb is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Humayun’s Tomb.
Perched on an elevated platform, Barber’s Tomb features the use of Delhi quartzite and random rubble masonry, clad with red sandstone, which are also the principal material for all the buildings in this complex.
Perched on an elevated platform, Barber’s Tomb features the use of Delhi quartzite and random rubble masonry, clad with red sandstone, which are also the principal material for all the buildings in this complex.
The tomb is 2.5 metres tall, with a double dome rising above the central recessed arches.
Supported by a 16-sided drum that is marked with little minarets featuring elegant lotus ornamentation, the dome is crowned with an inverted lotus featuring yellow tiles.
Encircling the drum and its dome are four dazzling canopies that stand out in stark contrast to the dome, adding a splash of turquoise blue to the structure.
Upon entering the tomb, visitors will be enchanted by the brilliant blue Mughal-era motifs painted on the ceiling.
The walls feature stone jaalis (lattice screens) that brighten up the interiors with the natural light that shines through them.
Visitors can step onto the plinth for unrivalled views of Humayun’s Tomb and its garden.
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Archival photographs revealed that the structure once had a decorative sandstone edging on the plinth.
Archival photographs revealed that the structure once had a decorative sandstone edging on the plinth.
During earlier repairs, this had been replaced with rubble masonry.
On the basis of the images, the sandstone edging was restored to the plinth.
The plinth surface had settled unequally and needed to be repaired by lifting the large blocks of stone and setting them on a masonry base to an adequate slope.
The roof of the structure is not accessible via staircases and was poorly preserved.
Layers of cement concrete were removed and the roof made water-tight using traditional lime-based repairs.
The removal of cement plaster from the domes of the canopies revealed that the canopies had once featured glazed tiles.
These were covered with layers of cement, as the team had seen with Humayun’s Tomb.
Given the team’s experience conserving Humayun’s Tomb, these tiles could be restored wherever missing, and repaired with gypsum and lime mortar.
On cleaning the internal sandstone surface, craftsmen discovered stunning, colourfully painted decorations on the stone surface.
These were carefully documented and cleaned using traditional methods.
