08/01/2023
Tomb of Lal Khan
Lal Khan ka Maqbara
Built in- 1773
Location- Malviya Bridge(Rajghat), right back of Khirkiya Ghat Varanasi
Rauza Lal Khan's Tomb
Islamic Architecture inspired by Mughal Architecture
The tomb was built in 1773 for Lal Khan, a Muslim minister in the court of Maharaja Balwant Sing, the first king of Banaras. In the early 1700s following Auranzeb’s death, the Mulghal Empire started to decline with regional viceroys becoming increasingly independent. Known for his patronage of both Hindu and Muslim cultural events, Banaras was under the control of Mir Rustam Ali, who entrusted his property to a Brahmin named Mansaram, founder of the Banaras ruling family.
Maharaja Balwant Singh was the son of Mansaram, and although his minister Lal Khan was known for strict law enforcement, he also did much to support the diverse cultural life of the city. It is said that Lal Khan specifically wished to be buried here, so he could see the great gateway (now lost) of the royal palace.
The tomb is located in the centre of a typical rectangular walled persion-style paradise garden. Each of the four corners of the garden once had an octagonal stone canopy, one of which was destroyed when the north-western section of the original garden was cut off by the re-routed Grand Trunk Road.
The main tomb is constructed on a high square platform, with a large dome, and four corner minarets. The exterior is decorated with colourful cobalt and turquoise tiles, set in pink sandstone. Much of this temple is Timurid-inspired, hardly surprising as the Mughals were Timurid and Mongol in linage (Persian and Turkish in their cultural ancestry). Two other members of Lal Khan’s family are also buried here.