Daily Times

History remembers Ali Mardan as one of the key officials in the Mughal Empire under Emperor Shah Jahan who was the descendant of Emperor Jahangir. Ali Mardan was born in a Kurdish family and served as Governor of Kandahar under Persia’s Safavid kings Shah Abbas I and Shah Safi.

He was the son of Ganj Ali Khan who was a military officer in Safavid Iran of Kurdish origin, who served as governor in various provinces and was known for his loyal service to king Shah Abbas I.

According to historic references, the tomb of Ali Mardan Khan was an exquisite structure, surrounded by a lush garden like many other Mughal-era tombs

After Shah’s death in 1629, he became fearful for his life because the successor Shah Safi was sacking the courtiers who were loyal to the earlier king.

It is said that somewhere in 1637-38; Mardan offered to surrender Kandahar to the Mughal Empire in exchange for his safety and took refuge in Delhi which Shah Jahan agreed to. That was the time when Mardan entered into the Mughal dynasty. Mardan was honored at the Mughal court and the Emperor Shah Jahan gifted him one lakh of tankas and two lakhs for the officers of his army. Mardan was then appointed as the Governor of Kashmir, Kabul and Lahore because of his expertise and commanding skills.

Ali Mardan Khan is known in history as an eminent engineer, supervising construction of several royal buildings in Kashmir as per Shah Jahan’s orders, including digging of the Delhi canal, which runs between the Red Fort and the old city

Later in 1639, Ali Mardan Khan was given the title of Amir al-Umara (Lord of Lords), made a Haft Hazari (commander of 7,000 troops) and appointed viceroy of the Punjab which then stretched from Kabul to Delhi.

Ali Mardan Khan is known in history as an eminent engineer, supervising construction of several royal buildings in Kashmir as per Shah Jahan’s orders, including digging of the Delhi canal, which runs between the Red Fort and the old city. His water supply system of Shalimar Gardens in Kashmir (Gulmarg) was also planned by him and his lasting contribution to actualise Shah Jahan’s beautiful and paradise like vision for Lahore was the construction of a canal from the river Ravi for the supply of water to the Shalimar Gardens, as well as for the irrigation and cultivation of surrounding areas. He is known to have built many edifices and gardens at Nimla, Kabul, Peshawar and Lahore. Ali Mardan died in 1657, while on his way to Kashmir.

His death was a setback for Shah Jahan, as with the passage of time, the emperor had become close to him. On the orders of the emperor, Mardan’s body was carried back to Lahore to be buried in the magnificent tomb that he had built for his mother. Let me now guide you to this majestic and breathtaking monument in Lahore but remember that access to it is limited and the monument only opens on Thursdays for the general public. Take your route to the Mughalpura area on the Grand Trunk Road and as you reach the railway tracks, you will come across a small sign ‘MET-1’ on your right, that’s where the passage will lead to this tomb. As the tomb is within the territory of the Pakistan Railways, the authorities have built a kilometer long passageway from the street to the tomb in an effort to prevent visitors from trespassing on the rail yard grounds, but on the other hand it has also created a hindrance for the visitors.

I have heard that the Archaeology Department of Punjab is now starting the conservation of this monument and trying to get it opened for the public like all other monuments. If this is done it will help the people and tourists to visit it frequently as so far it is a hidden piece of history. According to historic references, the Tomb of Ali Mardan Khan was an exquisite structure, surrounded by a lush garden like many other Mughal-era tombs. Unfortunately now, you will not see the lush green garden but industrial rail yards. According to historic references this tomb was built in 1650s and Ali Mardan was buried in it. Now let me tell you about this majestic tomb. As you take your way through a narrow walkway after a kilometer you will reach this structure. Yes now it is not as majestic as it was in the past because it is one of the monuments which have faced neglect. When we observe the structure of the tomb we see that it is a massive brick construction work, octagonal in plan with a high dome and kiosks on angular points and standing on an eight sided podium, each side measuring 58 feet. Historic accounts tell us that it was originally an exceptional structure with the dome finished with white marble inlaid with floral design in black marble.

On the sides the structure had beautiful and imposing timurid aiwans, covered by a massive dome raised on a drum. At present most of the domelets at the corners of the octagon are lost along with the beauty of the tomb. The structure reflects the decorative features of 16th and 17th century Mughal tombs. It would have been originally decorated with stone facings and inlays (kashi kari), and fresco paintings, some traces of which remain on the tomb. Historians and architects also claim that the chambers had peitra dura work in the massive marble columns and fresco paintings in walls and ceilings. The graves were built on a three-foot high red sand stone platform beneath a larger than usual dome which was profusely decorated with inlaid precious and semi-precious stones and fresco floral patterns. If we go through the structural plan of the tomb and read about it we get to know that the tomb once stood in the middle of a grand garden. Building tombs in gardens was Mughal’s trend but as the gardens of Lahore vanished so did this garden. It is said that the extent of Ali Mardan garden can be measured by the double-storey gateway in the north and similar gateways would have marked the centers of the south, west and east edges of the garden square like it was done in the Mughal building styles, keeping the concept of symmetry in mind.

Published in Daily Times, October 29^th 2018.