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Bara Gumbad

Bara Gumbad is an old mosque of South Delhi, located around 300 meters from the tomb of Muhammad Shah at the south side and around 380 meters from the tomb of Sikander Lodi at the north side.

“Bara” means “big” and “gumbad” means “dome.” The Big Dome stands proudly, along with guest house or “mehman khana” and Sikander Lodi’s Friday Mosque. The dome was built by Sikander Lodi in 1494. All the three structures were built at different times. They are on a common raised platform in the center of Lodi Garden, which is sprawled over 90 acres. The garden was earlier called Willingdon Park.

 
Architecture

Bara Gumbad is the first complete dome of Delhi. There is no tombstone. According to experts, this is not an actual tomb, but a gateway to a connected mosque.

There are trees and lawns surrounding the structure to envelope the place in natural beauty and lushness.

Just opposite Bara Gumbad is Sheesh Gumbad or Glass Dome. This is also believed to have built during Sikander Lodi’s rule and features blue glazed tiles that give it the glassy look.

A stone masonry wall of about six meters in height connects Bara Gumbad, Mehman Khana, and Friday Mosque. The raised platform on which the three structures stand is three meters high. There is a staircase at the north of the platform.

Bara Gumbad is square in shape with 20 meters per side. Plinth of the platform is decorated with ogee arch openings on south, east, and west. Walls of the dome are about 12 meters high. All elevations exhibit the same measurement and are divided into two sections horizontally.

There is a protruding portal made of an ogee arch, which is set in a rectangular frame with a width of about eight meters, at the center of each elevation. It is about 75 cm high above the structure’s parapet line. Lintel and brackets of the dome are finely carved with red sandstone.

The inside of Bara Gumbad is plain. It features granite finish. It is adorned with painting and stuccowork. The outside of the dome is a blend of red, grey, and black. The guest house or Mehman Khana is used to provide accommodation to tourists.

Best Time to Visit

Tourists can visit Bara Gumbad in Lodi Gardens any time of the year. Winter walks are quite pleasant under the mild sun. Summer evenings can offer a cool rendezvous with nature and history at the garden.

How to Reach

Tourists can reach Delhi by train or car or plane. The city has a good bus service, cab service, auto rickshaw service, and metro train service.

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