Lodi Gardens, Delhi

An amazing mix of heritage and nature

Lodi Garden, is an urban open space located at the heart of Delhi. The Lodi Garden covers an area of 90 acres and is located in between the Khan Market and the Safdarjung’s Tomb.

Map of Lodi Garden, Delhi (Click to enlarge)

The Lodi Garden was previously known as the Lady Willingdon Park, after Lady Willingdon, the wife of then Viceroy of India Lord Willingdon (1931 – 36).

Muhammad Shah’s Tomb, Lodi Garden, Delhi

Today the Lodi Garden is a beautiful landscaped park complete with lawns, flowerbeds, ponds and bridges. It is a favorite for morning walkers and have jogging tracks along with paved walking paths.

Walking Paths (Left) & Jogging Trails (Right), Lodi Garden

Lodi Garden contains several monuments dating back to the Sayyid Dynasty (1414 – 51), and Lodi Dynasty (1451 – 1526). There are even a few dating back to later periods.

The park is best visited in the morning hours. In the later part of the day the park is infested with young couples engaged in some extreme form of PDA (Public Display of Affection).

The gigantic Tomb of Mumahhad Shah is located on the southern side of the Lodi Garden and is net to the entrance on the Lodi Road.

Mumahhad Shah (Reign 1434 – 44) was the third ruler of the Sayyid Dynasty. Mumahhad Shah’s Tomb follows the typical octagonal plan with a central octagonal chamber. Each side has a triple entrance with slopping buttress occupy each of the eight corners.

Board showing the bird in Lodi Garden and a modern art sculpture

The chamber contains a single door way on each of the seven sides, with the exception of the western wall, so that the tomb could also serve as a mosque.

The roof contains eight chhatri, each at the centre of the eight sides. The gigantic dome is supported by a sixteen sided drum with turrets at each corner. The dome is crowned with a sprawling lotus.

The interior contains eight graves, the central one is believed to be that of Muhammad Shah.

The interior of the dome contains beautiful fresco. The mihrab on the western wall is decorated with stucco ornamentation. Stucco ornamentation can also be seen above each of the seven doors.

Lodi Period Mosque, Lodi Garden, Delhi

Just east of the Tomb of Muhammad Shah is a Lodi Period Mosque. The small red mosque has a elegant appearance.

It has a triple arched entrance on the eastern side and is topped with a vaulted roof. It stands on a masonry enclosure, only traces of which remains to this day.

The interior is decorated with ornamental moulding with the western wall containing three recessed arches.

The exterior is decorated with floral kanguras, with moulding at the cornice level. The fluted dome is crowned with a inverted lotus finial. It is constructed in stone masonry and rendered with a very fine red coloured plaster in traditional fresco technique.

Lodi Period Turret, Lodi Garden

Further east of the Lodi Period Mosque and on the eastern end of the Lodi garden is a small tower dating back to the Lodi period. It is known as the Lodi Period Turret.

The 8.5 meter high turret probably served as a corner tower of an enclosure, whose walls have long vanished. It has two levels and is crowned with a ribbed dome.

The lower level contains a small room. The second level contains a projected decorated jharokha (oriel) styled balcony.

Immediately west of the turret is a huge domed structure popularly known as the Bada Gumbad (Big Dome). The external facade of the single storeyed square tomb resemblance a double storeyed structure. Built of grey sand stone the exterior of Bada Gumbad is relieved with traces of red and black stones.

A small mosque stands on the north west corner of the Bada Gumbad. Some historians opine that the Bada Gumbad was built as a gateway to the mosque but generally it is considered as a tomb with some unique feature. Sadly the occupant of the tomb can no longer be identified, but he must have been an officer of high rank during Sikandar Lodi’s rule (1489 – 1517).

Bada Gumbad (left) and Bada Gumbad Mosque (right), Lodi Garden, Delhi

The three domed mosque is approached from the east through a five arched entrance. The central arch is the largest of the five and the size of the arch diminishes as moves away from the centre.

Sheesh Gumbad, Lodi Garden, Delhi

Built in 1494 the interiors of the mosque is richly decorated with stuccoes and frescoes, consisting of floral & geometric designs and Quranic inscriptions. Tapering minarets on the back corners and jharokha (oriel) windows are some of the unique feature of the Bada Gumbad Mosque.

Mughal Period Mosque, Lodi Garden

Opposite the Bada Gumbad Mosque is a elongated hall, which probably served as a Mahiman Khana or Guest House. It is devoid of ornamentation and a striking contrast with the mosque.

Just 50 m north of the Bada Gambud is a similar domed structure with a double storied appearance.

It is the Sheesh Gumbad (Glazed Dome) and was probably built during the reign of Sikandar Lodi’s (1489 – 1517).

The interior of the western wall houses a mihrab, thus doubling up as a mosque. The other three sides have central entrances set up in arched projected frames. There are several graves inside but their occupants can no longer be identified.

Mughal Period Gateway, Lodi Garden

The tomb was once richly decorated with glazed blue tiles and hence the name Sheesh Gumbad (Glazed Dome), sadly only traces of it can be seen to this day, however the name still remains.

North east of the Sheesh Gunbad lies two small structures, a mosque and a double storeyed gateway.

Both the structures date back to the Mughal period and gateway probably led to a walled garden, the walls of which have not survived the test of time.

Arched gateways along with sloped Bengal styled roof are some of the unique feature of the gateway. The small mosque is simple in architecture with three domes and arched entrances. It also has a extended platform on the eastern side.

Athpula, Lodi Garden, Delhi. L: Upper portion of the bridge, R: Arches and piers of the bridge)

Further north the road leads to Athpula, a Mughal era bridge spanning over a small stream. The beautifull curved bridge was constructed during the reign of Akbar (1556 – 1605). The name Athpula is derived from the word ath (eight) as the bridge consists eight piers supporting the seven arches.

Tomb of Sikandar Lodi, Lodi Garden, Delhi

Just east of the Athpula is the Sikandar Lodi’s Tomb. Like the Tomb of Mumahhad Shah the Tomb of Sikandar Lodi follows the octagonal plan with triple arched entrance on each side and sloping buttresses on the corners. However the chhatris on the roof are missing.

The mausoleum of Sikandar Lodi is enclosed in a walled complex with an entrance on the south and a wall mosque of the west. The tomb is devoid of ornamentation except for some frescoes and stucco works in the interiors.

Necessary Information:

• Lodi Garden is open from 6:00 am – 7:30 pm
• There is no entry fee
• Nearest Metro. South Entrance: Jor Bagh (Yeellow), North Entrance: Khan Market (Violet)