Last of the Mughal monuments stands tall, but neglected

New Delhi: The national capital is enriched with vast treasures, many of them being hidden, unnoticed and slowly being forgotten by its people. Among such monuments there is Zafar Mahal, situated in Mehrauli, which is considered to be the last Mughal monument. This is a three-storeyed structure built in red sandstone with a free use of marble, measuring around 50 ft across with an 11 feet by 9 inch opening at the entrance.

An inscription on the main arch proclaims that the gate was added to the existing Mahal by Bahadur Shah II in the eleventh year of his accession in 1847-48 AD. A broad Chhajja built in the later Mughal style is considered its crowning feature. The mixture of Indian, Mughal, and European style makes the palace attractive.

This palace was known as Lal Mahal. It came to be popularly known as Zafar Mahal because in 1848 Bahadur Shah erected a lofty gateway on the northern side of the palace. It was built so high probably to admit elephants when they are required for riding purposes.

The monument was built by Akbar Shah-II in 1842, the successor of Shah Alam, and was completed by Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1847 who also erected an imposing gateway. The pattern of Zafar Mahal is akin to the Chatta Chowk of the Red Fort and its gateway bears a faint resemblance to the Buland Darwaza of Fatehpur Sikri, which Zafar saw while he was a young prince. The palace was built to be used by the Mughals who would visit the Dargah Qutb Sahib dargah . Besides, three of them — Bahadur Shah I, Shah Alam II and Akbar II along with the members of their families, lie buried in the various enclosures around it.

Even Bahadur Shah II had a grave prepared for himself in the same compound but it remained unoccupied as he was deported to Rangoon, where, following his death, he was buried. The top floor of the Zafar palace is seen with a typical Indian style of architecture revealing a row of multiple chambers with arched openings closed on one side and opened on the other side facing a terrace and overlooking the courtyard while the window size openings on the other end faces the entrance gate.

The European addition of a fireplace is also seen in most of these chambers or arcade rooms. Next to the domes of an old Sufi shrine lies the empty plot in which Zafar wished to be buried; a wish that was never fulfilled. At 4 am on October 7, 1858 – 332 years after the first Mughal Babur conquered Delhi –the last emperor left the imperial city on a bullock cart, escorted by a troupe of British lancers to exile in Rangoon. The last monument of the Mughal empire is in grave danger from encroachers.

It had been a protected monument for 97 years (even in 1920 it was protected by the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904), but the new constructions have come up on portions which poses a threat of its existence. Emperor Zafar wanted to be buried within the confines of the Zafar Mahal as all his ascendants and emperors of the Mughal empire were respectfully buried within the precincts of the palace graveyard. However, Zafar was prisoned by the British and was deported to Rangoon.