Delhiwale: Dome forever

Delhi's Humayun's Tomb dome remains intact despite confusion over a nearby Sufi shrine's collapse during heavy rain, causing tragic deaths.

“Dome of Delhi’s Humayun’s tomb in Nizamuddin area collapses; many feared trapped.” “Dome in Delhi’s Humayun Tomb collapses, 10 feared trapped.”

From a terrace in Nizamuddin East, Humayun Tomb’s dome looked tiny, as if it were a cloudlet doomed to dissolve any moment. (HT)

Such were the breaking news headlines swamping the news websites some weeks ago. What happened was somewhat different. Per Ratish Nanda of Aga Khan Trust for Culture, which helped restore the Mughal-era monument, a new edifice that was built recently in a Sufi shrine abutting the Humayun Tomb complex had collapsed during heavy showers, sadly resulting in deaths. Parts of the debris had fallen on the side of the much larger monument compound, which probably caused the confusion. Although the spot is 200 meters away from the principal tomb and its dome.

Whatever, just the words “Dome in Delhi’s Humayun Tomb collapses” sends a shiver down the spine.

What if the unthinkable had really happened? In this city of hundreds of monuments, many of which lie scarred and damaged due to our violent history, the dome of Humayun’s Tomb has been standing intact for centuries in unviolated beauty. All day long, birds wheel around the dome, their shadows crisscrossing the stones. In the morning, scores of black kites settle over the dome, forming a panchayat of village elders. Directly under the dome lies the emperor’s grave.

With its diameter of 75 feet, the dome casts a sublime presence, and alone symbolises the entire monument. Indeed, it can be distinguished from a long way off, inscribing its rotund form against a smoggy horizon in which the rest of the monument is yet invisible. It is seen very clearly from the Yamuna bridge, when driving down from Akshardham Temple. Also from the foot-over bridge at Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station. And then there is Nizamuddin East. In that posh colony, a dweller is considered truly posh only if their bedroom window has a view of the dome.

While everyday scores of people from across the world visit the tomb, no one is allowed to go up to the dome. Though a pair of staircases exist. One afternoon, this reporter was given special permission to reach the top of the tomb.

The view is fantastic from the tomb’s roof. You see are a great number of trees, plus various pretty elements of the tomb-garden complex. The roof too is decorative, with pavilions on four sides. The yellow and blue tiles on these stone canopies glint under the afternoon sun. Over all, most of Humayun’s Tomb is of red sandstone. So is the neck of the dome. The dome however is of marble. But this marble forms merely the outer skin of the dome. Not many are aware that the flesh of the dome is made of the much humbler bricks.

A few days ago, the afternoon sky was speckled with giant formation of monsoon clouds. From a terrace in Nizamuddin East, Humayun Tomb’s dome looked tiny, as if it were a cloudlet doomed to dissolve any moment—see photo. But the dome has been here for centuries, and hopefully will continue to be here for centuries.