#SAT History✨
Alongside the busiest Mathura Road in Delhi, the newly-renovated garden tomb overlooks the Yamuna river.
But do you know of the poet this monument houses?
Discover in this 🧵
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This massive square edifice with a central dome is the tomb of Abdul Rahim Khan-e-khanan – one of the nine jewels of Mughal Emperor Akbar.
The structure is one among an almost 100 historic mausoleums in this vicinity of #Delhi.
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What is even more interesting is the fact that two other timeless poets are buried within hardly a kilometer of stretch.
The legends being Mirza Ghalib & Amir Khusro. But history could not accord a similar stature to Abdul Rahim & the neglect his tomb faced speaks of it.
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It was only recently, in 2014, that renovation of the tomb was undertaken and 3000 craftsmen restored it in the original abstract 6-sided stars & medallions on the interior.
His well-known couplets have also been made part of the process of decoration.
4/10
Many would attribute love to Taj Mahal but little do they know of the love that made Abdul Rahim to get this tomb made for his wife, Mah Banu.
The architects of Taj Mahal took inspiration from this red sandstone & marble structure.
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Built in 1598, Abdul Rahim himself was also buried here in 1627. Carried by four chhatris, it is fashioned in the Mughal famous charbagh style, and is a double storied tomb.
It is said that the garden surrounding this tomb extended up to Humayun’s tomb.
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A fine statesman, so close to Akbar to accompany him on military expeditions, Abdul Rahim was the son of Akbar’s mentor – Bairam Khan.
He was the Mir Ard of the Emperor’s court, which means he would hear hundreds of applications addressed to Akbar.
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Owing to his command over multiple languages, Rahim was no less than a linguist. Apart from #Persian & #Sanskrit, he could speak some Portuguese and had command over #Arabic as well.
He wrote two books on Astrology in Sanskrit, but is known more for his dohas.
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Rahim translated Baburnama from Turkish to Persian & remained an advocate of making poetic expression simpler and readable.
A respected courtier of the Mughal Era, he served Emperor Jahangir for 21 years after Akbar but missed Akbar’s fondness of him dearly.
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Abdul Rahim’s legacy is that of inclusiveness & multiculturalism, alongside graceful statesmanship.
Stationed in the #Delhi metropolis, Rahim’s tomb draws attention toward the near-silent literary stature of this lesser-celebrated poet.
10/10 End
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