Qutbuddin Aibak Tomb

History

He was buried near what is now Anarkali bazaar, on ground that was then open and used for chaugan — very likely the field on which he died. British-period accounts record a marble tomb here that was pulled down during Ranjit Singh's rule; the area was walled for protection under the British. The building standing today was raised in the 1970s by the Department of Archaeology and Museums, in an attempted reconstruction of Sultanate-period architecture.

Historical Significance

The grave of the man who founded the Delhi Sultanate — the beginning of more than six centuries of Muslim rule in northern India — sitting in a Lahore bazaar.

Architecture

Whether a monument was ever raised over the grave is genuinely disputed: Tabqat-e-Akbari records only a grave, while Tabqat-e-Chishti describes a marble tomb later pulled down by Ranjit Singh. Trial trenches on the site have turned up no indication of any structure.

Why Visit

For the history, not the fabric. Almost nothing here is original, and that is itself the point: the founder of the Delhi Sultanate has one of the least imposing tombs of any ruler of his rank.

Interesting Facts

• He died in 1210 after falling from his horse during a game of chaugan — an early form of polo
• He was buried on what was then an open playing field, probably where the accident happened
• He ruled for just four years and rose to the throne from slavery
• The present structure is a 1970s reconstruction, not a medieval building