Zafar Mahal: Once a summer palace for Mughals now turns into ruins

Zafar Mahal, By Mohsin Javed
The palace is located at the west of the shrine of Sufi saint Khawaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki is in South Delhi’s Mehrauli village.

Four domes, By Mohsin Javed
Zafar Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Akbar II in the 1820s and was named after his son Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Ruins of the Zafar Mahal, By Mohsin Javed

Ruins of the Zafar Mahal, By Mohsin Javed
The entrance of Zafar Mahal, known as 'Hathi Gate' was built by Bahadur Shah Zafar as an extension to the existing palace. It got its name because an elephant can pass through it with the 'houdah' (seat, where people sit on elephant) mounted over it.

Hathi Gate - Zafar Mahal entrance, By Mohsin Javed

Hathi Gate, By Mohsin Javed
Also, there is a royal mosque known as Moti Masjid, is situated adjacent to the wall of shrine of Sufi saint Khawaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki. This is a very small mosque with double entrance. One door opens inside the premise of Dargah, and other opens in the Zafar Mahal.

Moti Masjid, By Mohsin Javed
Adjoining Moti Masjid there are graves of the Mughal Royal Family.
It is said that Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar wanted to be buried here but since he was exiled to Burma, his last wish was never fulfilled.

Ruins of the Zafar Mahal, By Mohsin Javed
People write, engrave, scratch and scribble all sorts of things in all historical monuments which is very disheartening.

One thing which hurts the most that people write and scratch on the historical monuments, By Mohsin Javed

One thing which hurts the most that people write and scratch on the historical monuments, By Mohsin Javed
An important monument that marks the end of an era in Indian history, the palace like the dynasty that once ruled almost all of India might soon be only a chapter in history.

A domed pavilion in the courtyard of Zafar Mahal as seen from the above, By Mohsin Javed

All Photos © Mohsin Javed