Mariam –Uz-Zamani tomb was the Hindu consort of Mughal king Akbar. The Mausoleum of Mariam-Uz-Zamani is located in sikandra the suburban Agra. Mariam-uz-Zamani was the mother of Jehangir, who took over thethrone from his father Akbar. Mariam – uz – zamani is actually a title honored to Heer kunwari the eldest daughter of Raja Bharmal of Ajmer. She was given the title after she gave birth to Jahangir. Heer died in the year 1623 in Agra and in her memory Jahangir built a tomb between the periods 1623- 1627.
On Heer’s request Akbar made sure Mariam mausoleum was set up close to Akbar. The important aspect about the tomb is that this is the only tomb that Akbar made sure was built close to him. The mausoleum is situated just a kilometer away from Akbar’s Tomb. The structure was originally a pleasure pavilion – an open Baradari and was built by Sikander Lodi. The Mughals remodeled it and hence the ground floor comprises of 40 chambers with faint tracings of paintings applied on plastered walls. The mausoleum lies in the center of the ground floor.
Unlike other Mughal stand out feature about the Mausoleum is that the buildings has been constructed to look identical from the front and back. Many Mughal structures appear to have a name sake back entrance that’s mostly a dummy however the Mariam-Us-Yamani tomb actually also has a back entrance which can actually be used.
The tomb has red stone façade, huge presentation of decorative designs, floral patterns and more. All of these intricate works speak volumes about the splendor of the tomb. You can the traces of floral painting in this decaying structure.
You can also visit Tomb of Asif Khan, Tomb of Jaangir, Tomb of MuhammadIqbal, Bibi ka makbara. Lal Bangla so on and so forth. You can head to nearby places on a shopping spree too to make your trip worthwhile. You can head to Subhash Emporium, Shilpgraam, TDI mall, Sadar Bazaar.Raja Ki Mandi and indulge in some relaxing but exciting shopping fun. From bazaars, Mandi’ tomalls, the surrounding region around the tomb attract visitors to enjoy the typical shopping experience, here.
The mausoleum according to leading travel and tours survey, lists the mausoleum in top 20 places that are must visit in Agra. The Mausoleum is an ideal place to head to for researchers and historians. For leisure travelers it’s the story behind the tomb that might intrigue your interest. Visiting hours are restricted to just 2 or 3 hours and there is an entry fees levied for all entrants. For tourists the entrance fee differs depending on which country you are from. There are hotels and lodges in the region to making your stay comfortable and convenient.
