Burhanpur: A Forgotten Gem

Tucked away in a quiet corner of central India, Burhanpur was once a strategic outpost of the Mughal Empire. Today, it looks like a small, grimy town, with few things to recommend it. The medieval city wall, which once stretched unbroken for nearly 8 km, has been knocked down in many places to make way for shops, roadside stalls and parking lots. Amid the façades of construction are crumbling havelis with fine wood-carving and stuccoed mansions – vestiges of Burhanpur’s past, when this was a thriving town of textile mills, cotton-ginning factories and prosperous merchants during the first half of the 20th century. The main draw of Burhanpur are, however, the ‘five treasures’, so rare that it is said you won’t find them anywhere else: a mosque with a Sanskrit inscription, an ingenious underground water-supply system that still works, Empress Mumtaz Mahal’s hammam, a tomb with perfectly preserved frescoes from the time of Shah Jahan, and a Granth Sahib signed in gold by Guru Gobind Singh himself. An unaccounted sixth treasure lies on the outskirts of the city – the splendid Asirgarh Fort.

TIP It is best to engage a knowledgeable guide to help you navigate Burhanpur’s narrow lanes, chaotic mohallas and desolate outskirts

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

Jami Masjid at Burhanpur

Jami Masjid

Begin with a visit to the Jami Masjid in the heart of town. Made with solid black basalt stone, the edifice is beautifully proportioned. Note the perfection with which its 96 pillars and 75 arched capitals join to form the roof and marvel at the fine carving on the mihrabs. And then there’s the Sanskrit inscription, deeply chiselled into the hard black stone, which states that the mosque was built by Sultan Adil Shah of the Faruqi dynasty in 1590, and extols him as a just ruler and humble servant of Allah.

Shahi Qila

Shah Jahan spent the most time at Burhanpur, and left his unmistakable imprint on the town. The emperor embellished the Shahi Qila built by the Faruqis on the banks of the Tapti river by adding a Diwan-i-am and a Diwan-i-khaas – both now roofless ruins – and a splendid hammam. A rectangular marble hall with honeycombed domes, the hammam’s ceilings and walls are studded with paintings. Although four centuries have taken their toll and the paintings have faded and flaked in many places, yet enough remains to reveal an exquisite colour palette. Many of the floral compositions have been replicated in pietra dura in the Taj Mahal. Amid the flowers is a tiny painting of a domed structure with minarets – Burhanpuris proudly claim it was the first model of the Taj Mahal. At either end of the hammam are little water cascades and in the centre a bathing pool, which would be filled with perfumed water for the queen’s royal bath.

On 7 June 1631, two years after Shah Jahan became emperor, Mumtaz Mahal died in Burhanpur in the Shahi Qila at the age of 40, giving birth to her 14th child. Locals say that the grieving Shah Jahan decided to build a grand white marble tomb for her right there, on the banks of the Tapti. However, once work started it was found that the soil of the region could not support the weight of the structure he had planned to build; and there were logistical problems in transporting the marble from Makrana to Burhanpur as well. Until the site in Agra was located, Mumtaz Mahal’s body was kept in the village of Zainabad, in a Mughal retreat called the Ahukhana (deer park).

Tomb of Shah Nawaz Khan

First built as a sharaab-shikaar (drinking/hunting) lodge by the dissolute Prince Daniyal, the Ahukhana was later developed by Shah Jahan as a walled Mughal garden, with water channels flanked by rose beds, and a baradari at the far end of the garden. Here, in an underground chamber, Mumtaz Mahal’s body lay for six months, embalmed with camphor and sandalwood, until her son Shah Shuja, then governor of Burhanpur, had it transported to Agra. Today, the chamber lies in ruin, on an arid, weed-choked patch of land.

Kharbuja Mahal

Not long after his mother’s death, Shah Shuja buried his own wife, Bilqis Jahan, in Burhanpur – she too died during childbirth – and her tomb is said to have been built under Shah Jahan’s personal supervision. Standing in a dusty, unkempt graveyard, this exquisite little tomb is built on a flower-shaped plinth, and is locally known as the Kharbuja Mahal, because of its round, ribbed dome. Peer through its narrow entrance and you get a glimpse of the stunningly beautiful garden – the walls and arches of the tomb chamber are overrun with flowers as well as vines.

Other Medieval Monuments

The strikingly elegant garden-tomb of Shah Nawaz Khan, son of Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana, is locally known as the Black Taj. Scenically located at the confluence of the Tapti and Mohana rivers is the many-pillared and domed chhatri of Raja Jai Singh of Amber, Aurangzeb’s general, who died in Burhanpur in 1666 on his way back from a campaign against the Marathas in the Deccan. A 40-minute drive from here, on the Amravati Road, leads to Mahal Gulara, a charming garden retreat set amid pools of water, built by Shah Jahan for a favoured courtesan and singer, Gulara. The pavilions here too bear traces of intricate painting, but the Mughal waterways now serve as a dhobi ghat for the nearby village.

The dilapidated façade of the Ahukhana

Gurudwara Bari Sangat

The Gurdwara Bari Sangat marks the site where Guru Gobind Singh, travelling to the south with Emperor Bahadur Shah, stayed in May-June 1708. The tall, white edifice, set in expansive grounds, is a peaceful spot in the middle of a chaotic city. The gurudwara’s most famed possession is a handwritten Guru Granth Sahib (holy book of the Sikh community) commissioned by Guru Gobind Singh during his stay here, with his insignia in gold. It is brought out for public viewing only once a month, so if you are visiting especially to catch a glimpse, check the date of display in advance.

Ichcha Devi Temple

The famous temple of Ichha Devi (goddess who grants wishes) is located 23 km from Burhanpur. Believed to answer all supplications, the goddess is much revered by the locals. It is said that a Maratha governor made a vow to Ichchha Devi that if his wife bore a son he would build a temple for the goddess. When his desire was fulfilled, he built a well and a temple. Though the present structure is fairly recent, the original site is said to be over centuries old.

The façade of the Dargah-e-Hakimi

Dargah-e-Hakimi

Burhanpur is also home to the great Dawoodi Bohra pilgrimage site, the Dargah-e-Hakimi, an oasis of calm, order and impeccable cleanliness. The dargah draws throngs of pilgrims every year from across the world. The 100-acre grounds are dotted with white marble tombs, green lawns, hedges, guest rooms and even a helipad. Two lavish meals are served free here everyday for lunch as well as dinner.

Kundi Bhandara

The underground water-supply system, or the Kundi Bhandara, was built by the brilliant Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana (of Rahim ke Dohe fame), who spent 30 years in Burhanpur and shone as an administrator, soldier, scholar and poet. Tapping perennial springs from the Satpura hills nearby, he laid 3 km of thick clay pipes, running 80 ft underground, which still supply water to many localities in Burhanpur. What you get to see, however, is just some deep dark holes exuding warm, humid air.

Asirgarh Fort

Twenty kilometres north of town, on the Indore road, sits the magnificent, rugged fort of Asirgarh. Three layers of massive, fortified walls spiral for 2,000 ft up to the top of the hill. It is easy to understand why this impregnable citadel, which divides the valley of the Narmada from the valley of the Tapti, and affords a panoramic view of the Nimar plains as far as the eye can see, was the Mughals’ prized gateway to the Deccan. Once Asirgarh housed 50,000 soldiers and citizens; today it is deserted and eerily silent. There are three large water reservoirs hewn out of the rock; a black stone Jami Masjid built by Adil Shah Faruqi, almost identical to the one he built in town, with the same Sanskrit inscription; and a Shiva temple said to date to the pre-Faruqi time, when the fort was ruled by Ahir chieftains.

The ramparts of Asirgarh Fort

In one corner are the ruins of 19-century barracks, and an overgrown British graveyard, the last resting place of several infants and young soldiers, the tombs long robbed of their bronze plaques and marble ornaments. The earliest grave here is dated 1810.

WHERE TO STAY

Hotel Ambar (Tel: 07325-251197, 255154, Cell: 09424024949; Tariff: ₹900-1,800), has small airconditioned cottages set around a large garden. Or try the spacious and clean Tapti Retreat, run by MPTDC (Tel: 242244; Tariff: ₹1,890-2,990). Hotel Panchvati (Tel: 258855, 255633, Cell: 09826912055; Tariff: ₹650-1,400), located near the bus stand is a decent budget option with a restaurant that serves vegetarian Jain food.

WHERE TO EAT

Burhanpur has limited food options. It is a good idea to have your meals in your place of lodging. The hotels mentioned above have quality restaurants that offer good food options to guests.

When to Go October-March Location In southwest Madhya Pradesh, close to the border with Maharashtra Air Nearest airports: Indore, Aurangabad Rail Nearest rail: Burhanpur