Tomb of Asif Khan
On the 12th of June 1641, a battle against rebel forces claimed the life of Mirza Abul Hassan Jah. He held the title Asif Khan and served as commander-in-chief for the Mughal Empire. His death occurred while fighting Raja Jagat Singh near Lahore. The empire lost a powerful statesman that day. Shah Jahan ordered a grand mausoleum to honor his brother-in-law immediately after the funeral. This commission began in 1636 when Asif Khan became governor of Lahore. The project cost 300,000 rupees according to historian Abdul Hamid Lahori. Construction took four years to complete by 1645. The tomb stands in Shahdara Bagh within Punjab province today.
The structure rises from a podium three feet nine inches above the garden floor. Each side of the octagonal base measures thirty-eight feet eight inches. A quadrangle surrounds the building with sides measuring three hundred yards each. Water flows through four long pools aligned with the cardinal directions. These channels form a Persian-style Charbagh layout typical of the era. Red sandstone covered the outer walls before the marble veneer was stripped away. The interior once featured white marble floors inlaid with precious stones. Eight portals now offer access to the inner chambers from the outside world. A large double-layered brick bulbous dome crowns the entire structure.
Ranjit Singh removed marble from both the interior and exterior of the shrine during the 19th century. British explorer William Moorcroft documented this systematic plundering of materials. The stolen stone traveled to Amritsar to decorate the Golden Temple. Other pieces built the Hazuri Bagh Baradari near the Lahore Fort. Sikh rulers Gujjar Singh, Lahna Singh, and Subha Singh damaged the original structure earlier. They planted large pipal trees next to the shrine that blocked views for decades. The British eventually removed these obstructing trees during their colonial rule. The red limestone floor disappeared during the Sikh period as well.
A staircase destroyed by Sikhs was rebuilt in 1905 under British supervision. The floor's brickwork and ceiling plaster received repairs shortly after. Authorities granted legal protection to the shrine for the first time in 1912. Gardens and causeways underwent restoration between 1920 and 1921. Further work on the garden occurred during 1924, 25 and again from 1930 through 1934. The southern walls were swept away by flooding of the River Ravi in 1955. Additional flood damage struck the site in 1973 before repairs began in 1986.
The tomb remains dilapidated today despite Pakistani laws forbidding new construction nearby. Private homes sit just across a narrow street on the western and northern sides. A Mughal-era shrine named Nim Pir stands immediately north of the complex. Conservation efforts resumed in 2005 with help from the Global Heritage Fund. International heritage funds now support ongoing restoration projects for the structure. The site sits on the tentative list as a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside the Tomb of Jahangir. The southern gate features four small chambers accessible via staircases inside its double-story frame.
Common questions
Who was Asif Khan and when did he die?
Mirza Abul Hassan Jah held the title Asif Khan and served as commander-in-chief for the Mughal Empire. He died on the 12th of June 1641 while fighting rebel forces near Lahore.
When was the Tomb of Asif Khan built and how much did it cost?
Construction began in 1636 and took four years to complete by 1645. The project cost 300,000 rupees according to historian Abdul Hamid Lahori.
Where is the Tomb of Asif Khan located today?
The tomb stands in Shahdara Bagh within Punjab province today. It sits on the tentative list as a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside the Tomb of Jahangir.
What happened to the marble from the Tomb of Asif Khan during the 19th century?
Ranjit Singh removed marble from both the interior and exterior of the shrine during the 19th century. The stolen stone traveled to Amritsar to decorate the Golden Temple and other pieces built the Hazuri Bagh Baradari near the Lahore Fort.
How has flooding affected the Tomb of Asif Khan over time?
The southern walls were swept away by flooding of the River Ravi in 1955. Additional flood damage struck the site in 1973 before repairs began in 1986.