Royal Tombs of India, the first book of its kind on the Islamic royal tombs of India, focuses on the Tughluq and Lodi Tombs, Qutb Shahi Tombs and Mughal Tombs (Humayun, Akbar, Aurangzeb, Jahangir and Nur Jahan, Bibi-ka-Maqbara, and the Taj Mahal). It also discusses the controversy surrounding the location of Babur's tomb. These tombs are among the most magnificent pieces of Islamic architecture and grandeur. The existence of Hindu and Persian Safavid influences in the pre-Mughal and Mughal tombs is a central theme of the book. They are described in the broader historical and architectural context of the reign of Tughluq, Lodi, Qutb Shahi and Mughal dynasties. The first chapter traces the history of royal tombs, from the ancient Egyptian pyramids, the Greek/Roman mausoleums and the Chinese royal tombs to the Islamic tombs of Central Asia, Pakistan and India. The second chapter analyses the different characteristics of pre-Mughal and Mughal architecture and how it was influenced by Persian and Indian architecture. The royal tombs of pre-Mughal sultans (Slave, Khalji and Tughluq), Qutb Shahi kings and Mughal emperors are also discussed.
The book provides a rare insight into lesser known facts about the history and evolution of tomb architecture.