Ahmed Shah's Tomb (Badshah no Hajiro)

Badshah no Hajiro, the King's Tomb, is the mausoleum of Sultan Ahmed Shah I, the founder of Ahmedabad, who died in 1442. It stands in Manek Chowk in the Old City, directly opposite the Jama Masjid that he had built, on the eastern side of the road, and it forms part of a royal burial ground that also contains the tombs of his son, Muhammad Shah II, and his grandson, Qutb-ud-din Ahmed Shah II. Ahmed Shah I reigned from 1411 to 1442 and moved the capital of the Gujarat Sultanate from Patan to the new city on the Sabarmati, so his tomb is the monument of the city's origin. The central tomb is a square chamber with a domed roof, set on a plinth and surrounded by perforated stone jaali screens. The Sultan's cenotaph lies in the middle, flanked by the graves of other members of the dynasty in adjoining chambers, with women of the family buried nearby. The stone is carved with floral and geometric designs and shows the Indo-Islamic style of the early Sultanate, where local Gujarati trabeate carving meets Islamic domes and screens. The entrance is through a gateway on the market side, and an open courtyard offers a quiet contrast to the busy bazaar. The complex is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and has been repaired over time, but its condition varies, and the innermost chamber may be closed or limited in access, so visitors often view the tomb from the outer verandah and screens. The tomb is still visited as a place of respect, and behaviour and dress should be modest. Its position facing the Jama Masjid, with Rani no Hajiro a short walk to the south, makes it a natural stop within a compact circuit of Sultanate monuments in Manek Chowk, and a good place to reflect on the city's beginnings.