Itimad-ud-Daulah

The Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah stands on the eastern bank of the Yamuna at Moti Bagh in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It was built between about 1622 and 1628 by the Mughal empress Nur Jahan for her father, Mirza Ghiyas Beg, who served Jahangir as chief minister with the title Itimad-ud-Daulah, meaning pillar of the state. His wife, Asmat Begum, is buried beside him. The tomb is often described as a jewel box and is regarded as a bridge between the red sandstone tombs of the early Mughal period and the white marble Taj Mahal, which Shah Jahan began a few years later.

It is considered the first Mughal tomb built entirely of white marble, replacing the usual red sandstone, and it is among the earliest to use extensive pietra dura inlay of semi-precious stones such as carnelian, onyx, jasper and lapis lazuli. The structure is a small square building on a low platform, with an octagonal tower at each corner and a pavilion on the roof with a curved roof, and its walls are covered with geometric designs, cypress trees, wine vessels, fruit and flowers. Perforated marble screens filter light into the inner chamber, which holds the cenotaphs of the minister and his wife, while the walls carry painted and inlaid decoration. The tomb sits in the centre of a charbagh garden with water channels, and four sandstone gateways surround it, the one facing the river being a pavilion open to the water.

The design reflects Persian influence, as Nur Jahan's family came from Persia, and the proportions are smaller and more intimate than later imperial tombs. The Archaeological Survey of India maintains it, and conservation work has cleaned and repaired the marble and inlay, though weathering and pollution remain concerns. A visit is short and follows a simple route through the gate, the garden and the tomb, and a guide can point out the inlay motifs that anticipate the Taj Mahal. Because it is less crowded than the Taj Mahal, the tomb is a calmer place for photography, and it is on the same riverbank route as Mehtab Bagh.