AURANGZEB & ZAINUDDIN SHIRAZI DARGAH

The tombs are located in two courtyards adjacent to the mosque. Make sure you take off your shoes and wear decent clothes (no shorts for men, shoulders, knees and head covered for women). In addition to the tombs of Aurangzeb and Zainuddin, the dargah houses the tombs of Azam Shah, Aurangzeb's son, and his wife as well as the tomb of Zainuddin's daughter.

The tomb of Aurangzeb: the bareness of the tomb contrasts strangely with the historical importance of the character. A simple tomb in a square of white marble was wanted by Aurangzeb himself. An orthodox Muslim, he wished to be buried next to the saint Zainuddin Shirazi. The openwork screen marking the entrance to the square was added in 1921 by the Nizam of Hyderabad. Born in 1618 and died in 1707, Aurangzeb was the last great Mughal emperor. A rigorous Muslim, he re-established taxes for non-Muslims, razed Hindu temples, and banned music and the arts at court. In his quest for the Deccan and seeking to bring down the Hindu Maratha empire, he set up his capital in Aurangabad, in order to centralize his control.

The tomb of Zainuddin Shirazi: the mausoleum much more imposing and solemn than the tomb of Aurangzeb testifies to the veneration of the Muslims for Zainuddin Shirazi. The tomb is placed in the center of a large quadrangular courtyard. Access to the courtyard is through a double door set with silver and brass motifs. The courtyard has two mosques, one on an upper level accessed by a sloping ramp. The other is on a lower level. The doors of the sanctuary are covered with chased silver plates. The tomb is covered with an embroidered canopy. Ostrich eggs hang from a suspended chain. Behind the tomb, a small room houses a piece of the prophet's cloak. This is displayed to the public once a year, resulting in a pilgrimage attracting tens of thousands of people.

Sheikh Zainuddun was born in 1300 in Shiraz, Iran. He went to Delhi after passing through Mecca. He studied the Koran with the maulana Kamaluddin and accompanied him to Daulatabad. In 1336, he was invested with the mantle of the caliphate. It was his responsibility to guarantee the unity of Islam in the region and he became the leader of the ummah (Muslim community). He died in Daulatabad in 1370 and was buried in Khultabad. The mausoleum was erected by his followers much later.