Photo Gallery

Anarkali Tomb (built 1615)

The tomb of 'Anarkali' traditionally belongs to Nadira Begum, the lover of Prince Salim (the later Emperor Jahangir). According to legend Anarkali (Pomegranate Bud) was a member of Akbar's harem. She was accused of having an illicit love affair with Prince Salim and was executed in 1599. When Jahangir assumed the throne six years later he ordered the construction of her tomb which was finished in 1615.

The tomb originally stood at the center of a large garden in the manner of the Asaf Khan Tomb. In the early 1800s it was occupied by Kharak Singh, the son of Ranjit Singh, and was later converted to a residence for General Ventura, a French officer in the Sikh army. In 1851 it was converted to a Christian church and substantially remodeled with the arched openings largely blocked off. At the present time it is used as a library for the Punjab Records Office.

Plan of Anarkali's Tomb. The staircase at bottom (south) is a recent addition.
Image redrawn following Ebba Koch.

Location

The approximate location of the tomb is 31.567357' N, 74.300583' E (WGS 84 map datum).