Chausath Khamba Delhi: The 64-Pillar Marble Tomb

Tucked into the historic lanes of Hazrat Nizamuddin, close to one of Delhi's most revered shrines, stands Chausath Khamba, a serene white-marble Mughal mausoleum whose name means sixty-four pillars. Often overlooked beside its famous neighbours, it is a quiet architectural gem. This guide from Delhi Agra Tour Packages covers what Chausath Khamba is, its history, its remarkable sixty-four-pillar design and how to visit, so you can add this hidden corner of Mughal Delhi to your trip, whether on its own or as part of a Golden Triangle tour.

I was born in Delhi and in more than 11 years guiding travellers across the region for Experience My India I have always loved the Nizamuddin quarter, where history layers upon history and Chausath Khamba, cool and luminous in white marble, is one of its loveliest surprises. Here is what to know.

Chausath Khamba at a glance

What is Chausath Khamba?

Chausath Khamba, which translates from Urdu and Hindi as sixty-four pillars, is a heritage 17th-century Mughal mausoleum built entirely of gleaming white marble, tucked into the bustling, historic lanes of the Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti in New Delhi. It is the final resting place of Mirza Aziz Koka, the foster brother of the Mughal emperor Akbar and is one of the quiet treasures of this deeply historic quarter of the city.

Though modest in scale beside the grand monuments of Delhi, Chausath Khamba is an architectural marvel in its own right, a cool, luminous marble pavilion whose sixty-four pillars and hidden domes reward a closer look. It sits in one of the most atmospheric parts of the capital, a short walk from the great Humayun's Tomb and makes a rewarding stop for anyone interested in Mughal history and architecture beyond the obvious sights.

History of Chausath Khamba

Chausath Khamba was built between 1623 and 1624, during the reign of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. It was commissioned by Mirza Aziz Koka, also known as Khan-i-Azam, as a family mausoleum and it became his own final resting place. Mirza Aziz Koka held an exalted position at the Mughal court, for he was the foster brother of the emperor Akbar and the son of Ataga Khan, a powerful noble of Akbar's court.

This close bond to the imperial family explains the monument's fine marble construction and its honoured position in the Nizamuddin area, close to the revered dargah of the Sufi saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. In recent years the structure and its grand forecourt were meticulously restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, as part of the wider revival of the Nizamuddin heritage precinct, which has brought this and neighbouring monuments back to life for visitors to enjoy. It is a story that connects the highest circles of the Mughal court with the living spiritual heart of old Delhi.

The architecture and the sixty-four pillars

The great fascination of Chausath Khamba is its architecture, which is as clever as it is beautiful. True to its name, the pavilion is built around sixty-four square marble pillars that support the entire structure, giving the monument both its name and its airy, open character.

The sixty-four pillars create twenty-five bays and each bay is topped by a dome, but in a remarkable piece of design these are reverse domes that remain entirely hidden beneath a perfectly flat outer roof, so that the pavilion appears flat-topped from outside while being domed within. The outer walls are filled with beautifully carved marble trellised screens or jaalis, which cast ever-shifting patterns of light and shadow across the interior floor through the day, giving the white marble interior a quiet, meditative beauty. Out front, the restored courtyard includes the Urs Mahal, a stage area that hosts traditional Sufi Qawwali programmes and cultural events, keeping the monument alive as a living cultural space.

Where is Chausath Khamba and what is nearby?

Chausath Khamba is located in the Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti, one of the oldest and most atmospheric quarters of Delhi and its setting is a large part of its charm. It stands right next to the tomb of the legendary Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib and very close to the famous Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah, the shrine of the Sufi saint, which draws devotees and the sound of qawwali every evening.

This places Chausath Khamba within easy reach of some of Delhi's greatest Mughal heritage. The magnificent Humayun's Tomb is close by and makes the natural pairing, while the old fort of Purana Qila and the heritage ruins of Hauz Khas are also within reach for a day of old Delhi. For a fuller day in the capital you can combine the area with the great sights across the city, from the Red Fort and the towering Qutub Minar to the modern landmarks of India Gate, the serene Lotus Temple and the magnificent Akshardham. You can see the full range of the city's sights in our Delhi attractions guide.

How to reach Chausath Khamba

Chausath Khamba is reached through the lanes of Nizamuddin West and while cars cannot go right up to it through the narrow basti, it is easy to reach the edge of the quarter by road or Metro and walk the short distance in.

The nearest Metro stations are JLN Stadium on the Violet Line and Hazrat Nizamuddin on the Pink Line, each a short ride or walk from the basti. From there you walk into the atmospheric lanes, past the dargah and Ghalib's tomb, to reach the marble pavilion. Because it sits in a dense historic quarter, it is easiest and most rewarding to visit together with Humayun's Tomb and the Nizamuddin shrine and a private car with a driver makes moving between these sights simple. If you are planning a wider day, our guide to must-visit places near Delhi within 50 km covers options further afield.

Timings and entry fee

Chausath Khamba is an open, free monument, with no ticket required and it is accessible through daylight hours every day of the week.

Because entry is free and the monument is compact, a visit takes about thirty to forty-five minutes, a little longer if a cultural programme is underway in the Urs Mahal forecourt or if you linger over the play of light through the jaalis. It is open every day, which makes it easy to fit into any Delhi itinerary and the quiet early morning or the golden late afternoon are the loveliest times to see the marble.

Best time to visit Chausath Khamba

The best time to visit Chausath Khamba, as with all of Delhi's heritage sights, is the cool season from about October to March, when the weather is pleasant for walking the Nizamuddin lanes and exploring the wider area on foot. This is also the ideal season for the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb and the rest of the city, so it fits naturally into a wider Delhi trip and our travel guides cover more on planning the season.

The summer, from April to June, is very hot in Delhi, so a visit then is best made in the early morning or evening, while the monsoon, from July to September, brings some relief. Within the day, the soft light of the morning or late afternoon is the most beautiful for the white marble and the shadow patterns of the jaalis and an evening visit lets you catch the qawwali at the nearby dargah, one of the great experiences of this quarter.

Tips for visiting Chausath Khamba

• Combine your visit with the nearby Humayun's Tomb and the Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah for a full morning or afternoon.

• Visit in the cool season, October to March and in the soft morning or late-afternoon light.

• Allow thirty to forty-five minutes, longer if a cultural programme is on in the forecourt.

• Look up to appreciate the hidden reverse domes beneath the flat roof and the light through the jaalis.

• Stay into the evening to catch qawwali at the adjoining Nizamuddin Dargah, an unforgettable experience.

• Dress modestly, as this is a historic quarter with active religious sites all around.

• Reach the area by Metro or car, then explore the Basti lanes on foot.

What to expect

A visit to Chausath Khamba is a serene, offbeat encounter with Mughal Delhi, a cool white-marble pavilion of sixty-four pillars hidden among the lanes of one of the city's most historic and spiritual quarters. You can expect a beautifully restored monument with its clever hidden domes and delicate marble jaalis, the tomb of a foster brother of the emperor Akbar, standing beside the tomb of the poet Ghalib and a short walk from the great Humayun's Tomb and the living shrine of Nizamuddin.

As an attraction it is modest in scale but rich in beauty and atmosphere and its reward is the quiet pleasure of fine Mughal architecture away from the crowds, deepened by the music and devotion of the surrounding basti. Combined with Humayun's Tomb and the Nizamuddin Dargah, it makes a memorable half-day that reveals a side of Delhi many visitors never discover.

Plan your trip with us

The Nizamuddin quarter rewards a knowledgeable guide more than almost anywhere in Delhi and a visit to Chausath Khamba, woven into a walk through the basti and its monuments and shrines, is far easier and richer with the logistics handled for you. We arrange it all, a comfortable private car and an experienced driver, a guide to lead you through the lanes and bring the Mughal story to life and a day planned around your interests.

Tell us your dates and group size and we will price it honestly around your standard rather than a fixed figure. A day in the capital slots neatly into our wider Delhi Agra Tour Packages and this quarter pairs beautifully with a guided Old Delhi tour of the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk.

Want your Delhi day planned around you? Message us on WhatsApp and Experience My India will build it for you.

Related guides

• New Delhi tour: the capital's imperial landmarks, including Humayun's Tomb and Qutub Minar.

• Delhi day tour: the best of old and new Delhi in a single day.

• Golden Triangle tours: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur combined.

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