Introduction
Burhanpur is a hidden jewel in the annals of medieval Indian Architecture. Today a small town in Madhya Pradesh, barely 20 kms from the Maharashtra Border, its history is one battle, conquest and change, interspersed with burst of peace that allowed for a rich aesthetic to flourish. Burhanpur was founded in 1400 AD by the Faruqi King, Nasir Khan, on the northwestern banks of the Tapti. The Faruqis ruled Burhanpur for the next two centuries. In 1600, the Mughal Emperor Akbar captured Burhanpur, and for a century thereafter, until Aurangzeb's death in 1707, it remained integral to Mughal ambitions in the Deccan.
Did You Know?
Shah Jahan & Mumtaz Mahal, across the Tapti is one of its most well known monuments, the Akhukhana, literally "deer park, which was used as a hunting ground during Faruqi and Mughal rule. This is also where Shah Jahan,s most beloved queen, Mumtaz mahal was buried. The queen's body rested here for several months until it was disinterred and travelled with the Mughal court to Agra, to find a final home in Taj Mahal.