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Zafar Mahal, Mehrauli: the last Mughal palace and its empty grave
Zafar Mahal in Mehrauli village, south Delhi, is considered the last monumental building of the Mughal era: a summer palace of the last emperors with a towering red sandstone gate added by Bahadur Shah Zafar in 1847–48. Inside are the graves of several emperors and the empty plot Zafar chose for himself before his exile. Entry is free, but opening depends on the caretaker.
The last monumental thing the Mughals built: a summer palace in Mehrauli village, begun by Akbar Shah II and completed by Bahadur Shah Zafar, its red sandstone Hathi Gate rising so far above the lane that you cannot fit it into a photograph. Inside, marble screens enclose royal graves and one empty plot, the ground Zafar had chosen for himself before the British exiled him to Rangoon in 1857. Much of the rest is ruinous. Free, though opening depends on the ASI caretaker, so mornings are safer. The dargah of Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki is next door.
An emperor's unused grave and the empire's final gate, standing in a village lane
Who built Zafar Mahal
The palace itself was begun by Akbar Shah II. The great entrance gate was rebuilt by his son Bahadur Shah II, the poet-emperor known as Zafar: an inscription on the main arch dates it to the eleventh year of his reign, 1847–48. Zafar came here every monsoon to hunt and was honoured here during the Phool Walon Ki Sair festival.
After the failed revolt of 1857, the British tried Zafar for treason and in 1858 deported him to Rangoon, where he died in November 1862. (The description above gives 1857, the year of the revolt; the trial and deportation came in 1858.) He was buried there, far from the grave he had prepared in Mehrauli. Zafar Mahal was declared a protected monument in 1920.
What to see
Much of the palace is ruined or built over. These are the parts that stand.
Hathi Gate
A three-storey gate of red sandstone with marble, about 50 feet wide, with an opening tall enough for a decorated elephant with its howdah. Look for the broad Mughal chhajja (eave), the small windows under curved Bengali roofs and the two lotus medallions.
Royal graves
A marble screen enclosure holds the graves of Bahadur Shah I, Shah Alam II, Akbar Shah II and Mirza Fakhruddin, a son of Zafar, and the empty plot Zafar had chosen for himself.
Moti Masjid
A small three-domed mosque of white marble, built as the private mosque of the royal family, now within the palace precincts.
How to find Zafar Mahal
The palace is about 300 feet west of the Ajmeri Gate of the dargah of Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki, in the narrow lanes of Mehrauli village. The easiest way is to go to the dargah first and ask for Zafar Mahal or the Hathi Gate from there. The nearest metro station is Qutab Minar on the Yellow Line, from where you walk or take an auto-rickshaw into the village.
It combines well with the Qutub complex, Yogmaya Temple and the Mehrauli Archaeological Park.
Before you go
Entry is free, and there is no ticket office or posted schedule: whether the gate is open depends on the caretaker, so mornings are the safer bet. The monument is in poor condition and partly encroached by houses; expect ruins, not a restored palace. The dargah next door is an active shrine.
❓ FAQ
Who built Zafar Mahal?
Akbar Shah II began the palace, and his son Bahadur Shah Zafar rebuilt the entrance gate in 1847–48.
Who was the last Mughal of Delhi?
Bahadur Shah Zafar (Bahadur Shah II), who reigned from 1837 until the revolt of 1857. The British exiled him to Rangoon, where he died in 1862.
Is Zafar Mahal free to visit?
Yes, there is no ticket, but opening depends on the caretaker; go in the morning.
Is Bahadur Shah Zafar buried at Zafar Mahal?
No. The plot he chose is empty: he died in exile in Rangoon in 1862 and was buried there.