Which is the first garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent?

Humayun's Tomb in Delhi is regarded as the first garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent. It is the tomb of the second Mughal emperor, Humayun, who died in 1556 after falling down the stairs of his library in the Purana Qila (Sher Mandal). The tomb was built in about 1565-1572, during the reign of his son Akbar.

Key facts about Humayun's Tomb:

• It was commissioned by Humayun's senior widow, Bega Begum (also called Haji Begum).
• It was designed by the Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas (and completed by his son, Sayyid Muhammad).
• It was the first building in India to use red sandstone on such a large scale, combined with white marble.
• It stands in the centre of a "charbagh", a Persian-style garden divided into four parts by walkways and water channels, representing the gardens of paradise described in the Quran.
• It has a double dome, a Persian feature, and a high platform with many rooms.

Many members of the Mughal royal family are buried here, so it is called the "dormitory of the Mughals". The last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, took refuge here in 1857 before being captured by the British.

It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

Humayun's Tomb is considered the forerunner and inspiration for the Taj Mahal in Agra, built by Shah Jahan about 80 years later. The tomb complex was restored by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture with the Archaeological Survey of India in the 2000s.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Taj Mahal (Agra) was built later (1632-1653) by Shah Jahan for Mumtaz Mahal and was inspired by Humayun's Tomb.
• ✗Akbar's Tomb at Sikandra (Agra) was completed by Jahangir in 1613.
• ✗Safdarjung's Tomb (Delhi, 1754) is often called the last garden-tomb of the Mughal style.