Tomb of Salim Chishti, Agra

Architecture

The tomb has been constructed on a platform which is about 1 m. high, a flight of five steps leading to the entrance portico. The main tomb building is enclosed by delicate marble screens on all sides, and the tomb is located in the centre of the main hall, which has a single semi-circular dome. The marble building is beautifully carved, and has an ivory-like appearance. The plinth is ornamented with mosaics of black and yellow marble arranged in geometric patterns. An ebony "chhaparkhat" enclosure surrounds the marble cenotaph, which is usually covered by a green cloth. A wooden canopy incrusted with mother-of-pearl inlay mosaic over it.The door to the main chamber is intricately carved with arabesque patterns and bears inscriptions from the Quran. Brown marble borders the interior bays while the relief panels - with the quran verses - have a blue background. The carved and painted tomb chamber has a white marble floor, which is inlaid with multicolored stones. The multicoloured stones which are also a piece of diamond ruby or emreld.