Dadi Poti's Tombs - Historical landmark in New Delhi - South, India

Quiet, peaceful. Beautiful architecture. It's not know who is buried in these tombs. Perhaps that's why no one is here to see them. Nonetheless,they are protected monuments.

North of the street that connects Deer Park on the west to Sri Aurobindo Marg in the east is where the so-called Dadi-Poti tombs are found. It is possible to approach them from the south as they are perched on a high knoll. The phrase "Dadi-Poti" translates as "grandfather-granddaughter" and has no special meaning except from the fact that one tomb is bigger than the other. The names of the graves' original occupants and even the tombs' original name have long since disappeared. It is excellent to see that the ASI has taken great care to conserve and maintain it. It is located on the major thoroughfare that runs through Hauz Khas Village. Someone there claimed that although the area is beautiful when lit up at night and is said to be haunted, the interesting aspect was a natural phenomena that happens as the day gives way to night. Light of several colours permeates the larger tomb's interior. ~ Entry is free. ~ Timings : 9 am - 6 pm. ~ Nearest metro station is Green Park. ~ No washroom.

The term didi-poti (grandmother grand-daughter) used for he two tombs placed side by side, was perhaps coined because of the fact that one tomb is bigger than the other. It is not known who is buried here. The smaller building (Poti), has sloping walls and a distinctive lantern on the dome. It measures 11.8 metres by 11.8 metes and belongs to the Tughlag period (1321-1414). The ornately decorated northern facade is unusual because the main entrance to tombs is usually from the south. The bigger tomb (Dadi) measures 15.86 metres x 15.86 metres and dates to the Lodi period.

The larger one is known as the tomb of dadi (grandmother) and the smaller one is the tomb of poti (granddaughter). But no one knows who this famous grandmother and granddaughter duo was. Even historians have no idea about the persons buried there. The bigger tomb, which seems three storied from outside, is actually a single-storey tomb housing several graves. According to architectural evidence, it belongs to the Tughlaq period (1321-1414).

15 mins walk from the green park metro station you hit these tombs. People like to beleive they are tombs of women but ASI has it that the tombs are named Dadi Poti because of the difference in size. This is more plausible as both tombs are from diffrent Eras. One from the Lodhi and the other from Tuglaq dynasty. Approach the tombs from the Arobindo Market side. They are wonderful to capture on a full moon night.

The Dadi-Poti Gumbad in Hauz Khas area of Delhi means the two domes of Gradma-grandaughter. This do not belong to any lady and her grandma but the name denotes that the two domes were constructed in by different kings who lived two generations apart. When I visited thse domes last week there were no signs of any grave which is normally the primary purpose of creating such tombs. Kings in medieval times famously built such cenotaphs while they were still alive. But later the British typically used them as residences or places of recreation like pool-club or billiards room. Much later these were also used as post-offices and police stations but recently the Archaeological Survey of India or the ASI to them over and made them protected monuments. The larger tomb was made earlier and is believed to be from the era of the Lodi dynasty who lived in the 14 th century and the smaller or grand-daughter dome was created by Tughlaqs who ruled a century later. This is also evident from the plaster that has come off on the older dome while it is still intact on the smaller one. I personally like the structure without the plaster since the various hues of the stones makes the tomb look appealing in contrast to the one covered with plaster since it makes it look so monotone and dull. The dome structure appears multistory from outside but is a single hollow space from inside and although the dome appear remarkably similar some subtle differentiating factor exist. For example the smaller dome has sloping walls and has a distinctive lantern on the top. Google Maps took me to an entrance via a park named as 'friend ship' and no doubt about the incorrect name. People in the Hindi speaking belt feel proud and often remark we broke the back of both the English and also their language. Here they clearly seem to have broken the word friendship into two when naming the park :D After entering the park, there is a broken fencing wall crossing which I could enter the monument only to discover that there was also a proper entrance to the monument but since it was far from the pin for this place on Google Maps the road did not lead to this place.

Poti Tomb stands in the Hauz Khas Village, the pair of tombs resemble the Bara Khan and Chhota Khan tombs, and are good examples of the tomb architecture of the period.Hauz Khas Complex in Hauz Khas, South Delhi houses a water tank, an Islamic seminary, a mosque, a tomb and pavilions built around an urbanized village with medieval history traced to the 13th century of Delhi Sultanate reign. It was part of Siri, the second medieval city of India of the Delhi Sultanate of Alauddin Khalji Dynasty (1296-1316).

Great and beautiful heritage , It's a on road monuments ,very very less crowded. Place ,don't have much visitors as compare to other monuments And people are even not familiar to this museum as well . So if you plan to go it can be a boring visit To this place Think n plan