Najaf Khan Tomb at Lodhi Colony.

We in Delhi have all heard of Najaf Garh on the South West outskirts of Delhi bordering Haryana but may not know who Najaf Khan was and where his tomb is. Najaf Khan was the highest commander of Mughal army during the reign of Shal Alam II who ruled in the period of 1759-1806 CE.

Najaf Khan Tomb as it looks from the entrance.

Mirza Najaf Khan was a Baloch adventurer who belonged to royal dynasty deposed by Nadir Shah and came to India with his sister who was married to Nawab of Oudh. Najaf Khan led the Mughal army in the battle of Buxar and his main contribution was that he was the highest Mughal commander from 1772 to the time he died in 1782. He reorganized the Mughal army on European pattern and fought the Maraths, the Sikhs, the Jats and the Rohillas and secured the Mughal empire against their threats.

The Najaf Khan Tomb is in an enclosed complex with beautiful laws all around.

Najaf Khan tomb stands at the center of a large garden enclosure with a gateway which is in ruins now.

 The tomb consists of a raised platform veneered with red sandstone, with two inscribed cenotaphs on its top. One cenotaph belongs to Najaf Khan and the other to his daughter Fatima. Graves are located in one of the two chambers in the core of the platform. There is an enclosure wall around the tomb complex.

The entrance to Najaf Khan tomb is all damaged.

To reach the tomb the easiest way is to take Aurobindo Marg coming from Safdarjung tomb side, take a left turn on Data Ram Bhutani Marg, turn right on Najaf Khan road and you can see the tomb complex on your right.