Chini Ka Rauza, Agra

Chini Ka Rauza is a quiet riverside tomb known for the last traces of its glazed Persian tilework. Here is its history, timings and how to fit it into a visit to the Baby Taj.

Chini Ka Rauza is the tomb of Allama Afzal Khan Shirazi (Maula Shukrullah Shirazi), a Persian scholar and poet who served as Shah Jahan's prime minister. UP Tourism dates it to 1635. It stands on the left (east) bank of the Yamuna, about 1 km from the tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah. The building takes its name from chini, the glazed tiles that once covered its exterior. The technique came from Persia, and this is among the few Mughal buildings in India faced with such tilework.

Most of the tiles have been lost, but patches of blue, green, yellow and orange glaze in floral and geometric patterns survive on the facade. The square tomb has a single large dome on a drum. Inside, the walls and ceiling of the central chamber are painted with floral designs. The monument sits in a small garden near the river and receives few visitors. That makes it a peaceful stop between Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb and Ram Bagh, which lies about 500 m away.

UP Tourism says it can be visited from sunrise to sunset on any day. It does not appear on the Agra ticket charts of ASI or UP Tourism. Allow 20–30 minutes.