Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb (Baby Taj), Agra

Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb, the Baby Taj, is the marble tomb that first brought pietra dura inlay to Mughal architecture. Here are its timings, entry fees and what to look for.

The tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah was built by the empress Nur Jahan, wife of Jahangir, for her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg, who held the title Itimad-ud-Daulah (pillar of the state). He rose to be treasurer and then wazir of the empire, and died in 1622. ASI records that Nur Jahan completed the tomb in 1628. It stands on the left (east) bank of the Yamuna, in a walled charbagh garden with a riverside pavilion. The tomb is often called the Baby Taj.

It was the first Mughal tomb faced entirely in white marble, and it is richly inlaid with semi-precious stones in geometric and floral designs, anticipating the pietra dura of the Taj Mahal. The square building rests on a low sandstone terrace. Four octagonal corner towers about 40 feet tall are crowned by marble kiosks, and an oblong pavilion with a canopied roof rises over the central hall.

The central hall holds the cenotaphs of Mirza Ghiyas Beg and his wife, and the surrounding rooms hold tombs of other family members. Delicate marble jali screens filter the light, and painted and inlaid wine vessels, cypresses and fruit bowls cover the walls. It is smaller and much quieter than the Taj, so it is easy to study the detail. Chini Ka Rauza is about 1 km upstream and Ram Bagh a little further, so the three are often visited together. Allow an hour.