NEW DELHI: The historical village of Zamrudpur in south Delhi is home to medieval monuments from the Lodhi period. The settlement’s origins are traced to Zamrud Khan, a notable Afghan noble. During the Lodhi dynasty’s rule, the village witnessed the construction of five tombs, known as Panchburja.
With time, these tombs have significantly deteriorated amid urban development. Residential buildings surround these structures, limiting their visibility.
These historical monuments now serve multiple unintended purposes: as animal shelters, waste disposal sites and residences. National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities records indicate that Zamrudpur village’s primary tomb was built by Zamrud Khan during Sikandar Lodhi’s reign of AD 1489-1517, after receiving the jagir of Kanchan Sarai, later renamed Zamrudpur.
One particular tomb, distinguished by its grand dome, detailed interior and ornate pillars, currently functions as a waste collection site and clothes-drying space.
The village’s largest tomb appears confined by flats and houses with modern doors on either side. As this photojournalist captured the ongoing construction work at the tomb, a local shopkeeper warned him: “This is private property, photography is prohibited inside, how dare you come here!”
Kamta Prasad, who has lived in the village for two decades, said: “Around 10 years ago, one of the tombs was visible from the street. Now, towering buildings and houses have emerged, and accessing the tomb courtyard requires walking through residences, while the tomb itself has become the locality’s dumping ground.”
These historical structures in the modest urban village of Zamrudpur, near upscale Greater Kailash I, risk disappearing beneath expanding multi-storey constructions. Neither the residents nor property owners seem to support the preservation of these unprotected heritage sites.