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Sola Khamba (16 Pillars Tomb)
Built during the reign of Aurangzeb albiet minus his contribution,
the Sola Khamba is also known as the Shaikh Ala-al-Din’s tomb. This
saint was the overseer of the shrine of Moin-ud-din Chisti and he
built his own tomb in four years from 1659. Located just outside
Chisti’s dargah and completed in 1660, the Sola Khamba is so named
because of the 16 pillars that support its roof (sola or solah means
16).
Built in white marble, this rectangular building is not a very large
one, but its size is overshadowed by the spectacular trio of cusped
arches leading upto the flat roof out of which rise four slender
minarets from each corner. The cusped arches are a rare sight for
these times, and it was only during Aurangzeb’s reign that they came
into their own.
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