TOMB OF MAHABAT KHAN (Lahore)

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  asadleo

  MAHABAT KHAN GARDEN:- Now dilapidated, this garden was once among many of the Chahar Bagh Gardens built along the road to Shalimar Gardens by the Mughal nobility. The garden was originally surrounded by a high wall of masonry and is situated to the west of the Shalimar Gardens and south of Baghbanpura. Now, only portions of the surrounding wall remain as much of the garden has been encroached upon by the local population. The garden is locally known as "Saithan di Bagheechi". The old gateway is on the west, and additions were made to the upper storey by Parsi merchants of Bombay who owned it in the late 1800s. A newer gateway was located to the north, however, only traces of it remain now as most of it has been replaced by houses surrounding the garden. To the east and south were rooms and chambers, built of substantial brick-working order but are no longer extant. To the south was a small mosque, now much renovated. The garden was built by Mahabt Khan, surnamed Khan-e-Khanan, Yamin-ud-Daula. His original name was Zamana Beg, and he was son of Ghyur Beg of Kabul. Jahangir writes of him in his autobiography, "Zamana Beg son of Ghayur Beg, had gained the dignity of 500, by when I was till Crown Prince. He now (on my accession), having received the title of Mahabat Khan and a mansab of 1500, was nominated Pay master of my household." In the seventeenth year of the reign of Jahangir, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, with a mansab of 7000, and sent against Shah Jahan whom he defeated near Allahabad. Mahabat Khan died in 1634. At his death he held the dignity of Khan-e-Khanan, and was head of the military administration. Shah Jahan made provision for Mahabat Khan's eldest son who ultimately rose to the Governorship of Kabul and to bear his father’s title. Maharaja Ranjit Singh gave the garden to Faqir Aziz-ud-Din, who looked well after it. On his death, Faqir Charagh-ud-Din, his heir sold it to Jahangirji & Co., Parsi Merchants. In the midst of the garden, on a spacious platform (now in ruins), is a grave of solid masonry which both Chishti and Sarwar ascribe to Mahabat Khan.

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