Sheikh Chehli Mausoleum

Location

Towards the north of Thanesar and over looking the sarai built by Sher Shah Suri is the marble tomb of Sheikh Chehli. This beautiful tomb and the attached madrasa are associated with the Sufi Saint Abdu'r Rahim alias Abd-ul-Karim alias Abd-ul-Razak, popularly known as Sheikh Chehli, also called Chilli believed to be the spiritual teacher to the Mughal prince, Dara Shikoh.

Sheikh Chehli was an Iranian Sufi Saint. He came to Thanesar to meet Hazrat Kutub Jalaluddin in the 16th century. He breathed his last here. He was laid to rest in this tomb which had originally been built for Hazrat Kutub, Jalaluddin under orders of Shahjahan, out of his great respect and regard for Hazrat Sahib.

The tomb, overlooking the madrasa and standing on an artificial terrace, is octagonal on plan having its entrance on the south. It is built of buff sandstone crowned by a pear shaped dome of white marble, sitting on a high circular drum. The sides of the octagonal tomb are provided with arched recesses, similar in style to those of the entrance and the windows along with the openings are closed with pierced tracery screens in white marble.

The centre of the chamber is occupied by the cenotaph of the saint while the grave is located in the lower chamber to which a narrow gallery leads from the 'madarsa'. The 'madarsa' is a building with a deep arcade of nine arched openings on each side of a central courtyard, which has in the centre a stone masonry or tank.

John Dawkins repaired the tomb of the Saint Sheikh Chilli in A.D. 1854. It is now a protected monument and is being looked after by the Government of India.