Bahmani Tombs at Ashtur, Bidar: History, highlights and visitor guide

History and context

The story behind Bahmani Tombs at Ashtur

Ahmad Shah I Wali moved the Bahmani capital to Bidar in the early 1430s. His tomb, built after his death in 1436, was the first at Ashtur. Later tombs, including those of Ala-ud-Din Shah and Humayun Shah, were added up to about 1535.

Wikipedia notes that the tomb of Ala-ud-Din once had enamelled tile on its facade, now mostly lost, and that a well was added in 1609 under the Barid Shahis. The ASI lists the site as a monument of national importance.

Useful facts

Bahmani Tombs at Ashtur facts at a glance

Location

Ashtur, east of Bidar

Experience type

Royal necropolis; one interior open

Known for

Painted dome and walls in Ahmad Shah Wali's tomb

Built

Tombs raised between 1436 and 1535

Faith note

Ahmad Shah's tomb is a dargah; annual urs held

Status

ASI national importance; UNESCO tentative list

Why it matters

Why Bahmani Tombs at Ashtur is worth your time

Eight Bahmani sultans are buried at Ashtur, along with queens and relatives, in tombs raised between 1436 and 1535. Together they are the best surviving record of how the dynasty saw itself: the early tombs are large and richly painted, the later ones small and plain as power slipped away.

Ahmad Shah's tomb is also one of the few places where Bahmani painted interiors survive. The group is on India's tentative list for UNESCO status along with other Deccan Sultanate monuments, and conservation work with documentation partners has recorded the paintings in detail.

Highlights

What not to miss

1. 01

   Ahmad Shah's painted tomb

   Persian-style paintings and inscriptions cover the interior walls and dome.

2. 02

   The row of royal tombs

   Domed tombs shrink in scale over the decades, tracing the dynasty's decline.

3. 03

   The Chaukhandi

   An octagonal tomb of Sufi saint Khalil-ullah, set on a rise and reached by stairs.

Plan your visit

How to experience it

Drive out to Ashtur in the late afternoon and begin with the tomb of Ahmad Shah I Wali, the first and one of the two largest in the group. From outside it is a square building with a hemispherical dome on an octagonal drum, with stucco around the windows and doors.

Step inside if it is open and dress modestly, because the tomb is venerated and an annual urs is held here. The walls and dome carry painted decoration in Persian style, including Kufic religious texts above the arches and verses by the Sufi poet Shah Nimatullah Wali in Thuluth script. Give your eyes a minute to adjust; the colours are subtle.

Walk along the row of other royal tombs from outside, noticing how later ones are smaller, which reflects the dynasty's decline. If you have energy, the Chaukhandi, a separate octagonal tomb of the Sufi saint Khalil-ullah, is about a kilometre west and reached by steps.

Know before you go

Timing, access and comfort

Area

Ashtur, a few kilometres east of old Bidar

Time needed

1–1.5 hours

Best time

Late afternoon, near sunset, when the domes glow

Walking level

Easy

Senior comfort

The main tombs sit on mostly level ground with short walks between them. The Chaukhandi, about a kilometre west of the main group, involves several flights of steps and is better skipped by anyone with knee trouble.

Tickets and access

The site is protected by the ASI, and most tombs are kept locked and viewed from outside. Ahmad Shah's tomb is also a dargah, so dress modestly; ask locally about access and any fee.

Plan it with

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