Peeling off the gravel drive along Jamali Kamali and making your way down a narrow trail, the ruins of old residences will rise around you. As you approach the stone walls of the tomb, it is not unheard of catching a glimpse of wandering nilgai traipsing through the clearing or a family of owls bobbing around in a near by tree. Despite being a burial site, it is surrounded by new life.

Balban’s Tomb marks an important first and last in India’s history. The tomb is the first to be constructed with a true arch and dome in the vein of Islamic and Roman traditions. All previous structures would collapse because they only feigned the images of an arch or dome. Following this tomb, the architecture soared to new heights and scales.

The tomb also very literally marks a last of India. Balban was the final Sultan of the Mamluk Dynasty. Buried closely adjacent is Balban’s much-loved son, guaranteeing the end of this family’s rule and marking the end of an era.

So as you stand among the cobbled walls, consider the passage of history and its gentle intersection with modern life.

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