R.K. Puram’s a slightly weird place for a Lodi-era monument if you think about it. It’s a full-on government residential colony, totally jam packed, and pretty far from Mehrauli, where most other Lodi-era monuments are located. But the five tombs inside the Wazirpur Complex make for a delightful stroll in good weather, if you know they exist. Said to be associated with a certain Wazir Khan, there’s no real recorded or surviving history on the place, so you won’t find signboards guiding you along. The complex is small – two old walled mosques, a grave platform, and a decently-sized baoli (stepwell) that’s either bone dry or half-full of rainwater, depending on the season.
The tombs aren’t identical: the first three, nestled close together, sit high on a raised platform, while the other two are a lot smaller and more squat looking. In some places, you can see traces of plaster with floral and geometric designs. Of course, it’s much more common to spot (and roll your eyes at) the graffiti scrawled across its walls over the years. The place had, at one point in recent history, fallen prey to some urban encroachments, but has since been cleaned up and remains fairly well-kept.
The best part of the place is how low under the radar it flies. Granted, R.K. Puram does have one more Lodi-era monument – Bijri Khan’s tomb, which sits right by the busy main road – but this one never makes it to any of the top to-do heritage lists in Delhi. So think about it – no screechy tour guides, no ticket counters, no crowd. Just you, some birds, and maybe a couple of other locals enjoying the peace, too. If you’re going, peek into each tomb. They’re open and it’s fascinating to note all the little design quirks.