Often
referred to as the 'Jewel Box', the Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb is a Mughal
mausoleum located at the city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh state of India
and is treated as one of the major tourist attractions there. It is
sometimes also described as a 'draft' of the exquisite Taj Mahal because
of its resemblance to the latter. Built in between 1622 and 1628, the Tomb of Itmad Ud Daulah at Agra was commissioned by the wife of Emperor Jehangir, Nur Jahan for her father Mirza Ghiyas Beg, who had been given bestowed with the title of Itimâd-ud-Daulâ meaning the pillar of the state. Apart from the central building, the Itmad Ud Daulah Mausoleum of Agra comprises various other outer buildings as well and gardens.
The tomb construction captures the gradual shift from the primary phase of classic Mughal architecture built mainly of red sandstone with marble inlay work (example - Humayun's Tomb) to the next phase highlighting ample use of white marble and pietra dura inlay (example - Taj Mahal). Perched on the left bank of the holy river Yamuna, the Itmad Ud Daulah is based on a huge cruciform garden zigzagged by waterways and walking lanes.
Itmad Ud Daulah has walls made out of gleaming white marble imported from the neighboring Rajasthan state and are artistically encrusted with semi-precious stone embellishments like cornelian, jasper, lapis lazuli, onyx, and topaz in the motifs of cypress trees and wine bottles. Light gains access to the interiors of the tomb through the intricately carved net screens made out of white marble. Many relatives of Nur Jahan are interred in this Itmad Ud Daulah Mausoleum at Agra.