Tomb of Qutb ud din Aibak

Tomb of Qutb ud din Aibak, Lahore

The tomb of Qutb ud-Din Aibak is located at the northern end of Anarkali Bazaar in Lahore, Pakistan. This site commemorates a significant historical figure who established the Mamluk, or Slave Dynasty, which marked the beginning of the Delhi Sultanate in India. The tomb lies in a densely built and historically congested area, and its exact burial location is approximately 250 meters north of the present structure, near the Lahori Gate of the Walled City of Lahore.
Qutb ud-Din Aibak was born in 1150 in Central Asia. He was sold into slavery and raised in Nishapur. He eventually became a slave in the service of Shahabuddin Ghori, the founder of the Ghorid Empire. Aibak rose rapidly through the ranks due to his skills and loyalty. Recognizing his abilities, Shahabuddin Ghori appointed him Amir-i-Akhur (Master of the Slaves) and later entrusted him with military and administrative responsibilities. Aibak played a key role in Ghori’s invasions of India, contributing to the annexation of large areas of northern India.
In recognition of his service, Aibak was appointed as the viceroy or governor of the Indian territories conquered by Shahabuddin Ghori. Following Ghori's assassination by the Ghakkars near Jhelum in 1206, Qutb ud-Din Aibak assumed independent control of these territories. On 24 July 1206, he declared himself the ruler and established the Slave Dynasty, initiating the era of the Delhi Sultanate. He was the first of ten successive rulers, many of whom were also of slave origin, which led to the dynasty being commonly referred to as the ‘Slave Dynasty’. This line of rulers governed the Indian subcontinent until 1290.

Qutb ud-Din Aibak’s rule was brief. He died in Lahore in 1210 as a result of a fall from his horse while playing chuaghan (polo). He was buried in Lahore, initially outside the Lahori Gate of the Walled City. The original tomb, which marked his burial site, was reportedly a two-storeyed structure. According to the tourist information board currently at the site, the tomb had marble cladding and architectural detailing. However, it suffered extensive damage during the Sikh period, particularly under the rule of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, when many historical sites were vandalized and the original structure was destroyed.
The tomb remained hidden for decades, obscured beneath residential buildings and encroachments.
According to Nazir Ahmad Chaudhry in his book A Short History of Lahore and Some of Its Monuments, the location of Aibak’s grave was discovered accidentally in a narrow, difficult-to-access street. Archaeologists identified the burial site through an epitaph. In the late 1960s, the Government of Pakistan undertook efforts to reclaim the site. After acquiring the house built atop the grave, the area was cleared. In 1970, the Department of Archaeology and Museums reconstructed the tomb and established it as a historical site. A new road, named Aibak Road, was also constructed, linking Hospital Road to Anarkali Bazaar and providing improved access to the tomb.

Since its reconstruction, the tomb of Qutb ud-Din Aibak has been protected under the Antiquities Act of 1975. It stands today not only as a marker of his final resting place but also as a reminder of the origins of the Delhi Sultanate and the legacy of the Mamluk rulers in the history of South Asia.