Why is Aurangzeb’s tomb in Khuldabad? A look at the life of India’s most controversial Mughal emperor

Aurangzeb, the sixth emperor of the Mughals, is one of the most disputed personalities of Indian history. While his period saw the pinnacle of the Mughal Empire, his demise and resting place are an enigmatic part of his legacy. Unlike most of his predecessors, whose magnificent tombs in towns such as Delhi and Agra symbolized imperial glory, Aurangzeb's tomb is in Khuldabad, a town of Maharashtra. The selection of this humble site is problematic in terms of his own beliefs, his attitude toward the empire, and the political situation surrounding his death. Why would the emperor, who was famous for his stern policies, select such an improbable site for burial?

The resting place of the erstwhile Mughal emperor is far from what you would imagine for so great a figure. Far from being laid to rest in Delhi, the epicenter of his empire, or even Ahmednagar, where he breathed his last, Aurangzeb selected the remote town of Khuldabad in Maharashtra for burial. To begin with, it's crucial to recognize that Aurangzeb lived his life yearning for simplicity. Famous for living an ascetic life, he shunned the extravagance most Mughal emperors indulged in. He notoriously liked plain clothing and banned such luxuries as alcohol and gambling in his kingdom.
Even his tomb was designed to speak of this simplicity. Indeed, he asked his grave to be kept simple, asserting, "The rich may well build domes of gold and silver on their graves! For the poor like me, the sky is enough (of a dome to cover my grave)." His decision to choose Khuldabad is also reflective of his strong religious convictions. He wanted to be buried close to the Chishti Sufi shrine of Zaynuddin Shirazi, as he regarded it as a sanctuary of protection and forgiveness. Khuldabad, which was formerly known as Rauza, had a number of Sufi shrines and hence was an appropriate resting place for Aurangzeb.

Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor, is a man whose legacy continues to generate controversy throughout India. Born in 1618, he inherited the largest empire in Indian history and further enlarged it during his reign. Famous for his strict policies and religious orthodoxy, Aurangzeb's reign was both the peak of the Mughal Empire and the start of its decline. His reign was particularly centered on widening the empire, particularly through his protracted and draining Deccan campaign. But even in his military achievements, he's criticized for cruelty towards non-Muslims and leveling some Hindu temples.
But his life was contradictory. On the one hand, Aurangzeb was a strict Muslim who enforced Islamic law; on the other, his behavior as a ruler appeared to contradict Islamic customs, most significantly when he imprisoned and ultimately overthrew his father, Shah Jahan. His strict sense of duty and adherence to religious precepts distinguished him from other Mughal emperors, making his reign both impressive and polarizing.