Ataga Khan

Shams-ud-din was the son of Mir Yar Muhammad of Ghazni, a simple farmer, and started life as a soldier in Kamran Mirza’s army.

[1] In 1560, when Akbar relieved his regent Bayram Khan of his duties and instructed him to go to Makkah for Hajj (pilgrimage), he was goaded by his political opponents to rebel.

For his victory, Shams-ud-din was hailed as a hero and received lavish gifts, including robes of honour, standards and kettledrums that had once belonged to Bairam.

Later, Bairam surrendered to Akbar and was pardoned and chose to continue his journey to Makkah; en route he was assassinated by a group of Afghans due to their leader's personal vendetta.

Its architect was Ustab Khuda Quli and calligrapher Baqi Muhammad from Bukhara, who added Quranic verses on the white marble slabs, inlaid on the red sandstone exterior walls, which were suitably chosen reflecting his mode of death, considered a martyrdom by Mughal historian, Abul Fazal.