On Babur, the first Mughal emperor

Source: The Economist

It was while living in India that I developed a fascination for the Mughals: much of what foreigners consider to be iconic of India - the Taj Mahal and many North Indian dishes for example - are legacies of these Central Asian invaders.

I've visited the tombs of four of the six great Mughal emperors, namely those of Humayun, Akbar, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb.  Jahangir is buried near Lahore, which I have yet to visit. However, I somehow thought that Babur, being the first emperor, did not have a proper tomb, but a lovely article in The Economist has just added Kabul to my list of places to visit.

One fine day I will also make the effort to read his almost 500 year old autobiography, the Baburnama. Straddling Central Asia and the Indian subcontinental, with all the cultural and linguistic diversity, would have made for a fascinating life even putting aside the empire-building.

Recommended article

• Wine and tulips in Kabul (The Economist)