The Aga Khan Maqbara is renowned for its serene and solemn design, which reflects the spiritual significance of the site. The main chamber is surrounded by high vaulted corridors, adorned with four smaller domes placed on the roof.
The Parsee Mazagaon Anjuman Daremeher caters to the religious needs of the Parsi community in the Mazagaon area. The two-storey building, designed in the Gujarati architectural style, is entered through a triple-arched veranda facing the street. The first floor has a wooden balcony with a sloping tiled roof.
The Nizari Isma'ili community contributed funds and in-kind donations to finance the Aga Khan Maqbara, which amounted to a total cost of Rs 3 lakh. The site, spanning 16,000-square-foot on Mount Road, was offered by Mukhi Ladak Haji.
The Aga Khan Maqbara, also known as Hasanabad Dargah, serves as the final resting place of Aga Khan I, the honorific title of Hasan Ali Shah. He was the 46th Imam of the Nizari Isma'ili Shia Muslims and the first to bear the title of Aga Khan. He passed away in Mumbai in 1881.
The Aga Khan Maqbara features intricate lattice work on the windows of its central chamber. The structure is built primarily of sandstone, with white marble cladding used sparingly for ornamentation embellishments
Aga Khan I is buried in the central tomb. The tomb of Aga Khan I’s son, Aqa Ali Shah, is located on the right. He was laid to rest after passing away in 1885. Later, his remains were moved to Najaf, near Kufa, on the Euphrates River. On the left side lies the smaller tomb of Pir Abul Hassan Shah, the great-grandson of Aga Khan I, who passed away in 1885 at the age of six months.
The main entrance to the Aga Khan Maqbara complex is accessed through a gateway on Dr Mascarenhas Road. Previously known as Eden Hall, it was renamed Hasanabad (inscribed at the entrance) in memory of Hasan Ali Shah, officially titled Aga Khan I.
The letters IHS, encircled by a crown of thorns, are mounted on the pediment of the north projection. IHS represents a Christogram, a combination of letters forming an abbreviation for the name of Jesus Christ. Derived from the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus (Ἰησοῦς), IHS consists of iota (Ι), eta (Η), and sigma (Σ).
The faithful are invited to approach and venerate the cross, often by kissing it, touching it, or bowing before it. This act of reverence enables worshippers to establish a personal connection with the Passion of Christ.
The Blessed Sacrament, consecrated on Maundy Thursday, is brought forward from its location for the Communion ceremony. The hosts are stored in a tabernacle, which is shrouded in a veil—a locked box where the Eucharist (consecrated communion hosts) is stored as part of the ‘reserved sacrament’ rite.