India, May 9 -- Tucked into the rocky outcrops of south Delhi's Vasant Kunj, the Sultan Garhi complex sits without fanfare, its weathered stone walls bearing witness to eight centuries of history, neglect, rediscovery, and now, renewed controversy.

Built in 1231 by Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish of the Delhi Sultanate for his eldest son, Nasiruddin Mahmud, Sultan Garhi is regarded by many historians as India's first Islamic mausoleum. Long before the grandeur of Humayun's Tomb - which came more than 300 years later - defined Delhi's architectural identity, this fortified, almost secretive structure marked the beginning of a funerary tradition that would shape the subcontinent's architecture.

Unlike later Mughal tombs that sought visibility...