The Chaukhandi of Hadrat Khalil-Ullah "Chaukhandi" is a Hindi term made up of two parts: *chav*, meaning "four," and *khand*, meaning "storey," which refers to a four-storey building. Although this structure is only two storeys tall, it has earned the name because it sits on a high elevation and is accessible through multiple flights of stairs. Hadrat Khalil-Ullah, the son of Shah Ni'mat-Ullah Kirmani, came to Bidar from his homeland after his father's passing in 834 H (1431 CE). The reigning king at the time, 'Ala-ud-Din, warmly welcomed him, and two of Khalil-Ullah's sons, Shah Habib-Ullah and Shah Muhibb-Ullah, were married to royal princesses. The Chaukhandi contains three graves in its main chamber, along with several others in the surrounding corridor. The tomb is accessed from the road leading from Dulhan Darwaza to the mausolea of the Bahmani kings, located about three furlongs from the latter, closer to the city. To reach the tomb’s outer gateway, visitors first ascend five steps, then walk across a paved area measuring 39 feet 5 inches by 64 feet 7 inches. At the end of this pavement is another flight of seven steps, leading to a second pavement extending 37 feet 9 inches up to the steps of the gateway. The gateway has an elegant façade featuring a central arch and a trefoil-patterned parapet along the top of the wall. The total height of the wall, including the parapet, is 30 feet 4 inches, while the entrance arch rises to a height of 21 feet with a span of 13 feet. The arch, with its Persian influence, has a stilted design at the top. Decorative stucco work on a panel contains two medallions, one featuring a religious text. At the same time, the other displays the names of Allah, Muhammad, and Ali, arranged in Kufic script within a stylistic design.
