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Subz Burj: Oldest double-domed monument in Delhi with Timurid art renovated

Conservation of Subz Burj, one of the unique double-domed architectural gems in the national Delhi, India, has been completed after three years of concentrated efforts carried out by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC). Sandstone lattice screens (Jaalis) have been restored at arched doorways, where iron frames were installed. Rare gold and lapis lazuli paintings and plaster patterns on the ceiling have also been exposed after a careful cleaning process carried out under the watchful supervision of the experts. “Its architecture features such as incredible artwork, tiles, and jaalis, especially the painting on its ceiling makes it rare.  The opulent gold artwork and proximity to the shrine of the 13th century Sufi-Saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya suggest that the sepulchre must have been of a powerful and close noble of the ruler,” said Ratish Nanda, chief executive officer of AKTC.

Sabz Burj: 500-year-old mausoleum renovated in the heart of Delhi

As part of a broad initiative to revive Delhi’s historic heritage, Sabz Burj – an early Mughal-era tomb turned to roadside ruin through centuries of neglect, vandalism and poor repair – has been restored to its former grandeur by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in partnership with the Archaeological Survey of India and with the support of Havells India Limited.   

Stepwell in Qutb Shahi tombs complex restored

The garden of the Qutb Shahi tombs is a deep stepwell of dressed granite. “It is probably one of the earliest structures here, along with the Idgah and might pre-date the necropolis. The other boalis (stepwells) are built on rocky outcrops. This one is built into the earth with huge blocks of hand-dressed stone blocks and masonry,” says Ratish Nanda of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, which is working in coordination with the State government to restore the tombs complex. The Qutb Shahis ruled the Golconda kingdom between 1518 and 1687. Restoring a deep stepwell presents its own challenges. “Portions of the stone blocks had bulged out and required to be reset; this was dangerous due to the depth of the baoli. We also needed to channelise rainwater into it, requiring extensive restoration of earth levels all around out,” says Mr Nanda.

Architecture Built 1,000 Years Ago to Catch Rain is Being Revived to Save India’s Parched Villages

Stepwells are sometimes small stone-lined trenches, capturing rainwater and refilling underground aquafers, while others are masterpieces of inverted architecture. The stepwells are known as “baolis” or “bwaris” and have not always been conserved as monuments to cherish. Instead, many of India’s more than 3,000 baolis have fallen into disrepair or abandonment, being buried by foliage. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture works with stepwells around the country, sandblasting the build-up of toxic residue and crumbing material and working with heritage architects for governments interested in repairing the baolis. “When they began clearing what they thought was a garbage dump, they found the structure of a step-well beneath the garbage,” writes Vikramjit Singh Rooprai, a heritage advocate and writer who works with the AKTC and who is working on the restoration of India’s baolis.

Delhiwale: Meet the Nila Gumbad

The Nila Gumbad, or the blue dome, stands at the far-east of the Humayun tomb complex. It isn’t visited by as many sightseers as the Mughal emperor’s mausoleum, but it is the oldest edifice in the compound, which is a UNESCO world heritage site. In the beginning there was just this Nila Gumbad. The tomb was restored to its original state this year—it was brought within the Humayun Tomb complex in December 2019. The dome of the Humayun Tomb complex originally contained 150,000 blue Timurid brick tiles, out of which 20,000 had disappeared. The conservation project—executed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in partnership with the Archaeological Survey of India—included compensating for these missing tiles. The new tiles were handmade in the style of the original. Many of the original tiles have lost their glaze, but they have been retained because of their antiquity. 

The ancient stepwells helping to curb India's water crisis

In 2017, the government in India identified 15 stepwells in Delhi for restoration. In 2019 the Aga Khan Trust for Culture partnered with the German Embassy in India to restore a stepwell in the Humayun Tomb complex in Delhi. States can leverage new technologies to modify traditional water systems for local requirements. In a nation where 600 million people – around half the population – face severe water shortages daily, traditional water-harvesting solutions are a harbinger of hope. "With India's water table rapidly declining, stepwells can help refill ground aquifers and harvest runoffs. In three months during the rainy season, millions of litres of water can be collected," says Ratish Nanda, a conservation architect and projects' director at the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

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