Delhi, India, 22 April 2015 – The restoration of the 11-acre “Batashewala complex” – undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India with a grant from the U.S Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation – was marked on the 18th of April by the presence of Shri Ravindra Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India and Mr Michael Pelletier, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the United States of America.

The Complex, which is adjacent to the Humayun’s Tomb world heritage site, had suffered from decades of neglect and inappropriate development. The complex encompasses three 16th century garden-tombs, including the tomb of Mirza Muzaffar Hussain, grand-nephew of Emperor Humayun and son-in-law of Emperor Akbar.

The conservation effort, begun by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in 2011,worked to reverse the damage through a pain-staking, multi-disciplinary effort aimed at restoring the historic architectural character of the site. Traditional materials and building techniques were employed in order to replace 20th century alterations carried out with modern materials, such as cement. Portions of the structures and the enclosure walls – demolished in 1989 to create a camp site – were reconstructed. The Mughal char-bagh landscape design of the two enclosed gardens were restored. Trees favoured by the Mughals – mango, neem, citrus, amongst others – were planted.

Conservation and landscape restoration works aimed to establish a model conservation process. Traditional materials and building techniques were employed in order to replace 20th century alterations carried out with modern materials, such as cement. Portions of the structures and the enclosure walls – demolished in 1989 to create a camp site – were reconstructed. The Mughal char-bagh landscape design of the two enclosed gardens was restored. Trees favoured by the Mughals – mango, neem, citrus, amongst others – were planted.

The Batashewala complex will eventually be connected to the other gardens through the Humayun’s Tomb Site Museum, which began construction on 7 April 2015.

For more information, please contact:

Archana Saad Akhtar
Aga Khan Trust for Culture
PO Box 3253
Hazrat Nizamuddin, New Delhi - 110013
Tel: +91 11 40700720
Fax: +91 11 40700750
Email: archana.saadakhtar@akdn.org
http://www.nizamuddinrenewal.org/

Internationally:

Sam Pickens
Aga Khan Development Network
1-3 Avenue de la Paix
1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 909 72 00
Facsimile: +41 22 909 72 91
E-mail: info@akdn.org
Website: www.akdn.org