Delhi’s Nizamuddin Basti conservation project wins two UNESCO awards

The UNESCO has conferred two awards for conservation efforts at Nizamuddin Basti in Delhi. 

The Nizamuddin Basti has received two awards at the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation this year. The conservation initiative at Nizamuddin area has bagged the prestigious Award of Excellence and another award in the Special Recognition for Sustainable Development category. 

Conservation efforts at Nizamuddin Basti are being undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in partnership with the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Archaeological Survey of India, Delhi Urban Heritage Foundation and the Dargah Committee and resident community groups of Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti since 2007.

Nizamuddin Basti Project encompasses restoration of over 20 historic monuments clustered around the 14th century mausoleum of the revered Sufi saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, the most prominent Sufi saint of the Chisti order.

• The Nizamuddin area consists of Humayun Tomb and the 16th century Batashewala Tomb-Garden Complex and tomb of 16th century poet Rahim (Khan I Khanan) and the Mughal-period caravanserai of Azimganj Serai. These regions were segregated and damaged. They were also renewed by the Nizamuddin Basti Project.

• The project was started in 2007 by the Aga Kahn Trust for Culture, Archaeological Survey of India, Delhi Urban Heritage Foundation and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Objectives of Nizamuddin Basti Project

• The Nizamuddin Basti Project is an Urban Renewal Project. It successfully unified the segregated zones of the seven-century old settlement of the Nizamuddin Basti and its surrounding 70 acres.

• It integrated socio – economic development, conservation and environmental development objectives in these areas.

• It unified three major sites namely Sundar Nursery, Nizamuddin Basti and Humayun Tomb.

Humayun Tomb

A brilliant example of early Mughal architecture, Humayun Tomb was commissioned by his first wife Bega Begum or Haji Begum. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1993. Since then, it has undergone extensive restoration work. The tomb is placed in the centre of a thirty-acre garden called “Char Bagh”. The last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was captured by the British in Humayun Tomb in 1857.

Mattancherry Palace

                            Mattancherry palace at night/ Image Source

The Mattancherry Palace in Cochin in the Indian state of Kerala is a magnificent two -story building with its vividly executed vibrant murals.  

Also known as the Dutch Palace, the palace was originally built in the 16th century by the Portuguese who presented the palace to the ruler of Kochi with a view to ease the tension caused due to the plunder of Palluruthi temple by the Portuguese. 

When Cochin fell to the Dutch in 1663 AD, the palace came under their control who gave this beautiful architecture a makeover.   

Khudiram Bose Anniversary

                                                        Freedom fighter Khudiram Bose (Photo: Twitter)

Today is the birth anniversary of Khudiram Bose [1889-1908], a revolutionary born in the Midnapore district of West Bengal. 

One of India’s earliest revolutionaries to die on the gallows on August 11, 1908 at the age of 18, Khudiram Bose was a member of the revolutionary society Anushilan Samiti. He along with Prufulla Chaki threw a bomb at the carriage of Kingsford, an English Judge at Muzaffarpur in Bihar. 

Bose was arrested in the Muzaffarpur Conspiracy case and sentenced to death while Prufulla Chaki committed himself before police could arrest him. 

Khudiram Bose was executed in Muzaffarpur jail on 11 August 1908. 

Rajgir, First Capital of Magadha

   Vulture’s Peak, Rajagriha|Wikimedia Commons

In ancient times, Rajgir or Raagriha, as it was called, was the capital of 6th century BC Magadhan ruler Bimbisara who was deposed, imprisoned and murdered by his son Ajatashatru in about 494 B.C. 

Situated in the state of Bihar, Rajgir is one of the most sacred -- and atmospheric – places in India. Rajgir measures its history in millennia. Today a pool of serenity and tranquillity, Rajgir is littered with the ancient remnants of the past. Rajgir is a holy place, a centre of pilgrimage, and an object of devotion for three faiths: Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

Griddhakuta or Vulture's Peak, Bimbisara's Jail and World Peace Pagoda are some of the attractions in Rajgir, 15 km from the world famous Buddhist site of Nalanda.  

Griddhakuta (Vulture's Peak)
The well-known Buddhist site of Griddhakuta Hill is deservedly an attraction in Rajgir not to be missed. During the rainy season the Buddha used to climb up to his mountain retreat atop the Griddhakuta Hill and deliver sermons to his disciples. The brilliant shine of the Shanti Stupa (Peace Pagoda), built on the top of the hill by the Buddha Sangha of Japan in 1965, is a feast for the eyes. Though you can reach the hill by following a bridle path, it would be an experience of a lifetime to use the aerial single-person chairlift. A ride on the chairlift commands a panoramic view of the hills of Rajgir and some Jain temples dotting the landscape. 

Venuvana
One of the famous attractions of Rajgir, Venuvana is the site of the monastery Venuvana Vihar where Gautama Buddha used to reside while he was in Rajgir. Venuvana Vihar was built by Bimbisara for use by Buddha. 

Saptaparni Cave
Saptaparni Cave is the place where Buddha used to meditate. It is said to be the venue for the First Buddhist Council, held six months after Buddha's death. The Saptparni cave is also the source of the various hot water springs the waters of which are known to provide cure for the chronic ailments. The therapeutic baths at these springs have been famous for their medicinal powers for centuries. 

Rajgir Mahotsav Festival
Rajgir Mahotsav, a compelling attraction for the cultural cognoscenti, is a three –day festival of classical dances and music held annually at Quila Maidan against the spectacular backdrop of the Ratnagiri hills in Rajgir.

Since its inception in 1986, this unmissable annual event has grown into a major attraction for cultural cognoscenti. Spectators from different parts of the world attend the demonstration of art in the dance and music form. 

Apart from dance and music, the list of attractions to treat the tourists during the three-day extravaganza also include Tonga race, mehndi contest, martial arts competitions,  mahila utsav, food plaza and gramshree mela. 

Ghositarama monastery of Kaushambi

                        Ghoshitaram monastery in Kosambi/ Image source

Kaushambi was a thriving centre of Buddhism in ancient times and was one of the six greatest cities during Buddha’s time besides serving as the capital of the Vatsa kingdom. 

Kaushambi which was visited by the Buddha several times finds mention in the accounts of seventh century Chinese scholar and traveler Huen Tsang who records that the place was home to 10 monasteries when he visited it. 

The archaeological excavations have led to the discovery of the remains of the Ghositarama monastery which played host to the Buddha during his stay in the city.

Ghositarama monastery was built by one of the leading Shreshti (bankers) of Kaushambi, Ghosita whose daughter Samavati was the wife of  Udayana, the most famous king of the Vatsa kingdom who ruled in the 6th century BC. 

Fatehpur Sikri: A Maze of Mughal Monuments

 Panch Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri

About 39 km from the touristy site of Agra, Fatehpur Sikri is considered as an architectural marvel of medieval India. Today the ghost town of Fatehpur Sikri astonishes visitors and history buffs with its majesty and scope. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986, the city-palace complex of Fatehpur Sikri is home to tombs, royal palaces and courts.

Built by the greatest Mughal emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri was the seat of his government from 1571 to 1585. The English traveler Ralph Fitch, who has left an eyewitness account of the social life and economic condition of the Mughal India, visited the Mughal court of Akbar at Fatehpur Sikri in 1585 and wrote, 'Agra and Fatepore are two very great cities, either of them much greater than London and very populous.’

However, the capital was abandoned in 1585 by Akbar. Scarcity of water is the popular explanation for this abandonment. The Mughal emperor made Lahore his new capital, which remained so till 1598.

Among important buildings in Fatehpur Sikri are the Jami Masjid, Buland Darwaza (Lofty Gate), tomb of Sufi saint Shaikh Salim Chishti, pyramidal Panch Mahal, Naubat Khana, Taksal (mint), Karkhanas (royal workshops), Khazana (treasure), Hakim’s quarters, Diwan-i-Khass, Diwan-i-Am, Maryam's House, also called Sunahra Makan, Jodh Bai's Palace, Birbal's House, etc.

Constructed in 1571-72, Jama mosque is the most dominant monument in Fatehpur Sikri. Buland Darwaza or literally lofty gate is the southern entrance of the Jama Masjid. Buland Darwaza, is an imposing structure with a total height of 52 metres from the ground level.  It was added to the design of the Jama Masjid.

Tomb of Salim Chishti, in whose honour the city of Fatehpur Sikri was built by Akbar, is one of the finest specimens of Mughal architecture. Described as an “architectural cameo” by Percy Brown, the noted writer on Indian architecture, the tomb was built by Akbar in 1580-81. It was Salim Chishti after whom Akbar named his son, Salim, who later on went on to become the fourth Mughal emperor. 

Palace of Mariam-uz-Zamani ('Mary of the Age') is another famous structure in Fatehpur Sikri. Mariam-uz-Zamani was Akbar’s first Rajput queen and mother of Jahangir, the fourth Mughal emperor.  

One of attractions in Fatehpur Sikri is Hiran Minar, a 21.34 metres tall tower which is entered through a flat-topped door leading to a staircase. 53 steps will take you to the top inside the tower from where you can have a bird’s-eye view of the surroundings. 

Panch Mahal is Fatehpur Sikri’s architectural gem. The structure consists of four storeys of decreasing size. While the ground floor contains 84 columns, the first storey has 56 columns. The second and third stories contain 20 and 12 columns respectively. The top storey contains 4 pillars supporting a chhattri, taking the number of the columns to 176. 

                         Diwan-i-Khass at Fatehpur Sikri /Wikimediacommons

Diwan-i-Khass (Hall of Private Audience) is another highlight of Fatehpur Sikri. Its interior is endowed with a massive, richly carved column supporting an elaborate capital. 

Birbal's House, Fatehpur Sikri image credit

The pilasters and brackets of the residence of Akbar’s confidant Birbal in Fatehpur Sikri show the traditional Hindu influence. Popular belief is that this palace was a part of the Imperial Harem and was occupied by Akbar's two senior queens, Ruqayya Begum and Salima Sultan Begum. 

Birbal Bhavan in Fatehpur Sikri

    

                                                        Image Credit

Birbal Bhavan is beautiful architectural wonder in the Mughal emperor Akbar’s abandoned capital of Fatehpur Sikri. 39 km from Agra, Fathehpur Sikri was was built by Akbar. Fatehpur Sikri was the seat of his government from 1571 to 1585.

Believed to have been built for Akbar’s courtier Birbal, this enticing building in Fatehpur Sikri has been described by Victorian era French author Victor Hugo as 'either a very small palace or a very large jewelry box’. 

Though small in size, the palace is known for its intricate designs. Its double dome structure makes it possible to keep its interiors cool during summers.