Rebirth of Mughal life below ground | Business Standard

The country’s first sunken museum will enthrall history enthusiasts not only with its artefacts but also its architectural design. To be completed in 2017, the museum will have a built-up area of 9,000 sq m and will include galleries, a library, seminar halls, crafts centre and a cafeteria.

“The design of the principal structure brings together 21st-century architecture with Mughal craftsmanship. Modern technology allows us better understanding of the site and access to flexible materials, while the Mughal era is brought alive by traditional craft techniques.

Since the new structure will be located within a heritage monument, it was imperative for it not to display an alien character. That’s why it is sunken.

There will be 100 major artifacts on display along with 3D models of the entire site. The restored copper finial of the tomb as well as jaalis and other architectural elements recovered during conservation will also be on display.

– Guntej Bhushan, Project Manager, Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC)

“On one side is the Sunder Nursery, which is already under development, and the other side – which is just in front of the tomb – is also a green area. The first effort is to integrate these areas. The roof of the underground museum is imagined as a carpet of trees, in sync with the Persian tradition of garden carpets. The traditional motif here is going to be the central water channel with vegetated borders and trees on either side.”

– Mohammad Shaheer, landscape expert.

Avantika Bhuyan April 11, 2015

Sounds of hammering and nailing have mingled with the chirping of birds and the mellow tinkle of water in the geometrical channels at Humayun’s Tomb in New Delhi for nearly a decade now. Visitors to the 440-year-old Mughal monument are used to the presence of modern-day stone cutters and masons, who have been working in the complex as part of the revitalisation efforts undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, or AKTC. Now, in continuation of the programme to unify the three historical sites of Humayun’s Tomb, Nizamuddin Basti and Sundar Nursery into one unique heritage precinct, AKTC is constructing the country’s first ever sunken site museum. This will be the first of the site museums planned for the 25 adarsh or “model” monuments designated by the Union Ministry of Culture.

via Business Standard | Rebirth of Mughal life below ground