New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) The ramps and giant sheesham doorways lead to a subterranean world where the story of Humayun, the Mughal emperor, the scholar and the traveller comes alive. The soon-to-open museum in Delhi also opens up the entire history of the Nizamuddin Dargah close by.
Using cutting-edge technology, the country’s first sunken museum in south Delhi’s Humayun’s Tomb complex also meticulously recreates the timeline of the construction of the 14th-century shrine through 3-D videos complemented with detailed wooden scale models. The second Mughal emperor’s remarkable life is retold through paintings, scrolls and artefacts.
The first principal gallery, ‘Where the Emperor Rests’, highlights the architectural splendour of Humayun’s mausoleum and the personality of the emperor – depicted through exhibits telling stories of his travels, marriage, administration of his kingdom, his deep interest in reading, astrology and the arts, and his patronage of architecture and gardens.
Old artefacts on display include ‘farmans’, an astrolabe, a celestial sphere of the 1840s era and a warrior’s helmet from approximately the 16th or the 17th century. The caption reads, “During his travel towards Persia, Humayun and his retinue experienced immense hardship. On one occasion, the emperor had to sacrifice a horse, and cook horse meat in a helmet.” A ‘farman’ issued by Shah Tahmasp tells in detail the instructions given to his governors on the reception to be accorded to Humayun during his stay in Iran. Another one is captioned: “Farman of Akbar recording the emperor’s orders for lan to be given to a pujari/priest in Ujjain, CE 1601.” A section also depicts the chronology of the Mughal emperors starting from Babur (reign 1526-1530) till Bahadur Shah Zafar (1837-1857). A cabinet in this section also displays some of the rare coins minted by the Mughal rulers. One is captioned, “Emperor Akbar’s silver rupee inscribed with ‘Ram’. Berar Mint, CE 1596.” An accompanying text in this cabinet mentions that “Akbar also issued coins depicting full-length figures of the Hindu deities Ram and Sita”.
Another rare item, a majestic throne of Bahadur Shah Zafar is placed in a glass case near this cabinet.
The museum, whose layout is inspired by the medieval ‘baolis’, or traditional water tanks, is slated to be inaugurated by Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on July 29, coinciding with the ongoing meeting of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in the national capital, Ratish Nanda, CEO of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) said.
He conducted a curated walk at the museum for a group of media persons on Wednesday ahead of its opening.
The museum has been constructed at the entrance zone of the world heritage complex and would serve as a bridge between the three sites of Nizamuddin, Sunder Nursery and the 16th-century tomb.
The museum showcases the heritage of the Nizamuddin area over the last seven centuries.
The finial of the Mughal monument (Humayun’s Tomb) which was knocked off in a 2014 storm is its “centre-piece”.
Architectural models of the tomb, an architectural design plan showing the layout of the first floor of the tomb, rare paintings, meticulously made replicas of chhatris and dome artwork, along with digital walls playing videos on the creation of the magnificent mausoleum are a treat to the eyes.
The tomb of Humayun was built by his widow, Biga Begum (Hajji Begum), in 1569-70, 14 years after his death, according to a portal of the ministry of culture.
The AKTC has built the museum on behalf of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) as part of the urban renewal initiative.
The gallery, ‘Icons of a Sacred Landscape’, has exhibits focussed on the four iconic cultural personalities associated with the Nizamuddin area from the 14th century onwards.
These include the 14th-century Sufi Saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and his disciple and poet Amir Khusrau Dehalvi. Rahim, the commander-in-chief of Akbar’s army but more famous as a poet — for his ‘dohe’ — and translation of the Ramayana into Persian, and Dara Shukoh, who translated the Upanishads into Persian, are the other two, the AKTC said.
The timeline of the construction of the Sufi shrine through 3-D videos take viewers on a journey from the 1300s to the 1800s, depicting the creation of the Nizamuddin Dargah complex over the centuries, with buildings getting added over different periods.
The wooden scale models of the dargah complex, showcasing also the baoli, depict how the place must have been till several centuries ago, unlike the congested neighbourhood it is currently nestled in now.
“The museum also marks the culmination of 25 years of conservation efforts at the 300-acre Humayun’s Tomb — Sunder Nursery — Nizamuddin Basti area of Delhi, wherein over 60 monuments have been conserved and the Sunder Nursery city park created as part of a single conservation and development project,” Nanda said.
The museum building includes a separate block with a 100-seater auditorium, temporary galleries, space for cafes, meeting rooms and a library, he said.
Work began on the construction of the country’s first sunken museum at the iconic 16th-century tomb here in April 2015. The project was earlier planned to be inaugurated in 2017. PTI KND IJT IJT
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