New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The “country’s first” sunken museum at the iconic Humayun’s Tomb site in Delhi is likely to be inaugurated soon, sources said on Sunday.
Efforts are on to schedule the inauguration during the upcoming meeting of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in the national capital, they added.
India will host the 46th session of the WHC in New Delhi from July 21-31 at Bharat Mandapam.
In conjunction with the WHC meeting, the sixth edition of the World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum will be organised here from July 18-25, according to UNESCO.
People familiar with the matter in Delhi said at least for three days, site managers from cultural, natural and mixed World Heritage properties all around the globe, will gather at the site of Humayun’s Tomb to take part in the forum.
The theme for this year’s WHC meet is ‘Heritage and communities: inclusive and effective approaches for the sustainable management of World Heritage properties’, according to the UNESCO website.
This gathering aims to empower site managers and and create new opportunities for them by sharing their personal knowledge and enlarging their networks and experiences at an international level, according to the UNESCO.
This is the first time India is hosting a session of the WHC. The Ministry of Culture and ASI are the nodal agencies for hosting its 46th session here.
The 16th century tomb in south Delhi’s Nizamuddin area, which has been chosen for the site managers’ forum, is known for its architectural splendour and luxuriant lawns, and its restoration was also a specimen of community involvement.
It is one of the three World Heritage Sites in Delhi, the other two being Red Fort and Qutab Minar, all three under the Archeological Survey of India (ASI).
According to the sources, the sunken museum at the iconic Humayun’s Tomb site is likely to be opened son, sources said, adding that it could be inaugurated sometime during the course of the upcoming session of the WHC here.
However, there is no official word yet on the museum’s formal inauguration.
Work for the construction of the museum began in in April 2015. The museum will showcase the heritage of the Nizamuddin area over the last seven centuries.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) is building the museum on behalf of the ASI as part of the urban renewal initiative.
Inspired from the medieval baolis (water tanks) of northern India, the underground site museum, with a built-up area of 9000 square metres, will marry modern 21st century architecture with Mughal-era craftsmanship in its design. According to AKTC, the museum is being 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 principal structure where the galleries will be located is 6 metres below the ground level while the gallery block rises 4 feet above the ground level and the roof is treated like a Mughal garden,” a top official of AKTC had said in April 2015.
The museum will include galleries, library, seminar halls, crafts centre and cafeteria, among others. The finial of the Mughal monument (Humayun’s Tomb) which was knocked off in a 2014 storm will be its “centre-piece”, he had said.
“Besides, several other finials, sandstone and marble elements, terracotta pipes, over 400 earth toys found at the site of nearby Isa Khan’s tomb, among others will also be housed,” the official said.
The design is inspired from the baolis, which are sunken and yet allow natural lighting and ventilation, he said.
The project was earlier planned to be inaugurated in 2017. PTI KND RPA
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