A tomb in today's times

Gargi Gupta admires the initiative of the conservation of Delhi's Humayun's tomb but wonders if too many organisations can achieve the ultimate target together.

Should conservation limit itself to just preserving historic monuments, or can it go beyond cosmetic patchwork to catalyse a regeneration, not just of the monument but of the surrounding areas as well?

The question is the principle guiding the Humayun's Tomb-Sundar Nursery-Nizamuddin Urban Renewal project, being undertaken as a unique (at least in India) public-private partnership involving the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Aga Khan Foundation and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).

Conservation, of course, is integral to the project, but no less important will be environmental rehabilitation works with a series of community-based socio-economic development initiatives (in the areas of health and education) intended to improve the quality of life communities within the project area.

If the five-year project succeeds in this larger objective, it will be a first in India where most conservation exercises are undertaken in a piecemeal fashion.

In the West, of course, the approach has long been to look at conservation areas rather than buildings, and to focus on adaptive re-use, thereby saving on the costs of building anew.

In a sense, the Humayun's Tomb-Nizamuddin project area is uniquely suited to the application of a holistic approach that seeks to "unify the segregated heritage zones...into an urban conservation district".

It has a high concentration of Mughal period architecture (around 80 in number), many of them designated "protected" monuments by the ASI, and some ruins.

Besides Humayun's tomb, historically important persons like Amir Khusro, and Jahanara, and a few not so important ones like Telengani and Atgah Khan are interred here. Then there are the Nila Gumbad and Chaunsath Khambha, the Kalan and Jamaat Khana mosques, a baoli and the Sundarwala and Lal Mahals.

Many of these are in urgent need for care, some have been encroached upon by families who've made alterations to the structure. Also, the Nizamuddin basti, home to 20,000 people, is a rather run-down area with a nullah running behind it and parks that have transformed into garbage dumps.

Not that the project envisages clearing out the areas around the monuments, conservation architect Ratish Nanda, AKTC's programme manager for the project, clarifies.

"If monuments have become residences that should not be a deterrent in their conservation. Only building regulations must respect the sanctity of the historic zone they are situated in".

There is also a proposal to build a road through the area connecting National Highway 24 with Lodi Road, which will do considerable damage to the historical and ecological balance of the area.

But that's only one of the ways in which the project seeks to take conservation close to the people's hearts.

The AKTC has, of course, manifestly de-monstrated how this can be done in Egypt, Mali, Syria, Pakistan and Afghanistan where it has taken up projects under the "Historic Cities Programme".

Nanda, who worked on the Baghe Babur project in Kabul before taking up the Nizamuddin project, says, "In Afghanistan, over 400 craftsmen were employed for over five years "" several traditional craft techniques and locally available materials like lime brought back into use."

Something similar is contemplated for the Humayun's Tomb-Nizamuddin project, which would emphasise on training "" both building-related and vocational training "" of the unemployed youth of the area.

Tourism, of course, is the other important way of reaching benefits of conservation to the communities who live nearby and making such projects financially meaningful. And Humayun's Tomb has been proof of this "" after the gardens were given a face-lift by the AKTC and the ASI in 2003, tourist traffic to the monument has gone up 1,000 per cent "" remember Condoleezza Rice there?

The present project aims to continue with the good work. As L P Srivastava, chief engineer of CPWD, reveals that the Sundar Nagar nursery will see several improvements like imaginative landscaping and creation of a botanical gardens to showcase Mughal flora and gardening, glass-houses, food-courts and the like.

Also, within the precincts of the Humayun's Tomb itself, cafes and toilets are proposed to be added to make it more tourist-friendly.

Conservation of the Arab Serai bazar area, where cultural performances are regularly held, is also proposed so that it can be used more for the purpose. Clearly, the goal is to bring the monument and its surrounding areas closer to the people who live in its vicinity and indeed, the city itself.

But for all this to come about, it will need a lot of close liaisoning and cooperation between the various organisations involved "" always a situation fraught with dangers. Will it come about, or will it be a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth?