MALVIKA SINGH – As the early autumn sun began to set in late afternoon on September 18, Humayun’s Tomb was bathed in a mellow golden light that emphasized the subtle hues of its stone, both yellow and pink, a reminder of the extraordinary architectural skills of our master craftspeople that live on till today. It took much care to restore this monument set in a formal Mughal garden back to its pristine splendour. The Aga Khan Trust, along with Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, working in partnership with government agencies and city municipalities, managed to overcome the frustrating rigours, delays and disappointments of unthinking red- tapism and stubborn babudom to achieve what may have seemed impossible seven years ago, when this project was initiated.
The prime minister of India and Prince Karim Aga Khan IV unveiled this tomb of a great Mughal emperor, in its new avatar, a jewel in the landscape of Delhi, that was allowed to breathe again after having been neglected for centuries — mutilated with concrete additions and assaulted by vandalism and graffiti — which is, unfortunately, the sad fate of most monuments in India.
Ismailimail 