18 April 2022, Anjani Chadha, Delhi — On turning right from the beautifully lit up Sabz Burj located at the intersection of Mathura Road and Lodhi Road, we found ourselves on a rather quiet road that led us to one of the most visited spaces in the city — the Sunder Nursery. It was about 8:30 pm and the compound was empty. The Sunderwala Burj, a 16th Century Mughal tomb, glistened at a distance.
The recent announcement that Sunder Nursery will stay open till 10:00 pm — it previously remained open till 6:00 pm — has set the scene for Delhiites to explore this UNESCO World Heritage site in a more intimate setting. The scorching heat in the city during the day keeps locals away from outdoor spaces. But once the sun sets and the weather becomes cooler, gardens such as Sunder Nursery offer a tranquil space away from the busy city. Talking about the change in timings, Ratish Nanda, CEO, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, shared, “I think it was an obvious thing to do. It is very hot during the day and there was a lot of demand to switch on the lamps. We have installed lights, CCTV cameras, and increased the number of guards to make it a happy space for a visit post 6 o’clock.”
Family get-togethers return
During winters, Sunder Nursery turns into a go-to spot for city dwellers who picnic under the warm sun, seeking to break away from the bone-chilling winter. The same may feel impossible during summers, but the current change in timings reverses that. Ashna Grover and her family of six—they reside in Rani Bagh—visited Sunder Nursery on Sunday evening to indulge in a family pot luck and play with their pets in the open. “This place is neat, peaceful, and dog-friendly zone,” shared Grover. “It is great to be here in the evenings, to see how these monuments light up,’’ she added.
Full article at source: The New Indian Express
About Sunder Nursery
It was in the early 20th century, during the building of the capitol complex of New Delhi, that Sunder Nursery was established north of Humayun’s Tomb. It was created to propagate saplings for New Delhi’s avenues and experiment with plants brought from other parts of the British Empire. Following a 2007 Memorandum of Understanding with the Central Public Works Department, the Archaeological Survey of India, and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) commenced conservation and landscape works at Sunder Nursery, part of the larger Nizamuddin Urban Renewal Project of the AKTC which involves restoration work on 30 nearby heritage structures.
Sunder Nursery is now a 90-acre (36 hectare) city park with distinct heritage, ecological and nursery zones, as well as all the expected facilities.
Sunder Nursery was officially inaugurated on 21 February 2018 by Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Vice President of India, and His Highness the Aga Khan, 49th hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims and founder and Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network.
Aga Khan Development Network
Ismailimail 