The Aga Khan Trust for Culture has requested ASI to remove the tiles and cement from the dome applied as recen... Read More

NEW DELHI: Last year, Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) discovered original 16th-century Mughal paintings on the domed ceiling of Sabz Burj during an ongoing conservation exercise. Now, AKTC has requested Archaeolgical Survey of India ( ASI ) to remove the tiles and cement from the dome applied as recently as 1986.

Officials say if they agree to this, then this would lead to a traditional lime-based repair and ensure no further rainwater damage occurs on the facade of the structure. Looking into the request raised by the conservation body, ASI has now sought the opinion of Central Building Research Institute in Roorkee to undertake the required tests to suggest the most appropriate repairs before monsoon.

Standing a few hundred yards west of Humayun’s Tomb, Sabz Burj is one of Delhi’s earliest Mughal monuments influenced by Timurid architecture and richly ornamented with incised plasterwork, glazed ceramic tiles and decorative lattice stone work. Conservation work here supported by Havells and undertaken by AKTC, started in November 2017 under the supervision of ASI. A few months into the work, while removing the cement plaster on the domed ceiling, the conservation team discovered the Mughal paintings in blue, yellow, red, white and even in gold. Over a year’s laborious work under conservator Anupam Sah has now revealed the entire painted ceiling.

But officials say the outer edge of the painted ceiling has been lost due to water ingress from the dome above.

Noted Mughal historian, professor Ebba Koch has described the revealed ceiling as “unique” with no similar example surviving anywhere in the world. That makes it all the more important to conserve these.

ASI is now waiting for the report from CBRI which is expected in the next few months. Once that comes, work will begin on the dome to remove all cement and tiles. Conservation work will take another year or two to complete.

