New Delhi [India], July 29 (ANI): Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, inaugurated the sprawling 100,000-square-foot state-of-the-art Humayun’s Tomb World Heritage Site Museum at the Humayun’s Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage site in New Delhi, on Monday, a press release said.
The inauguration event was graced by the presence of Prince Rahim Aga Khan, dignitaries, and esteemed guests from the Ministry of Culture, the Archaeological Survey of India, and others.
According to the Ministry of Culture, the museum is a facility of the Archaeological Survey of India designed and built in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).
Inspired by the ancient ‘Baolis’ or stepped wells of Delhi, this underground museum is designed to retain the visual integrity of the monuments located in the complex, as per the UNESCO recommendation that site museums be provided at World Heritage Sites to provide the cultural context of the heritage edifice.
The museum boasts over 500 esteemed artefacts from the collections of the National Museum, the Archaeological Survey of India, and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture. Miniatures, manuscripts, and significant architectural elements from Humayun’s Mausoleum, such as the original finial of the tomb, inspired by temples in India is made of copper of almost 100 percent purity, coins, contemporary art and craft pieces, astrolabes, and celestial spheres amidst other metal ware, several stone inscriptions dating from the 14th century onwards, glass, textiles, etc., are architectural models that assist in conveying 700 years of stories developed through rigorous research by the Archaeological Survey of India and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
In the inaugural speech, the Union Minister mentioned that this museum embarked on the historic extension of ‘Indraprastha’, the capital of the Pandavas in the epic Mahabharata on the bank of Yamuna, which echoes the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, i.e., the amalgamation of development as well as heritage, “Vikas bhi Virasat bhi”, as the museum will significantly enhance the visitor experience by providing an understanding of the Outstanding Universal Value of this ensemble that includes monumental buildings built from the 14th to the 19th century.
He further highlighted that the museum illustrates what the Prime Minister said in his inaugural address at the 46th World Heritage Committee meeting: “India is so ancient that every point of the present here tells the story of some glorious past.”
The Minister also highlighted our deep-routed cultural matrix as he talked about the images of Dara Shikoh’s Persian version of the Upanishad alongside his Quran and Rahim’s couplets inscribed on the walls alongside his translations of the Ramayan.
Both Rahim and Dara Shikoh are buried in this area and are among the generations of saints associated with this sacred landscape.
The Minister also appreciated the efforts of the Archaeological Survey of India and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in joining hands, building this site museum, and setting up yet another example of public-private partnerships to be forged for various other historical sites across India.
He urged all to visit this museum, which is a significant and welcome addition to the historical city of Delhi. (ANI)
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