Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Mahesh Sharma laid down the foundation stone of the sunken museum of the Humayun's Tomb in the presence of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV. Considered one of the 25 'adarsh' (model) monuments by the ministry, it also pledged ₹49 crore towards the underground structure. It is likely to be completed by December, 2016.
Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, who met with the President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day, will be bestowed with the Padma Vibhusan on Wednesday.
The structure, replete with Mughal-era architectural details will be connected to the adjoining Humayun's tomb, Sundar Nursery and the Purana Qila. Apart from an auditorium for film screenings, a souvenir shop and cafeteria, the structure to be made in carved red stand stone and marble, will have a craft's museum, library and the museum. The entrance of the gallery will be flanked by a ramped garden, and the galleries will lie six metres below.
The 225-kilogram finial of the Humayun Tomb, which was knocked off by a storm last year, will be one of the important exhibits. The museum, which will be child-friendly and appropriate for the old, will also exhibit elements that has been discovered during excavations at the area in the last two decades. The project will be undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), the Acheological Survey of India (ASI) and the ministry of culture.
The project is also one of the first private-public partnerships for e making of a museum, informs project director at Ratish Nanda. "We have tried to revive the structure in the form of a traditional baoli, which connects it to Humayun's Tomb, Sunder nursery, and Nizamuddin basti, in a way that visitors can spend a whole day in the precincts. The visual aesthetics of the structure be made in a way so that neighbouring structures like the Sabz Burj, Isa Khan’s Tomb and Sundarwala Burj, will not be disturbed," said Nanda.
An ASI official revealed the structure will be illuminated by natural light. "The gallery will made constructed in an geometric pattern, inspired by Mughal-era architecture. We will have many skylights to enure that natural light seeps in," said the official. "The design is such that the trees around the area will not be touched." There will also be a digital gallery, with a 3D markup of the whole structure. Mughal era craft work by traditional craftsmen will be displayed beer, along with a history of the area.
