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India’s first sunken Museum: Humayun’s Tomb World Heritage Site Museum
Context:
Recently, the union Minister of Culture and Tourism inaugurated the sprawling 100,000 square feet state of the art Humayun’s Tomb World Heritage Site Museum at the Humayun’s Tomb, a UNESCO World Heritage site in New Delhi.
Overview of the Museum:
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- It is India’s first sunken museum, inspired by ancient Delhi ‘baolis’ (stepped wells).
- The museum, designed by the Archaeological Survey of India in collaboration with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
- Exhibits: The museum features over 500 artefacts including miniatures, manuscripts, architectural elements, coins, contemporary art, and historical inscriptions from the National Museum, Archaeological Survey of India, and Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
- Features include the old finial of the 16th-century Humayun’s Tomb, knocked off in a 2014 storm, and other historical artefacts such as farmans, an astrolabe, and a 16th or 17th-century warrior’s helmet.
- It enhances visitor experience by providing cultural context and insights into the 700-year history of the Humayun’s Tomb and the surrounding area.
Gallery Highlights:
- “Where the Emperor Rests” focuses on Humayun’s Mausoleum and Emperor Humayun.
- 3D Videos and Models: “Icons of a Sacred Landscape” showcases four key cultural figures:
- Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, Amir Khusrau, Rahim, and Dara Shukoh.
About Humayun’s Tomb:
- Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, built in 1570, is the first garden-tomb in the Indian subcontinent, inspiring later architectural developments, including the Taj Mahal.
- The tomb is part of a 27.04-hectare complex featuring other 16th-century Mughal garden-tombs and structures.
- Constructed between 1569-70 by Humayun’s widow, Biga Begum (Hajji Begum) under Emperor Akbar’s patronage.
- Designed by architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyath.
- It showcases a charbagh (four-fold) garden layout with pools connected by channels.
- The mausoleum stands on a terraced platform, with a 42.5-meter high double dome and pillared kiosks (chhatris).
- It features an octagonal plan with vaulted cells, dressed in red sandstone with marble inlays.
- Known as the dormitory of the Mughals, it contains over 150 Mughal family graves.
- The site is centred around the Shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, becoming a significant mediaeval Islamic architectural ensemble.
