Conservation work on to return Sheesh Mahal to former glory

A view of ASI workers doing restoration work at Sheesh Mahal on Friday.

Hidden amidst the urban cacophony of Delhi is Shalimar Bagh, one of the many gardens designed by the Mughals peppered across the national capital. This particular garden also includes an imposing palace where a historically significant development took place in 1658 — Aurangzeb, the third son of emperor Shah Jahan, was coronated at this site following a deadly battle for succession.

Today, the palace complex, known as Sheesh Mahal (glass palace), is a site of neglect and deterioration — despite its status as an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected monument — its cracked red sandstone walls and chipped pillars the only reminders of its former grandeur.

However, the Delhi chapter of ASI has begun conservation work at the 17th century palace, working to restore it to its past glory.

“Sheesh Mahal was in a dilapidated condition. We began work to restore it last week, and in the first phase, we will focus on stabilising the structure,” said an ASI official from the Kashmere Gate sub-circle, on condition of anonymity.

“The original structure used red sandstone and lakhori brick (flat, thin, red burnt-clay bricks), both of which were common building blocks in structures from the Mughal era. We have ordered red sandstone to replace the ones which have been weathered away,” the official added.

Historically significant site

Shalimar Bagh finds a mention in various historical documents — it was planned by Shah Jahan, and some accounts say that it was commissioned by Shah Jahan’s wife, Akbarabadi Begum.

According to Maulvi Zafar Hasan, the ASI archaeologist who prepared the first list of monuments worthy of conservation in 1916, Shalimar Bagh — under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) — was originally known as Aizzabad Bagh. “It is probable that the garden was known after Aizzun Nisa Begum also known as Akbarabadi Begum, a mistress of Shahjahan,” he wrote.

Author Khafi Khan, in Muntakhab-ul lubab, a historical account of the Mughal empire which was completed around 1732, wrote that Aurangzeb completed ceremonial procedures for his ascension to the throne at Shalimar Bagh.

“Aurangzeb, not caring to enter the fortress of Delhi, encamped in the garden of Aizzabad, now called Shalimar, and he sent out on advanced force, under Bahadur Khan, in pursuit of Dara (Shikoh, his brother and rival for the throne). On Friday, the first of Zulqada (July 31, 1658), after saying his prayers, and at an auspicious time, he took his seat on the throne of the empire of Hindustan, without troubling himself about placing his name on the coinage and the sending of presents to other sovereigns and nobles were all deferred to his second accession to the throne,” he wrote.

According to the ASI book Delhi and its Neighbourhood published in 2001, Aurangzeb used the palace “as his country-house. It has been mentioned by European travellers like (François) Bernier and (François) Catrou. Sir David Ochterlony, British resident at Delhi (from 1803 to 1814), used it as his summer retreat.”

Historian and author Swapna Liddle said the original walls surrounding the Sheesh Mahal have disappeared. “The highest level of the garden was occupied by a large, pillared pavilion with a channel of water in the centre. Water for this channel came from a well which lies at the back of the building. The well would also have supplied water to the hammam, or bath, that adjoins the main building on the western side,” Liddle said.

Work to be undertaken

Sheesh Mahal is located at one end of Shalimar Bagh, and the complex originally covered about 150 acres of land, according to ASI officials. Two flights of stairs on either side of the elevated main palace structure lead to two open rooms that were once resting places for the royal family. These overlook a fountain area, and two pavilion-like structures still stand tall on the other end of the cascade.

“This beautiful dalan or veranda runs all around the structure, which overlooks the fountain in front,” said ASI official Makkan Singh, the supervisor at the site.

The walls of the veranda have now been chiselled away with age, plunder, and neglect. The pillars are chipped, and the elaborate patterns that adorned both have faded away.

“The damaged stones will be carefully carved out and replaced with new stones. That will be the major part of our conservation work,” said Singh.

Even as ASI works to renovate the palace, DDA is set to begin beautification work at the garden — lieutenant governor VK Saxena had visited Shalimar Bagh and Sheesh Mahal in January, and had asked DDA and ASI to restore the complex.

“DDA will attempt to bring water back into the fountain area after we complete our work. There is an ASI protected well at the rear of Sheesh Mahal. It still has water and might be used for the purpose,” Singh said.

“Once ASI finishes its work at Sheesh Mahal, the civil department of DDA will redevelop the lanes around the structure, and then the authority’s horticulture department will plant orchards and flower beds on both the sides of the palace,” said a DDA official part of the planning, on condition of anonymity.

While ASI said it will take them six months to wrap up the conservation work, DDA said the work may continue for a little over a year.

Separately, DDA is also planning to convert a small structure, mere meters away from the entrance of the garden, into a café. “This was probably a resting place at one time. We will convert this into a café, and another restaurant will be built right on the outer side of the Sheesh Mahal,” the official quoted above said.

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