‘Real' Sheesh Mahal gets much-needed makeover
These additions breathe new life into the historic site, transforming it from a static monument into a community space where culture, leisure, and history converge.
After a detailed restoration work carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the monument was opened to the public on July 2, 2025. It was officially unveiled by the Union Culture Minister along with L-G and Delhi Chief Minister.
The restoration work had gained momentum in the year 2024 following L-G Vinai Saxena's visit.
Once a royal retreat for Emperor Shah Jahan, Sheesh Mahal — meaning 'Palace of Mirrors' — has stood for over 370 years. After years of neglect, it has been carefully restored to its former glory by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in collaboration with the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). The restoration involved traditional Mughal methods using lime surkhi (brick dust mortar), lakhauri bricks, and organic binders like jaggery, bael fruit, and urad dal paste.
The revival extends beyond the palace to its 'baradari' (12-pillared pavilion) with three nearby heritage cottages creatively repurposed for greater public engagement.
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The Print
6 hours ago
- The Print
Maratha Military Landscapes' UNESCO tag is a win. Conservation must catch up
But this recognition carries far more weight. It is a profound acknowledgment of indigenous military traditions and innovation that tuned the terrain into a tactical ally. This would be the first time when an inscription shines light on subaltern military heritage, celebrating the terrain-driven and decentralised warfare crafted by the Maratha generals—an extraordinary chapter of India's history that rarely finds mention on the global stage. With this latest addition, India now ranks sixth globally in terms of the total number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The journey to get this inscription was long and full of challenges. After two years of back and forth, the revised nomination was finally accepted last year and has since been hailed as a model for integrated military and ecological heritage. In the late hours of 11th July 2025, far away from the Sahyadri mountains, the World Heritage Committee, during its ongoing 47th session in Paris, added 12 formidable military forts of the great Maratha Empire onto the UNESCO World Heritage site list. Spread across diverse geographical and physiographical terrains of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, these military establishments—collectively termed as the Maratha Military Landscapes—have become India's 44th World Heritage Site. However, the responsibility does not end with the inscription. This will demand a stronger, strategic, and collaborative management plan for all the world heritage sites and for those in the tentative list. Conservation is a challenge for a developing country like India, where it's becoming increasingly difficult to manage the growing cityscape and historical and archaeological heritage. Outstanding universal value For every site UNESCO recognises as a World Heritage Site, its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is evaluated. It is central to the World Heritage convention as it highlights the global significance the site holds, not only in the present time but also in the future. It notes the uniqueness of each site while evaluating the state of preservation and capabilities of the stakeholders to uphold the inscription. However, the responsibility does not lie with the country where it is located. It becomes a global responsibility to ensure that the site's value is not lost. In the case of the 12 forts of the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, the task to underline the OUV was undertaken by the Archaeological Survey of India in collaboration with other stakeholders in the dossier. As per the statement, the military landscape developed between the 17th and 19th centuries CE. represented an extraordinary fortification and military system. The military system and the ideology reached their zenith during the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj by c.1670 CE and continued till 1818 CE. This extraordinary network of forts, varying in hierarchies, scales, and typological features, is a result of integrating the landscape, terrain, and physiographic characteristics, particularly distinctive to the Sahyadri mountain ranges, the Konkan coast, the Deccan Plateau, and the Eastern Ghats in the Indian peninsula. According to the OUV, they represent the Maratha kingdom's envisioned military network in India. It is also stressed in the dossier that the significance not only lies in the architecture but also in the innovation of connecting them into a unified operational defence system through a strategic network that exploits the unique cultural landscape. They are also the largest concentration of forts integrated within a cultural landscape, globally. Along with the forts, the buffer zones constitute the most authentic, well-preserved, and representative sites of the Maratha Military Landscapes of India. The nomination boundary of the 12 forts includes all the key features that support their recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The area covers the main defensive structures that showcase the Marathas' unique military architecture. The buffer zone around each fort is carefully designed to reflect both the immediate surroundings of the fort and the larger landscape of related forts. This includes two additional layers of the Maratha defence systems built strategically around the main forts. These outer areas include smaller forts and outposts that supported the core structure. The buffer also considers old trade routes and natural features like hills, forests and terrain, which played a major role in the region's defence, culture and economy. These natural elements, along with the man-made check posts known as the Met area, formed part of the larger Maratha Military Landscapes of India. Protection and management In December 2024, Gwenaëlle Bourdin, the then Director of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Evaluation Unit (responsible for evaluating the OUV of nominated sites), submitted a short interim report on the evaluation carried out by an expert named Hwajong Lee (Republic of Korea). In the report, the panel considered that the 'Maratha Military Landscapes of India' might have the potential to meet the requirements for the Outstanding Universal Value, although this had not yet been demonstrated during the evaluation. From requesting an exhaustive description of each fort and of the nominated component parts, asking the State Party to justify its rationale behind selecting 12 forts out of the initial list of 390 forts, and 14 forts in the Tentative List, ICOMOS highlighted many concerns. However, the most important aspect highlighted by the ICOMOS was not its historicity or the description but the negative impact of interventions and developments taking place at a number of the sites from the list. These included steel towers and solar panels at Khanderi Fort, a ropeway and support structure at Raigad, modern structures, pipelines, and electric poles within several nominated areas. At Pratapgarh, new constructions have appeared in the buffer zones, while Panhala Fort has been impacted by communication towers, water tanks, and even a road cutting through the site. Similarly, National Highway 77, which runs through Gingee Fort, raises questions about its impact on the site's integrity. Thus, ICOMOS asked for the Site Management Plan for each nominated fort. In response, the State Party, provided enough material highlighting its competence in protecting the nominated components. It was noted that eight out of the 12 forts are centrally protected by ASI, and the rest are protected by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, government of Maharashtra. For overseeing the management, the State Level Apex Advisory Committee is formed. But is it enough? Also read: Early Harappan burial discovery is changing how we understand Gujarat's past A boon or a threat? Similar to the Maratha Military Landscapes of India, the magnificent Hill forts of Rajasthan, which include Chittorgarh, Kumbhalgarh, Sawai Madhopur, Jhalawar, Jaipur, and Jaisalmer, were inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2013. They were the first serial nominations of India: a group of geographically dispersed but thematically connected sites spanning multiple states or regions. Such sites require a unified conservation framework and an integrated, collaborative management plan. This increases the role of stakeholders in constructing future strategies that emphasise coordinated governance, ecological sensitivity, and active community involvement. Such an integrated effort targets ensuring long-term protection of the sites. However, many forts of Rajasthan, especially Kumbhalgarh, are facing growing conservation concerns due to unchecked tourism, structural degradation, and poor conservation efforts. These forts are vulnerable to urban pressure, increasing footfall, which impacts their integrity. It is evident that with increased visibility on the global front, there will be a sharp rise in the footfall. Are the stakeholders prepared for the preservation challenges not only of the monument but also of the landscape that is integral to their significance? Now that the spotlight is on lesser-known chapters of history, the real challenge is in protecting them without overexposing. Until a management plan is put in place and concerns are taken care of, we must celebrate the recognition that the Maratha forts have awaited for centuries. Let's also remember that heritage is not just about marking national achievements on a global stage—it is meant to be protected, preserved, and passed on to future generations. Disha Ahluwalia is an archaeologist and junior research fellow at the Indian Council Of Historical Research. She tweets @ahluwaliadisha. Views are personal. (Edited by Ratan Priya)
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Delhiwale: Nizamuddin East's vanished five
Delhi city's Nizamuddin East colony is home to the rich and celebrated, including a filmmaker whose son is likely to become New York City's next mayor. Her tiptop terrace has a view of Humayun's Tomb as well as Rahim's Tomb. Indeed, almost every upper-story apartment in Nizamuddin East has a view of at least one of these two historical tombs (see photo). Some houses show both these tombs. A few show one more--the so-called Barber's Tomb. A very few show all the three--plus the Neela Gumbad tomb! Nearly every upper-floor apartment in Nizamuddin East overlooks at least one of these two historic tombs (as seen in the photo). (HT Photo) Not many people however are aware—not even 'Niz East' wale!— that Nizamuddin East itself stands on the site of vanished monuments. This is a truth confirmed by Ratish Nanda of Aga Khan Trust for Culture, that has been actively involved with restoration projects in the much larger Hazrat Nizamuddin area. This afternoon, at his office in Sunder Nursery garden, he takes out his worn copy of Maulvi Zafar Hasan's Monuments of Delhi: Lasting Splendours of the Great Mughals and Others. Published in 1916, the book lists hundreds of monument, some of which has now vanished. Ratish Nanda points out five disappeared monuments that stood where Nizamuddin East is. First vanished monument The square-shaped tomb stood on a stone platform. Each side had a doorway, topped by a latticed window. The identity of the grave was a mystery. Second vanished monument It too was a tomb, its identity too a mystery. The dome had collapsed by the time the book was written. The grave too was gone. Third vanished monument It was the stone gateway to a walled garden. The garden was named after a man called Fazil Khan. Fourth vanished monument This stone gateway marked either the entry to an extinct tomb, or to an extinct garden. It too has gone unsung. Fifth vanished monument This was a major monument, and stood on a hillock. It was the tomb of Darab Khan, a son of poet Rahim—the same Rahim whose grand tomb continues to grace Nizamuddin East. By the time the book was written, the central dome of Darab Khan's makbara had already collapsed, the debris choking up parts of the edifice. That said, the monument's total erasure is a profound loss. (While Darab Khan was lucky to have his own tomb, nobody would want his fate. The poor man was beheaded by a Mughal general, who wrapped the severed head in a cloth and sent it to his father, Rahim, as 'the present of a melon.')
Time of India
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Bhopal: The land demarcation exercise at Jagdishpur village (Islamnagar Fort) has caused unease among the local population. The move comes about a month after MP directorate of archaeology, archives and museums revealed plans in May for adaptive utilisation of the heritage location. According to sources, a survey is being carried out on instructions that were issued on July 3 by Huzur Naib Tehsildar Circle 1 to the chief executive officer of janpad panchayat Phanda regarding land demarcation at Jagdishpur (Islamnagar Fort). The initiative, focused on state-protected monument preservation, has identified 165 residential structures within the fort premises for potential relocation. However, SDM has classified this as a standard procedure, dismissing suggestions of immediate displacement. The village houses multi-generational families, with several residents having ancestral connections spanning three to four generations. "Several families in Jagdishpur have been residing here for three to four generations. Local villagers say that earlier, their homes were made of mud, and as their financial conditions improved, they built concrete houses on the same plots. Homeowners also possess the necessary permissions issued by the Gram Panchayat," said a local resident, seeking anonymity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Earlier in May, MP directorate of archaeology, archives and museums revealed plans in May for alternative utilisation of the historical Jagdishpur location. Current conservation efforts centre on two principal structures: Chaman Mahal and Rani Mahal, which have suffered prolonged deterioration. Located approximately 15 kilometres from Bhopal, the site is under consideration for a preservation-focused development scheme. The fort, established in 1715 by Sardar Dost Mohammad Khan, served various functions including royal accommodation and burial grounds for two Nawabs. Its Mughal Gardens and architectural elements combining Mughal, Rajput, and Malwa influences showcase its historical significance, complemented by continuous water access from Lower Lake. Indications are Jagdishpur—renamed from Islamnagar in 2023—is located approximately 15 km from Bhopal, along the route to Sanchi. With MP Tourism advancing redevelopment through a public-private partnership, a master plan has emerged to position the village within a larger heritage circuit. Recent administrative orders suggest efforts to revitalize the area, though concerns remain about their potential impact on long-established local communities. Earlier in 2023, another restoration initiative, supported by a Rs 1.33 crore budget, encompassed exterior improvements and illumination enhancements. The conservation strategy for the Heritage Core Zone incorporates guided visits, exhibitions, and strategic lighting arrangements. The peripheral areas are allocated for traditional markets, cultural activities, and community gatherings to revitalise the location as an active public venue.
