AKTC Work in the world

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kmaherali
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Plans unveiled for Islamic garden in Edmonton

VIDEO at:
http://www.theismaili.org/news-events/p ... n-edmonton

TheIsmaili.org

7 April 2017

Edmonton, 7 April 2017 — Details of an Islamic garden gifted by Mawlana Hazar Imam to the University of Alberta were revealed today at a special ceremony.

The event also included the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan University.

When it opens in 2018, the spectacular new Aga Khan Garden, Alberta will feature “stepped terraces that change with the seasons, geometric water features that stream into wetlands and a spectacular orchard of local plants,” according to a jointly issued press release from the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan University. It will occupy 4.8 hectares within the University of Alberta Botanic Garden, offering opportunities for research and learning.

“On the 150th anniversary of Canada, it is appropriate that we are creating together a Mughal-style garden, which echoes the great contributions that Muslims have made to world heritage,” said Mawlana Hazar Imam in a written statement. The gift celebrates both Canada’s sesquicentennial and Hazar Imam’s Diamond Jubilee, which commences on 11 July 2017 and marks 60 years since he inherited the Ismaili Imamat.

“The Mughals built the Taj Mahal and Humayun's Tomb and the gardens around them, so the university's embrace of this project is an inherently pluralistic act,” Hazar Imam’s statement continues. “The creation of this garden therefore both deepens an existing partnership and illustrates the pluralistic nature of this country. Measures like this should be encouraged, both here and abroad.”

The project’s development has been led by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in collaboration with the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan University. Award-winning firm Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects was commissioned in 2010 to design the garden.

“Our diversity makes us stronger,” said Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, who was present and expressed her deep gratitude for the gift on behalf of all Albertans. “This garden will serve as a living reminder of the diverse heritage of our open and welcoming province, which is a big part of what makes Alberta such a great place to live.”

The ceremony was also attended by University of Alberta President David Turpin and Aga Khan University President Firoz Rasul. Together they signed a new memorandum of understanding that builds on previous agreements between the institutions signed in 2006 and 2009. The Aga Khan Garden honours the longstanding partnership between the two institutions, which has resulted in collaborations in teaching and training missions, postgraduate studies and internships in a variety of fields.

The gift of an Islamic garden was first announced by Mawlana Hazar Imam during his address at a University of Alberta convocation in June 2009. The Aga Khan Garden joins the Aga Khan Park in Toronto, becoming Mawlana Hazar Imam’s second landscape project in North America and the 11th in the world to be built by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

When it is completed, Edmonton will join cities like Bamako, Cairo, Delhi, Kabul, and Toronto that each host parks and gardens that were conceived or rehabilitated by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture as catalysts for positive economic, social and cultural change.

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Landscape architects journey far in designing Aga Khan Garden

One might think it unlikely to find a Mughal-inspired garden north of the 53rd parallel, especially in a city known as Canada’s “Gateway to the North”. But that will soon change.

The newly revealed Aga Khan Garden in Edmonton is to be the northernmost Islamic garden in the world. Announced as a gift by Mawlana Hazar Imam during his address at a University of Alberta convocation in June 2009, it is to be situated within the university’s Botanic Garden.

More...
http://www.theismaili.org/heritage-expr ... han-garden

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Aga Khan Garden, Alberta

A Gift of Connection and Transformation

The Aga Khan Garden, Alberta is a symbol of the ongoing partnership between the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan Development Network—a collaboration that has fostered intellectual, cultural and education exchange for over a decade. The University of Alberta is grateful to His Highness the Aga Khan for a gift in excess of $25 million that has made this spectacular new garden possible.

http://botanicgarden.ualberta.ca/Garden ... en-Alberta

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Photos from the Office of the Premier of Alberta

https://www.flickr.com/photos/premierof ... 0564794510

Video that was shown to the Jamats of Canada last Friday:

https://vimeo.com/212322876

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Aga Khan gift creates spectacular new garden for research and learning

The garden honours the partnership between the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan University

https://botanicgarden.ualberta.ca/Garde ... ia-Release

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Designing the Garden: A Garden for All Seasons

Published on Apr 10, 2017

VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiJe1J26KYA


In this series of videos, learn more from the landscape architect about the details of the garden.

The landscape architect discusses how local plants featured in the garden respond to the seasonal changes and the paths are highlighted against the woods.
uab.ca/akg
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The Aga Khan Garden, Alberta is a symbol of the ongoing partnership between the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan Development Network—a collaboration that has fostered intellectual, cultural and education exchange for over a decade. The University of Alberta is grateful to His Highness the Aga Khan for a gift in excess of $25 million that has made this spectacular new garden possible.
Last edited by kmaherali on Tue Apr 25, 2017 2:14 am, edited 6 times in total.
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Hyderabad of minarets living up to its name!

Extract:

While the old city is replete monuments, reminders of Qutub Shahi dynasty, thanks to the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) has undertaken the restoration and conservation work of Quli Qutub Shahi tombs at a cost of Rs 100 crore. Anuradha Reddy says, “The 70 monuments represent an entire dynasty that ruled for 170 years and all are at one place. It is rare.”

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index ... ame/291439
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Designing the Garden: Importance of Geometry

VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAfnjL7EdB4

Uploaded on Mar 24, 2017


In this series of videos, learn more from the landscape architect about the details of the garden.

Geometry is an important element common in Islamic landscapes. The geometric structure of this garden acts as a framework for the local wetlands and honours the ridges of sand dunes that were once an ancient glacial lake.


Category
People & Blogs


License
Standard YouTube License
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Post by kmaherali »

Aga Khan Trust to restore Telangi's tomb in Delhi

more at:

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/A ... 361892.ece

“People were living here till a few days ago. Then Mukhtiar Nizam asked us to restore this place as pieces of the dome were flaking off. We began clearing and cleaning it up only a month back,” says Ratish Nanda of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).

The AKTC, which has restored the Humayun’s Tomb complex as well as the Jamaat Khana Masjid, one of the oldest in Delhi and built during Alauddin Khilji’s time, has been entrusted the task of conserving the monument.
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kmaherali wrote:Plans unveiled for Islamic garden in Edmonton

VIDEO at:
http://www.theismaili.org/news-events/p ... n-edmonton
https://www.canadianarchitect.com/archi ... 003738028/

Nelson Byrd Architects to design new Aga Khan Garden at University of Alberta

April 12, 2017
by Canadian Architect

new garden will bloom in 2018 at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden.

His Highness the Aga Khan, Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslim community, has made a contribution in excess of $25 million for the Aga Khan Garden in Alberta. The gift arises from the long-standing relationship between the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan, highlighted by a Memorandum of Understanding first signed with the Aga Khan University in 2006 and an honorary doctorate given to His Highness in 2009.

Thomas Woltz, of award-winning Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, was asked by the Aga Khan to study other Mughal Islamic gardens while developing a design that also incorporates the plants and topography of Northern Alberta.

With secluded forest paths, wide, stepped terraces that change with the seasons, geometric water features that stream into wetlands and a spectacular orchard of local plants, the 4.8-hectare Aga Khan Garden will be an amazing experience for area residents and visitors alike. It will be situated around the existing Calla Pond at the heart of the University of Alberta Botanic Garden.

“The Aga Khan Garden will be a place to connect with nature, a place of inspiration and a place where cultural understanding will grow,” said David Turpin, president of the University of Alberta. “We are honoured and grateful that the Aga Khan, a champion of openness and understanding between cultures, selected the University of Alberta for this wonderful gift.”

Believing that parks can be tools for social and economic benefit, His Highness has restored and built magnificent parks and gardens around the globe as part of the broader development programs of the AKDN, including parks in Cairo, Kabul and Delhi (Aga Khan University is also part of the AKDN.)

The Aga Khan Garden is the first garden in Western Canada, the second in North America, and the 11th in the world to be supported by His Highness.

“On the 150th anniversary of Canada, it is appropriate that we are creating together a Mughal-style garden which echoes the great contributions that Muslims have made to world heritage,” said His Highness the Aga Khan. “The Mughals built the Taj Mahal and Humayun’s Tomb and the gardens around them, so the University’s embrace of this project is an inherently pluralistic act. The creation of this garden therefore both deepens an existing partnership and illustrates the pluralistic nature of this country. Measures like this should be encouraged, both here and abroad.”

“Our diversity makes us stronger,” said Alberta Premier Rachel Notley. “This garden will serve as a living reminder of the diverse heritage of our open and welcoming province, which is a big part of what makes Alberta such a great place to live.”

The addition of the new Aga Khan Garden is expected to increase the number of annual visitors to the University of Alberta Botanic Garden from 75,000 to 160,000. An interpretive program will help visitors understand the featured plants and the art and design of the garden. Information about Islamic traditions, music, sound and poetry will also be provided.
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Silk Route encounters in Jaipur

Aga Khan Ensemble performed at the 10th Anniversary ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival with support from the Aga Khan Foundation

Jaipur, India, January 2017 - Musical artists from the countries along the fabled Silk Route came together to perform as the Aga Khan Ensemble at the Hotel Clarks Amer on the 22nd and 23rd of January. The performance, which was a part of the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival, is the result of a pioneering initiative of the Aga Khan Music Initiative, with support from the Aga Khan Foundation.



AKDN / Christopher Wilton-Steer

The Aga Khan Ensemble is a collective of master musicians who create new music inspired by their own deep roots in the cultural heritage of the Middle East and Mediterranean Basin, South Asia, Central Asia, West Africa, and China. These master musicians are the Aga Khan Music Initiative’s leading artistic collaborators—venerated performers and composer-arrangers who appear on the world’s most prestigious stages while also serving as teachers, mentors and curators who enrich the Music Initiative’s interregional network of education programmes. Linking countries and continents, and present and past through explorations of diverse forms of classical, folk, jazz, and contemporary concert music, the ensemble contributes strongly to the Music Initiative’s mission to invigorate cultural and intellectual pluralism in the nations it serves. In forging this contribution, the Aga Khan Ensemble brings to life a new body of artistic work that is at once seamless, surprising, and exuberantly original.

The January performance continues and solidifies the partnership between the Aga Khan Music Initiative and the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival (established in 2015). The partnership, which is supported by the Aga Khan Foundation, is committed to presenting a new body of music by the master artists that form the Aga Khan Music Initiative roster.

Besides performances at ZEE Jaipur, the Aga Khan Ensemble presented its new repertoire at the Aga Khan Academy in Hyderabad on the on the 25th of January and Mumbai’s Royal Opera House on the 28th of January.

http://www.akdn.org/press-release/silk- ... ers-jaipur

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AGA KHAN ENSEMBLE AT SERRALVES, OPORTO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRN2JcoqS7Q

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Rehabilitating urban spaces: Renovated Wazir Khan Chowk to open by month-end

LAHORE:

The newly restored Wazir Khan Chowk, the historic forecourt adjoining the Wazir Khan Mosque, will open by March-end, according to Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan CEO Salman Beg.

The restoration of this historical cultural space was undertaken by the AKCSP in collaboration with the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) and has been funded by the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.

In recent years, the Wazir Khan Chowk has been choked by encroachments of makeshift commercial outlets.


The rehabilitation and conservation process of Wazir Khan Chowk began on October 1, 2015.

“The open space has been run over by retail shacks, girded by corrugated steel and thronged by citizens, employing it as a market. As a result, the Shahi Guzargah has lost its only area of respite amidst the narrow trail full of commuters in quick transit,” the AKCSP chief pointed out.

More...
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1358388/re ... month-end/
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Premier of Alberta, Canada, Rachel Notley on the the generous gift of the Garden

The University of Alberta Aga Khan Garden will serve as a living reminder of the diverse heritage of our open and welcoming province, which is a big part of what makes Alberta such a great place to live.
On behalf of the province, I express my deep gratitude for this generous gift: http://bit.ly/2oN0PRq
The Aga Khan Garden, Alberta was made possible by a contribution in excess of $25 million by His Highness the Aga Khan, Chairman of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) and spiritual leader of the Ismaili Muslim community. The gift arises from the long-standing relationship between the University of Alberta and the Aga Khan, highlighted by a Memorandum of Understanding first signed with the Aga Khan University in 2006 and an honorary doctorate given to His Highness in 2009.

https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2017/ ... he-garden/
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AKTC provide technical support to a project of national pride in Afghanistan.

Saving an Afghan Symbol, With Afghans Only

Extracts:

KABUL, Afghanistan — Nothing symbolizes the wrack and ruin of Afghanistan and its four decades of war better than Darulaman Palace, a once-magnificent edifice visible on its hillock perch for miles around.

The palace has been pummeled and pockmarked by every conceivable caliber of weapon fired by nearly every faction in the country’s recent wars, with the possible exception of the Americans and their allies, because it was too damaged by the time they arrived to provide much useful cover.

Yet, like Afghanistan itself, the palace never quite totally collapsed, its four domed towers still in place, although the building beneath was so ruined it seemingly defied gravity.

Now much of Darulaman Palace is obscured behind scaffolding and green netting, its mangled trusses and battered Corinthian columns visible only in snatches. Huge lettering hangs from the scaffolds, in Dari and Pashto, reading, “We Can Do It.”

.......

Masouma Delijam, 28, a senior architect on the project, went from a job for a private contractor to her job here for the Afghan government, at half the pay. “We are all very proud to be part of this,” she said. “Our salary is not much, but it is worth it to be part of this project.”

That is especially true, she said, because it is being done by Afghans themselves. “It is so good that we have been able to find the capacity in ourselves for this,” she said.

That should come as no surprise, said Ajmal Maiwandi, head of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, which provides technical advice on the project (from its Afghan experts). “It’s been more than a decade and a half. If the capacity doesn’t exist to deal with a project of this nature, it would be surprising all around.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/worl ... -only.html
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India’s monumental assets can be game changers

March 11, 2017, 1:37 am IST Reshmi R Dasgupta in Silk Stalkings | India | ET

“Selfies are good,” says Ratish Nanda as we make our way up impossibly steep and winding stairs to the top of Abdur Rahim Khan-I-Khanan’s tomb in New Delhi’s Nizamuddin East residential area. I almost miss a step in surprise as selfies are the new bane of our times.

But as the India head of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, charged with conserving monuments such as this tomb and, earlier, Humayun’s magnificent mausoleum, Nanda has a different take. Selfies have replaced graffiti as the visitors’ preferred mark of presence!

Nanda has more such offbeat comments as he, my college friend and fellow history buff Parvati, and I do a tour of AKTC’s current work-in-progress at Rahim’s tomb. But the most thought-provoking one is, “Why can’t MNREGA funds be used for conservation projects?”

AKTC’s conservation philosophy has been the topic of much sparring between us but we have never been unwilling to listen or concede. And this observation by Nanda as we looked over Nizamuddin’s rooftops towards Humayun’s tomb got me thinking “Indeed, why not?”

The painstaking work of saving the tomb of Rahim, the amazing soldier-poet “step-son” of Emperor Akbar-famed for his dohas-from crumbling fulfills all the criteria for MNREGA, including creating an economic asset. It is, after all, already providing jobs and honing skills.

More...
http://blogs.economictimes.indiatimes.c ... -changers/
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A video presentation featuring the Aga Khan Trust for Culture’s Citadel Restoration Programme in Syria

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXcxP7yai-o

Published on Jun 23, 2017


Copyright: Aga Khan Trust for Culture
For related content and more information on this video, see http://archnet.org/media_contents/87507
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Delhiwale: The tomb without a dome

Its unique design lends Najaf Khan’s Tomb a surreal quality matched by its luxuriant lawns.

What if Humayun’s Tomb didn’t have a dome — just the stone plinth on which it stands?

To see what it would look like, just head to Najaf Khan’s Tomb in central Delhi.

This monument is more curious than most. There is nothing here except for a stone platform surrounded by trimmed lawns and centuries-old stone walls. Two marble cenotaphs sit atop the plinth. Where’s the dome? It looks like someone took it away.

Conservation architect Ratish Nanda of the Aga Khan Foundation, the man behind the restoration of Humayun’s Tomb, says that there was no dome to begin with. He calls it an ‘open tomb’ and says that Delhi has other such memorials with cenotaphs looking to the sky. “Najaf Khan’s open tomb is noted for its grandeur because it is surrounded by a very well-kept garden,” he says.

A Persian noble, Najaf Khan served at the courts of the later Mughal emperors. He also founded a Delhi neighbourhood (hint: it’s named after the founder and famous for producing one Virender Sehwag).

http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-new ... KsdWN.html
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http://gulfnews.com/culture/heritage/re ... -1.2069165

Gulf News
HERITAGE
August 6, 2017

Reliving the Mughal era

The royal trail is the cleared part of the walled city and has many historical buildings on it
The Mosque Wazir Khan
Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
The Mosque Wazir Khan was built in 1634-35.
Published: 13:14 August 5, 2017
Emmanuel Sarfraz, Correspondent

Lahore: Mosque Wazir Khan, built in 1634-35 by Hakim Ilmuddin, in the era of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, is popular with tourists, historians and students.

But for 60-year-old Shaikh Alauddin it is part of his life. As a toddler he started going to this mosque near his home and even today he prays there five times daily.

Shaikh, who runs a shop selling imported suitcases and bags in front of Wazir Khan Mosque, appreciates the efforts made by Walled City Lahore Authority to restore the mosque’s glorious structure.

“We have spent our childhood watching this glorious mosque. The conservation which is being done at the mosque is remarkable and the process must continue,” Shaikh says.

“This beautiful sight of Mosque Wazir Khan Chowk that we see today was not there. The whole area had been encroached upon. There were illegally constructed shops along the northern wall of the mosque. There used to be a well in the courtyard, which has now been closed,” he adds.

The royal trail starts from Delhi Gate near the mosque. The royal trail is the cleared part of the walled city and has many historical buildings on it. The mosque’s traditional chowk (courtyard) in front has been completely restored.

The recent conservation of the outer wall, and the northern wall façade has started attracting tourists.

Colourful tour guide

Mukhtar Ahmad, 42, is a rangela (decorated) rickshaw driver. He takes visitors to the sites along the Royal Trail starting from Dehli Gate. He charges Rs1,500 (Dh86) for a tour with a family or groups of tourists.

“I got this job due to this recent conservation work. More people would visit when this sultry and humid weather of monsoon is over. When guides are not available I provide the information to local and foreign tourists. I can speak English, but in my own Punjabi style,” Mukhtar sAys while narrating some facts about the Delhi Gate and Mosque Wazir Khan in rudimentary English enunciated in his Punjabi accent.

Rashid Makhdum, senior architect and consultant, Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan, says the PC-1 (Project plan of five years) of the conservation of Mosque Wazir Khan was approved in March this year.

“We have renovated the chowk in front of mosque and it gives a beautiful view to tourists,” he says.

He has been associated with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture Pakistan more than 10 years.

“Renovating and conservation is a daunting task for sure as we are confronted with the presence of houses constructed on the southern wall of mosque Wazir Khan. This not a good sign as people live in these houses,” Rashid said.

“We will clear the view and restore southern wall of the mosque and other old-architecture which is present around the mosque by the end of this year, he said.

Reviving tourism

Kamran Lashari, Director-General, the Walled City Lahore Authority, said, “Every year the contract is renewed and we are committed to revive the tourism in the most beautiful areas of the walled city of Lahore.”

“Conservation of the northern façade of the Wazir Khan Mosque by the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan with support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy and Aga Khan Trust for Culture in collaboration with the Walled City of Lahore Authority was completed last year,” Lashari said.

The encroachments of illegally built steel shops on the front side of the Wazir Khan Mosque were removed before the conservation work was started.

The mosque is famous for its kashikari, a glazed-tile mosaic work which makes this mosque unique among cultural monuments.

Lashari said rehabilitation of the northern façade and the adaptive reuse of its hujras, or rooms, for the sale of traditional handicrafts would form a template for the conservation of the entire mosque.

Covering an area of 279 x 159 feet, the mosque is entirely constructed in cut and dressed bricks laid in kankar lime with a scanty sprinkling of red sandstone in the gate and the transept, according to the Agha Khan Trust.

The courtyard is divided into two parts. The upper part is about two metres higher.

The courtyard is flanked on its east, north and south sides by 32 small hujras (rooms) of different sizes.
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First phase of Quli Qutab Shahi tombs restoration to be completed by January

"The effort of Aga Khan Trust for Culture and Telangana Tourism is to restore the Tombs to how they were nearly 500 years ago," Telangana Tourism secretary Venkatesham said.

Hyderabad: The first phase of the restoration of the Quli Qutb Shahi Tombs taken up by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) would be completed by January next year, said Telangana Tourism secretary B Venkatesham here on Friday.

After a meeting with AKTC Director General Luis Monreal and other senior officials from the Trust here, Venkatesham said the State government was extending all support to the Trust for restoration and protection of the priceless heritage.

The AKTC, which had already restored the Humayun Tomb complex at Delhi, has taken up the Qutb Shahi Tomb complex restoration with its own budget of Rs.100 crore while the department of Tourism, Culture and Archaeology is pooling in another Rs.100 crore, he said.

“The effort of Aga Khan Trust for Culture and Telangana Tourism is to restore the Tombs to how they were nearly 500 years ago,” Venkatesham said. The Tombs complex have several unique aspects and have well planned gardens and fountains, he added.

https://telanganatoday.com/first-phase- ... ed-january
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Restoring the glory of Wazir Khan Mosque

LAHORE: He gets up in the wee hours of the morning to say Fajar prayers at the glorious Wazir Khan Mosque located near Delhi Gate of the Walled City. This routine Asghar Ali has continued throughout his life for more than five decades. During the day too he comes he runs his shop near the mosque and ends his day after offering Isha prayers at the same mosque.


Asghar, who lives in the vicinity of the mosque, says for many people the mosque may be a tourist attraction but for him it is part of his life. "My grandparents came here from India after the partition of Subcontinent. Since then my family has been living here. Everyday many people including foreigners to visit Wazir Khan Mosque,” he said.

‘A mole on the cheek of Lahore’, as art lovers call it, Masjid Wazir Khan is a world wonder. It was built in 1634-35 A.D. during the reign of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan by Ilam-ud-Din Ansari, commonly known as Wazir Khan, who was governor of Lahore till 1639 A.D. The mosque was completed in about seven years.

Colourful ceramics and plaster have been used. Persian art can be seen everywhere in the mosque. The mosque’s walls are almost completely suffused with detailed embellishment of kashi kari (tile mosaic), fresco painting, stone and chuna (lime plaster) decoration, and taza kari (brick outline fresco) on both the exterior and interior surfaces. The entire floor is built in cut and dressed small brick work laid in some 13 patterns.

Wazir Khan Mosque has been under the extensive restoration since 2009 under the direction of Agha Khan Trust for Culture with the contribution of Government of Punjab.

“Agha Khan Historical Culture Programme has been working on inner area of historic Wazir Khan Mosque, for rehabilitation of its southern facade, western facade, urban rehabilitation of neighborhood context and acquisition of properties in Chowk Wazir Khan. The northern bazaar area was conserved in 2013-2015 which cost three crore. And then new project was to restore the east side of Chowk in 2015-2017 that costs 13crore that includes walls, lights and other minor parts of street.” said the senior consultant of Agha Khan, Rashid Makhdom. The scope of the project amounts to Rs 533.057 million for the conservation of Wazir Khan Mosque over the period of five years. An amount of Rs 200 million, under Annual Development Programme funds, has been allocated during the ongoing financial year (2016-2017). Also the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) decided to restore and preserve the heritage in October 2015 and restored the architectural masterpiece Masjid Wazir Khan in 2017 with $1.2 million in funding.-

The restoration project included bringing the Chowk Wazir Khan to its original form by digging 2.5 meters to separate the existing street level and the original ground level of the forecourt of the Chowk through archaeological excavations. A retaining wall was built to avoid future encroachments and to ensure a protective bulwark for the hujras.

The total area is 383 km to Chowk Wazir Khan and they restored 57 streets with in the duration of 9-10 months and only the front area is renovated by the organizations. Next plan is to restore the area from Masjid Wazir Khan to Akbari gate.

An appropriate and effective system of display will be designed and implemented in its historic context. The urban design and rehabilitation of Chowk Wazir Khan will be integrated with the conservation design of the mosque. The authority of Walled City aims to preserve the rich ornamentation of tile mosaic, Fresco painting and brick imitation work which is going to attract local and foreign tourists.

Walled City Lahore Authority Deputy Director Tania Qureshi said that so far the restoration process of Royal Trail from Chowk Kotwali to Masti Gate is in process. This is the second phase of the Royal Trail and 1st phase i.e. Delhi Gate to Chowk Kotwali was completed in 2015. In this restoration process we are improving the facade of all the buildings on the route.

Recently Chowk Wazir Khan has been conserved and is now open for public gatherings and events. This year the Independence Day festival was organized at Chowk Wazir Khan for the residents of the walled city."

"The conservation and restoration of Wazir Khan Mosque in a five years plan. So far the PC-1 of the Mosque has been prepared by WCLA and after its approval the work will start depending upon the releasing of budgets." she further said.

http://nation.com.pk/editors-picks/21-S ... han-mosque
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http://www.edmontonsun.com/2017/09/29/u ... n-makeover

University of Alberta Botanic Garden parking lot part of $4.9-million makeover

By Juris Graney

First posted: Friday, September 29, 2017 03:56 PM MDT
Aga Khan Garden
Workers are seen constructing the Aga Khan Garden's amphitheatre during a tour of the area at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden in Parkland County on Wednesday, July 12, 2017. Ian Kucerak / Postmedia
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It may be gorgeous on the inside, but the entry to the University of Alberta Botanic Garden is looking a little, well, old and worn out.

That won't be the case for much longer thanks to the $4.9-million overhaul currently underway.

"As someone once said, your curb appeal is that of a minimum security prison," laughed garden director Lee Foote.

But with winter quickly closing in, construction crews are now racing to get as much work as possible done at the gardens, including the reconfiguration and repaving of the parking facilities, work that will increase capacity to 600 cars from 210, Foote said.

"We've had this rather archaic and frankly, slightly dangerous, parking lot for the last 35 years," he said.

"We've needed this for some time."

The $4.9 million in funding will not only be used to spruce up the parking lot, it will fund various other base garden infrastructure system upgrades including waste water and treatment and site sewage development, power, water and gas, roadway and basic lighting as well as plaza development.

Foote said the log cabin that has greeted tens of thousands of visitors over the past 35 years will soon be lifted and shifted and will eventually be replaced by a "state of the art ecological learning centre entry way."

A concrete foundation for the new centre is expected to be poured sometime in the next month and the log cabin will continue to be used until the new centre is open.

The latest round of construction at the 240-acre property, located about a half-hour southwest of the city, is part of a total of $13 million that was approved in the provincial government's 2014 capital plan.

Even though the funding for the front-of-house revamp is totally separate from the $25 million gifted to the University of Alberta by the Aga Khan in April to build North America’s largest Islamic-inspired garden, the renovations are in a large part needed to accommodate the expected ground swell of interest to the gardens.

The Mughal garden, which will cover almost 12 acres of the site, is expected to double the amount of visitors to 160,000 people from 80,000 per year.

Foote added that all the exterior work is expected to be complete by the time the garden opens in time for the Aga Khan’s diamond jubilee celebrations in July 2018.

The Aga Khan is the hereditary Imam or spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims.

jgraney@postmedia.com
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Post by kmaherali »

Artists of the Aga Khan Music Initiative Ensemble present Contemporary Music from the East
With Homayoun Sakhi, Salar Nader, and special guest, Wu Man


The Aga Khan Music Initiative Ensemble is a collective of master musicians who create new music inspired by their own deep roots in the cultural heritage of the Middle East and Mediterranean Basin, South Asia, Central Asia, West Africa, and China. This special performance features three master musicians from the ensemble: Homayoun Sakhi, master performer of the Afghan rubâb; Salar Nader, virtuosic tabla player; and Wu Man, world-renowned pipa player. These three unparalleled musicians link countries and continents, and present and past, through their explorations of diverse forms of classical, folk, and contemporary concert music.

More...
http://asiasociety.org/new-york/events/ ... music-east
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Post by kmaherali »

200 years on, Paigah tombs to get a facelift

Hyderabad: The Paigah Tombs that are decorated in stucco work and represent Mughul, Greek, Persian, Asafjahi, Rajasthani and Deccani styles, have no parallel in the city in terms of style of architecture.

Cosmetic changes in the past

The Archaeo-logy Department took up the protection of this place in 1990
Some settlers were evicted from inside the compound in 2009
Beautification work was done but no repair work for biodiversity conference in 2012
However, now after almost 200 years, those historical relics are going to get a fresh lease of life. As part of the Swadesh Darshan scheme of the Union Tourism Ministry, these tombs come under the heritage circuit in Hyderabad and Rs 4.10 crore has been sanctioned for bringing back to the old grandeur to the tombs.

Lying in a derelict state, these tombs near Santosh Nagar could easily replicate the success story of Humayun Tomb in Delhi that now attracts more than 10 lakh tourists after renovation. Telangana Department of Archaeology & Museums (DAM) director N R Visalatchi says, “Unlike other monuments, the Paigah Tombs have intricate design that include jalli work on walls and doors and stucco work of very high quality.

The conservation part is being undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and the amenities for the interpretation systems such as lighting, pathways, compound wall, landscaping and other facilities for tourists would be done by the Archaeology department.

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index ... ift/332818
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Post by kmaherali »

Festival celebrates country’s rich heritage

Excerpt:

Speaking with The Express Tribune, Aga Khan Trust for Culture Pakistan CEO Salman Beg said that the festival brought out amazing display of rich and important historical features of our heritage. “It was conducive to provide the international delegates with a picture of what efforts AKTC and WCLA are jointly making in preserving the heritage. We hope that next year’s conference attendees will get to see more case studies being presented on preservation of heritage,” Beg added.

More...
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1538668/1- ... -heritage/
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Post by kmaherali »

Afghanistan: Hope Takes Root

VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8tSYDbXGiQ

Published on Oct 20, 2017


Copyright: Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme
For related content and more information on this video, see http://archnet.org/media_contents/129372
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Post by kmaherali »

Wazir Khan Mosque Chowk restored to original form

LAHORE - The newly restored Chowk of Wazir Khan Mosque was officially opened by the U.S. Consul General Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau here the other day.

Funded by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), the project has been completed at a cost of $1.19 million.

Director General of the Walled City of Lahore Authority Mr. Kamran Lashari, the CEO of Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan, Mr. Salman Beg, and representatives of the conservation team, the Masjid Wazir Khan , and the community were present on the occasion.

“Sites like the Wazir Khan Mosque Chowk in Lahore’s historic old city are a testament to the city’s rich and multilayered history,” said Consul General Kennedy Trudeau.

She further stated that the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation supported the preservation of cultural sites, cultural objects, and forms of traditional cultural expression in countries around the world. She hoped that this project will serve as enduring sign of the respect the Americans have for Pakistan, its culture, and its people. “It is fitting that this grand opening takes place as Pakistan celebrates its 70th anniversary as a nation. Pakistan Zindabad!”, she observed.

The restoration took place from October 2015 to May 2017 in partnership with the Aga Khan Cultural Service Pakistan and the Walled City of Lahore Authority. The project consisted of digging 2.5 meters to separate the existing street level and the original ground level of the forecourt of the Chowk . It also included the conservation of the Dina Nath Well, a public well located in the northeast section of the square.

The Chowk will now return to its original function as a public space and will increase tourism and economic growth for the surrounding community. With $1.19 million in funding, the restoration of the Chowk of Wazir Khan Mosque is the largest AFCP project in Pakistan.

The AFCP is a U.S. government sponsored initiative that has awarded $55 million since 2001 in support of more than 870 projects in 125 countries. The U.S. Mission has worked with federal and provincial governments and other partners on a total of 19 grants throughout Pakistan since the fund’s establishment.

http://nation.com.pk/18-Nov-2017/wazir- ... ow=preview
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Post by kmaherali »

Old City of Kabul Urban Regeneration

Description
The movie, Afghanistan: Hope Takes Root, presents the conservation and cultural work of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) since it became active in Afghanistan in 2002. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture in Afghanistan designs and implements cultural heritage and restoration projects to promote Afghan culture and makes historical sites, landscapes, and residential quarters safe and usable. To date, AKTC has restored over 145 individual heritage sites, ensuring their continued use by future generations and helping to preserve Afghan cultural identity. These projects, undertaken in coordination with local communities, are a means to invest in access improvements, infrastructure upgrading, and vocation training, which contribute to improving quality of life and socio-economic opportunities for local residents.

VIDEO
https://archnet.org/media_contents/129372
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Post by kmaherali »

Qutb Shahi tombs: Telangana government signs pact with Aga Khan Trust for Culture

HYDERABAD: The state department of Archaeology and Museums on Wednesday signed an MoU with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) . Taking forward the agreement that was signed by the Trust and the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh government in 2013, for conservation of Quli Qutb Shahi Tombs, this MoU is for the second phase. The first phase of the plan will end in January 2018.

B Venkatesham, Telangana tourism secretary, signed the MoU with Luis Monreal, general manager of AKTC in the presence of NR Visalatchy, director of archaeology and museums and Ratish Nanda, CEO of the Trust, India. The tourism secretary said that though the works were scheduled to be completed by 2023, with 60 per cent of the restoration and conservation works already done, the project might be completed by 2021-22 itself.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/ ... 20721.html
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Subz Burj: Oldest double-domed monument in the heart of city set to be renovated

By the end of 2018, this sombre atmosphere is expected to change, as Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have begun conservation work at the double-domed Sabz Burj.

The 22-metre high Sabz Burj, at the intersection of Mathura Road and Lodhi Road, has led a lonely life. Surrounded by the cacophony of screeching honks from cars, the sprawling lawns of the 16th Century tomb play host to mostly pigeons.

By the end of 2018, this sombre atmosphere is expected to change, as Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have begun conservation work at the double-domed Sabz Burj.

Since November, artisans have been putting in place glazed tiles in two shades of blue, green and yellow on the drum of the tomb, which fell off years ago. “We chose not to go with modern tiles… these have been made by locals using old techniques, and have been hand-compressed. The tiles are not just decorative, they also protect the tomb from water,” said Ratish Nanda, CEO, AKTC.

More...
http://indianexpress.com/article/cities ... d-5021234/

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Qutb Shahi tombs: Conservation pact extended till 2023

CHARMINAR: Efforts for the ongoing conservation works of Qutb Shahi tombs, located in Ibrahim Bagh (garden precinct), close to Golconda fort, received a fillip, as the MoU between archaeology department and Agha Khan Trust was extended until 2023.The deadline for the MoU was initially set at December 2017.

Qutb Shahi tombs, also known as the seven tombs, was nominated as a Unesco World Heritage Site. It represents a blend of Persian, Pathan and Hindu architectural styles. The Quli Qutb Shah Archaeological Park comprising Qutb Shahi tombs complex and Deccan Park is one of the most significant historic medieval necropolises with 70 structures within its complex. It also encompasses 40 mausoleums, 23 mosques, five step-wells/water structures, a hamam (mortuary bath), pavilions, garden structures and enclosure walls built during the reign of the Qutb Shahi Dynasty that ruled the Hyderabad region for 170 years in the 16th - 17th centuries.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cit ... 439712.cms
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Post by kmaherali »

Int’l workshop on conservation being held at Lahore Fort

LAHORE: A three-day international workshop to highlight the conservation of the 1,450-feet long and 50-feet high ‘Picture Wall’ – a famous expanse of decorative glazed tiles and wall paintings — will be held at the Lahore Fort on Monday (today). According to Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA), prototype preservation was carried over a 45-feet high and 30-feet wide panel on the western segment of the Picture Wall by Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and the WCLA, involving the experts from Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France and Sri Lanka. The three-day workshop is a follow up on the prototype. The Picture Wall reflects the highest standards of 17th century Mughal period craftsmanship and is one of the key reasons for the inscription of the Lahore Fort as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. AKTC and the WCLA and Punjab Government are jointly holding this event, which will bring together national and international expertise from various disciplines including conservation, architecture, engineering, material sciences, history, archaeology, planning, anthropology, and heritage enthusiasts. Notable policy makers, federal and provincial government departments as well as key donor representatives will attend the workshop. The purpose of this collaborative effort is to review the work carried out on the prototype on a panel of the Picture Wall and to generate professional discussion on a framework for further intervention. Once this workshop is concluded, with the agreement of all the experts the work on the remaining wall will be started by WCLA and AKCSP. In his statement, Aga Khan Cultural Service-Pakistan CEO Salman Beg said that country affiliate of AKTC, carried out preliminary documentation of the Picture Wall in 2015-2017 as part of the larger Lahore Fort Conservation Project.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/181329/intl-w ... hore-fort/
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Post by kmaherali »

Aga Khan Music Initiative fosters ethics of Cultural Preservation, Education, and Cosmopolitanism

A music and arts education program within the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, the Aga Khan Music Initiative (AKMI) promotes pluralism and cultural revitalization through the medium of music.

AKMI was developed in order to support the extraordinary talents of artists dedicated to preserving and disseminating their culture’s musical heritages. Its programs originated in Central Asia and later expanded to South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. AKMI has several areas of focus including enhancing education in the arts, preserving musical traditions through contemporary forms, and curating worldwide performances.

One of the central aspects of AKMI's mission is music education. In Central Asia, it has launched curriculum development centers and music schools in order to sustain local musical traditions and offer advanced training to students. It has also collaborated with the University of Central Asia to produce a pioneering music textbook, “The Music of Central Asia,” that presents the music of this region through a scholarly lens.

In addition to promoting music education, AKMI also curates performances and organizes collaborations among artists from various cultures. It focuses on supporting musicians known as “traditional innovators,” or those who strive to produce contemporary compositions rooted in traditional musical styles.

One recent performance organized by AKMI was held at Asia Society in New York on November 1, 2017, following the presentation of the Asia Game Changer Lifetime Achievement Award to Mawlana Hazar Imam. The performance featured three musicians from differing cultural and musical backgrounds: Afghan rubâb player Homayoun Sakhi, percussionist Salar Nader, and Chinese pipa player Wu Man. The program featured several pieces that included ancestral, classical, and modern styles of music, including a traditional pashto gharani, a duet for the pipa and tabla, and the “Josh” composition, which received a standing ovation.

The concert was attended by the Permanent Representative and Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United Nations, Mohammed Saikhal, as well as the Ismaili Council for the USA's President Barkat Fazal, Vice President Zahir Ladhani, and Ismaili Council for the Northeastern US' President Shajahan Merchant.

Through these performances and initiatives, the AKMI strives to develop vibrant musical communities that are dedicated to preserving artistic traditions in order to foster pluralism and strengthen civil society.

https://the.ismaili/aga-khan-music-init ... politanism

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Timurid art on Delhi’s little known Subz Burj to get a revamp

For a century, the Timurid artwork on Subz Burj has remained buried under layers of chemicals used during its restoration in 1920s


Intricate artwork on the ceiling of Subz Burj — the double-domed octagonal tower on the roundabout next to Humayun’s tomb complex — will be visible after 100 years.

For a century, this Timurid artwork has remained buried under layers of chemicals used during its restoration in 1920s. The conservator, Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), has now decided to rope in foreign experts to rehabilitate the ceiling painting.

“This tomb has high domed ceiling bearing intricate artwork instead of incised plaster, which is rare in ancient structures that existed in Delhi. The ceiling has lost its lustre and paint patterns because of application of chemical layers in 1920s,” said Ratish Nanda, chief executive officer (CEO), AKTC, adding that International expertise has been sought to undertake repair and correct ceiling painting.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monument of pre-Mughal era was built shortly after the Mughal armies defeated the Lodi Afghan dynasty in AD 1526 though it is not known, who had commissioned it. It was built in the Timurid style of architecture from Central Asia.

More..
http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-new ... rN4bL.html
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Post by kmaherali »

Know why it’s high time to bring restoration projects in tune with contemporary time

Excerpt:

Secondly, the approach should encourage “going outwards” to make the area more accessible to the people living around it. How they perceive the monument, what are their concerns and how they can be tackled are some questions that need to be answered first and foremost. And this is what the people behind the Nizamuddin Urban Renewal Initiative in New Delhi are keeping in mind. The ongoing project, which started in 2007 and aims to restore the three historical sites of Humayun’s Tomb, Nizamuddin Basti and Sunder Nursery in south Delhi, is led by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Public Works Department and the Archaeological Survey of India. “We had no preconceived notions in our head when we started the project. We went with an open mind and allowed the people to come to us with their problems. Based on those issues, we took it forward,” says Ratish Nanda, CEO, Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

Today, Nizamuddin Basti, located adjacent to Humayun’s Tomb, is a success story. Once a densely-populated locality, which lacked sewage pipes, it today has a clinic, proper sewer lines, schools run by locals, public toilets and even a gym. “The women of the locality asked us for a gym, so we decided to build one for them. We had never thought of it in the first place,” says Nanda, adding, “When we first came here, the women didn’t work professionally. As our volunteers reached out to them, they began to understand the importance of earning. Today, they are teaching, some stitch, some do embroidery, etc.”

The initial years were tough though, says Nanda. “It was difficult in the first three-four years. People didn’t believe us or our work. They felt we would occupy their place and remove them from their homes. Gradually, as they saw our work, their perceptions changed. One needs to be persistent,” he says. The restoration of Humayun’s Tomb, too, which was completed in 2013, deserves a mention. The site, which, till a decade ago, had a leaking dome, missing tiles, collapsing walls and damaged stone façades, is a site to behold today. The restoration work started in 2007 and it took six years for the monument to regain its older glory. “The process took time, as the monument was in a bad shape. We had to find different alternatives at various stages to fix it,” says Nanda.

More...
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-n ... e/1023571/

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Agha Khan Trust For Culture Team Calls On Punjab CM

LAHORE, Jan 18 (APP):A delegation of Aga Khan Trust for Culture
Thursday called on Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.
The delegation was led by General Manager Luis Monreal.

During the meeting, expansion of programme for protection and conservation of historical places was discussed. The delegation pledged for providing technical assistance with regard to conservation, repair and maintenance of Shalamar Gardens and Jahangir’s Tomb.

The CM appreciated different welfare-oriented steps taken by the Aga Khan Trust and added that its services in the field of education and healthcare are commendable.

Mutual cooperation between the Punjab government and Aga Khan
Trust is expending day by day and steps have been taken for restoration
of historical places as well as the centuries old walled city. The
Punjab government should provide all sorts of resources for preservation
of Shalamar Gardens and Jahangir’s Tomb as we only need technical assistance and expertise of Aga Khan Trust, he added.

General Manager Luis Monreal said that support to the Punjab government with regard to restoration of historical places would continue and expressed satisfaction that partnership with the provincial government had proved wonderful.

This partnership would be expanded in future as well, he added. Director of Historic Cities Programme Cameron Rashti and Chairman Board of Directors of Aga Khan Cultural Services Pakistan Akbar Ali Pesnani were included in the delegation. DG Lahore Walled City Authority Kamran Lashari was also present on the occasion.

https://www.app.com.pk/agha-khan-trust- ... punjab-cm/
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Post by kmaherali »

Rebirth of a tomb

Excerpt:

Till recently, Tilangani's tomb was almost completely enclosed by present-day construction, built by multiple families living in different parts of the structure. A few months ago, the Aga Khan Trust for Culture started the process of relocating the families and clearing a portion of the area around the tomb. The central chamber was made accessible and many feet of accumulated earth and debris were removed to reveal multiple graves. The structure is being strengthened to prevent collapse. As more of the edifice is painstakingly uncovered, the detailing and elegance of its architecture are slowly being exposed.

More...
https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/from ... 2018-02-03

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New finial for Hakim’s tomb

Excerpt:

Who were the Hakims?

Hakims were the traditional doctors who treated the Qutb Shahi royalty. As the tombs are not identified, it remains a conjecture who exactly is buried here. Syed Ali Asgar Bilgrami in his Landmarks of the Deccan identifies one of the tombs as that of Hakim Nizamuddin Ahmad Gilani, and the other as that of Hakim Abdul Jabbar Gilani. The other job of Hakim Abdul Jabbar Gilani was to read Hadith in the presence of the King during the month of Moharrum.

More...
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/t ... 500667.ece

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Kachchrapur to Safaipur: The magical transformation of a historic Delhi neighbourhood (IANS Special Series)

Excerpts:

Through an initiative by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and the hard work of the slum children, there has been a visible but silent transformation of the area not only in physical terms, but also in its economic and cultural aspects.

"Nobody likes to be in kachrapur or malbapur (towns of garbage and debris). Safaipur (clean-town) is the destination of our train," 11-year-old Abbas told IANS, referring to "safai express", one of the popular games that kids here play every week.

The sanitation drive in the form of a game was introduced to them by volunteers of AKTC's Nizamuddin Basti Urban Renewal Initiative. While the initiative started in 2007, it had to be put on hold due to construction of the Barapullah Flyover, and resumed in 2012.

More...
http://www.business-standard.com/articl ... 175_1.html
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Post by kmaherali »

Resurrected monuments at Qutb Shahi tombs set to be thrown open in March

Aga Khan Trust for Culture has been carrying out conservation work at the site
The blue barricades that kept people away from key monuments inside Qutb Shahi tombs complex are set to be removed as the first phase of work is nearly complete.

A walk inside the complex shows cleaner lines and an aesthetically organised set-up as gardeners water the lawns. “We are planning to throw open the area to people by March and release a conservation manual on the occasion to show all the work that went into the first phase of conservation. It will help future generations and other conservation efforts,” said N.R. Visalatchy, Director, Heritage Telangana.

More..
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyd ... 682711.ece
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10 years on, Sunder Nursery to debut as a heritage park

NEW DELHI: At 90 acres, Sunder Nursery is comparable in size to the famed Lodhi Garden. But it doesn’t receive many visitors as it’s understood as a place to buy plants. This week, this is set to change as a renovated Sunder Nursery opens to the public as a heritage park.

For over a century, this place has been a nursery, and 20 acres are still an active nursery maintained by CPWD. The rest of the area would now be a treat for nature lovers and heritage enthusiasts. The nursery was renovated by Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), and following an agreement signed last December, AKTC would maintain the park for 10 years. For that, requisite infrastructure would be built such as a garden house to showcase flora, a cafe, toilets etc.

So far, the park is open only on weekdays up to 5pm. This would be stretched and even weekends would be open days. Security and other maintenance infrastructure would be put in place by October. Entry would be ticketed.
Sunder Nursery rivals the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the huge variety of flora and fauna. Earlier, the area only housed Mughal garden tombs. At the beginning of the 20th century, the British converted the area into a nursery for the new capital city. In 2007, following an MoU between CPWD, ASI, the municipal corporation and AKTC, conservation and landscaping works started. AKTC has built similar parks in Kabul, Cairo, Chantilly (France) and Edmonton (Canada).

More...
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cit ... 989353.cms
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Post by kmaherali »

A lost garden emerges: Sunder Nursery, Delhi, India

The location of Sunder Nursery, adjacent to Humayun’s Tomb Complex and Nizamuddin Basti, largely follows the Mughal Grand Trunk Road connecting significant monuments. The landscape design aims to enhance the historic character of the nursery, attract visitors and provide a seamless pedestrian connection with Humayun’s Tomb Complex. The project will create a major landscape space of truly urban scale, deriving inspiration from the traditional Indian concept of congruency between nature, garden and utility, coupled with environmental conservation.

http://www.akdn.org/gallery/lost-garden ... elhi-india

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Sunder Nursery: VP opens 90-acre park in Delhi, hails PPP model

New Delhi, Feb 21 Sunder Nursery, a lush 90-acre park in south Delhi restored over a period of 10 years, was today inaugurated by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who described it as a "magnificent" and a successful story of public-private-partnership model.

The park, which will be open to the public from tomorrow, neighbours the iconic Humayun's Tomb, a World Heritage site.

"With the opening of this park, the capital will now have a great addition to its green spaces. One day it will become the national park of the city. This is a model and a successful public-private-partnership (PPP) story," Naidu said.

The vice president also said plans are afoot in the government to extend this green space to Purana Quila.

The park, which began as a nursery over a century ago to feed the new British capital coming up here, has been developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in partnership with the CPWD and ASI and the SDMC.

Prince Shah Karim Al Hussaini (the Aga Khan IV), who jointly opened the park along with Naidu said, "The park is being dedicated today to honour the past with the future on mind."

"Almost seven centuries ago, a Sufi saint walked the path here, standing for the teaching of universal love...It is with the same pluralistic and harmonious spirit that we dedicate the park today," he said.

The Aga Khan said in the work done on the park "divine blessings" meets "human creativity".

As many as 20,000 saplings of 280 tree species have been planted - making Sunder Nursery, the Delhi's first arboretum; and over 80 bird species have already been recorded since the overgrown and decrepit nursery was replaced with green cover.

The centre piece of the park is the Sunder Burj, endowed with embellished artwork on its inside dome and walls.

A new central axis has been created rich with fountains and gardens.

"Six of the 15 monuments on the site have been designated as World Heritage monuments following conservation and landscape restoration; and facilities such as an amphitheatre have been built and more are planned," the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) said.

Sunder Nursery is the seventh park of urban scale developed by the AKTC, it said.

https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll ... 112?scroll

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https://twitter.com/PIB_India/status/966311629410332672

Vice President @MVenkaiahNaidu inaugurates the heritage garden complex Sunder Nursery, in New Delhi

https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2018/ ... ore-179607
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Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... Xn0j0bT2SA

Watch: Sunder Nursery in Delhi opens as heritage park

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10 years on, Sunder Nursery to debut as a heritage park

NEW DELHI: At 90 acres, Sunder Nursery is comparable in size to the famed Lodhi Garden. But it doesn’t receive many visitors as it’s understood as a place to buy plants. This week, this is set to change as a renovated Sunder Nursery opens to the public as a heritage park.

For over a century, this place has been a nursery, and 20 acres are still an active nursery maintained by CPWD. The rest of the area would now be a treat for nature lovers and heritage enthusiasts. The nursery was renovated by Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), and following an agreement signed last December, AKTC would maintain the park for 10 years. For that, requisite infrastructure would be built such as a garden house to showcase flora, a cafe, toilets etc.

More..
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cit ... 989353.cms

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The Sunder Nursery - Creating a sustainable environment in New Delhi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... vCdwlk-ESM

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Delhi’s ‘lost’ Mughal garden reopens as public park

https://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2018/ ... ore-179590

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Photos: Sunder Nursery near Humayun’s Tomb opens as heritage park

https://www.hindustantimes.com/photos/i ... FnCPO.html

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Sunder Nursery in full bloom

Revamped by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture to create a 90-acre city park; to be inaugurated today
Sunder Nursery that was established over 100 years ago to breed specimens for the new Capital’s avenues and gardens has been revamped by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in collaboration with the Central Public Works Department, Archaeological Survey of India and the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to create a 90-acre city park.

Spring flowers, lush gardens, natural water bodies and monuments nestled together make the urban oasis a space that can be enjoyed by those who love nature and culture and heritage.

On Tuesday, the AKTC organised a walk around the nursery detailing how it was restored from a pile of rubble to its current state.

More...

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Del ... 812630.ece

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February 21: Delhi and beyond, in pictures

https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/ima ... ry-21-2018

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Delhi gets first-of-its-kind 90-acre heritage park

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday inaugurated Delhi's first-of-its-kind arboretum and a city heritage park developed by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) in a 90-acre area near the Humayun's Tomb.

He also announced that plans were afoot to extend it further to a 900-acre green public space.

"This is an important day for the historic city of Delhi. Today, it's in 90 acres. But we are discussing among ourselves in the government and plans are afoot to extend it further to Purana Qila and make it a 900-acre huge green public space," he said.

Aga Khan, who is on an an 11-day visit to India, was present on the occasion.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/660 ... -kind.html

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A Once-Forgotten Mughal Garden Reopens In Delhi As Public Park
The 90-acre (36-hectare) garden will be formally opened by the Aga Khan, whose Trust for Culture has helped recreate the classical garden and restore its crumbling 16th-century monuments.


https://www.ndtv.com/delhi-news/this-on ... rk-1815389

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Sunder Nursery: 10 years of building a paradise garden

http://www.business-standard.com/articl ... 344_1.html

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Historic park in Delhi containing World Heritage monuments reopens after ten-year restoration

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/2018/ ... ens-delhi/

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Up-close: The new-look Sunder Nursery, a world heritage site Delhi had forgotten

A photo essay that takes a close look at the newly-renovated Sunder Nursery which is next door to Humayun’s tomb.

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Delhi's new mega park; 90 acre park opens in Indian capital

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVzrnG9preM

Published on Feb 21, 2018

Delhi's new mega park; 90 acre park opens in Indian capital. Similar parks in Cairo, France and Canada. Watch the video to know more about the news.



https://theprint.in/governance/sunder-n ... ted/41303/
Last edited by kmaherali on Mon May 07, 2018 5:38 pm, edited 5 times in total.
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