LAHORE: Conservation work on the tomb of Nadira Begum, the wife of Dara Shikoh, is currently under way by the Punjab Directorate General of Archaeology.

The conservation started around five months ago and is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.

Directorate General of Archaeology Director Maqsood Ahmed told Dawn that the tomb was in a pathetic condition and thePunjabgovernment took the initiative of its conservation to revive its glory. A conservation plan worth Rs10 billion is being implemented and included work on lime plaster, stucco tracery, fresco painting, lime terracing, tile on edge floor, consolidation of masonry and fencing around the monument.

The archaeology department also intended to provide seating facility for tourists and illumination of monuments. The conservation work is in progress and will be completed by the end of this year, Mr Ahmed claimed.

When asked about updates on the conversation and why a thick layer of cement is applied on the outside and inside of the monument while covering bare bricks, Mr Ahmed said that about 40 to 50 years ago, the same thick layers of concrete were applied at different levels of the tomb.

During the planning and execution, a team of experts from the department as well as those working in the field were consulted and it was decided that this concrete should be tried to be removed, and if it damaged the original brick structure underneath then the area where the concrete is strong could be considered to be retained to avoid further damage and finished with surface treatment through traditional lime mortar as done earlier.

Shedding light on the historical significance and structure of the monument, Mr Ahmed said Nadira Begum was the wife of Prince Dara Shikoh who died in 1659 AD and her body was brought toLahoretobe buried near Hazrat Mian Mir. It lies in the centre of a large water tank and can be approached by a causeway in the south.

Mr Ahmed said the two-storey square tomb, if measured from the grave, is 32 feet and six inches high. The first storey is 13 feet high. The pavilion is constructed of burnt brick with Kankar lime mortar and bears three recessed openings on each of the four sides on both storeys.

The central openings are arched, while those on the side are flat. The grave that lies in the centre of the pavilion is six feet and 10 inches long, two feet and 10 wide and one foot and eight inches high. There are four arched openings on the ground floor around the grave and the same kinds of arches are built above them.

Inside both these storeys, the ceilings and walls are adorned with the Mughal architectural feature called Ghalib Kari, panels of various geometrical shapes and traces of red, green and black colours.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2020