Chausath Khamba is the tomb of Mirza Aziz Kokaltash, the great Mughal emperor Akbar's foster brother.
Restoration and conservation efforts of Chausath Khamba, a 16th century Mughal-era monument in the national capital has received a boost in the form of a grant of Rs96 lakhs by Germany.
German ambassador to India, Thomas Matussek signed a memorandum of understanding with Aga Khan Trust for Culture for restoration and urban renewal of Chausath Khamba.
"We are giving our own contribution for this holy place of Nizamuddin which has rich spiritual heritage. Religion has extended its peaceful message from this place and we want to conserve this heritage for future generations to see," said German ambassador, Thomas Matussek.
Praising India's multi-cultural society, he said,"its an example for Germany as majority of Hindus live in peace and harmony with minorities here. Our country is debating multiculturalism. There is need to interact with different communities. You can not live in islands of isolation."
"We can learn from India as different religions have co-existed here for centuries," he added.
Chausath Khamba is the tomb of Mirza Aziz Kokaltash, the great Mughal emperor Akbar's foster brother. It was built in 1623-24 AD. The monument has suffered severe decay due to excessive water seepage and inappropriate repair work using modern material in 20th century.
"This is the only Mughal-era building fully made up of marble. Its roof has a lot of deposition of concrete and its foundation has also suffered. It needs full restoration. We expect to complete the work in two years," said Ratish Nanda, project director, Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
Conservation of the tomb will also be coupled with facade and housing improvement of the surrounding houses. The project is the first of its kind to combine conservation with environmental and socio-economic development while working with the local communities and stakeholders.
"Our main purpose is to improve the quality of life of the people living here. We are making roads, parks and school here. Women are also being trained in handicraft work. In all, we want to revive the culture and spirit of Ghalib and Amir Khusrau," said Nanda.
The project will be undertaken as part of the Humayun's Tomb-Sunder Nursery-Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti Urban renewal initiative, a not-for-profit public private partnership project of the Aga Khan Development Network in association with the Archaeological Survey of India, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and the Central public works department.
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