US Consulate funds renovation of Mah Laqa Bai's tomb

The tomb of an illustrious woman of 18th century Hyderabad is getting a face lift thanks to the efforts of a few voluntary organisations with funding from the US Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation.

The tomb of Mah Laqa Bai alias Chanda Bibi and the garden around it at Moula Li in Secunderabad is being renovated with about Rs50 lakhs funding from the US Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, Juliet Wurr, an official of the US Consulate told reporters here.

Mah Laqa Bai was a court dancer for the second and third Nizams and was said to be the first woman to author a full collection of Urdu ghazals. She was also active in the religious and political life of Hyderabad during her lifetime.

The idea to renovate the tomb of Mah Laqa Bai, which was in a dilapidated state, was proposed by Scott Kugle, an American researcher working in Hyderabad.

The effort for its renovation has been initiated with Nizam's Trust, which looks after the tomb, MESCO (Muslim Educational, Social and Cultural Organisation) and the Centre for Deccan Studies joining hands and the US Consulate providing funds.

The city-based restoration architects Heritage Conservation Initiative Consultants (HCIC) has taken up the task of refurbishing the tomb and the garden.

The company has cleared the area of debris and is restoring the buildings and their exquisite decorations. The repair of two step wells and laying out of the garden needs to be completed which is likely to be done by the end of the year, HCIC representative Nitin Sinha said.

Upon completion, the site could be a tourist destination, he said.

To a query, Wurr said the renovation of the tomb is the only such project being funded in Hyderabad and any fresh proposal for aid for cultural preservation would be considered.