The Quli Qutb Shahi Garden Tombs sits just north of Golconda and covers 106 acres. (Case)
Hyderabad:
With the restoration of six historic baolis or stepwells from the 16th and 17th centuries at the Quli Qutb Shah Garden Tombs, the city of Hyderabad has taken another step in its bid to earn the label of a World Heritage City. ‘UNESCO.
Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao accompanied US Consul General Jennifer Larson to inspect the completion of the restoration, a project supported by the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.
The stepwells – restored with massive stone masonry and traditional materials – are just part of the restoration project for the Garden of Tombs, a necropolis just north of Golconda, spread over 106 acres. Experts say it is unique and incomparable to any site elsewhere in the world.
The Aga Khan Trust is restoring over 100 monuments, including mausoleums and mosques, in addition to the landscape, in partnership with the state culture department. The stepwells were used to irrigate the orchards inside the fortified enclosures surrounding the royal tombs.
Project director Ratish Nanda of the Foundation told NDTV: “Each decade during Qutb Shahi’s 179-year reign is really represented here by a building. We have 40 domed mausoleums, four of which reach the height of Humayun’s Tomb (Delhi) and other great Mughal mausoleums,”
The stepwells will now also serve as a source of water for the other parts of the project.
“We bought water in tankers at Rs 2 a litre. Using it to repair 100 monuments was not financially viable,” Mr Nanda said.
“This helps tourism and avoids land encroachment. Previously covered in debris, these stepwells will now have enough water for the needs of the whole garden,” said Arvind Kumar, Telangana’s special chief secretary.
Hyderabad won the UNESCO label for gastronomy a few years ago, a nod to its biryani and other famous dishes.
For the Heritage City label, Qutb Shahi Tombs is a central element. “At 106 acres, it is the largest heritage district of any metropolitan city in India,” Mr Kumar said.
Attendance is expected to increase by at least 10 times.
“At Humayun’s Tomb (in Delhi), attendance increased 20 times when it was restored. Here, once restored, we will have Sufi performances, special walks, a restaurant. We want local families, not just tourists, start visiting,” he added.
US Consul General Jennifer Larson said, “We are happy to help in a small way. It is an exceptional site. This is my first cultural visit to Hyderabad.
Minister KT Rama Rao is reported to have said, “By combining Qutb Shahi Tombs and Golconda Fort…we can surely aim for a World Heritage tag and that should put us on the map. We have Charminar and a number of heritage structures that have resurrected us.”
