CNN
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Vandalism at an 18th-century monument built by the once-mighty Mughal Empire has sparked public outrage. IndiaHistorians are calling on authorities to step up protection of the country’s vast cultural heritage.
Parts of the tombs of three emperors in New Delhi’s Zafar Mahal Palace were destroyed, historians said during a heritage walk at the site supervised by a government agency responsible for preserving historic buildings. It was discovered on Sunday by.
Historian Sam Dalrymple, who alerted security guards to the damage, said: “This is believed to be the last great monument of the Mughal Empire.” “Zafar Mahal has been slowly disintegrating over the years and symbolizes widespread neglect of Mughal history in Delhi.”
The vandalism included the destruction of the marble lattice screen (jali) surrounding the empty tomb of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor, who was exiled to Burma (now Myanmar) in 1858 by India’s former rulers, the British. Contains some damage.
The destruction was “truly heartbreaking,” said artist Shrishti Rana Menon.
“This is one of the most hauntingly beautiful places (sic) and that jali was just to die for,” she wrote on Instagram. “What has been lost is truly precious.”
Provided by: Sam Dalrymple
Broken Jaali in Zafar Mahal.
Another user wrote: “I felt really shocked, hurt and angry after what happened.” “I consider myself lucky to have witnessed these before the vandalism.”
The palace is free to the public and is one of over 170 heritage sites in Delhi protected by the government-run Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Praveen Singh, chief archaeologist at ASI Delhi Circle, said the vandalism at Zafar Mahal was “no big deal”. “There is no doubt that it has been damaged. But the entire monument has not disappeared,” he told CNN, adding that a complaint has been filed with police in south Delhi’s Mehrauli area.
Mehrauli police officials said no arrests had been made and authorities would investigate the incident.
Delhi, a metropolis of more than 20 million people, has experienced rapid urbanization in recent decades, boasting a vast and glittering modern metro system and a burgeoning middle class that represents India’s economic growth. .
But among the winding roads are centuries-old monuments and medieval ruins that historians say make India’s capital on par with the world’s great ancient cities.
Melvin Longhurst/Corbis Documentary RF/Getty Images
Humayun’s Tomb, another historic Mughal era monument located in New Delhi.
“It’s one of those rare cities with a heritage on a scale comparable to Rome or Cairo,” said Dalrymple, who grew up in Derry. “The breadth of history is amazing.”
He also questioned how vandals were able to damage monuments in the capital.
“One of the biggest tragedies is that this is happening in Derry. What is happening outside?” he said.
Amateur historian Shah Umair said Zafar Mahal was in disrepair even before the vandalism, with weeds growing around the tombs and dirt collecting on the walls and other structures.
“ASI has been promising for years to renovate the palace, but so far no action has been taken,” said Umair, who along with Dalrymple discovered the damage.
Subir Halder/India Today Group/Getty Images
Schoolchildren stroll through the Zafar Mahal heritage site in New Delhi.
ASI’s Singh said the authorities had planned to start the restoration of Zafar Mahal in April, but the work was delayed as cost estimates were not set.
“We regularly preserve and conserve all monuments as per the need,” Singh said.
The Mughal Empire ruled India from 1526 to 1858, reaching its peak under Emperor Shah Jahan. Shahjahan built the iconic Taj in Agra, his Mahal, as a mausoleum for his wife, and numerous other artistic wonders across the country.
The jali destroyed at Zafar Mahal is considered the prototype of the Indo-Islamic art movement that flourished during the Mughal era.
But in recent years, the rise of Hindu nationalism in India has made some Mughal-era monuments the center of controversy. for example, Anger explodes in 2017 After the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was removed from the government’s official tourism brochure.
Former tourism minister Alphonse Kannanthanam dismissed the controversy at the time, saying the Taj Mahal was the “pride of India”.
Kuriankrai Titimakorn/Moment RF/Getty Images
The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna River in the Indian city of Agra.
But to many, the controversy signaled the creeping intent of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party to exclude India’s former Muslim rulers from its cultural history.
Historian Rana Safvi said some of the Mughal architecture found in south Delhi’s Mehrauli area was unique to India and called on authorities to do more to protect it.
“This very typical Indo-Islamic art cannot be seen outside this region,” Safvi said, referring to well-known motifs such as marble jalis and floral symbols.
Mr Safvi also called on authorities to do more to protect lesser-known but equally important monuments.
“We should be proud of our history,” she said.