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To save a site of historic beauty
Mughal Gardens in Kashmir included in international network
At the Mughal Gardens in Kashmir, a file picture.
SRINAGAR: The Mughal Gardens of Kashmir have been included in the International Network of Historical Gardens set up by the Department of Historical Architecture, University of Illinois.
The first conference of the network is coming up in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, on November 1 and 2. The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Jammu and Kashmir chapter, has been invited to participate in the conference. M. Saleem Beg, former Director- General Tourism, and convener, INTACH J&K, will make a presentation. He will talk about the changes the Mughal Gardens have undergone over the last century, resulting in the loss of their historical character. The presentation will include issues relating to restoring the gardens to their earlier glory.
“These gardens are the most significant elements of the Islamic heritage of Kashmir but they are losing their authenticity in terms of the principles on which these were laid out by the Mughals,” said Mr. Beg. During Mughal rule, more than 100 gardens were laid in Kashmir, but only six of them are left.
The conference will draw experts, advocacy bodies and landscape architects from India, Pakistan, Europe and America.
Experts from Pakistan will speak about aspects of conservation of Shalimar Bagh in Lahore, for which a restoration project has been prepared with the help of UNESCO and the Getty Foundation. The conference aims to set up an international platform to share experiences.
INTACH has been seeking UNESCO World Heritage Site status for the Mughal Gardens. Consequently, World Monument Watch included the Srinagar Heritage Zone in its nomination list of 100 most endangered sites around the world. Nishat and Shalimar are part of the heritage zone drawn for the city by INTACH.
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