<p>“To be very humble… I am not sure we will dare touch the Taj Mahal. But, we will contribute in some way, we will,” said Prince Karim Aga Khan at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the site museum at Humayun’s Tomb on Tuesday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>This was in reference to the remarks of Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture and Lalit Panwar, Tourism Secretary, who expressed willingness to join hands with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) to carry out the restoration work at the Taj Mahal. <br /><br />The restoration work undertaken by the AKTC at Humayun’s Tomb should be replicated and scaled up, said Panwar. It is time to think if Taj Mahal is the best kept or best managed and the Union Ministry would want to tie up with the AKTC to conduct restoration work, he added.<br /><br />“The conservation work by the trust is the classical example of synergy between an NGO and the Government of India,” said Sharma.<br /><br />Khan, who will receive the Padma Vibhushan, got a standing ovation from the audience. He spoke of the rich heritage of India and on the historicity of the monuments.<br /><br />The site museum at the entrance of the Humayun’s Tomb is scheduled to come up in 2017. The entrance of the site was chosen as it would serve as a bridge among Humayun’s Tomb, Sundar Nursery and Hazrat Nizammuddin Basti.<br /><br />The Ministry of Tourism has pledged Rs 49 crore for the project. The Humayun’s Tomb is one of the 25 model monuments, as recently designated by the government.<br />The museum will focus on the development of the Nizamuddin area over the past millennium and highlight the area’s diverse cultural traditions.<br /><br />It will be completed in 30 months and is a part of the urban renewal initiative of AKTC. <br /><br />Visitors at the site will have access to the permanent exhibition, galleries for temporary exhibition, an auditorium for film screenings, a souvenir shop and a cafe. The permanent gallery will exhibit Mughal-era artefacts. The restored copper finial of the Humayun’s Tomb will be displayed in the Finial Gallery, which will be adjacent to the Permanent Gallery.<br /><br />A ‘vestibule gallery’ will also give visitors the choice of visiting the model room. This room will showcase the entire site in 3-D as it would have been in the Mughal period.<br />Visitors will also be able to experience the musical traditions inspired by Hazrat Amir Khusrau.<br /><br />The architecture of the museum was inspired by the traditions of geometric forms in Mughal architecture. <br /> </p>
<p>“To be very humble… I am not sure we will dare touch the Taj Mahal. But, we will contribute in some way, we will,” said Prince Karim Aga Khan at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the site museum at Humayun’s Tomb on Tuesday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>This was in reference to the remarks of Mahesh Sharma, Union Minister of Tourism and Culture and Lalit Panwar, Tourism Secretary, who expressed willingness to join hands with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) to carry out the restoration work at the Taj Mahal. <br /><br />The restoration work undertaken by the AKTC at Humayun’s Tomb should be replicated and scaled up, said Panwar. It is time to think if Taj Mahal is the best kept or best managed and the Union Ministry would want to tie up with the AKTC to conduct restoration work, he added.<br /><br />“The conservation work by the trust is the classical example of synergy between an NGO and the Government of India,” said Sharma.<br /><br />Khan, who will receive the Padma Vibhushan, got a standing ovation from the audience. He spoke of the rich heritage of India and on the historicity of the monuments.<br /><br />The site museum at the entrance of the Humayun’s Tomb is scheduled to come up in 2017. The entrance of the site was chosen as it would serve as a bridge among Humayun’s Tomb, Sundar Nursery and Hazrat Nizammuddin Basti.<br /><br />The Ministry of Tourism has pledged Rs 49 crore for the project. The Humayun’s Tomb is one of the 25 model monuments, as recently designated by the government.<br />The museum will focus on the development of the Nizamuddin area over the past millennium and highlight the area’s diverse cultural traditions.<br /><br />It will be completed in 30 months and is a part of the urban renewal initiative of AKTC. <br /><br />Visitors at the site will have access to the permanent exhibition, galleries for temporary exhibition, an auditorium for film screenings, a souvenir shop and a cafe. The permanent gallery will exhibit Mughal-era artefacts. The restored copper finial of the Humayun’s Tomb will be displayed in the Finial Gallery, which will be adjacent to the Permanent Gallery.<br /><br />A ‘vestibule gallery’ will also give visitors the choice of visiting the model room. This room will showcase the entire site in 3-D as it would have been in the Mughal period.<br />Visitors will also be able to experience the musical traditions inspired by Hazrat Amir Khusrau.<br /><br />The architecture of the museum was inspired by the traditions of geometric forms in Mughal architecture. <br /> </p>
