Repair work at Khanqah-e-Maula stopped after conservationists’ red flag

After facing criticism from conservationists, Tourism department Sunday stopped repair works at the Khanqah-e-Maula shrine in the summer capital Srinagar’s downtown.

Speaking to Greater Kashmir, Convenor Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) J&K Chapter, Muhammad Saleem Beg said the Tourism department was “defacing” the traditional murals and the facade of the shrine by carrying out repair works.

   

Beg said that it was “destroying the oldest surviving wall murals (Naqashi) at the Khanqah-e-Maula by plastering entire walls with ‘Plaster of Paris’.

However, Beg said that the repair work had been stopped after his intervention.

“Instructions have been given to the Director Tourism by the higher authorities to stop all such works at the shrines in Srinagar. We need to remain on vigil till the instructions are implemented,” he said.

Beg said that he made a fervent request to the authorities that a “proper conservation plan be prepared for each monument” before initiating any repair work.

“Besides the inappropriate interventions, such works are a blatant violation of municipal building by-laws and Srinagar Master Plan. The by-laws very clearly lay down that for heritage structures a proper conservation plan should be prepared and got approved by the concerned agencies. It is hoped that our officers follow rules, procedures and well known best practices while dealing with such structures,” he said.

Secretary Tourism, Sarmad Hafeez said that the department immediately stopped repair works at the shrine after concerns were raised.

Hafeez said strict directions had been passed that “character of such heritage structures should be maintained”.

“The Director Archives, Archeology and Museums Department visited the site today. As per his report, some restoration work was going on to bring the shrine back to its original position and there is no defacement happening,” Hafeez said. “However Director Tourism has been asked to stop any such work that may change the character of the heritage building.”

The wall murals (Naqashi) at the shrine were undertaken by Shaykh Mohyi-ud-Din, the subedar of Kashmir under the Sikhs.

Conservationists told the Greater Kashmir that during the 20th century, Naqashi was repaired a number of times, which also involved the process of applying varnish coat.

“Due to exposure to sunlight and also rain, the paint over the years started peeling off at places with the varnish acting as a ‘major culprit’ in this process,” a conservationist said.

“Today in the name of preservation, the oldest surviving example of painted wall murals (naqashi) has been obliterated at Khanqah-e-Maula. Though textual evidences indicate this art form was well established during the Mughal rule in Kashmir yet the oldest surviving example date from early 19th century on the exterior walls of Nur Khana at Khanqah-e-Maula,” Design Director INTACH Kashmir, Hakim Sameer Hamdani had written on his official Twitter handle while first raising the issue a few days back.

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