On April 26th, Mr. Ratish Nanda, Projects Director of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, India, was in Ottawa to present a recent initiative that is attracting interest in urban development circles world-wide.
The initiative, called the Humayun’s Tomb – Sunder Nursery – Hazrat Nizamuddin Basti Urban Renewal Project, in the heart of Delhi, combines a cultural heritage project with socio-economic initiatives. The overall objective is to improve the quality of life for people in the area while creating an important new green space for the residents of Delhi and beyond.
The vibrant Nizamuddin neighbourhood was named after the revered saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, who lived there in the early fourteenth century. The area has witnessed centuries of tomb building as it has been, and still is, considered auspicious to be buried near a saint’s grave.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, the tomb of the 16th century Mughal emperor, Humayun, with its surrounding gardens, was restored in 2004 by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in collaboration with Archaeological Survey of India. The Urban Renewal project, focusing on the development of a neighbouring slum soon followed.
The socio-economic programmes have had a remarkable impact on the area. Quality-of-life studies led to initiatives in education, health, and urban improvement, which are being implemented through a community-centred, collaborative approach. By combining these programmes with conservation efforts, the programmes improve environmental conditions while strengthening essential urban services.
“It has been truly transformational,” explained Mr. Nanda. Once, teachers at the early childhood education school couldn’t wait to transfer to other schools, literally fleeing the neighbourhood. “Today, we have waiting lists of teachers waiting to get in.”
Most importantly, the area offers a sense of hope to those who were once in despair. “There is an enormous sense of community ownership for their history – this is something that didn’t exist before,” said Mr. Nanda. “This sense of pride and confidence is absolutely remarkable, and both directly and indirectly influences all walks of life – beyond anything we could have imagined.”
Additional Resouces:
- Aga Khan Trust for Culture
http://www.akdn.org/aktc.asp - AKTC Initiatives in New Delhi http://www.akdn.org/publications/2010_AKTC_HCP_Delhi.pdf
- Aga Khan Trust for Culture Brochure
http://www.akdn.org/publications/2007_aktc.pdf
