A Journey from Conception to Conservation: A Case Study of the Tomb of Nur Jahan at Shahdara, Lahore
Abstract
Abstract Views: 233
Built heritage is very important for any nation. The objective manifestation of human mind is evident in the built monuments and historic sites. The tomb of Nur Jahan is one such monument which is reminiscent of the glorious reign of the Mughal Empire. It has its own importance because it is located in the Garden Complex of Shahdara, which has remained an important gateway to Lahore since the Mughal period. The tomb has remained a neglected monument in the Garden Complex of Shahdara due to various reasons. The objective of this study is to document the monument in addition to identifying its similarities with the other tombs of the complex, reasons of its decay, and the conservation work done. The tomb has lost its gardens, architectural elements, and landscape features. It has also sustained many damages and undergone repair with the passage of time. Previous studies showed that there have been multiple causes of decay, among which flood is a major one. Although, recent conservation has saved the monument from further deterioration. Thus, a thorough conservation and restoration strategy for this neglected piece of history would be developed using documented data and visually analysed historical asset, highlighting the asset's significance within the Shahdara Garden Complex.
Downloads
References
Dalrymple, W. (2008). The last Mughal: The fall of a dynasty, Delhi, 1857. A & C Black.
Qureshi, F. (1994). Conserving Pakistan's built heritage. International Union for Conservation of Nature. https://policycommons.net/artifacts/1373515/conserving-pakistans-built-heritage/1987744/
Findly, E. B. (1993). Nur Jahan, empress of Mughal India. Oxford University Press.
Gulzar, S. (2012). Characterization of materials, environmental impacts and conservation strategy for historic structures in Shahdara complex, Lahore [Doctoral dissertation, University of the Punjab].
Hambly, G. (1977). Cities of Mughal India. Paul Elek.
Hanif, K., & Bukhari, R. A. (2020). Architectural and historical description of Mughal monuments at Shahdara “Way of Kings”. Ancient Punjab, 8, 61-69.
Havell, E. B. (1913). Indian architecture: Its psychology, structure, and history from the first Muhammadan invasion to the present day. John Murray.
Hoag, J. D. (1977). Mughal history. Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
Koch, E. (1991). Mughal architecture: An outline of its history and development (1526-1858). Prestel Verlag.
Mumtaz, K. K. (1992). Architecture in Pakistan. Butterworth Architecture.
Musgrove, J. (1987). Sir Banister Fletcher's a history of architecture (9th ed.). Butterworth.
Mundher, R., Al-sharaa, A., Al-helli, M., Gao, H., & Bakar, S. A. (2022). Visual Quality Assessment of Historical Street Scenes : A Case Study of the First “ Real ” Street Established in Baghdad. Heritage, 5(4), 3680-3704. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5040192
Nath, R. (1986). Jharokha: An ill. Glossary of Indo-Muslim architecture. Independently Published.
Abbasi, N. Q., & Jabeen, A. (2021). Analysis of the conservation policies imposed on Shahdara complex, Lahore, Pakistan. Journal of Art, Architecture and Built Environment, 4(1), 96-109. https://doi.org/10.32350/jaabe.41.05
Qureshi, S. (1988). Lahore the city within. Concept Media
Rehmani, A. (1976). History and architecture of Mughal monuments at Lahore [Doctoral dissertation, University of the Punjab]. Pakistan Research Repository, HEC. http://prr.hec.gov.pk/jspui/handle/123456789/3700
Ruggles, D. F. (2008). Islamic gardens and landscapes. University of Pennsylvania Press.
Wescoat, J. L. (2022). The paradise gardens of Lahore: Islamic ideals and historical realities. In R. D. Sherma & P. Bilimoria. (Eds.), Religion and sustainability: Interreligious resources, interdisciplinary responses (pp. 273-288). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79301-2_31
Copyright (c) 2022 Memoona Rashid, Muhammad Zeshan Ashraf, Rumana Khan Sherwani
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
JAABE follows an open-access publishing policy and full text of all published articles is available free, immediately upon publication of an issue. The journal’s contents are published and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0) license. Thus, the work submitted to the journal implies that it is original, unpublished work of the authors (neither published previously nor accepted/under consideration for publication elsewhere). On acceptance of a manuscript for publication, a corresponding author on the behalf of all co-authors of the manuscript will sign and submit a completed Copyright and Author Consent Form.
Copyright (c) The Authors
