Annual Report of the Archæological Survey of India 1927-28/Section 1/Northern Circle (Muhammadan and British Monuments)/United Provinces
UNITED PROVINCES: MUHAMMADAN AND BRITISH
MONUMENTS
By Mr. B. L. Dhama.
OWING to the transfer, early in April 1928, of the permanent Superintendent, Khan Bahadur Maulvi Zafar Hasan, to the Frontier Circle, Lahore, the Annual Report for the Northern Circle has been contributed by the officiating Superintendent in collaboration with the Assistant Superintendent.
A sum of Rs. 1,44,189 was expended during the year under report, viz, on (a) Special Repairs, Rs. 43,229, (b) Annual Repairs, Rs. 48,998 and (c) Maintenance of Gardens, Rs. 51,962.
The income derived was Rs. 32,990-2-9 in the United Provinces and Rs. 16,914-2 in the Delhi Province.
For the convenience of supervision the Circle has been divided into four divisions, each under a Conservation Assistant. The pumping plant at Sikandra has been installed and the special repairs to Itimadu-d-Daulah's Tomb at Agra have been practically completed, leaving money available next year for special repairs, and works that have been held in abeyance owing to want of funds. In the Agra Fort several carved decayed stones, including four brackets of the Diwan-i-Khas, were renewed and in the courtyard of the Akbari Mahal 2,000 sq. ft. of new paving was laid. The other decayed brackets hidden away in the masonry need to be kept under observation. Three new iron-gated doors were also provided at suitable positions to keep out intruders during closed hours. At the Taj Mahal in addition to the ordinary patch repairs to walls and floors several decayed paving stones were replaced and where most necessary the inlaid work received attention. Several broken stone jālis round the river kiosks were renewed and cement tell-tales were fixed at suitable points round the drum of the main dome where cracks were in evidence. At Firoz Khan's tomb a teak wood door of Mughal design was provided. At Rambagh some broken stone jālis were renewed and a large portion of the boundary wall rebuilt. At the Roman Catholic Cemetery a missing stone cross over the tomb of John Hessings was replaced. Several of the most ruined graves were repaired and a carved facing stone of the tomb of Seraphima Rustigo, which had fallen down and shattered, was replaced by a new one. At Akbar's tomb at Sikandra a portion of the northern causeway was reset, part of the floor and steps restored and many decayed stones replaced. A pair of wire gauze doors with helical springs was provided to the entrance to the crypt to keep out bats and birds. A length of 76' of the western wall being out of plumb and was dismantled and rebuilt. Broken lintels and missing chhajja slabs have been replaced and the floors improved by putting down lime concrete.
The British tomb enclosure in the south-east was attended to, the loose railings were refixed with bolts and nuts and the standards and railings painted. At Mariam's tomb four decayed brackets at the south were dismantled and replaced by new ones, necessitating the resetting of the chhajja slabs they supported. As the north-east corner was out-of-plumb, it was dismantled and reset, screened twin tie rods being inserted into to take the thrust of the arch. Now that the yield of the tube-well at Sikandra is more than ample for the grounds at Akbar's tomb it is advisable to extend the pipe line to Miriam's tomb and to lay out the grounds within the enclosure. A lay out plan for these grounds is in existence. A length of 70' of the fallen city wall at Fathpur Sikri was rebuilt and the pathways leading to the Samosa Mahal and another in front of Faizi's School were paved. The broken dusty floor of the Rang Mahal was relaid with stone slabs over 3" lime concrete and an iron turnstile was provided to prevent the ingress of cattle. Decayed brackets, shafts, and lintels of the third column from the east of Birbal's Stable were also replaced by new ones, as had been occasionally done also in previous years. Since, however, all the dangerously weak ones have now been changed it is not proposed to carry out any further replacement. About a mile of road was renewed with stone ballasts which, in the locality, is cheaper than kankar, but as the steam road roller could not enter the courtyard of the Diwan-i-Am on account of the narrow gateway this portion of the road was renewed with kankar. A species of rank vegetation has been entirely eradicated by the simple process of removing it before the seeds had formed.
The Dâk Bungalow continues to be popular. The furniture belonging to the District Board has been returned and that belonging to the Public Works Department purchased at a cost of Rs. 1,772. The renovation of the furniture, and crockery and cutlery is being considered and it is hoped that another year will see furniture and fittings worthy of the bungalow and the site. Rs. 3,589 were spent on the repairs to the old Baoli Well. The work done during the year was the clearing of debris, the refacing with carved and plain stones of the whole of the causeway and the replacement of decayed columns and other ornament of the dalans. The work is still in progress. A further portion of the fallen wall at Jagner was rebuilt and extensive jungle clearance carried out. At the Tomb of Rashid Khan at Rashidabad, Farrukabad District, several chhajja stones were replaced, vegetation from the domes rooted out and the crevices filled with lime concrete. At Daulat's tomb at Mehnagar, Azamargh District, 3" concrete floor has been laid in the cenotaph chamber, the graves repaired and the jungle cleared. At Aurangzeb's Mosque at Benares another portion of the stone flagging in the courtyard was completed and a stone jāli was provided over the north door of the tomb of Lal Khan situated in the southern corner of the Raj Ghat plateau. The broken parapets of the Stone Bridge at Bhitari, Ghazipur District, were repaird, the jungle cleared and holes in the ramps filled in.
A palm tree against the entrance gateway of Iftikhar Khan's tomb at Chunar, Mirzapur District, was removed as its swaying tended to damage the chhajja stones, and trees growing against the compound wall were removed before their roots and branches had time to do damage. Last year a sum of Rs. 11,663 was spent on the acquisition of shops over the Gomti Bridge at Jaunpur and this year the transaction was completed by the further expenditure of Rs. 10,912. The kiosks on the bridge will shortly be vacated and the tenants of the shops will no longer display thereon their unsightly sunshades and hangings. Before long extensive repairs will have to be undertaken to several of the kiosks. Here, as elsewhere, iron dowels are primarily to blame. Efforts were made to get the Mutawallis of the Sharqi Mosques to sign agreements, but these have unfortunately been unsuccessful and in consequence no repairs were carried out at the monuments. The modern additions to Arangzeb's Pavilion at Khajuha, Fatehpur District, such as the tiled verandah, fire place, kitchen and bathrooms were dismantled. The materials were auctioned and the proceeds handed over to the Chairman, District Board, Fatehpur, after deducting the cost of dismantling. All the roofs of the Jami Masjid at Sambhal, Moradabad District, and the entrance gateway were relaid with lime concrete, the masonry steps towards the north of the prayer chamber were also renewed. At the Residency at Lucknow owing to the entrance of storm water through an unroofed pasage, the tahkhanas under the model room were in an insanitary condition. This has been rectified by the provision of a corrugated sheet iron roof concealed behind a parapet wall of the passage. The flag staff, the only one in the Empire that has its flag flying after sunset, was painted and a few gun carriages were repaired. The iron railing round the Celtic Cross was removed at the request of His Excellency the Governor. A gang of bankatis was employed throughout the year to visit all the buildings in Lucknow to clear away the weeds and vegetation. A small electric pump, capable of lifting 75 gallons a minute, was erected at one of the wells and the problem of scarcity of water has thus been solved. Two shattered brackets of the Sola Khamba at the Nadan Mahal and Ibrahim Chishti's Tomb were replaced and the compound wall was raised two feet to prevent the neighbouring inhabitants from scaling it. Several rotten rafters were replaced by sound ones at Sikandar Bagh. Ordinary petty repairs were also carried out to the Dilkusha Palace. At Bibiapur House a small strip of land round the house has been transferred to this Department by the Military authorities, boundary pillars have been erected and a chaukidar employed to keep the buildings nice and tidy.
Seventy-five Notice Boards were purchased, a few have already been erected at various monuments and the rest will be fixed next year.
The Archæological Gardens in the United Provinces were admirably maintained. The success is largely due to the efforts of Mr. A. E. P. Griessen, Deputy Director of Gardens, United Provinces, who is now unfortunately on the eve of retirement. He has been connected with the Archæological Gardens since 1900 and their beauty and appropriateness are a testimony to his unfailing interest and care during these twenty-nine years. At the Taj Gardens, at Agra, the maintenance has always been the object of special attention as the rank first amongst the historical gardens in the provinces. Its lawns, floral display, vegetation and the beautiful vistas have been the particular care of Mr. Morgan, the Officer-in-Charge. At Khan-i-Alam the restoration of its garden structure is the main achievement of the year. A more liberal propagation of ornamental shrubs, etc., has been arranged for to meet the needs of the archæological gardens and local demands. The extension of the water distribution service to the southern forecourt of the Pearl Mosque has enabled this part of the grounds to be properly maintained. The annual programme providing for the relaying of one ace of turf has been adhered to. At the garden of Itimadu-d-Daulah's tomb all structural restoration work being completed, an attempt has been made to reclaim its shrubberies which greatly suffered during the operations entailed by conservation. The grounds of the inner enclosure are to be entirely relaid on the lines laid down by the Director General of Archæology in India, and the work undertaken next year when funds are provided. At Chini-ka-Rauza hedges and shrubberies have been carefully attended to and the rank vegetation that encroached on its boundaries eradicated. Owing to inadequate water supply as a result of the failure of the pumping engine the year's programme could not be carried out. The engine has, however, been repaired and the garden is now in a satisfactory condition. At the Roman Catholic Cemetery the pathways are being properly demarcated and lined with Mughal bricks, the central walk straightened and suitably bordered with ophiopogon where grass could not be properly grown. The shrubberies at Sikandra have been extended on both sides of the eastern and western causeways, stray building materials collected and stacked and used as a soling coat for the for the roadways, unsightly earthen mounds levelled off, and the recently planted trees properly spaced. The forecourt lay out has been completed, an evergreen hedge to screen off the wire enclosure planted and a temporary water supply provided till the permanent installation is made available. Climbers have been planted to cover the old walls on the east and west of the gateway.
The lay out at the Khusru Bagh at Allahabad finally sanctioned early in the year, has been successfully carried out, and provides a suitable setting for the monuments. By the removal of the central drives imposed by the scheme, the historical grounds are now quite distinct and separated from the general lay out of the gardens. But certain adjustments were found necessary to make this isolation of the historical grounds merge aesthetically into the general lay out so as to create too violent a contrast. These alterations are now being gradually effected. There remain, however, the extension of the water distribution service to command the entire site, the development of the northern glade and a final top dressing of all pathways etc. These will receive due attention when funds are available. The Residency Grounds at Lucknow have been the object of special attention during the year under review. Besides the returfing of the main lawn, the Cross Monument parterre has been laid out as a most attractive rose garden, forming a splendid and appropriate setting for the monument. The Cemetery Enclosure has been freed from a coarse grasses and rank vegetation so as to encourage the spread of dub grass. An electric pumping plant capable of giving a safe hourly yield of 4,500 gallons has been installed in connection with the old well, which has hitherto been quite inadequate for the extent of ground served by it. The yield of the tube being given by the Agricultural Engineer to the Government of the United Provinces as 6,000 gallons per hour, there should be no anxiety as to the supply which, however, will be put to a practical test during the coming summer months. The little grounds at Nadan Mahal and Ibrahim Chishti's tomb have also received due attention. The obtrusive bricks that aligned the pathways have been relaid flush with their sides. The ground along the newly restored boundary wall has been planted and the hedges properly re-aligned and maintained. At the Dilkusha Palace Grounds improvements during the year comprise the proper re-alignment of all pathways and their demarcation with Mughal bricks laid flush with their sides. Dwarf hedges have been planted to screen elevated masonry water courses, and palms planted to emphasise the outlines of the old enclosure. The earthen mounds flanking the palace steps are now planted with bougainvillea and roses will eventually replace the cannas which are constantly exposed to the ravages of porcupines.