An Echo of the Forgotten Landscape

The 90-acre Sunder Nursery Park is a part-restoration, part-rejuvenation and a part-landscape project undertaken for over a decade, spearheaded by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Delhi, following a MoU with CPWD and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 2007. In collaboration with the Government and a network of experts, consultants and stakeholders, an enormous effort was set into motion for the re-vitalisation of the historic parcel of land on which the Nursery is located; to enable it to be accessed, used, and cherished by the citizens of Delhi.

From the 14th Century, the Nizamuddin area of Delhi has seen progressive growth. The revered Sufi Saint Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya was buried here following his death in 1325 AD, as it was a place from which he regularly preached. Located on the banks of the Yamuna River, this area became an auspicious location for the construction of numerous serai’s (travellers’ mansions), mausoleums, baoli’s (stepped-wells) and pavilions, and in the 16th Century, the Grand Trunk Road was built to encompass the area.

Indian history has witnessed its land move between the culturally and ethnically diverse hands of numerous rulers, each with different religious and legislative backgrounds that served as the backbones of their respective societies. The Mughals brought with them many adjustments to the cognitive and physical fabrics of the Indian society, in an attempt to gently synchronise the traditional Indian landscapes to the cultures rooted in Islamic societies. This was achieved not only through the modifications of the existing legislative frameworks, but also by bringing Islamic art and architecture elements to the Indian sub-continent. Many of the surviving and dilapidated structures from this era document this idea of architectural cross-culturalism, from the geometric patterns and motifs, domes, minarets and calligraphy work, to the large tropical Chaharbagh gardens; a salient feature of Persian and Indo-Persian architecture. Literally translating to four-gardens, the Chaharbagh garden typology exists as an interpretation of the gardens of paradise mentioned in the Quran, the Holy Book of Islam. The garden is generally a pretext to a larger tomb or salient structure, laid out in a highly structured geometric scheme, such that two axial paths intersect at a centre, splitting it into four equal parts, and this organisation would soon become a representation of the political and emotional domestication of the landscape by the Mughals. The gardens were not only motivated by metaphysical concerns, but also functional ones; being used for imperial administrative courts and royal recreational activities, as it admitted a plethora of flora along with a few water features – providing a comforting ambience in the otherwise hot tropical climate of India. Remaining open to any devoted follower who wished to pay respects to those who were laid in the tombs – over time – these monuments became deeply entrenched in the psyche of Indian citizens as spiritual and revered spaces, or preserved relics, akin to objects in a museum, where once can imagine these historic landscapes as spaces to encounter and contemplate a shared past. Gardens soon became areas of splendour; an assimilation of vibrant colours, sounds and smells that allowed citizens to come together to share stories and experiences.

In the 19th Century, when the power of the Mughals waned and the British Raj assumed control of the Indian Subcontinent, they brought with them a cultural desire to alter the existing lush gardens of paradise, to more accurately represent the neat horticulture which existed in England – including manicured lawns, trimmed hedges, flowerbeds and vast, neat landscapes. The maintenance of these gardens in the tropical subcontinent required an arduous effort involving patience and skill, which was generally cheaply outsourced to the local population. In this manner, the homesick colonials ascribed a new meaning to the landscape; a conquering symbol of power and subjugation of a foreign landscape over the local ecosystems. In the early 20th century, during the building of the capitol complex in Delhi by the British Raj, the 90-acre property that is now the Sunder Nursery was established north of Humayun’s tomb, for the purpose of propagating saplings for New Delhi’s avenues and vistas, as well as to experiment with plants brought from other parts of the British Empire. The property encompassed over 15 historic monuments, which all remained in a dilapidated state.

The idea of heritage in India spans a wide and eclectic spectrum: from the monuments and iconic sites, to the cultural continuities in everyday life. In a city like Delhi, where layers of history are juxtaposed on the land, the idea of conservation and restoration is often confronted with questions of authenticity and contextual relevance, and the parcel of land upon which the Nursery is located, is deeply connected to the political, social and cultural atmospheres of India and its citizens. Keeping this in mind, the numerous monuments and sites – such as the tombs, gardens, plantations, and geographical features – are cohesively amalgamated on site with cultural sensitivity, which help to cultivate a shared sense of ownership between the structures and the many citizens who use the space. New programmatic additions (fountains, water bodies, lawns, amphitheatres, and public utilities) are also supplemented in an attempt to re-vitalise the space by ascribing new functions and meaning to the Sunder Nursery, allowing it to attain renewed significance in the minds of its users.

Public spaces have played a vital role in the shaping of mankind’s relationships to their respective cities. A good public space is one which is equitable and egalitarian, enabling a physical, emotional and cultural exchange between the various citizens that inhabit it. If a city is a functioning organism, it’s citizens are its synapses, or primary points of contact through which information and resources are shared; and this exchange stimulates the growth – be it economic, social or spiritual – of the city itself. A well-functioning city is only as good as its public spaces, and the quality of interaction and accessibility that these spaces propagate.

Craftsmen used traditional building material and techniques to conserve the monuments

Conservation of 17th-century Lotus pond and landscape development around it

Landscape restoration works around Lakarwala burj in 2011-12

Conservation of the intricate ceiling of 16th-century Sunder Burj

The undertaking of the rejuvenation and restoration of the Sunder Nursery is an amalgamation of all these ideas of shared public spaces, cultural continuity, salient heritage and the reclamation of our historic landscapes from the ideas associated with them. The design of the landscape was done by the late Prof. Mohammad Shaheer, who designed the park along a central axial spine around which the gardens and various other activity spaces were organised. The arrangement of the various garden spaces follows a strong geometrization; as an echo of the geometric linearity of Indo-Persian Architecture. This arrangement is not the only element which calls back to India’s heritage – the entire garden is modelled around the traditional concept of congruency between nature, garden and utility, coupled with conservation. Ranging from formal gardens to informal settings for families to enjoy picnics, the landscaping of the park offers a variety of recreational and cultural venues. Water features, ponds, nursery beds, a flower showcase, arboretum, amphitheatre, rose garden and orchards are all a part of the master-plan, in an attempt to create an urban oasis in the heart of the city, breathing life into itself. Executed with a sensitive intuition, even the existing historic structures of Lakkarwala Burj, Sunder Burj and Sunderwala Mahal (now UNESCO World Heritage Monuments) were all restored by referencing existing data of the structures, and studying its ornamentations and colours. The grand central vista, which is over 500 meters long, is inspired by the 16th century garden traditions and connects the entrance zone of the Humayun’s Tomb to the Azimganj Serai, and to the northern part of the Nursery at the end of which is a 4-acre lake. Twenty acres of the site, which has served as a plant nursery for 100 years, still remains an active nursery – the largest of its kind in Delhi – used by the Central Public Works Department. Facilities such as mist chambers, a “garden house” to showcase tropical and desert flora, a special bonsai display of over 400 plants, and a missing species department; are all expected to be added as the collection expands. The remaining 70 acres of nursery beds have been provided with an irrigation system and electricity network, thrive.

Delhi’s four original ecosystems have been replicated – kohi (hilly), bangar (alluvial), dabar (flood-plains), and khadar (riverine) in the 30-acre wilderness zone, in order to increase environmental awareness to the visitors and school children who tour the Park. Nine rocky mounds represent the ridge and amidst them are slow moving streams; along with the natural flora of these ecosystems, which is now mostly lost everywhere else in the national capital. The Mughal inspired gardens along the central vista employ monolithic marble fountains and flowing water set amidst geometric flower beds and raised sandstone pathways. A large maidan forms the open and central heart of the park, and it is here that visitors congregate, for summer and winter picnics. The extent of the sensitive restoration work is not purely limited to the architectural interventions and landscape features, but is also reflected in the microhabitat zones; a reminder of the diverse flora and fauna that was relished by the riverine and marshy landscapes of the age-old city of Delhi. Over the last decade, hundreds of truckloads of construction rubble were removed and 20,000 saplings have been planted. Sunder Nursery now serves as Delhi’s first arboretum with almost 300 tree species, the largest number in any of Delhi’s parks. A contiguous stretch of dense green cover across Sunder Nursery serves as a living collection of trees, which continues on to the adjoining National Zoological Park and the Batashewala Complex, providing a protected habitat for over 60 species of butterflies, specialised bees and insects, and over 80 specials of birds, including the peacock – the ground nesting national bird, whose numbers have been steadily declining.

Garden Amphitheatre in Sunder Nursery has an annual calendar of cultural and musical events

17th century Mughal Mausoleum_Before and after conservation and landscape restoration

Heritage walks and Environmental workshops are regularly organized at Sunder Nursery

Sunder Nursery Bird habitat

Garden Pavilion

Vermicomposting unit at Sunder Nursery uses the dead leaves and green waste at the park and produces over 40 tonnes of compost

A sandstone chaddar cascaded the water in the Sunder Nursery Lake

The idea of conservation is buttressed by continuous and unending efforts; as there will constantly be a need to maintain and protect the natural and architectural elements of the Park. A Management Trust was created to oversee the operations of Sunder Nursery, enabling a legacy of ideas which will be carried on for years to come. The goliath undertaking of this project has enhanced tourism, created numerous jobs and boosted the economy, but more importantly, it has become a model for mobilisation of public resources and will, in the favour of conservation and revitalisation of heritage. The Sunder Nursery Heritage Park is open to visit and be cherished by any citizen of India – linking ideas of our past and providing a sustainable system of living for future generations. This offers a unique position to the site; a space where we can gather to celebrate and embrace our rich and traditional history, while making way for an alluring future that is bolstered by ideas of tolerance, sensitivity, heritage and beauty⊗

The creation of the 90-acre Sunder city park is part of a larger Nizamuddin Urban Renewal Initiative wherein the Aga Khan Development Network has implemented conservation of 50 monuments across the 300 acres of Nizamuddin area, including the Humayun’s Tomb. The Initiative combines a visionary approach with professional capabilities of a multi-disciplinary team and a sensitive understanding of local contexts and complexities.

The AGA KHAN TRUST FOR CULTURE (AKTC) promotes debates around the built environment, cultural heritage, and importance of historic memory. For over 60 years, they have proposed exemplars and solutions for contemporary design problems; engaged in the physical and social revitalisation of communities; advanced music and musical education; and connected cultures through material and intangible arts. Their initiatives include the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, the Aga Khan Historic Cities Programme, the Aga Khan Music Initiative, the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada, the online resource Archnet.org and related programmes.