NEW DELHI: Its window ledges lie broken, stones from the arches and the roof are crumbling, and the sandstone structure, once a deep red, is fading and fast losing sheen.
Zafar Mahal
, a pavilion at
Red Fort
constructed in 1842 during
Bahadur Shah II
’s reign and named after him, is in a dilapidated condition today, with many portions completely damaged. The
ASI-protected structure
stands in the middle of a
water tank
and, according to one conservator, has been severely hit by the heavy rains this year. A faulty drainage system hasn’t helped, as the structure has absorbed water from the tank that surrounds it.
There was a time when the pavilion and the tank were among the central pieces of the heritage site, according to historian Rana Safvi.
“Zafar Mahal was once known as Jal Mahal. Its tank was a major part of Nahr-e-Bahisht, or the stream of paradise, which was designed to flow into the row of palace buildings during Red Fort’s glorious days in the Mughal era. The water from the Sawan Bhadon pavilion would come through the water shoots and fall in this tank,” Safvi told TOI.
The structure, Safvi said, was situated in the Hayat Bakhsh Garden, or ‘life-giving garden’, which bore flowering and fruit trees and was a place for the emperor to rest. “Originally, a red sandstone bridge led to the pavilion, but it was probably lost at some point in time,” she added.
Safvi, who had visited Red Fort last week, said the current condition of Zafar Mahal is “extremely distressing”. “I hope conservation work takes place as soon as possible,” she added.
Abu Sufiyan, who runs Purani Dilli Walo Ki Baatein, a digital platform that promotes the history, culture and cuisine of Old Delhi, said it was “disappointing” to see the progress of restoration and repairs at Red Fort, one of the most important heritage sites in the country.
“To be sure, those conserving it have worked on maintenance, light show and beautification, but the pace at which these works are being carried out is really slow,” Sufiyan said.
Asked if Zafar Mahal’s restoration was part of the preservation works that were initiated at Red Fort in 2019, an ASI conservator said there were three categories of plans.
“There was a hydraulic project which focused on the fountains around Zafar Mahal and other historic structures at Red Fort. That was completed. After the damage from the extended monsoon to Zafar Mahal, a budget estimate was done and tender will be floated for its structural repair and conservation. The work on the tank, whose drains are in urgent need of repair, will begin immediately. The budget estimate and tender are already in place for that,” he said.
Another conservator said several conservation works of various structures on Red Fort precincts had been stalled in the past two years during the pandemic and Zafar Mahal’s restoration and repair had suffered as well.