ASI to conserve Shish Gumbad at Delhi’s Lodhi Garden, floats tenders

According to the tenders, a total estimated cost of ₹46,25,440 has been proposed for the conservation work

New Delhi

The Shish Gumbad at Lodhi Garden. (HT Archive)

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has floated two tenders, inviting bids for manpower and materials, worth over ₹46 lakh to undertake conservation of the historical Shish Gumbad at the Lodhi Garden complex, officials aware of the matter said on Thursday.

In one of the tenders, a copy of which was accessed by HT, ASI said: “Online Tenders on behalf of the President of India are invited in two bids system from established, reputed, experienced bidder for supply of manpower for undertaking the work of ‘Conservation of Shish Gumbad at Lodhi Garden complex, New Delhi’…”

In the other tender, also seen by HT, officials said that “…supply of manpower for undertaking the work…” has also been floated.

According to the tenders, a total estimated cost of ₹46,25,440 has been proposed for the conservation work, with ₹29,26,015 for manpower and ₹16,99,425 for materials required for the work. The period of completion of work has been mentioned as 90 days. However, ASI did not confirm when work would start.

The last date for the tender is July 7 and work will be completed in 90 days from the date of starting it, ASI said.

The Shish Gumbad is one of several monuments of the Sayyid and Lodi periods at the Lodhi Garden, previously known as the Lady Willingdon Park, an ASI official said. According to ASI’s listing of protected monuments, the structure was built during the Lodi period, “perhaps during Sikandar Lodi’s reign (1489-1517)”.

“There are several graves inside the tomb, but it is not known who was buried inside. It was probably built in the mid-15th century during Sikandar Lodi’s reign,” writer and heritage activist Sohail Hashmi said.

According to ASI’s book “Delhi and its Neighbourhood”, the protected monuments and structures inside the Lodhi Garden include Muhammad Shah’s Tomb, Bara Gumbad masjid, Shish Gumbad, Sikandar Lodi’s tomb and an athpula (eight piers), which refers to a bridge with seven arches and eight piers.

The book, describing the structure, says, “Architecturally, it follows the usual pattern of square Lodi tombs with a ‘double-storeyed’ appearance…Its western wall contains a mihrab, which served as a mosque, but the other sides have a central entrance set in a projecting frame...”

Hashmi said that the structure had glazed tile work, which led to its name.

The ASI book also says: “Originally, the tomb was richly decorated with blue tiles…now surviving in traces, gave it its Persian name meaning ‘glazed dome’.”