Bara Lao Ka Gumbad inside Tughlaq era garden in Vasant Vihar lit up

Standing tall inside the premises of Delhi’s only Tughlaq era garden in Vasant Vihar, the Bara Lao Ka Gumbad has now been illuminated. The state department of archaeology completed the illumination works of this Lodi era tomb on Tuesday. “We have used only low electricity consumption and subtle lights to exaggerate the architectural features of the monument such as the arches and the domes,” said Vikas Malu, the head of the state department of archaeology.

The monument is located inside DDA’s Vasant Udyan park. Apart from the tomb, the garden boasts of a mosque, the remains of two wells and a water channel. The historical remains underwent restoration recently through joint efforts of the department of archaeology and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

“Apart from cleaning up the monument and putting fresh plaster, we have also restored the tiles on the dome,” said Ajay Kumar, director of projects at INTACH. Historical references show that the rifts in the dome were fitted with blue tiles. During the process of restoration, which began last year, similar tiles were developed and replaced on the dome, with the current year being mentioned on them for reference.

“While there is no evidence to claim who built this structure, we can date this building by its look and style,” said historian Swapna Liddle.

“The site in itself is very valuable because we have no evidence of a Tughlaq era garden anywhere else in the country,” she added.

With the illumination of the structure, its conservation work is over. However, the department of archaeology has requested the DDA to fit in a few more lights which they believe is necessary for further beautification of the monument. “After inspecting the structure yesterday, I felt a few more lights are needed. We have requested DDA engineers. They will be adding more lights to the lower portions of the structure so as to highlight the platform as well. This will take another 15-20 days,” said Malu.

Approximately 300-400 people visit the park every day. While most local residents are not aware of the historical importance of the structure, they believe that the restoration has helped in both beautification and security of the place. “We feel safer to go here in the evenings now. Earlier this space would be dominated by drug addicts and other unsocial elements,” said 58-year old Shamsher Singh, who lives in Vasant Vihar.

While the park is open to visitors till 9 PM, the monument will remain illuminated between 7PM and 11PM.