NEW DELHI: The 18th-century Mughal era tomb of Mirza Muqim Abul Mansur Khan, popularly known as Safdarjung, has attained the distinction of being the third monument in the national capital to have ‘architectural lights’.The tomb complex will remain illuminated for four hours from 7 pm to 11 pm. An official of the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) said that illumination work at the building is complete and the dazzlingly-lit complex will be inaugurated by Union minister of culture Prahalad Singh Patel on Friday evening.
“Existing façade lights have been replaced with power-efficient LED bulbs. New lamps will enhance the tomb’s aesthetics after sunset. The job was assigned to National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), which had done similar work at Red Fort and Purana Quila. The project was funded by the ASI,” said an official involved in the survey.
Qutub Minar and Tughlakabad Fort are also expected to be illuminated in the same manner. Façade lighting is a simple illumination arrangement in which the lamps throw beam directly on the front or surfaces of a building. Architectural lighting, also known as ‘element illumination’, is a programming-based technique, when small bulbs are placed at strategic points, highlighting features of the structure’s components such as domes, ramparts, minarets, arches, balconies and other architectural details.
To highlight the architectural features of the Safdarjung Tomb, a total of 213 advanced LED lights have been used. The lights will reduce electricity consumption by about 62 per cent in comparison to conventional light fixtures.