NEW DELHI: To attract more visitors to two less popular heritage sites associated with the revolt of 1857 —Indian freedom struggle — in the national capital, the state archaeology department SAD has planned to set up two museums at Mutiny Memorial in Kamala Nehru Ridge and Qudsia Bagh near Kashmiri Gate Interstate Bus Terminal (ISBT).
A gallery narrating the stories of Indian freedom struggle and freedom fighters is proposed at the 19th-century memorial standing in the heart of the ridge near Hindu Rao Hospital.
At Qudsia Bagh, the department wants a museum to honour leading women of Delhi and other states.
Mutiny Memorial, now known as Jitgarh or Ajeetgarh (Place of the unvanquished) was raised in 1863 to commemorate soldiers and officers of Delhi Field Force (including fighters of Indian origin), who were killed during a struggle with Indian sepoys in 1857.
The tapering tower of Gothic design was renamed to Ajeetgarh in 1972 on the 25th anniversary of Indian freedom to honour Indian martyrs.
Qudsia Bagh, a garden-palace complex, was built in 1748 for Qudsia Begum, wife of 12th Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah Rangeela.
It was located outside Kashmiri Gate in the north of the old city — Shahjahanabad. Majority of the portion was destroyed during the rebellion of 1857.
A senior official of Delhi government confirmed that plans are afoot to create museums in north Delhi at two historical places for which an expert agency could be roped in.
“The facility at the commemorative tower in the ridge could be developed on the lines of partition museum in Amritsar. Possibilities are being explored and it should be an open gallery because we can’t build any structure at the site. It is going to be a challenge as the area has significant population of monkeys,” he said.
The museum at the 18th-century garden will be housed in the surviving Baradari (12-door pavilion), which is a blend of Persian and British architecture, where restoration work is currently being carried out.
“The museum at Qudsia Bagh will be the first of its kind in the national capital. It will feature exhibits and other artefacts depicting the life of women especially the leading residents of Delhi. We will soon start working on the proposal and consultation with experts,” said the official, aware of the development.
Project in the pipeline
An official of the Delhi government confirmed that plans are afoot to create separate museums in north Delhi at two historical places for which an expert agency could be roped in for it.