Bibi ka Maqbara; a perfect night out for tourists

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad:

Visiting the Taj of Deccan - Bibi ka Maqbara - was memorable and pleasant for the tourists as the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI, Aurangabad Circle) dedicated the functioning of its old 61 fountains (from oblong shaped water casket stretched between the entrance and the mausoleum) and illuminated the campus through 725 LED lights on January 26 (Republic Day). The LED lights and fountains will continue to function regularly hereafter, claimed ASI officials.

Maqbara is one of the few garden monuments in India which remains open for visitors till 10 pm. Hence, it will be a boon for the domestic and foreign tourists halting in the city (after seeing Ellora and Ajanta Caves) as they could spend their leisure hours at Maqbara during the late evening hours.

The entrance of the monument, the main pathway leading to the mausoleum, the side pathways and the main mausoleum of the royal mother and Mughal queen were illuminated with 725 LED lights by spending Rs 20 lakh. Besides, the ASI also spent around Rs 35 lakhs on restoring 60 fountains from the main oblong water casket and one umbrella fountain at the main entrance. The visitors were overjoyed on seeing the illumination and fountains of the monument.

22K visitors on Thursday

Maqbara attracts a huge footfall of tourists daily. Lakhs of domestic and international tourists visit the site every year. As many as 22,000 visitors, including 7,000 domestic tourists; 30 foreign tourists, and 15,000 students (of age below 15 years) visited on Republic Day. The entry was free of cost for the students. Earlier, the monument was having general lights, but LED lights will now glorify the beauty of the heritage and help attract the footfall of tourists every year, said ASI’s conservation assistant S B Rohankar.

Main R-D function

The main flag-hoisting function was held in the morning session. Later on, the ASI circle’s 20 officers and personnel and others through four JCBs implemented the cleanliness drive on the open space next to Maqbara (towards the right of the road leading to Aurangabad Caves). The events were held under the leadership of superintending archaeologist Milan Kumar Chauley.

In the evening session, the Regional Director (ASI) Nandini Sahu dedicated the illumination and fountains. MAHAGAMI’s Parvati Dutta and her disciples presented a special cultural dance programme ‘Inayat’ late in the evening on the heritage campus.

Functioning of fountains in summer?

The fountains have been restored, but the ASI is fearing that if the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) does not lay down a special water pipeline till the mausoleum, then the fountain may get dried up in the summer for want of water. ASI is strongly pursuing the proposal, but the cold response from AMC is forcing them to think so. Earlier, the discussions on estimates and expenses have been done between the ASI and the AMC, but nothing has been materialised yet, so far. Hence the ASI officials fear the future of trees, fountains and gardens at the Maqbara campus.