New Delhi: The historic Sheesh Mahal in northwest Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh was on Wednesday reopened to visitors after comprehensive restoration. Lieutenant governor V K Saxena, chief minister Rekha Gupta and Union minister for culture and tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat were present at its inauguration.The magnificent 17th-century palace, constructed under Emperor Shah Jahan’s reign, showcases exquisite Mughal architectural elements. The structure is a significant component of the expansive Mughal garden complex.Shalimar Bagh was built in 1653 by Shah Jahan’s third wife Izz-un-Nissa. It was intended to be a replica of Shalimar Bagh in Kashmir, which was created by Emperor Jahangir in 1619. The place is one of the few remaining Mughal-era pavilions still intact in Delhi outside of Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb complexes.Sheesh Mahal’s mirror mosaic work, though heavily damaged and hardly visible now, once reflected the opulence of Shah Jahan’s vision. The garden layout and water channels in front of the palace were meant to evoke paradise, offering both respite and a display of dominion over nature. Although now largely abandoned, the garden retains its shaded trees, majestic parterre and several ruined structures, including Sheesh Mahal and the garden pavilion.Over time, the complex witnessed many historical events and rulers, gaining political prominence when Aurangzeb held his imperial coronation here. It also served military purposes during the 1857 Uprising when British forces camped in the garden and damaged parts of the structure.As part of its restoration plan, while Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) restored Sheesh Mahal’s heritage elements, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) developed a Mughal-style Char Bagh landscape design facing the palace to complement the monument. The huge lawn and ornamental lights added a majestic touch to the place.Originally constructed of bricks and red sandstone, with entry gates in the east and west, the palace has an archway, flanked on either side by a three-arched dalan. Beyond the archway is a central hall with a compartment at each wing.Phase I of the restoration, carried out in 2024, included stabilising the structure. Under Phase II, which began this April, intricate floral painting and designs on the roof have been restored beautifully. ASI has also replaced damaged red sandstone with new ones closely resembling Mughal-era structures, undertaking lime punning with a mixture matching the original composition and redesigning fading patterns of walls.A spot visit by TOI revealed that the walls and roof have been neatly repaired. In the palace’s central hall, however, the flooring continues to wear a raw look.Officials said the restoration was undertaken on the initiative of and under the direct supervision of LG Saxena. “After taking serious note of dilapidated and crumbling heritage structures, buried under silt and overgrown vegetation due to decades of neglect, during his visit to the site in Jan 2024, he tasked DDA with restoring the heritage site under the technical supervision of ASI,” said a DDA official.Apart from the main complex, existing lawns have been enhanced with sandstone pathways and seating aligned with the heritage monument. To enhance the aesthetics, discreet landscape lighting has been provided, stated DDA. The official said the heritage fountain near the main structures will also be revived.After the inauguration, LG Saxena urged the people of Delhi to become stakeholders in maintaining the restored sites “to ensure that these priceless heritage monuments do not get encroached upon again and that they remain forever clean and green”. CM Gupta took a jab at her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal, saying, “The former chief minister built a ‘Sheesh Mahal’ for his own comfort, but this govt has made a Sheesh Mahal for the people. This is the difference between the current and previous govts.”Meanwhile, DDA has also restored a near-decayed historic baradari and three heritage cottages within Shalimar Bagh.“The structures were carefully restored using traditional materials like lime concrete, lime surkhi, lakhauri bricks, and natural binders such as gud, belgiri and urad to ensure authenticity and strength,” stated DDA.After restoration, two of the cottages have been adaptively re-used for community-focused purposes. Readers Café Corner, a book café aimed at fostering literary engagement, and Café Shalimar, a cafeteria for park visitors, now occupy these spaces, reviving their relevance and making them hubs of cultural and social interaction. A smaller third cottage has also been restored and repurposed for contemporary usage for official purposes while preserving its unique architectural legacy.According to Shekhawat, the ministry is proactively working to protect and promote the country’s rich heritage. “We are also assuring full support to DDA in protecting these heritage jewels.”
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