The restoration of the 15th-century tomb of Muhammad Qutb Shah in Hyderabad is underway. The project aims to reintroduce and preserve the art of tile work from that era. This could lead to a revival of the once-lost craft.
The tomb, the final resting place of the sixth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, features an estimated 200,000 handmade tiles of various colors. It also includes complex stucco work. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), in collaboration with the Department of Heritage, Telangana, is carrying out the restoration.
The conservation effort is funded by IndiGo Reach and InterGlobe Foundation. The restoration is based on in-situ evidence, with new tiles matched to the original's physical and chemical properties. The intricate tile work on the facade and minarets is expected to take several more months to complete.
The original craft of tile work comes from central Asia. Builders used tile as a waterproof mechanism to protect the bricks from rain. The restoration of this tile work allows a peek into the Qutb Shahi times and a better understanding of their architecture.