Humayun's Tomb Conservation

Humayun's Tomb, a magnificent 16th century monument, recently declared a World Heritage Site, has been the focus of a concerted restoration effort in the past several years. This conservation effort, co-funded by the Tata Trusts from the onset, remains the only privately undertaken conservation effort at any of India's sites of national importance. Conservation works being undertaken on the monuments in this area have aimed to redefine standard conservation practice in India by setting benchmarks in using a craft-based approach, setting documentation standards, using a participatory and multi-disciplinary approach, and using the conservation initiative as a tool to improve quality of life for local communities. This book aims to inform the general public about the discipline of conservation and the rationale behind the successful conservation initiative and makes an argument for change in conservation approaches in India - from isolated monuments to an urban approach that includes concern for the setting; from a 'tender-based' approach to a quality concerned method, amongst other factors.