Daily Times

LAHORE: The reality of Badshahi Masjid on the ground is quite different than the images of the glorious site that circulate on government advertisements and on social media.

Lack of conservation work and poor maintenance has left many parts of the grand mosque in rather derelict condition. Then there is the matter of graffiti and posters of all kinds pasted onto the walls. The drainage system in the area set aside for ablutions needs repair, and fugus has appeared on the walls at several places.

Uninsulated wires can be seen hanging in areas where they can be touched accidently. The general state of hygiene witnessed at the canteen on the premises was quite poor.

More worrying are the sites of frescos and other decorative items in the main chamber that appear worn out, and in need of conservation efforts. The brick and mortar in the staircase leading to the upper chamber is also in need of repairs.

Further, in the inner prayer chamber, patches of cement can be seen exposed in several parts of the walls where painted layer has been worn out.

The mosque’s caretaker, Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad, says thousands of people visit it daily but no one has ever complained about lack of maintenance. “We have not been negligent in keeping the mosque clean, but yes, conservation works need to be undertaken,” he says, adding that care needs to be adopted and only those with expertise in the field must be inducted for the task. “The structure needs to be handled by experts only. I have asked the Archaeology Department and they have planned to propose allocation for its conservation in the next fiscal year (2018-19).”

Maulana Azad says in the past the Archaeology Department could not repair the mosque because it lacked funds, but now they have assured him that they will propose to the government to allocate funds for the purpose. “I must mention that the control of the mosque will remain with Auqaf and I welcome anyone who wants to conserve the mosque but they should coordinate with both Archaeology and Auqaf departments,” Maulana Azad says.

He adds, “A debate has been going on since a couple of years to settle the matter of jurisdiction between the Walled City of Lahore Authority and the Archaeology Department. No decision has yet been taken.”

He tells Daily Times that the government had constituted a committee comprising him, provincial health minister Khawaja Salaman Rafique, WCLA chairman Kamran Lashari and journalist Mujeebur Rehman Shami.

“No work can be carried out inside the mosque without involving the Archaeology Department as no other authority or organisation has the expertise. The director general of Archaeology Department has prepared the budget proposal for next the year and once its approved, they will start the work”, Maulana Azad says.

Auqaf Secretary Ijaz Ahmad, who also serves as the director general of the Archaeology Department, confirms that planning is underway for conservation work.

Archaeology Department deputy director Malik Maqsood says that Badshahi Masjid should not be compared to the recently constructed mosques in the city. “Such comparisons violate the sanctity of the heritage site. This mosque is in the best state. The structure is in satisfactory condition but we have still made a committee of experts to assess the situation and start planning conserve work. “Sometimes the area around the canteen is in a messy condition but there are adequate measures in place to keep the premises clean.”

Meanwhile, Rashid Makhdum, an architect and conservationist, suggests that conservation of the mosque should not be approached as a one-off activity. “It is among the most popular heritage sites in Pakistan. Dozens of people visit it every day. Maintenance and upkeep should be done on a regular basis. It should be an ongoing process. There has to be a management team to look after maintenance of the mosque,” he says.

Artist Salima Hashmi says that lack of care of heritage sites is a systemic problem and should be viewed at a city-wide level. “The city of Lahore is a heritage hub. It has many internationally acclaimed sites and all of them need attention. We have the greatest treasures with us and we need to take care of all of these sites,” she maintains. Hashmi insists that all the different heritage sites must be seen as an integral aspect of the nation building programme. “I am not against any particular department, but I do believe very strongly that Archaeology Department should be kept away from conservation work. They lack the required level of expertise. They should bring on board autonomous conservation experts and architects for the task.”

Published in Daily Times, April 28^th 2018.