Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, April 7 Two minarets of the iconic Bibi ka Maqbara monument in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar will undergo restoration after the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) approved the conservation work, an official has said.
The Maqbara, also known as the Taj of the Deccan, was constructed by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in memory of his wife in the 17th century. The monument attracts the highest number of tourists in the city.
The monument is based on the Charbagh pattern, and the mausoleum at its centre has four towers in four corners. A pair of the first two 22-meter-tall minarets will be taken for conservation, the official said, adding that the work will continue for nearly one year.
This pattern is a Persian and Islamic quadrilateral garden layout featuring a central, square, or rectangular design divided into four smaller, symmetrical sections by walkways or flowing water.
The loose stucco plaster of the minarets will be checked while the marble tiles on the dome will be restored. The colour of the plaster, which turned pale over decades, will be restored to its original form, the official added.
The ASI department has sanctioned a fund of nearly Rs 2 crore for the conservation work, which will commence in a couple of months after the tendering process is completed, the official said.