Pieces of the enduring finial of the primary dome of Mughal-era Jama Masjid right here which had fallen off on its terrace beneath in a storm have been introduced down utilizing a skylift and safely saved.
Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari on Sunday stated that the mosque authorities, the Delhi Waqf Board, and “a team of heritage experts from INTACH only” will likely be deciding the believable methods to dismount the heavy items nonetheless precariously hanging from the dome.
An engineering knowledgeable who had earlier been concerned within the course of, has instructed methods to take away the dangling half utilizing a crane, but it surely sounds not very convincing, and “fraught with risk,” he stated.
“So now we have decided to go with what INTACH will suggest. Two of their engineers have also visited the mosque premises. It’s a big engineering challenge, and we want to give responsibility to people who are experts in this,” Bukhari stated.
Trials had been performed and assessments made and makes an attempt are deliberate to be made to dismount the heavy items precariously hanging from the dome, early subsequent week, scientist and innovator Mirza M Arif had stated earlier within the day.
However, Bukhari stated, the whole lot now will likely be finished as par INTACH workforce’s route.
“We are still brainstorming to ensure the safe removal of the dangling onion (finial piece),” a senior INTACH official stated.
On Saturday, utilizing a skylift loaned from the hearth division, items of the finial which had received dislodged and fallen off on the terrace beneath the dome, had been introduced down, and safely saved.
The fierce thunderstorm had hit Delhi on May 30. The finial has a number of elements together with a rod in its core which had received damaged within the storm that had additionally uprooted a number of a whole lot of timber throughout Delhi and triggered harm to different properties too.
Jama Masjid and Delhi Waqf Board authorities have since been planning the removing of the dangling a part of the finial of the primary dome of the seventeenth century grand mosque.
Bukhari had earlier had stated that as a part of the plan, aerial images of the mosque, with nearer pictures of the primary dome have additionally been taken to assist the consultants. The finial initially stood about 12-15 ft from the highest of the dome, and the dangling half would weigh round 350 kg, he had stated.
Jama Masjid Shahi Imam on Thursday had stated that the dangling half is posing a risk to the wall and minarets close to it, and to folks on floor too, as there’s a threat that if it rolls off the dome, it could hit the wall and items of stone might fall on floor. “So, we are chalking out a plan to first safely bring down the dangling part of the damaged finial.” On May 31, a day after the storm hit Delhi, Bukhari had written to the ASI requesting removing of the dangling a part of the crown and restore of the decorative construction that has topped the grand mosque since its development.
“We have not received any response from ASI on our request, so we are planning on our own,” the Shahi Imam had earlier stated.
The identical day Delhi Waqf Board Chairman Amanatullah Khan and a workforce of consultants from INTACH had visited Jama Masjid positioned within the coronary heart of the Walled City and inspected the harm triggered to the finial. Khan had additionally gone up on the terrace with different officers to see the broken components mendacity there.
A INTACH senior official had on Thursday stated, “This is an emergency scenario, and we as a heritage institution have decided to help in this process, for the safety of the people and the monument”.
“Our team had recently visited the Jama Masjid premises after the storm. Even couple of months ago, a team from INTACH had visited as Jama Masjid authorities have been contemplating a conservation project,” the official instructed PTI.
Asked if the finial, which is as outdated because the mosque, may be repaired, the INTACH official stated, sure, it’s repair-worthy.
“It is also a piece of heritage, and it has just got broken which needs to be fixed and the ensemble reinstalled,” she stated, including solely metallurgical examination can inform the precise composition of the fabric utilized in making the finial.
“The part which is still hanging from the main dome, would weigh around 350 kg, and the entire ensemble weight would have been about 500 kg. So, it is essential to remove that portion from the dome,” Bukhari had earlier stated.
An architectural jewel and a very fashionable vacationer attraction, Jama Masjid, a seventeenth century monument, was initially named Masjid-e-Jehan Numah, and was constructed by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan.
He himself had laid the muse of stone on the sturdy basements of a hillock on October 6, 1650 which was a Friday. The grand mosque was accomplished in 1656, in line with data shared by the Shahi Imam’s Office, on its historical past.
Bukhari had described the rampaging storm as one thing he had “never seen” in his complete life.
Source: www.financialexpress.com”